Deschutes County commissioners on Tuesday morning chose – on a split vote – Sheriff’s Office Detective and Special Services Commander Ty Rupert to serve as interim sheriff through next year’s election, after Thursday’s retirement of embattled Sheriff Kent van der Kamp.
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Corrections said Tuesday it “has taken major steps to improve health care services for adults in custody following a thorough investigation conducted by the Department of Justice, at DOC Director Michael Reese’s request.” Here’s the full announcement – we’ll have more from a Tuesday afternoon media briefing on
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — In a unified call to action, the Association of Oregon Counties, the League of Oregon Cities and Oregon AFSCME sent a joint letter to Governor Tina Kotek, Senate President Rob Wagner, and House Speaker Julie Fahey, urging both immediate and long-term action to stabilize statewide transportation funding. The joint letter, sent
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) (KTVZ) — Last week, Governor Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 1154 and House Bill 3525 into law, two pieces of legislation which she said take essential steps forward to address water quality and transparency concerns, while protecting the health of all Oregonians.“There is no more essential public resource than water,” Governor Kotek
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REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — There will be plenty of friendly animals on display at this week’s Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo, but only one “Super COW” – and this tall addition is all about the cellphone in your pocket. AT&T says it’s bringing its largest “Super COW” (Cell on Wheels) to the Deschutes County Fairgrounds
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act, passed by the Legislature in 2021, officially took effect on July 1. With this new change, residents can now recycle food and beverage cartons, pizza boxes and small scrap metal (less than 10 pounds) in their curbside carts, county officials said in a news
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HILLSBORO, Ore. (KTVZ) — Governor Tina Kotek on Monday commemorated the signing of House Bill 2138, House Bill 3031, House Bill 2258, Senate Bill 684, and House Bill 3145, “bipartisan bills aimed at building the housing that Oregonians need with the urgency they deserve.” “These bills are an essential component of the Governor’s work to break down barriers to more
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(Update: three missing children located) SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The three young children who went missing with their mother in Bend earlier this week have been found, according to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. The children were found at a residence in Klamath County following an extensive search effort led by the DSCO, with assistance
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SALEM, Oregon (KTVZ) — The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department wants to better understand the public’s values and priorities for the future of state parks through a new survey as it launches a strategic initiative to reimagine how parks are funded, operated and supported. OPRD faces a potential 14% budget shortfall for park operations by
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regon Governor Tina Kotek said Friday she has directed the Department of Land Conservation and Development to pause farm stand rulemaking and reassess next steps amid criticism about the potential impacts of planned rule changes.
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SEATTLE (KTVZ) — A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter crew evacuated an ill Canadian crew member from a fishing vessel about 180 miles west of Astoria on Thursday. A Royal Canadian Air Force CC-295 Kingfisher crew from 19 Wing Comox in British Columbia, provided assistance overhead with weather reporting and communications, the Coast Guard said Friday. Watchstanders
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BEAVERTON, Ore. (KTVZ) — Governor Tina Kotek on Thursday signed House Bill 3940 into law, bipartisan legislation that funds more tools for wildfire suppression, mitigation and prevention work across Oregon. “Oregonians are paying the price of delayed action in smoke-choked summers, forest loss and displacement,” Governor Kotek said. “Fire suppression is not enough. To protect
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The board of the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training voted Wednesday to accept a committee recommendation and revoke Sheriff Kent van der Kamp’s police certification permanently. But it won’t happen before his planned retirement next week, because he is contesting the decision, prompting a long appeal process.
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(Update: Adding video) BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday appointed seven community members to serve on the county’s District Mapping Advisory Committee. The committee will draft a commissioner district map, which will first be considered by the Board before being put to Deschutes County voters as a ballot measure
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(Update: Adding video) TIGARD, Ore. (KTVZ) — Governor Tina Kotek commemorated Thursday the signing of House Bill 3644, which establishes an ongoing, statewide shelter program in Oregon, with the goal of reducing unsheltered homelessness and helping people transition from homelessness into housing stability. The bill includes $204.9 million for the next two years of the program.
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(Update: Adding video) SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — One day after calling a special session of the Oregon Legislature, Governor Tina Kotek laid out her proposals for a six-cent gas tax increase, as well as higher vehicle registration fees, to fill the Department of Transportation’s funding gap and prevent major layoffs and service cutbacks. Having called
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The Oregon Health Authority is marking the third anniversary of 988 — the three-digit number that anyone can call, text or chat when in need of mental health support. We are speaking Wednesday with Deschutes County health officials about how it’s helping locally
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(Update: Adding video) La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A La Pine-area man was arrested Tuesday on charges of illegal marijuana manufacturing in a raid on a property that turned up two large, disassembled marijuana grows. Around 7:45 a.m. on Tuesday, detectives with the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement (DCIMME) team, assisted by the Central
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Auditors with the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office found $1.4 million in potentially wasteful payments within the Preschool Promise Program, Secretary of State Tobias Read announced Wednesday. “As a dad, I know quality child care is hard to find, much less afford, which is why it’s frustrating when programs like this aren’t delivering
Continue ReadingGovernor Tina Kotek announced Tuesday that she is using her constitutional authority to call a special session of the Oregon Legislature to begin on Friday, August 29, for lawmakers to take up legislation to pay for basic road maintenance and operations at the Oregon Department of Transportation, as well as address funding needs for local governments and transit districts.
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