Oregon’s drug decriminalization gets poor marks on audit
By ANDREW SELSKY Associated Press SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization has had a rocky start, but Secretary of…
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Bend councilors get lower-rating survey results, vote 4-2 to adopt state rules, drop parking-space minimums
At their first regular meeting of the new year, Bend city councilors heard divided testimony, then voted 4-2 to adopt a state-mandated directive to…
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Smith Rock State Park gets wider pedestrian footbridge this summer; work to interrupt some access
Smith Rock State Park is slated to get a new, wider pedestrian bridge this summer, which means there will be no bridge access for up to four weeks…
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Oregon’s jobless rate rises to 4.5% at year’s end, despite adding 14,300 jobs in last two months
Oregon’s nonfarm payroll employment rose by 6,100 jobs in December, following a gain of 8,200 jobs in November, but the jobless rate rose…
Continue ReadingThis is the evidence investigators used to help their search for the suspect in the Idaho student killings
By Aya Elamroussi, CNN A bloody crime scene left in the aftermath of four college students killed in Idaho would help authorities navigate their hunt…
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Feds send $930 million to curb ‘crisis’ of US West wildfires
By MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The U.S. is directing $930 million toward reducing wildfire dangers in 10 western states…
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Hwy. 20 reopens 80 miles east of Bend after crash involving several semis blocked snowy road
A crash involving several semi-trucks closed U.S. Highway 20 about 80 miles east of Bend for a time Wednesday night, before a partial reopening of…
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Meet K9 Harry and his handler Officer Boileau, one of Bend PD’s and DCSO’s 4 new ‘apprehension dogs’
The Bend Police Department and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday that each agency has welcomed two new K-9s to its team, all four…
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Rep. Jason Kropf of Bend spearheads lawmakers’ efforts to address issues of early childhood literacy
State Rep. Jason Kropf, D-Bend, said on Tuesday’s opening day of the 2023 Legislature that he’s working to tackle some very pressing issues…
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Bend Park and Rec begins riverfront park projects, seeks public input on designs for next phase
The Bend Park and Recreation District is in the midst of a series of improvements at its riverfront parks, where increased use has caused river bank…
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USFS crews conduct pile burning operations west of La Pine
Firefighters on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District conducted pile burning operations Wednesday west of La Pine, next to the Ponderosa Pines…
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Bend police add new device to their toolbox called Bola Wrap, which helps to avoid use of lethal force
A handheld remote device called the Bola Wrap is a new tool in the Bend Police Department’s toolbelt, designed to detain someone without using…
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Bend Swim Club finishes 2nd at Washington Open, competing with top regional teams
The club had multiple top finishers, calling the finish a full team…
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Lonza Bend announces 91 student winners of annual ‘Inventerprise’ contest, focused on fungi
Lonza Bend hosted their annual Inventerprise contest from October through early January, where Central Oregon students were challenged to invent…
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Bookstore burglary suspect in ski mask, armed with a hatchet, arrested in downtown Sisters
A passing motorist alerted Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies to a man in a ski mask who was breaking into a Sisters bookstore Tuesday evening,…
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La Pine Library closing next week for remodeling; temporary location expected to open in late February
After six years of planning and meeting with thousands of community members, the La Pine Library is about to undergo remodeling to bring the…
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Crook County SAR rescues motorist stranded in deep snow at Big Summit Prairie
Crook County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue came to the aid Tuesday night of a stranded motorist from Redmond whose pickup truck became stuck in heavy…
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Family Kitchen sees 78% jump in meals served during 2022, ‘at or over capacity’
Family Kitchen said Tuesday it provided 133,472 meals in 2022 to community members in need through direct service and through partnerships with…
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Oregon lawmakers show signs of bipartisan harmony — for now
By CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press/Report for America SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon lawmakers in both the Democratic and Republican parties named housing,…
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Hundreds turn out to share concerns about several possible Deschutes County landfill sites
“We are really concerned about the value of our properties, the land value. We also have some real concern about potential lost tax revenue for the…
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