Bend’s Committee on Accessible Transportation (CAT) will be holding a meeting on Tuesday, March 6, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in the Brooks Room at the Deschutes County Library. CAT meetings are currently scheduled through the month of April on the first and third Tuesdays at the same hour. Positions are still available on the committee for individuals with disabilities, and seniors who are currently using Bend Area Transit or Dial-A-Ride. The committee’s purpose ... [full story]

After months of detailed planning, interior design and construction, Bend's newest salon and spa is now open for business on the north end of town. Moxy's decor evokes a fairytale sky at twilight, with glittering stars and a brushed metal ceiling. Behind the hair and nails center, massage and treatment rooms culminate in a relaxation room reminiscent of Arabian Nights, complete with cushions, veils and low tables of refreshments.  "Our committment to every guest that walks ... [full story]

Teens say that parents most influence their decisions about sex.  However, parents of teens underestimate the influence they have in this area, according to a new nationally representative survey released today by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy.  In fact, the proportion of teens who say their parents most influence their decisions about sex has increased since the last National Campaign survey in 2004. Results from the survey of over 1,000 adults and 1,000 ... [full story]

Hot Heels Records, the Chicago-based Beatfolk band that has been described as a cross between Jack Kerouac, Sonic Youth, and Bob Dylan, is releasing full-length album, "The Hi-Jacked Generation." Hot Heels Records, the Chicago-based Beatfolk band is following up a well received Ep with a new full-length album, "The Hi-Jacked Generation." Self-produced and recorded through borrowed microphones, the genre-bending album rolls through influences like a cracked bottle on the Ilinese Lake. The album has less ... [full story]

Over 18,000 stocked trout make for great fishing weekend CLACKAMAS, Ore – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) officials remind anglers that Henry Hagg Lake in Washington County opens to trout fishing Saturday. ODFW will stock the lake with 18,000 legal-size rainbow trout and 120 larger brood trout prior to opening day.   “The brood trout are a nice addition to the normal stocking of Hagg Lake,” says Hal Boldt, ODFW Fish Liberation Coordinator.  The fish ... [full story]

Experience Works, the nation's largest training and employment organization for mature workers, is searching for Oregon's outstanding older worker.  Experience Works Prime Time Awards program is part of Experience Works' national effort to raise awareness of the contributions made by older individuals and to break down barriers associated with the hiring of all older workers.  Outstanding older workers from every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico will be honored in Washington, D.C., and ... [full story]

“Redmond School District Launches a Process to Identify the Future of Schools” The Redmond School District is launching a process to identify the community’s best hopes and aspirations for our students.  “We need to foster a renewed vision to ensure that we adapt our educational system to these changing times,” said Superintendent Vickie Fleming.  The Redmond Educational Vision (REV) captures the urgency to REV-up for the future of our schools. The REV process will engage ... [full story]

As of two weeks ago, I became a statistic.At the end of 2006, the number of vacant homes for sale had risen to nearly 3 percent, an all-time high. The new construction investment condo I closed on a few weeks ago, and listed last week, just added one more to that total.  It isn't that I don't like my condominium. I do. But it's an investment. And when my partners and I put down our hefty ... [full story]

SAN DIEGO - A little-known Mexican drug trafficking organization, which operated without the notoriety of more violent rivals like the Arellano Felix gang, was taken down Wednesday during a multistate bust announced in San Diego by Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Investigators discovered the Cazares Gastellum cartel about two years ago in the border towns of California's Imperial Valley. It was first thought to be a small operation but turned out to be a massive ring ... [full story]

A key problem in today's home mortgage industry is created by unethical appraisers working under pressure to "hit specified numbers" in their appraisals. This often results in inflated property values that are, in many cases, much higher than realistic market values. This can ultimately cause major problems for home buyers who could be paying on a mortgage that's larger than their property's true value. That's a common scenario that leads to foreclosures. It can also ... [full story]