The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had increased in February, retreated in March. The Index now stands at 107.2 (1985=100), down from 111.2 in February. The Expectations Index declined to 86.9 from 93.8. The Present Situation Index increased slightly to 137.6 from 137.1 in February. The Consumer Confidence Survey is based on a representative sample of 5,000 U.S. households. The monthly survey is conducted for The Conference Board by TNS. TNS is the world's ... [full story]

SISTERS, Oregon — Deschutes National Forest fuel specialists, in cooperation with the Oregon Department of Forestry, are planning the fourth in a series of controlled burns near Sisters to occur on Friday, March 30. The burn will be located south of the McKenzie Highway (approximate three miles west of Sisters) and directly adjacent to the Crossroads Subdivision. Fuel specialists plan to burn an additional 120 acres of Deschutes National Forest adjacent to the Crossroads Subdivision ... [full story]

Official Payments Corp. kicked off its ninth consecutive year of providing federal electronic tax payment options to American taxpayers.  Individuals and businesses may pay a variety of federal taxes with any American Express, Discover, MasterCard and VISA cards online at www.officialpayments.com or by calling 1-800-2PAY-TAX (1-800-272-9829).  The company, a subsidiary of Tier Technologies, Inc., is the only company that has provided card-based federal tax payment options for the IRS in each year since program inception ... [full story]

I hate writing checks for automobile insurance. It always seems like money down the drain - that is, until you need it; then, insurance can be a lifesaver. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try to get the best deal possible. You wouldn't buy a new television without comparison shopping, nor should you automatically reenroll in the same policy year after year - at least not without considering your other options. Here are a few ... [full story]

WASHINGTON - Republican Whip Roy Blunt (Mo.) asked House Democrats today to defend their decision to use the upcoming budget resolution to raise taxes on millions of American families by reinstating the marriage penalty and slashing the amount available to families through the child tax credit: "The absolute last thing American families need this year -- or any other -- is a stiffer, more punitive tax bill. But under the Democrats' budget proposal, hard-working families ... [full story]

HealthSync System to Connect Region’s Healthcare Providers, Benefit Patients Cascade Healthcare Community, parent company to St. Charles Medical Center, announced this week its intention to move forward with the next major phase in its transition to fully deploy electronic records for patients throughout the region. The new initiative, called HealthSync, is unprecedented in scope for the region, and will set the bar for similar technology and healthcare initiatives on a national level. Hospitals across the ... [full story]

Rep. Gene Whisnant (R-Sunriver) will hold a series of Town Hall meetings during the Legislature’s “District Days.”  The public is invited and encouraged to bring any questions, comments and suggestions to their area’s Town Hall.  Whisnant will provide a legislative update and answer questions from the audience. Thursday, March 29 Sisters Town Hall Sisters City Hall, 520 E Cascade Avenue 5:15 – 6:30 p.m. Redmond Town Hall Redmond Public Library, 827 SW Deschutes Avenue 7 p.m. Friday, March 30 Redmond ... [full story]

Bankrate Releases National Mortgage Poll Bankrate, Inc. this week released a new poll which found that more than three in ten homeowners (34%) do not know what type of mortgage they own. Furthermore, 28% of those surveyed worry about how they will afford their payments. The national poll reveals the confusion and anxiety that homeowners are experiencing today. Click here to view the complete results.  Another notable finding is that 34% of homeowners with adjustable ... [full story]

Crook, Deschutes, Gilliam, Hood River, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, Sherman, Wasco and Wheeler counties and their 32 cities received $214,481 in February in the Oregon Liquor Control Commission’s (OLCC's) statewide liquor revenue allocation. Here’s the distribution by county: Crook Co., pop. 24,525, $6,458 - Prineville, $7,560; Deschutes Co., Pop. 103,815, $40,190 - Bend, $57,249; Redmond, $17,869; Sisters, $1,327; Gilliam Co., pop. 1,885, $496 - Arlington, $445; Condon, $585; Lonerock, $15; Hood River Co., pop. 21,335, $5,618 - ... [full story]

Bus will stop at St. Charles Medical Center at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Mar. 28Bend, Oregon – The “Help is Here Express” bus will be in Bend on Wednesday, March 28, stopping at St. Charles Medical Center at 2500 NE Neff Rd. from 10 to 11 a.m. to help uninsured Americans find programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. Since its launch in April 2005, the bus tour -- sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical ... [full story]