New Paid Leave Oregon program sees 19,000 applicants in its first month, fewer than half the expected number
Paid Leave Oregon released new data this week, and also provided some helpful tips for Oregonians who plan to file a claim.
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Big wooden beam damaged in tricky canyon trip, delaying opening of new Smith Rock State Park pedestrian bridge
The pedestrian bridge at Smith Rock State Park, which was slated to reopen this week, will remain closed through at least September and likely into mid-October due to a support beam damaged in transit and resulting delay in construction, park officials said Tuesday.
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‘It’s been really helpful’: Bend La-Pine Schools explain current policies limiting student use of cellphones
With the new school year comes new questions about students in Bend-La Pine Schools using cellphones during the day. At Bend-La Pine Schools, they have expanded to high schools the rules in place to restrict their use.
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After court ruling stays OHA rules, OLCC lifts hold on cannabis products with detected Aspergillus mold
The Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission notified its current 2,790 OLCC recreational marijuana licensees on Wednesday that detections of Aspergillus mold in marijuana items would no longer prevent the sale or transfer of such products.
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Deschutes County commissioners deny petition to allow creation of vast city of Mountain View SE of Bend
Even the notion of a revised, slightly less vast proposed city of Mountain View, still over 200 square miles southeast of Bend, failed to win favor from Deschutes County commissioners, who voted unanimously after Wednesday’s public hearing to reject the incorporation petition.
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State audits find serious control weaknesses, question costs at agencies, programs receiving federal funds
State auditors found millions of dollars in questioned costs and serious control weaknesses at a number of programs receiving federal funds, according to a report released Wednesday by the Oregon Audits Division.
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Oregon DEQ lifts air quality advisory for parts of C. Oregon as smoke conditions improve
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality lifted an air quality advisory Wednesday for western Crook, southern Curry, Deschutes, and southern Josephine counties due to improved smoke conditions and a favorable weather forecast. An air quality advisory remains in effect for northern portions of Curry County, in particular the Gold Beach area, due to
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Redmond’s planned Oasis Village gets pushback from worried West Powell Butte residents
(Update: Adding video, comments from Powell Butte residents and Mayor Fitch) REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ)– At last week’s Redmond City Council meeting, community members voiced their opinions on the planned Oasis Village. The village is part of Redmond’s homeless service campus, which is planned to be built in 2024. The village will begin with 10 tiny-bedroom
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Bend Park and Rec Board gives green light to building a new ‘Art Station’ at Larkspur Park
The Bend Park and Recreation District will build a new Art Station for a variety of art classes, the park board agreed at its Tuesday night meeting.
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Deschutes commissioners vote to save stone facade of A.J. Tucker Building before building is demolished
Deschutes County’s offer to let anyone take apart the century-old A.J. Tucker Building in downtown Bend and reassemble it somewhere else got no takers earlier this year, so county commissioners agreed Wednesday to take apart and catalog pieces of the stone façade, for use elsewhere down the road.
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Citizen petition effort planned to put Deschutes County commissioner expansion on 2024 ballot
If Deschutes County voters are asked next year whether to expand the Board of Commissioners from three to five members, it won’t be the current board asking the question, although the idea could still make the ballot, if a citizen initiative effort succeeds.
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BLM celebrates National Public Lands Day with free day-use access
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation day-use fees for visitors on Saturday, Sept. 23, in celebration of the 30th annual National Public Lands Day. NPLD is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer event for public lands held annually on the fourth Saturday in September. To recognize 30 years of care
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Oregon Attorney General Rosenblum says she won’t seek reelection next year after serving 3 terms
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum, a Democrat and the first woman to serve in the post, announced on Tuesday that she will not seek reelection after serving for three terms. Rosenblum, 72, said she would step aside to allow “new leadership, new energy, and new initiatives” to come to the Oregon
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Chavez-DeRemer backs bipartisan bill to let public safety officers form unions, collectively bargain
WASHINGTON (KTVZ) – Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer (OR-05) said Tuesday she is backing the bipartisan Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act, which seeks to uphold labor rights for all public safety officers. Specifically, this legislation will allow public safety officers to form a labor union, collectively bargain for hours and wages, and provide resolution mechanisms for impasses
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Wyden, Booker introduce bill to ban ‘surveillance advertising’
WASHINGTON (KTVZ) – Sens. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Cory Booker, D-N.J., introduced legislation this week that prohibits advertising networks and facilitators from using personal data to target advertisements. “The first place to start in holding companies accountable is to attack the business model so many of the big tech companies depend on,” Wyden said. “If you take
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Foes of planned SE Bend gas station lose state appeal, but still not giving up their 2-year fight
The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals has rejected all claims by the foes of a planned southeast Bend gas station, thus letting the city’s approval of the project stand. But organizers of the 2-year fight already are planning to raise funds to take their case to the next level: the Oregon Court of Appeals.
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Oregonians struggling to get the food they need are in the spotlight during Hunger Action Month
September is Hunger Action Month, and comes at a time when many Oregonians are struggling to get the food they need.
Continue ReadingGov. Kotek meets with Forest Service, utilities and agency leaders to discuss wildfire risk reduction efforts
PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek on Monday joined U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore, state agency leaders, and members of the Electricity Subsector Coordinating Council, including representatives from PGE, Pacific Power, Avista, and rural electric cooperatives for a roundtable discussion about national strategies that can support local efforts to reduce the catastrophic
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Bend city councilors asked to OK $2.3 million renovation, upgrades at Lighthouse Navigation Center
Bend city staff are asking city councilors Wednesday evening to approve a $2.3 million contract for major renovations to the Lighthouse Navigation Center.
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City of Bend launches fair housing survey, invites participation
The City of Bend is inviting the community to take a survey that will help assess the status of whether available and accessible housing exists in all neighborhoods in Bend.
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