Central Oregon Archives

Riding high: Lynsey and Dylan take a pair of camels for a spin on opening day of the Deschutes County Fair

July 30, 2025 5:20 pm Barney Lerten

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — If variety is indeed the spice of life, you’re in for a spicy treat at this year’s 105th Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo. A…

Habitat for Humanity opens applications for first four affordable homes in north La Pine’s new Park View neighborhood

July 30, 2025 4:49 pm Barney Lerten

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Habitat for Humanity of La Pine-Sunriver said Wednesday it’s now accepting applications for the first four affordable homes…

Runaway rooster rescued: Deschutes County sheriff’s sergeant goes beak-to-beak, avoids fowl play

July 30, 2025 3:52 pm Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Rooster wrangling is not part of many folks’ typical workday, but a Deschutes County sheriff’s sergeant’s helpful actions this…

More lightning brings new wildfires around Central Oregon, the largest at about 27 acres, as stormy weather lingers

July 30, 2025 2:11 pm Barney Lerten

A new fire, Incident 667, was reported late Wednesday morning southwest of Mackey Mountain in the southeast corner of Crook County.
By mid-afternoon,…

Mt. Bachelor partners with St. Charles to offer medical services at mountain clinic

July 30, 2025 1:34 pm Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Starting this winter, health care providers from St. Charles will begin offering services to guests and employees of Mt.…

Small Business Spotlight: Big Ed’s Artisan Bread brings fresh-baked goods to Central Oregon

July 30, 2025 11:51 am Kelsey Merison

You can find Big Ed’s in more than 150 spots across Central Oregon and…

Update: $300,000 garage-shop fire in Woodside Ranch appears to be accidental, but exact cause undetermined

July 28, 2025 7:22 pm Gregory Deffenbaugh, Tracee Tuesday

The fire that destroyed a garage/shop in Woodside Ranch south of Bend Monday evening appears to have been accidental in nature, but the damage was…

‘Big day for our community’: Newly chosen Interim Sheriff Ty Rupert highlights his hopes for his new position

July 29, 2025 9:41 am KTVZ

Deschutes County commissioners on Tuesday morning chose – on a split vote – Sheriff’s Office Detective and Special Services Commander Ty Rupert to…

DCSO Search and Rescue hikers Chush Falls

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers come to the aid of 2 ill hikers on a trail south of Sisters

July 29, 2025 5:33 pm Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video) SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Nearly a dozen Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers came to the aid of two hikers…

El Sancho reopens on Bend’s eastside, after a kitchen fire closed the restaurant for more than a year

July 29, 2025 5:20 pm Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — One of Bend’s favorite places to grab a taco and a margarita has just reopened its eastside location with a colorful new look,…

Lightning sparks 14 fires across Central Oregon; 12 are caught fast, crews still fighting 2 as more storms are due

July 29, 2025 12:28 pm Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Storms rumbling through Central Oregon Monday brought hundreds of lightning strikes that have ignited more than a dozen fires so…

It’s been a hot summer, but Oregon, Bend gas prices remain ‘cool as a cucumber,’ AAA reports

July 29, 2025 3:21 pm Barney Lerten

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Temperatures are warm, but gas prices are relatively cool. Most states, including Oregon, are seeing fairly stable prices…

A ‘Super COW’ at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds will help handle the extra cellphone call load this busy season

July 28, 2025 7:10 pm Barney Lerten

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — There will be plenty of friendly animals on display at this week’s Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo, but only one “Super…

Missing dog rescued on rock island in middle of Deschutes River

Partially blind, deaf dog runs away on a walk by the Deschutes River, sparks Bend community search that ends happily

July 28, 2025 6:31 pm Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — What began as a peaceful morning walk turned into a 12-hour rescue mission in Bend on Saturday that showed the community coming…

Newberry Regional Partnership develops 5-year plan to tackle homelessness, education, wildfire risk and more

July 21, 2025 6:24 pm KTVZ

Over the course of nearly two years, the Newberry Regional Partnership surveyed the community on top issues. The group has established a five-year…

Here comes the fun! Preparing for this week’s 105th Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo

July 28, 2025 6:06 pm Tyson Beauchemin

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Wednesday marks the start of the Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo. Through next Sunday, you can enjoy games, food, rides,…

Rare, orphaned flying squirrel rescued, is being cared for by Think Wild in Bend

July 28, 2025 2:37 pm Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Think Wild, Central Oregon’s wildlife hospital and conservation center, said Monday it recently admitted an orphaned northern…

Home damaged by fire off Highway 26 near Madras

Fire heavily damages home south of Madras, closes U.S. Highway 26 for a time

July 27, 2025 7:39 pm Gregory Deffenbaugh, Tracee Tuesday

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — .A fire Sunday afternoon heavily damaged a home atop a hill off U.S. Highway 26 south of Madras, and water shuttles to fight…

‘That shouldn’t happen again’: Local man recalls family’s tragic loss at Dillon Falls, wants to see cable across river

July 28, 2025 11:45 am Claire Elmer

Following the recent tragic accident at Dillon Falls just outside of Bend, the public is questioning why a barrier of sorts does not exist to prevent…

Greener days: Deschutes County residents are now able to recycle more items curbside, under a new state law

July 28, 2025 1:14 pm Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act, passed by the Legislature in 2021, officially took effect on July…