The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals has overturned Deschutes County commissioners’ denial of a marijuana production facility east of Bend, remanding the decision back to the county over its claim the operation would be too close to neighbors’ youth-oriented activities. A county planner initially approved Waveseer of Oregon’s proposed 36,000-square-foot facility at a site
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Following many discussions about improvements needed on U.S. Highway 97, the Oregon Transportation Commission voted unanimously Friday to approve money for several projects designed to make Central Oregon highways safer. Holding their monthly meeting at Sunriver Resort, the commissioners approved three amendments to the 2018-2021 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program. The first adds $22 million to
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There’s a new policy in place at Fred Meyer that could affect the way you shop. Parent company Kroger started rolling out a new cash back fee in select stores back East this summer. It reached areas of Oregon, including the Bend and Redmond locations, this week. Here’s how it breaks down: If you take
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(Update: City says three, not four, spaces removed) New parking changes have come to downtown Bend, including the removal of three previous parking spaces, much to the surprise of some regular users. The four spaces are located on Northwest Minnesota Avenue between Wall and Bond streets, on three of the four corners of Gasoline Alley.
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The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners’ application process for its Arts & Culture grants program is now open. This marks the third year that Deschutes County will offer this grant opportunity, which is designed to increase arts and culture opportunities and make arts and culture education available to Deschutes County residents. A total of $20,000
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A neighborhood in southeast Bend has begun converting from septic to sewer systems as part of the city’s Septic to Sewer Project. With the rapid expansion of the city, more neighborhoods are expected to apply for the conversion program. Project managers say the conversion enables property owners to stop maintaining aging septic systems. Also, sewer
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Central Oregon drug agents, assisted by the region’s SWAT team, raided five sophisticated, illegal marijuana grow operations in the off-the-grid Juniper Acres area east of Alfalfa last week, seizing more than 1,000 plants, nine guns and a butane honey oil lab while making three arrests, officials said Wednesday. The Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team
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Deschutes County is receiving $420,000 in federal funding for a new program to help combat the opioid crisis. The money will fund the Peer Pilot Project, which will connect those who have recovered from addiction with those who are currently struggling with it. Peers will engage high-risk individuals who have been difficult to reach and
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An 18-year-old Sisters resident was arrested Tuesday in a string of graffiti vandalism around the community over several weeks this summer, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. The sheriff’s office has been investigating the series of vandalism cases that occurred in various locations in the city and nearby areas, Sgt. William Bailey said. In a July
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One of two La Pine-area horses who wandered away from home fell into a hole while being returned to his pasture Monday evening and needed some help getting out, prompting a successful rescue effort, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. A deputy was dispatched around 5:15 p.m. to the report of two horses at large in
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The Oregon Transportation Commission gets briefings, takes a tour and decides on funding of several major Central Oregon projects during its monthly meeting, being held Thursday and Friday at the Sunriver Resort Lodge. On Thursday, commissioners meet at 12:30 p.m. to hear briefings on the U.S. 97 Bend North Corridor strategy and the U.S. 97
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The Oregon State Police Fish & Wildlife Division asked for the public’s help Monday for information regarding the unlawful take of a buck deer north of Sisters. A 4×4 buck deer was found shot with a rifle and left to waste near the intersection of Camp Polk Road and Wilt Road. Investigators believe the deer
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A Bend man was arrested on kidnap, assault, robbery and other charges Thursday, accused of abducting and injuring a Bend woman during a domestic violence incident that spanned 24 hours in Bend and Redmond. Four other people also were arrested during a pair of raids that involved Central Oregon’s SWAT team. Jesus Alexis Alvino, 24,
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A 78-acre prescribed fire is scheduled for Shevlin Park west of Bend next Tuesday and the park will be closed for the day, the Bend Park and Recreation District said Friday. A tour opportunity is available for community members interested to learn more about prescribed fire. To maintain and restore forest health and reduce the
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The Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District of the Deschutes National Forest on Friday began a 30-day public scoping period on a large vegetation treatment project in the Cabin Butte area, southeast of Bend. The Cabin Butte Vegetation Management Project would treat about 25,780 acres of forested stands, primarily Ponderosa pine, to increase forest resilience to wildfires,
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(Update: DCSO identifies suspect, gives details of events; adding video) A reckless driver from Southern Oregon hit speeds of over 90 mph Thursday morning on U.S. Highway 97 north of La Pine, avoided pursuing police and ditched his pickup in the woods, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said. He then stole a linen truck in downtown
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(Update: Adding video, comments from neighbors; police say search will continue through the night) An arrest has been made in a kidnapping and assault case, Bend police said, and the region’s SWAT team was conducting a raid Thursday afternoon on a home in Deschutes River Woods, south of the city. The Central Oregon Emergency Response
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About two dozen parents and a few students braved the freezing temperatures outside Elk Meadow Elementary Wednesday morning, holding up signs and continuing their efforts to stop construction of a cellphone tower next to the school that they believe will harm their kids. The protesters said they’re being denied a safe learning environment for their
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Starting Monday, SW 61st Street will be closed between SW Young Avenue and South Canal Boulevard to allow for construction of Stage 4 of the Six Corners Intersection Improvement project south of Redmond. A detour route will be provided via SW Young Avenue. The closure of SW 61st Street is anticipated to last until 6
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The city of Bend has been testing out a new method to perform building inspections. The inspectors will no longer be strapping into harnesses and climbing on roofs. Instead, city officials say, those same inspectors are now flying drones. Bend’s Building Safety Division started this program in January. That’s when the first inspector became certified
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