Detectives raided a southeast Bend home Thursday afternoon and arrested a 28-year old man when they found two rooms with a sophisticated marijuana operation utilizing both hydroponic and soil growing systems, an altered electrical system, and 110 pot plants.   Jayson Wesley Watkins – DCJ photo    Both hydroponic and soil growing systems were utilized, and the home’s electrical system had been diverted and altered to enhance the growing process – CODE photo    Two rooms at 20351 Klahani Drive ... [full story]

Ms. Schlafly’s recent diatribe against Mexican truckers misses the mark (“President opens border to Mexican trucks and drivers” – Mar. 9, 2007). In her opinion editorial, she bemoans the demonstration program announced last month to allow U.S. truckers to compete in Mexico and change the way a limited number of Mexican trucking companies operate within the United States.  Had she taken the time to learn the facts, she would have learned that this program will ... [full story]

Vandals set off fireworks in an elevator of the Centennial Parking Plaza in downtown Bend this morning, causing only minor fire damage to the floor but requiring the time and efforts of a half-dozen firefighters, officials reported.   Centennial Parking Plaza, 61 NW Oregon Ave. One engine company and six firefighters with the Bend Fire Department responded to an alarm from the City-owned parking structure at 61 NW Oregon Avenue about 7:49 a.m., said Fire Inspector Dan Derlacki.  When ... [full story]

An escaped agricultural field burn off Tumalo Reservoir Road northeast of Bend scorched 14 acres across two properties Thursday afternoon, fire officials reported.  More than a dozen Bend Fire Department personnel responded to an alarm at 18431 Pinehurst Road shortly before 1:30 p.m., Battalion Chief Dave Howe said.  When they arrived, they found the fire was approaching several outbuildings. Luckily for John and Nancy Mobely, the property owners, the outbuildings sustained no damage and there ... [full story]

The Oregon Department of Corrections announced that an inmate of Two Rivers Correctional Unit, a medium security prison in Umatilla, apparently committed suicide Wednesday evening. George William Miller, 18, was found hanging in a single-person cell in the Disciplinary Segregation Unit about 7:30 p.m. March 14.  Prison staff and emergency responders attempted to resuscitate Miller, but their efforts were unsuccessful. Miller received a probationary sentence in 2005 for second-degree robbery in Douglas County. His probation was ... [full story]

Bill now moves to Governor’s desk; Legislation will establish savings account to be used during difficult economic times SALEM, Ore. - The Oregon Senate on Thursday passed House Bill 2707 and House Bill 2031, legislation that creates the state’s first-ever comprehensive rainy day fund. The new savings account will initially be funded by redirecting approximately $290 million from the corporate kicker into the fund. Additional deposits into the rainy day fund will come from the General ... [full story]

Despite trying to escape sagging poll numbers with a goodwill tour to Latin America, President Bush returns instead with poor reviews from the region after having highlighted a North-South disconnect not seen since the Cold War. President Bush used the Colombian leg of his tour to praise the Colombian President, currently mired in scandal because his "domestic intelligence chief and eight congressmen have been arrested for collusion with paramilitary members," according to the Washington Post. ... [full story]

WASHINGTON - Rep. Ralph Regula's clout has plummeted since Democrats took control of Congress, according to an assessment of lawmakers' power released Thursday. But for a Republican, the Bethlehem Township lawmaker is still ranked pretty high - 150th out of 435 lawmakers - in a report from Knowlegis, a government relations company. Regula, an 18-term veteran and senior member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, ranked a much higher 10th in Knowlegis' first report published ... [full story]

“Leading For Growth” Reveals Secrets Behind Umpqua’s Growth,  Innovation Umpqua Bank CEO Ray Davis’ new book, Leading for Growth: How Umpqua Bank Got Cool and Created a Culture of Greatness, has been praised by business publications and leaders alike for its clear-cut take on innovative leadership. The book outlines the strategy Davis has relied on to take Umpqua Bank from a small, regional bank with $140 million in assets in 1994 to the internationally known ... [full story]

Nobody likes to talk about their credit card debt. If you're addicted to plastic, you certainly don't want anyone to discover your secret. But strangely enough, some bloggers don't mind divulging every detail of their supersized spending habits. The creator of www.bloggingawaydebt.com owes $22,192, and she recently had just $122 in a savings account. The young couple behind the Web site www.makelovenotdebt.com are coping with a negative net worth of $66,274. The woman who launched ... [full story]