Month: May 2025

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A former music teacher for the Bend La-Pine School district was sentenced to 20 years in prison Thursday following a multi-agency investigation regarding his online sexual abuse of children.

Erik Ekstrom, 37, was sentenced to a total of 240 months in prison (including time served), with three years of post-prison supervision, Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels said in a news release Friday, which continues below.

Mr. Ekstrom also will be required to register as a sex offender. The sentence was imposed by the Honorable Wells B. Ashby following Mr. Ekstrom’s guilty pleas to two counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, two counts of Encouraging Child Sexual Abuse in the Second Degree, one count of Using a Child in a Display of Sexually Explicit Conduct and one count of Luring a Minor.

In 2022, the Oregon Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force received a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip was from Snapchat, which reported that an account in Deschutes County had shared child sexual abuse material (CSAM) with another user.

Detectives from the Bend Police Department were able to trace the upload to Mr. Ekstrom’s residence. At the time of the tip, Mr. Ekstrom was employed by the Bend-La Pine school district as a music teacher. He taught at Summit High School, Cascade Middle School and Pacific Crest Middle School.

Further investigation showed that Mr. Ekstrom, using pseudonyms, solicited and enticed children as young as 13 years old to engage in sexual acts online. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security was able to locate several victims around the country and the world.

Gunnels said the District Attorney’s Office would like to thank the Bend Police Department for its thorough investigation. The investigation was led by Detective Ian Macdonell.

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Harley Coldiron

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — After six months of being an empty storefront, the former Shari’s location on Bend’s northside will soon once again be a casual place to dine in and eat – with deep roots in Oregon. Compass Commercial, who owns the property off of Highway 97, confirmed to KTVZ News that Elmer’s Restaurants has leased the location.

The website for the group of Elmer’s Restaurants lists their location in Bend, and says it’s set to open in September of this year.

Starting as Elmer’s Colonial Pancake House in Portland way back in 1960, the company has since grown to 29 locations, but has maintained deep roots to Oregon and the Northwest.

KTVZ News has observed crews working on the location all week. Our cameras captured caution tape all around the building and a sign saying, “This building is closed for remodel.”

Elmer’s website notes the many Pacific Northwest vendors they use and the value in “delivering seasonally fresh entrees and premium, made-from-scratch favorites served with care in a warm, inviting family atmosphere.”

They are well known for their pancakes and use Walt Elmer’s original recipe from 1960. Though they serve breakfast all day, they also have a lunch and dinner menu.

The restaurant franchise has locations in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, California and Arizona.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Beginning the first week of June, Central Oregon Irrigation District will begin fire fuels reduction work on a 150-acre property in southwest Bend. The heavily vegetated site, located in the steep Deschutes River Canyon, is owned by COID and borders densely developed residential areas.

The project is being conducted to reduce wildfire risk and create defensible space for key COID infrastructure and the surrounding community, in compliance with City of Bend code requirements and in coordination with local fire and forestry experts.

“These fuel breaks will reduce fuel, reduce fire risk, and improve forest health,” said Nate Goodwin, International Society of Arboriculture Certified Arborist with Timber Stand Improvement.

COID has owned and managed the property since the early 1900s.

“This is about protecting our infrastructure and being a good neighbor,” said COID Managing Director Craig Horrell. “With the growth in Bend and increasing wildfire risks, this kind of mitigation work is essential.”

The property houses critical components of COID’s water delivery system, including the diversion point for the Central Oregon Canal, pipelines, a forebay structure, and the district’s siphon hydropower facility.

COID also partners with the Bend Park and Recreation District to manage the trail system that runs through the property for public use. The agencies are working together to post trail closure signage at appropriate locations, as well as communicating to the public about the planned closures.

COID will establish two shaded fuel breaks, one near the top of the canyon and one along the canal access road and pipeline. Treatments will include selective tree thinning (10

foot spacing), limbing lower branches to a height of six to eight feet, and the removal of ladder fuels. COID collaborated with Bend Fire & Rescue, the Deschutes County Forester, and Timber Stand Improvement to develop the project plan.

“I have toured the property with COID staff and Nate Goodwin, Certified Arborist with Timber Stand Improvement,” said Bend Fire & Rescue Fire Inspector Melissa Steele. “The property is densely overgrown with immature trees, ladder fuels, and low-hanging branches. Given the surrounding development, it’s in our community’s best interest to mitigate fire risk. Bend Fire & Rescue fully supports this project.”

Work along the COID access road and pipeline will begin in early June and is expected to take approximately three weeks. During this time, the access road and other areas of the property will be closed to the public. COID and BPRD requests that community members respect these closures for safety.

For updates or questions, please contact COID at 541-548-6047.

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