http://www.centraloregonian.com/ Stories from the Central Oregonian (c)2010, Eagle Newspapers, Inc. All rights reserved After being approved for a $70,000 Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) grant, the City of Prineville is ready to begin developing a stormwater master plan. The city already has transportation, water, and wastewater master plans in place, but has never actually had a master plan for the collection and treatment of stormwater. However, two factors - the city's population exceeding 10,000 and the reintroduction of salmon and steelhead into the Crooked River Basin - have made a master plan a necessity. "With the reintroduction of salmon and steelhead, we're just trying to be proactive and good stewards," said Prineville street supervisor Scott Smith. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10485/development-begins-on-stormwater-master-plan Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:17:33 GMT 10485 Things may not necessarily be looking up for the Crook County 2010-2011 budget, but the financial picture doesn't appear to be getting much worse either. In preparation for a potential reduction in revenue, cuts were made throughout the 2009-2010 fiscal year that will carry over to the 2010-2011 budget. According to Crook County Treasurer Kathy Gray, the 2009-2010 adopted County budget for the 2009-2010 general fund was $10,981,170. Since that time, cuts have been made to further reduce expenses. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10480/cuts-made-as-county-finalizes-2010-budget Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:42 GMT 10480 Thanks to a new fish ladder on McKay Creek, the long journey from the Pacific Ocean to their spawning grounds in the Ochoco Mountains is a bit smoother for reintroduced and native fish. The fish ladder was installed by the Ochoco Irrigation District (OID) and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) last month. The total cost was around $130,000, with OID paying 40 percent and ODFW paying 60 percent of the project. It is located about five miles north of town on property owned by Brad Santucci. "Now that we have endangered species in the creek, there's a need to pass the fish so they can spawn or head back to the ocean," said OID Director Mike Kasberger. "When we start to irrigate in the springtime, it cuts their migration pattern off." http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10481/against-the-current Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:42 GMT 10481 On the night of the filing deadline for the 2010 election, Crook County residents were greeted with an opportunity to learn more about their local candidates. Candidates for the county commissioner and sheriff positions and Oregon District 55 Representative joined local residents Tuesday in the Powell Butte Community Center to answer their questions and try to earn their vote. With each race, the audience posed questions unique to that office. County Commissioner candidates were asked where they stood on the vote to keep destination resorts out of Powell Butte, now and in the future. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10482/candidates-square-off-in-forum Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:42 GMT 10482 With Crook County experiencing difficult economic times, one local group is bringing community leaders together to discuss a new economic strategy centered on the community. The Human Dignity Advocates of Crook County (HDA) held a round-table discussion with local business, health, education, government, public safety, agriculture, and social service leaders to talk about current economic impacts and opportunities facing the people of Crook County. The HDA is a social justice organization of volunteers working to build a community-centered economy. "It's an economy that relies on the individuals who live there and the businesses that work there," said Kathleen Paterno of HDA of Crook County. "It's creating an economy that is self-sustaining so that we're not as reliant on outside sources and funding from various sources. How can we really support each other?" http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10483/roundtable-focuses-on-economic-strategy Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:42 GMT 10483 After being approved for a $70,000 Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) grant, the City of Prineville is ready to begin developing a stormwater master plan. The city already has transportation, water, and wastewater master plans in place, but has never actually had a master plan for the collection and treatment of stormwater. However, two factors - the city's population exceeding 10,000 and the reintroduction of salmon and steelhead into the Crooked River Basin - have made a master plan a necessity. "With the reintroduction of salmon and steelhead, we're just trying to be proactive and good stewards," said Prineville street supervisor Scott Smith. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10484/the-human-dignity-advocates-of-crook-county-are-planning-to-hold-similar-future-events-with-guest-speakers Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:07:42 GMT 10484 Laura “Elizabeth” Mahlin a Prineville resident passed away on Thursday, February 25, 2010. She was 92 years old. Memorial Services will be held on Saturday, March 20, 2010, at 1 p.m., at Meadow Lakes Golf Club, in Prineville. Pastor Daniel Lelacheur will officiate. Elizabeth was born in Bertrand, Nebraska on October 25, 1917 to Edgar Stone & Laura Pauline (Moores) Pedley. She attended and graduated from Bertrand High School in 1935 — 2nd in class! http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10477/laura-mahlin Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:29:39 GMT 10477 Vernon Kenneth Burr of Portland, Ore., passed away on Jan. 28, 2010. Vernon was born to Lewis and Edna (Garwood) Burr on Dec. 21, 1932, north of Whitman Neb., in Cherry County. He married Betty Eeversull on April 13, 1954, after serving in the U.S. Army. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10478/vernon-burr Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:29:39 GMT 10478 I am really embarrassed to have to be saying this, but I messed up once again. I forgot to add the baking soda to the recipe for Ginger Molasses Cookies. I am so sorry if you made them and they did not turn out. The recipe calls for 2 tsp of baking soda. I also got some feedback from Loiselle Dahill, who gently reminded me that I had left out that important ingredient, that her dough was too stiff to add the chips to. She said that adding an extra egg gave it the moisture it needed. Thank you Loiselle for keeping me on my toes, please feel free to keep after me. And that goes for you all. Dinner-time can be a stressful time of the day, but this recipe might help temper some of that stress. One great aspect of this recipe is that it is easy. With just a few ingredients it also a great option for when you need something fast. Everyone seems so busy these days and so quick and easy recipes are a gem. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10479/a-quick-and-easy-chicken-recipe Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:29:39 GMT 10479 With spring about to begin, local high school seniors are undoubtedly getting ready for life after high school. For many of them, college will be the next step — and likely an expensive next step. This is where the scholarship will enter the picture, with options aplenty from national organizations to groups right here in Crook County. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10476/now-is-the-time-to-apply Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:27:36 GMT 10476 Congressman Greg Walden will be in Bend today to discuss House Republicans’ ban on earmark spending projects in recognition of record out-of-control spending and need to get the federal budget under control. He will be discussing this issue at his Bend office, 1051 NW Bond Street, Suite 400, at 12:30 p.m. “Federal spending is out of control and unsustainable. The American public is sick and tired of it, and changing the long-standing broken ways of Congress is overdue,” Rep. Greg Walden said. “As a small business owner of more than 21 years, I know how important it is to run a balanced budget. Congress could take a lesson from small business owners and local governments on how to manage a checkbook, and a moratorium on earmarks is a good first step. But there’s a long way to go to get the flawed budget process under control. Congress simply cannot continue on the reckless borrow and spend ways of the past.” http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10475/greg-walden-in-bend-to-discuss-gop-ban-on-earmark-spending-projects Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:37:01 GMT 10475 The outdoor school fund-raising event, which features golf, an auction, and dinner, is set for Saturday, March 13, at the Prineville Golf Club. Golf starts at 3 p.m. followed by dinner and auction at 6 p.m. Golf and dinner is $25 per person, and dinner only $10 per person. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10474/outdoor-school-fundraiser-set-for-saturday Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:46:33 GMT 10474 This upcoming primary election, Crook County voters can expect to be greeted with a rather lengthy ballot. Candidates had until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to file. As of 10 a.m., on Tuesday, the primary election included two county races, a double-digit quantity of Oregon Governor and United States Senator candidates as well as an election for the vacated position of Oregon State Treasurer following the recent death of former Treasurer Ben Westlund. In addition, the May ballot will include the rarity of two ballot measures that resulted from the Oregon Legislature's recent emergency session. Measure 68 would revise the constitution allowing the state to issue a bond to match voter-approved school district bonds for school capital costs. Measure 69 would amend the constitution to continue and modernize authority for lowest-cost borrowing for community colleges and public universities. The outcome of both measures will be determined in the primary election. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10469/voters-to-have-many-options-on-primary-ballot Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:52:36 GMT 10469 A proposed project to build a parapet wall atop Bowman Dam took a major stride forward recently and construction could begin by next year. The Bureau of Reclamation issued a Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) as well as a final Environmental Analysis (EA) for Safety of Dams Modifications. According to Bureau media contact Jim Taylor, these documents demonstrate compliance with National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) guidelines and will allow the project to move forward. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10470/bowman-dam-parapet-project-clears-another-hurdle Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:52:36 GMT 10470 The Ochoco and Deschutes national forests are giving citizens, organizations and local governments a chance to propose natural resource projects this month. More than $600,000 in federal grant funding will be available in 2011 for projects that improve the health of forests and watersheds in the region. "The money is available for anybody who has an idea about how to spend that grant funding for natural resource benefits," said Ochoco National Forest public affairs specialist Virginia Gibbons. "Anybody can come forward if they have an idea about how to improve forest health, wildlife habitat, or improving soils." http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10471/proposals-sought-for-forest-projects Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:52:36 GMT 10471 Could the sun soon shine on a large solar array in Crook County? If the interest shown by solar energy developers of late is any indication, then the answer may be yes. "We've been getting exploratory `tire-kickers,'" said Crook County Planning Director Bill Zelenka. "Some people call up and ask about what our ordinance is and how to do it, but they don't tell you anything." http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10472/going-green Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:52:36 GMT 10472 The greater-sage grouse. Public land access. Renewable energy tax credits. These are just a few of the hurdles West Butte Wind Power, LLC, the company building a wind farm in southwest Crook County, has faced on the road to construction. However, with review of the project being "fast-tracked" by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), company officials are optimistic ground will be broken by this summer or fall. Project Manager Sarah Rankin said the company is very close to publishing an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to gain right-of-way through BLM land. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10473/no-headline Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:52:36 GMT 10473 http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10464/no-headline Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:38:35 GMT 10464 Patricia M. Clark of Prineville went to be with her Lord on March 6, 2010. She was 81 years of age. A memorial Mass will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Prineville on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 1 p.m. Father Robert Greiner will officiate. Pat was born to Emma DeMartin Moore and James B. Moore on March 8, 1928 in Arcada, Calif. She attended schools in Eureka, Calif., and graduated with honors from Eureka High in 1945. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10465/patricia-clark Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:38:35 GMT 10465 Marie Myrtle Cornwall, 72, of Redmond, Ore., died peacefully at her home with her husband, Jerry, at her side on Friday, March 5, 2010. Services for Marie will be held on Friday, March 12 at 1 p.m. at the Redmond Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bishop Mitch Wilcox will officiate. Private burial will be at Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville, Oregon. Marie was born in Bend, Oregon April 30, 1937 to Chester and Ruth (Surface) Nordstrom. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10466/marie-cornwall Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:38:35 GMT 10466 Alvin Earl Brown of Dayville, Ore., was born Oct. 1, 1922, in Tygh Valley, Ore. He passed away March 7, 2010 at the age of 87. A graveside service and burial will take place at Dayville Cemetery, on Saturday, March 13, at 11 a.m. Alvin attended Dufur High School, graduating in 1939, then going to work as a rancher. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10467/alvin-brown Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:38:35 GMT 10467 Maxine Gillespie was born on New Year's Eve in Rogers, Minn., the youngest of Reinhardt and Kathleen Drewelow. The family moved to Oregon when she was 10, following her Father's purchase of a ranch in Prineville on his way home to Minnesota after working in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands with the Army Corps of Engineers. Maxine lived in or near 10 metropolitan areas in her lifetime, including Minneapolis, Minn.; Portland, Ore.; Seattle, Wash.; San Francisco and Los Angeles, Calif.; New York City; Washington, D.C.; Denver, Colo.; and Chicago, Ill. She spent most of her life in and around Washington, D.C., where she received an M.A. in Special Education from George Washington University. She joined the faculty of Georgetown University early in the 1970s. Some of Maxine's volunteer activities included Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, Hospital Auxiliary of Fairfax, Virginia; serving on the Board of Directors, Vanguard, Arlington, Virginia; overseeing treatment centers and raising funds, Phoenix Concept in Denver; homeless recovery center for men, the Board of Directors/Treasurer LAPSD, Prineville, and addressing the needs of alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health. She also volunteered at the Prineville Oasis soup kitchen and the St. Joseph's Altar Society. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10468/maxine-gillespie Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:38:35 GMT 10468 Patricia M. Clark of Prineville went to be with her Lord on March 6, 2010. She was 81 years of age. A memorial Mass will be held at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Prineville on Saturday, March 13, 2010 at 1 p.m. Father Robert Greiner will officiate. Pat was born to Emma DeMartin Moore and James B. Moore on March 8, 1928 in Arcada, Calif. She attended schools in Eureka, Calif., and graduated with honors from Eureka High in 1945. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10460/patricia-clark Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:29:49 GMT 10460 Marie Myrtle Cornwall, 72, of Redmond, Ore., died peacefully at her home with her husband, Jerry, at her side on Friday, March 5, 2010. Services for Marie will be held on Friday, March 12 at 1 p.m. at the Redmond Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Bishop Mitch Wilcox will officiate. Private burial will be at Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville, Oregon. Marie was born in Bend, Oregon April 30, 1937 to Chester and Ruth (Surface) Nordstrom. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10461/marie-cornwall Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:29:49 GMT 10461 Alvin Earl Brown of Dayville, Ore., was born Oct. 1, 1922, in Tygh Valley, Ore. He passed away March 7, 2010 at the age of 87. A graveside service and burial will take place at Dayville Cemetery, on Saturday, March 13, at 11 a.m. Alvin attended Dufur High School, graduating in 1939, then going to work as a rancher. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10462/alvin-brown Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:29:49 GMT 10462 Maxine Gillespie was born on New Year's Eve in Rogers, Minn., the youngest of Reinhardt and Kathleen Drewelow. The family moved to Oregon when she was 10, following her Father's purchase of a ranch in Prineville on his way home to Minnesota after working in Alaska and the Aleutian Islands with the Army Corps of Engineers. Maxine lived in or near 10 metropolitan areas in her lifetime, including Minneapolis, Minn.; Portland, Ore.; Seattle, Wash.; San Francisco and Los Angeles, Calif.; New York City; Washington, D.C.; Denver, Colo.; and Chicago, Ill. She spent most of her life in and around Washington, D.C., where she received an M.A. in Special Education from George Washington University. She joined the faculty of Georgetown University early in the 1970s. Some of Maxine's volunteer activities included Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross, Hospital Auxiliary of Fairfax, Virginia; serving on the Board of Directors, Vanguard, Arlington, Virginia; overseeing treatment centers and raising funds, Phoenix Concept in Denver; homeless recovery center for men, the Board of Directors/Treasurer LAPSD, Prineville, and addressing the needs of alcohol, drug abuse, and mental health. She also volunteered at the Prineville Oasis soup kitchen and the St. Joseph's Altar Society. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10463/maxine-gillespie Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:29:49 GMT 10463 With Tuesday, March 9, being the final day to file for elected office in Oregon this year it is time for voters to begin to take a good look at the candidates. As of 9 a.m. Tuesday morning their were two candidates for county sheriff, two candidates for state representative, four candidates for county commissioner, 11 candidates for senator, and 13 candidates for governor. There are also a pair of education related ballot measures that will be decided in the May primary. With such a full slate of candidates it is important that voters do their homework and learn as much as they can about the candidates and where they stand on the issues before casting their votes. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10459/ladies-and-gentlemen-prepare-your-ballots Tue, 09 Mar 2010 12:01:38 GMT 10459 Crook County Middle School has been able to send their sixth-grade students to outdoor school for more than 50 years. They are hoping their upcoming fundraiser will raise enough money to send them again. This Friday, the middle school is holding a golf scramble fundraiser at Prineville Golf and Country Club. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10458/finding-the-funding Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:59:04 GMT 10458 The seasonally adjusted unemployment rates declined in all three central Oregon counties in January 2010. Oregon's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 10.7 percent in January; essentially unchanged from December's revised rate of 10.6 percent. Crook County: The county's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 15.9 percent in January; down 1.9 percentage points from December's revised rate of 17.8 percent. One year ago, the rate was 15.1 percent. The county lost 220 jobs in January, which is a greater loss than is typical this time of year. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10457/unemployment-rate-drops-in-all-three-central-oregon-counties-for-january Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:55:12 GMT 10457 Two really cool things can be found just north of Black Butte, one literally and one figuratively. The first is the Metolius River, which is one of the largest spring-fed rivers in the country. Bubbling out from the base of Black Butte as a full-flowing river, the Metolius maintains a relatively constant temperature and level year round. The cold, clear river and its tributaries have very important spawning and rearing habitat for bull trout and kokanee. The second cool thing north of Black Butte is Lake Creek Lodge. For the past few years I’ve chosen the lodge as a base camp for my birthday celebration. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10456/keeping-cool-near-black-butte Tue, 09 Mar 2010 11:45:36 GMT 10456 The Crook County High School Sparkles dance team is having a record-breaking season. After winning the state championship a year ago, the team looks even stronger this season. "I am so proud of our team for working so hard this year," said head coach Amanda Estes. "I am blessed to be working with such amazing athletes." http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10452/sparkles-win-at-dallas Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:50:37 GMT 10452 With the recent announcement that Crook County Christian will not have a high school next year, the basketball co-op between them and Central Christian is officially over. When the combined teams played their final games of the season against South Wasco County on Saturday, Feb. 13, it marked the end of an era for both schools. “I was just glad that we were able to have a high school and a high school basketball team this year,” said Crook County Christian Principal Sue Uptain-Gillham. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10453/the-end-of-an-era Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:50:37 GMT 10453 Danni Severance was named to the second team Intermountain Conference girls basketball team last week. Also receiving all-league recognition was Korey Hehn, who was named to the girls honorable mention team, and Jordan Reeher who was named honoragle mention on the boys all league team. Both Severance and Reeher are Juniors, while Hehn is a senior. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10454/three-players-earn-honors Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:50:37 GMT 10454 The four-man team of Andy Rodby, Landon Moore, Dillon Russell, and Kurt Russell fired a 55 to win the Polar Bear Scramble at Meadow Lakes Golf Course on Saturday. “The tournament was great,” said Meadow Lakes spokesman Zach Lampert. “We had 104 players and considering the time of year the scores were good.” Lampert, along with Mike Chappell, Jim Montgomery, and Jake Shinkle finished one shot back in second place, while the team of Scott Barton, Mike Marglin, Craig Falco, and K. Rueter took third place after shooting a 59. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10455/55-wins-golf-tourney Tue, 09 Mar 2010 09:50:37 GMT 10455 According to the Prineville Police Department, several Prineville residents have received calls regarding their credit cards and debit cards. The automated call will ask for personal information regarding your bank accounts. The police department is uring people not to give any type of information to anyone over the phone. If anyone has given out any personnel information, we urge you to monitor your credit reports and contact the police department. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10451/scam-alert-phishing-scam-targeting-local-residents Mon, 08 Mar 2010 15:51:37 GMT 10451 The Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline today has received a surge of complaints about telephone calls from an entity claiming to be from the Bank of the Cascades. The caller is telling consumers that their bank records have been compromised and that they need to verify the consumer’s bank account number. This is a phishing scam. Never provide your bank account number over the phone or by email. No legitimate financial institution will call you and ask you for your bank account number or other sensitive financial information. The scammers are trying to trick consumers into turning over their bank account numbers to they can empty the bank account. The Consumer Hotline has received more than 20 telephone calls from Central Oregon about this scam. At least one consumer fell prey to the scam and lost $515 immediately after providing their bank account number. This is a significant number of calls for such a short period of time. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10449/scam-alert-phishing-scammers-claim-to-be-from-bank-of-the-cascades Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:41:50 GMT 10449 Governor Ted Kulongoski today ordered all flags at public institutions be flown at half-staff from sunrise on Tuesday, March 9th to sunset on Sunday, March 14th, 2010 to honor State Treasurer Ben Westlund, who passed away this weekend. “Ben Westlund was a friend, a husband, a father and an eternal optimist who never stopped fighting to make Oregon a better place for us all to live,” Governor Ted Kulongoski said. “His legacy will serve as an inspiration to us today and generations into the future.” http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10450/governor-orders-flags-at-half-staff-in-honor-of-state-treasurer-ben-westlund Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:41:50 GMT 10450 Average retail gasoline prices in Oregon have risen 5.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.83/g today. This compares with the national average that has increased 4.8 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.74/g, according to gasoline price website OregonGasPrices.com. Including the change in gas prices in Oregon during the past week, prices today are 75.9 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 11.7 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 9.8 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 80.9 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10448/oregon-gas-prices-up-again-last-week Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:27:54 GMT 10448 For the first time since 1940, the 2010 Census will not collect demographic data through the long-form survey. For the average person, this means less paperwork to fill out. For nonprofits and local governments, however, it means they will have to turn elsewhere for this valuable information. This is where the American Community Survey (ACS) comes in. First implemented in 2000, the ACS is an ongoing statistical survey administered by the Census Bureau. The ACS replaces the long form of the census and collects and produces population and housing information every year instead of every 10 years. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10443/census-wont-include-long-form Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:58:45 GMT 10443 Crook County resident Don Fox sees a problem with the level of openness in government these days. As a county commissioner, he wants to change that. The 51-year-old Republican filed for Crook County Commissioner position 2 on Wednesday. He is the third Republican candidate in the race, which includes Seth Crawford and incumbent Lynn Lundquist. Fox says he decided to run because he believes voters' voices aren't being heard by politicians. His goal, if elected, is to be accessible to citizens at all times. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10444/don-fox-files-for-county-commissioner Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:58:45 GMT 10444 The home of Donald and Coral Baker looks ready for the upcoming Easter holiday. The front yard of their northwest Prineville home is filled with a host of Easter-themed decorations. Passersby will see a variety of oversized pastel-colored eggs, several plastic Easter bunnies and even a makeshift Easter basket large enough to fit several full-grown adults inside. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10445/who-stole-papa-rabbit Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:58:45 GMT 10445 The United States Postal Service might eliminate Saturday mail delivery as one of several cost-cutting measures designed to weather a multi-billion shortfall. On Tuesday, Postmaster General John E. Potter announced a 10-year plan to increase revenue and cut expenses. Along with five-day mail delivery, the plan includes branch closures and rate hikes as well as increasing postal contract units with retailers. If no action is taken, the Postal Service is projected to face a $238 billion shortfall by 2020. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10446/usps-may-eliminate-saturday-mail-delivery Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:58:45 GMT 10446 The devastating earthquake in Chile last week could mean a temporary increase in production for a Prineville remanufacturing plant. Woodgrain Millwork's sister plant in Los Angeles, Chile, was damaged in the 8.8-magnitude earthquake that left hundreds dead and millions homeless in the South American Country last Saturday. According to Prineville Woodgrain Millwork General Manager Benji Barron, orders that were going to be on hold until the Chile plant gets back on its feet will be taken care of by Woodgrain's plants across the country. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10447/woodgrain-could-see-boost-from-chile-quake Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:58:45 GMT 10447 Pioneer Memorial Hospital 1201 NE Elm St., Prineville Bob Gomes, Executive Director http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10442/bpioneer-memorial-hospital-bbr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:53:00 GMT 10442 Steve Forrester Prineville City Manager Prineville City Hall http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10437/city-of-prinevillebr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:45:32 GMT 10437 330 NE 3rd St. Prineville, OR 97754 Phone: (541) 447-6555 http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10438/bcrook-county-court-bbr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:45:32 GMT 10438 Ron Wyden, U.S. Senator (D) 230 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10439/bfederal-government-bbr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:45:32 GMT 10439 Crook County Parks and Recreation Telephone: 541-447-1209 Fax: 541-447-9894 http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10440/bcrook-county-parks-and-recreation-district-bbr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:45:32 GMT 10440 Governor Ted Kulongoski (D) 254 State St. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10441/bstate-government-bbr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:45:32 GMT 10441 District Superintendent Ivan Hernandez, PhD. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10434/bcrook-county-school-district-administration-bbr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:45:32 GMT 10434 Zone 1 Steve Caraway, vice-chair http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10435/bcrook-county-school-district-board-of-directors-bbr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:45:32 GMT 10435 The board of the Chamber is chosen by the Membership through an election each November. Three directors are elected each year to three-year terms. The board consists of 12 members, including the CEO who is a non-voting member. 2010 Board of Directors Officers: http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10436/bprineville-crook-county-chamber-of-commerce-bbr Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:45:32 GMT 10436 Ruth Kathryn Cox Dubberke, 87, passed away quietly at her home in Olympia on Feb. 24, 2010. She was an avid gardener and loved working the dirt. Ruth was not a stranger to hard work and believed that one should feel deserving of their pay at the end of the day. She enjoyed morning dew and red roses. She attended school in Powell Butte and Crook County High School in Prineville. Ruth K Cox was born in the early morning on June 27, 1922, at home on the Lower Ochoco in Powell Butte. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10429/ruth-dubberke Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:35:17 GMT 10429 Donald C. Smith took his final journey Sunday, Feb. 28, this time home to be with the Lord. Don was born May 29, 1933, the son of Lance and Alice (Walsh) Smith. He graduated from Crook County High School in 1951, and on Oct. 10, 1953, in Prineville, he married his life long partner and love of his life, Ethel I. (York) Smith. With the exception of a few months, Don lived his entire life in Prineville. He loved Central Oregon, always referring to it as “God’s Country.” http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10431/donald-smith Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:35:17 GMT 10431 Our world became a lesser place in which to live on Feb. 25 with the passing of Elroy Lamon Fuller, Sr., 86, of Sweet Home. Elroy was born in Prineville, March 12, 1923, to Wendell and Edythe (Wonderly) Fuller. His mother passed away from complications of birth three weeks after he was born, and he was raised by his maternal Aunt Claudia Wagoner and Ernest Wagoner on a ranch north of Prineville. He was the best man we ever had the good fortune to know: a soldier in World War II Pacific Theater, a husband of 64 years, a father, a grandfather and a great-grandfather. He was an Oregon State trooper, a city of Prineville policeman, a mill worker, a farmer, and a business owner. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10432/elroy-fuller Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:35:17 GMT 10432 The Crook County High School Sparkles dance team has won their second consecutive dance tournament. The Sparkles, who are the defending state champions, won the Sprague Winter Dance Festival last Saturday, and set a school-scoring record in the progress. “The team has truly outdone themselves,” said head dance coach Amanda Estes. “It’s amazing to watch them grow from September up to now.” http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10433/sparkles-win-at-sprague Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:32:43 GMT 10433 The Crook County High School equestrian team is still near the bottom when it comes to team scores, but things are looking up. The team has doubled their membership from a year ago and is starting to show positive results in competition. This year’s team opened their season with a second-place finish in the medium team division of the Central Oregon District Oregon High School Equestrian Team competition at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds over the past weekend. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10430/equestrian-team-has-solid-showing Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:32:43 GMT 10430 “We have a friendly atmosphere,” said Prineville Golf and Country Club President Buddy Gast. “Come out and play and check us out.” The golf club is in the process of making a number of changes, including opening to the public on a limited basis. Although the club is still private, it will be open to the public most of the time. The course will be available for members only on Wednesday and Thursday mornings for their women’s and men’s club play. The rest of the time everyone is welcome. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10428/golf-club-puts-out-the-welcome-mat Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:32:43 GMT 10428 Ron Halvorson Other than the fact that he’d been sick for four days, the night of Nov. 11 was pretty much the same as every other night for Prineville musician Dean Prescott. In deference to his partner, Caroline Kaiser, Prescott went upstairs to slumber. He felt his tossing and turning was keeping her awake. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10427/a-battle-worth-fighting Fri, 05 Mar 2010 14:32:02 GMT 10427 Initial claims for unemployment insurance benefits rose for the week ending February 27, 2010. There were 9,756 claims filed, up 796 from the week prior. The total number of individuals on unemployment, however, fell for the fourth consecutive week. The 213,194 is down 3,994 from the high of 217,188 the week ending January 30, 2010. A pair of significant events has occurred recently to help Oregonians out of work through no fault of their own. The President signed a bill extending the deadline for filing Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC). Now individuals may start a new EUC claim or qualify for the next tier of EUC benefits through April 3, 2010. The original law came to and end February 28, 2010. The law does not include additional weeks of benefits for people who have exhausted all EUC benefits. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10426/new-unemployment-claims-rise-but-total-number-drops Thu, 04 Mar 2010 15:55:28 GMT 10426 The Crook County Commissioner race now includes a third republican candidate.Don Fox filed for the County Commissioner position 2 on Wednesday. The filing deadline for the May 2010 primary election is this coming Tuesday, March 9. Fox is running against incumbent Lynn Lundquist and Seth Crawford. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10425/don-fox-files-for-crook-county-commissioner Wed, 03 Mar 2010 10:31:53 GMT 10425 It's a growing trend in Crook County, and all around the country. Adults of all ages are going back to college in record numbers. At Central Oregon Community College, from 2000 to 2005, the increase in fall-term enrollment in full-time credit classes stayed relatively steady. However, by 2006, the numbers began to change drastically, increasing by 39 percent in 2009. This trend continues, and classes are filling up fast. "COCC's student population started growing approximately three years ago, or one year prior to other community colleges in Oregon. That growth is attributed to a variety of factors, including expanded scholarship dollars, thanks to the generosity of the Turner Family; expanded marketing and recruiting efforts both locally and across the state; and related strategic initiatives. While we are still benefiting from these efforts, our recent growth is certainly affected by the downturn in the local economy. Thankfully, through partnerships with Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council and the Department of Employment, our advising staff has assisted a significant number of community members affected by layoffs transition to becoming a student and in developing academic plans leading to a variety of new career fields," said Alicia Moore, dean of Student and Enrollment Services at COCC. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10421/more-adults-headed-back-to-the-books Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:36:22 GMT 10421 The 2010 Oregon special legislative session concluded Thursday with a last-day approval of an annual session measure that will appear on the November ballot. The measure, if approved by voters will amend the Oregon Constitution requiring the Legislature to meet every year, rather than every two years. On odd-numbered years, the state House and Senate would meet for 160 days, and on even-numbered years, they would meet for a 35-day session. Neither Representative George Gilman (R - Dist. 55) nor Senator Doug Whitsett (R - Dist. 28), who both represent Crook County, support the annual sessions measure. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10422/annual-session-measure-will-be-on-the-ballot Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:36:22 GMT 10422 Facing a $203,000 revenue shortfall, the Prineville Police Department has been forced to make some creative adjustments for the upcoming fiscal year. "We had all these budgetary downturns like everybody else did, and we just went through and slashed," said Prineville Police Captain Michael Boyd. According to Boyd, two developments over the last year have contributed to the department's financial woes. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10423/police-department-feeling-the-budget-pinch Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:36:22 GMT 10423 When Crook County voters cast their ballots in May, they will elect a candidate for each precinct who does most of his or her work behind the scenes. Precinct committeepersons for both major political parties are elected every two years in Crook County's 17 precincts, although many sparsely populated precincts don't have a committeeperson at all. Voters in a precinct elect both a male and female committeeperson for every 500 registered voters in their precinct. Elected committeepersons represent the interests of their political party by canvassing neighborhoods, registering voters and basically acting as a liaison between voters and their political party. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10424/still-time-to-run-for-precinct-committees Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:36:22 GMT 10424 When it comes to healthy living in Crook County, a recently-published report reveals some positive results, but ultimately shows there is room for improvement. The County Health Rankings is a program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute that breaks down the overall health of counties throughout the nation. The snapshot report examines a variety of health-related categories and ranks each of them among the other counties in their respective state. Crook County earned a top-10 ranking in clinical care, a category that examines the level of health insurance access and quality of medical care. Pioneer Memorial Hospital CEO Bob Gomes is pleased with the results, but was not necessarily surprised. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10420/how-healthy-is-crook-county Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:35:29 GMT 10420 My full attention remained on the small fly as it floated on the surface, even though I wanted to look up at the towering volcanic cliffs surrounding me. My fishing partner, Yukon, fished from the other side of the river as we engaged in a little friendly competition. I consider him an expert fly angler and consider myself a mere beginner, and he likes to remind me of this. A few fish were rising and it looked to be a good day of fishing on the Crooked River. The falling snow added to the beauty of the canyon and I ignored the chill in the air and in my fingertips. There have been times when we've both caught lots of fish on the river and times when we’ve both been skunked but there were never times when I out-fished him — yet. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10419/two-flies-for-the-crooked-river Tue, 02 Mar 2010 12:03:48 GMT 10419 Greenpeace picked the wrong battle when they recently attacked Facebook for their choice of Prineville for a new data center, and they chose the wrong way to make their point. The problem, as Greenpeace sees it, is that the new data center will use electricity from Pacific Power, which generates 58 percent of its power from coal-powered plants. To Greenpeace the use of coal power is a sin of epic proportions as they fervently believe it leads to climate change. Never mind that recent events would seem to show that the data concerning climate change has been falsified, and carbon dioxide emissions may or may not contribute to climate change. Also never mind that Pacific Power is part of an electrical grid that gets power from natural gas, wind power, and hydroelectric as well as coal. In actuality, there is no way to tell what power source will be sending power to Prineville at any one time. That’s why power is on a grid, so that we have stable power from a variety of energy sources. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10417/pick-another-fight-greenpeace Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:04:12 GMT 10417 Leonard Bud Young, 92, a longtime resident of Central Oregon, passed away on Feb. 17, 2010. Bud was born in Kent, Wash., on March 9, 1917, to Oscar and Iva Young. He spent his younger years in Washington, graduating from High School in Port Angeles. He and his dad moved to Creswell, Ore., and logged as Young & Son Logging for many years. In Creswell, Bud met and married the love of his life, Elizabeth “Betty” Chesebro. They were married May 12, 1941. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10418/leonard-young Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:04:12 GMT 10418 Becky Teater Calling all outdoor enthusiasts, collectors, homeowners, and everyone else who likes to attend auctions and yard sales. There will be a benefit auction for Friends of Powell Butte School on Saturday at the Powell Butte Community Center. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10416/going-once-going-twice-sold Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:01:22 GMT 10416 After winning the 5A 103-pound state championship, the first thing McKennan Buckner did was hug Ryan Haney of Redmond. Haney, also a 103-pounder, had just won the 6A championship. Buckner and Haney are close friends, who have been wrestling together since they were six, and warmed up together for their championship matches. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10412/5a-osaa-state-wrestling-championships-buckner-wins-state-wrestling-title Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:43:15 GMT 10412 Crook County Middle School student, Dylan Hatch, found out Sunday night that he has qualified for the national finals in the USA Snowboard Enter the Dragon Competition. The 13-year-old Hatch won the 13-15 age division in the half-pipe skiing event on Saturday and Sunday at Mount Bachelor to earn the trip to nationals. “I felt like I did really good,” Hatch said. “Depending on the level of skiing that is being thrown down at nationals, I think I’m going to do really good.” http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10413/hatch-first-at-enter-the-dragon-competition Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:43:15 GMT 10413 With only five wrestlers at the tournament, the Crook County High School wrestling team still finished 11th out of 39 schools at the 5A Oregon State Wrestling Championships over the weekend. “A lot of people might think that we would hang our heads,” said head coach Jake Huffman. “But when you look at the big picture, if you place 80 percent of the kids that you take every year you are doing pretty well.” Four of the five Cowboys in the tournament placed in the top six as the Cowboys scored 71 team points. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10414/four-cowboys-place-at-wrestling-championships Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:43:15 GMT 10414 One of the first changes made after funding was cut for Crook County School District athletics was to do away with discounts for athletic pay-to-play fees. To offset the steep cost of competing in athletics, Bank of the Cascades stepped in this year with a $5,000 grant. Some money from the grant is still available for athletic scholarships, athletic insurance, and equipment. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10415/athletic-scholarships-available Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:43:15 GMT 10415 While other countries watch manly sports during the Winter Olympics, U.S. television audiences spend countless hours watching figure skating. While Norwegians are watching big, burly men ski 15.5 miles at breakneck speed and Canadians are watching even larger men body checking each other into oblivion in ice hockey, Americans are watching tiny individuals dancing on ice. This is because women, who don’t typically watch sports action — at least not willingly — are the target audience of Olympic television programming in the United States. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10411/a-mans-guide-to-figure-skating Tue, 02 Mar 2010 10:10:35 GMT 10411 McKennan Buckner has reached the finals of the state wrestling championships for the second year in a row. The 103-pounder pinned Korbin Hawes of Thurston in the quarterfinals, then defeated Hillsboro's Ronnie Bresser. "It's awesome," Buckner said. "I just kept the pressure on him the whole match. I knew from the beginning of the match that I was going to get it done." http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10410/buckner-reaches-finals-of-state-championships Tue, 02 Mar 2010 09:51:26 GMT 10410 Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers' enforcement of Oregon's new cell phone law banning most uses of mobile communication devices while driving a motor vehicle noted nearly twice as many citations issued during February in comparison to the number issued during January. Updated enforcement statistics indicated OSP troopers issued drivers 72 citations and 233 warnings during February. During the new law's first month, OSP troopers issued 41 citations and 259 warnings. In total, OSP troopers have cited 113 drivers and warned 492 others since the new law went into effect Jan. 1. With some exceptions, it is unlawful in Oregon for a driver to use a cell phone without using a hands-free accessory while operating a motor vehicle. Violation of the cell phone law is a primary offense, meaning that a police officer may stop a driver solely for observing the violation, and is a class D traffic violation with a minimum base fine of $142. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10409/motor-vehicle-cell-phone-citations-increase-for-february Tue, 02 Mar 2010 08:07:00 GMT 10409 Average retail gasoline prices in Oregon have risen 7.1 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.78/g today. This compares with the national average that has increased 3.6 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.70/g, according to gasoline price website OregonGasPrices.com. Including the change in gas prices in Oregon during the past week, prices today are 71.3 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 3.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 4.1 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 78.8 cents per gallon higher than this day a year ago. "Average gasoline prices have increased nearly ten cents over the last week for much of the United States. With warmer weather approaching, prices will climb even further", said Patrick DeHaan, GasBuddy.com Senior Petroleum Analyst. "A major reason for the rise is that refiners will soon begin maintenance to prepare for the summer driving season, cutting into supply. Some areas of the country are already moving towards more expensive, cleaner burning summer fuels, boosting prices at the pump", he adds. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10408/state-gas-prices-rise-over-past-week Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:00:23 GMT 10408 A few months after issuing a personal bond to a private developer, the Crook County Court has proposed eliminating the personal bond option from the county code altogether. "It just created so many issues that it became almost untenable to figure out what the standards are going to be; how you qualify," said Crook County Judge Mike McCabe. "It has the perception of the county being in the banking business. We really aren't . . . we didn't loan any money, but that's the perception that people had." In August 2009, the county approved the first-ever personal bond to Breese Ranch, LLC to help the developer complete initial infrastructure requirements on a subdivision southeast of Prineville. The stipulations of the bond require Breese Ranch, LLC to deposit $15,000 from each lot sale into an account until $175,000 is reached. It also grants first right of the property to the county. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10403/after-contention-county-may-eliminate-personal-bond-option Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:41:57 GMT 10403 During the May primary election, Crook County voters will also be asked to weigh in on a proposed update to the Prineville City Charter. Drafted in 1968, the charter basically serves as Prineville's constitution. The 18-page document lays out the powers of the city; the job descriptions of the city manager, mayor, and councilors; and guidelines for passing ordinances and resolutions. However, the city's charter has only been amended once in its 40-year existence. This was in 1996 to make city elections consistent with state statute. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10404/city-to-revise-outdated-charter Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:41:57 GMT 10404 Greenpeace International, the group most known for its environmental activism and anti-whaling efforts, is now taking aim at the largest social networking site in the world. The non-governmental organization launched an awareness campaign last week lambasting Facebook for using coal power to run its brand-new data center being built in Prineville. The movement ironically has its own Facebook group with more than 13,000 members. "Companies that run their data center on power from burning coal are supporting the biggest source of man-made CO2 emissions in the world," Greenpeace argued in a media release last Friday. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10405/facebook-vs-greenpeace Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:41:57 GMT 10405 Current Crook County Sheriff's Office parole and probation deputy and former undersheriff Jim Hensley filed Wednesday to run for Crook County Sheriff. He will run against current Sheriff Rodd Clark, who has held the position since 1987 - the longest tenure of any sheriff in the county's history. Hensley was dismissed from his undersheriff position in early 2009 and was reassigned as a parole and probation deputy. The undersheriff position has since been eliminated. Hensley is running because he wants to provide the county with a sheriff who will be accountable to its citizens and qualified to do the job. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10406/hensley-in-the-running-for-sheriff Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:41:57 GMT 10406 Throughout the current school year, the Crook County School Board has devoted time in most of their meetings to revisiting and revising school board policy. These policies govern a variety of topics, such as student instruction, district community relations, personnel and more. Recently, the board updated their policies on free admission for school athletic events and inter-district student transfers. Both decisions were primarily influenced by the school district's ongoing financial struggles. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10407/financial-woes-lead-to-policy-updates Fri, 26 Feb 2010 13:41:57 GMT 10407 Louise M. Hartwig, 78, of Redmond, passed away Feb. 21, 2010. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 at The Lower Mitchell Cemetery in Mitchell. Pastor Carl Naas officiated. Louise was born on Dec. 9, 1931 in St. Helens, Ore., to Marion and Violet Mildred (Keller) Banks. She attended school in Boise, Idaho. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10398/louise-hartwig Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:57:50 GMT 10398 Harold L. Welborn, who led a full and rich life that touched many, passed away peacefully after a brief illness on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010. He will be deeply missed. Harold was born on June 4, 1924, in San Diego, Calif., to Jack and Clementine Wellborn. He graduated from Carlsbad Union High School, and married his high school sweetheart Doris Hutchins. When WWII started, while still in college, he was drafted and chose to go into the Army Air Corps and served as a navigator for the 459th Bomber Group, 758th Bomber Squadron 15th Air Force stationed in Italy. He flew 53 missions in the front ball turret of a B-24 and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC). http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10399/harold-welborn Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:57:50 GMT 10399 Louise M. Hartwig, 78, of Redmond, passed away Feb. 21, 2010. A graveside service was held at 11 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010 at The Lower Mitchell Cemetery in Mitchell. Pastor Carl Naas officiated. Louise was born on Dec. 9, 1931 in St. Helens, Ore., to Marion and Violet Mildred (Keller) Banks. She attended school in Boise, Idaho. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10400/louise-hartwig-no-commenting Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:57:50 GMT 10400 Gary Leon Williams, 46, of Mitchell, passed away Feb. 22, 2010. Services to be announced at a later date. Gary was born on Dec. 8, 1963, in Prineville, to Billy Lee and Helen (Dupes) Williams. He graduated from Mitchell High School in 1983. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10401/gary-williams Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:57:50 GMT 10401 Herbert Robert Taylor, 94, of Prineville, passed away Feb. 23, 2010. A graveside service will be held 2 p.m., Monday, March 1, 2010, at Juniper Haven Cemetery in Prineville. Pastor Carol Parker will officiate. Herbert was born Jan. 5, 1916, in Fort Rock, Ore., to Vernon and Mary (Langdon) Taylor. He attended school in Prineville. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10402/herbert-taylor Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:57:50 GMT 10402 Ron Halvorson “Romeo baby-o, baby-o, buff! Wherefore art thou, I just can’t get enough. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10397/the-suessification-of-romeo-and-juliet Fri, 26 Feb 2010 12:55:30 GMT 10397 The Cowgirl basketball team played a nearly flawless first quarter, but it wasn’t enough as they fell to the Mountain View Cougars 57-49 in Intermountain Confernce action Thursday night. Playing in front of the home crowd on Senior night Crook County looked unbeatable early in the game. The Cowgirls jumped out to an early 8-2 lead, and led 20-11 at the end of the first quarter. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10395/cougars-defeat-cowgirls-57-49 Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:38:41 GMT 10395 It was a tale of two halfs as the Crook County High School boys basketball team fell 55-68 to the Mountain View Cougars on Thursday night. “The first half we played horrible,” said head coach Jeff Lowenbach. League leading, Mountain View jumped on top 21-7 at the end of the first period and led 43-16 at the half. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10396/mt-view-crushes-cowboys Thu, 25 Feb 2010 22:38:41 GMT 10396 Current Crook County Sheriff's Office parole and probation deputy and former undersheriff Jim Hensley filed Wednesday to run for Crook County Sheriff. Hensley will run against current Sheriff Rodd Clark, with whom he served as undersheriff from 2000 until early 2009. Clark has served as Sheriff since 1987, the longest length of time any sheriff has served the county in its history. In January 2009, Hensley was dismissed from the undersheriff position and reassigned as a parole and probation deputy in the Sheriff's Office community corrections division. At the time of the transfer, Hensley declined to comment on the job change, and Clark declined to provide details on the decision, only stating that Hensley had "unresolved confidential personal issues that had been going on for some time." The position of undersheriff has since been eliminated. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10394/jim-hensley-files-to-run-for-crook-county-sheriff Thu, 25 Feb 2010 14:41:26 GMT 10394 Not so long ago, analysts predicted declining foreclosure numbers in the state of Oregon in 2010, but after two months of continued increases, there appear to be more foreclosures on the horizon in 2010, according to county-by-county data for the month of January released by Eugene-based Gorilla Capital, the state’s largest purchaser of homes sold at foreclosure auction. Crook County saw an increase of 105 percent, based on notices of default. A notice of default is the first step in the foreclosure process. “In the Oregon territories where Gorilla does business, we are seeing foreclosures at a rate that is unprecedented,” said Gorilla CEO John Helmick. Gorilla Capital keeps records for 15 Oregon counties, four of which saw declining home foreclosure numbers in January. The other 11 counties saw increases or no improvement from the previous month. Numbers released by the company reveal the following foreclosure trends during the month of January: http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10392/crook-county-among-nine-counties-with-increased-foreclosures Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:55:22 GMT 10392 The Oregon Legislature is holding a hearing about the current television deal between Comcast and Portland Trailblazers basketball on Wednesday, Feb. 24. The hearing will take place at 3:30 p.m. Oregonians can call their state legislators Wednesday regarding the Comcast blackout of Blazer games in rural areas of Oregon and Washington. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10393/state-legislature-holding-hearing-on-comcast-trailblazer-tv-deal Wed, 24 Feb 2010 08:55:22 GMT 10393 Last year, declining enrollment nearly caused Crook County Christian School to cut grades 9-12 for the 2009-2010 school year and beyond. In the end, enough students enrolled and the school chose to continue offering those grades. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10387/christian-school-will-not-offer-grades-9-12-next-year Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:52:50 GMT 10387 Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Dudley spoke to around 30 Crook County residents Tuesday morning during a town hall meeting at Brothers Diner. The republican candidate from Portland touted education and job creation as two factors that can help pull Oregon out of its slump. To kick off the meeting, Dudley discussed the two defining moments that brought him to his decision to run for governor. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10388/dudley-holds-a-town-hall-in-prineville Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:52:50 GMT 10388 Concert pianist and composer Michael Allen Harrison recalls some fatherly advice he received throughout his childhood: "He said, Michael, make sure that you find something that you love to do. And he said do it well. The third thing he said is give back." As an adult, Harrison seems to have succeeded in following that advice. He thoroughly loves his work, and it has earned him international acclaim. He has also made an effort to give back, and has worked with music programs in numerous public schools. This past week, he spent time working with students at Crook County High School. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10389/taking-the-time-to-pay-it-forward Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:52:50 GMT 10389 Currently, Oregon is one of five states in the country whose legislature meets every other year - but that could soon change. The Oregon Legislature is considering approving an amendment to the state constitution that would require the Legislature to meet annually, and neither of the local representatives are on board. Currently known as Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 41, the proposed amendment would require the Legislation to meet for 135 days in odd-numbered years and for 45 days in even-numbered years. The resolution was approved by the Oregon Senate last Wednesday by a 24-6 vote and now awaits a House vote. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10390/legislature-may-put-annual-sessions-bill-on-fall-ballot Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:52:50 GMT 10390 A Prineville man was arrested Friday evening after he robbed El Vaquero Market at knifepoint and fled with a large sum of cash. Juan Manuel Moran-Montano, 32, was arrested on charges of kidnapping, robbery, theft, menacing and criminal mischief and booked at the Crook County Jail. The kidnapping charge was applied because he threatened an employee with a knife. His bail was set at $165,000, but he was held without bail for federal customs officials as a suspected illegal immigrant. According to Prineville Police Lieutenant Ray Cuellar, at around 7 p.m. police received a frantic 9-11 call from a female employee of the store - located at 2154 NW Third St. - saying she was being robbed. Moran-Montano had allegedly entered the store brandishing a knife and threatened the woman. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10391/former-customer-arrested-for-armed-robbery Tue, 23 Feb 2010 12:52:50 GMT 10391 Shari Lynn Noel (nee: Gibbs), left us to be with The Lord God Almighty on Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, at age 59. Shari was a life-long resident of Prineville. She graduated from Crook County High School in 1968. Shari held many different jobs in her lifetime, from being a ticket taker at the Pine Theater to serving as the admissions officer and expense manager at Mount Bachelor Academy. She also worked in the office of Western Insurance and Prineville Insurance, and most recently as bookkeeper and sales clerk at Accurate Glass. http://www.centraloregonian.com/archives/story.aspx/10384/shari-noel Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:51:58 GMT 10384