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Jack Harvel

Jack is originally from Kansas City, Missouri and has been making his way west since graduating from the University of Missouri, working a year and a half in Northeast Colorado before moving to Bend in the Spring of 2021. When not reporting he’s either playing folk songs (poorly) or grand strategy video games, and checking out the different hiking trails in Central Oregon.

jharvel@gannett.com
Posted inNews

Code Changes Could Expand Shelter Capacity

The Bend City Council heard a report on changes recommended by the planning commission that could get it closer to the goal of 500 shelter beds
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The Bend City Council heard a report on proposed shelter code changes at its regular meeting on April 6. The controversial amendments are meant to increase the number of available shelter beds by clarifying zoning requirements for shelters. The Sounding Board to House our Neighbors, which drafted the new code, is a committee formed by […]

Posted inNews

Stevens Road Survey

The final round of public comment is underway for a 261-acre plot of land in southeast Bend that could create up to 2,476 new housing units
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The City of Bend is holding its final public open house for people to weigh in on the Stevens Road Tract Concept Plan, a 261-acre plot in southeast Bend. The western portion of the Stevens Road Tract, called the Stevens Ranch Master Plan, was brought into Bend’s urban growth boundary in 2016 and the City […]

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Same Building, New Location

The Warm Springs commissary building, rooted in a colonial past, to find new life as a business incubator
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On April 4, the Warm Springs commissary building crawled to a new location on Wasco Drive, in view of Highway 26 via a Wolfe’s hydraulic Buckingham Power and Coaster Dolly, a massive remote-controlled dolly that supported the two-story structure. The federal government built the commissary in 1896 to distribute grains, flour, seeds and tools for […]

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Firefighters Feuding

The La Pine Firefighters Union voted unanimously to serve a letter of no confidence to Fire Chief Michael Supkis
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The La Pine Firefighters Union submitted a letter on April 1 to its board of directors, but it wasn’t a joke. All 22 members of the union approved of a no-confidence letter to La Pine Fire Chief Michael Supkis, indicating they do not support the chief and will advocate for a replacement. The La Pine […]

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Building Boom While Pandemic Looms

Demand for home improvement grew during the pandemic despite inflation, worker shortages and supply chain issues
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As the economy gets back on track from COVID-19 and all its downstream effects like hiring shortages, supply chain disruptions and inflation, industries are getting back on track. Though the overall halt of business is long-gone, the pent-up demand that accumulated over the pandemic is still present. Construction costs rose by 17.5% from 2020-2021, according […]

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Flying Under the Radar

A Russian-owned aircraft manufacturer based in Bend has thus far avoided sanctions as the U.S. Treasury Department seeks to undermine Russian economic interests
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A Bend-based aircraft manufacturer that’s owned by a Russian billionaire says they aren’t expecting sanctions to impact their business. Epic Aircraft, a manufacturer of speedy single engine small planes, was acquired by Vladislav Filev in 2012. Filev owns Russia’s largest private airline, S7, also called Siberian Airlines, He’s been dubbed the “Russian Elon Musk” by Western […]

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Boiling in Warm Springs

Damages to Warm Springs’ Water Treatment Plant aren’t as dire as first expected, but long-term solutions are still distant
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The Warms Springs Water Treatment Plant is back online after an underground electrical fire disabled it on March 19. The reservation’s utilities department issued an emergency water conservation notice and deployed portable showers, toilets and bottled water while repairs were arranged. Originally the utilities department expected that repairs could take up to two months, but […]

Posted inNews

No Criminal Charges in Police Shooting

The Crook County District Attorney reports that Deputy Steven Hatcher acted lawfully in the shooting of Nick Rodin
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Crook County District Attorney Kari Hawthorn determined that the Feb. 4 shooting of Nicholas Rodin by Crook County Sheriff’s Deputy Steven Hatcher did not violate Oregon law. A report from the DA says Rodin called 911 at 4:44 am Feb. 4, reporting that he had a warrant for his arrest, claiming he had a pistol […]

Posted inNews

Boiling in Warm Springs

Damages to Warm Springs’ Water Treatment Plant aren’t as dire as first expected, but long-term solutions are still distant
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

The Warms Springs Water Treatment Plant is back online after an underground electrical fire disabled it on March 19. The reservation’s utilities department issued an emergency water conservation notice and deployed portable showers, toilets and bottled water while repairs were arranged.  Originally the utilities department expected that repairs could take up to two months, but […]

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Dog Docs Return

Central Oregon once again has options for emergency veterinary care, after months without
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In May of last year we reported that Bend had lost its only 24-hour emergency veterinary care when Bend Veterinary Specialty and Emergency Center cut its hours. A staffing shortage, burnout during COVID-19 and patient overload from more people adopting pets during the pandemic all contributed to the crisis, and it left a gap in […]

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