Month: September 2026

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Heritage Apple Corps and the U.S. Forest Service will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 2 at 12:00 noon to unveil new interpretive signs at Cyrus Historic Orchard on the Crooked River National Grassland. The signs detail the history of Central Oregon’s pioneer fruit trees and ongoing efforts to protect the historic sites.

More than a century ago, homesteading families planted fruit trees across the land that now makes up the grassland. The new interpretive displays at both McCoin and Cyrus Historic Orchards share the stories of the McCoin and Cyrus families who cultivated the land, as well as the heritage apple varieties that remain standing today.

Content for the interpretive signs was developed through a collaboration between Heritage Apple Corps, the U.S. Forest Service and historian Steve Lent of the Bowman Museum. The signage project was supported by funding and contributions from the Pacific Northwest Forest Service Association and Nora Scott.

Peter Loverso of Heritage Apple Corps emphasized the importance of preserving the historic fruit trees for the community. “These pioneer fruit trees are living pieces of Central Oregon history,” Loverso said. “The signs help visitors understand why these orchards matter and how we are protecting them for future generations.”

Each year, Heritage Apple Corps and the U.S. Forest Service host fruit tree restoration workshops and field days at the historic orchards. The events bring together volunteers, arborists, orchardists and community members to practice hands-on techniques for caring for veteran trees. The joint partnership also supports genetic preservation, DNA identification and wildfire risk-reduction efforts.

Cyrus Historic Orchard is located approximately one-half mile west of Cyrus Horse Camp. Visitors reaching the site must travel on unpaved roads, which can become rutted and muddy after rainfall. Access to the orchard may require a high-clearance vehicle.

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 2, participants will conduct several hours of volunteer deadwood removal at nearby heritage trees.

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon residents interested in affordable homeownership can attend a free housing fair this Wednesday, Sept. 23, in Bend. The event will run at 5:30 p.m. at the Larkspur Community Center, located at 1600 SE Reed Market Road.

The fair will connect prospective home buyers with local housing developers to explain qualification requirements, outline upcoming project opportunities and detail the steps needed to purchase a home.

The event is presented through a partnership among NeighborImpact HomeSource, Thistle & Nest, RootedHomes, First Story, Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity, Habitat for Humanity of La Pine Sunriver and Sisters Habitat for Humanity.

To ensure broad community access, the event will feature simultaneous Spanish interpretation as well as an American Sign Language interpreter. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak directly with representatives from each participating organization.

Last year’s housing fairs drew 106 attendees across Central Oregon. One attendee from last year’s event highlighted the value of bringing local resources together. “Being able to access the information all in one place,” the fair attendee said.

NeighborImpact HomeSource offers housing counseling, workshops and financial tools to help prospective buyers complete homebuyer education and prepare for homeownership. Its parent organization, NeighborImpact, is a private nonprofit Community Action Agency founded in 1985 that serves Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties along with the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Participating housing developer Thistle & Nest uses a land trust model to provide permanent owner-occupied affordable housing opportunities. RootedHomes also focuses on permanent affordability for local workforce members and residents in Central Oregon.

First Story collaborates with builder Hayden Homes to offer move-in-ready homes to households earning 80% or below of the area median income through 30-year loans that require no down payment and no interest. Local Habitat for Humanity affiliates from Bend-Redmond, La Pine-Sunriver and Sisters also build and renovate homes in partnership with low-income families.

The fair is sponsored by Hayden Homes and Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday at the Larkspur Community Center in Bend. Community members seeking further information can email homesource@neighborimpact.org or call 541-323-6567.

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The short documentary “Cosmic Heirloom: Buried 400 Years” won Best Short Documentary at the Oregon Short Film Festival in Portland. Following its festival award, the film will be screened at Silver Moon Brewing in Bend, Ore., on Oct. 24, 2026.

Directed by Brian Craig Hinderberger, the documentary examines the historical suppression and modern rediscovery of psilocybin while challenging stigmas associated with psychedelic mushrooms. The Bend screening will feature a live panel discussion presented by Oregon Film, featuring the film’s central subject, David Moss and Kris Solis of Bend-based Drop Thesis.

The documentary made its theatrical debut at the Clinton Street Theater in Portland during the Oregon Short Film Festival, an independent film event series organized by Film Festival Circuit. Filmed by director of photography Jordan Chamberlain, the short film uses Moss’s perspective to connect centuries of obscured history with contemporary scientific and cultural interest in psilocybin.

Brian Craig Hinderberger, who directed the film and founded the event organization Song of Sunset, reflected on the initial response to the documentary. “Attending the festival in Portland was an incredible experience,” Hinderberger said. “To sit in a theater with independent filmmakers from across the country and around the world and experience our film with an audience for the first time, was deeply rewarding. Winning Best Short Documentary made the evening unforgettable.”

The filmmakers designed the production to address historical misconceptions surrounding psychedelics and foster public dialogue. “This film uncovers an intentionally hidden history of psilocybin and challenges the stigma that continues to surround the psychedelic mushroom,” Hinderberger said. “We created the film to start a conversation, which is why presenting it alongside a live discussion with Moss and Solis is such an important part of the Bend experience.”

Prior to its Bend presentation, the film will screen for Eastern Oregon audiences at the historic Granada Theatre in La Grande during the Eastern Oregon Film Festival on Oct. 16. “Traveling to our festival selections and meeting the filmmakers and audiences experiencing this work is one of the most rewarding parts of the process,” Hinderberger said. “I’m especially looking forward to bringing the film to Eastern Oregon before returning home for its Bend screening at Song of Sunset.”

The Oct. 24 screening is part of Song of Sunset: UNDERGROUND, a live-cinema production taking place at Silver Moon Brewing, located at 24 NW Greenwood Ave. Supported in part by a grant from the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund, the evening will feature two short films, two live panels and performances by regional musicians. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., with the show running from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The tour begins with the La Grande screening on Oct. 16, followed by the Bend event at Silver Moon Brewing on Oct. 24, 2026. Tickets and additional event information are available through Song of Sunset.

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Health Authority is holding a virtual media briefing Monday to outline upcoming federal changes to the Oregon Health Plan that will impact approximately 600,000 members.

The updates are required under new federal mandates in House Resolution 1, which states must implement to maintain federal funding.

Notices will begin going out to about 600,000 Oregon Health Plan members this month to inform them of upcoming policy changes. One of the first changes takes effect Jan. 1, 2027, introducing new work or activity rules for certain plan members ages 19 to 64.

While most adults covered by the Oregon Health Plan who can work are already employed, some individuals will need to submit documentation when applying for or renewing coverage after the requirements take effect. State health officials noted that the notices sent this month are informational only and require no immediate action from recipients.

Officials are encouraging members to verify and update their contact details to ensure they receive future correspondence. Members can update their records online at benefits.oregon.gov, by phone at 1-800-699-9075, through the ONE mobile app or by visiting a local Oregon Department of Human Services office.

Community partner organizations can access informational flyers and social media content through an online toolkit at ohp.oregon.gov/toolkit. The state agency is hosting a 30-minute media briefing via Zoom, with a stream available for community partners on YouTube.

The new work or activity rules for Oregon Health Plan members ages 19 to 64 will take effect Jan. 1, 2027.