Gov. Tina Kotek ordered flags at Oregon public institutions to be flown at half-staff today, Sept. 2, in honor of Paiute Chief Joseph Moses of the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. Moses passed away on Aug. 27. Moses served as Chief starting in July 2001 and continued to serve on the Confederated Tribes of Warm
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — KTVZ News is launching a series of debates and town halls for the 2026 midterm election as well as participating in multiple candidate forums with the League of Women Voters. The coverage will feature locally produced events giving voters direct access to candidates running for local, state and federal offices. KTVZ
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The local candidate field is set, and preparations are underway in Deschutes County for the November general election.Deschutes County Clerk Steve Dennison says the slate of local candidates was finalized Tuesday afternoon, marking another step in the process of preparing ballots for voters this fall.“Everything as of Tuesday afternoon at 5
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(KTVZ) — The U.S. Department of Justice filed lawsuits Thursday against Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, and Washington over state laws that grant in-state tuition and financial aid to undocumented students. The four new filings bring the department’s total number of legal challenges against state-level tuition policies for illegal aliens to 21. According to the complaints,
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz held a town hall meeting in Prineville, Ore., to speak with local residents about the Rowe Creek Complex fire and hear about its impacts. The meeting lasted for more than 2 hours. The gathering marked Bentz’s fifth fire-related town hall as he has traveled across his district.
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REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Redmond City Council has passed a total ban on the use and sale of fireworks following a second reading. The council voted 5-1 in favor of the measure. The city considered the ban this month following a public hearing where several residents raised complaints. First responders reported to the council
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DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners and County Administration welcomed the Deschutes County College Class of 2026 yesterday. The free, 10-week program provides local residents with an inside look at county government operations. Classes take place on Tuesday evenings from August through October. The curriculum covers a broad range of
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Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed a lawsuit in federal court today challenging a new U.S. Postal Service rule that restricts mail-in ballot delivery to voters on a federal list. Rayfield is joined in the legal action by a coalition of 23 states, the District of Columbia and the Governor of
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(Update: adding video) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — For many American ranchers, higher beef prices at the grocery store haven’t necessarily translated to bigger profits. Central Oregon farmer Chris Casad, owner of Casad Family Farms, says what producers earn for their cattle has only recently started catching up with decades of low prices and the rising
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A proposed amendment to the Oregon Constitution that would protect hunting, fishing, farming, ranching and trapping has advanced to its next legal phase after gathering the required signatures. The Oregon Secretary of State’s office sent Initiative Petition 25 to the state Attorney General to draft the official ballot title and summary
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Thirty years after the Skeleton Fire burned more than 17,000 acres southeast of Bend, local fire agencies are urging Central Oregon residents to prepare for ongoing wildfire threats. Bend Fire & Rescue and the Deschutes Rural Fire Protection District #two highlighted the anniversary to remind property owners that emergency preparedness plays
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REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Republican gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan met with local business leaders and workers during a campaign stop in Redmond on Wednesday. The event lasted nearly 2 hours as Drazan spoke directly with Central Oregon community members. The gathering covered a range of statewide issues, including education, the business climate and voting. Drazan
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OREGON (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Aviation and the Oregon Department of Emergency Management are issuing a joint warning instructing drone operators to avoid flying over or near active wildfires. Unauthorized drone flights force emergency aircraft to halt operations, delaying fire suppression efforts and increasing risks to crews, nearby communities and infrastructure. Firefighting planes
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz will host a town hall meeting on Aug. 27, in Prineville. The public gathering will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Barnes Butte Elementary School. The meeting will focus on recent firefighting efforts and Wildfire Recovery Assistance Programs in Crook County. Attendees will also
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Federal authorities are warning the public about the dangers and illegal nature of pointing lasers at aircraft following recent reports of laser strikes on flights near Madras and Bend. Aiming a laser at an aircraft is a federal crime that carries penalties ranging from substantial fines to up to 20 years
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OREGON (KTVZ) — Right now, the Trump Administration is moving to end a decades-old rule protecting millions of acres of undeveloped national forest land, including roughly two million acres here in Oregon. The U.S. Forest Service is proposing to rescind the 2001 Roadless Area Conservation Rule. The rule limits road construction, logging, and other development across nearly
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WASHINGTON D.C. (KTVZ) — U.S. Democratic Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley demanded today that federal health and homeland security agencies immediately stop transferring Medicaid data to immigration enforcement officials following acknowledged court order violations. The demand follows an acknowledgment by the Department of Health and Human Services that it transferred protected Medicaid information—including records
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OREGON (KTVZ) Oregon Senator Ron Wyden is demanding answers about a $2 million payment made to a company connected to President Trump. Wyden is asking the commerce department to provide information about its relationship with South Korean company Base Group. Trump’s 2026 financial disclosure shows Base Group paid $2 million last year to the President’s
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OREGON (KTVZ) — Senior Oregon National Guard leaders traveled to the Grasshopper Fire camp near Tygh Valley today to visit Air National Guard members supporting wildland firefighting operations and thank them for their service. The Grasshopper Fire has burned more than 90,000 acres and was 47% contained as of yesterday. The fire camp supporting response
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Gov. Tina Kotek has proclaimed August 2026 as National Emergency Management Awareness Month in Oregon. The campaign, led statewide by the Oregon Department of Emergency Management, aims to recognize emergency managers and highlight community disaster preparedness. The state campaign aligns with a national effort organized by the International Association of Emergency
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