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Locked and Unloaded

Gun safety bill passes Oregon Senate, now on Gov. Kate Brown’s desk
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

Senate Bill 554 passed the Oregon State Senate after the Oregon House of Representatives modified the text to add storage and safety requirements. The bill would change Oregon laws to allow school districts, public higher education institutions and a few other public buildings the ability to prohibit the carrying of firearms on their property, even […]

Posted inNews

End of Risk Levels Ahead

Oregon to remove capacity limits and county risk levels—if vaccinations reach 70%
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

Gov. Kate Brown announced Tuesday that Oregon will stop using county risk levels and restrictions on capacity once the state reaches a vaccination rate of 70% or higher for Oregonians aged 16 and above. The governor said she believes the state will hit that target by late June if current trends continue.  “Hospitalization rates have […]

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High Risk Returns

Just a few days after being moved to Extreme Risk, Deschutes, Crook and 13 other counties will move back to high risk.
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

The Bend-La Pine Schools district will move to a modified schedule as cases among young people rise, even as Deschutes County is lowered from Extreme Risk to High Risk in the governor’s risk-protection framework. In the High-Risk category, people will be able to eat at restaurants, exercise at gyms and go to indoor entertainment establishments […]

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Enterprise Zones Redrawn

Will Bend keep one of its key tools in attracting new businesses?
Avatar photo Jack Harvel

Deschutes County Commissioners approved redrawn boundaries to the Bend Enterprise Zone at their meeting on Wed., April 14, moving one step closer towards final approval from the state. Enterprise Zones are touted as one of the key benefits for businesses in Oregon, and Bend’s hosts 54 companies that have created over 1,400 jobs and invested $256 […]

Posted inNews

Riskier Business

Half of Oregon counties moved to a higher risk category; Deschutes, Crook among counties shuttering indoor dining
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

Deschutes County and Crook County along with 13 others, were designated as Extreme Risk by Oregon Gov. Kate Brown on Tuesday, after the number of hospitalizations in the state rose above 300.  The change in status will go into effect on Friday, and county data will be evaluated on a weekly basis for at least […]

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Five Central Oregon Deaths Reported in a Single Day

Oregon Health Authority reports five more deaths, bringing state total to 303
Avatar photo Nicole Vulcan

Five more people in Central Oregon have died from COVID-19, the Oregon Health Authority reported Tuesday. Before mid-July, Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties had reported zero deaths from the virus. That spiked later in the month, after an outbreak at Mt. Bachelor Memory Care in Bend, where three residents died last week.   The deaths reported Tuesday include […]

Posted inNews

City Predicts Millions in Budget Shortfalls

With hotels empty for months and no one to ticket for speeding, the City gets creative on cuts and leaves most of its reserves in the bank
Laurel Brauns

Sharon Wojda, the City of Bend chief financial officer, told the City Council Wednesday night that the city might come up $14.5 million short at the end of its budget cycle in July 2021. She recommended the city aim to cut $20.5. Before the coronavirus hit, the city planned to spend approximately $128 million over […]

Posted inCulture

A Different Kind of Memorial Day Weekend

This year’s holiday won’t be ordinary, but it might allow people to remember what the day off is really about
Avatar photo Isaac Biehl

Normally, Memorial Day weekend would be a guaranteed celebration—an extra day tacked on to the weekend, right as summer begins to kick off. If this was like other years, Central Oregon would be busy playing party host to visitors and locals alike. But in 2020, things will look and feel different. There will be no […]

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