Month: September 2025

Barney Lerten

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Several pets perished and six people were displaced by a two-alarm fire at a southwest Redmond apartment complex early Wednesday morning.

Redmond Fire & Rescue crews were sent around 6:40 a.m. to a fire reported in the Greystone Apartments in the 900 block of Southwest 11th Street, Fire Marshal and Public Information Officer Tom Mooney said.

 Redmond Police officers were the first to arrive and found heavy flames showing from the windows of one unit, Mooney said. They quickly began evacuations of the surrounding buildings and other apartment units. 

“As fire crews arrived on scene, they were met with heavy fire conditions and quickly deployed hose lines to contain the fire to the one unit,” Mooney said in a news release.

Due to the heavy flames and involvement of the building, the incident commander requested more units, bringing the assignment to a second alarm. It was determined that all residents had safely escaped the uni, but it was determined that some pets were still inside.

Mooney said, “Fire crews made an aggressive interior attack to control the fire’s spread to other parts of the building and to search for anyone one still inside the unit.”

“Even though fire crews were able to knock the fire down quickly, unfortunately two dogs and multiple reptiles, along with pet rats perished in the fire,” the fire marshal added.

Fire investigators determined the cause to be combustible material left on top of the range top, Mooney said. 

A total of six people from three units were displaced due to the fire and have located other places to stay in the meantime, the fire official said.

“Redmond Fire & Rescue would like to remind you to never store combustible material on top of any type of stove, electric or gas, or use your oven as a place for storage,” Mooney said.

The fire marshal also said that “Redmond Fire & Rescue would like to thank Bend Fire & Rescue, Cloverdale RFPD, Redmond Police and Redmond Public Works for their assistance.”

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Barney Lerten

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — Oregon’s U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced Wednesday that the Federal Aviation Administration is investing more than $18.3 million into five airports throughout Oregon through the Airport Improvement Program, including $3.93 million for Bend Municipal Airport projects.

“Our regional airports are vital hubs for Oregonians, supporting local businesses and providing essential lifelines during natural disasters,” Merkley said in a news release. “Investing in critical airport improvements like taxiways and lighting strengthens our infrastructure. I’ll continue to fight for federal investments to improve the efficiency and safety of Oregon’s airports, benefitting the folks who rely on them for business, travel, and so much more.”

“Oregonians depend on reliable infrastructure projects like these to support small businesses, emergency responses, and safe travel,” Wyden said. “I’ll continue to fight for important and sensible laws like the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law that maintain critical infrastructure and provide necessary enhancements to local airports throughout the state to keep Oregon products and Oregonians moving safely.”

The AIP grant program funds airport infrastructure projects, such as improvements to runways, taxiways, passenger boarding bridges, airport signage, airport lighting, and airport markings to strengthen our nation’s aviation infrastructure.

The latest awards from the Federal Aviation Administration to Oregon airports are:

Portland-Hillsboro Airport: $7,095,483 for taxiway reconstruction.

Bend Municipal Airport: $3,930,621 for taxiway reconstruction and taxiway lighting.

Scappoose Airport: $3,841,517 for runway reconstruction and taxiway lighting.

Crater Lake-Klamath Regional Airport: $3,134,969 for taxiway reconstruction.

Ken Jernstedt Airfield in Hood River: $350,000 for taxiway construction.

Bend Airport Manager Tracy Williams said, “The Taxiway A and B Rehabilitation Project provides new taxiway edge lighting along both parallel taxiways to visibly enhance operational safety for aircraft on the ground. Additionally, the project will complete the preventative maintenance needed to prolong the life of Bend Airport’s two parallel taxiways.

“These improvements are part of the City of Bend’s continued commitment to the safe and efficient operation of the third most active of 97 public use airports in the state of Oregon,” she said.

Williams told KTVZ News Wednesday the city applied for the grant months ago, but federal executive orders slowed the FAA’s funding distribution.

Currently, Williams said, pilots travel between the hangars and runway on taxiways that have no lighting, relying only on reflective “light cans,” so the project will boost safety for everyone at the airport.

The city received the grant award last week, she said, but to avoid winter-weather issues, they will wait until spring to begin the paving work, which is expected to take about a year to complete.

In terms of specifics, Williams told us the grant funds Phase 2 of a construction project that includes asphalt crack repair and patching where needed of the pavement on taxiways A and B, with a seal coat totaling about 75,000 square yards.

The runway numerals also will be updated from 16-34 to 17-35, to account for the Earth’s normal change in magnetic variation.

Here are comments from the other FAA grant recipients:

“This federal investment to help maintain and improve taxiways at Hillsboro Airport is essential to our ability to meet the dynamic transportation needs of our region, ensure smooth aircraft operations, and reduce delays,” said Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director of the Port of Portland. “We are grateful for the Oregon delegation’s continued support for projects like these, which are core to maintaining safe and efficient airport operations.”

“This $3.8 million FAA grant is a major investment in the future of Scappoose Airport. Rehabilitating the runway ensures our infrastructure remains safe, reliable, and positioned to meet the growing needs of general aviation in Columbia County. This project supports the Port of Columbia County’s work to strengthen local transportation assets, attract business investment, and create long-term opportunities for our community,” said Lacey Tolles, Port of Columbia County Airport Manager.

“The City of Klamath Falls is pleased to receive news that the Crater Lake – Klamath Regional Airport will be receiving an Airport Improvement Program grant from the FAA for their Taxiway F Reconstruction Project.  This project will not only reconstruct a piece of critical airfield infrastructure but also serve as a welcome boost to our local economy.  The general contractor Rocky Mountain Construction and a majority of the subcontractors are local companies so this project is a direct benefit to our community that will return dividends many times over,” said Jonathan Teichert, Klamath Falls City Manager.

A full list of awards is available HERE.

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