SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Condolences are being shared across Oregon’s political community following the death of former Oregon Senate President Gene Derfler at the age of 101. Derfler’s career spanned decades of public service and private accomplishment. A World War II Naval aviator, Derfler later became a successful Salem business owner before entering state politics.
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BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Strait of Hormuz is easy to miss on a world map, a narrow ribbon of water squeezed between Iran and Oman, but it carries an outsized share of the world’s oil and gas. Every day, tankers thread through designated “highways” on the water here, hauling roughly one‑fifth of global petroleum
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — White-nose syndrome – which has killed millions of bats across North America – has been detected for the first time in Oregon bats, found in Columbia and Benton counties, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said Wednesday. White-nose syndrome is caused by an infection with the fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans that disrupts hibernation,
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Oregon drivers now have have two weeks to remove studded tires to meet the Wednesday, April 1 deadline. ODOT is encouraging vehicle owners to not wait until the last minute to make the swap, as tire shops get very busy at this time of year. State law allows studded tires to
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By Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capital Chronicle Opponents of gas tax hikes are once again suing the state of Oregon over a law that rescheduled the date of a gas tax referendum from November to May. The Right to Vote on the Gas Tax Political Action Committee — organized by Sen. Bruce Starr, R-Dundee; Rep. Ed
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced Wednesday that he will hold 10 open-to-all town halls starting March 28 in Eastern, Central and Southern Oregon, as well as in the Columbia Gorge. His local town hall will be in Prineville on Wednesday, April 1. Heading into these 10 town halls from March 28-April
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The price tag for a new Interstate 5 bridge across the Columbia River, linking Washington and Oregon, has doubled to $14.4 billion and the timeline to get it built has slipped again.
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HAWTHORNE, Ca. (KTVZ) — As Central Oregon heads toward wildfire season, a new tool from Ring aims to give homeowners, renters and first responders an earlier heads-up when flames spark nearby. Ring, the company known for its smart doorbell cameras, has introduced “Fire Watch,” a feature in its app designed to detect signs of fire
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Spring break season is here, and Americans will pay the highest prices for gas for spring break since 2022. Crude oil prices have spiked due to the conflict in Iran and the halt of shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, and that’s resulting in skyrocketing gas prices. The national average has
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department announced Tuesday it will host “Yozakura,” which is a night viewing of the Akebono cherry blossoms, starting this weekend. The cherry blossoms will be illuminated from March 21st through April 4th in the North Mall at State Capitol State Park. They will be lit up
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Gas prices in Oregon have risen 95 cents in the past month due to global tensions, seasonal switch to summer-blend gasoline, and higher demand, causing families to adjust their spending habits and potentially impacting the cost of everyday goods.
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PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As Oregonians prepare for spring break travel and St. Patrick’s Day celebrations, the Oregon Health Authority is offering a few tips for making safe and healthy choices when it comes to alcohol use and transportation. Alcohol-impaired driving continues to be a serious safety concern in Oregon. In 2023, 200 people died in crashes involving a drunk driver in the state – about 34 percent of all
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PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Fire managers on the Ochoco National Forest said Monday they plan to conduct prescribed burning on the Crooked River National Grassland beginning around 10 a.m. Tuesday, pending all required approvals. The burn operations are expected to continue through Thursday, weather and conditions permitting, officials said. The project will treat about 267 acres in
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ASTORIA, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Coast Guard helicopter crew from Air Facility Newport rescued a hiker who was trapped on a cliff side at God’s Thumb in Lincoln City over the weekend. Watchstanders at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River were contacted Saturday by North Lincoln Fire and Rescue, who requested assistance removing a hiker from a cliff after it was determined they would be unable to safely conduct the operation using their high-angle
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During the most recent short legislative session, Oregon lawmakers in the House and Senate were asked to take more than 180 votes on their respective chamber floors, ultimately passing 143 new laws over 33 days dealing with taxes, spending on critical services, health care and more, according to data sets tracking the votes.
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Human Services said Friday it has published its fourth-quarter report that includes key data points and information showing progress and work under way to improve the state’s child welfare system. The report covers many aspects of that system, including the state’s child abuse hotline, child abuse and family needs
Continue ReadingBy Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle PORTLAND, Ore. — Oregon’s top election official and senior U.S. senator warned Friday that congressional Republicans’ efforts to end mail-in voting and impose strict voter ID requirements are voter suppression tactics disguised as election integrity. At a news conference in North Portland’s Albina Library, Sen. Ron Wyden and Secretary
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SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a coalition of 16 other attorneys general filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration today to block new data reporting requirements for colleges and universities. The legal challenge seeks to stop the Department of Education from collecting detailed student information that the coalition argues will
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WASHINGTON D.C. (KTVZ) — A bipartisan group of senators, including Oregon’s Jeff Merkley and Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, is demanding an independent audit of the Justice Department’s botched release of Jeffrey Epstein files. They’re accusing the DOJ of breaking federal law by shielding powerful names while exposing victims’ privacy. The Department of Justice published more than
Continue ReadingBy Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — A recently passed law that moves a citizen vote on new taxes and fees to pay for transportation to the May primary instead of the November general election does not violate the Oregon Constitution, a judge ruled Wednesday. Marion County Circuit Court Senior Judge David
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