Local News

Elected leaders in central and southern Oregon are asking the legislature to help pay for tens of millions of dollars in safety improvements along U.S. Highway 97, one of the state’s most dangerous roads. But major uncertainties circling the future of state transportation funding are clouding the effort.   County commissioners from three counties — Jefferson, Deschutes and […]

Parents who expressed a growing concern over the use of iPads and Artificial Intelligence in Bend-La Pine Schools classrooms are celebrating a new policy creating sweeping checks on technology that was just passed.   In an April 14 resolution, the Bend-La Pine Schools Board of Directors addressed educational technology, or “ed tech.” The resolution directs the district to review the use of all technology, websites and apps, create […]

The four leading candidates for the Republican nomination for governor gathered April 16 at a forum sponsored by the Oregon Republican Party at the Hillsboro Events Center. The livestreamed event marked the first opportunity for voters to see Marion County Commissioner Danielle Bethell, state Rep. Ed Diehl (R-Stayton), state Sen. Christine Drazan (R-Canby), and former […]

In today’s hyper online world, a website begetting a book — and a series of them, no less — might read like putting the cart before the horse. Yet, delightfully, the popularity of Dirty Freehub — the result of a married duo’s passion for route scouting, mapping and storytelling — has inspired this retro-tech arc. […]

People who use Wilson Avenue for cross-town travel will soon have to find a new route.   The City of Bend announced Tuesday that an estimated three-month closure of the Wilson Avenue railroad crossing near 9th Street will begin April 27 to replace track and signal equipment. It’s the final phase of work on the Wilson Avenue corridor, where the City has piloted new protected designs for roundabouts and intersections.   The Burlington Northern […]

Preserving the earth is something that benefits us all and ensures future generations a certain quality of life. Some Central Oregonians are more dedicated and passionate on that subject, making it their career or serving as volunteers. In this week’s Earth Heroes issue, we reached out to local nonprofits for “hero” nominations.   Read the […]

Sakari, a word meaning “sweet” in Inupiaq, represents a loving and warm personality, which exactly describes the vibe I felt when Spring and Sam Schreiner, along with Otis, their energetic canine, welcomed me to their farm on a bright, blue-sky day in Tumalo. Spring, an enrolled member of the Chugach Alaska Native Corporation and Valdez […]

Kevin Tanski is a lifelong conservationist and environmentalist, but in the past three years his attention has been laser focused on beavers. As a volunteer with Think Wild’s Beaver Works Oregon, he’s traveled to remote areas of the state, putting in countless hours restoring beaver habitat.   The significance of beavers caught his attention after he read two books, “Eager” and “Beaver Land” which explore the profound impact beavers have […]

It’s hard out there for climate justice advocate these days. Few know how quickly your eyes glaze over when the topic turns to, say, heating pumps, than this year’s Young Hero, Brennan Breen. Breen, the campaign coordinator of Energize Bend, a nonprofit coalition advocating for electrification, however, decidedly does not live in mamby-pamby land. At […]