Author: KTVZ

Triton Notary

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)– A unique winter sports event is taking shape in the heart of Bend, bringing mountain action to the city’s downtown core.

Workers are constructing a wall ride ramp in the backyard of Bend Brewing Company, just feet from Drake Park, for the “Deck the Walls” snow competition. The event is scheduled for Saturday from 5 to 10 p.m., with 25 competitors set to showcase their skills on a ramp facing the Deschutes River.

Despite limited snow on the mountain, the event is moving forward thanks to creative problem-solving by organizers.

“Why do something like this? I ask myself that sometimes when I’m in the middle of the build. The number one reason is to bring the community together. That might sound like a line, but, you will see if you come down here Saturday, how special these events are for everybody, not just the athletes,” said Pete Alport, event organizer for Deck the Walls.

To make the competition possible, a local excavation company is transporting snow all the way from Mt. Bachelor. Once delivered, crews will move the snow into place by hand to create the competition surface.

The event will feature prizes for winners and offers spectators a chance to watch winter sports action from the comfort of downtown Bend.

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Campbell Porter

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A popular early-season snowboard event in Bend is on hold this year due to a lack of snow at Mount Bachelor, but organizers say the heart of the Dirksen Derby, community, fundraising and connection, is still very much alive.

The Dirksen Derby, founded in 2007 by professional snowboarder Josh Dirksen, was postponed for the first time in its 17-year history because there wasn’t enough snow on the mountain.

“The surprising part for an early season event is that it has happened for 17 years, and this year being the 18th edition of the Derby is the first year that we had to postpone it,” Dirksen said. “It wasn’t even low snow — there was pure dirt on the ground.”

Built on community and fundraising

Dirksen said the event began as something fun for Bend’s tight-knit snowboard community, but it quickly became a way to help a friend in need.

“It coincided with the time that our friend Tyler Eklund, who was a young competitive snowboarder at the time, got seriously injured.” Dirksen said.

Seventeen years later, Tyler Eklund remains a central focus of the event. He lives paralyzed following his 2007 accident.

“It’s still a big fundraiser that we raise money and awareness for his situation,” Dirksen said. “But it’s also just a chance to give him and a lot of other people… something to be part of and let them know there is a big community around Bend, Oregon that is supportive.”

This year, the Derby is also fundraising for Michele Schnake and Pat Malendoski, both battling stage 4 GBM brain cancer.

“Tyler Eklund… and this year we have Michele Schnake, our friend who was diagnosed with brain cancer,” Dirksen said. “It’s kind of just awareness for the groups and the individuals in our community that need help.”

Ripple effects beyond the mountain

While the race itself is postponed, Dirksen said the impact stretches well beyond snowboarding.

“The big problem with postponing the event is kind of more the Bend community, the outdoor community, the businesses,” he said. “So much relies on these people coming into town and people getting excited for winter and buying snowboards and ski stuff.”

The event typically draws more than 500 racers from across the Northwest, and beyond.

“We had Japanese that showed up yesterday,” Dirksen said. “That was one of the bummer stories — when people travel from so far, make awesome plans to come out and be in town for the race and snowboard.”

Looking ahead

Even without snow, Dirksen says the Derby’s mission remains the same.

“I want to be a positive voice,” he said. “I want the Derby to bring people together in whatever way we can, whether we have snow or not.”

Fundraising events, including an art auction downtown, are still taking place this weekend to support the causes tied to the Derby.

You can find more upcoming events on The Dirksen Derby website.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The public is invited to attend two Sunday vigils to honor and remember community members who passed away this year while experiencing homelessness.

Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day is a poignant event aimed at raising awareness about homelessness and inspiring collective action to address its root causes, organizers said in an announcement that continues below:

The vigils will take place on Sunday at the following times and locations:

● 8:00 AM – Bethlehem Inn, Redmond (517 NW Birch Ave, Redmond)

● 5:00 PM – Drake Park, Bend

These gatherings provide an opportunity for the community to reflect on the lives of those lost while homeless, acknowledge the challenges they faced, and recommit to supporting individuals and families in need.

This memorial is more than a moment of remembrance; it is a call to action. Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day brings together individuals with lived experience, service providers, advocates, and policymakers to emphasize the urgent need for services, resources, and systemic change.

As we honor these lives, let us work together toward a future where homelessness is eradicated, and memorials like this are no longer necessary.

For more information or to get involved, please contact local service providers or organizations advocating for the homeless in our area. https://cohomeless.org/events/

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend celebrated its inaugural Club 105 ceremony on Thursday, a new program to recognize and reward youth who attended the club for at least 105 days in 2025.

The Club 105 initiative aims to encourage consistent attendance, as youth who participate for 105 days are statistically more likely to graduate high school on time and lead healthier lifestyles. The members receive a Silver membership card after attending for 52 days and a Gold after reaching 105 days, which grants them special privileges within the club.

During the ceremony, local community leaders paired up with Club members to present the Gold cards. This special moment was celebrated in front of family and friends, showcasing the youth’s commitment to the club.

CEO Michael Baker said, “We know from data collected over decades within Boys & Girls Clubs all over the country that the magic number is 105 days. If we can get a member to attend 105 days or more in the same calendar year, they are twice as likely to graduate high school on time and twice as likely to lead a healthy lifestyle. So, we created CLUB 105.”

The event was also attended by several notable community members, including Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler, Michael Hancock from the Bethlehem Inn, Kristina Whaley with Beaver Coach Sales and many others. Their support emphasizes the community’s investment in youth development and education.

The Club will continue to support youth attendance and engagement through initiatives like CLUB 105, aiming to foster lasting community support and positive youth outcomes. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend plans to host similar recognition events in the future.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend 

Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend provides youth opportunities for growth that inspire and empower them to reach their full potential in the classroom, at home, and in our community. Our after-school programs are designed to promote academic success, healthy lifestyles, and good character and citizenship. 

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Jillian Fortner

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Festival of Trees set a new record this year, raising more than $223,000 for ClearPath Healthcare, formerly known as Hospice of Redmond.

Organizers announced the organization’s name change during the annual gala. ClearPath Healthcare said the money will help ensure patients without insurance can still receive hospice care and provide support for families during a difficult time.

“We live in a small community and we’re a small nonprofit. And every single year, the community really shows up. And we couldn’t do what we do without your help”, said Lauren Lebien with ClearPath Healthcare.

More than 30 trees were on display at this year’s sold-out event.

ClearPath Healthcare said its “Transition Tree” drew the highest bid, selling for $10,000.

The tree supports the nonprofit’s Transitions Program, which helps people cope with the mental, physical and emotional changes that can come with serious illness.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Though the generosity of its members and community, Mid Oregon Credit Union said Friday that its 2025 Holiday Dough fundraising effort collected $7,250 from over 220 individuals in support of local food banks this holiday season. 

During the month of December, Mid Oregon’s Holiday Dough invited its members and the community to make financial contributions to assist local nonprofits in their communities. 

Donations raised provide food and other needed items to individuals and families experiencing financial challenges during the holiday season. 

Mid Oregon says 100% of the contributions stay in the community where they were collected and aid these local nonprofits: 

The Giving Plate (Bend) 

La Pine Christmas Basket Association 

Jericho Road (Redmond) 

Madras Community Food Pantry 

Crook County Holiday Partnership (Prineville) 

Sisters Kiwanis Food Bank 

“We know that many families are already feeling the pressure on their food budgets and planning a festive holiday meal can be challenging,” says Kyle Frick, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Community Relations for Mid Oregon Credit Union.

“We are grateful for the community’s generosity and happy to facilitate this effort that relieves the pressure of food insecurity for many of our local families.” 

Since 2013, Mid Oregon members and the community have donated more than $55,200 to local food banks through Holiday Dough — helping to bring holiday cheer to local families. 

Mid Oregon Credit Union is a full-service, member-owned financial cooperative headquartered in and serving Central Oregonians since 1957. With close to 52,000 members in Deschutes, Jefferson, Crook, Wheeler, Lake, and North Klamath Counties and more than $839 million in assets, Mid Oregon partners with members to meet their financial needs and to help them achieve their dreams. Mid Oregon was named a Top Workplace in Oregon and Southwest Washington for four consecutive years including 2025. It was also ranked the #1 credit union in Oregon by Forbes for 2023, 2024, and 2025 and received the Bend Bulletin’s Best of the Best of Bend Community Choice Award in the credit union category for 2023, 2024, and 2025. For more information about its services and branch locations in Bend, La Pine, Madras, Prineville, Redmond, and Sisters, please visit midoregon.com.  

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A powerful storm that has prompted evacuations in Western Oregon also brought 1-2 inches of rain around Central Oregon overnight and sent some creeks and rivers surging close to or over their banks.

The flooding threat in Central Oregon eased Friday as a flood watch was allowed to expire, but much of the state was still dealing with the atmospheric river’s impacts, including evacuations and rescues of stranded people. KGW also reported a Yamhill County man drowned after driving round a “Road Closed” barrier into high floodwaters.

Most National Weather Service observers around Bend reported over an inch of rain, and one on the city’s Westside recorded nearly two inches in the 24 hours ending at 7 a.m. Redmond observers reported a half to nearly an inch of rain, and there were similar impacts in Prineville and Madras.

The city of Sisters said Whychus Creek crested around 2 a.m. Friday and was expected to gradually recede throughout the day.

“The creek remains fast-moving and high, creating potentially hazardous conditions along the banks,” officials warned.

“Recent rain has saturated the soil, which can make creek banks unstable and prone to collapse,” the 8 a.m. Friday update said. “For safety, please keep pets and children well away from the water’s edge and use caution near the creek until water levels and conditions improve.”

The city of Sisters made sandbags available on Thursday. The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District said Friday it has two sump pumps available for district residents dealing with water in crawl spaces.

A winter storm warning remains in effect until 10 a.m. Saturday for the east slopes of the Oregon Cascades, including Sisters, Camp Sherman, Sunriver and La Pine, for another 2-6 inches of snow and winds gusting to 35 mph that could make travel difficult.

A flood watch is in effect for a large area of the state until Saturday, but was allowed to expire for Central Oregon on Friday.

The NWS had issued a flash flood warning late Thursday for Shitike Creek, as the Warm Springs emergency manager advised NWS of water backing up behind a log jam upstream of Warm Springs that could worsen flooding. The warning expired Friday morning as river and creek levels were receding in the area.

Mt. Bachelor got three inches of snow Friday morning as it hopes to build a snowpack and have a delayed season opening soon.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The City of Bend and Housing Works said Friday they have partnered to replace more than 100 high-volume toilets at Summit Park Apartments with high-efficiency models, aiming to save water and reduce utility bills.

The retrofit is expected to save Housing Works approximately $10,600 annually, or $105 per toilet.

The outdated toilets, more than 30 years old and using 3.5 gallons per flush, were replaced with new EPA WaterSense-certified toilets that use only 1.28 gallons per flush. The city rebate program offset $80 of the cost for each toilet, amounting to a total rebate of $8,080, which covered about 34% of the project costs.

Housing Works, the largest provider of affordable housing in Central Oregon, serves about 1% of the population, with 1,400 homes and apartments.

Both parties said the partnership not only enhances water efficiency but also allows Housing Works to allocate savings toward improving their services and reducing rental costs.

“Creating efficiency across our buildings makes sense in so many ways,” said Lynne McConnell, executive director of Housing Works. She emphasized that upgrading these facilities helps fulfill their mission of fostering dignity through housing while benefiting the community at large.

The anticipated return on investment for the upgrades is just under 1.5 years, according to Dan Denning, manager of Bend’s Water Conservation Program.

“Based on the expected annual water and sewer savings, this project’s return on investment was expedited to a little under 1.5 years with rebate funds,” Denning explained, indicating that these savings could significantly benefit property owners.

Further discussing the partnership, Denning stated, “We value partnerships like this one with Housing Works and are so grateful to be able to help improve this property’s sustainability and reduce ongoing operational costs through water savings.”

He highlighted that other multi-family and commercial properties are also eligible for similar rebate programs, promoting water conservation citywide.

For each project, the city offers a complimentary preliminary evaluation to identify potential savings and help plan implementation. Denning noted, “We realize no two projects are exactly alike. Our goal is to foster a successful venture that generates the most savings on each property.”

The new toilets’ water savings will begin to reflect in Housing Works’ budget starting next year. City representatives encourage other multi-family and commercial property owners to explore available rebates for improving water efficiency.

Other city water customers with multi-family buildings, multiplexes with five or more units and commercial properties are eligible for rebates on indoor and outdoor water-efficient devices and projects too.

Visit Multi-Family and Commercial Rebates and WaterWise Communities for more information, or contact Bend’s Water Conservation staff at 541-317-3000, ext. 2, or conservation@bendoregon.gov.

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Kelsey Merison

Are you looking for something to do this weekend in Central Oregon? Kelsey Merison highlights three local events, from Jurassic Quest returning to Redmond to a party at The Pavilion in Bend.

For many more and to submit your own events, visit https://events.ktvz.com.

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Claire Elmer

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — In Redmond, a community-backed arts effort is stepping up where school budgets fall short. It’s exactly the kind of innovative, student-centered effort KTVZ News and Mid Oregon Credit Union look to celebrate through One Class at a Time — supporting the teachers and programs that make a difference every day.

When budget cuts eliminated art programs in Redmond schools, students lost an important creative outlet. That’s when the Dry Canyon Arts Association stepped in, launching its Jumpstart Art program to fund artists working directly in classrooms.

“Without this program, there is no visual art education in elementary schools,” said Mel Archer, chair of the Dry Canyon Arts Association. “That means there are 3,000 children who wouldn’t get art education except for what we’re doing.”

At Hugh Hartman Elementary, Principal Jen Temple says the impacts go beyond creativity.

“Art really is a medium for communicating culture,” Temple said. “For some kids, it’s the most meaningful way of communicating in general. It’s incredibly impactful to be able to share art with one another.”

The program doesn’t just help students express themselves — it encourages teamwork, connection, and confidence that can carry into other subjects.

Linda Seeburg, assistant superintendent for teaching and learning for the Redmond School District, said the arts play an essential role in a well-rounded education.

“We work hard on helping kids learn to read and be proficient in math and science,” Seeburg said. “But the arts round out that experience — and you never know who you’re going to inspire.”

Last year, community donations helped fully restore elementary visual art programs across the district — a major milestone made possible by dedicated educators and local support.

To recognize those efforts, Mid Oregon Credit Union and KTVZ News awarded an additional $1,000 through One Class at a Time — our program to honor teachers making a difference in students’ lives and support initiatives making a difference.

It’s another example of how Central Oregon communities are working together to make a lasting impact — one class at a time.

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