Local News

Six Oregon metro areas have some of the highest rates of alcohol-induced death in the nation for people 65 and older, according to a recent industry study. Roseburg (second), Eugene-Springfield (fourth) and Medford (fifth) are among the top five nationally. Salem (ninth), Bend (11th) and the Portland metro area (15th) fill out the ranks with […]

When her son began receiving free books in the mail at his grandmother’s Washington house, Claire Catt jumped into action. A mother of two “program graduates” from a program which now provides free books every month to children under the age of 5 in states across the country, Catt began pulling volunteers together in 2018. […]

The Discovery West neighborhood will be one of the first to kick off this year’s fourth of July celebrations; drone style. Discovery West is a new neighborhood by the team behind the Northwest Crossing development.  The free event, “Stars and Stripes” will be celebrating the nation’s 250th birthday Friday, July 3. Its main star of […]

In the medical world, artificial intelligence is being used in multiple ways to improve efficiencies and patient care. Last year, St. Charles Health System began offering doctors an AI software program called DAX. So far, 125 primary care providers and workers in ambulatory settings at St. Charles are using it. The physicians use an app […]

Navigating the balance between an appropriate use of AI technology in schools and creating human bots is a delicate, complex issue. In April, the Bend-La Pine School Board passed a resolution requiring the school district to review the use of all technology and apps and create standards for tech use at different grade levels. Communications […]

As some recent university graduates expressed with loud boos during the commencement speeches of pro-AI speakers, artificial intelligence is cause for concern, not excitement, as they enter an increasingly automated workforce.  For starters, studies have shown that AI has already — or stands to — replace millions of entry-level and mid-level positions throughout myriad industries. Think computer programmers, commercial jingle writers and — gulp — some types of journalists. If […]

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 […]

Internal memos shed new light on the numerous instances of alleged misconduct by a candidate for Deschutes County Sheriff and two other department employees. The instances are related to events surrounding the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office SWAT apprehension of Paul Akehurst in Sunriver on Feb. 25. On June 6, Det. Lt. James “Mac” McLaughlin announced […]