BEND, Ore. -- Larry Huhn has been promoted to Fire Chief by City Manager Eric King. Huhn replaces the retiring Larry Langston, whose last day as chief is slated for June 15.   Larry Huhn has been named the new Fire Chief by Bend City Manager Eric King - submitted photo  “Larry Huhn brings the type of leadership the Fire Department needs at this time,” said newly King. “He’s the ideal candidate to continue the tradition of ... [full story]

MADRAS, Ore. – An 18-year-old Madras man turned himself into police and was charged with nine crimes in connection with numerous shots fired at an unoccupied vehicle in the Strawberry Heights subdivision in southeast Madras on Sunday night.   Isac Jerome Zacarias - JCJ photo  Madras Police officers and Jefferson County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the subdivision shortly after 9 p.m., June 1, to a report of shots fired. Responding officers found empty shotgun shells in addition ... [full story]

BEND, Ore. – A man who claimed to be carjacked at gunpoint in the Terrebonne area north of Bend last month has said he made up the story to cover his admitted drunk driving and subsequent car crash, deputies said. In a letter of apology, the man explained he was distraught over the death of his brother and began drinking while parked in a gated community. He wrote that he was “sincerely sorry”, that his ... [full story]

LA PINE, Ore. – School officials have declined to press charges against several teenagers who admitted to vandalizing school walls, sidewalks, and parking lots with chalk on Sunday.    La Pine High School - photo courtesy of Bend-La Pine Schools According to Deschutes County Sheriff’s Lt. Deron McMaster, an anonymous tip was received just before midnight on June 1 alerting police to the mischief that left no permanent damage to La Pine High School. Several teenagers were contacted and identified, ... [full story]

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ore. – The 71-year old former superintendent of La Grande Public Schools, under investigation and charged with sexually abusing a child at her seventh birthday party, has died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, deputies reported.   Irvin Nikolai, former La Grande Public School superintendent, has died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was under investigation for the alleged sex abuse of a 7-year-old child.  Irvin Nikolai’s wife called 911 Monday evening to report ... [full story]

ALOHA, Ore. – A 42-year old Vancouver man with a prior conviction for public indecency was arrested late Sunday afternoon for allegedly exposing himself and masturbating while watching women inside an Aloha Big Lots store, deputies reported.   Daniel A. Hemmerling - WCJ photo  According to a news release issued by the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, employees of Big Lots’ at 18565 SW Tualatin Valley Highway chased Daniel A. Hemmerling from the store. He was located by ... [full story]

PORTLAND, Ore. – On June 21, John Klum will take the oath of office and be sworn in as Fire Chief of Portland Fire & Rescue. Klum has 30 years of service with Portland Fire & Rescue (PF&R), serving in a supervisory capacity for 24 of those years.   John Klum - photo courtesy of portlandonline.com "Twenty-three years experience in Emergency Operations, as well as serving in staff positions in numerous capacities throughout PF&R, has helped diversify ... [full story]

OREGON CITY, Ore. – A suspicious fire in a girls’ restroom of an Oregon City middle school prompted evacuation of students and staff Monday morning and caused about $7,500 in damage, officials reported. According to Clackamas County Fire District and Ogden Middle School news releases, the alarm went off shortly after 7 a.m., June 2. Students and staff were evacuated, and arriving fire crews found black smoke emanating from the cafeteria restroom. Aggressive firefighting tactics ... [full story]

SALEM, Ore. – A 24-year old Salem man was apprehended by sheriff’s deputies early Saturday morning as he was gathering items from a south Salem home after he allegedly entered the residence’s garage, climbed into the attic, and cut a hole in a bathroom celing.   Sean T. Kirk - MCJ photo  According to a Marion County Sheriff’s Office news release, an alarm of the home in the 3200 block of Inland Drive South sounded shortly after ... [full story]

SAN ANGELO, Texas -- Leaders of a Texas polygamist sect have agreed to restrictions on underage marriage that will allow an estimated 430 children to be released from foster care. District Judge Barbara Wather agreed to rescind the largest mass roundup of children in Texas history after an agreement was hashed out with the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. About 129 children were returned to their parents Monday while child abuse ... [full story]