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Oregon Capitol

Oregon’s top election officer says lawmakers can move up transportation referendum date – if they act quickly

By Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capitol Chronicle SALEM, Ore. — Democratic lawmakers and Gov. Tina Kotek have less than one month to pass a bill if they want to move a transportation funding referendum from November to May, according to Oregonโ€™s top election officer.ย  Deputy Secretary of State Michael Kaplan in a Wednesday afternoon memo said

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Deschutes County health data breach

Contractor data breach may have exposed the protected health info of thousands of Central Oregonians

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Thousands of Central Oregonians soon will receive letters in the mail to inform them of a data breach at TriZetto Provider Solutions last fall that may have exposed the personal health information of more than 700,000 people around the country. TPS is a third-party contractor that provides insurance-eligibility verification services to

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Legislative leaders hold press conference

On eve of Oregon Legislature’s short session, budget crisis and transportation funding top lawmakers’ agenda

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Starting Monday, legislators from across Oregon will gather in Salem for a 35-day “short session” sprint to tackle some of the stateโ€™s most pressing issues, from transportation funding to a deepening budget crisis and rising housing costs. The Oregon Legislature enters the session needing to fill a more than an $800

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DHS federal police protests Portland OCC

Fewer immigrants are seeking Oregon health care benefits under Trump

By Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM, Ore. — Thousands fewer people are receiving health care through a Medicaid-like Oregon program thatโ€™s open to income-eligible people regardless of immigration status than were six months ago, state data shows. Two years after its launch, the Healthier Oregon program reached peak enrollment of 107,000 people in June,

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Chewaucan River Fremont-Winema National Forest

Federal judge ends oft-used exemption to environmental review for logging on federal land

By Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM, Ore. — A 34-year-old rule exempting some commercial logging projects on federal lands from environmental review is unlawful, a federal judge recently ruled. Judge Michael McShane in the U.S. District Court in Medford earlier this month struck down the exemption, and with it, reversed recent approvals for three

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Bynum K-30 agenda

Rep. Janelle Bynum pitches patchwork ‘K-30’ plan to tackle generational affordability issues

By Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle WEST LINN, Ore.โ€” At a library in suburban West Linn, nursing students, millennial parents and recent high school graduates told their congresswoman they are struggling to reach a slate of traditional educational, professional and personal milestones due to a multi-generational affordability crisis in higher education, housing, health and child

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Central Oregon jobless rate Dec 2025

Central Oregon jobless rates hold steady as 2025 ends; region added 1,560 jobs over the past year

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon’s seasonally adjusted unemployment ratesย sawย very littleย movement from November to December, holding steady inDeschutes and Crook counties and falling slightly in Jefferson County, the state Employment Department reported Tuesday.ย ย  Here’s the agency’s complete regional report: Bend MSA (Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties):ย The Bendย MSAโ€™sย seasonally adjusted unemploymentย rateย remained unchanged over the month, at 5.0%.

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Click It or Ticket DCSO

Click It or Ticket: Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office launches seat belt, child car seat enforcement blitz

ย BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriffโ€™s Office are stepping up traffic enforcementย over the next two weeksย to keep families safe by ensuring drivers buckle up and children are properly secured in car seats.ย  From now through February 8, deputies will join law enforcement across the state in theย nationalย Click It or Ticketย campaign to

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Chris Dudley

Ex-Blazer Chris Dudley, who narrowly lost governor’s race in 2010, says he’s running again for GOP nomination

By Shaanth Nanguneri, Oregon Capital Chronicle PORTLAND, Ore. — Chris Dudley, the ex-Portland Trail Blazer who came closer than any Republican in decades to winning an Oregon governorโ€™s race, said Monday that he will run for the position once again, entering an increasingly crowded field for the upcoming May primary. Dudley made his announcement in

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Watch for smoke: Crooked River National Grassland plans pile burning near Skull Hollow Trail, Campground

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) โ€” The Crooked River National Grassland and Ochoco National Forest are planning prescribed fire operations this Tuesday at 10 a.m., pending all required approvals.Prescribed fires planned for the area include: Pace Jackpot burning project area, about 78 acres on the Crooked River National Grassland. The project area is primarily located around Skull Hollow

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Point in Count 2026

Homeless Leadership Coalition to begin week-long annual Point in Time Count across Central Oregon

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Homeless Leadership Coalition, Central Oregonโ€™s Continuum of Care, will be kicking off the annual Point in Time Count in Central Oregon onโ€ฏTuesday. The count is part of a state and national effort to identify the number of individuals experiencing homelessness.โ€ฏ HLC partners and volunteers will be counting sheltered and unsheltered homeless in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties,

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Governor Kotek Appoints Oregon Public Defense Commission Executive Director, photo credit Kelvin Watkins Photography via OPB

Governor Kotek appoints Ken Sanchagrin as Oregon Public Defense Commission Executive Director

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — On Friday, January 23rd, Governor Tina Kotek announced she has selected Ken Sanchagrin as the Oregon Public Defense Commission Executive Director, pending Senate confirmation. Sanchagrin was selected as the interim executive director in April 2025 by Governor Kotek. โ€œI am humbled by and appreciate the Governorโ€™s confidence in me,โ€ Sanchagrin said.

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