Government

Last week, a federal courtroom became the latest venue for examining the conduct of the Alfalfa Fire District and several of its officials and their efforts to silence the press.

The Crook County Road Department is set to begin its 2026 chip sealing operations on county roads starting June 8th, weather permitting, with work expected to continue through approximately June 22nd.

Election night results suggest voters overwhelmingly rejected the levy while supporting fire funding requests elsewhere across Central Oregon, a result that could deepen questions surrounding one of the region’s most controversial fire districts.

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has voted to move forward with a formal investigation into Alfalfa Fire District Chief Chad LaVallee, adding another layer to what has become a growing list of legal controversies and governance concerns surrounding the rural fire district and its leadership.

Ahead of the May 15 meeting of Gov. Tina Kotek’s Prosperity Council in Eugene, one of the loudest voices on the panel pushed for an even more aggressive posture, particularly on tax reductions.

For months, the Prineville Review has been engaged in ongoing investigative reporting into the Alfalfa Fire District—most recently revealing a state investigation into alleged election law violations tied to the District, as well as documenting repeated and ongoing failures to comply with Oregon’s public meetings laws.

The Alfalfa Fire District was not among the agencies selected for Oregon’s 2026 wildfire season staffing grants, with state officials confirming the decision was tied to ongoing inquiries by multiple state agencies into the district.

A former Prineville Police dispatcher was arrested in a fatal crash that killed a bicyclist late Friday night in Prineville, according to jail records and other publicly available records.

The Alfalfa Fire District and its Chief are reportedly under investigation by the Oregon Secretary of State’s Elections Division for potential violations of state election law related to advocacy for a local levy measure

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has vetoed House Bill 4177, rejecting a closely watched proposal to revise Oregon’s public meetings law and calling instead for a “collaborative fix” to address concerns from both local governments and transparency advocates.