Deschutes County

Governor Tina Kotek has issued two more drought declarations in Central Oregon.  The emergency declarations for Deschutes and Grant counties clear the way for state coordination of resources in an area now in its fourth year of drought.  ...

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has declared drought emergencies for Crook and Jefferson counties in the central portion of the state. That now directs agencies to prioritize assistance to the region. Both counties requested the declaration in January...

In central Oregon, planning is underway for a new Deschutes County Committee, to address potential conflicts between wolves and livestock.  County Commissioner Phil Chang said other counties have had Wolf Depredation Committees for years, but only recently was Deschutes County declared “an area of known wolf activity” or AKA.   “We’ve had w...

University of Oregon researchers are studying community smoke management plans and how local governments can better prepare the public for fire season.  Student researcher Stuart Warren said management plans can allow communities to get exemptions from current prescribed fire rules.   “...

For the first time in a generation, Oregon’s 5th Congressional District is held by a Republican.  Lori Chavez-DeRemer beat Democrat Jamie McLeod Skinner by about a one-percent margin, becoming the first Oregon Congresswoman of Hispanic descent.  Judy Stiegler...

On Friday, the USDA confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in a non-commercial flock in Oregon’s Douglas County.  The flock included approximately 25 birds, a mix of chickens, ducks, and geese.  According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, the flock owners did not sell eggs or other poultry products from their property therefore federal guidelines do not require a quarantine.   ODA in p

Bird flu has been reported again in Oregon.  According to the state Department of Agriculture, Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza was discovered September 28th in two private flocks of 60 chickens and ducks in Tillamook County.  The flock ow...

The Deschutes Soil and Water Conservation District will offer their 3rd and final workshop of the Irrigation Water Management Series on October 6th from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Deschutes OSU Extension Office Building 4 in Redmond.  The session will be a panel discussion with farmers from Arnold, Tumalo, and Central Oregon Irrigation districts, discussing how they managed their irrigation water, wh

Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife is labeling the northern Oregon Cascades a new Area of Known Wolf Activity; after two pups were spotted on a trail camera on the Warm Springs Reservation.  Two wolves were initially found in December by Warm Springs biologists, but following that discovery, there was very little activity out of those two pups; that is since last month.  ODFW’s Michel... Rea

The USDA has approved the Oregon Department of Agriculture’s request to lift the regional bird flu quarantine in Deschutes County.  ODA implemented the quarantine on July 12th after confirming highly pathogenic avian influenza in a backyard flock of chickens and ducks.  Six case...