Month: June 2019

As the Fourth of July approaches, fire officials remind visitors that fireworks and exploding targets are prohibited on public lands. “With warm and dry conditions, all it takes is one small spark to start a wildfire,” said Glenn Casamassa, Pacific Northwest Regional Forester. “Please be safe and responsible with fire when visiting your public lands

The Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation recently awarded a $4,995 Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant to Elton Gregory Middle School with the purpose of funding a makerspace for the school’s technology program. A makerspace is a collaborative work space inside a school, library or separate public/private facility for making, learning, exploring and sharing that uses

Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., released the following statement Thursday after voting ‘no’ on the National Defense Authorization Act: “While there were provisions of this defense policy bill I supported—like a pay raise for our men and women in uniform and provisions to improve cybersecurity and protect whistleblowers in the intelligence community—I simply could not rubber-stamp

(Update: New information increases size to 80 acres) Firefighters on the 80-acre 1620 Road Fire west of Parkdale and north of Mount Hood made significant progress constructing fire line Wednesday and continued to hold the fire within the existing footprint, the Oregon Department of Forestry reported Thursday. Mop-up work adjacent to the fire line continues

Volunteers in Medicine Clinic of the Cascades is pleased to announce it has received an $8,000 grant from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation. These funds will support one year of comprehensive medical care for nine low-income, uninsured patients in Central Oregon. These patients will join 1,000 Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County residents in receiving

The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District on the Deschutes National Forest will open the Cinder Hill Campground and the road up to Paulina Peak in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument on Friday. The Cinder Hill Campground is a 110-site campground on the Caldera unit of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument near La Pine. Reservations can be

Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer on Thursday introduced the State Cannabis Commerce Act to permanently protect all state cannabis programs from federal interference and allow for interstate cannabis commerce between states like Oregon with legal cannabis programs. Since 2014, federal law has prohibited the Department of Justice from using taxpayer funds to

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) – Wildlife advocates are seeking a court order that would force U.S. officials to consider if grizzly bears should be restored to more Western states following the animals’ resurgence in the Northern Rockies. Grizzly bears are protected as a threatened species outside Alaska. An estimated 1,900 bears live in portions of Wyoming,

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Capitol was at a standstill Wednesday with only four days left in the legislative session, and it remains unclear when — or if– the Senate’s 11 Republicans will return to the statehouse and end a walkout over a climate bill. Republicans have now been absent from the statehouse for

A former Redmond man who cut off his GPS ankle monitor and fled just before his trial on child sex abuse charges escaped to Mexico, then to Canada, where he was arrested last fall and recently dropped his fight against extradition. He’s now back in the Deschutes County Jail, Redmond police said Wednesday. Last October,

The City of Bend is seeking applicants to fill one three-year appointment and one alternate position on the Bend Economic Development Advisory Board. Applicants must be residents of the City of Bend and represent a key industry located within the city. The advisory board provides a private sector perspective in advising the Bend City Council

MONTREAL (AP) – Orji Okwonkwo scored twice in his first game back from a leg injury to help the Montreal Impact beat the Portland Timbers 2-1 on Wednesday night. Okwonkwo missed the last three games for Montreal (9-3-7) after the injury against Los Angeles FC on May 25. He opened the scoring in the 28th

The Oregon State Marine Board, law enforcement from 17 county sheriff’s offices and seven Oregon US Coast Guard stations will be participating in Operation Dry Water during the weekend of July 5-7, as part of a nationally coordinated effort to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities related to Boating Under the Influence of Intoxicants

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A dive team recovered dozens of electric scooters and bicycles while cleaning the Willamette River sea wall in downtown Portland. KATU-TV reports the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office River Patrol Dive Team removed 57 electric scooters and bicycles this week. The five companies participating in Portland’s electric scooter trial program have 1,975

Good Thursday Morning, Everyone… The slow moving storm system that brought thunderstorms to the region yesterday will do so again today. Highs will be in the mid 60’s with NW winds at 5 -15 mph . Downdrafts from thunderstorms can be cold and windy, and may contain more hail. Thunderstorms will weaken through the evening

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., on Tuesday urged the Food and Drug Administration to promptly issue guidance that ensures the regulatory pathway Congress intended for the lawful use of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) as a food additive and as a dietary ingredient in dietary supplements. In a letter to Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex

Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) introduced on Wednesday the Safe Freight Act , legislation they said would promote rail safety by mandating at least two-person crews on all freight trains in the United States. The bill is designed to correct the Federal Railroad Administration’s recent rollback of a proposed rule that

AAA projects a record-breaking 48.9 million Americans (14.8 percent of the population) will travel this Independence Day holiday, the highest travel volume for the holiday since AAA started tracking in 2000. That is a 4.1 percent increase over last year, with an additional 1.9 million people taking vacations to celebrate America’s birthday. The Independence Day

Secretary of State Bev Clarno released the biennial report on Oregon’s financial condition, which presents selected high-level economic and demographic indicators for the 10-year period ending June 30, 2018. The report is not an audit, but an informational report analyzing revenues, expenditures, long-term debt, fiscal health,and demographics. “This report provides useful information to help decision-makers

Could the death of the cap-and-trade bill in the Oregon Senate be an opportunity for the state to design stronger action on climate change? Senate Republicans haven’t returned to Salem, even after Democratic Senate President Peter Courtney announced this week the proposal no longer had the votes to pass. But the measure has faced attacks