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Oregon jobless rate holds steady at 4% in October as state gains 1,700 jobs; 2024 numbers revised upward

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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment gained 1,700 jobs in October, following a revised increase of 900 jobs in September, the state Employment Department reported Thursday. October’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+2,400 jobs); government (+1,700); and financial activities (+1,200). Declines were largest in professional and business services (-2,400 jobs); manufacturing (-1,200); and transportation, warehousing, and utilities (-1,000). In

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‘Opportunity to leverage those tourism tax dollars’: Visit Bend seeks Sustainability Fund grant requests

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(Update: adding video, comments from Visit Bend, past grantee) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Sustainability Fund, a Visit Bend project, has announced it will open its grant application window next Monday, accepting applications through January 12, 2025, with $500,000 available for organizations. Nate Wyeth, senior vice president of strategy at Visit Bend, said, “This

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Oregon Construction Contractors Board finds hundreds of proposed violations in sweep of over 1,000 jobsites

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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Construction Contractors Board, the state agency that licenses contractors in Oregon, conducts periodic enforcement sweeps in search of unlicensed contractor activity and other violations. “Unlicensed contractors put consumers at risk,” said Vena Swanson, CCB Enforcement Manager. “By searching for unlicensed contractor activity, we’re helping to protect consumers that hire contractors.”

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Family of Legacy Health security guard killed in shooting sues Portland hospital for $35M

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PORTLAND, Ore. (KGW/KTVZ) — The family of a security guard who was killed at Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center last year has filed a $35 million wrongful death lawsuit against the hospital and its parent company, Legacy Health, KGW reported.  Bobby Smallwood, 44, was fatally shot by a suspect later identified by police as PoniaX Kane Calles

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High Desert Food and Farm Alliance receives three-year $522K USDA grant to assist new farmers and ranchers

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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The US Department of Agriculture has announced an investment of $23.7 million for 46 projects as part of its Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Development Program (BFRDP), including a grant of over $500,000 to the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance. BFRDP funds projects that provide education, mentoring and technical assistance initiatives. Funded projects

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Biden administration to restrict drilling, renewables in the US West to help struggling sage grouse

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Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — President Joe Biden’s administration on Friday proposed tighter restrictions on oil, solar and wind energy development across more than 6,500 square miles of federal land in the U.S. West to protect a declining bird species. However, it is doubtful the changes would survive under President-elect Donald Trump. Greater sage

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Record steelhead numbers return to Deschutes River, most since dams built in 1960s, Warm Springs Tribes, PGE say

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MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Biologists from the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs and Portland General Electric have collected more than 250 returning adult steelhead at the Pelton-Round Butte hydroelectric project – the largest steelhead return since dams were completed on the Deschutes River in the 1960s. Scientists say these notable early returns bode well for

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Remember Prineville’s flying car? Here’s Samson Sky’s enhanced design it says will be simpler, easier to build

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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Nearly a year after announcing the First Flight of the Switchblade Flying Car, Prineville’s Samson Sky said Monday it’s moved right into the next phase – Production Engineering. The company announced that their efforts have yielded tremendous results, and they are now sharing their enhanced body design for what will be

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UO prototype home features green, innovative construction using Oregon-made mass plywood panels

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EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A University of Oregon research and design team has completed construction on a prototype house that showcases a sustainable, energy-efficient alternative to traditional home construction. Researchers with the TallWood Design Institute, a collaboration of the UO and Oregon State University, spent two years designing and building the 760-square-foot house made from

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City of Bend dusts off its winter equipment, getting ready for snowy streets; Les Schwab Tires offers advice

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(Update: Adding video, comments by city staff, Les Schwab Tire Centers store manager) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — ODOT isn’t the only agency keeping busy preparing for snowy winter roads. The city of Bend is also starting its winter preparations.   “The shop is actually getting our equipment all fitted,” Streets Division Manager Chuck Swann said Monday.

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