Clayton Franke

Local governments in Central Oregon have rolled out artificial intelligence chatbots that they say have saved hours of staff time, help in combing through documents, synthesizing emails, generating content for press releases and even rewriting website language.  Governments across the country face the question of how — or whether — AI could interact with the public to help make services more efficient, even while they grapple with potential risks of the new technology. That’s spurred a region-wide organized discussion in Central Oregon that could lead to new […]

Bend residents and businesses this year won’t see a planned increase to utility bills some were bracing for, but City officials say they’ll be looking at other ways to raise more money for streets.  The Transportation Utility Fee, adopted in 2024, was part of the City’s strategy to supplant declining revenue streams like the state’s gas tax, the main source of road maintenance funding for the City. At the time, the City adopted a phased approach for […]

When it comes to celebrating the 250th anniversary since the Declaration of Independence was signed, the City of Redmond is not holding back.   A massive extravaganza on Fourth of July weekend will feature thousands of free hot dogs and red, white and blue snow cones plus a $20,000 fireworks show in what appears to be the largest semi-quincentennial event across Central Oregon. “It is the 250th anniversary of our country going […]

Advocacy groups have launched a campaign to change the way county commissioners are elected in Deschutes County by introducing a new voting system they say would increase representation and give a better chance to candidates not backed by either of the major political parties.  A coalition supporting the change announced the campaign on Monday, kicking off an effort to gather the 6,500 signatures needed to get […]

Pulling into a street parking space in downtown Bend with his family of four on a recent Tuesday afternoon, Rory Howland was pleasantly surprised to not see any parking meters.   “Our downtown is all meters, $2-and-something cents an hour,” said Howland, who was visiting from Santa Cruz, California. Unlike Howland’s town, Bend offers two hours of street parking for free. “It’s nice to see a sign that says ‘free parking,’” he said.  It’s a sight that […]

Travelers at the Redmond Municipal Airport will have their choice of Central Oregon favorites including Sisters Coffee, Bend Brewing Company and Sparrow Bakery when an expansion project wraps up there in late 2027.   The Redmond City Council signed a contract with Tailwind Hospitality, LLC, a national airport concessions company that will facilitate the local restaurants at the airport. The vendor plans to create a new food hall with walk-up counters, self-order kiosks, express areas and a grab-and-go market.  That […]

A new analysis shows property near Pilot Butte may be the most feasible for a new Bend City Hall project, but city councilors are holding on to the vision that the future headquarters will anchor a planned urban core closer to the Bend Parkway, the Bend Central District. The Bend City Council backed a staff […]

Sharlene Wills ran her fingers over the small arrow on the crosswalk button for her first hint. She squared up to the crosswalk, stepping out slowly until she felt the bumpy surface under her feet. She heard the cars to her left roll to a stop and the chime of a robotic voice in the air.   “Walk sign is on to cross Division Street.”  “Forward,” Wills told her yellow lab guide […]

A proposal to create a new service “hub” in east Redmond for homeless people to connect with housing resources, mental health programs, food and other services is gaining support from the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners.   The service center would be part of a burgeoning campus of homeless assistance projects in east Redmond, close to where hundreds of people are living in RVs, tents and trailers on government-owned lands slated for future industrial development.   Deschutes County commissioners on June 3 approved a letter […]

A planned $15.4 million project will bring two new roundabouts and two new traffic lights to Olney Avenue and Revere Avenue in midtown Bend, with an estimated completion date in 2028.  The project includes swapping a pair of four-way-stop intersections for traffic signals along Fourth Street, and another at Eighth Street and Revere. At Eighth and Olney Avenue, the City tentatively plans to replace a stoplight with a roundabout. Those […]