Local News Archives for 2012-10

Expert Says: Jobs Report Reflects Mistakes Oregon Made

The recent Oregon Jobs report indicated a pattern; that over the past few years, the third quarter usually shows slower growth than the previous two quarters.

 

Bill Watkins with the California Lutheran University's Center for Economic Research says Oregon could be in a better position to attract new business, but has had some missteps along the way, beginning with the passage of Measures 66 and 67 in 2010.  "Last summer there was the mistake with Mercedes wanting to do a car advertisement in Oregon and it got all screwed up, and they ended up not doing that. Before that, there was this snafu with Facebook and the tax situation that got a lot of publicity, and the problem is, those things, along with people looking at the tax rates and some of the other policies, just, people don't give it a second look. Once you get off that list, you're no longer on a short list, you can't make it up."

 

Watkins says if the “Corporate Kicker Tax” passes in the general election, that will not help attract new business to Oregon.

 

Watkins was a guest on 1110 KBND’s Lar's Larson show Wednesday.

Statewide Voter Turnout A Bit Low

Oregon generally has one of the highest voter turnouts in the nation, attributed to the vote by mail system.

 

Secretary of State Kate Brown says with almost 32% of ballots received throughout the state so far, it is slower than in 2008, but she's expecting a change soon.

 

"We’re pretty steady, but we're a little lower than in 2008. But we anticipate that will change. I think one of the wonderful benefits of vote by mail is that Oregonians have had their voter’s pamphlets in their hands for almost 3 weeks. And their ballots in their hands for 2 1/2 weeks. And they can sit around the kitchen table with their friends and family and take as much time as they need in the privacy of their own home."

 

In the 2008 election, voter turnout reached almost 86% and Brown predicts that this time it will be lower than that: in the mid to high 70's.

 

It may be a little late to mail in your ballot now and many drop boxes are now open, so officials suggest you drive by and drop in your ballot before 8 p-m on November 6th.

Deschutes County Voters Sending Mixed Message

Deschutes County voters are turning in their ballots at a slightly lower pace, just like the state wide ballot returns.

 

Deschutes County Clerk Nancy Blankenship says they've received about 37% of ballots back so far; but with more drop boxes opening up, that number will rise pretty quickly.  "We've seen a lot of activity.  It’s a high-interest election and so people are very interested and they want to participate.  That’s some of the comment's they're making 'Oh, this is very important, I need to make sure I can vote.'  So it's been exciting to see people anxious make sure they've got their ballot."

 

Blankenship says it's too late to mail in your ballot, so you should take you ballot to a drop box.  Several are open now and all of the drop boxes will open on Friday. You can click on the "Vote" button (below) for drop box locations. 

 

Jefferson County ballot returns is about 42% and Crook County is almost 44% as of Wednesday night.

November a Dangerous Month for Oregon Wildlife Crashes

Oregon State Police report that the wildlife migration season can be dangerous for drivers.  On average, 142 wildlife crashes happen in Oregon in November, and the trends show the numbers increasing.
 
Oregon Department of Transportation's Peter Murphy says paying attention while you're driving can go a long way.  He was a recent guest on 1110 KBND's morning news.
 
"yes, we are in this period of time where there's a lot of activity going on- wildlife- people life - we're used to school but still - so drive the environment - be aware of what's going on - and take care of your car."
 
O-DOT's number show wildlife crashes increase each year from 2007 through last year.  In 2011, a total of almost 12 hundred wlidlife crashes were reported and of those, 17 were fatal crashes.  State Officials also believe many minor accidents between vehicles and wildlife go unreported.  The data also shows that some of the more common spots for wildlife crashes are along highway 97 and highway 31 south of Bend and near La Pine.
 
Transportation officials recently installed a wildlife undercrossing in one hot spot, and Murphy says so far it seems to be working.
 
"this is the migration season - so we do experience more wildlife in the area - just a side note we have had no injuries and no crashes due to wildlife where that undercrossing is - so we've really changed the pattern down there."
 
Cameras at teh undercrossing near Lava Butte show deer, elk and coyotes using the new paths and avoiding thte highway.
 
State Farm Insurance also reports that car and deer crashes nationally are the highest in November and the trend shows them also on the rise.
 

Deschutes County Sheriff on Jail Plan

Deschutes County Commissioners have approved a plan to renovate a dormitory inside of the county jail.  The new area would include a special medical and behavioral health unit.  The 675 thousand dollar remodel would also add an outdoor recreation area.  On Monday during the board's meeting, all commissioners voted in favor of making the change.
 
Sheriff Larry Blanton was a recent guest on 1110 KBND's morning news and talked iextensively about some of the challenges at the jail.
 
He says the rec area is an important feature for some of the most dangerous inmates. 
 
 "WHAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS TO UNDERSTAND OR to NOT FORGET- WE DON'T HAVE YOUR LOW-LEVEL TRESPASS- SHOPLIFTER- DUI - LOW LEVEL ASSAULT IN THE FACILITY.  WE HAVE THOSE ACCUSED OF MURDER - SERIOUS ASSAULT- SEX OFFENDERS-  OF OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN'T EVEN TALK ABOUT ON THE AIR..."
 
The plan eliminates about 14 to 16 bed, but allows for a special area away from other inmates so the jail administrator can better care for inmates with special medical or mental health needs.
 

Oregon Leads Nation on Decreasing Uninsured Kids

A new report by Georgetown University found that Oregon decreased its uninsured kids by three percent from 2009 to 2011.

 

Regan Gray with "Children First for Oregon" says Oregon expanded its kids covered with health insurance in the last couple years through the "Healthy Kids" program.  It has increased coverage for kids in Oregon by 112-thousand.

 

Despite strides, 60-thousand kids in the state still lack health insurance.

 

The study found twenty states showed significant declines in their rates of uninsurance among children over the last couple years.

Knute Buehler Pushes to Get Out Vote

It's been nearly thirty years since a Republican has held the Secretary of State's office in Oregon, but Buehler is cautiously optimistic he can beat current Democratic imcumbent Kate Brown.

 

"Most undecided voters in this state are republican or republican leaning. And we've just got to get the vote out.  We're on the verge of an historic win in Oregon politics if we just bring it home."

Innovation Theater Works Closes

Innovation Theatre Works in Bend has closed it's doors after four years.

 

Executive Director Brad Hills says it's been a very tough summer and he could see the writing on the wall.

"There are a number of reasons, but what it comes down to is primarily, we have not been able to stay ahead of the curve financially. And we're just seeing things go in a different way. Rather than building an audience, and building better financial support we have seen that dwindle over the last few months."

 

Hills says the number of theatre projects offered in this area also had an effect on them; there could be too much competition.

 

Hills says he doesn't see a revival in the future - but he does need to raise about $5,000 to pay some bills the company owes.

New Roundabouts Delayed Opening

Two new roundabouts that were scheduled to open by the end of October are now scheduled to open mid-November.

 

Justin Finestone with the City of Bend says the wintery weather, coupled with some unplanned utility glitches are the reason for the delay.  "The weather's been really good recently and they've made a lot of progress, so tentatively, we're announcing that the 18th & Empire roundabout will open on Wednesday 21st and the Brookswood and Powers on Friday, November 16th. And again, that weather permitting. If the weather turns south again and we get a lot of moisture and snow and cold, then it may be pushed back."

 

Finestone says  the artwork planned for the roundabouts will come later.

 

The roundabout art is not paid for by the city, but is funded by community contributions to the nonprofit "Art in Public Places” that also makes the decision on what will go in the roundabout.

Dust Off Your Ice Skates!

It may be Halloween, but Redmond City Officials are gearing up for a fun winter sport - ice-skating.

 

Heather Richards with the City of Redmond says they are able to keep fees the same this year. "Our goal was to be able to offer the ice skating rink at the most economical cost for our residents, while still not underwriting the operations with public tax dollars. And we came out at the end of last years' season netting $113.  So we were able to keep the fees at: $1 to use the rink and $3 for rentals."

 

Richards says they averaged about 200 skaters a day last year and believe that it may be even more popular this year.

 

The Redmond Ice Rink is part of the Centennial Park project and is scheduled to open November 16th, right before the Thanksgiving school break.

PERS reform a Centerpiece in Tom Cox Race

Some political observers call him a long shot, but Republican Tom Cox can at least claim one early victory.  He's turning the State Tresurer's race into a debate over PERS reform.
 
He's taking on well-known incumbent Ted Wheeler, and has made PERS reform his campaign centerpiece.  In a local example, he talks about the Bend La Pine School District's recent hit of a 4.7 million dollar increase in the cost of its PERS allocaiton.  
 
 
" under my plan they would get back about 5 million dollars right away- possibly even more- the whole point of reforming pers is to on the one hand protect local districts- the schools - the city - the county- whatever - and not have to lay all these people off- and not balancing this on the back of all the workers- and not harm retirees- and at the same time not writing some unlimited blank check that the tax payers would have to fund forever."
 
By statute, the Treasurer has no authority over the Public Employee Retirement System.  Recently Wheeler has been speaking out on the need for reform.  Cox says Wheeler came out publicly about PERS shortly after he released his detailed reform plan.
 
Cox is a 48 year old marketing consultant from the Portland area.

Oregon Red Cross Offers Ideas for People to help Sandy Victims

 
The Oregon Red Cross is standing by with more volunteers ready to help thousands of victims of hurricane Sandy.  Sixteen volunteers from Oregon left for the East Coast on Saturday and more are waiting for the word to go.
 
Eric Corliss, the Chief Operating Officer for the Oregon Red Cross, says citizens who also want to help can give blood.  He explains that with an entire region of the country impacted - they'll really need to fill the gap with blood donations from the rest of the country. 
 
 
 "THE NEXT WAY RIGHT NOW IS TO GET INVOLVED AND DONATE FINANCIALLY -WE HAVE DEPLOYED ABOUT 13 HUNDRED DISASTER WORKERS FROM ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO JOIN THE LOCAL FOLKS THAT ARE AFFECTED SO PEOPLE HAVE THE FOOD TO EAT - COTS TO SLEEP ON - MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT- WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL NURSES - ALL OF THAT IS FUELED BY THE GENEROUSITY OF THE AMERICAN PUBLIC."
 

"THESE STORMS ARE CAUSING BLOOD DONATIONS TO BE CANCELED ACROSS THE EAST COAST- IT'S JUST NOT SAFE TO BE OUTSIDE- WHEN YOU TAKE OUT THIS LARGE GEOGRAPHICAL AREA AND WHAT PEOPLE NEED TO DO IS GIVE BLOOD- AND HOW THIS WORKS IS IF ONE AREA'S BLOOD SUPPLY GOES DOWN ITS INCUMBENT ON THE REST OF THE COUNTRY TO  STEP UP AND ROLL UP THEIR SLEEVES AND GIVE."

 
To give cash you can call 1-800-RED-CROSS, or visit the website, www.redcross.org.

Redmond Keeps Two former Drug Houses to help Local Programs

 
The City of Redmond has decided to keep some old drug houses and convert them to rentals to help a local non-profit program.
 
The Redmond City Council voted for the idea Tuesday morning.  The Partnership is with Housing Works and Youth Build.  Mayor George Endicot says the agreement calls for a five year lease.  He spoke with 1110 KBND news shortly after the council meeting. 
 
 "and so they are going to completely rehab the houses and we have a program in redmond where people can learn to be a home-owner so these houses will be used by "housing works"  by renters who are anticipating home ownership - they can come in and take care of the houses- and so its a win-win for everyone."
 
Youth Build is a program that teaches at-risk youth construction skills.  Under the drug forfeiture laws, if the city were to sell the homes they would be forced to give 40 percent of the profits to the County and to the State.
 
 "WE'RE GOING TO PARTNER WITH HOUSING WORKS AND YOUTH BUILD- AND WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO- WE HAVE 2 HOUSES WE GOT LAST YEAR AS THE RESULT OF DRUG RAIDS- AND THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE "YOUTH BUILD" COME IN AND RE-FURBISH THESE HOUSES- THEY WERE USED AS GROW HOUSES- FOR POT I GUESS."  
 
The lease agreement is for five years and after that time period the city can re-evaluate to see if they want to keep leasing out the homes.  Housing Works is paying the city $1 a year for each house and they intend to cover maintenance and other costs associated with the houses.  Redmond  may also benefit by waiting for several years when the housing market is likely to be stronger.
 
 
 

St. Charles Nurses Approve Contract

Negotiators reached a tentative agreement a couple weeks ago and the nurses voted on the pact last week.

 

They approved it by a margin of 95 percent.

 

The contract inclufes two percent wage increases each year and gives caregivers more health insurance choices.

 

Also the contract maintains the postiion of charge nurse, but their job descriptions will be reviewed on a unit by unit basis.

Local Hunger Need Increasing

Steve Murray, who runs the Food Bank here in central Oregon says he's certainly seen the need increase.  The region's food bank supplies food to forty different agencies.

 

"Those agencies delivir about 20 thousand meals every month.  If you go back like four years, they were serving 12 to 13 thousands every month.  So you can see there's been a signfiicant increase.  And twenty thousand is eight percent of our population.  And thats every month, 12 months a year , all year round.

 

The state-wide surveys found more than half the repsondents say they ran out of SNAP benefits or the high cost of food caused them to go to the food bank to feed their families.

Future Partnership to End Poverty Funding

The organization was started with ten million dollars from the Northwest Area Foundation out of Minnesota.

 

It's goal was to help reduce the causes of poverty.  But the funding is scheduled to stop at the end of 2013.

 

Jason Carr, the Executive Director of Partnership to End Poverty, says they haven't heard whether the foundation will continue to support them past 2013.  They hope to hear the answer to that question in early 2013.

 

If they don't, Partnership will look at dissolving the organization or finding other funding.

Burns Man in Custody Charged with Murder

30 year old Eddie Barela was shot to death in the 300 block of East Jefferson Street in Burns early Saturday morning.

 

Police have arrested Thomas Garcia and he is currently lodged in the Harney County Jail.

 

The Harney County Sheriff's Office, Oregon State Police and the City of Hines Police Deparmtent are helping with the investigation.

 

 

Halloween Costumes

With Halloween right around the corner, costumes are a big topic.

According to Nova King, manager of Spirit Halloween store, the most popular costume for men this year is the morph (or flesh) suit.

It is a featureless body suit, which covers the head and face and is available in different colors.

She says that the Avengers are the most popular superhero costumes with Captain America as the most popular Avenger.

Pile Fires

People on Highways 97 and 31 near LaPine might notice some smoke in the air over the next few days.

The Prineville Bureau of Land Management is buring piles of debris left over from recent forest thinning efforts.

The piles are expected to burn for a few days.

Civil War Blood Drive

The Oregon Red Cross and the Alumni Association of Oregon State University and the University of Oregon are challenging their fans to donate blood in the “Rivals for Life Blood Drive”. The drive will run from November 1st to 17th and some lucky fans will win tickets to the Civil War game, which will be held on November 24th.

Schools Ready for Possible “Snow Days”

The big, fat snowflakes that fell last week remind us that there could be some school "snow days" or delays in the near future.

 

Julianne Repman with the Bend La Pine School District says although they have only closed school for snow about six times in the past 20 years, there is a plan in place.  "We track weather systems pretty regularly. We actually get up on any day we may think we have inclement weather. We actually have folks out there in their own vehicles from the transportation department, driving the bus routes to find out how cars are handling the conditions. Once we determine a school delay or closure, then we actually start a phone chain, which includes contacting media, up dating our web page. We get our social media out there we let folks know through Twitter, Facebook, those types of outlets, what's going on."

 

Repman says anyone can also sign up for a "text" message about any closure or emergency.

 

The Bend La Pine Schools website has all the information and snow day phone numbers. (541-323-7669 / or 541-323-snow).

Tax Town Halls in Central Oregon

Have you ever wondered what really is displayed on your tax bill?

 

Scot Langton, Deschutes County Assessor is holding a "Tax Town Hall" in each Deschutes County city; an open forum to answer questions and discuss your tax bill.  "We've got the property tax insert, the 4 page thing we've put into each of the tax bills. And that's kind of a grouping of some of those questions that we typically get. 'Why do my taxes go up when the market value of my property value went down?' This year we're also putting maximum assessed value, the Measure 50 on the tax statements. We have some verbiage explaining what that is and why."

 

Langton says there will also be staff available to work one on one with anyone who needs help.

 

The town halls are from 5-7 p.m. and locations and dates are:

 

La Pine, Oct. 30: La Pine Justice Court, County Courtroom

Bend, Nov 1: Deschutes Services Center, Barnes/Sawyer Room

Sisters, Nov. 5: City Council Chamber

Redmond, Nov 7: Redmond Fire Hall

Bob Maxwell to be Honored at Lane Community College

Bend’s own Bob Maxwell, one of only 12 living recipients of the Medal of Honor will be honored at Lane Community College next week.  Veteran's advocate Dick Tobiason says Maxwell is a very humble guy, and insists that he is just a symbol for all veterans and wants any accolade to reflect that. "The college is going to dedicate its new veterans center to Bob. It's going to be called the Maxwell Student Veterans Center. So it's going to be a great event on the 5th of November. He's got a family who's going to drive him over there and he has family over there in Creswell."

 

Maxwell taught auto mechanics for about 20 years at LCC and was responsible for the development of the automotive program at Central Oregon Community College as well.

 

Maxwell, who turned 92 last week, is also going to participate in a ceremony at Bend High on November 8th, where a World War II plaque will be re-dedicated.

Bank of the Cascades Funds Boys and Girls Ariel Club to Keep It Open

The club announced last week it was going to close the unit in southeast Bend at the end of the month.

 

It serves about 50 low income families in the Ariel Glen Apartments.  It was operating at a 75 thousand dollar deficit.

 

Terry Zink, the President and CEO of Bank of the Cascades reached out to the Boys and Girls Club and offered to help fund the program through the spring of 2013.

 

The Ariel Club's Director, Dan Shefler, says he's so grateful for the offer.  "I said, Am I dreaming?  I put a lot of time and effort into this club and my herat was brekaing.  I can't wait to see the kdis reaction.  They're gonna be going crazy so.

 

Parents like Kim Young who has three kids who attend the club was speechless. "I am shocked...  very, very, happy and pleased.  Wow!  It's going to be good  news for my kids."

 

Terry Zink with Bank of the Cascdes is challenging local leadership to pool together and find funding sources to keep the club's funding going beyond the spring of 2013.

High Desert Museum Howls Saturday Night

The High Desert Museum is getting into the Halloween spirit Saturday night with a "Tales of Hallows Eve" party.

 

Dana Whitelaw, Vice President of Programs with the museum says there will be period -dressed characters reading 19th Century Halloween stories and lots of activities for kids and adults:  "Along with making a jack o'lantern puppet, they're going to learn about the history of the jack o'lantern, a great story called "Stingy Jack" that is part of the origin of that. And we're going to learn about shadow puppets and how to make them."

 

Whitelaw says there will be lots of urban myths discussed that have some historically accurate elements to them. There will be close up visits with some "spooky" animals like owls, bats and ravens.

 

The party is Saturday night from s6-8 p.m., and it costs $2 for non-members and members are free.

 

St. Charles Bend's “Quiet Campaign”

 

St. Charles -Bend has instituted a "Quiet Campaign" aimed at helping the healing process for patients in the hospital.

 

Nancy Simonson, Manager of the Ortho/Neuro Unit, who headed up the process says it began with patients complaining that the noise at night was disruptive.  "We recognize that a healing environment is a quiet environment. And when patients are in an environment that is noisy, it causes stress, it increases their heart rate, it increases their blood pressure and that can delay healing. And that's the last thing that we want to do is do anything that would affect their healing."

 

Simonson says they have placed "Yacker Trackers" on all of the patient floors that will activate when the noise level gets too loud; a voice  will say "quiet please."

 

She says that at 9 p.m. an overhead announcement will remind visitors that night time hours needs to be the most restful time for patients and to be extra quiet.

Workplace Bullying is a Real Problem

A report from the Cascade Employers Association shows more than 64% of workers report they are currently working with a bully.

 

Correcting and preventing workplace bullying is the target of a training class the CEA is offering in November.

Spokesman Bill Swift says the bullying can be covert:  "We know we feel intimidated, but we're not quite sure. You know an unfair assignment, sarcasm, even eye-rolling or ignoring; freezing out. Some people call it shunning, isolation, belittling, minimizing other's contribution. Some people call it emotional blackmail. And   how to identify and set limits and create a culture that does not allow that kind of behavior is really where we want to focus our conversation."

 

The Cascade Employers Association is offering the three hour class on November 14th and 15th in Salem and Portland.  Here’s the link to the Cascade Employers Association: www.cascadeemployers.com

Bob Maxwell Turns 92

Medal of Honor recipient Bob Maxwell turns 92 Friday.

 

Maxwell is one of only 12 living Medal of Honor recipients who fought in World War II.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor for "Conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 7 September 1944" at Operation Dragoon in Southern France.

 

Maxwell smothered the blast of an enemy hand grenade with his body to protect those around him.  He survived his wounds and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.

 

This November 5th, Maxwell will be honored at Lane Community College with the dedication of the new Maxwell Student Veteran Center.

Bank Robbery Reward Offered

Investigators believe the suspect held up the south side "Bank of the Cascades" last December and this April and "Home Federal Bank" on Bond Street in July.

 

The suspect is described as a heavy set light skinned adult male, 5'8" to 5'10", between the age of  30 to 40 with a receding hairline.

 

The Bend Police Department is offering a five thousand dollar reward for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person in these robberies.

Bend Foreclosures Down

Core Logic found the rate of Bend area foreclosures was 4.26 percent for the month of August 2012.

 

That's nearly a percentage point lower than August of 2011.

 

But the foreclosure activity rate in Bend was higher than the national foreclosures rate.

 

Also the mortgage delinquency rate decreased in August   7.17 percent of mortgage loans were 90 days or more delinquent compared to 9.09 percent in 2011.

Challenge of Serving Rural Oregon with College and Vocational Classes

Oregon's state house District 55 covers areas around La Pine and Prineville and has some of the state's poorest citizens and high unemployment rates.  The region also lacks easy access to vocational training and college classes.  The two candidates running in the District 55 race both support more opportunities for the underserved people who live in the more remote areas.
 
Democrat John Huddle of La Pine says he supports an expansion of OSU-Cascades to a four year University in Bend, but it shouldn't stop there.
 
"when you have high poverty and high unemployment as you do in the la pine area and north klamah and north lake areas- which is in the cocc's  tax base-  they really need a campus out there- you really need classes out there -  these people get trapped - they really can't afford to drive back and forth to bend - and attempt to get the courses there- so they need more options- and i've said that being on the committee there to try and get them back out there,"
 
Huddle is running against incumbent Mike McLane of Powell Butte.  Friday morning, October 26th,  the two will debate on 1110 KBND radio. McLane says the central oregon delegation is working hard to make OSU-Cascades a top priority, because it will benefit everyone in the district.  But, he also says more needs to be done to provide classes and training in the outlying areas.
 

"it would be beneficial to all of district 55 including la pine that that is located...and then the extension of some of hte cocc programs like we have in prineville - certainly should be extended to la pine and some of the other areas of the district."

 
The candidate debate starts shortly after 8:15a on Newstalk 1110 KBND.   They will talk about the challenge of bringing doctors and medical services to rural and very remote areas, whether lawmakers should accept PERS, Land Use controversies surrounding farm lands, and what priorities they should focus on for District 55.

Should Oregon Replace Property Taxes with a Sales Tax?

Should Oregon replace property taxes with a sales tax? That question came up in a radio debate on 1110 KBND between Democrat Nathan Hovecamp of Bend and Republican Jason Conger, also of Bend.
 
Incumbent Jason Conger says he wouldn't support a sales tax, even a cirucumstance where it would replace property or income taxes.
 
 "i have been consistantly opposed to a sales tax- mostly because it starts creeping - it goes up a quarter of a point and people don't notice it and then you end up with a sales tax that's like california's that is now north of 10 percent - that being said, i do think we are at a point in our state's revenue picture where we need to look comprehensively at our sources of revenue at what incentives they create for people to work and to save and we need to roll up our sleeves and get to work on it." 
 
Nathan Hovecamp also responded to the caller's question. 
 
 "WELL FIRST LET ME SAY THAT I THINK OUR TAX BURDEN ON WORKING PEOPLE AND FAMILIES IS SIGNIFICANT AND I'M NOT INTERESTED IN INCREASING THE OVERALL TAX BURDEN ON THE MIDDLE CLASS- WORKING FOLKS --   SINCE YOU ASKED THE QUESTION- I MIGHT CONSIDER A REFERENDUM - NOT BY LEGISLATIVE FIAT - BUT A REFERENDUM THAT WOULD GO TO THE PEOPLE TO CONSIDER A MODEST CONSUMPTION TAX - I THINK IT WOULD HAVE TO BE A DOLLAR FOR DOLLAR TRADE OFF - AS YOU SUGGEST SIR - WITH EITHER INCOME TAXES OR PROPERTY TAXES - I DON'T WANT TO INCREASE THE OVERALL TAX BURDEN ON working families BUT I THINK IT MIGHT GO A LONG WAYS TOWARDS STABILIZING OUR REVENUE- IT MIGHT also CAPTURE SOME OUT OF STATE TOURISm DOLLARS... "
 
Conger is the incumbent in the District 54 race.  Voters will decide that race on November 6th.  

Report Says Oregon’s Economy “Bipolar”

The California Lutheran University Center for Economic Research and Forecasting releases its 4th quarter Economic Forecast today. 

 

The report indicates that while Oregon’s job growth is improving, and wages are significantly stronger, there was almost 8,000 jobs lost in September, making an almost 6% annual job loss.

 

The report also calls the job growth "bipolar" because while more businesses are established; the number of jobs available is weak because of the types of industry: Intel and server-farms like Facebook, that traditionally need fewer employees.

 

The report states they don't see Oregon jobs reaching their pre-recession high for several more years.

 

CLU CERF Executive Director Bill Watkins will present their findings today here in Bend at the Deschutes County Building at 9 am. 

Hunter Found Safe After Three Days

A Warm Springs Tribal member is found after being lost for three days in the wilderness near Lion's Head on the reservation.

 

Dan Martinez, the Fire Chief with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Fire Department says Max Mitchell, 49, became disoriented after tracking a deer Monday morning.

 

"Wednesday afternoon and we found him at up on the Seekseequa Lookout Tower, about 2.5 miles where he was last seen. Which was a good thing. He was cold, hungry, feeling kind of miserable because he was wet. We had about 4-5 inches of snow out in that region, with cold temperatures. He was healthy, but just hungry."

 

Martinez said Mitchell did almost everything right; but did not have matches with him to build a fire to stay warm.

 

About 100 volunteers joined in the effort to search for Mitchell. He was returned to his family Wednesday afternoon.

How Spooky is Bend?

There is plenty of evidence that several locations in downtown Bend have had, shall we say, unearthly visitors over the years.

Thursday through Saturday, the Des Chutes Historical Museum is conducting the third annual “Historical Haunts of Downtown Bend” walk.

 

Executive Director Kelly Cannon-Miller says they began the tour after many people were asking about haunted places.  "SSometimes people find history in the most unusual ways, buy wanting to know: 'Hey, is that noise someone from the past?' trying to let their presence known. And we try to mix in some good history as well, so here's the historic site, here's the things that happen there, oh and guess what, we've also heard these things. And some of them will creep you out. The McMenamins creeps me out." (There is a story that in the nunnery- past residents like to play with your camera!)

 

Cannon-Miller says the tour starts at 4:30 at the Museum and lasts for about an hour.  She recommends you wear warm clothes; good walking shoes and bring a flashlight and plenty of nerves.

Don’t Be Fooled By Imitation Voter’s Guides!

Don’t be misled by imitation voters' guides. Some "pro" or "con" political groups sometimes print out promotions for their specific interest, and they can look official.

 

Betsy Pratt with the League of Women Voters says they produce a guide for every election that has all the ballot measures described in simple language and candidates goals simply stated in a non-partisan fashion.

 

Pratt says the booklet is not only in paper form:  "The other source that we've got is an online version called "vote 411.org". And that's an even more powerful tool that anybody can access from their home computer. They type in that address: vote411.org; punch a few buttons, type in their address and they can look at the candidates credentials and the ballot measures that they're facing."

 

Pratt says the League of Women Voters is a non-profit, nonpartisan group that produces the guide with funding from communities and individuals.

Sheriff Blanton says most home break-ins do not happen under the Cloak of Night

Deschutes County Sheriff Larry Blanton says the assumption that most burglars strike at night is actually false.  He says home break-ins happen mostly during the day while people are at work. 
 
He says the thief will usually case your home and if they believe it's empty, then they'll strike.  A recent incident in Tumalo on Monday is typical of what authoriities tend to see. 
 
" THEY'LL GO TO THE FRONT DOOR- THEY'LL KNOCK AT THE DOOR- IF NO ONE ANSWERS THEY'LL GO TO THE BACK DOOR AND KICK IN THE DOOR - OR FIND THEIR WAY IN THE HOUSE- AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED IN THAT SITUATION  - AND PROBABLY OTHERS- BUT BE CAUTIOUS AND CAREFUL OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS- IF YOU ARE HOME ALONE THE PERSON DOESN'T NEED TO KNOW THAT."
 
Blanton explains that you need to act like someone else is home with you. Make reference to another person in the home in casual conversation.  He says the person may have a fake story such as a lost dog or does "Dave" still live here?
 
On Monday, authorities arrested a 32 year old Tumalo man.  Riley Billings is also a suspect in a burglary in Deschutes River Woods last week.  Authorities say Billings knocked on the door in Tumalo and when no one answered he went into what he assumed was an empty home.
 
But a man was inside and so Billings then feld. 
 
You can listen to the entire interview with Sheriff Blanton on this website under "Your Town" podcast for Wednesday, October 24th.

Father of Oregon Navy Seal Killed in Libya Speaks Out

The father of Oregon Navy Seal, Tyrone Woods is speaking out.  Woods was killed in Libya on September 11th when the US Ambassador to Libya was also murdered.
 
With new details coming out over how much the Administration knew the night of the attack, Charles Woods, called The Lars Larson Show in Portland on Tuesday.  He told Larson that he had a bad feeling about his son's mission, from the start.  He says he wasn't surprised when he got the call from officials about his son's death.
 
"AND WHEN I GOT THE PHONE CALL AT SIX O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING- i wasn't even that surprised and MY INITIAL RESPONSE WAS 'SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE- SOMETHING DOESN'T SMELL RIGHT."
 
Woods and others are calling for a larger investigation into what happened in Libya, how much the administration knew about the attack, and if their actions were appropriate.
 
 "when he left at the start of the summer i talked with him- and i said ty for the 20 years you were in the navy seals- i never worried about you - i never even worried about a serious injury- and this time it's completely different - and i do not feel good about this - at all - and he said, dad- don't worry -  i can't tell you who i'm working for- but its an operation out of washington d.c. - and they never allow anyone to get lost."
 
Oregon Congressman Greg Walden also talked to Larson and called for a bi-partisan effort to reveal what happened that night on September 11th.

Walden: Get Out & Vote!

November 6th is just days away, and ballots are already in mailboxes for a very big general election.

 

Oregon Congressman Greg Walden encourages everyone not to neglect their right to vote: "I tell people: even if you don't plan to vote for me, I get that. But you need to get out and vote; you really need to let your views knows. Be a participant. Sure, I don't want to lose my election, but you know what, for the sake of the country, get out and vote. Do your civic duty. It’s a citizens responsibility, it's a cherished right and privilege that a lot of people in the world don't have and yearn for."

 

He says many countries look to the United States with envy for the freedom to vote that we have, without fear of violence or retribution.

 

He points to those countries in the Mideast who just recently have established real democracies, and have voted for the first time.  "Well, not only did they wait in lines for days; but they risked being killed. If you remember, there were shootings, there were suicide bombers trying t kill democracy at its birth. And that's a tragic thing. We fortunately don't have that problem here."

Local Businesses Up for “Manufacturing Company of the Year”

Structus Building Technologies and Warm Springs Composite Products are both up for "Manufacturing Company of the Year” awards by the Portland Business Journal. 

 

Economic Development for Central Oregon nominated the companies for the annual award - spokesperson Ruth Lindley says they are very proud that two of the 11 companies under consideration come from Central Oregon:  "Well, we looked at a number of different companies in Central Oregon  that were doing innovative things and that were growing. And we selected both Structus and Warm Springs Composite Products for doing things in a new and different way and being successful."

 

Structus has a very innovative product that helps install drywall and Warm Spring's Composite Products primarily manufacturers fire-rated building components and specialized wood products.

 

Lindley says the fact that Central Oregon is so well represented for the award makes our region that much more attractive to new businesses considering a move.

 

The awards will be announced on Thursday.

Representative John Huffman on Presidential Debates

 

 

John Huffman, the Republican representative in District 59, says he's been impressed with Mitt Romney's debate performances.

 

He also thinks its great that people are very engaged in this election.

 

Huffman was a guest Monday morning on 1110 KBND's morning news.

 
 "i'M A REPUBLICAN - so I'M A ROMNEY SUPPORTER- i've been really impressed with his prep and how's he's been able to handle himself -
(KBND News director:lorI raab) are you suprised by the interest in these debates...?
i have been-  i've been excited to see the amount of excitement and interest in it-its a good sign - i love it when people get involved in the political process - in these elections."
 
Huffman, who is from the Dalles, is now representing people in Eagle Crest, Sisters and Terrebonne.  Gene Whisnant of Sunriver used to be the state representative in those areas, but the new district maps changed many of the district boundaries.
 
The state and national seats are redrawn every 10 years after the census report comes out.  If you'd like to hear the entire interview, it's available on this website under Podcasts for Monday's Your Town segment.

 

Lots of Contrast between Candidates for State Senate District 27 Seat

You've probably seen the TV ads, heard the radio commercials and noticed the yard signs sprinkled throughout Central Oregon.  One state race getting attention this election is the race between Republican Tim Knopp and Democrat Geri Hauser.
 
In a recent live debate on 1110 KBND, one caller asked about the candidates position on getting rid of Oregon's Estate Tax.  On the November 6th statewide ballot, that question is measure 84.
 
Tim Knopp says he supports getting rid of what he calls the "Death Tax". Here is part of the candidate's response during the debate.
 
 "(KNOPP) i met a gentleman who asked me specifically about the death tax -he looked to be in his 70's and he was from pennsylvania...  and he said are you guys going to eliminate this death tax- i'd like to move here- but are you going to get rid of the death tax?"
 
Another big tax issue is measure 79 - a measure that would ban a real estate transfer or sales tax in Oregon.   Knopp says lawmakers have been considering adding that tax on real estate transactions.
 
"(knopp) i am yes on 79- when i was in the legislature the transfer tax came up every session....it should be taken off the table - people are taxed enough - "
 
In another question  the candidates were asked how they would streamline government and get rid of unnecessary government regulations.  Instead, it turned in part to a discussion on Abortion.
 
"(hauser)  i'm a citizen and a taxpayer and i'm not backed by big corporations- i think my opponent wants to add regulations- such as women's health decisions - i want to see the middle class thrive again - and i don't want to see more regulation - and i've been nominated by the libertarian party - i think we can find some common ground there...-)KNOPP)  it's pretty clear that there's a difference between me and my opponent -  my most important issue is jobs, but my opponents biggest issue seems to be 'abortion' - i spent 6 years in the legislature and there were 1000's of votes- there were 2 on abortion- so i don't think that's a big issue as it relates to the service of someone's who's running to be a state senator."
 
We'll rerun the entire debate on Sunday, October 28th at 10 a.m.  and on Monday, November 5th at 8:10 a.m. on 1110 KBND radio.
 

Cinton & Roberts on Bend Business

Bend City Councilor Jim Clinton is facing a challenge for council position #4 from Mike Roberts.

Both candidates were asked if Bend was a business friendly town recently on the KBND show ‘Your Town’.

Both candidates said that Bend is more business friendly now because of the town’s Business Advocate, but they also both agree that there is more the city should do.

Bend Parks Bond

Bend Parks have a $26 million dollar bond on the ballot this election.

The funds are to connect the Deschutes River Trail through Bend.

The project will require Bend Parks to purchase private properties in order to complete the trail.

Bend Park spokeswoman Ruth Williamson says that since property values are so low right now, it makes more sense to do this project now before the values go up.

She says it will cost the average home owner less than five dollars a month.

Recruiting Challenges for Central Oregon

But lately we've had some high profile examples of local government having trouble filing some administrative psoitions.

 

The latest example is Deschutes County starting a third search for a county administrator.

 

Roger Lee with Economic Development for Central Oregon says there's a lot of competition for good talent right now.  He says sometimes it's a matter of a candidate's spouse not being able to find work here that might cause them to turn down a job offer.

 

Lee says despite the economic downturn, they're  busier than ever attracting new business to come here.

ODOT Warnings About Wintry Conditions

Overnight and early morning hours will see the most dangerous driving conditions.

 

Drivers can expect icy conditions at higher elevation passes and along U.S. 97 South of Bend during the colder parts of the day for the next several days.

Teens and Upcoming Presidential Election

We'll find out two weeks from now, but Redmond High School government teacher Susan Bale says her class is engaged.

 

Bales says her students feel like its going to be a close election and that their vote matters. 

 

She didn't require the class to watch the presidential debates, but she found many of her students did.

 

Bale help register more than 100 students to vote at Redmond High last month.

Outdoor Burning Now Allowed in Many Areas

With the end of fire season; the City of Bend Fire Department opens outdoor debris burning within Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District Number 2.

 

Campfires, recreational fires, warming fires and cooking fires may be permitted provided proper safety precautions are followed.

 

The Bend Fire Department strongly recommends that if you do burn debris; do so early in the day, before winds pick up that could spread to nearby combustibles.

 

As an alternative to burning yard debris, October 29th through November 10th, Deschutes Recycling is lowering it's fees to $2 a yard for dead leaves, pine needles and branches.

 

For more information on outdoor burning, contact any fire station

Local Conservatives Eager for Another Debate

Local conservatives are eagerly awaiting tonight's final Presidential Debate between Mitt Romney and Barack Obama.

 

Redmond Patriots spokesman Bob Perry says Obama has a lot to answer for in regards to foreign policy:  “And he really has thrown Israel under the bus every chance he gets. And I think a wonderful example of that was: refusing to see Netanyahu, when he was at the U.N. meeting; when they were both in the city at the same time. But then, from what I’ve seen, Obama’s not much, unless he's got a teleprompter in front of him. So maybe he's afraid to talk to world leaders. Does this sound a little bit jaundiced? Yes, I’m jaundiced. I’m very disgusted with the direction of our country and I hope it's going to get better in a couple of weeks."

 

Perry says Romney has not only held his own against the President - but in all of the debates- the conservative view was much stronger.

 

1110 KBND will broadcast the final Presidential Debate tonight beginning at 5:30 p.m.

Walden Could Get A Top GOP Spot

 

U.S. Representative Pete Sessions of Texas says he will be stepping aside as the Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, and he's throwing his support behind Oregon Congressman Greg Walden for the top spot.

 

Walden says he is seeking the leadership role for Republicans; but the November 6th election will dictate what the direction of the party will take.  "Depending on the outcome of the election. We have some big, big challenges to solve for this country. We have to overcome the fiscal cliff; we have to overcome getting the economy going again, and that means making some very important, but sometimes difficult decisions. You’ve got to be able to explain these decisions, when you go back home. And so my job would be to help people do that - to help solve the problems, and have the majority in place that wants to really address the big items, the big issues that face the country and have the strength to do it."

 

Walden says he's spent years building relationships and friendships that can help his district; and having an influential leadership role means he will be able to help so many more. 

 

The Republicans will not be selecting a new leader until after the November 6th election.

Fatal Motorcycle Crash Update

OSP continues their investigation into a fatal motorcycle crash that happened Saturday evening onHhwy 126 west of Redmond, near SW Helmholtz way.  Troopers say the victim was on a motorcycle following two other motorcycles that slowed for a vehicle ahead of them.  She wasn’t able to slow down and struck the rear tire of one of the other motorcycles operated by a 39-year-old bend area man.  OSP Lieutenant Gregg Hastings says,  “…she fell off of her motorcycle onto the pavement.  Her helmet came off her head and she suffered a serious injury that resulted in her being pronounced deceased at the scene by Redmond Fire & Rescue.”  The victim has been identified as 35-year-old Crystal Ann Strobl, who was a wildlife biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife stationed in Prineville.  The other motorcyclist was not injured.

Blind dog and "daughter need help

When Vicki and Viola showed up at the Redmond Humane Society several weeks ago as strays, the shelter staff vowed to put in a lot of special effort on getting them adopted.  The dogs are  yellow labs…a mother-daughter pair…and the mother is blind.  The daughter never leaves the mother’s side and serves as her guide.

 

It is an interesting story…but sadly…adopting them out could be a problem.

 

Reese Mercer is on the board of directors at the shelter and spends time with the animals.  She is optimistic and believes that there is always a family that turns out to be the right fit for pets if the staff just looks hard enough.  Mercer explains, “…“we feel that they need to be in a home that appreciates a quieter energy level of the mother and then also the more energetic and enthusiastic energy level of the daughter of Viola…and Viola really looks out for Vicki so we want them to be together in a home…a special home where this bond is appreciated.”

 

You can see their pictures on the Redmond Humane Society webpage at www.redmondhumane.org.  Even if you can’t adopt them, you can donate money for their upkeep. 

Hwy 126 now open after fatal crash

Hwy 126 west of Redmond is now open to traffic.  A fatal motorcycle crash that occurred near NW 57th and Hwy 126 around 7:30 Saturday evening, shut down the road for over two hours.  Few details are available regarding the crash.  In an OSP press release, there is no mention of a second vehicle being involved in the crash.  Early scanner transmissions reported a "motorcycle down" and that bystanders were performing CPR.  Law enforcement, ground medics, fire units, and an air ambulance (helicopter) were dispatched to the scene.  The helicopter was cancelled by ground medics and the patient was declared dead at the scene. OSP says more details will be released tomorrow (Sunday).

Crash Closes Hwy 126

A crash involving a motorcycle around 7:30 this evening (Saturday) has Hwy 126 closed in the area of SW Helmholtz, west of Redmond.  ODOT is on scene, setting up a detour.  It likely  the investigation will be prolonged.

Central Oregon Smoking Survey Finds a Majority Bothered by Second Hand Smoke in Downtowns

Seven hundred people in Bend and Redmond were questioned about their opinion on smoking in the downtown areas and whether it should be banned.

 

David Visiko, a health educator with Deschutes County says they found 78 percent of Bend residents are bothered a little or a lot by second hand smoke and would be supportive of a ban on downtown smoking.

 

The next step is sharing these results with downtown business owners and local officals to see if something can be done to accommodate these smoking concerns. 

Jim Clinton says his Doctor "no" reputation may Change

Bend City Council member Jim Clinton believes that next month's election could mean that he'll lose his knick-name as "Doctor NO".
 
Clinton has been the dissenting vote on several steps of the controversial Surface Water Improvement Project, or SWIP.  But he says with several open seats and more candidates that are like him, his "no" vote, could change to "no problem."tes
 
 "in previous city councils i worked with "no problem" as part of an effective majority that actually got a lot of things done - it was really the change in the composition of the council that put me in that position in the last few years. so i'm looking forward to a new people getting election on the city council so we'll actually have a different ruling majority and can work more closely together to go forward and solve some of these problems."
 
Clinton is re-running for his position 4 spot.  He faced off in a live debate with his challenger, Mike Roberts.  The debate was held on 1110 KBND on Thursday morning. The debate will re-run on Thursday, November 1st. 
 
 "even though i'm the one councilor who's voted "no" more often than my colleagues in the last few years..its just that they've been voting "yes".  they've been accused of being a 'rubber stamp' counCil that just votes 'yes' on anything that the staff brings forward." 
 
The candidates also talked about silt in mirror pond, dealing with crime in Bend, and the massive sewer project that may cost as much as 200 million dollars.

No East-West political Divide in Oregon

For years, some state lawmakers from central and eastern Oregon have complained about an East-West divide in Oregon.
 
Secretary of State candidate Dr. Knute Buehler of Bend says he is not seeing that problem in his race.  In some ways he says his biggest challenge is all of the travel that's needed to go around the state and talk to voters. 
 
In an extensive interview with 1110 KBND, he was asked if he believes people from different parts of the state have more in common, than differences.  
 
 "we see examples of our tax dollars not being used wisely and efficiently -  people think we need to focus on the big issues facing oregonians."
 
Buehler is the Republican and Independent Party candidate, and is hoping to unseat incumbent Kate Brown, a Democrat.  Newspapers across Oregon have endorsed Buehler, including the Bulletin, The Oregonian and the alternative Willamette Week in Portland.  
 
"i still think though that people on the east side and west side still care about the same things... they care about  getting oregon back to work- good jobs in the state -  making state and local government more accountable and having more fair and less partisan elections - so that message whether i'm on the eastside or west side really connects with people."
 
On Tuesday, October 23rd, 1110 KBND will run the interview with Dr. Buehler at 8:35a.  He says he has a lot of momentum in the race.
 
"the editorial endorsements give that seal of approval - it's like a job interview - sometimes you sit there next to your opponent - so i just think the credibility of it is really big now with us picking up so many of the editorial endorsements."
 
The Oregonian backed Kate Brown when she ran in 2008.  At least one editorial board called Buehler a moderate with impressive management experience and that Brown has been too partisan. 

Boys and Girls Club Ariel Unit to Close in Southeast Bend

The smaller club serves 40 to 100 low income youth in the area.

 

A 75 thousand dollar budget shortfall is forcing the closure.

 

Lisa Maxwell, Executive Director of the Boys and Girls Club says the kids are welcome to attend the downtown Bend club, but many of these kids can't afford it.

 

Nearly all the kids who attend the Ariel club are on scholarship and the parents can't afford the additional transportation costs.

 

The Ariel Club opened in 2005 and was a partnership between Housing Works and the Boys and Girls Club.

 

The three staff at the club will be laid off at the end of the month when the club closes its doors.

Power Outage Affects Thousands in Northeast Bend

Stores in the Forum Shopping Center near Highway 20 and 27th Street and nearby traffic lights were without power for 45 minutes between 2:45 and 3:30 P.M.  Thursday afternoon.

 

Apparently some electrical wires crossed and knocked out power. It's not clear why the wires made contact.

Noise Ordinance Update

At last night’s (Wednesday) city council meetings Sheriff Jeff Sales adressed some of the concerns with the noise ordinance.

He said that the police department now has decibel readers to deal with complaints against businesses, and that he directs his officers to use them when ever possible.

The part of the law that does not require specific decibel level has made local venues worry about how the new law will be enforced and weather it is worth it to have live music.

The Bend City Council will revist the issue in January.

The Seventh Mountain Resort turns 40 today.

The Seventh Mountain Resort opened forty years ago today.

In celebration of this anivesary they are having a birthday party and the public is invited.

The party starts at four and will run until seven.

It will feature classic cars, live music and birthday cake.

Local Professor on Latest Presidential Debate

Pundits have declared the winners, but voters will have the ultimate say.

 

OSU Political Science Professor Jim Foster says the jury is still out whether these events persuade many voters.  "I think first we need to think about these events not like academic debate or reasoned discourse.  We should think of them as theater and performance art.  People are scoring the nature of the performance or personality that comes off the TV cameras."

 

Foster says these debates are more to stir up the bas e of each party than to sway any undecided voters.

 

The last debate will be next Monday October 22nd.

Local Reaction to Lance Armstrong Stepping Down from "Live Strong"

He's been strippped of his Tour Des France medal and he just stepped down as chairman of his "Live Strong" cancer charity.

 

This follows Nike's announcement it will no longer endorse Armstrong due to insurmountable evidence Armstrong was doping.

 

Bend's Gary Bonacker who is an avid biker and is also a cancer survivor says it's sad, it's come to this.

"You know ultimately, it's disappointing.  Lying is a bad thing.  I have a little girl and you teach kids not to lie.  And here's a guy who lied.  And he essentially still hasn't come clean.  He's doing the things he needs to do.

 

Bonacker is the founder of the "Tour Des Chutes" race that raises money to help fight cancer.

 

He started the ride in 2005, after surviving brain cancer.

 

Bend City Councilors React to Water Project Injunction

With winter coming, the whole project is on hold for months.

 

Bend City Councilor Kathie Eckman strongly supported the 20 million dollar water project.  "I'm disappointed, but I'm not surprised.  I'd like to see that not happen, but it has so we'll just deal with it."

 

The nonprofit "Central Oregon Land Watch" filed a lawsuit trying to stop the project.  They claim the forest service faield to adequatley look at the potential harm to wildlife and wetland from the project.

 

The city hoped to begin work before the snow flies, but it's now on hold until a judge rules on the lawsuit -- which is expected to take months.

 

It's estimated the delay could cost the city 24-thousand dollars a day.

Top Candidate for Redmond City Manager Job says "no" to the Offer

 
Today Redmond Mayor George Endicott is shedding more light on why the city's top choice for the City Manager position said "no" to the job.
 
David Mickaelian is an assistant city manger in California.  Endicott says he applied for the job in the last few days the position was open and then was surprised to quickly get an interview, a tour of the area, and a job offer.
 
"SO IT WAS A WHIRLWIND- HE BROUGHT HIS WIFE UP HERE AND WE COURTED THEM - AND THEN THEY WENT HOME AND DISCUSSED FAMILY ISSUES- THEY HAVE A SON GOING INTO JUNIOR HIGH AND THAT SORT OF A THING- AND I THINK IN THE FINAL ANALYSIS THEY DECIDED THAT BECAUSE OF FAMILY REASONS THEY KIND OF WANTED TO STAY."
 
One issue that surfaced during the "courting" phase of the process had to do with an expectation by city leaders that the City Manager would live in or near Redmond. 
 
 "as everyone's aware a bone of contention was where are they going to live-he was asked the question and he was non-committal... so we did some research and we found that about half of the the cities in oregon require the city manager live in town - half do not-  so we passed a resolution that says the next candidate has to live in the 97756 zip code.  
 
That means the person could live in town, just outside of town, or even in Eagle Crest, several miles away.
 
On Tuesday the council voted 4-3 to make that a requirement of the position, so the next candidate would not be caught off guard. Endicott says about half of the cities in Oregon require the city manager live in or near the city that they manage.  So what happens next?
 
 
 "we did have a consultant helping us- a former bend city manager - and we're going to look over some of the old applications - see if we might've overlooked a few that we shouldn't have- and he maybe did get some late- while we'd dismissed those up front- we'll take another look  and do another scrub."
 
He says they'll also consider dropping some of the qualifications that may overly limit the pool of applicants.  For example, they are currently asking that the City Manager candidate have Golf Course management experience.  Endicott was a guest on 1110 KBND's morning news on Wednesday, October 17th..

Smoke Free Study to be Released

Will parts of Deschutes County go smoke free?  A local survey that highlights the results of surveys and focus groups will be released Thursday night, October 18th,  in Bend, from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. at The Deschutes County Services Center Building in Bend.

 

Local citizens, businesses and visitors have complained about second hand smoke and cigareete butts.

 

Deschutes County is responding to some of those concerns by asking for feedback.  They are releasing the results of surveys they asked for back in June.

 

Deschutes County Health Educator David Visiko was a recent guest on 1110 KBND's morning news.

 

"MOre and more people in deschutes county are asking for smoke free spaces -cause they want public places that are healthy -spaces that are accessible to everyone- and they want family friendly places- so with the survey we're hoping to see how people perceive the impact of second hand smoke on their experience when they are in the downtown area. 
 
i think that smoke free spaces help make our community more accessible to everyone-as a community we want to make sure that smoke is not a barrier to people visiting downtown. this is driven more so by the people.  we're getting second hand reports from business owners and visitors  who say they're getting exposed to second hand smoke --or they're having to clean up the cigarette butts from neighboring businesses- and so this is not something that's not driven by government, but by what people are asking for. 
 
People in Sisters, Redmond Bend and La Pine returned feedback surveys to the county. Again, the results will be released from 6:00 to 7:30 in Bend.

 

State Senate Candidates Spar in Live 1110 KBND Debate

It was a lively debate between State Senate Candidates Tim Knopp, a Republican, and Geri Hauser, a Democrat.  They are running for the District 27 Senate seat formerly held by Chris Telfer of Bend.  Knopp defeated Telfer in the Republican primary last May.
 
In an hour long debate on 1110 KBND-AM radio Monday morning the two outlined their contrasts with one another and disagreed over Hauser's statements made regarding a state sales tax.
 
Hauser immediately brought up a local mailer that said she supports a sales tax, and refuted her opponent interpretation of recent public comments.  
 
"Hauser: i just saw a mailer that came out that says i support a sales tax- i did not say that- i may have rambled and said i saw people come in from out of state - use our parks and lakes and roads and leave their garbage...it would be nice if they could leave something behind- Knopp: everybody at the debate thought you did - you could've just said "no" and that would've been the end of it- but instead you just rambled on - Hauser: you can listen to the audio - Knopp: we did- we listened to it over and over again...Hauser: i think we need to work on tax reform on the state level- but we can't take things out until we find a way to put it back."
 
The candidates also talked about their approaches to cutting government waste and regulation.  They also discussed a ballot measure that would phase out Oregon's inheritence Tax.  Knopp supports the measure, Hauser was critical of it. 
 
Hauser also said one clear contrast between her and Knopp is her pro-choice stance. 
 
"hauser: THE CONTRAST IS - I SUPPORT a WOMaN'S RIGHTS TO CHOOSE- I SUPPORT THE MIDDLE CLASS- NOT TRICKLE DOWN ECONOMICS ..."
Knopp: ONE DIFFERENCE I have with my opponent IS I HAVE EXPERIENCE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR CREATING JOBS - MY OPPONENT IS A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE  - NO EXPERIENCE IN THAT(creating jobs)"
 
Listeners called in questions and sent in emails to the candidates.  The entire debate will rerun this coming Sunday at 10 a.m. on 1110 KBND-AM.

Bend Nurses at St. Charles to Vote on Tentative Agreement in Coming Weeks

St. Charles and the Oregon Nurses Assoication reached agreement on a new three year contract last week following a marathon bargaining session.

 

The deal calls for two percent annual raises and continues with "charge nurses."   St. Charles wanted to do away with the position that offers mentoring help to less experienced nurses.  But the nurses felt doing away with charge nurses would hurt patient care.

 

Nurses at St. Charles negotiated for nearly five months before reaching a contract agreement.

 

The 600 service workers at St. Charles still don't have a contract after nearly a year of negotiations.

 

These workers are scheduled to vote on getting rid of the union on November 1st. 

Bend Community Center to Stay Open

The center's board of directors has a plan to offer just the essential services and pay down their debt.

 

Executive Director Linda Heatley is exicted that the center will remain open.  "The latest is we are back in business.  We're going forward.  We've done a proposed nine month budget that shows us as a very viable organization.

 

The Bend Community Center will continue with its senior meals program, its "Feed the Hungry" program and Becca's Closet.

 

Back in September, leaders at the Bend Community Center thought they'd have to close because of financial problems, but increased community support and a whittling down of its services help keep them afloat.

Deschutes Democrats Looking Forward to Second Presidential Debate

President Obama's solid lead in many states has evaporated following the last presidential debate.

 

The two candidates will square off again Tuesday night in a townhall format.

 

Laurie Gould, the chair of the Deschutes Democrats expects to see a very different performance from the president.   "I woouldn't say anyone is particulary discouraged.  But they do want to see him  tackle the tough issues and really go after the difference in the position between the two men."

 

Tuesday's debate will be at Hofstra University on Long Island.

 

The last debate will be next Monday, October 22nd in Florida.

Documentary Features National Guard Unit from Bend

 

The "Jungleers in Battle, 41st Infantry Division of World War II” will be shown at the Tower Theatre Tuesday night.

 

Veteran's advocate, Dick Tobaison says Leonard DeWitt, who was a member of the 41st and is the recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross will be at the screening to describe his experience.  "The 41st Division in Oregon was a National Guard Unit. It’s one of 3 or 4 in the whole United States that went off to WWII before the war even started. And one of the company's was right here from Bend, the "I" Company, the 162nd Regiment. And Mr. DeWitt was a member of that organization. As a matter of fact, he joined it kind of on a walk-in and sign up things. He went on to become a very highly decorated veteran. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, which is only second to the Medal of Honor."

 

It’s reported that the documentary answers the question: "Why did the Japanese attack the United States?"

 

"Jungleers in Battle" is being shown Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at the Tower Theater.  It's a fundraiser for  the Oregon Military Museum.

Rural Tourism Effort Focuses on “River Canyon Country”

 

In an effort to promote the northern area of Central Oregon, a series of workshops will be offered beginning in November.

 

The Rural Tourism Studio is a multi day  program that covers everything about tourism from planning to marketing.

 

Joe Krenowicz with the Madras Chamber of Commerce says they have even given the area a regional brand.  "What it is, is an effort in regards to our tourism opportunities in Jefferson County and Crook County we've collaborated with Travel Oregon. And we're looking to see how we can take the northern portion of Central Oregon and market it as another segment of Central Oregon. And we've branded it as "River Canyon Country."

 

The area included in River Canyon Country includes Madras, Culver, Prineville, Terrebonne, Powell Butte, Warm Springs and the Ochoco National Forest and Grasslands.

 

The cost is $30 for the series of workshops.  Contact the Crook County or Madras Chambers of Commerce for more information.

Gala Celebrates Milestone

 

Over 25 years the St. Charles Foundation has raised over $31-million to support the St. Charles Healthcare System.

 

Spokesperson Cora Gangware says the annual "Saints Gala" fundraiser later this month is very important to  all departments at St. Charles.  "We really have touched lives that have come into the hospital for any reason you can think of. From the joy of having a baby to the difficult times of end of life issues, we have supported each of those departments with many, many millions of dollars of philanthropy; donations that have come from this community and foundation across Oregon and beyond."

 

Gangware says the "Saints Gala" celebrating the 25th anniversary of the St. Charles foundation is pulling out all the stops this year with a dinner, auctions and lots of entertainment.

 

This years' celebration will benefit the Emergency Department and its life-saving initiatives.

 

The black tie "Saints Gala" will be at the Riverhouse on October 26th

Bend’s Community Center Forges On

 

It’s great news for the homeless and hungry in Central Oregon.

 

Bend's Community Center's Board of Directors have sketched out a plan to keep the financially strapped center operating while paying down it's debt.

 

The Bulletin reports that Board Chair Bruce Abernethy says cutting services except for the most essential, and continued community support, they will be able to pay down the organization's considerable debt.

 

In early September, the Board decided to dissolve the organization; the equivalent to filing bankruptcy in a for-profit business.

 

Abernethey says BCC is also working with the United Way to audit the center's books and has hired an expert to review its bylaws and management policies, hoping the steps will convince the center's donors that their money will be used constructively

Pursuit and Redmond Motel Standoff

A complaint from a Deschutes River Woods resident about a speeding vehicle ended up with a pursuit, the takeover of a Redmond motel, and the arrest of a wanted felon from California. 

Deputies saw the suspect vehicle northbound on Hwy 97 just north of Bend at a high rate of speed.  When they tried to stop the vehicle, the chase was on. The deputy was able to clock the vehicle on radar at 95 mph as it neared the southern limits of the city of Redmond.  The deputy initiated a police pursuit and the vehicle slowed down as it entered into the city before sliding of the side of the road and crashing. Sheriff’s Lt. Kevin Dizney says the suspect fled on foot and disappeared into the Best Western Plus Rama Hotel on the southern edge of Redmond. Sheriff’s deputies…assisted by Redmond Police and OSP, surrounded the motel and started a room-by-room search to make sure all the occupants were safe.  Once that was done, deputies found the suspect in a vacant room and took him into custody.  30-year-old California resident Jacob Christopher Torrez was arrested for numerous traffic charges and on a California warrant for parole violation and dangerous drugs. The fleeing vehicle turned out to be stolen as well.

TATTOOS & MRSA INFECTIONS

An 18-year-old Newberg resident is charged with providing tattoos to students at Newberg High School illegally.  A school nurse at Newberg High School contacted the School Resource Officer and reported a former student was giving other students tattoos event though he doesn't have a license.  So far, two students have been diagnosed with MRSA (mer-sa) infections.

The resulting investigation revealed the suspect had sex with young girls also attending the school. 18-year-old Stephen Lister has been arrested and is charged with performing unlicensed services, sex abuse, rape, and sodomy. He was registered at Newberg High for the first three weeks of the semester, but was not enrolled at the time of his arrest.

 

MOTORCYCLE CRASH KILLS DRIVER AND DOG

A Redmond man was killed Friday night when the off-road motorcycle he was driving collided with his own dog at NW Poplar Avenue and NW 20th Court in Redmond.  Theodore Rainville was pronounced dead at the scene.  The dog also was killed. The investigation determined Rainville was not wearing a helmet.  It is not known if alcohol or drugs were involved…toxicology reports are pending.  Anyone with information about this crash is asked to contact Redmond Police.

Three Charged with Warm Springs Murders

We now know there was a link between the two deaths in the Warm Springs Indian Reservation recently.

 

Three people are facing charges for the killings of Jonas Miller,  Faron Kalama, 30, whose dead bodies were found six days apart on the tribal lands.

 

A Department of Justice document states Curtis Brown, 38, a felon with a history of arrests in Oregon was found to be the link between the two deaths, by helping Tara Lawrence, 20, and Angeledith Smith, 25, avoid arrest in the Kalama murder.

 

Curtis Brown also admitted to U.S. Magistrate Judge Janice Stewart to killing Jonas Miller on September 23rd.

All suspects are being held in federal custody until a trial set for mid-December.

Deschutes Democrats Watch V-P Debate

Democrats have become increasingly concerned as the polls have tightened up between President Obama and Mitt Romney following last week's debate.

 

Deschutes Democrats chair, Laurie Gould says their group got together to watch the debate before their monthly meeting Thursday night.

 

Usually presidential debates, don't change polls that much -- and V-P debates even less so .  But last week's presidential debate did result in a significant bump for Republican Mitt Romney.

Bend Film Opens 9th Festival

The festival's director, Orit Schwartz says they'll be showing 90 films across eight screens in central Oregon.

 

This year's festival will be showing 17 documentaries, 15 features and dozens of shorts.

 

The opening night film is a feature length documentary called "Ethel" on Ethel Kennedy.  It was directed by her daughter, Rory.

 

The four day film festival starts on Thursday and will wrap up on Sunday.

St. Charles Opens New Sisters Family Clinic

For the last year, St. Charles used a temporary facility, while a new clinic was built.

 

Their new  home wil  be in the  Sisters Outlaw Station near the Subway on the west side of Sisters.

 

The new clinic will allow patients to get digital services and x-rays in Sisters without traveling to Bend.

 

The facility will have ten exam rooms and one procedure room.

Local Schools Get Their Report Card

The Oregon Department of Education released a report card for K-12 public schools and Bend La Pine Schools show mostly outstanding rates; but there were a couple of red flags.

 

La Pine and Marshall High Schools were cited for "needs improvement."

 

Superintendent Ron Wilkinson says the data the state received was incomplete, especially for La Pine High, and does not reflect the true achievements of the school.  "Their achievement was at the highest level it's ever been. They were rated outstanding in both math and reading in terms of their achievement level. The issue that set them back was on a graduation rate. And actually we sent some additional data to the State Department [of Education] that would have raised their rating based on graduation rate, even in that area because of some misinformation the state has but it wasn't received by the state in time to change the rating for this year."

 

Wilkinson says the state has adopted the previously used “5-point rating system” for the next rating period, and that system is a truer representation of a child growth.

Hunters: Not a Good Time for Warming Fires

Fire season is still in effect and the Pole Creek Fire is still not fully contained.  With hunting season in full swing, hunters need to remember that conditions are still very volatile.

 

Sommer Moore with the Pole Creek Fire says overnight temperatures may dip below freezing; but starting a fire in an area where it's restricted can cost you. "Should a fire start because of an illegal campfire that they had. They could potentially be responsible for the cost to suppress that fire, in addition to whatever fine they receive for having an illegal campfire."

 

Restrictions differ from area to area, so consult the campground or forest you plan to visit for the rules.

 

On a good note: the weather forecast says there could be some "wetting rain" with the next system to come into Central Oregon over the next few days.

SWIP Pipeline Springs Leak

While crews with the City of Bend were preparing for construction work on the Surface Water Project pipeline, they encountered a crack in an 80 year old water pipe in the city's intake facility near Tumalo Falls Road.

 

According to Bend Communications Director Justin Finestone, on October fourth they had shut down the water line for inspection of certain sections, and workers noticed a hole in a forest service road the pipeline travels under.

 

They excavated the site and found about a six-foot crack in a welded seam.

 

A welder was called in to make the necessary repairs.  The cost is not expected to exceed $2000.

Healthy Beginnings Comes to Prineville

Prineville, with one of the highest unemployment rates in the state, welcomes the free childhood screening by Healthy Beginnings this Friday.

 

Healthy Beginnings is a non-profit that offers the screenings for children ages five and younger. 

 

Executive Director Holly Remer says the first five years are the most important to a child's development; but they do have resources for children up to 19 years old. "One resource in particular: the Healthy Kids Insurance. If there are kids out there, and this actually goes beyond the 5 year olds. So this is any child under the age of 19. If they don't have health insurance, we can help those families connect with the state health insurance for children. It provides comprehensive health insurance, vision and dental included for a very, very low monthly fee."

 

Healthy Beginnings is a totally nonprofit organization, funded entirely by the community and staffed by volunteers.

 

You will need an appointment for the free screening and there are still some openings in Prineville and future locations - contact Healthy Beginnings for more information.

Big Highway Project Coming Soon to Sisters

A Big highway project is coming soon to Sisters.  Peter Murphy with the Oregon Department of Transportation says like the just revamped road to Mount Bachelor, the highway in Sisters needs work. 
 
Crews just finished repaving Century Drive.
 
"we've kind of reached the same status on highway 20 in sisters as we had up on the mountain - the road bed itself has deteriorated to the point that it's falling apart- and what we intend to do as an agency is to get back into the roadway and take it all the way down-to dirt and then re-build it all the way back up."
 
Peter Murphy says as part of the construction they will also do a "street scape" in Sisters and want to hear from the public on how people would like it to turn out.
 
 "there are opportunities to do what's called "street scape" in the area- we've done this in other places- here in central oregon up in maupin- we did it there - and in culver and in jacksonville in the southern part of the state, too."
 
Murphy says they've already asked for community feedback and have met with business and city leaders.  Now, they want to talk about their plans with the general public.  A meeting is scheduled for next Wednesday, October 17th at 5:30 at City Hall. 
 
Murphy was a guest Thursday on 1110 KBND's Your Town.  You can listen to the entire interview on the KBND website under the Podcast section.
 
Oregon Department of Transportation officials will then forward the top ideas to the Sisters City Council for consideration.
 
 
 
 
 
 

Gas Prices and Presidential Race

We other hear that people vote their pocket book, and in this tight presidential race, will that also include the gas pumps?
 
Marie Dodds with Oregon AAA says gas prices often do play a role in presidential campaigns.
 
Some voters may blame "big oil' and associate the Republican candidate with that, while others could blame the sitting president.
 
Dodds spoke with 1110 KBND news.
 
"ITS TOUGH TO SAY BECAUSE GAS PRICES ARE AT RECORD HIGHS FOR THE CALENDAR DAY - AND WE HAVE BEEN SETTING RECORD HIGHS EACH CALENDAR DAY FOR THE PAST 7 WEEKS- SO NO PRESIDENT HAS EVEr SEEN GAS PRICES THIS HIGH - BUT THERE ARE ALSO GLOBAL EVENTS THAT HAVE SENT GAS PRICES HIGHER THAT HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE TO DO WITH ANY U.S. ADMINISTRATION."
 
Dodds says high gas prices are often used during political campaigns, but the criticism probably isn't fair.  She explains that gas prices are far too complex to just blame one politician.  She cites a few examples like global issues, storms and refinery problems.  In California recently a several day power outage at a refinery caused a huge spike in prices. That also impacted the national average.  And in August, there was a fire at a refinery in the Bay area that also affected prices.

Beaver Sports Comes to Central Oregon

OSU/Cascades has taken the first steps in developing a "club sports" program to compete with other colleges and universities.

 

University spokesman Bruce Petersen says the program is a partnership with the Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation (MBSEF), who will supply the coaches and instructors.  "The students do pay a fee to participate. And then they have a club where there will be a president, vice president, secretary - those officers. And they do compete inter-collegiately against other schools that do have these sports. Such as, in skiing, they'll compete against the College of Idaho, University of Washington, other schools that have these sports as club sports."

 

Petersen says with the local base of athletes we have in Central Oregon, and the facilities, beginning these "club sports" is a natural fit.

 

Also he says this could develop into a future athletic department for OSU/Cascades.

Sunriver Business Helping High Speed Skydiver

Felix Baumgartner, the man who plans to skydive to earth from 23 miles in space, breaking the sound barrier in the process, will be using some equipment made right here in Sunriver.

 

Gayle Menasco  with Velocity Sports Equipment says their company built the "rigging" that holds the parachutes Baumgartner will use.  "It’s the harness and container that he's wearing. Inside the rig, there's 2 parachutes. There’s the main parachute and reserve parachute. We didn't build those parachutes; but we built the actual harness that he's wearing and it looks like a backpack. The owner of the company, Kelly Farington, built the rig and put a lot of innovation into the rig so it could go to near space."

 

Menasco say the first jump attempt was scrubbed due to weather; and then next one is scheduled for Sunday morning (10/13) at 5 a.m. Pacific time.

 

You can watch a live stream of the jump at: www.redbullstratos.com.

Prescribed Burns Planned for Central Oregon

Now that fall is here, forest officials will use the colder weather to conduct some prescribed burns.

Jean Nelson-Dean with the Deschutes National Forest says they are planning a series of prescribed burns - beginning with the "Cow Meadow" burn Thursday west of La Pine.  "We need to burn those fine fuels while they're still very dry within the meadow setting. And before moisture comes in, otherwise they won't burn. We are doing this with a lot of thought and resources in order to improve the habitat in the meadow in partnership with the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation."

 

Nelson-Dean says the Pole Creek Fire is an excellent example of the result of their work; as the residential neighborhoods near the fire were spared, thanks to prescribed burns.

 

She says since the weather must be "just right" for a prescribed burn, fire officials will probably only give a day or two notice before the work begins.

New License Plate to be Unveiled

Friday in Salem the new "Kids Safe License Plate" will be unveiled.  Monay raised from the specialty plate will go to local child abuse prevention programs.  The cost is 30 dollars, and of that, 27 dollars goes to the cause.
 
The idea started in Bend, but it took about 6 years to convince lawmakers in Salem to allow Oregon to join a majority of other states in providing specialty plates the benefit non-profit programs that combat child abuse.  State Representative Gene Whisnant of Sunriver says some feared the new plate would compete with the "Crater Lake" or the "Salmon" license plate designs.
 
 "well- we had some powerful people who- they are not bad people- but they thought we'd fail -but i think people will step up - they just thought the money would pass from one place to another...but i think this cause rises to the level of other people supporting it- we know that funding for non-profits to address this issue is declining- and its not a lot of money and you're going to be a traveling billboard with this plate on the back of your cars."
 
The design on the new plate was done by a local artist who used Bend children as the inspiration. 
 
Hillary Saraceno, with Deschutes County Children & Families Commission, says she was surprised that it took six years to get Oregon lawmakers to agree to this idea.
 

"it was a no brainer- we have one for salmon- aren't our children as important as (salmon) it should be our most important resource that we have- that we should be supporting -i think its important to point out that child abuse and neglect impacts everyone and we all have a responsibility to help address that -and this is one small way we can address it." 

 

Saraceno and Whisnant were guests on 1110 KBND's morning news on Wednesday, October 10th. To hear the full interview you can go to the Podcast on this website labeled "Your Town".  

Too Many Events in Downtown Bend?

Are there too many event in downtown Bend? That was one question posed to three candidates running for Bend City Council, in the Position 2 spot.
 
1110 KBND held a live debate on Tuesday morning. One candidate Ed Barbeau says he would support some restrictions that would help control the number, size, impact and noise of downtown events. 
 
bite "my business does a lot of events downtown - with my restaurant - but i do think there are too many events-  the last time i went down to summerfest- they had vendors in alleys- there were so many vendors it was Insane- and i do feel sorry for some of the businesses down there- it costs them revenue for some of those events - and so i personally would like to see some restrictions. 
 
One of his opponents, Charles Baer, responded to the same question by explaining that he would favor a ban or substantial restriction of cars downtown.  He says that would allow for more events and different types of events.  1110 KBND-AM will run this entire debate again on Sunday, October 14th, at 10 a.m.
 
l
 

Deschutes County Commissioners to Discuss Third Search for County Administrator

Last week the commissioners announced they'd offered the top job to two of the finalists and both turned them down for various reasons.

 

Deschutes County has been without an administrator since August 2011 when county administrator Dave Kanner was fired.

 

Deschutes County does plan to continue working with a Bellevue, Washington recruiting firm to find the next round of candidates.

 

Senator Wyden Gets Assessment on Current Fire Season

It's burned 27 thousand acres to date and is 85 percent contained.

 

U.S. Oregon Senator Ron Wyden met with U.S. Forest Service Officials Tuesday to assess what went right and wrong this season.

 

Senator Wyden says the most obvious take away is that prevention and treatment done in Oregon forests help prevent the fire season from being a much more serious one.

 

46 thousand acres burned in Central Oregon forests this year, which is below normal.

 

Senator Wyden feels we need to do more thinning and prevention work in the forests to prevent bigger fires in the future.

Redmond City Manager Candidate Meet and Greet

David Mikaelian and his wife spent the weeeknd in central Oregon and Monday Redmond held a "meet and greet" for the candidate.  About thirty people came out to meet and questions the candidate.

 

Redmond Mayor George Endicott says Mikaelian is a real impressive, honest guy and he hopes they pursues the Redmond job.

 

Mikaelian is currently the Assistant Manager of Healdsburg, California in the northern part of the state.

 

If he agrees to the job, he would start in January of 2013.

Bend Bulletin Announces Layoffs

Forty workers will be cut through attrition and layoffs at Western Communication's seven newspapers.

 

The Bend Bulletin's publisher says they've avoided layoffs for the last four years, but the loss of revenue from foreclosure notices is forcing them to cut their workfoce.

 

Some foreclosures are no longer required to be published in a newspaper and that is resulting in the monthly loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Bend La Pine School Board Vote to Move Forward on Bond Measure

The Bend La Pine School Board unanimously approved moving forward with their proposed $98-million bond to build new schools and improve existing schools.

 

Superintendent Ron Wilkinson says now the hard work begins:  “The next steps are to begin to organize our citizens committee that has supported the bonds in the past. I know they're planning to get reorganized and prepared for advocacy for the bond. And my role is to try to get as much information out into the community and we'll be working over the next several months to get some facts sheets and information sheets available to we can share with the folks wherever they are in the community."

 

Wilkinson says the district has worked very hard to manage their budget and reduce debt, to show the community that they are responsible with their money.

 

They are hoping to get the bond proposal on the May 2013 ballot.

COVA & EDCO Together Again

The Central Oregon Visitor's Association is reuniting with an old business associate: Economic Development for Central Oregon.

 

COVA spokesperson Alana Hughson says they shared space in the past and realized they work well together, because their goals are the same. "In a destination like Central Oregon, about 80% of new businesses that relocate here are started by people who first came to the region while they were on vacation. So there's a great crossover between COVA's mission and EDCO's long range mission."

 

Hughson says they will also be cutting expenses by sharing the new space  in the Mill Point Building.

 

The move should take place over the “slow” tourism time at the end of the year, and they plan a grand opening in January.

New “Vendor’s Mall” to Open

A long time Bend resident is opening a new “Vendor's Mall" this weekend; and this time he say's everyone is happy about it.

 

Don Labovick, the owner of Northwest Pickers and Consignment, LLC,  says while other craftsman type markets have failed; this one should be able to survive. "The difference between this and that is: they were trying to do it 7 days a week. And most of these people don't want to spend all day sitting at their place if nobody's coming in or just a few people are coming in. Where if we do it once a week, they can be there for just that day plus a lot of people will be waiting to come in, we hope and see what actually they have."

 

Labovick says the "Vendor's Mall" has gotten the blessing of the city, so there should be no problems, as there was in the past regarding these vendor malls.

 

It will be at the Masonic Lodge on NE Eighth Street in Bend every Saturday, beginning October 13th and running through next March.

Fire Prevention Week

This week is National Fire Prevention Week in remembrance of the Great Chicago Fire in 1871. In honor of Fire Prevention Week, the Bend Fire Department will host an open house this Saturday from noon to four.

The open house will feature demonstrations of the Jaws of Life, K-9 units, and a live burn. This year’s theme is “Two Ways Out”, reminding us to make sure fire evacuation plans have more than one way to get out.

Walden on Computer Safety

Congressman Greg Walden, the chair of the House sub-committee, which deals with the Internet, was in Bend at the OSU Cascades building to talk about computer security yesterday (Monday).

Walden and En-Trust C.E.O Bill Connor talked about the need for a “layered” approach to computer security, and how government is working with the private sector to help protect people and business.

Walden says that computer hacking as gone from a hobby for people who loved computer programming to a weapon being used by criminals and foreign government to steal information and money from unsuspecting internet users.

Green Building Summit

This Thursday, COBA will host “NW Green Biz” the Northwest Green Building Industry Summit at the West Side Church.

It will feature over twenty classed on green building, expos from vendors and a keynote address from Mark LaLiberte, a nationally known expert in the green building field.

October is “Bullying Awareness Month”

Your child may be getting bullied, or is a bully, and you may not even know it.

 

Cascade Middle School Principal Stephanie Bennett says they gave kids a survey about bullying and found out that many kids weren't sure what bullying really was.

 

"It’s obviously a problem in middle school. Most of the kids here felt there were bullies by the popular kids. And so we wanted to get that out there. We feel that it's really important. If it's minor or major and I don't think that its' ever minor because if there's anything at all, then we need to take care of it."

 

Bennett says physical bullying is easy to spot; but with the popularity of social networking, e-mails and texting,  bullying can become covert and kids afraid to report the problem.

 

Cascade Middle School parents and staff, as well anyone interested are invited to a talk from bullying expert Trudy Ludwig on October 24th at Summit High Auditorium.

Men’s Health Spotlights Bend

Updating you on a story we brought you earlier; the senior editor for Men's Health.com tells us why they chose Bend's Leadman Triathlon as one of the op 20 triathlons in the nation.

 

"I was just stunned by the natural beauty that you guys have. And especially that high desert climate. It’s really a unique topography for anywhere in the U.S. and Bend is outdoor enthusiasts mecca. You have so many events and so many great breweries. It’s just a place for people seem to love to be active, so it's a great place to travel to be active."

 

Amy Rushlow says they wanted to create a "bucket list" of locations for athletes to aspire to try.

 

Men's Health.com is a nationally recognized online publication that gets about 10-million visitors each month.

ODF pilot safe after firefighting aircraft make emergency landing.

MEDFORD -- A helicopter contracted to the Oregon Department of Forestry made an emergency landing in a wooded area Sunday afternoon while returning to its Grants Pass base from a firefighting mission.

The pilot, the only person aboard, was not injured in the incident, which occurred 15 miles north of Medford at about 3:15 p.m.

 

"Safety is our absolute priority, and we're very grateful that no one was hurt," said Dan Postrel, the department's public affairs director.

 

The helicopter, under contract from Columbia Basin Helicopters Inc., of Baker City, went down after supporting suppression of two small fires in the area.

Department employees were in immediate cell phone communication with the pilot, and reached the site on foot within 90 minutes of the incident. A bulldozer was dispatched to open up an unmaintained road to allow access to the site, on a forested slope.

 

Department officials said the National Transportation Safety Board would investigate.

 

The department provides fire protection on about 16 million acres of Oregon forestland. Aircraft are essential to putting fires out as rapidly as possible, and the agency currently has several water-dropping helicopters under contract.

Department officials also reminded the public Sunday that although fall has arrived, forests are extremely dry, and fire danger remains high. "We ask everyone to follow local fire restrictions, and to use utmost caution while visiting or working in the forests," Postrel said.

Deschutes County Still to Searching for County Administrator

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners announced that neither of the two candidates they offered the County Administrator position to accepted the position.

 

Commission Chair Tony DeBone says five candidates came for interviews and a public reception in September, and the top two were identified:  “Two of them really fit what we were looking for. The three commissioners were real comfortable with two of them. And in negotiations, one of them backed out for personal reasons, family. And another one we just didn't get to negotiating a contract."

 

DeBone says the commission has decided not to pursue the other three candidates, and will be meeting on Wednesday to discuss what action they want to take next.

Bogus "Voter" Calls Hitting Area

Oregon County Election offices have been notified by a number of residents who have reported receiving automated calls today saying their voting status is “inactive” and that they may not receive a ballot to vote during the November 6 election. Oregon State Elections is investigating the matter and will provide additional information to the media and public as soon as more is learned.

 

In the meantime, voters should be aware of the following information provided by Deschutes County residents who received an automated call and have contacted the Deschutes County Elections Office:

 

The phone number reflected by Caller ID is (503) 388-3760

The name reflected on Caller ID is Oregon Small Business Association

 

The message received by these residents is similar to “You or someone in your household has an inactive voting status. While you may think you are registered to vote, you may not receive a ballot.”

 

Deschutes County Elections has researched the voting status of those who received robotic calls today-ALL have been active voters, rendering the calls false.

 

Voters may visit www.oregonvotes.gov under “My Vote” to check their voter registration status and make any updates they wish.

Cyber Attack Seminar Coming to Bend

The growing threat of Cyber attacks is overwhelming.  Oregon Congressman Greg Walden says the attacks come from rouge nations, organized crime, even China.  Thieves sneak in through the computer do things like copy key strokes and steal people's money and businesses well guarded trade secrets.  

 

On Monday, Walden is hosting a workshop with a national expert on the problem and possible solutions.

 

Walden spoke to 1110 KBND news.

 

"we've been told there's 5 times as much information stolen from the united states on intellectual property by other countries than exists in the entire library of congress - so you take a company that has invested millions of dollars in research and development and years and years of work being stolen by a government, and then being handed off to a foreign competitor who didn't pay a dime for it - and now knows everything you know and then builds off of that for their own benefit to use against us."
 
At Monday's event cybersecurity expert Bill Conner, CEO of Entrust, will discuss recent trends in cyber threats wtih central Oregon's small business leaders.  He'll also cover ways to combat current and emerging cyber threats.  Rep. Walden will also give an update on recent cybersecurity legislation in Congress.   Local business owners can offer input on their security challenges. l  
 
 "i don't think most people realize how evil it can be on the internet these days - there are organized criminal efforts in the ukraine and russia - that can track your key strokes and steal your money - and the role that china plays...some of them are state sponsored - some of its just organied crime - but all of it is really threatening in a digital world."  
 
Walden says Conner spoke in Washington DC and lawmakers from both parties were impressed with his depth of knowledge and his ideas to help protect the public and business owners.  Here  are the specific details of the Workshop.
What: Representative Greg Walden's Central Oregon Cybersecurity Workshop
Where: Oregon State University-Cascades, Cascades Hall, Rooms 246, 247, and 248
When: Monday, October 8, 2:00 pm-3:30 pm (Doors will open at 1:30 pm)

Authorities Asking for Help With Missing Woman

 

A female tribal member from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs is reported missing from her residence.

 

Elizabeth Steele with the FBI issued an alert that Faron Kalama, 30, was last seen several days ago.

 

Steele says there is no known connection between Kalama's disappearance and the death of Jonas Miller, whose body was found on the reservation earlier this week.

 

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Warm Springs Police Department or the FBI.

Smooth Sailing on Century Drive

Before the snow comes, you might want to take a little tour up Century Drive and see the results of your tax dollars at work.

 

Peter Murphy with ODOT says today was the final day of new paving on the road and it's a super smooth ride.

"Basically, the heavy lifting is over, and that means the smooth ride that people have been promised and have been waiting for, for some time, well, it's here and it's going to last us for, we hope, another generation, because that's how long the current surface has been there, so, it's a very smooth drive. I don't know if anybody's been up that way recently, but the drive going up Century Drive is one of the better drives in town now. So if you have the opportunity to get up there while we have this great weather, go ahead."

 

Murphy says the project came in on time and pretty close to budget at $10-million.  And he adds that he hopes more people will use all weather tires and not studded tires during the winter, so the road will be preserved for a longer time.

Bend On Another “Best of” List

Once again Bend is recognized in a "best of" list, and this time it's for a first ever event.

 

"Men's Health" Magazine, an internationally renown publication named Bend's Leadman Triathlon one of the top 20 triathlons in America.

 

Visit Bend's Doug La Placa says it came as a surprise when they were notified.  "Yeah, we were surprised. We didn't expect a first year event to gain that kind of recognition so quickly. We think it's a great sign and we have some things that we're looking forward to; improving for year 2 and beyond with the Leadman Triathlon. So yeah, this is a nice feather in the cap for the event, that's for sure."

La Placa says the notoriety will surely help boost tourism to the area.

 

Here’s the link to the Men's Health article: http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/20-best-triathlons  You will see Bend is listed first.

Say Hello to Belluno, Italy

There was a big round of applause as former Bend Mayor Oran Teater introduced officials from outr newest sister city, Belluno, Italy to the Bend City Council Wednesday night.

 

Angelo Paganin, a city councilor from Belluno says he's thrilled to visit Bend.  "We had a lot of people coming from Bend to Belluno. So now I am here as an explorer, first time in the USA, first time in Bend. So I really appreciated the friendship, the beautiful city that you have. And do our friends from Bend made a slogan: ‘Beautiful Belluno’ we add, ‘Bella Bend.’ "

 

Paganin says the two cities have many things in common and he is looking forward to many exchanges of culture and business ideas.

 

Marco Perale, from the Belluno City Council says Bend is a lot like his town:  "It's a pleasure and an honor to be here on behalf of the City of Belluno. There are many similarities and many more we can probably find in the next few years. We can start a real exchange with young people and professionals and whoever, and normal citizens who just want to join us and discover a little new corner of the world, that has been there since a long time. We have a long history."

 

Belluno is about 25 minutes north of Venice.

 

Teater presented the Council with a picture and map of Belluno that will hang in City Hall and announced that this week is the "formal" week of kicking off the relationship with Belluno, Italy.

 

To learn more: click here

Pole Creek Fire Affects More Than the Forest

At the height of the Pole Creek Fire when the air was dangerous with smoke, many Sisters High events had to be moved to safer areas, and the programs had to bear that expense to move.

 

Sisters Athletic Director, Tim Roth says they had to move their "home" football game to Summit High on a Friday night, and a big volleyball event was also affected. "The same weekend, we had a 16-team volleyball tournament, which brings in a lot of people into the Sisters community, both in the hotels and the restaurants, and we had to move that to Redmond High School, who opened up their building and let us host that event there.  And that took a big hit off of not only the high school in terms of being able to bring in income, but also the whole community."

 

They are holding a number of fundraisers to recoup some of that money they had to spend or that was lost because of the move.

 

The first event is a golf tournament at Black Butte Ranch on October 14th, and they plan to hold a “Bingo” night once a quarter.

It’s Homecoming Week at Bend Senior High!

The students at Bend Senior High are using this "Homecoming Week" to honor the alumni and raise money for the fight against cancer.

 

Sophomore Jessica Johnson says there is a special event each day, and Thursday is Cancer Aawareness Day.  "So, the football team will wear powder blue jerseys in honor a Prostate Cancer Awareness, and the volleyball team wears pink. And we sell bands, we raise the admission prices to get into the games, and that money will be donated to funding research for cancer."

 

Johnson says they are also having a "Distinguished Alumni" assembly to honor and recognize past Lava Bears and some will be attending the event.

 

The big draws are the big football game Friday night against crosstown rival, Summit and then the homecoming dance on Saturday night.

Warm Springs Body Identified

The FBI has released the identity of the body found on the Warm Springs Reservation.

 

Jonas Andrew Miller, 30, a resident of Warm Springs has been identified as the victim of a homicide.

 

Sources on the reservation say a hunter found Miller's badly beaten body along Trout Lake Road on Sunday.

 

In the news release, Elizabeth Steele with the FBI says no other information, including how Miller died will be release at this time for investigative reasons.

 

The investigation by the FBI and the Warm Springs Police Department continues.  

Powell Butte Home Fire

The fire at their manufactured home broke out shortly after 1 a.m.

 

The renters who occupied the home escaped, but were seriously burned.

 

The home is a total loss.

 

The fire department is not identifying the victims.

Two Bend Juveniles are Arrested After an Attempted Kidnapping

Deputies were called to the J Bar J when a resident attempted to kidnap another resident.

 

They were trying to drive off the property in a facility vehicle but deputies  were able to stop them before they did that.  

 

Investigators now says they believe the two juveniles cooked up the kidnapping plan to take a J Bar J vehicle and escape.

 

The two are in custody  and face several charges of kidnapping ,menacing and unalwful use of a weapon and motor vehicle.

St. Charles Taking Over Mountain View Hospital in Madras in January

The facility will then be called "St. Charles Madras."

 

The 200 employees at the Madras hospital will then be employees of St. Charles.

 

Mountain View reached out to St. Charles to take over their facility when they could see their bottom line was in trouble.

 

Part of the agreement is that no staff will be laid off, but they could be moved to other facilities in the network.

 

St. Charles now runs all the hosptials in central Oregon.

Government Agencies Ask for More Choice in Banking

Oregon is soon joining about half of the country in allowing cities and other public agencies to put large deposits in a credit union.  The change is part of a recently passed state law and it goes into effect in April 2013. 
 
It allows public agencies to have deposit accounts that exceed $250,000.  James Sinks with the Oregon Treasury Department says this will offer more choices to those managing large deposit accounts held by public agencies.
 
Sinks spoke to 1110 KBND Wednesday morning.
 
 
"there were five government agencies who submitted letters the city of portland the city of corvallis - saying if the state were to allow it they would use credit unions and they would put in substantial funds- so clearly there's a demand to do that - and klamath falls on the east side of the state - they also said they wanted to use credit unions for their banking services."
 
 
Many states limit where public agencies can deposit public funds and in about half the state's legislatures have kept credit unions off of the list.  So far in Oregon five Credit Unions have filed paperwork showing they would like to go through the process of being approved for higher public deposits.
 
 "the idea is to create more options for government to choose to do their banking - there has been some requests from government to use credit unions."
 
This gives cities and other public agencies more options to save money on fees or in some cases get higher rates on their deposits.  
 
To make sure the public dollars are safe even when a credit union goes under, the change sets up a special system using collateral.  This backing is over and above the insurance on deposits to ensure that all the money would be returned to public deposit accounts in case the credit union fails.
 

Gas Prices Remaining High for a While

There’s good news and bad news at the pumps.

 

Marie Dodds with AAA says while gas prices are generally going down around the nation; here in the northwest we're not so lucky.  "We’ve has some tight supplies to begin with here on the west coast, because of a refinery fire in the San Francisco area in early August.  And now with refineries shutting down temporarily for switch over to take place, it has made our supplies even tighter, and that's to blame for putting upward pressure on prices."

 

Dodds says Bend's average is about $3.97.

 

Refineries are switching from summer blend to the cheaper winter blend; but that takes a few weeks.

 

We should see our averages go down by the first week in November.

Back Hoe Smashes into Railroad Bridge

A pickup truck towing a back hoe smashed into the overpass bridge of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, moving the tracks by about three feet.

 

It happened Monday afternoon on southeast Brosterhous Road.

 

It took crews five hours for the initial repairs; some trains had to be rerouted due to the structural damage to the bridge.

 

Bend Police Sergeant Taylor reports that the driver of the pick-up, Seth Morgan, 37, of Bend called 911 to report what had occurred; he was cited for careless driving.

 

The overpass bridge on Brosterhous Road is 12 feet 10 inches, much lower than the newer bridges.

 

Brosterhous Road reopened Tuesday afternoon.

Don’t Park in the Bike Lanes!

It's become a very scary situation for bicyclists at Central Oregon Community College as they ride around campus, with people parking in the bike lanes.

 

Lt. Chris Carney with Bend Police says it's always the worst at the beginning of a term because students are trying to be on time for the first few weeks.  "As in years past, what we've done is we've tried to do warnings and the educational thing. it really hasn't been successful. So we are hoping that by talking with you on the radio, but putting things out in the news, that enough people will see it, that they'll actually take care of the problem before we every have to get to the point of issuing citations."

 

Carney says they actually began issuing some citations already; and the fines could be as high as $110.

 

The best place to park is near the library and Cascades Hall.

Deschutes County Republicans anxiously await Presidential Debate

Some Republicans in Deschutes County are feeling "anxious" about Wednesday night's Presidential debate.
 
That's the observation of Mark Moseley the chair of the Deschutes County Republicans.  He says people are also worn out by all the polling.
 
"i think we're over-polled right now...  it seems like every 30 seconds someone has a poll or percentages...i think probably as a recommendation we need to take the poll about 2 weeks out from the election its really where we can be consious of where americans are going."
 
Moselely says people popping through the local office are talking about the big match-up.  Moseley spoke with 1110 KBND news Tuesday morning.
 
"there is quite a bit of excitement- a lot of people coming into our republican headquarters on 3rd street expressing some anxiety over the debates..i think the debate itself is not a show stopper by itself, but i think the sum of all those debates really will contrast the president to governor romney."
 
1110 KBND will carry all the debates live.  The coverage starts at 5:30 and will run until 8 o'clock.
The Vice Presidential debate is next Thursday, October 11th and the final two Presidential debates are Tuesday, October 16th and Monday, October 22nd.

Effort to Bring Veterans Home to Bend

There's an effort to bring a rare Veterans Home to Central Oregon.  Republican State Representative John Huffman of The Dalles spoke to the Bend Band of Brothers on Monday. 

 

He also stopped by the 1110 KBND studios for an extensive interview.

 
 "i was asked to come in and speak to the band of brothers since i'm on the veterans affairs committee and i live in the dalles- and they started this effort about 15 years ago...we wre the first pilot project- grassroots effort in the state - and in getting the veterans home and ultimately passing the local bond - and getting the land donated.... and the rest of the money is coming through the v-a."
 
He says its in the early stages, but there seems to be a lot of support for the concerp.  The Band of Brothers is about 800 strong in this region.  The two other centers are located in Roseburg and Lebanon.  The Veterans Home in The Dalles sits on 15 acres and can care for as many as 151 residents who need longterm care in a care facility that provides skilled nursing, and dementia-type care and inpatient and outpatient clinics.


Huffman has been a state lawmaker since 2007, but if his name isn't familier that because in his past district he only covered a small portion of Deschutes County.  New Census numbers every ten years mean that new district lines are drawn. Now, his district covers part of northern Deschutes County representing Eagle Crest, Terrebonne and Sisters.  
 
He has a lot more terrain to cover now, as does Mike McLane of Powell Butte.
 
"I DRIVE AN OXYMORON- I DRIVE A PRIUS WITH AN N-R-A STICKER ON THE BACK - AND SOME OF THESE GUYS WITH BIG DISTRICTS LIKE MIKE MCLANE  - I'VE BEEN ENCOURAGING THEM- I SAY YOU CAN'T ARGUE WITH 47 MILES PER THE GALLON."
 
Huffman also says he's known in Salem as the "wind guy" because he supports wind farms as long as it pencils out and government subsidies end after a reasonable time frame.
 
Recently, President Obama blocked plans by a Chinese company to build four wind mill projects in Eastern Oregon near Boardman.  That area is near the restricted air space at the "Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility."
 
Huffman supports the President's move.
 
 "I THINK WE DO NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS - THE PROXIMITY OF WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT WAS UP IN THE BOARDMAN AREA- WHERE THEY DO A LOT OF NAVY TESTING...THERE COULD BE SOME SENSITIVITY UP THERE AND WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE TO THAT - I THINK WINDS FARMS ARE APPROPRIATE IN MANY AREAS, BUT NOT EVERYWHERE- I THINK WE NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT WHERE WE PUT IT- AND FROM A NATIONAL SECURITY STANDPOINTT WE NEED TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT WHO OWNS WHAT- WHERE."
 
Huffman's Democratic opponent this November is Gary Ollerenshaw of Redmond.

 

OSU Cascades Professor on Supreme Court Nominees Expected Next Term

Next week the high court will tackle affirmative action in a case involving the University of Texas.

 

Voters are now focusing on the upcoming presidential race with a little over a month to go.

 

OSU Political Science Professor Jim Foster says our next President will probably be selecting several new justices on the high court.

 

With four of the nine justices between the ages of 74 and 79 -- the next President is expected to have several potential nominations.

 

Justice Ginsberg, Kennedy, Breyer and Scalia are all between 74 and 79.

Prineville Car -Deer Accident Leaves Woman in Serious Condition

29 year old Catrina Matthews was injured when she was riding in a truck driven by her husband Darrell, who swerved to miss a deer.

 

The truck rolled several times throwing them to the ground.

 

The husband Darrell is in fair condition at St. Charles.

 

The accident happened on Grizzly Road just north of Prineville.

Deschutes County Poverty Numbers

The latest census numbers show 13 percent of people in Deschutes County are living in poverty, while 15 percent did last year.

 

Jason Carr, the Executive Director of Partnership to End Poverty says they see a great need in the community and are helping a lot of people.

 

He expects the number of those living below the poverty line to stay at this level for a couple more years until the housing market rebounds.

Bend LaPine School District's "English as Second Language Students" Are Doing Better Than Rest of the State

The report found 19 of the state's nealry 200 districts met the goals for these students while more than 100 failed.

 

The goal was to get districts to hit a target of 57 pecent of their students passing the curriculum.  Bend LaPine reached 56.8 percent.

 

Dana Arntson oversees the English as a Second Language program for Bend LaPine.  She says she's worked hard to coordiate lesson plans and curriculum for the 800 such students in the district.

 

Just over three percent of Bend LaPine's students required english as a second language help.

 

Most english as second language students in Oregon attend school in or near Portland and Salem.

Grand Jury Findings Show “Specialty Courts” Could Help Crowded Jail

A recent report from the Deschutes County Grand Jury after they inspected the jail and other correctional buildings and programs indicated their findings were generally positive.

 

District Attorney Patrick Flaherty says Deschutes County has one of the only certified patrol and corrections  in the state; and that's very impressive.

 

He says the findings indicate that increased court services, such as Mental Health Court and Family Drug Court will help control the overcrowded jail situation.  "The Grand Hury was impressed with that and with all of our specialty courts and is of the view that those specialty courts are problem courts are problem solving courts as they're being known as, should be expanded, not just because they can help relieve overcrowding in the jail, but because they are cost-effective means of addressing a significant percentage of our current inmate population."

 

Flaherty says he agrees with the Grand Jury findings and will begin working towards expanding these "specialty courts" and even wants to create a "Veteran's Court"  that could help with that segment of the population.

Hunting Season Begins

Hunting season has begun, and officials are already bracing for the usual problems that pop up.

 

Deschutes County Sheriff Larry Blanton says there are some basic and sensible rules to follow:  "Almost every year we have an accidental shooting of some kind during hunting season. Primarily on opening weekends. Just be careful, do not have a loaded gun in an ATV or in a vehicle, of course. So not shoot from a moving vehicle, make sure of your targets."

 

Also, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has a new program that provides some deer and elk tags to active military members on leave.

 

The temporary rule authorized 20 controlled deer and 20 controlled elk tags available on a first come basis.

 

Contact the ODF&W for more information (http://www.dfw.state.or.us/)

Lower Home Loan Rates for Oregon Vets

Great news for Oregon veterans: the Oregon Department of Veteran's Affairs (ODVA) says their 15 and 20 year fixed rate for home loans has dropped to 2.75%.

 

ODVA spokesman John Coffey says the "ORVET" home loan is not for refinancing; but eligible vets can now get more house  for their money.  "Well, we are primarily what is called a purchase money lender. Federal rules have some very stringent restrictions on our ability to refinance existing mortgages. Therefore our loans are primarily for purchases. This lowering of interest rates allows people to borrow more money at a lower income than was previously available to them. We do not encourage people to go hog-wild. But you can buy a little more house for the money this way."

 

Coffey says the 30 year home loan is now 3.125% of origination fee.

 

He says they decided to lower the rates to stay competitive; as interest rates are lower throughout the nation.

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