picture: CO Daily News

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek says Central Oregon is making measurable progress on homelessness, pointing to a 20-percent reduction through stronger coordination between local governments and nonprofits. Speaking Monday in Redmond, Kotek said continued progress will depend on lawmakers maintaining support in the 2027 legislative session, especially for addiction prevention and rehousing programs. Statewide, homelessness is down about six percent. Caroline Cruz with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs credited partnerships across Central Oregon, saying improvements in health, family and justice services, education, and transportation are helping connect people to support. Kotek was joined at Shepherd’s House by Warm Springs leaders and elected officials from Bend, Redmond, and the legislature.

 

 

Jefferson County Fair officials say next month’s fair and rodeo will go on, but without a carnival.

Fair board member Dan Comingore says their carnival operator canceled less than two weeks ago, citing a shortage of skilled workers and employees overall. Comingore says the board tried every option to secure rides and games, but couldn’t replace the operator in time.

The fair will still feature exhibits, specialty food and drinks, live music, and PRCA rodeo performances. Anyone who already purchased carnival tickets can receive a reimbursement.

The Jefferson County Fair and Rodeo runs July 22nd through the 25th.

Volunteer registration is now open for the 30th annual Deschutes River Cleanup, set for Saturday, July 11th, at six locations from La Pine to Tumalo. Organizers say they need helpers both on land and in the water. Kollen Miller with the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council says paddlers must bring a PFD, whistle, throw bag, and water access permit, with some throw bags available on site. Miller says the cleanup has grown over three decades, with crews focusing each year on the river’s greatest needs and surrounding riparian areas. Signups are available through the river cleanup page online.

 

 

Deschutes County is rolling out a new rural recycling service, with a six-dollar monthly fee applied broadly rather than through individual subscriptions. Commissioner Tony DeBone tells KBND News the state required the county to offer the service universally if it chose to move forward.

DeBone says the program will accept most common recyclables, including plastic and cardboard, but not glass. He says it also ties into Oregon’s recycling modernization efforts and the county’s work on a new landfill site with material processing.

The change gives residents in distant rural service areas recycling access more similar to what’s already available inside city limits.

 

 

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is adding a wellness coordinator to support deputies and staff facing the long-term stress of difficult calls.

Sheriff Ty Rupert says caring for employees is essential to serving the public.

“The best way that we can serve our community is making sure that the men and women that I work with are taken care of first…”

Rupert says the coordinator will work directly with personnel, joining ride-alongs, visiting jail floors, and offering private meetings when needed.

The goal is to keep first responders healthy and ready to serve. The county hopes to have the position filled by this fall.

 

 

Bend Fire and Rescue is investigating a fire and reported explosion near the entrance of the Deschutes County Knott Landfill last (Tuesday) evening. Crews were called around 6:40 to the landfill area at 27th Avenue and Knott Road. Firefighters arrived within minutes and found two front loaders engulfed in flames, with fire spreading to a third machine and nearby mulch piles in the recycling area. Crews put out the equipment fires, then spent about an hour dousing the burning mulch. Deschutes County Solid Waste and Republic Services staff assisted on scene. No injuries were reported. Damage is estimated at $150,000.

As summer trail traffic picks up, Bend Parks and Recreation is urging families to check local rules before buying or riding an e-bike. Julie Brown says pedal-assist e-bikes are welcome on district trails and can help more people enjoy Bend’s outdoor areas. The concern is with faster, throttle-powered devices that resemble e-motorcycles, often without pedals and not street legal. Brown says those are limited to bike lanes and parking lots, not park trails. Riders and pedestrians are also being reminded to stay alert as parks and river trails grow busier through the season.

Ring camera footage shows Deschutes County Sheriff's Office employees outside a home in the Sunriver area discussing Lorena Akhurst. Akhurst filed a complaint in April against a deputy and James McLaughlin, who is running for Deschutes County Sheriff against Ty Rupert. She says the deputy made her feel targeted and threatened because of her race. In June, Interim Sheriff Ty Rupert placed three sheriff's office employees on paid administrative leave pending an internal investigation. McLaughlin said he believes in transparency and will apologize for anything he has done to hurt someone.

Bend-La Pine’s School Board has approved a nearly 260-million-dollar budget, as district leaders work to manage long-term funding pressure.

Superintendent Dr. Steven Cook says the district used about 9-million dollars in reserves last year to help finance education on a roughly 250-million-dollar budget. He says the new plan brings spending closer in line with available funding, while avoiding deeper staffing cuts.

Cook says the district trimmed 7-million dollars without eliminating jobs.

Bend-La Pine Schools employs about 2,000 people across 33 schools and departments, making it Deschutes County’s second-largest employer.

Bend Fire & Rescue says an unattended candle sparked an apartment fire at the Stonebriar Apartment Complex on Bend’s east side just before 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon. Crews arrived to find sprinklers activated in a third-floor unit, with management already working to evacuate the building. Firefighters shut off the sprinklers and began removing water from the burned apartment and two units below. Residents will be displaced from a few days to a few weeks because the automated sprinklers kept the fire from spreading. Damages are limited to about $40,000 between the three affected apartments. Residents are reminded never to leave candles unattended.

Bend Police arrested a 48-year-old Bend man Monday morning after reported assaults and robbery incidents on Southeast Third Street.

Officers say José García Chávez was identified as the suspect in incidents at Eco Laundry Mat and Ace Market.

Two victims had minor injuries and were treated at the scene.

Police say no officers were injured.

García Chávez was treated at St. Charles, then lodged at the Deschutes County Jail.

Witnesses are asked to contact Bend Police.

A Prineville man has died after a motorcycle crash east of Prineville.

Crook County deputies say 56-year-old Jason Fall was riding on Ochoco Ranger Station Road Saturday evening when his motorcycle hit a guardrail, sending him over it.

He was taken to hospitals in Prineville and Bend, but later died due to injuries from the crash.

 

Oregon State University Cascades will hold its twenty-fifth commencement celebration this Sunday, June fourteenth, at ten in the morning. A record class of three hundred seventy-seven students will receive three hundred eighty degrees across twenty-six programs. About three thousand family members and friends are expected to attend, with tickets required and a clear bag policy in place. The graduating class represents twenty-seven Oregon counties, twenty-four other states, and one other country. Retiring faculty member Dennis Lynn will deliver the commencement address, marking his final lecture at the campus.