Government

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.

Republic Services is once again seeking approval for garbage rate increases from local governments in Crook County, with a request to the county reportedly coming in at roughly twice the level proposed within the City of Prineville.

The Crook County School District has officially appointed Dr. Joel Hoff as its permanent superintendent following a unanimous decision by the district’s board earlier this week.

State and county officials have confirmed that boundary change filings submitted by Alfalfa Fire District Chief Chad LaVallee improperly classified Juniper Acres properties as annexed into the district,

Oregon Governor Tina Kotek on Friday issued a formal notice that she is considering vetoing a controversial public meetings bill, citing concerns that portions of the legislation could weaken government transparency.

Crook County Commissioner Seth Crawford attended the President’s State of the Union Address at the United States Capitol during a recent visit to the nation’s capital, where he and Commissioner Susan Hermreck also met with members of Oregon’s federal delegation to advocate for Central Oregon priorities.