A California man luckily avoided serious injury Friday evening when his commercial truck drove off Highway 97 and struck several large trees. Following the investigation, an Oregon State Police trooper cited the driver for Careless Driving. On June 2, 2006 at approximately 8:10 p.m., Sarjeet Rather, age 35, from Tracy, California, was southbound on U.S. Highway 97 near milepost 144 when he drove across both lanes of oncoming traffic and plowed into several large trees ... [full story]

Previously Convicted Felon Illegally Possessed 17 Firearms and Evaded More Than $200,000 in Federal Income Taxes Morris David Frumkin a.k.a. Michael David Anastasia, a resident of Bend, plead guilty to single counts of being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and income tax evasion. U.S. District Court Judge Michael R. Hogan ordered Frumpkin into custody at the conclusion of the hearing held Tuesday, May 30th. Under his Plea Agreement with the government, Frumkin ... [full story]

FBI Agents and members of the FBI's Innocent Images Task Force arrested Christopher Frederick Smith, age 49, on charges that he used the Internet to entice a minor for sex. The arrest, early Wednesday morning, was without incident at SMITH's home in Eagle Crest, Oregon. The FBI also served a search warrant at the home. SMITH is a teacher at Redmond High School in Redmond, Oregon. The Redmond Police Department and the Deschutes County Sheriff's ... [full story]

Oregon State Fire Marshal Nancy Orr announced Bend Fire Department's Deputy Chief Gary Marshall as the 2006 Golden Sparky Award winner during the May 19th Oregon Fire Service Meritorious Awards at the Portland Metropolitan Exposition Center in Portland. The Golden Sparky, first awarded in 1977, is the highest award given to the fire service personnel by the State Fire Marshal.  It honors outstanding achievement in fire prevention and fire safety. Marshall's innovative program FireFree! Get in ... [full story]

On Friday, May 26, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to celebrate improvements made to the summit road and parking area atop Newberry National Volcanic Monument's Lava Butte. Forest Service officials, project engineers and contractors attended the event along with the public. Improvements included widening the road using red cinder native to Central Oregon.  Red cinder roads are a historic feature of the region and are visiible on Bend's Pilot Butte and along the Cascade Lakes National Scenic ... [full story]

Cascade Healthcare Community Board announced Thursday the selection of Jim Diegel as CHC’s president and Chief Executive Officer, to be effective immediately.  The board also adopted a new organizational structure designed to ensure the future of quality healthcare in central Oregon. According to Stan Shepardson, Chair, CHC spent the past several months identifying the attributes that they believed the community needs in the CEO position at Cascade Healthcare Community, and to clarify the organizational structure ... [full story]

Oregonians drive more than 31 billion miles a year. That is 27 percent of Oregon’s energy use.  As gas prices rise and consumers become more frustrated, the upcoming annual Commute Options Week is a reminder that there are alternative options. At the center of the weeklong celebration emphasizing transportation choices for a more livable community, is the 2nd annual Commute Options Fair on Sunday, June 4 at the Les Schwab Amphitheater. The fair runs in ... [full story]

Imagine birds swooping over head, working in an old saw mill or eating lunch with a fox.  Those are just a few of the many wild things volunteers do at the High Desert Museum. The museum, a nationally acclaimed treasure, has been expanding its programs and is looking for talented, dedicated volunteers to help deliver a high-quality experience and have fun too. “Our volunteers do a lot of interesting things around here,” according to Cathy ... [full story]

It has been a long time coming, but the City of Bend’s parking garage, in the heart of downtown, will officially open June 1st. Centennial Parking Plaza, named through a citizen contest, will provide 550 additional parking spaces.  According to a city announcement, the garage will “help make the downtown experience positive for everyone - residents, downtown employees and visitors.” The five-level structure is located along Lava Road between Oregon and Minnesota Avenues.  The garage’s main entrance ... [full story]

Roger Pollock looks like a pillar of the community.  He is on the board of Oregon Partnership, a statewide non-profit promoting healthy kids and communities through drug and alcohol awareness and prevention programs.  Pollock has been the subject of many profiles over the years in The Oregonian and the Portland Business Journal and he is the man behind Buena Vista Custom Homes who recently announced entering the Central Oregon housing market for the first time ... [full story]

The case for a daycare worker charged with the murder of a 14-month-old child being cared for in her home is being arraigned June 1st according to the Deschutes County District Attorney's Office. Katherine Ann Seifert, 25, is being held without bail after being arrested on May 24 on charges of felony murder, manslaughter in the first degree, assault and criminal mistreatment of her niece, Christina Seifert.  The toddler was one of five children in ... [full story]

Fidelity National Financial, Inc. Acquires a Controlling Interest in Cascade Timberlands LLC Fidelity National Financial, Inc., a Fortune 500 provider of outsourced products and services to a variety of industries, today announced that it has acquired an approximately 70% controlling interest in Cascade Timberlands LLC ("Cascade Timberlands"). The primary assets of Cascade Timberlands are approximately 293,000 acres of productive timberlands, known as Oregon tree farm, located on the eastern side of the Cascade mountain range extending from Bend, ... [full story]

Summer fire restrictions begin June 1 for the City of Bend and Deschutes County Fire District #2, officials announced Friday. Open burning within the Deschutes County Rural Fire Protection District #2 will close Wednesday, May 31st at dark. Fire Marshal Gary Marshall said due to the increasing fire danger, the Bend Fire Department will go into a regulated burning closure and declare Fire Season to begin June 1. People who want to burn debris shall ... [full story]