Local artisans will donate their time and vie for gold all in the name of charity at the 3rd Annual Pottery Olympics. The event, hosted by COCAAN (Central Oregon Community Action Agency Network), is a crucial pre-fundraising event to produce the bulk of 1,000 bowls for COCAAN’s Empty Bowls charity.        The Pottery Olympics will be held in conjunction with Art Walk on August 4, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Old Mill Quarter on ... [full story]

Qualifying for the World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a dream for every poker player.  In fact it is considered to be the ultimate achievement in any player’s career and it is something one man in Bend has achieved, not once, but twice.   Matt Vogel qualified for the World Series of PokerMatt Vogel, 40, is a mortgage loan officer and father of three little girls; four, six and three months.  In the little spare time that ... [full story]

A Terrebonne-area man was critically injured Wednesday morning after losing control of his car and colliding with two other vehicles on Highway 97 about four miles north of Bend. The man's erratic driving had earlier been reported by several people to Deschutes County 911 but local police agencies were unable to locate him before the crash happened.   OSP Photo On July 26, 2006 at about 9:25 am, several 911 calls were received regarding the erratic driving ... [full story]

Autopsy reveals victim is female, car is Suzuki Swift An autopsy conducted Tuesday July 25th has revealed that a body found last Sunday afternoon in a burning vehicle is that of an unidentified female who died from blunt force trauma as a result of an automobile accident.  Due to the extensive fire damage to the vehicle, at that time investigators were not able to determine the make or model of the car involved in the crash.  ... [full story]

Redmond Police have arrested two men, one a Redmond resident and the other of Prineville, in connection with the rape and strangulation of a 19 year old Redmond woman. According to Detective Lt. Wayne Shortreed, on Sunday July 23rd  shortly after 10 pm officers responded to a report of a possible rape by two known suspects. Patrol officers investigated the scene at NW 8th and NW Birch in Redmond and called detectives for assistance, said ... [full story]

A Redmond woman was struck and killed in a traffic accident Monday night while walking on Highway 20 about 5 miles north of Bend, Oregon on Gerking Market Road. According to Lt. Deron McMaster of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and fire personnel from the Bend Fire Department were called to the scene about 10:20 pm Monday, July 24th.  They found the victim, later identified as 33 year old Kimberly Jossart of Redmond, deceased at ... [full story]

DUII incidents on the increase during hot weather Oregon State Police investigated two separate crashes involving intoxicated drivers in central Oregon last Friday afternoon and evening.   DUII Crash, Highway 97 near Baker Road - OSP PhotoOn July 21, 2006 at approximately 5:15 p.m., Oregon State Police responded to a single vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 97 near Baker Road. Preliminary investigation indicates a Subaru Legacy driven by Bruce Combs, 59, from Bend, drove onto the shoulder ... [full story]

Redmond Police Officers have arrested two Redmond teen-agers in connection with the stabbing of an 18 year old man which occurred last week. According to Detective Sgt. Phil Paschke of the Redmond Police Department, officers were called to St. Charles Medical Center-Redmond shortly before midnight on Wednesday July 19th to interview Shane Sherman.  Sherman, an 18 year old Redmond resident, sustained injuries not sufficiently serious to require admittance to the hospital following an altercation with ... [full story]

A man summoned officers to his home in south Bend Monday afternoon, reporting that an armed man and woman were with him and that the woman had pointed a firearm at him.  Following a 2 ½ hour stand-off when the man was barricaded in his home, it was actually the resident who ended up being taken into custody and transported to St. Charles Medical Center-Bend for evaluation. Responding to the residence at 20141 Lora Lane ... [full story]

Bend Fire Officials have determined that an overloaded extension cord used to power an upright freezer was the origin of a structure fire causing $60,000 in damage at a southwest Bend home Monday afternoon. At about 2 pm on July 24th, a passer-by reported smoke and flames coming from the windows of a single family wood home at the intersection of SW Roosevelt and SW Pelton. Upon arriving at the scene, the 12 responding Bend ... [full story]

FIRE DANGER: EXTREME Due to hot and dry weather conditions and the low amount of live fuel moisture, Bend Fire and Rescue has increased the level of fire danger to extreme. All fire danger signs within the City limits of Bend and DCRFD#2 reflect this change. Bend Fire & Rescue reminds citizens to be extremely careful by following these tips: §         In just two months, cigarettes have caused a total of 18 fires in June ... [full story]

A Bend man was arraigned Wednesday, July 19 for stabbing a woman in the abdomen at the First Lutheran Church in downtown Bend. Floyd Allan Hughes, 45, was charged with robbery in the first degree, unlawful use of a weapon, assault in the second degree, burglary in the first degree and menacing, according to Beth Bagley with the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office. “We requested a $200,000 bond,” Bagley said. “He is still currently in ... [full story]

There’s no tiptoeing around the matter. Former Steptoeville, known now as “the town so nice they named it twice”, Walla Walla’s residents are hell-bent on blaming Bend for their recent outbreak of rurbia. A phenomenon occurring throughout the West, rurbia is a blending of urban, rural and suburbia. The fate of nearly 360 acres of Walla Walla farmland lies in the hands of county commissioners. If approved, the development will include 365 new homes, a ... [full story]