(UPDATE: Adding video and quotes from business owners) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Downtown Bend is bursting with creativity tonight as local students showcase their work during the Youth Art Takeover, part of April’s monthly First Friday Art Walk tradition. The event featured student-led art displays, live music, and performances throughout the downtown area. The takeover gives Central Oregon’s
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Are we designing our city for happiness? That’s a question that will be asked by nonprofit organization Building a Better Bend’s 2026 lecture series will ask. The inaugural talk, titled “Is Bend Building a “Happy City?” The Science & Design Secrets of Happy Cities,” will examine how urban design can foster
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SALEM, ORE. (KTVZ) — Emma Keen, an 11th-grade student at the Oregon School for the Deaf in Salem, will compete in the 2026 Poetry Out Loud National Semifinals in Washington, D.C., on April 28th. Keen will represent Oregon as one of the state champions vying for a spot in the national finals and a $20,000
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — At Assistance League Bend, volunteers don’t just fill roles, they stretch beyond them. “We do. I mean, that’s what you get with an all-volunteer organization,” said Lisa Sarmiento, the assistant treasurer. “Everybody’s pitching in, and maybe they’re out of their comfort zone. I’ve learned a ton about how to work on
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) —The Crook County Sheriff’s Office will host a free Junior Deputy Academy for youth ages 9 to 14 from July 20 to July 24, 2026. The week-long course is designed to provide students with opportunities to learn about careers in law enforcement through interaction with deputies. Taught by Crook County sheriff’s deputies,
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Here are KTVZ’s Sunrise Birthdays for Thursday, April 2nd. Happy Birthday! You can see more recent entries and submit an upcoming birthday to air at: https://ktvz.com/share/sunrise-birthdays/.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Central Oregon Civic Action Project will host the region’s first Civic Action Summit from April 7 to April 9, 2026, at Central Oregon Community College campuses in Redmond and Bend. The 2.5-day workshop is designed to build local expertise in civic assemblies and deliberative democracy. The event is hosted by
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DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Mt. Bachelor received 6 inches of snow over the past week, with forecasts calling for up to 7-10 inches of additional accumulation by Thursday afternoon. Our Chief Meteorologist John Carroll is tracking a Winter Weather Warning and has enacted two Local Alert Weather Days for the impactful snowfall ahead. He
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Oregon announced Wednesday it has been named a 2025 Pinnacle Award winner for program excellence by the organization’s national leadership. The local agency is one of only five organizations chosen for the honor out of more than 230 agencies across the United States. The Pinnacle
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Partners for Affordable Housing and Bend YIMBY will host an all-coalition meeting on April 2 in Bend to discuss housing development strategies and prepare for an upcoming candidate forum. The meeting will take place at 4 p.m. at The Barrel Room at UPP Liquids, located at 550 SW Industrial Way. The
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Update: KTVZ’s Claire Elmer spoke with some of the people who help make the High Desert Stampede possible. Tune in for more Thursday on KTVZ News at 4:00 p.m. REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The High Desert Stampede has returned for its ninth year at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Ore. The
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — On Tuesday, Think Wild Central Oregon was paid a special visit. Staff from Whole Foods Market spent the day volunteering at the nonprofit wildlife hospital. In a Facebook post, Think Wild said in part, “We are seriously impressed with how much this group got done, including a duckling fence enclosure, large
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DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) The Deschutes Trails Coalition announced today that it is accepting applications for its 2026 Small Project Grant program. The initiative will award up to $30,000 to support multiple trail-focused projects within the Deschutes National Forest and Deschutes County. The grant program is designed to fund small-scale projects that maintain or restore
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon residents gathered at the Riverhouse in Bend on Tuesday for the “Healing Hearts” fundraiser. The event raised money and awareness for the KIDS Center, which serves as the only child abuse evaluation and treatment center in the region. The KIDS Center provides essential services for families impacted by abuse,
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The 49th annual Sunriver Music Festival is scheduled to take place Aug. 10-20, 2026, in Bend and Sunriver. Artistic Director and Conductor Brett Mitchell curated the upcoming summer season to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States. The 2026 programming features works by American composers alongside classical favorites. The repertoire
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Rimrock Trails launched a new program in Prineville to provide immediate behavioral health support for youth in Crook County. The Assessment and Resource Center (ARC) offers same-day assessments for young people and their families without the need for an appointment or referral. The program is located at the Prineville Outpatient Clinic
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The fifth annual Kiefer’s Magical Birthday Bash will return to Central Oregon on April 10th and April 11th, 2026. The two-day event, held at Wild Ride Brewing locations in Prineville and Redmond, brings the community together for mental health awareness and connection. The celebration honors the life and legacy of Kiefer
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DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon Partnerships for Youth (COPY) is offering a training class on Saturday, April 11th, for residents interested in mentoring children with an incarcerated parent. The orientation and training session is required for all volunteers before they are matched with a child. Participants must also pass background checks as part
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SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Seed to Table Oregon, a Sisters-based nonprofit, has opened sign-ups for its 2026 Produce Share program featuring a “no-questions-asked” sliding-scale payment model. The farm share program provides fresh, organic vegetables from May through November with weekly prices starting at $26. Unlike traditional sliding-scale programs, the nonprofit does not require an application
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) —Three Bend-area Rotary clubs will host a free community lithium-ion battery recycling event on Saturday, April 25, to provide residents with a safe way to dispose of old rechargeable devices. Mt. Bachelor Rotary, Bend Rotary and Greater Bend Rotary are partnering to collect items ranging from smartphones to power-tool batteries at multiple
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