Tag Archives: Central Oregon

Fire forecasters predict normal season in Central Oregon

A higher risk of large wildfires is expected in parts of the West this summer due to unusually hot, dry conditions as well as buildups of fire fuels such as grasses and shrubs in some areas, according to federal agencies.Below-normal precipitation is likely in the Northwest from May through this summer. The Intermountain West and […]
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OHA Director Visits Central Oregon

Director of Oregon Health Authority (OHA), Dr. Sejal Hathi, visited Central Oregon this week and heard about the health issues that are of greatest concern to local residents and health care providers. Feedback from the Central Oregon community was consistent, from a lack of affordable housing to barriers to mental health treatment and workforce shortages. […]
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Oregon health director visits Bend as part of statewide tour

When Oregon Health Authority Director Dr. Sejal Hathi started her new role late last year, it quickly became apparent that doing her job well meant getting out on the road to better understand the intricacies of health care in Oregon. With that in mind, Hathi came in Central Oregon this week to meet with health […]
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Unemployment rates inch up in all 3 Central Oregon counties

Unemployment rates rose just slightly in all three Central Oregon counties in March, over the month prior, according to monthly data released by the Oregon Employment Department. In March, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Deschutes County inched up to 4.1%, compared to 4% in February, according to the employment data released Tuesday. Job losses […]
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Organizations working to alleviate region’s childcare desert

During the pandemic, hundreds of child care options in Central Oregon closed. In 2021, NeighborImpact, partnering with Central Oregon Community College, among others, found funding to teach new providers, assist current providers and open new child care slots, both in the home and in commercial settings. Request full-text (for State Agency patrons only) Source: Organizations […]
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Central Oregon awaits Supreme Court homeless case verdict

Central Oregon officials will be keeping a watchful eye on the U.S. Supreme Court as it prepares to take up a case from Grants Pass that could determine how governments across the country regulate homelessness. Regardless of the outcome, the case could have rippling effects, or at least prompt governments to take another look at […]
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St. Charles ends 2023 in the black, bucking statewide trends

St. Charles Health System ended last year with an operating income of $79.5 million, bucking the statewide trend of two years of losses. In all, the Central Oregon hospital system recorded $1.17 billion in revenue for 2023, up $169 million from 2022, according to the health system’s most recent fiscal filings. The health system attributed […]
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Central Oregon awaits Supreme Court homeless case verdict

Central Oregon officials will be keeping a watchful eye on the U.S. Supreme Court as it prepares to take up a case from Grants Pass that could determine how governments across the country regulate homelessness. Regardless of the outcome, the case could have rippling effects, or at least prompt governments to take another look at […]
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Nine C.O. fire departments awarded Oregon State Fire Marshal grants to boost their staffing before wildfire season

To boost the number of firefighters available across Oregon before wildfire season hits, the Oregon State Fire Marshal announced Wednesday it has awarded $6 million in grants to 191 local fire agencies across the state, including nine in Central Oregon. The 2024 Wildfire Season Staffing Grant program is in its third year. Local agencies in […]
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Housing solves homelessness in Central Oregon

Solutions to homelessness are often incremental and can seem rare — or even nonexistent — to the untrained eye. And sometimes traditional solutions, or just one solution, isn’t enough. When it comes to Tessy Moon, a 38-year-old Redmond mother of four whose experience with homelessness has been chronicled in The Bulletin since 2022 and most […]
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