Merrill
LATEST NEWS
Supports available for migrant workers' families during peak harvest in OR
A program in the Columbia River Gorge helps migrant farmworkers' families during harvest season. The Resources Available for Migrant Access to Services group is led by the Oregon Child Development Coalition in Hood River and Wasco Counties. It provides support during a four-week period of peak harvest time, including food boxes to families.
La Pine homeless camper jailed on reckless burning charge after unattended burn pit sparks fire in forest near homes
La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A homeless camp resident was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a reckless burning charge, accused of leaving a burn pit unattended, which ignited a fire near the Huntington Meadows subdivision that firefighters stopped at a small size. Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 2:15 p.m. to a fire reported in The post La Pine homeless camper jailed on reckless burning charge after unattended burn pit sparks fire in forest near homes appeared first on KTVZ.
‘Every summer, we’re dodging bullets’: Gunnels hopes ruling prompts feds to move homeless campers away from cities
Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels told county commissioners Wednesday that "every summer, we're dodging bullets," in terms of homeless campers on federal public lands near Central Oregon cities possibly sparking a devastating wildfire. The post ‘Every summer, we’re dodging bullets’: Gunnels hopes ruling prompts feds to move homeless campers away from cities appeared first on KTVZ.
Sick bat found in SW Bend tests positive for rabies; Deschutes Co. Health officials urge steps to protect families, pets
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A sick bat found in southwest Bend last week has tested positive for rabies, Deschutes County Public Health said Tuesday as it encouraged residents to take necessary precautions to protect their families and pets from the viral disease. Rabies is spread to humans and pets through...
9,000 Bend Pacific Power customers losing power Tuesday night
More than 9,000 Pacific Power customers in Bend will be losing power for about an hour Tuesday night. Affected customers -- 9,269 -- were sent an alert saying the disruption, set for 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., is due to emergency repairs. It will require switching transformers at the Cleveland substation.
1.5 acre grass fire put out overnight
PHOENIX, Ore. -- A 1.5-acre grass fire was put out overnight just off Highway 99. Jackson County Fire District #5, Ashland Fire Department, Medford Fire Department and Oregon Department of Forestry responded to Hartly Rd around 9:30 Wednesday night. NewsWatch 12 spoke to Fire District #5 overnight who said no...
Tillamook Safeway included on list of stores to be sold
Tillamook’s Safeway location was included on a list of 579 stores across the nation and 62 across Oregon proposed for sale as part of a planned merger between parent company Albertsons Company and Kroger. Stores would be sold to C&S Wholesale Grocers, LLC, a New Hampshire based company that operates an extensive grocery supply operation, as well as grocery stores in the Midwest, South and Northeast. Attempts to merge the...
Riddle native Drake George selected by Giants in 13th round of MLB Draft
Riddle High School graduate Drake George was selected 388th overall in the 13th round by the San Francisco Giants on the final day of the Major League Baseball draft Tuesday. George spent the past three seasons at Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho. The junior led the Warriors with 13 starts last spring and finished the season with a 6-2 record. George, who went by Drake Borschowa while at Riddle High School, had a 4.91 ERA with 74 strikeouts and 21 walks in 66 innings. He was named the Cascade Collegiate Conference co-Pitcher of the Year.
A Portland State University study upends assumptions about Measure 110 impacts
A Portland State University report about the impact of Measure 110 challenges assumptions about law enforcement and the role police officers play as they interact with people with a drug addiction. A key takeaway: Police officers can only reach so many people — even with the power to search and arrest them. The report coincides with preparation by Oregon counties to launch new drug addiction treatment programs as part of...
Man escapes Oregon prison, found 30 years later in Georgia with stolen identity
Authorities have captured Steven Craig Johnson, who escaped from an Oregon state prison nearly 30 years ago and assumed the identity of a deceased child. Johnson, 70, was arrested at an apartment complex in Macon, Georgia, on Tuesday by the US Marshals Service and its fugitive task forces. He had been living under the name William Cox since 2011.
Kotek proposes changing State School Fund calculations
Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday released a proposal to increase the State School Fund’s current service level estimate for the 2025-27 biennium by $515 million. The State School Fund provides the majority of funding for K-12 public schools. The current service level is the state’s estimate of the amount needed to continue existing...
Update: Heat advisory issued for Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon until Thursday night
On Thursday at 1:38 p.m. the National Weather Service issued an updated heat advisory in effect until 10 p.m. for Lower Columbia Basin of Oregon. The weather service describes, "Hot conditions with temperatures up to 104 degrees." "Extreme heat will significantly increase the risk of heat-related illnesses for much of...
Peter Courtney, longtime Senate leader, dies at 81
Tributes are being paid by nearly every top official in Oregon to Peter Courtney, the longest serving state legislator and Senate president. Courtney died Tuesday, July 16, of complications stemming from cancer, according to an announcement by Gov. Tina Kotek. He had surgery to replace an aortic valve six months ago after he had been diagnosed in 2023 with congestive heart failure. He had already had a kidney removed in 2021 as a result of urethral cancer. He was 81. ...
Welcome to NewsBreak, an open platform where diverse perspectives converge. Most of our content comes from established publications and journalists, as well as from our extensive network of tens of thousands of creators who contribute to our platform. We empower individuals to share insightful viewpoints through short posts and comments. It’s essential to note our commitment to transparency: our Terms of Use acknowledge that our services may not always be error-free, and our Community Standards emphasize our discretion in enforcing policies. We strive to foster a dynamic environment for free expression and robust discourse through safety guardrails of human and AI moderation. Join us in shaping the news narrative together.