As Oregon public school leaders face reductions in state funding, they turn to their biggest expense to find cuts—about 85% of their budgets go to personnel. This time around, they have more staff to cut: Over the past five years, the number of full-time employees at the state’s 197 school districts has grown by nearly […]
Oregon’s Education Workforce Climbed While Student Enrollment Slid
Posted inPolitics
Congressman Bentz Nominates Sixteen Oregon Students for Consideration to U.S. Service Academies
Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR) today announced that he nominated sixteen Oregon students for consideration for admission to the elite United States service academies (Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Merchant Marine). Bentz’s Service Academy Nomination Board– retired and active-duty military officers who interview potential candidates for service academies attendance– recommended each student based on their academic performance, […]
Posted inPolitics
Bynum, Wyden Lead Charge to Protect Healthcare in Central Oregon
Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator, Dr. Mehmet Oz, demanding the resolution of an issue facing St. Charles Health System in Bend, OR. When St. Charles merged two hospital campuses in 2022, an administrative mistake by CMS cost the hospital over $6 million in additional […]
Posted inPolitics
Merkley, Wyden, Colleagues Release Report of How Private Student Loan Lenders Expect to Profit from Trump’s Big Ugly Bill
Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden joined a group of Senators in releasing a new report of their investigation into how private student loan lenders will reap the benefits from cuts to federal student loan access enacted in Republicans’ One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). The report was led by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Ranking Member […]
Posted inPolitics
DAS Office of Economic Analysis Presents Q1 March Economic Outlook and Revenue Forecast
The Department of Administrative Services Office of Economic Analysis State Chief Economist Carl Riccadonna and Senior Economist Michael Kennedy presented the latest economic outlook and revenue forecast to the legislative committee on finance and revenue on Wednesday, Feb. 4. The quarterly revenue forecasts serve to open the revenue forecasting process to the public and is the basis […]
Posted inPolitics
Governor Kotek Testifies in Support of New FastTrack Program
Governor Tina Kotek testified before the House Committee on Economic Development, Small Business and Trade support of House Bill 4084, the Governor’s economic development package for the 2026 legislative session. “While President Trump’s tariff-taxes make life more expensive for Americans and sow uncertainty in the economy, I refuse to let Oregon fall behind,” Governor Kotek […]
Posted inOutside Features
High Desert Speaker Series Coming This Winter
Oregon Natural Desert Association’s 2026 High Desert Speaker Series invites audiences across Oregon and beyond to uncover the landscapes, geology and cultural histories of eastern Oregon through a pair of engaging online talks this winter. Registration is now open for the free, online public series, which runs from February through March. The High Desert Speaker […]
Posted inColumns
What is Regenerative Medicine?
Regenerative medicine focuses on therapies to repair, replace and or regenerate damaged cells and tissues and restore normal function. Instead of just treating symptoms, it aims to heal the root causes of diseases or injuries using Prolotherapy, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), and Stem Cell Therapy. Regenerative medicine helps the body heal itself. Regenerative Medicine involves harnessing […]
Posted inLocal News
A Single Sort of Valentine
Dating is a special kind of hell in Central Oregon. The town is quite small and a good majority of the people are very sporty, active and outdoorsy. I mean, I like a hike as much as anyone else, but I guarantee you, the first time I snowboard or ski is the last time I […]
Posted inMusic
New Music Festival Features Retro Tribute Bands
A new music festival is coming to Central Oregon this summer which will rewind the clock to a nostalgic, bygone era. Harefest LLC is presenting “Legends Reloaded.” It’s a two-day classic rock tribute festival celebrating rock’s most iconic artists. The family-friendly event will be at the Jefferson County Event Complex in Madras over two days […]