Thursday afternoon around 4:45 pm, Saint Charles in Bend went into lockout after a phone call threatened a shooting.  Bend Police were on the way when they attempted to pull over a man near Northeast Neff Road and 27th Street who is wanted in connection with a July 7 domestic assault. The suspect ran from the vehicle into a nearby apartment complex. Officers set up a perimeter, used drones and K9s, and the County alerted nearly 2,000 nearby homes and businesses to stay indoors. The search was unsuccessful.  Police are still looking for a white man, 6-foot-1, 155 pounds, last seen wearing a black hat, black T-shirt and gray camouflage cargo shorts, with tattoos extending onto his neck. Anyone who sees him should call 911. The shooting threat to St. Charles was unrelated and unfounded.

 

credit: CO Daily News  
A Prineville family has filed a 26-million-dollar complaint against Knife River Corporation, claiming its Crook County gravel mine contaminated their well water and caused health and property problems. Central Oregon Daily News says Ashley and Michael McCormick are asking for damages, medical monitoring, clean water… and a halt to mining at the site.
Knife River denies responsibility, saying naturally occurring metals in groundwater are tied to the area’s volcanic history.

Central Oregon’s wildfire season is seeing a near-normal number of starts, but far fewer acres burned than usual. Forest Service spokesperson Kaitlyn Webb says summer heat is still creating concern, with vegetation drying out and becoming more likely to ignite. Crews have responded to 124 wildfires so far this year. Webb says the key difference is acreage: the 10-year average for this point in the season is about 19,000 acres burned, while this year’s total remains much lower. Public use restrictions remain in effect across Central Oregon as fire danger continues.

 

 

Evacuation levels have been lowered near the Coyner Fire north of Redmond after crews stopped the fire’s forward progress. All Level 3 “Go Now” notices are now reduced to Level 1, meaning residents should remain ready in case conditions change. The Sheriff’s Office is urging people in the area to stay alert and watch for fire crews and emergency vehicles. The fire remains at 20.5 acres and is 20 percent contained. Firefighters worked through the night July 5th, strengthening the perimeter and cooling flare-ups in unburned fuel. Crews are continuing mop-up around containment lines and nearby structures.

Redmond Fire and Rescue crews responded around 7:30 Sunday night to a reported structure fire near Northwest Fourth Street and Northwest Hemlock Court. Firefighters arrived to find heavy flames coming from the front of a single-story manufactured home, with nearby homes threatened. Crews quickly stretched hose lines and kept the fire from spreading beyond the one residence. Officials say no one lives there; the home was being used for storage. Because of the volume of items inside, firefighters battled the blaze from outside for safety. Investigators say illegal fireworks ignited dry vegetation, spreading to a fence and then the home. Fireworks are banned within Redmond city limits.