Month: May 2018

A convenience store restroom may be the only place a victim of human trafficking is alone and safe enough to call for help. That was the case for Emily, who took a moment of refuge inside a restroom while her trafficker was filling up on gas. She texted the National Human Trafficking hotline number she

Bend woman Sara Gomez was murdered after escaping from an abusive relationship with Bryan Penner, authorities say. Her body was found last Friday after being missing for more than three months. The cycle of domestic violence is widespread. On average, 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate

It was a busy afternoon for Bend police officers Thursday as they wrote traffic tickets for drivers who were distracted while driving. NewsChannel 21’s Pedro Quintana rode along with Lt. Clint Burleigh as his traffic team was assigned to the busy intersection of Southeast Ninth Street and Wilson Avenue. Burleigh himself handed out four tickets

A 45-year-old man refused police commands to come out of his downtown Madras apartment after officers responded to a report of a gunshot Thursday afternoon, prompting a more than hour-long standoff, street closures, evacuations of some neighbors and the call-out of Central Oregon’s SWAT Team, police said. Eventually, Jonathan Ross Blankenship did emerge, surrendered and

Happy Thursday evening, everyone! Tonight will be breezy as a westerly flow continues to move across the region. Winds will gust 25 miles per hour through midnight, then will gust around 15 overnight. Lows will be quite cold tomorrow morning, so cover up your plants once again. Temperatures will begin in the upper 20s and

(Updating: More details, Prineville man seeks rule change fix) SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Parked outside the Oregon Capitol building last week, Prineville tiny home builder Cameron Scott’s cedar-shingled tiny home made for a stark contrast against the austere granite walls of the state government seat. Scott, who runs a Prineville company manufacturing the units, says

Here are the results of Wednesday’s KTVZ.COM poll, asking if you think the state should limit the number of recreational marijuana retailers: Should the state limit the number of recreational marijuana retailers?Yes – 63% (452 votes)No – 37% (269 votes)Total Votes: 721

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – The Oregon National Guard will hand out free water at 10 locations to Salem-area residents who can’t drink tap water due to toxins from an algae bloom in Detroit Lake. Gov. Kate Brown’s office said Thursday that the water will be distributed in Salem and Stayton because of the problem at

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Shannon Rhodes’ three-run homer in the sixth inning helped top-seeded Oregon defeat Arizona State 11-6 in seven innings Thursday at the Women’s College World Series. Oregon pitcher Miranda Elish recovered from a rough start against the Ducks’ Pac-12 rival and increased her career record to 37-1. Oregon (53-8) will play the

A Boise teen hit speeds topping 110 mph in a pursuit on Interstate 84 in Union County Wednesday afternoon before crashing through a guardrail and into the woods, where the car caught fire and the machete-wielding teen got out, confronted police and ran, Oregon State Police said. He was found, surrendered and was arrested. OSP

TULSA, Okla. (AP) – Investigators say charges have been filed against a man whose screaming and threats aboard a Delta Air Lines flight prompted an emergency landing in Oklahoma. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tulsa says 29-year-old Bolutife Olorunda of Vancouver, Washington, was charged Thursday with interference with flight crew members and attendants. Court records

GRESHAM, Ore. (AP) – The De Beers Group has announced plans to manufacture synthetic diamonds at a factory in Gresham. The British diamond giant said in a news release Tuesday it will spend $94 million on the production facility over the next four years. Once fully operational, the plant will be able to annually produce

Senate Finance Committee ranking member Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued the following statement Thursday n response to the administration’s announcement it will levy new tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada, Mexico and the European Union: “The U.S. does need to take tough, immediate action to fight back against China’s predatory policies, and bring back

The Deschutes County Public Health Advisory Board is pleased to announce its 2018 Health Hero award recipients. The awards, which are presented annually in conjunction with National Public Health Week in April and Mental Health Month in May, honor an individual and a group that demonstrates excellence in promoting and protecting behavioral and public health.

NEWPORT, Ore. (AP) – Police arrested a college freshman accused of kidnapping a Newport hotel worker at gunpoint and then taking the woman on a ride. Newport Police Chief Jason Malloy said Wednesday night a tip led investigators to 19-year-old Cedar Haddad of Corvallis. Malloy said the suspect pulled a gun on the woman at

(Update: Autopsy confirms body is Gomez; DA says Penner killed her because ‘if he could not have her, no one would’) The Oregon State Medical Examiner has determined the body found wrapped in a tarp Friday about 20 miles southeast of Bend was that of Sara Gomez, the 24-year-old Bend woman who vanished three months

With questions finally answered in painful fashion, family members and friends are sharing their memories of Sara Gomez, the 24-year-old Bend woman whose body was discovered by a hiker in the Horse Ridge area last Friday, more than three months after her disappearance. Her body was wrapped up in a tarp in a wooded area

This time of year, many Oregon teens are reaching an important milestone: their first job. But as they take on more independence and responsibility, they should feel empowered to speak up for their own safety. “Getting a first job can feel very grown-up, and teens want to show that they’re professional and up for the

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched a campaign to educate the public on the consequences of posting hoax threats to schools and other public places. This campaign, #ThinkBeforeYouPost, includes public service announcements, social media posts and digital billboards. It is currently running in Oregon and around the country. In particular, the FBI said in

The USDA Forest Service will waive fees at day-use recreation sites in Oregon and Washington on Saturday, June 2 for National Trails Day. Celebrated annually on the first Saturday in June, National Trails Day is the country’s largest celebration of trails. National Trails Day events will take place in every state across the country and