Month: April 2025

Dylan Anderman

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — In the wake of two tragic deaths at Mt. Bachelor in the past month — including the recent loss of a 13-year-old skier from Washington — experts are urging families and young skiers to take every possible safety precaution on the mountain.

Lauren Ringrose, a ski instructor based at Mt. Hood, works with young skiers every week on mountain safety — especially when it comes to skiing near trees and navigating unpredictable terrain.

“My advice for families and just young people skiing in general is obviously staying in control, being aware of your surroundings at all times,” Ringrose told KTVZ News. “We’re sharing the mountain with others, but there are other obstacles too in this variable terrain. Know your skill level, stick with runs that fit that, and ski with a buddy. And of course — wear a helmet and proper safety gear.”

Ringrose emphasizes that skiing among trees, while fun and challenging, requires specific preparation — especially for young or inexperienced skiers.

“When I take kids into the trees, I remind them to slow down, stay in control, and look ahead,” she explained. “It’s easy to look down at your skis and lose focus — but that’s when accidents happen.”

Ringrose says that skiing or snowboarding with limited knowledge of the terrain can be dangerous — especially for those visiting from out of state.

“Sometimes people don’t realize how extreme the terrain can be here in Oregon. We have really steep slopes and snow that’s very different than other regions.”

While Ringrose works at Mount Hood, she’s skied Mt. Bachelor many times — including the trail Dilly Dally Alley, where the most recent fatal accident occurred.

“Mount Bachelor is a fantastic place to learn to ski — especially on a powder day,” she said. “The trees can be fun — but when it’s icy, and you’re going too fast or don’t know how to control yourself, it becomes dangerous.”

Ringrose also urges all skiers and snowboarders to never go out alone.

“Mt. Bachelor is a big mountain, and like any mountain in the Pacific Northwest, the terrain can be variable and scary at times,” she said. “There are hazards like tree wells, avalanches, and, of course, trees. Skiing with a buddy can make all the difference — if something happens, they can contact ski patrol right away. Those few minutes could save a life.”

KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — For April’s Ask the Mayor of Bend segment, KTVZ News asked Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler your pressing questions on Thursday KTVZ News at Sunrise, on topics ranging from street sweeping hours to parking policies downtown.

Make sure to submit your questions for the mayor here for next month’s segment. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

And join us for Sunrise next Thursday for our Ask the Mayor of Redmond segment, with Mayor Ed Fitch answering your questions. Submit your questions here.

Isabella Warren

(Update: Adding video, comments from 911 dispatcher)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County is celebrating National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week to raise awareness of the invaluable work done by Deschutes 911, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

They’re called the unsung heroes of emergency services. The calm voice you hear in an emergency are often called “the first, first responders.”

“There’s a lot of really awesome benefits when we get to help someone or save a life that sticks with you and there’s definitely pride behind that,” dispatcher Hannah Wilkinson said Monday. “I think maybe there’s sometimes a fear behind calling, or a concern that it’s a bother to us. It’s absolutely not!.. That’s what we’re here for. We would rather you call the sooner we can get you help.”

Wilkinson has worked for the Deschutes County 911 dispatch for two years and says every day is different.

“We see a lot of traffic complaints, as well as domestic disputes and probably a rise in mental health crisis,” she said. “We have a great community crisis response team now that helps take a lot of that load off of the police department. And they do a really good job.”

The Deschutes 911 team is a group of highly trained telecommunicators who calmly guide callers through emergencies, relaying vital information to law enforcement, firefighters, mental health professionals, and emergency medical teams, ensuring that help arrives when it’s needed most.

“The county’s public safety telecommunicators are the unsung heroes in our community and an essential part of the emergency response system,” said Deschutes 9-1-1 Director Sara Crosswhite. “When someone calls 911, telecommunicators gather crucial information, dispatch the appropriate services and oftentimes provide life-saving instructions while help is on the way.”

In 2024, Deschutes 911 answered 273,337 calls, which equates to nearly 750 calls a day. Of those, 66,369 were for emergency situations and 206,968 were for non-emergency situations. Deschutes 9-1-1 dispatchers assisted in the birth of three babies last year.

Dispatcher Hannah Wilkinson told us: “We’re here to be the calm voice and hopefully guide people through the process when these emergencies are happening. These emergencies will happen no matter what, and so we’re just here to be the friendly voice on the other side of the phone.”

NPSTW has been an annual observance during the second week of April since 1981. Throughout the week, Deschutes 9-1-1 staff will participate in a variety of internal team-building activities and events to honor the members of their team.

As the county observes NPSTW, they encourage community members to express their gratitude and appreciation for the telecommunicators at Deschutes 9-1-1. Whether through writing a thank-you note or sharing a social media post, every gesture helps to show these dedicated professionals that their dedicated service does not go unnoticed.

Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding new video, comments from Governor Kotek and longtime Burns resident)

BURNS, Ore. (KTVZ) — As hard-hit Harney County begins to recover from historic floods, Governor Tina Kotek stressed the need for federal funding and urged President Donald Trump to officially declare a disaster. 

“We’re going to work on this together,” Kotek said Thursday in a media briefing with state Rep. Mark Owens (R-Crane) that was livestreamed by KTVZ News.  (You can watch the whole live stream above.)

The governor said she met with local officials about the efforts to get people back into their homes and temporary shelter needs while cleanup and repairs are underway. She also said they had a “long-term conversation about better flood mitigation in the future.” 

Kotek said she spoke with several of the hard-hit residents, one of whom has been at a Red Cross shelter since the first day and shared with her photos of their home. 

“It’s a really horrible feeling, to hear what people have gone through here,” she said. “We’re going to figure this out.”

And she added, “There was a real sense of community and help from their neighbors.” 

Longtime Burns resident Pat McDonald was one of hundreds who had her home flooded. Though it’s not the first time they’ve dealt with rising waters, this flood is the worst she’s ever seen.

“So we sandbagged everything – it still kept breaking through. The (Silvies) River was so intense, so hard that it was breaking through.”

McDonald also told KTVZ News she hopes Kotek comes up with a long-term plan, so residents don’t have to deal with floods every five years or so.

Cleanup and recovery efforts continued Friday across flood-stricken areas of Burns as the community kept a watchful eye on the still-high Silvies River amid warmer conditions. 

Here’s the Harney County Sheriff’s Office update for Thursday:

While Harney County has shifted toward a clean-up and recovery response, we continue to monitor for any potential new flooding. The National Weather Service indicates the Silvies River gauge will continue to hover around 12 feet, minor flood stage, due to warm temperatures. Because of this, evacuation levels remain unchanged. We ask residents to remain vigilant and be ready to evacuate if ordered to leave.

The reinforcement of Dike D was successfully completed earlier this week. According to the Army Corps of Engineers, the large, permeable rock used in the project could allow some water leak during another high-water event, but they emphasize that Dike D remains stable and structurally sound, even if water is observed seeping through the reinforced area. Harney County extends its gratitude and the Army Corps of Engineers, and supporting contractors, for responding and reinforcing the dike in a timely and thorough manner.

Cleanup efforts following the flood are underway. Teams from the Hines Fire Department, Hines Police Department, and the ODHS Office of Resilience and Emergency Management are actively canvassing affected neighborhoods, gather essential information to effectively coordinate recovery operations.

Public health officials continue to stress the serious health risks associated with floodwaters. Residents are urged to practice caution when in flooded or previously flooded areas. We are asking the public to refrain from taking flood-contaminated debris from local dumpsters due to potential health risks.

The City of Burns’ drinking water remains safe and unaffected.

On Thursday, Grocery Outlet donated approximately 140 pallets to store filled sandbags.

County Roads Update: OO Road (Double O Road) is down to one lane only.

For propane tank questions, Burns Fire Chief Scott Williamson recommends contacting Ed Staub & Sons, 429 Crane Blvd. in Burns.

For the latest information and a list of resources, including shelter, public health, road conditions and disposal information, please visit harneycountyor.gov/flood/ and our Facebook page.