Local News
Posted inLocal News

Northwest Native Nations Could Lose Hundreds of Millions in Federal Funding

Portland State University researchers say nearly half of federal funds allocated to Northwest tribes in 2024 is at risk under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act
by Melanie Henshaw Investigative West

A new report from Portland State University found that budget cuts under President Donald Trump’s new spending bill threaten nearly half of federal funding allocated to federally recognized Native American and Alaska Native nations last year. Roughly $530 million of the $1.19 billion allocated to Northwest tribal nations in fiscal year 2024 — used to […]

Posted inCentral Oregon Pets

Building Community, One Gecko at a Time  

Meet the Redmond shop owner transforming fear into fascination
by Sarah Isak-Goode

After more than a decade of hands-on reptile breeding and care, owner of High Desert Geckos, Samantha Weist, has turned a childhood passion into a thriving small business. What began as a hobby breeding crested geckos has evolved into a downtown Redmond storefront teeming with snakes, arachnids, lizards and more. In a field largely dominated […]

Posted inCentral Oregon Pets

A Place to Call Home

Second Chance is a sanctuary for unwanted parrots
by Richard Sitts

Donna Costley says that back when she decided to start a bird rescue operation in 2012, she didn’t even like birds. “I hated birds. My mom had parakeets,” Costley recalls. However, one of her sons, Jon, got into birds first and brought his mother along, under his wing, so to speak. And since then, Second […]

Posted inLocal News

Gentling Neglected Horses Back to Health & Happiness 

Local equine rescues take in sick, abused, often unadoptable horses
Avatar photo by Nic Moye

Each week, 3 Sisters Equine Refuge receives five to six requests to surrender from horse owners around the state who can no longer care for their horses. According to Board President Amber Holm, they often have to turn them down. Volunteers are currently caring for 30 rescue horses, many of which are high needs. Some […]

Posted inLocal News

Fired Cop’s Lawsuit Against City of Redmond Results in Mistrial

Ryan Fraker, former Redmond police sergeant and whistleblower, filed the $5 million lawsuit in 2021, alleging a bullying work culture
Avatar photo by Peter Madsen

The jury in a $5 million lawsuit filed by a former police sergeant against the City of Redmond and the police department’s top brass couldn’t reach a verdict, resulting in a mistrial on Oct. 16. In the lawsuit, Donald Ryan Fraker said that his February 2020 termination for alleged dishonesty was instead retaliation for filing […]

Posted inLocal News

Plans for Managed Camp Could Be Delayed

Vote at City, delayed vote at County threaten construction timeline
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

A plan to have a managed camp in Redmond open by this winter hit a snag this week. A split vote of the Redmond City Council and a delayed vote at the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners mean the construction schedule will likely get pushed back for the camp planned on Redmond’s east side. […]

Posted inLocal News

Local Nonprofit Lays Off Staff and Closes Offices After Losing Funding 

The Central Oregon Disability Support Network lost a federal grant due to DEI
Avatar photo by Nic Moye

The Central Oregon Disability Support Network has laid off half its staff and is closing its offices after suddenly losing a federal grant. Executive Director Dianna Hansen says she received notice on Sept. 6 at 6:38pm, a Friday night. The Community Parent Resource Center Grant provided $12,500 a month to CODSN. This was supposed to […]

Posted inLocal News

Falling through the Cracks at Cleveland Commons

A 55-year-old climbing pioneer, recovering from traumatic injuries, says he was forced out of a new supportive permanent housing facility for publicizing an alleged drug culture that involves a murky death, a fired counselor and dueling restraining orders
Avatar photo by Peter Madsen

By most appearances, Cleveland Commons, Central Oregon’s newest permanent supportive housing facility, was built for someone like Shawn Snyder.  A retired professional rock climber and an SUV-dweller before the lifestyle became socially acceptable, Snyder, 55, has lived his life mostly on his own terms. He’s also been a divisive personality in the climbing community, banned […]

Posted inLocal News

Federal Grant Supports First-Generation College Students in Bend

It’s the first TRIO grant for Central Oregon Community College
Avatar photo by Nic Moye

Central Oregon Community College received a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to provide low-income, first-generation students with specialized support to help them graduate and transfer to a four-year university. The TRIO Student Support Services grant will help 140 students per year over the next four years, pending congressional approval after the […]

Posted inLocal News

The Battle Over Canned Cocktails Enters Another Round

Oregon producers want to sell their products in grocery stores, but the OLCC and Oregon beer and wine distributors are opposed
by Nigel Jaquiss, Oregon Journalism Project

Ben Brewer’s Bend distillery, Forth Distilled Goods, is selling a lot of ready-to-drink cocktails in Idaho grocery stores. But in Oregon, only the state’s 285 liquor stores are allowed to carry Forth’s products. By law, the state’s 792 grocery stores may not sell them, even though Forth’s products are 5% alcohol by volume. Meanwhile, those […]

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