Month: September 2019

Gov. Kate Brown has ordered flags at all public institutions throughout Oregon to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Wednesday, Sept. 11 for Patriot Day. “The tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001 was unfathomable, and shook our nation to its core,” Brown said. “But our country was built on the value of coming

The city of Redmond will allow hemp to be processed in the city’s industrial area. Tuesday night, the City Council approved a code change to allow for processing of hemp. The city will allow businesses to process hemp in its industrial zoned area. It’s an area to the east of Highway 97 that is designated

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — A southern Oregon woman will not face charges after prosecutors determined she killed her ax-wielding boyfriend in self-defense. The Mail Tribune reported Tuesday that the Jackson County District Attorney’s Office will not prosecute 33-year-old Vanessa Rose Marroquin. Authorities say Marroquin killed Robert Leroy Mitchell Jr. when she shot him once in

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The leader of a large-scale methamphetamine drug trafficking organization in Eastern Oregon has been sentenced to nearly 20 years in federal prison. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports U.S. District Judge Michael H. Simon sentenced Abel Lomas Murillo, 26, of Weston, on Tuesday. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Narus says Murillo was dealing methamphetamine from

(Update: Adding comments from campus resource officer, COCC director of campus public safety, Police Chief Jim Porter) Central Oregon Community College, the city of Bend and the Bend Police Department announced Tuesday that veteran Officer Christian Smelser has begun his duties this week as the school’s first college resource officer. Creating the position, announced in

(Update: Lawmaker demands Brown rescind appeals court appointment of lawyer in dispute) SALEM, Ore. (AP) — An Oregon official who is resigning her job aimed at making government more transparent is urging her successors to defend the independence of the new office in the face of attempted influence by the governor’s office. Public Records Advocate

Several road segments that access popular recreation sites on the Ochoco National Forest will temporarily close this fall while engineers complete needed maintenance work to increase the longevity and load-carrying capacity of three bridges. Visitors are encouraged to use alternate driving routes during bridge work, and they’re welcome to call the Forest Service at (541)

Every year, until August 15, a closure for calving elk occurs on the Middle Flagline Trail, most commonly accessed via Dutchman Sno-Park west of Bend. Unfortunately, in years past, hikers, runners and bikers have ignored the closure, resulting in disturbance of elk cows and their young calves when they are at their most vulnerable, which

Happy Tuesday evening, everyone! An area of low pressure along with a trough of cool air have made their way onshore today. We’ve seen some breezy winds, scattered showers, and cooler temperatures as a result. There’s a chance for a few isolated thunderstorms out tonight, but once we hit midnight we won’t see many chances

The Industrial Fire Precaution Level will be reduced to IFPL 1 starting at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday. The change applies to all lands managed by the Deschutes National Forest, Ochoco National Forest, Crooked River National Grassland, and Prineville District BLM. Rain and cooler temperatures throughout Central Oregon prompted the change in IFPL. The Fire Danger

NEW YORK (AP) — Seven states, including Oregon, and the District of Columbia have sued the Securities and Exchange Commission, saying the regulatory agency is putting investors in jeopardy by relaxing rules designed to ensure that securities brokers keep the interests of their customers ahead of their own. The lawsuit, filed Monday in Manhattan federal

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife officials say the agency plans to start tracking pronghorn antelope to learn more about the species and identify migration patterns in southeast Oregon. Oregon Public Broadcasting reports during the last week of September, wildlife biologists working with federal agencies will capture and attach radio collar

Fundraising walks are a traditional, even typical facet of many communities, for many worthy causes. But the location of one that happened Friday near Madras made for a very different atmosphere, and plenty of passion and purpose, behind the walls of Central Oregon’s only state prison. ” Whether you attempted suicide at one point or

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Public health officials confirmed Tuesday that two people in Idaho have developed a serious lung disease linked to vaping. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare announced the two patients, one a minor and the other a young adult, were hospitalized for a time but are now recovering at home. Three

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — State officials say a second Oregon resident has received medical treatment for severe lung disease linked to vaping. The Oregonian/OregonLive reports the person did not die from their illness, according to the Oregon Health Authority, which provided no other details about the person or where they were treated. The reported case

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — A former pharmacist has pleaded guilty to 20 counts related to placing hidden cameras in workplace bathrooms. The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office says Johnny Tuck Chee Chan pleaded guilty Tuesday and is expected to be sentenced to 12 years in prison. Chan also will be required to register as a

The Central Oregon Association of REALTORS® will present the 43rd Annual Building a Better Central Oregon Awards on Wednesday, Oct. 16, at the Tetherow Resort, and the group released the list of honorees on Tuesday. BBCO’s main purpose is to recognize worthy residents who have enhanced their community with outstanding new or renovated residential, commercial

Toughening the federal standard for arsenic in 2001 has led to fewer violations by the public systems that supply more than 80 percent of the United States’ drinking water, research led by Oregon State University shows. Researchers found that despite lower allowable arsenic levels, the percentage of public water systems in violation fell from 1.3%

A student-led challenge to reduce the use of single-use plastics kicked off Monday at Bend Senior High School and at another school in Colorado. The two will compete to see which school can have the most positive impact. Bend High and Kent Denver School in Denver are the two schools in the U.S. kicking off

A 36-year-old fugitive ran from his Redmond-area home and tried to elude Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies Monday morning, then approached them ” in a combative manner ,” prompting the use of a Taser to subdue and arrest him, deputies said. Deputies were in the area of a home in the 2000 block of Northwest 35th