The High Desert Education Service District was awarded a federal grant worth nearly $277,000 to help four Deschutes County early childhood programs improve student achievement and build strong characters.  The 18-month grant is through the U.S. Department of Education Foundations for Learning Program. The grant provides funding to the Family Access Network, First Step to Success, Early Intervention and Early Childhood Special Education, and Healthy Beginnings. Starting in mid-April, the Family Access Network (FAN) will add two ... [full story]

Mt. Bachelor Village Resort, Bend's luxury resort located within the city limits, announced today it will offer guests a complimentary $50 Shell gas card with every two night stay. "Many of our guests come from the Pacific Northwest and northern California areas," said Michelle Marquis, Director of Sales and Marketing for the resort.  "They generally come by car, and we want to find a way to help them subsidize their travel costs so that they can ... [full story]

Buena Vista Custom Homes, named the fastest growing homebuilder in the nation by Builder Magazine in 2005, announced today that it plans to enter the Central Oregon housing market for the first time after securing 455 homebuilding lots in the Bend area. The announcement will provide a major economic boost to the Bend homebuilding industry.  The current average value of a Buena Vista home is $440,006, which means the total value of the Bend area developments ... [full story]