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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

Lawsuits From Hunnell

The Deschutes District Court sided with the City over Hunnell residents, seeking a delay to camp closures, but more cases are pending
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Deschutes County Circuit Court Judge Wells Ashby denied a temporary restraining order that would have delayed the sweep of campsites along Hunnell and Clauson roads on July 17, thereby allowing the City to remove the nearly 60 campsites on the road. The City, however, did grant a seven-day extension for 22 people living on Hunnell […]

Posted inOutside

Where There’s Smoke

Bend got its first wildfire smoke of the year from a fire to the west, while a fire to the south destroyed over 80 buildings
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel and ChatGPT

The Bedrock Fire in the Willamette National Forest sent smoke toward Bend on July 24, with air quality being listed as unhealthy by the Environmental Protection Agency. The air quality improved at times but continued to be considered unhealthy for sensitive groups into the next day. The Bedrock Fire ignited on July 22, though it’s […]

Posted inNews

Coordinating the Homeless Office

Deschutes County’s Coordinated Homeless Response Office works on its goals after challenging start
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The Deschutes County Coordinated Homeless Office reviewed a draft strategic plan at its July 14 meeting. After the departure of former executive director Cheyenne Purrington, the governing board of the office created subcommittees to explore the structure, strategy and governance of the board. The draft plan establishes priorities for community engagement, supporting service providers, establishing […]

Posted inNews

Sheriff Won’t Seek Re-election

Sheriff Shane Nelson announced he’s not seeking another term and lends support to 2024 contender
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Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson announced he wouldn’t seek re-election in a memo to staff on July 7. Nelson’s term expires in January 2025 and will end a 30-year career with the department, with the last eight as the sheriff. Deschutes County Commissioners appointed Nelson as the sheriff in 2015 after Larry Blanton retired before […]

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Escape From Mirror Pond

For years people have debated dredging Mirror Pond and returning it to a natural flow, but there’s progress on one of its less controversial projects: Fish passage
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In 2015 the Bend Park and Recreation District released a “Community Vision for Mirror Pond” after a series of community meetings and public outreach. Two years before that, Pacific Power publicly said it might decommission the century-old Newport Dam, which created Mirror Pond. The City of Bend and BPRD wrestled with impacts of Mirror Pond […]

Posted inNews

County Steers Clear of Mule Deer Zones

Deschutes County decided against creating wildlife overlay zones on the habitat of mule deer, an animal whose population is half what it was 20 years ago
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The mule deer population in Deschutes County is about half of what it was 20 years ago, according to the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. There were about 11,000 mule deer in the county in August 2022, excluding “town deer” that have acclimated to human environments. In 2020 Deschutes County planned to update its […]

Posted inNews

The Red Light Website

In the wake of federal prohibitions against once- common escort advertisements, a scam-ridden online black market takes its place
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John” wanted to be a John. He’s recently widowed and sought paid female companionship through several of the dozens of websites that appear in a Google search for “Bend escort.” But “John” was actually a Mark, and he’d been duped by whoever was behind the screen asking for deposits from unrenewable cash cards or online […]

Posted inNews

Pedestrian Bridge Gets Funding

A long-term priority for cyclists and pedestrians gets cash from state and federal sources
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The City of Bend received over $19 million in grant funding for the Hawthorne Bridge from a U.S. Department of Transportation grant and $5 million from the state legislature through House Bill 5030, which should cover the full cost of the planned bridge. The City first explored pedestrian overcrossings over Highway 97 in 2016 as […]

Posted inNews

Governor Appoints New Secretary of State

Gov. Kotek hopes the retired auditor can restore trust in the Secretary of State’s Office after alleged ethical violations by the previous Secretary
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Gov. Tina Kotek appointed LaVonne Griffin-Valade to serve the remaining 18 months of former Secretary of State Shemia Fagan’s term. Fagan resigned after Willamette Week uncovered her $10,000 a month side gig consulting for the dispensary chain La Mota, and several subsequent allegations of ethical violations. Griffin-Valade started working as an auditor in 1998, when […]

Posted inNews

A “Minor” Homeless Concern

Over 10% of Central Oregon’s homeless population is under 18, by the most conservative estimates, and they have distinct challenges
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Central Oregon’s Homeless Leadership Coalition counted 1,647 people experiencing homelessness on a single night in its 2023 Point in Time Count, a 28% increase from 2022. Nearly 200 of the survey’s respondents were under 18 years old, and another 133 were between 18 and 24 years old and considered “unaccompanied youth.” But Bend-La Pine Schools […]

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