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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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon housing starts increased by 11.3% year-over-year during the first half of 2026, marking a second consecutive year of statewide construction growth. The increase occurred as national housing production dropped by 1.3% over the same period. Gov. Tina Kotek announced the production figures, pointing to state administrative efforts to reduce regulatory
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OREGON (KTVZ) — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield is leading a coalition of 21 state attorneys general and the state of Pennsylvania in a lawsuit against federal agencies over demands for personal data belonging to 17 million commercial drivers. The legal challenge follows threats from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to withhold more than
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Governor Tina Kotek says the state will continue following medical guidance on childhood vaccinations, despite recent changes at the federal level. Governor Kotek says Oregon will continue to follow the American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommended childhood and adolescent immunization schedule. The West Coast Health Alliance, made up of Oregon, Washington,
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, launched his “Stop the Corruption” town hall tour in Bend, meeting with local residents to discuss concerns regarding federal government operations and policy. The town hall lasted close to an hour and drew a largely full audience. Central Oregon residents spoke with the senator on a range
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Oregon Congresswoman Janelle Bynum is introducing bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding investment options for credit unions. Bynum and Republican Congresswoman Young Kim of California introduced the Credit Union Investment Authorities Act. The bill would allow federally chartered credit unions to invest in corporate bonds and asset-backed securities. Supporters say that could help credit unions offer
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OREGON (KTVZ) — State and federal agencies are making multiple financial and technical assistance programs available to support Oregon communities, small businesses and agricultural producers affected by ongoing drought conditions. Find the full press release here. The available programs offer funding for local water infrastructure, drought mitigation planning and economic recovery. The resources include low-interest
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and New York Attorney General Letitia James led a coalition of 10 states in filing a lawsuit today against the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The legal action challenges a federal rule that invalidates state laws requiring mortgage lenders to pay interest on escrow
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REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Redmond City Council voted five-one today to advance a proposed ordinance that would establish a permanent ban on all fireworks. If enacted, the ordinance would change a long-standing tradition in the city. Under previous regulations, fireworks were banned every day except the Fourth of July. The push for a complete
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act passed the U.S. Senate, providing a tax exemption for wildfire survivors as Oregon faces its worst wildfire season in modern history. The legislation allows qualified relief payments to be excluded from federal taxable income, including funds received years after a disaster. The
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