Central Oregon Archives

Central Oregon wildfire update: Progress on several fronts, no significant fire starts Thursday

July 26, 2024 2:09 pm KTVZ news sources

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch reported no new significant fire starts Thursday, a welcome piece of good news among over…

New Sisters roundabout opens to all traffic Monday evening, but there’s still some work to do

July 26, 2024 10:29 am KTVZ news sources

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The roundabout at U.S. Highway 20 and Locust Street will open to all traffic next Monday evening, ODOT said Friday. Officials…

Our Jillian Fortner gets to fly high at Balloons Over Bend

July 26, 2024 9:50 am Jillian Fortner

Our Jillian Fortner got to check out Balloons Over Bend go up in the CAVU balloon with experienced balloonist Darren Kling and learned a lot about…

‘Transitional period is pretty rough,’ but Bend businesses optimistic about Hwy. 97 southbound lanes opening

July 22, 2024 3:32 pm Matthew Draxton

On Friday evening, southbound traffic on U.S. Highway 97 on the north side of Bend will be permanently shifted to the newly built southbound Bend…

Bend repeat offender gets 20-year federal prison term for seeking explicit image online from ‘teen’ who was detective

July 25, 2024 5:45 pm KTVZ news sources

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) —A Deschutes County sex offender with a prior felony conviction for encouraging child sex abuse was sentenced to a 20-year…

‘Our resources are completely spread thin’: Oregon Dept. of Forestry, C.O. agencies say mega-fires are straining state

July 25, 2024 11:28 am Isabella Warren

One of Oregon’s largest wildfires of recent weeks, the nearly 2-week-old Lone Rock Fire, recently reached “mega-fire” status, meaning it’s burned…

Ochoco National Forest closes Paulina Ranger District due to wildfire activity; Malheur Forest took similar step earlier

July 25, 2024 4:15 pm KTVZ - News Team

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Due to ongoing wildfire activity, the Ochoco National Forest announced Thursday it’s implementing a closure of Paulina…

Mt. Bachelor to cut ribbon next week on resort’s first easy hiking, downhill biking mixed-use trail, Evergreen

July 25, 2024 3:26 pm KTVZ news sources

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Mt. Bachelor, a ski and snowboard resort seeking to further grow its summertime “off-season” activities, announced Thursday that…

Bend man and woman face arson, other charges; police say they set ex-roommate’s car ablaze as she slept inside

July 25, 2024 1:40 pm Barney Lerten

Two Bend residents face first-degree arson and other charges, one accused of smashing an ex-roommate’s car window with a baseball bat while she was…

City of Prineville invited community out to meet three candidates vying to be next police chief

July 24, 2024 11:46 pm Tracee Tuesday

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – The City of Prineville is looking for a new police chief. At Ron’s Comfort Food Café, community members were invited…

‘Sunshine for your soul’: Bend artist’s latest work isn’t on a wall – it’s on a stairway in the Old Mill District

July 24, 2024 10:49 pm KTVZ news sources

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A new street mural by Bend artist Evan Namkung now greets visitors to the Old Mill District from a unique perspective. Located…

Central Oregon fires grow fast in hot, windy weather: Crazy Creek Fire doubles to 10,000 acres, new evacuations

July 24, 2024 1:31 pm KTVZ news sources

Central Oregon firefighters continued in Wednesday’s hot, windy conditions to battle several large fast-moving fires burning around the region among…

Small brush fire stopped by Deschutes River in Bend; specific human cause unknown, but campers were told to move

July 24, 2024 8:02 pm Barney Lerten

Firefighters quickly put out a small brush fire along the Deschutes River Trail downstream from Bend’s First Street Rapids Wednesday afternoon.…

‘My world could potentially collapse:’ C.O. resident frustrated by Paid Leave Oregon’s wait times for benefits

July 24, 2024 11:58 am Matthew Draxton

Central Oregon resident Liz Grotzsky reached out to NewsChannel 21 about her frustrations with Paid Leave Oregon for still not receiving benefits…

‘We need every type of housing’: City of Bend offers look at housing units created over the past 20 years, recent trends

July 24, 2024 11:44 am Kelsey McGee

The city of Bend recently shared numbers on the city’s trends in housing production, a presentation on the number of new housing units created and of…

Kotek declares Conflagration Act for Durkee, Battle Mtn. fires, deploys Oregon National Guard to help with blazes

July 24, 2024 2:22 pm KTVZ news sources

CONDON, Ore. (KTVZ) — Here’s Wednesday’s official updates on several of the large fires burning across Oregon: Governor Kotek Invokes the Emergency…

Pacific Power advises nearly 7,000 SW Bend customers of planned 15-minute ’emergency service interruption’

July 24, 2024 4:09 pm KTVZ news sources

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Pacific Power notified nearly 7,000 southwest Bend customers Wednesday of an emergency service interruption planned for about…

Bend dispensary robber who police say tried to shoot worker, but gun malfunctioned charged with attempted murder

July 23, 2024 8:56 pm Barney Lerten

A gunman robbing a northeast Bend marijuana dispensary Tuesday afternoon struck an employee in the face and tried to fire two shots at her, but the…

DEQ issues air quality advisory for Deschutes, Crook and other counties due to wildfires burning across the state

July 24, 2024 11:01 am KTVZ news sources

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality issued an air quality advisory Wednesday “until further notice” for Deschutes…

Bend man accused of distributing child sex abuse material from child care facility pleads not guilty; Oct. 1 trial date set

July 24, 2024 12:25 am KTVZ news sources

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Bend man who was living at a licensed day care facility at the time of his arrest in late May pleaded not guilty Monday to 20…