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The Oregon Supreme Court’s recent right-to-counsel decision has resulted in the dismissal of nearly 1,500 criminal cases statewide, but no such dismissals have been reported in Crook County.

A local contractor with longstanding government ties and a history of ethics concerns involving federal contracts, used taxpayer funds to attend conferences at luxury resorts and to pay for meals for its governing board members.

A Crook County Circuit Court judge has entered a default judgment and injunction against the Ochoco West Water and Sanitary Authority (OWWSA), ordering the district to release public records after it failed to respond to a lawsuit filed last fall by the Prineville Review.

The Ochoco West Water and Sanitary Authority (OWWSA) continues to face allegations of violating Oregon’s public meetings laws, even as a formal investigation by the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) remains underway into the district’s governance and transparency practices.

On December 12th, the Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) voted unanimously to open formal investigations into current and former members of the Ochoco West Water and Sanitary Authority (OWWSA) board, finding a substantial objective basis to believe numerous violations of Oregon’s public meetings laws may have occurred.

A longtime staff member at High Desert Christian Academy (HDCA) says she was unexpectedly dismissed from her position Friday, prompting a wave of social media reaction and a formal response from the school’s board.

Newly released records show Police Chief Jeff Profio had submitted a 90-day retirement notice effective November 26, 2025 — a detail not disclosed in the city’s earlier announcement that described his resignation and retirement.

The Ochoco West Water & Sanitary Authority (OWWSA) is facing intensifying scrutiny after revelations involving both its former and current managers involving ethics and nepotism issues, and its former manager’s alleged misuse of district funds and other controversies that led to his quiet 2024 resignation.

The City of Prineville has announced the retirement of Police Chief Jeff Profio, coming just nine months after he was hired to lead the department. The announcement came directly from Stingray Communications, a public relations firm contracted by the City of Prioneville.

The sudden closure of The Horseshoe Tavern in Prineville has stirred controversy after the bar’s owner, Chris Powell (Suing), responded to questions about the shutdown with implied threats of defamation claims against both media outlets and individuals who might speak publicly.