Local News Archives for 2019-09

Airport Disaster Training On Thursday

REDMOND, OR  -- Redmond Municipal Airport (RDM) and Redmond Fire and Rescue will conduct a full-scale Emergency Response Disaster Training Drill on Thursday, October 3rd, beginning at 8:00 a.m., The drill is required by the Federal Aviation Administration.  Several emergency response vehicles and personnel will be onsite, and RDM officials say the exercise will not impact commercial flight operations. The FAA requires airports, of RDM’s size, to conduct  commercial passenger aircraft disaster training every three years. 

Wyden Wants To Close Wealthy Tax Loophole

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- There's a tax loophole for the extremely wealthy that helps keeps the amount of taxes they owe, low. The wealthiest people in the U-S pay a smaller percentage of tax than the rest of us. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden says that's because of a tax loophole. Wyden says closing that loophole would make 3-point-8 trillion dollars taxable. He's working on a proposal to do that. Wyden says it would mean more money for local communities and could fund social security into the next century.

 

Email Scams Hitting Businesses Hard

BEND, OR -- Email scams directed toward businesses are up 50-percent this year. Danielle Kane, with the Oregon Better Business Bureau, says the spearfishing attacks target high ranking executives. She says the most common scam they use  is a fake invoice claiming to be from one of the company vendors. When money is paid by wire transfer the average loss is 35-thousand dollars. Businesses can help avoid the scams by using multi-factor authentication, verify vendor information and train employees on how to spot and avoid these scams.

 

Meetings in Central Oregon On Corporate Activity Tax

BEND, OR -- Traveling across Oregon, Department of Revenue rule writers are holding meetings to hear concerns, questions and suggestions from those affected by the rules of the new Corporate Activity Tax. Central Oregon business taxpayers and tax preparers will have two opportunities to discuss the rules. Tuesday, October 1st from 5:30 to 7 p.m., OSU Cascades Graduate Research Center in Bend. Wednesday, October 2nd, 7 to 8:30 a.m.,  Deschutes County Fairgrounds, Redmond. The Department of Revenue also plans to host  conference calls to allow businesses and tax preparers who were unable to attend the meetings in person to participate in the rules discussion.

Sheriff Going After illegal Marijuana Grows

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson is aggressively pursuing illegal marijuana grows in this county.

He says this includes recreational and medical growers out of compliance with state law. Nelson says he will add another Marijuana Enforcement Detective to his department. On another topic, Nelson says it was a busy summer with search and rescues common. But he also noted less than perfect weather might have made it a little less busy for his deputies.

DA Says Use Of Force By Redmond Police Justified...But Not The Arrest

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County District Attorney John Hummel announced Friday that two Redmond officers used justifiable force during an arrest last month. The arrest of 25 year old Darian Belles was caught on video. The officers involved were Bryan Holman and Chris Wooten. Hummel says there was a struggle as Belles tried to grab a Taser they used on him. Central Oregon Daily News reports, however, Hummel also concluded the arrest of Belles itself was not justified because there was no probable cause that the suspect had been involved in drug sales.  Officers Holman and Wooten remain with the Redmond police force. City officials declined to disclose whether either officer faces disciplinary action. 

 

Record Number Of Attendees At League Of Cities Meeting

BEND, OR -- The League of Oregon Cities is holding its annual conference in Bend through Saturday. But with 1-thousand people expected to attend, the league is scrambling to find hotel rooms. At the same time the attendance may exceed the capacity at The Riverhouse. Officials with the league say in the future they may need to put attendance limits on their annual conference. The conference opened Thursday and wraps up on Saturday.

Burning Season Starts Tuesday

BEND, OR -- The Central Oregon Fire Chiefs Association (COFCA) says Debris Burn Season will open at sunrise, Tuesday, October 1st, for many Central Oregon Fire Districts. With the recent fall weather and precipitation received in the area, the Fire Chiefs agreed that many areas are now safe to enter into burn season. However everyone is reminded to call their local fire district to ensure the district is allowing burning, that it is a burn day and to obtain any necessary permits.

Snow In The Weekend Forecast

BEND, OR -- Whether you're just traveling through the mountains or maybe have a fall camping trip planned...snow levels are expected to drop below the passes Friday night and into the weekend. Only a few inches of snow is expected. O-DOT says you need to prepared...that includes a full tank of gas, food and emergency communications. You should also carry traction devices unless you have certified traction tires. Use the ODOT TripCheck website to know what conditions you'll face. In Bend, forecasters says snow accumulations might be between one-half to an inch by Monday. Daytime temperatures will be below normal through the weekend.

Bend Lawmaker Wants Immediate End To Sales Of Vaping Products

BEND, OR -- Bend Republican State Representative Cheri Helt wants Governor Kate Brown to order an immediate ban on sales of vaping products. Helt’s request comes as two Oregonians have died and at least three others have become sick in recent months.  Oregon first documented a vaping death in July, after the victim suffered lung failure for about five weeks.  Helt says in February she will propose laws to ban sales of E-cigarettes and vaping products in Oregon. Helt's call for an end to vaping sales comes as the Oregon Health Authority issued a Public Health Warning for everyone to stop using vaping products.  

Time Running Out For Special Session

SALEM, OR -- Time is running out for Republicans at the legislature who want a fix or, a repeal, of what they see as a fatally flawed Death Penalty Bill. The bill takes effect this Sunday. Republicans fear this will lead to 30 current death row inmates either being resentenced or freed. State Senator Tim Knopp says Oregon voters approved the death penalty and if the bill isn’t fixed it should be sent to a vote. Knopp notes the death penalty was approved by voters and says if there's an effort to repeal it, the voters should weigh in on the issue. Supporters of the bill at the legislature asured everyone the bill was not retroactive. The Oregon Department of Justice says it is retroactive. The new death penalty bill is scheduled to take effect Sunday, September 29th 

CORRECTED: Central Oregon Republicans Want Governor To Call Special Session

CORRECTION: District Attorney John Hummel is not a member of the Republican Party, he is non-affiliated. Mr. Hummel has never been a member of either party. KBND News regrets the error

BEND, OR -- Several Central Oregon Republicans have called on Governor Kate Brown to call a special session to address concerns about a death penalty bill that takes effect by the end of the month. Senator Tim Knopp, has joined fellow Republicans, Representatives Jack Zika, Cheri Helt, and Vikki Breese-Iverson and non-affiliated District Attorney John Hummel in urging Brown to address confusion caused by Senate Bill 10-13. Their statement says families of murder victims could end up seeing the person who killed a relative being released or having their sentences reduced. As an example they cite the case of Randy Lee Guzek who killed a Terrebonne couple in 1987. The Republicans say under the Death Penalty Bill, Guzek could get a reduced sentence.  

Sheriff Answers Questions About Cite And Release

BEND, OR -- A man from La Pine led police on a chase Tuesday evening before wrecking the bike which investigators found out had been stolen. He was cited and released instead of being jailed. Sheriff Shane Nelson explains that in some cases the person has medical or mental health issues. In other cases, Nelson says the person may have information that leads police to successfully conclude other investigations. Nelson emphasizes however that anyone cited and released still must appear in court to face the charges or a warrant will be issued for their arrest.

Lack Of Child Care A Big Problem For Parents And Employers

BEND, OR -- The lack of available child care is a growing problem in Central Oregon and the issue is the focus of meetings with employers and providers today in La Pine and Bend. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Katy Brooks says the shortage of child care creates problems for parents and employers. She says between higher rents and expensive labor costs, child care providers are being hurt financially while parents can’t find or in many cases can’t afford care. Brooks says more than one-third of employers surveyed say 25-to-50-per cent of their workforce needs child care service. Brooks says parents of newborn infants face waiting list times of up to 18-months for child care. She says that means one of the parents may not be able to return to work, or, the family will have to find a different way to make ends meet.

 

Arrest Made In Fatal Wreck Case

REDMOND, OR -- After months of investigation into the fatal traffic crash that occurred on March 21st which resulted in the death of 19 year old Sara Edwards of Redmond, the facts were presented to the Grand Jury in Deschutes County.

The Grand Jury handed down an indictment in late August on charges of Criminally Negligent Homicide and Manslaughter in the Second Degree against 42 year old Devin Lee Cooper. On September 12th, detectives from the Oregon State Police contacted Cooper at his residence in La Grande. Cooper was cooperative, taken into custody, and lodged at the Union County Jail.

Man Convicted Of Child Sex Abuse Dies In Prison

(Salem, OR)  --  A 75-year-old man convicted of sexually abusing children is dead.  Authorities say William Kirk died yesterday morning at the infirmary of the Oregon State Penitentiary.  He was serving a 54-year sentence after being convicted in 2017 of multiple child sex crimes over a five-year period ending in 2010.

Man Arrested For Exposing Self Near Elementary School

(Kelso, WA)  --  A man is facing charges after allegedly exposing himself in front of an elementary school in southwest Washington state.  Police in Kelso arrested 30-year-old Maurice Williams for the incident Monday afternoon.  Police say he dropped his pants in front of Barnes Elementary School and then tried to walk on campus.

Corvallis Named OR's Best College Town

(Corvallis, OR)  --  Corvallis is being called the best college town in Oregon.  The website reviews-dot-org used federal data to analyze factors like cost of living, bar availability and transportation access to rank college towns across the country.  Corvallis came in first place for Oregon and 12th place nationwide.

Controlled Burn Near Prineville Start Today

PRINEVILLE, OR -- Ochoco National Forest Fire managers plan to burn piles left over from thinning projects in several units this fall, as weather conditions allow. Plans call for ignitions of 200 to 300 acres in the McKay area northeast of Prineville beginning  today and continuing through Thursday. These burns include around 3,200 acres of treatments scheduled this fall south of McKay Creek in the Green Mountain vicinity. Light smoke will be visible from Prineville and may impact dispersed camping sites. No burning is planned Saturday or Sunday, September 28th and 29th, because it is the opening weekend for mule deer rifle hunting season.

 

Man Arrested After Motorcycle Wreck

LA PINE, OR -- On Tuesday night at about 8:25, a Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Deputy attempted to stop an off-road motorcycle for traffic violations near the intersection of Amber Lane and Big Timber Drive. The motorcycle sped away.

About 10 minutes later, 911 received a report of a motorcycle crash at the intersection of Day Road and Snowberry Lane.

A second Sheriff's DCSO Deputy arrived and provided medical aid. The rider, 32 year old Anthony Lee Scott, of La Pine, was transported to St. Charles Bend with non-life threatening injuries. Investigators learned the motorcycle was stolen earlier this year from residence in McMinnville. Scott was cited for Possession of a Stolen Vehicle, Attempting to Elude – Felony, Reckless Driving and released. Police say citations-in-lieu of custody are often used when people are charged with certain misdemeanor or felony offenses, are too unhealthy or ill for jail, they require emergent medical or mental health care at a hospital or other unusual circumstances. However, a citation-in-lieu of custody is still an “arrest” and does not discount the seriousness of the alleged crimes.

 

 

Unemployment In Central Oregon Holding Steady

BEND, OR -- The Central Oregon unemployment rate isn’t going up or down, but holding steady at around 4-per cent for almost two years. Economist Damon Runberg says there was a jump in the population of Central oregon Coupled with rapid job growth, as the area recovered from the Great Recression.  Runberg says people are still moving here but job growth has slowed dramatically in the last year. He says that could mean the unemployment rate might grow as people wait longer to find a job.

 

Student Success Act Being Implemented In Oregon

REDMOND, OR -- After touring the state and visiting rural and urban areas, state lawmakers heard from Oregonians about how to improve K-12 education. Lawmakers passed a one billion dollar year tax to fund K-12 education and the new Student Success Act. Redmond Superintendent Mike McIntosh says reducing class sizes is an important element of the bill. McIntosh says smaller class sizes give teachers a better opportunity to connect with and teach students one-on-one. McIntosh says other areas of focus of the Student Success Act are Student Safety and Student Health and Wellness.

Prescribed Fire Near Crater Lake Park

CRATER LAKE, OR -- Crater Lake National Park Fire Management staff are preparing to implement the West Highway 62 prescribed fire project. Approximately 44 acres containing roughly 2200 piles are in the areas scheduled to be burned this fall. Fire managers expect to begin the burn as early as Tuesday, October 1st, pending favorable conditions. Ignitions will continue throughout the fall as conditions allow until the project is complete, or heavy snow prevents further burn operations. Weather, fire behavior, and smoke forecasts will be monitored before, during, and after the burns to ensure desired fire effects are achieved. 

 

Doctors Without Borders Event Tonight In Bend

BEND, OR -- The International Medical Organization, Doctors Without Borders, is kicking off a special speaker series event in Bend this evening.  The program is called, "MSF-A Voice From The Field." Veteran social worker Karen Stewart has spent the last 15 years on assignment in Asia and Africa. Stewart will provide a behind-the-scenes look at fieldwork and the challenges of bringing life-saving medical care to some of the most remote and dangerous places on the planet. Tonight's event is hosted by The Riverhouse and begins at 6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.  

Invasive Weeds To Be Sprayed Near Metolious River

SISTERS, OR --The U-S Forest Service will spray herbicides October 1st through October 4th near the Metolious River.

Jean Nelson-Dean at the Deschuites National Fiorest says work crews will use herbicides that have been declared safe for humans and animals. The herbicides will be applied by spot applications with workers using backpacks or hand sprayers. Ribbongrass, Reed Canarygrass and Yellow Flag Iris are invasive plants overtaking native sedges, wildflowers, and shrubs within the river’s riparian habitats. During the work there will be no closures along the Metolious River or nearby trails. The herbicides will be used upstream from the South Fork of Lake Creek to the Candle Creek Campground.  

 

League Of Oregon Cities Meets In Bend This Week

BEND, OR -- Bend will be a little more crowded this week. An estimated 1-thousand people are expected for the 94th Annual League of Oregon Cities Conference from Thursday to Saturday. Mayors and city officials from throughout the state will attend the LOC event at The Riverhouse The conference will hear panel discussions regarding homelessness, the lack of affordable housing, PERS, the Public Employee Retirement System and Social Media.   

Juvenile Cited For Non-Credible Threat

BEND, OR --A Bend juvenile is in trouble for posting a threat on an XBOX gamer tag to harass other players. Police say there was a reference to a school shooting and the juvenile posted the word, "Bang." The FBI got involved and later determined there was no means to carry out the threat, deeming it non-credible. Police say even thiugh the post was declared non-credible it caused alarm. The juvenile was cited for Disotrderly Conduct in the First Degree. The threat was directed towards students and staff at Cacade Middle School.  

Rental Assistance Could Ease Affordable Housing Crunch

PORTLAND, OR -- A new study finds a state managed rent assistance program would help reduce Oregon's affordable housing crisis. The Oregon Center for Public Policy study found around half of Oregon renters spend more than 30-percent of their income on housing. Daniel Hauser says one in four renters spend half of their income on rent which forces them to cut back on food, health care and other important costs. There is a federal program, but Hauser says a state run program would be able to target more low income in Oregonians who need help with the high costs of rent.

 

 

Search Warrant Leads To 10 Arrests

MADRAS, OR -- On Sunday morning, Madras Police and the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE) served a search warrant in the 500 block of 10th Street in Madras. Neighbors had complained of possible drug sales at the house. Police arrested 10 people on charges ranging from Unlawful Possession of Meth, Frequenting Where Controlled Substances are used, Resisting Arrest and warrant or parole violations. The investigation is on-going. More arrests are expected.

 

UPDATE: Prineville Girl Found

PRINEVILLE, OR -- UPDATE September 23, 2019 According to the Sheriff's office this morning, Emma returned safely home Friday night.

 

 

 

 

 

 

             

 

Climate Strike Scheduled In Downtown Bend

The Oregon youth Climate Strike will meet at 4PM at the corner of Newport Avenue and Wall Street. The groups which includes Bend and Redmond area schools and businesses are demanding the federal government stop fossil-fuel infrastructure projects and pass a Green New Deal to reduce carbon emissions to zero by 2050. 

 

Several speakers, including youth activists, will speak at the event and give the public a petition to sign.

 

Freddy Finney-Jourdet, a 17-year-old senior student from Redmond who is one of the organizers, says he expects between 100-200 students to attend and many more non-students. 

 

The event will coincide with youth-led climate strikes around the world Friday, led by 16-year-old Swedish activist Greta Thunberg. Students from around the state are expected to also walk out as a sign of solidarity. 

Arrest Made After School Goes Into Lock-Down

A Bend man identified as 21-year-old William Wight was arrested Thursday morning. He is accused of posting a threat to Bend Senior HS on a social media site. Lietuenant Juli McConkey with Bend PD, says they got a quick heads up about the threat from the school's social media manager. Wight was arrested at his home where police seized a shotgun. He was jailed on charges of Disorderly Conduct, Unlawful Use of a Weapon, and Menacing. Wight will be taken to St. Charles for evaluation. 

Human Remains Identified

BEND, OR --

** Updated September 19, 2019 at 09:35am **

The human remains located near the intersection of Highway 20 and Robal Road on September 15, 2019 have been positively identified as belonging to thirty-five year old Charles F. Shepard of Bend.  No foul play is suspected in his death.

Shepard's next of kin has been notified.

PREVIOUS NEWS RELEASE:

On September 15, 2019, at approximately 10:45 am, deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) were dispatched to a report of human remains that had been located just north of the City of Bend, near the intersection of Hwy 20 West and Robal Road.  An individual walking their dog on private property between Highway 20 and OB Riley Road made the discovery and reported the finding to Deschutes County 911.

Deputies and DCSO detectives arrived at the location and confirmed the discovery of decomposed human remains, likely belonging to that of an adult male.  Deputies and detectives worked throughout the afternoon, assisted by the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, Deschutes County Medical Examiner, and the Oregon State Police Crime Lab, to document, collect evidence, and recover the human remains for autopsy. 

Gun Safety Bill Headed To Legislature Next Year

SALEM, OR -- Gun owners who fail to secure their weapons would be held accountable for crimes committed with that weapon under legislation being proposed by gun safety advocates. The bill is supported by the State of Safety Action group. Their proposed bill would also require gun owners to either use a gun safe, locks or cables to secure their weapons. The State of Safety Action group hopes the legislature passes the bill. However, if lawmakers don’t pass the bill the group says efforts are underway to put the measure before Oregon voters in November, 2020.

Cougar Sightings Not Expected To Spike During Early Migrations

BEND, OR -- State biologists say they don’t expect a spike in cougar sightings now that the deer and elk migrations have started in Central Oregon. ODF&W Regional Biologist Corey Heath, says more cougar sightings will likely occur after snow falls and pushes wildlife out of the high country. Heath says cougar sightings have been fairly common in rural and urban areas of Central Oregon over the past year or so, but says there have been no attacks on humans. He says the only fatal cougar attack occured last year near Mt. Hood. However, Heath notes there have been cougar attacks on some pets and livestock in Central Oregon. 

POW/MIA Recognition Day Friday Morning

BEND, OR -- The Bend Heroes Foundation is putting on a ceremony tomorrow for POW/MIA Recognition Day. The Chair of the foundation, Dick Tobiason, says there are 16 missing veterans from Bend, 15 from World War Two and one from Vietnam. Tobiason says searches continue around the world for American MIA’s. The POW/MIA Recognition Day event, designated by Congress for the third Friday in September, begins at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow at the Bend Heroes Memorial in Brooks Park. The ceremony will include presentations regarding Highway 26 being designated a POW/MIA Memorial Highway. The 427-mile long Highway 26 extends from Seaside to the Oregon - Idaho Border and its designation as a memorial highway was approved unanimously by state lawmakers earlier this year.   

 

Lockdown At Elton Gregory Middle School

REDMOND, OR -- 

Elton Gregory Middle School in Redmond was locked down for a short time Wednesday after a student used a knife to carve into a wall and a bench. Police say a lockdown occurs when any level of threat or potential of threat happens in a school. Officers responded and took the student to St Charles Redmond for evaluation. Any criminal charges are pending the results of the medical evaluation.

Governor Says No Special Session

SALEM, OR -- (Salem, OR) — Governor Kate Brown released the following statement regarding a special session to clarify the ambiguity around Senate Bill 1013, the Death Penalty Bill.
"While it is clear there is a misunderstanding regarding the intent of the words in Senate Bill 1013, it is also clear there is not sufficient support for a special session to pass a fix. When announcing my support for a special session, I said that it was conditional on stakeholders and legislators crafting bill language that had the votes to pass. That has not been achieved. I cannot justify the additional cost and time a special session requires without that support, and I will not be calling the legislature into a special session this month before the law goes into effect."

The Oregon Department of Justice has stated the bill would apply retroactively to death penalty cases. If that turns out to be the case, some death row inmates could get a new trial. Republicans in Salem say the measure should be sent to voters.  
 

Overdose Education and Naloxone Training being held at Crook County Library

The Crook County Health Department in partnership with The Central Oregon Health Council will be holding two community Naloxone Trainings in Prineville on Thursday, September 19th at 12:30PM and 5:30PM at the Crook County Library, Broughton Room- 175 NW Meadow Lakes Dr. Priveville, OR 97754.

 

Please contact Heather Stuart at Crook County Health Department for details as there are a limited number of spaces. 

 

Office: 541-323-2451

Vaping Deaths And Illnesses Still Being Reported

BEND, OR -- Nationwide investigations are underway into the deaths and illnesses of people who were vaping marijuana, tobacco or, tobacco flavored products. Dr Ryan Nelson is a Pulomonolgist at Saint Charles and says when the vaping devices first came out, many people thought they would be a safer alternative to traditional cigarettes. Nelson says what researchers are trying to figure out is, what is in the vaping device that causes harm. Nelson says the illnesses and deaths are not seen among traditional marijuana and cigarette users. This has led researchers to view the device itself, not what is put in it, as the cause of the health problems. 

Bend Garbage Companies Offering Food Waste Recycling

BEND, OR -- The Cascade Disposal and Bend Garbage Companies are offering to recyle food waste and turn it into something good for the garden. Cascade's Community Outreach Coordinator, Patricia Williams, says the recycling of the waste is for customers who have yard debris service. "We are taking everything. Bones, meat, dairy, bread, processed and cooked foods. All of that can go into the yard debris container," Williams said.  The food waste will be taken to Deschutes Recycling by Knott Landfill where it will turn into compost in 90 days. Williams says 2-gallon buckets are available to customers of Cascade Disposal and Bend Garbage. The buckets can be placed in the kitchen and when the bucket is full it can be dropped in the yard debris container.
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Bend Man Caught In Prostitution Sting

BEND, OR -- Some Portland police officers were in town Monday to conduct training designed to catch people trying to sexually exploit others. Lieutenant Juli McConkey with Bend Police, says 55 year old Daniel Vance Packman responded to a website seeking sex, without knowing he was really communicationg with police. Packman was told there were two females, one 17 years old, who wanted to participate. McConkey says a short time later Packman showed up at the hotel and was arrested, jailed and Charged with Prostituton and Purchasing Sex With A Minor. McConkey says police locally are using the internet to catch people engaged in sex trafficking and sexual exploitation of teenagers.


 

Bend-Redmond Highway Closure

Thursday, Sept. 19, the Old Bend-Redmond Highway will be closed from Rogers Road to Highway 20 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

 

The Deschutes County Road Department will be completing repairs and conducting environmental cleanup in response to a concrete truck crash that occurred in late August.

 

A detour route will be provided.

 

For more information, please contact the Deschutes County Road Department at (541) 388-6581.

Transient Faces Weapons Charges

BEND, OR -- A 23 year old transient man, identified as Jeffrey J. Ebel, was arrested Monday following an incident at Trader Joe’s. Employees at Trader Joe’s told a Security Officer about a man yelling and causing a disturbance. The officer found Ebel at Food 4 Less and told him not to return to Trader Joe’s. Ebel was given directions to the bus stop and was walking north when he saw the Security Officer following him.  Ebel pulled out a hatchet and began threatening to harm the officer, who called 911.  Ebel then reportedly charged the officer, with the hatchet over his head and the officer ran and hid. Ebel was then seen running and the JC Penney store was briefly locked down. Bend Police arrived and found Ebel near Hunnel Road and Robal Road. Police took the hatchet and Ebel was arrested without incident. He is jailed on charges of Menacing, Disorderly Conduct and, Unlawful Use of a Weapon.

Human Remains Found Near Bend

BEND, OR -- The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office is investigating the discovery of human remains found this past Sunday,  The remains were found north of Bend by a person walking a dog on private property, between Highway 20 and OB Riley Road. The person contacted 911. Investigators believe the remains are those of an adult man. Sheriff's deputies were helped by the Medical examiner and the State Police Crime Lab. An autopsy is scheduled today to help police identify the subject and the cause of his death.

Annual Go Clean Energy Conference Coming To Bend

BEND, OR -- The 3rd Annual Go Clean Energy Conference is coming up in Bend. The Executive Director of 350Deschutes, Diane Hodiak, says 35 speakers at the conference, will cover a broad range of clean energy sources that include incentives. She says, "Energy efficiency, clean energy, including microhydro and solar, as well as electric vehicles. And things you can do as an individual or a business to green up your life."  Hodiak says there are incentives, rebates and tax credits for many clean energy sources although they keep changing and that creates confusion. She says the conference will clear up confusion. The Go Clean Energy Conference is Thursday, October 3rd from 8:30-to-430 at the downtown Bend Episcopal Church. Tickets for the conference are 35-dollars and includes lunch. To register log onto Go Clean Energy.org, and use promo code 350D.

 

Hundreds Of Volunteers To Clean Up China Hat Area Today

BEND, OR -- The non-profit Discover Your Forest organization is teaming up today with hundreds of volunteers from REI and the Deschutes National Forest to clean up the China Butte area. Amy Jensen with Discover Your Forest, says the Cabin Butte Pit and Horse Butte Trailhead areas need to cleaned up. She says, "There's some citizen-made shooting lanes and just kind of a large accumulation of trash, debris and bullet casings everywhere. So they decided that would be a great opportunity where we could use a couple hundred volunteers to combine their efforts." Jensen says the volunteers would also put up rail fencing and de-commission the illegal shooting areas. Jensen says today’s project will help encourage native plant regrowth and increase recreation opportunities.

Fire Officials Urge Inspection Of Your Chimney Annually

BEND, OR -- Chimney fires are caused by a build-up of creosote. They are less common than they once were according to Bend Battalion Fire Chief David Howe because many people have switched to other sources of heating fuel like electricity or natural gas. But for those burning wood products, Howe says, getting the chimney flu inspected and cleaned is important because, "If you burn fuel that is fairly wet and hasn't been seasoned a long time, you are more likely to build up more creosote. And if you burn fuel fairly cool, like a smoldering fire, that's gonna build up creosote really fast." Howe says get the chimney inspected and cleaned twice a year if your fuel is increasing the creosote build up in the chimney.

Financial Workshops Offered By MOCU

BEND, OR -- The popular Mid Oregon Credit Union Financial Workshops are coming up. Kyle Frick with MOCU says they are offering a first-time workshop on the topic of Parenting in a Digital World. The workshop will help parents learn how to keep their kids safe. The parenting workshop is at 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 18th. Frick says another popular workshop in will feature a representative of PERS, the Public Employee Retirement System. The workshop will include a discussion of the basics of PERS and includes an overview of PERS Tier 1/Tier 2. The PERS workshop is at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 24th. Frick says a third workshop being offered is Estate Planning Essentials. The workshop will feature an attorney who will discuss wills, trusts, powers of attorney and health care issues. The estate workshop is at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, October 3rd. All of the workshops are free. You are asked to pre-register by logging ionto the Mid Oregon Credit Union Website. All of the workshops will be held at 1386 NE Cushing Drive.  

Interior Order Allows E-Bikes

BEND, OR -- The U-S Interior Department has issued an order to allow Class 1, 2 and 3 E-Bikes on lands the agency manages. This means E-Bikes would be allowed on BLM, National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service and Bureau of Reclamation lands. The Chair of the Central Oregon Trail Alliance, Bruce Schroeder, says, "Our main goal in this is to educate our ridership about what's new and what the scope of that Interior Department order really is." The Interior Department order does not include U-S Forest Service lands because that agency is under the U-S Department of Agriculture. Schroeder says that difference could possibly lead to confusion and conflict on trails. 

Terrebonne Man Dies In Motorcycle Car Collision

SWEET HOME, OR -- A Terrbonne man was killed Thursday afternoon in a wreck on Highway 20 east of Sweet Home. Oregon State Police investigators say 58-year old Michael Falcioni was eastbound when he lost control of his motorcylce and crossed into the path of a Ford F250 pickup driven by 53-year old Dale Zoon of Sweet home. Falcioni was pronounced dead at the scene. Zoon was not injured.  

Fatal Wreck On Highway 26

MADRAS, OR -- An early morning wreck on Highway 26 just west of Madras has killed one person and injured another.

Oregon State Police say at about 2-10 this (Friday) morning, a Buick driven by 20-year old Arrita Augustine Sampson of Warm Springs, was traveling on Earl Street. Sampson failed to stop for a stop sign at the intersection with Highway 26. Sampson's car drove into the path of an eastbound tractor-trailer rig, driven by 30-year old Brandon McMurrian of Prineville. Sampson died at the scene. A passenger in Sampson's car, 18-year old May Spino of Warm Springs was taken to Saint Charles-Madras and then airlifted to St Charles-Bend for injuries. McMurrian was not injured.    

UPDATE: Redmond Airport road closure opens at 2:30PM

UPDATE from Brad Haynes, Traffic Director City of Redmond. Roadblock on Airport Way to be removed by 2:30PM today "Thursday" Brad says to "please be careful and allow workers to pull away their signage" 

New ODOT Director

ODOT has a new director. The Oregon Transportation Commission has selected Kris Strickler, who is currently Oregon’s Highway Administrator. Democratic State Senator Betsy Johnson was one of the people who interviewed the candidates. She says unlike some state agency heads, Strickler was chosen by the Oregon Transportation Commission, not the governor. Strickler would become the 12th ODOT Director. His appointment must still be approved by the Oregon Senate.

Quick Action Saves Sleeping Family During House Fire

BEND, OR -- Thanks to quick action by neighbors, a family at a home on Century Drive was alerted to a fire on their roof late Tuesday night, which broke out while they were asleep. Bend Fire Battalion Chief David Howe told KBND, the ventilation fan in a 2nd story bathroom caused the blaze. Howe says, "You have to make sure ventilation fans are cleaned out every now and then,. It is something you want to do every year." He says to take the cover off the fan and, "Use a vaccum cleaner to clear out the lint in the fan," Howe says lint buildup in the fan can cause the unit to overheat and cause a fire. Also important, Howe says, make sure your home has working smoke alarms.  

Sheriff Nelson Files For Reelection

BEND, OR -- Deschutes County Sheriff L. Shane Nelson filed Thursday for reelection.  Nelson started his law enforcement career here in 1993. Nelson told KBND, if reelected one of his top priorities will be continued enforcement of illegal or black market marijuana. Nelson says," I think it’s a very big and sensitive issue for this community. We want to ensure those in the business follow the rules.” Nelson became the 9th Deschutes County Sheriff in history in 2015. Nelson has served with the sheriff’s office for nearly 26 years. For more on the sheriiff's conversation with KBND, join us Friday morning for the KBND News with Frank Bonacquists and Paul Hanson.

Big Drop In Downtown Bend Crime Rate

BEND, OR -- Bend Police Chief Jim Porter is crediting foot patrols for a big drop in crime in the Downtown Bend--Mirror Pond area. Porter says in the summer SRO’s join the special Problem Oriented Policing Team working in the area. The Police Chief says the drop in crime in the Downtown - Mirror Pond area over the past three years way down. He says, "We've been able to push intoxicated calls down 45%, Animal Control complaints down 20%, Mental Health calls down almost 39%. The important ones that we really focused on was Assault calls which are down by 74% Dispute calls down 74% and overall theft cases dropped by nearly 60%." Porter says they worked closely with the Bend Downtown Association to make the area safer.

COCC Gets First-Ever SRO

BEND, OR -- 

Central Oregon Community College is getting its first  School Resource Officer thanks to a partnership with the City of Bend.

A 12 year police department veteran, Chris Smelser, will start his new job on Monday. Lieutenant Juli McConkey with Bend Police tells KBND, Smelser will also be available for other assignments, as needed, off campus. "He can respond off of the campus to help other officers of course, if there's an emergency call." Funding for Smelser’s new job as the community college SRO. will be shared between the City of Bend and the COCC.

Groundbreaking celebration for new school

Community members, local leaders, school officials and students will join to celebrate the groundbreaking for Bend-La Pine schools’ new high school in Southeast Bend, Thursday, September 19th at 1 p.m. The new 16-hundred-seat high school, which is slated to open to students in the fall of 2021, is part of the 2017 school construction bond. The new high school will include nearly 60 new classrooms, including several career and technical education classrooms, a 600-seat auditorium, a library as the central focal point, a football stadium as well as two secure main entries.

National Suicide Prevention Week

In observance of National Suicide Prevention Week, there is a special event at 6:30-this evening in Bend, titled, “True Stories.” The event will focus on how we publicly communicate and talk about suicide and how that can have a negative or positive impact. Participants include suicide prevention experts and community members. The event is being put on by the Central Oregon Suicide Prevention Alliance. If you plan to attend, register at prevent-suicide-co-dot-org-slash-events. The discussion is at St Charles Bend in Conference Rooms C & D

COCC Board of Directors Meeting

The Board of Directors of Central Oregon Community College meets at the Madras campus tomorrow (Wednesday) night at 6:30. The board will get a briefing on how things are going at the Madras campus. The new Director of Education Programs at Deer Ridge Correctional Institution will talk about the GED Programs, the Welding Program and other educational services provided to inmates by the college.

Cycle Oregon coming through town today.

The 15-hundred Cycle Oregon bike riders will move through Bend today heading to Cascade Lakes Highway. The riders then head to Sunriver and eventually La Pine where they will camp for the night. Tomorrow, Wednesday, the cyclists leave La Pine for a scenic ride to Diamond Lake where they will campout for the night. Riders on this year’s Cycle Oregon have the option of a side trip to Crater lake National Park. 

Sisters man jailed

The Deschutes County Sheriff was sent to a home in Sisters early Monday morning for a report of a burglary in progress. Deputies were told a man broke into the back door of a home but was confronted by the homeowner with a rifle. The suspect, 43-year-old Ryan Paul Huber, of Sisters left the home went to a neighbor’s house and rang the doorbell. The second homeowner called 9-1-1- and told Huber to leave. Huber went back to the first home where he was held by the armed homeowner until police arrived. Hyber told police he believed his family…who lived nearby…was being held hostage. Police found the family unharmed and asleep. Huber is jailed on charges of Burglary and Criminal Mischief. 

Prineville Man Dies In Wreck On Highway 370

Bend, OR -- Oregon State Poiice say a Prineville man was killed Thursday  night on Highway 370, the O’Neill Highway. Police responded to a report of the collision at about 6:40 p.m. Investigators says a Chevy  Impala, driven by 43 year old Matthew Herrera, was eastbound at a high rate of speed. Herrera  lost control on a corner and slid sideways into the westbound lane. The Impala collided with a westbound GMC pickup, driven by 37 year old Aaron Ruhl, of Prineville. Herrera died at the scene. Ruhl and his passenger, 32 year old Jessica Heggie of Prineville were taken to St Charles for treatment.

Search For Missing Horseback Rider Ends

UPDATE ...The Deschutes County Sheriff's search for a 49 year old missing horseback rider in the Cline Buttes Area ended Monday, with the discovery of his body. Police say Chad Hurtley of Redmond apparently took his own life. Hurtley had gone horseback riding at about 10:30 Sunday morning. Several hours later, the horse was found alone on Cline Falls Road heading back to Hurtley’s home. A search began Sunday but hurtley was not found. Search teams resumed the search monday morning and  located Hurtley's body on the west side of one of the Cline Buttes.  
 

Opioid Overdoses Warning

Bend, OR -- A recent cluster of heroin overdoses has Deschutes County Health Services warning the public about an increased risk of heroin overdoses. Health care providers report the heroin may be laced with synthetic fentanyl.
Patients seen last week were very ill and required  unusually high doses Naloxone ... also known as Narcan ... to be stabilized. Naloxone is a medication that was designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. Health offciials say however, the effects of naloxone are temporary and the person still need medical attention because after the medication wears out, the overdose victim may fall back into a coma. 

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