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Central Oregon

Merkley, Wyden: $1.62 million headed to Smith Rock State Park for new welcome center, other improvements

(Update: Adding expected project timeline) WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced Tuesday that the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is receiving a Land and Water Conservation grant of $1,628,498 to help develop a new welcome center and make other improvements to boost the visitor experience at Smith Rock State Park. The

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Fireball, meteor, shooting star: A memorable, blazing ball of light streaked across NW skies late Monday night

(Update: Adding 2nd, Hillsboro video of fireball) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Thousands if not tens of thousands of people across the Northwest observed a very bright fireball streak across the sky late Monday night, some capturing it on home doorbell or security cameras. Some of the many who weighed in on Reddit’s Bend subreddit (among

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Driver critically injured in rollover crash that closed Highway 26 east of Prineville for several hours

(Update: OSP confirms driver was alone in vehicle) PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A driver was critically injured in a single-vehicle rollover crash that closed U.S. Highway 26 about 14 miles east of Prineville for several hours Tuesday, authorities said. The crash and highway closure was reported shortly before noon at milepost 33 and the road

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Central Oregon jobless rates hold steady in August; some job losses reported

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — All three Central Oregon counties saw little to no change in their seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August, with marginally higher rates year-over-year, the Oregon Employment Department reported Tuesday. Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased over the month of August and is now 5.8%, down from 6.0% in July—in

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La Pine Park District closes office, some services due to ‘serious harassment’ of staff, both at work and away

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – The La Pine Park & Recreation District announced online Monday that their office and some services have been forced to temporarily close due to “serious harassment” of staff, both at work and in their private lives. In the note “to our La Pine Community,” posted on the park district’s website

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Warm Springs Tribes voice relief that lower Deschutes sampling found water quality among ‘best in the nation’

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation on Monday shared the results of a report that tested water quality on the lower Deschutes River, saying it found some of the nation’s best water, easing potentially costly requirements for a major water treatment system upgrade. The tribes said repeated water

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Mtn. View senior Eli Hogan not only won Deschutes County’s ‘I Voted’ sticker contest – he registered to vote, too

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County Clerk Steve Dennison on Monday recognized Mountain View High School senior Eli Hogan as the winner of the  “I Voted” Sticker Contest for the 2024 General Election. And the soon-to-be 18-year-old also took the occasion to register to vote for the first time. Eli’s winning entry was chosen from six

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Mosaic Community Health gets $600K federal boost to add more behavioral health, substance abuse clinic staff

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced Monday that the Health Resources and Services Administration is awarding seven Oregon health centers a total of $4.1 million to launch and expand their behavioral health services, including $600,000 for Central Oregon’s Mosaic Community Health clinics. “This federal funding is critical to providing Oregon communities with

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‘I just really love the people that you meet’: Second annual Cascade Equinox Festival wraps up in Redmond

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Thousands of concert-goers welcomed fall over the weekend in Redmond, bringing an expected multimillion-dollar boost to the economy. The three-day Cascade Equinox Festival wrapped up its second year at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond, where you got to experience multiple genres across five different stages. “I just really love the people that you meet,

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Hug run: Motorcycle riders deliver 3,400 kid-friendly stuffed animals to C.O. hospitals in 26th annual Teddy Bear Run

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The rumble of motorcycles and the warmth of stuffed animals combined in successful, heartwarming fashion yet again on Saturday as more than 100 riders took part in Central Oregon’s 26st annual Teddy Bear Run, distributing over 3,400 huggable new childhood friends to Central Oregon’s four hospitals. The riders gathered at Wild

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Crooked River Ranch hiker falls nearly 50 feet from Steelhead Falls trail, suffers life-threatening injuries

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) – An elderly Crooked River Ranch resident fell on a trail and tumbled nearly 50 feet down an embankment while hiking with his daughter at Steelhead Falls Sunday afternoon, suffering life-threatening injuries and prompting a rescue effort, officials said. The man was hiking a very familiar trail with his adult

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There was much more to enjoy beyond the music at the weekend’s second annual Cascade Equinox Festival in Redmond

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – There was a lot more than music from a wide variety of genres for thousands to enjoy at the weekend’s second annual Cascade Equinox Festival at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. Beyond the jam, funk, soul, electronic and bluegrass artists, there were workshops, a bath house, roller rink, carnival rides, a variety

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Desert Sky Montessori educator’s ‘Off-the-Grid Cooking’ project wins Voya’s $2,000 ‘Unsung Heroes’ grant

NEW YORK (KTVZ) — Voya Financial, Inc., a leading provider of retirement plans for educators, announced Monday that Casey Hayes, an assistant guide at Desert Sky Montessori School in Bend, has received a $2,000 grant as part of the company’s 2024 Unsung Heroes awards competition. Hayes is the only winner in the entire state of Oregon. For 28

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City of Bend is changing utility, engineering department names to be more clear, simple

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The City of Bend said Monday it is renaming the Utility Department to “Water Services Department,” and the Engineering and Infrastructure Planning Department to “Engineering Department,” to more simply reflect the services provided. The name “Water Services” reflects what the department provides. The Water Services Department manages all aspects of Bend’s

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Two-week-old, lightning-sparked Bachelor Complex, Flat Top and Firestone fires returning to local oversight

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Two weeks after a rash of lightning-sparked wildfires around the region, there were new signs of progress Sunday, as the three largest remaining blazes on the Deschutes National Forest are returning to local management. Officials said command of the Bachelor Complex would transition at 6 p.m. Sunday from the Northwest Complex

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