Fire escapes a burn barrel in La Pine and starts a brush fire. Learn more here.

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A La Pine homeowner’s debris burn in a burn barrel escaped in strong, erratic winds Sunday afternoon, sparking a 1 ½-acre brush fire, but La Pine Rural Fire District crews were able to keep it from reaching a nearby shop and neighbors’ homes.

La Pine RFPD responded around 2:45 p.m. to the reported brush fire in the 16000 block of Serpentine Drive, Captain Ty Miller said.

Crews arrived to find a fire of about an acre, driven by winds that shifted from west to the east, then from the south to the north, Miller said.

La Pine crews…

Winter isn’t finished with Oregon’s mountains.

A winter weather advisory has been issued into Tuesday due to close to a foot of snow forecast on Oregon’s Cascade Mountain passes. Some snow could fall as low as 1,000 feet.

In general, the system is forecast to bring 3 to 11 inches of snow, according to the warning, but amounts could be larger in isolated areas.

Winds also will be strong, up to 35 mph, meaning travel could be difficult, the advisory said.

“The convective nature of…

The new policy, which reverses a practice started during the pandemic, takes effect Sept. 1.

The delay will allow the state Department of Administrative Services to provide notice to employees about the policy change, Gov. Tina Kotek said in a news release.

The move comes as the Oregon Legislature considers a bill that would limit commuting reimbursements for out-of-state remote workers to those who live within 60 miles of the Oregon border.

Minority…

Oregon spring break travelers should expect heavy snow in the Cascades until Sunday night, the National Weather Service said in a winter storm warning.

The storm warning also said up to a foot of snow could fall in the Coast Range in areas above 1,500 feet. The warning is in effect until 11 p.m. Sunday.

In the Cascades, snow accumulations above 1,500 feet could reach 1-2 feet, with up to 4 feet of snow above 3,000.

Wind gusts as high as 35 mph are also predicted.…

A new rent control bill is in the Oregon Senate. Learn more about it here.

Author: KGW Staff, Anthony Macuk (KGW)

SALEM, Ore. — Tenants from across Oregon gathered in Salem Monday to testify at the first committee hearing for Senate Bill 611, which would cap annual rent increases at either 3% plus inflation or a flat 8% — whichever is lower.

Oregon passed a previous rent control rule in 2019, Senate Bill 608, that capped rent at 7% plus inflation, but tenant organizations reacted with alarm last year when state economists announced that the high rate of inflation meant that rents could be hiked by up to 14.6%.

“(The…

Legal treatments for psychedelic mushrooms begin in Oregon. Learn more here.

By Ryan Haas (OPB)

Thanks to Hollywood, people across the country are familiar with a cocaine bear, but only in Oregon can a person find a psilocybin bear.

“These are our vibrating tactile neural feedback bears, but they are getting a psilocybin treatment as you can see,” therapist Cathy Jonas said as she pointed to the blindfolded stuffed animals in reclining chairs.

Jonas’ mental health practice, EPIC Healing in Eugene, is among several businesses that are first in line to provide legal treatments to people using psychedelic mushrooms.

Drought has been declared in Deschutes and Grant counties. Find out more here.

By: Hailey Dunn of KOIN

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Gov. Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency in both Grant and Deschutes counties on Friday.

Kotek issued an executive order that directs state agencies to prioritize resources and access drought-related emergency tools for the impacted areas.

The two counties are experiencing extreme drought conditions as the average precipitation recorded in the area has been well below average, Kotek said. Similarly, the counties’ streamflows are reported to be below average with Deschutes recording 78% and Grant 44% of its average streamflow.

Additionally, Kotek said in a…

Rebates for buying an electric vehicle will be suspended in Oregon. Learn more here.

By The Associated Press

Oregon will temporarily suspend rebates for buying or leasing an electric vehicle for a year starting in May.

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon will temporarily suspend rebates for buying or leasing an electric vehicle for a year starting in May because too many people are applying and the program is running out of money, The Oregonian/OregonLive reported Thursday.

A growing number of Oregonians are buying or leasing electric vehicles, with over 60,600 registered in the state.

The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality announced Wednesday…

A local Bend man was killed in an avalanche at Paulina Peak. Learn more here.

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday identified a 33-year-old Bend snowboarder who was killed in an avalanche Wednesday afternoon while out with two friends who were skiing at Paulina Peak.

Despite hours of CPR life-saving efforts — at first detecting a faint pulse — a rescue effort for Erik Maxim Hefflefinger instead became a lengthy, cautious recovery mission by first responders and Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers.

On Wednesday at 12:48 p.m., the SAR unit was dispatched to a report of an avalanche at Paulina Peak, in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument east of La Pine, Sergeant Jason…

92/9 and BackyardBend welcome Kiss the Tiger March 26th to the Volcanic Theatre Pub. Kiss the Tiger is one of the hottest bands to come out of Minneapolis in years and are here to rattle your bones and bust you loose!

Fronted by the magnetic and disarming Meghan Kreidler, Kiss the Tiger doesn’t just play, they combust.  

Over the past few years, Kiss the Tiger has set the Twin Cities ablaze. In addition to headlining their own barn-burning shows, Kiss the Tiger have opened for prominent acts like Lake Street Dive, The Suburbs, Ike Reilly, Jackie Venson, Black Joe Lewis, and Daughtry. They have also brought their…