More than 2,000 people gathered to pay tribute to Marine Lance Cpl. Randy Lee Newman, a 21-year-old Bend native who lost his life while serving his country in Iraq on August 20. Family, friends, public figures and local citizens attended the public memorial at the Hooker Creek building at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center in Redmond on August 29 to remember the fallen hero.   More than 2,000 people honored Marine Lance Cpl. Randy Lee ... [full story]

Three fires that spanned from Redmond to Bend along Hwy. 97 on Sunday, August 27, are being investigated as potential arson, according to officials. “We had three fires,” said Dan Derlacki, a fire inspector with the City of Bend Fire Department. “The first one started in Redmond on the west side of the highway.” That fire burned about an acre or so, according to Derlacki. Several minutes later, Bend received a call about another blaze down the highway also on the ... [full story]

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain!” A famous phrase from The Wizard of Oz echoed through the minds of Topeka residents after reading a published letter from Mark Phelps, son of Pastor Fred Phelps, who broke away from the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka thirty-two years ago. In an attempt to dispel any illusions and in an effort to educate the public on his father’s fanatical point of view, he instructed the ... [full story]

Seven dogs from Bend are among those participating in the “10,000 Second Chances” Program. How many second chances in life are there? At the Oregon Humane Society, a lucky Beagle from Bend received the society’s 10,000th second chance. Lollipop, a four-year-old Beagle found as a stray and first taken in by a shelter in Bend, will now be looking to OHS for a second chance at finding a home.For Lollipop and thousands of dogs like ... [full story]

In college, Fire Chief Larry Langston had dreams of becoming a teacher.  He attended Colorado State University as an undergraduate and graduate student where he earned his degree in biology. Just as he planned, he taught high school biology and coached the wrestling and baseball teams.  However, at the age of 21, a new interest began to take root, an interest in fire fighting. “I spent five summers in Montana fighting wild-land fires while I ... [full story]