Monday, July 20, 2026 atย 7:00 PM Fire officials will provide the latest updates on current fire activity, firefighting efforts, evacuation information, and answer questions from the community. The meeting will be livestreamed on theย Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District Facebook page:ย https://www.facebook.com/SCSRPD Oak Fire west of Redmond Web page: centraloregonfire.org/Deschutes County Sheriff’s Facebook page: facebook.com/photo/?fbid=1381273814180057&set=a.206553228318794Watch Duty Fire Info: […]
News
Deschutes Wilderness Areas Added to Stage 1 Public Use Fire Restrictions Starting July 20
Due to continued hot and dry conditions as well as increased fire starts, the Deschutes National Forest will include all Wilderness areas under Stage 1 public use fire restrictions starting Monday, July 20. Effective at 12:01 a.m. on Monday, July 20, Stage 1 public use fire restrictions prohibit open fires, including wood, biomass and twig […]
Commissioners Advanceย Ballot Language for Districting Map Critics callย โDivisive,โ โParochial,โ and โUnfairโ
The Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners voted to place a divisive districting proposal on Novemberโs general election ballot. After hearing heated commentary from the public during the July 15 meeting, county commissioners voted 2 to 1, approving edited language for the ballot measure. Commissioner Phil Chang was the sole opponent. To the satisfaction of word nerds and legal beagles in attendance, commissioners took pains over the meanings of โmodeโ versus โmethod,โ โelectorโ and โvoter.โ With a limit of 175 words, […]
Another Drug Manufacturer Settles with Oregon Over Price-Fixing Allegations
The fifth pharmaceutical company sued by Oregonโs attorney general and dozens of other state attorneys general for violating federal antitrust laws in the last decade agreed to settle, this time for nearly $30 million. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced Wednesday that generic drug manufacturer Glenmark, accused of participating in an elaborate price fixing scheme […]
New Oregon Recycling Program Keeps More Than 130,000 Mattresses Out of Landfills in First Year
Oregonians kept more than 130,000 mattresses and box springs from landfills during 2025, the first full year of a new statewide recycling program with free collection points in nearly all of the stateโs 36 counties. The Mattress Stewardship Program went into full swing in January 2025, three years after the state Legislature passed a law to make […]
More Than 2,000 Lightning Strikes Sparked at Least a Dozen Significant Fires
A large number of storm cells passed through Central Oregon July 15th 2026. Overall, the area covered by Central Oregon Fire Management Service and the Oregon Department of Forestry received more than 2000 lightning strikes, starting more than 50 fires. Since this morning (Friday, July 17), an additional 20+ starts have been engaged across the […]
Wrongย Side of theย Line:ย Theย Messyย Fightย Over theย Sistersย Urbanย Growthย Boundaryย
Bill Willitts stops his Dodge truck at a quiet neighborhood intersection west of downtown Sisters and gets out. He points out two different types of homes: some have garages in the back, and some have garages in the front, which is more space efficient. Rows of two-story tract houses are separated by wide black asphalt streets flanked by gravel drainage ditches. Then he […]
Candidates File to Run for Redmond City Council
The filing deadline may be Aug. 25, but numerous candidates for Redmond City Council have signaled their interest by filing paperwork early. The mayoral seat is open, along with three seats on the Redmond City Council. These are four-year terms. Interested parties can pick up a campaign packet from the cityโs Recorderโs Office send an […]
Want to be the New Deschutes Public Library Director? Todd Dunkelberg Says โListenโ
The year was 1999. Books, magazines and newspapers still ruled the Earth. The internet, barely existent, wriggled in a puddle somewhere. Todd Dunkelberg had already earned a masterโs in library and information science from the University of Texas-Austin. Heโd been working as a childrenโs librarian when he was tapped to relocate to Central Oregon to […]
Volunteers Roll Up Their Sleeves for the Deschutes River
The riverways around Central Oregon were filled with more people than usual Saturday morning. However, this time around, it wasnโt for recreation. Equipped with plant guidebooks, 289 volunteers gathered in six different locations, fromย Tumalo State Parkย toย Farewell Bend Parkย to Sunriver to pick up trash and pull invasive weeds along the riverbank. About 2,100 pounds of garbage […]

