Central Oregon Archives

DCSO deputy fires GPS tag to track stolen pickup; residents E. of Bend alerted to manhunt that ended in man’s arrest

July 12, 2024 9:03 pm Barney Lerten

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – An attempted traffic stop in Redmond Friday afternoon turned into a brief pursuit of a stolen pickup, the use of a remotely…

Deschutes National Forest, Prineville BLM lift remaining Darlene 3 Fire area closures, but caution urged

July 10, 2024 11:35 am Isabella Warren

Fire season is in full force, as several large blazes over the past two weeks have shown. But regular, ongoing efforts by the Bureau of Land…

Major Bend HS upgrade proceeds with demolition as engineers investigate auditorium wall damage

July 10, 2024 4:47 pm Matthew Draxton

A leak in a fire sprinkler system for the Bend High School auditorium led to discovery of a damaged exterior wall, prompting restricted access to…

Bend man charged with stalking, harassing and threatening several women; police seek any other possible victims

July 12, 2024 4:51 pm Barney Lerten

A Bend man was arrested this week in the west Bend Safeway parking lot, accused of harassing and stalking several women in Central Oregon and…

City of Bend outlines details of three-stage water curtailment plan, should a serious emergency ever strike

July 12, 2024 1:53 pm KTVZ news sources

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The City of Bend said Friday it wants to inform the community that it has a three-stage water curtailment plan that water…

Juniper Fire, sparked by Hwy. 97 vehicle fire at Juniper Butte, declared fully contained after burning 628 acres

July 9, 2024 1:27 pm Barney Lerten, Isabella Warren

A vehicle fire along U.S. Highway 97 at Juniper Butte sparked a wind-fanned brush fire Wednesday afternoon that quickly grew to more than 600 acres,…

Bend man billed almost $69,000 by Oregon Dept. of Forestry for Bend’s 2021 Bull Springs Fire, but has yet to pay

July 11, 2024 11:59 am Matthew Draxton

The Oregon Department of Forestry has billed property owner James Verheyden almost $69,000 for the costs of fighting the March 2021 Bull Springs Fire…

‘It’s as dry as I’ve ever seen it’: USFS recorded 100 human-caused fires since June – and now, C.O. dry lightning threat

July 11, 2024 1:12 pm Barney Lerten

Since June, there have been 100 human-caused wildfires on national forests and grasslands in Oregon and Washington, Forest Service officials said…

Redmond PD release dramatic bodycam video of officers kicking in door, rescuing 5 people from burning home

July 11, 2024 11:05 am Barney Lerten

Redmond Police released dramatic bodycam video Thursday of officers rushing to, then kicking in the door of a burning home to awaken and rescue five…

Ask the Mayor: Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler answers your questions about kids on e-bikes, loud cars and more

July 11, 2024 10:44 am KTVZ News Team

In this month’s Ask the Mayor segment, Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler answers viewer questions about kids on e-bikes, loud vehicles, helping small…

As C.O. fire danger grows, Industrial Fire Precaution levels rise on Forest Service, BLM and ODF-protected lands

July 10, 2024 1:36 pm KTVZ news sources

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Beginning Saturday at 12:01 a.m., all lands managed by the Deschutes and Ochoco national forests and the Prineville District of…

‘Sales have gone down:’ Food cart workers, owners are fighting to stay open and safe in lingering heat wave

July 10, 2024 11:59 am Matthew Draxton

With several days of record-breaking heat hitting Central Oregon, food cart operators and their workers are among those being impacted by even higher…

Bend Airport upgrades in the works to improve safety and revamp equipment

July 2, 2024 10:44 pm Kelsey McGee

The Bend Municipal Airport, along with eight others in Oregon, are getting federal money for safety upgrades. Bend’s general aviation airport has…

Deschutes commissioners vote 3-0 to begin talks to acquire Moon Pit for new landfill – but no one’s about to write a check

July 10, 2024 3:22 pm Barney Lerten

Deschutes County commissioners voted unanimously Wednesday to begin negotiations with Hooker Creek to purchase the Moon Pit site east of Bend for the…

Deschutes County commissioners OK $320,000 in funding for new workforce housing pilot program

July 10, 2024 10:17 am KTVZ news sources

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County commissioners have unanimously approved $320,000 in funding for a new pilot program that encourages builders to…

Working through a heat wave: How CO.’s outdoor jobs are being affected by the sizzling high temperatures

July 9, 2024 4:49 pm Matthew Draxton

With record-breaking heat beating down on Central Oregonians, its tough to keep cool, – especially if you work outside. NewsChannel 21 looked…

Survey of over 1,000 Central Oregonians by OSU-Cascades, OHSU affirms link between community belonging, health

July 9, 2024 9:03 pm KTVZ news sources

A survey of more than 1,000 Central Oregonians found that community belonging is an important determinant of physical and mental health, researchers…

Police seek tips after Sunriver Utilities worker finds cardboard box with several deceased puppies inside

July 9, 2024 8:02 pm KTVZ news sources

SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) – Sunriver Police turned to the public seeking information Tuesday after a Sunriver Utilities Co. worker found a cardboard…

Think Wild in Bend rehabilitating two orphaned river otter pups, hopes to build aquatic mammal enclosure

July 9, 2024 3:17 pm Barney Lerten

Central Oregon wildlife hospital Think Wild said Tuesday it’s rehabilitating two orphaned North American river otter pups after a park ranger found…

‘People are concerned’: C.O. lawmakers, political analyst weigh in on President Biden’s capacities following debate

July 9, 2024 11:59 am Isabella Warren

Oregon lawmakers and others are weighing in on President Biden’s reelection campaign as the conventions and November election loom, amid growing…