Author: KTVZ

Spencer Sacks

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Education, in partnership with the Oregon Lottery, announced Friday that Jefferson Cunty Middle School Social Studies teacher Maria Crowley is one of Oregon’s 16 2025-26 Regional Teachers of the Year!

The honor came during a surprise announcement at an all-school assembly Friday afternoon. Spencer Sacks was on hand for the happy event; he’ll have a report on KTVZ News tonight.

Here’s the rest of the announcement of Crowley’s honor:

Every day in Oregon classrooms, teachers offer their innovation, energy and content mastery in support of students across the state. The Oregon Teacher of the Year Program recognizes and honors teacher excellence, with the state Teacher of the Year serving as the face and voice of exemplary educators across Oregon.

Candidates for Oregon Teacher of the Year are exceptionally dedicated, knowledgeable and skilled licensed public school educators in grades pre-K-12.  

Crowley was nominated by a friend who remarked, “Ms. Crowley. Has been an integral component to Jefferson County schools for 20+/-years. Her devotion to the school, young adult development, community, etc. is unmatched.” 

In her nomination, Crowley noted, “It just takes one breakthrough with one kid to affect the whole class, and it takes just one breakthrough with one class to affect the whole community.” 

Crowley has gone above and beyond in her teaching role at JCMS. In addition to teaching countless students over her two decades in a 509J classroom, she is hard to miss at sporting events, always running either the scoreboard or the clock and cheering on her students. She serves as the social studies representative for the JCMS guiding coalition and has done so for several years.  

One of her more recent projects is becoming the school’s attendance coordinator. In this role, she works closely with building leaders to improve attendance school wide. She develops initiatives and student-centered contests to encourage students to come to school every day. In her short time in this role, JCMS has seen a three percent decrease in the number of students who are chronically absent.  

“Not only is she just fantastic and invested in the classroom, she pushes the kids above and beyond and has really high expectations,” JCMS ELA Teacher Lindsay Tarvin said. “I think it is so deserving. She is so passionate and her heart is so full and in the right place for the kids here in our building and our community and wanting the best for them. I can’t think of another person more deserving at this moment with how hard she works putting in 200% all the time.” 

Regional Teachers of the Year are nominated by students, colleagues, administrators, friends or family members. Regional winners were identified through a local nomination, application and selection process facilitated by the 19 Education Service Districts around the state.

Applicants submitted testimonials and letters of support and were assessed by a diverse panel of regional representatives on the attributes of leadership, instructional expertise, commitment to equity, community involvement, understanding of educational issues, vision and professional development. 

“We are thrilled to recognize this year’s Regional Teachers of the Year – outstanding educators whose tireless dedication, creativity, and compassion enrich the lives of students and communities across Oregon,” said Director of Oregon Department of Education Dr. Charlene Williams. “Each recipient embodies the values of innovation, leadership, and inclusivity, and we are proud to honor and learn from their inspiring work. These extraordinary teachers remind us that great education transforms lives and strengthens communities.” 

Each Regional Teacher of the Year wins a $1,000 cash prize and is in the running for Oregon’s 2025-26 Oregon Teacher of the Year – to be announced in October.  

Since 1995, when the Oregon Lottery began allocating revenue to public education, more than $10 billion has been transferred to school districts across the state. This past year, more than $1.5million of Oregon Lottery funding went to the Jefferson County School District, and over $2 million went to Jefferson County. 

“This group of standout Oregon teachers bring their passion for education and leadership abilities to work every day,” said Oregon Lottery Director Mike Wells. “Oregon Lottery is proud to celebrate the meaningful impact these educators have on our students and communities.”

Now that all 16 Regional Teachers of the Year have been announced, the full list of statewide winners is available on the Oregon Teacher of the Year website. 

Do you know an outstanding teacher? Please nominate them as the 2026-27 Oregon Teacher of the Year by visiting oregonteacheroftheyear.org. 

Thanks to ODE’s partnership with the Oregon Lottery, the 2025-26 Oregon Teacher of the Year will receive a $10,000 cash prize (with an additional $5,000 going to their school) and serves as a spokesperson and representative for all Oregon teachers. 

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — SOLVE is hosting the inaugural “Pick It Up, Bend!” on Saturday, September 20, from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm in Downtown Bend.

This community-powered cleanup brings together residents, local businesses, and volunteers for a hands-on morning removing litter and beautifying public spaces, with the backdrop of the scenic Old Mill District and Hayden Homes Amphitheater.

Event Details:Where: Downtown Bend, 769 SW Columbia St. Bend, OR 97702 Volunteers will meet at the West Event Lawn near the Hayden Homes Amphitheater and the Hampton Inn.When: Saturday, September 20, 10:00 am – 1:00 pmWho: Volunteers of all ages, local organizations, and community groups

SOLVE will provide all cleanup supplies. This event is a great visual story opportunity, with volunteers actively making a difference in the heart of Bend.

Additional Resources:

Event page: https://www.solveoregon.org/bend

Registration page: https://volunteer.solveoregon.org/opportunity/a0CVL00002Lvvr6/pick-it-up-bend

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KTVZ

OLYMPIA, Wash. (KTVZ) – The Washington and Oregon Departments of Agriculture said Friday they have issued a recall of Signature Pet Care Songbird Blend Wild Bird Food 7 LB, sold at Albertsons, Safeway and Haggen stores in in both states, and manufactured by Global Harvest Foods.

The recalled product carries UPC 021130037629 and sell by date code 01/10/2027 M3D S3501, according to the two agencies’ joint announcement, which continues in full below:

Palmer amaranth was first detected in WA in 2023, and it was added to the state’s plant quarantine list on Aug. 9, 2025. The invasive plant was also detected in fields in Marion and Malheur Counties in 2024, which triggered its addition to Oregon’s noxious weed quarantine last year.

According to WSDA and ODA, this plant is highly invasive; can grow more than 10 feet tall; is resistant to many herbicides; and a single plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds. Left uncontrolled, it can choke out crops such as corn, soybeans, and small grains; reduce harvest yields; and drive up weed-control costs for farmers.

It also threatens native plant habitats and can quickly spread beyond managed areas. If consumed in large quantities Palmer amaranth can be toxic to ruminant livestock (cattle, sheep, goats).

This recall was initiated after a Spokane County Noxious Weed Board employee observed Palmer amaranth growing in a Safeway parking lot landscape area. The employee learned that birdseed from the store had been spread in the area and collected samples for testing. Genetic analysis confirmed the seed contained Palmer amaranth.

Albertsons, Safeway and Haggen in WA and OR have voluntarily recalled the affected birdseed and removed it from store shelves. Global Harvest Foods is cooperating fully with WSDA and ODA to ensure all affected product is removed from the market and to help prevent further spread of this invasive plant.

Customers who purchased the recalled birdseed are advised to:

Remove any remaining seed from bird feeders.• Return any unused seed to the store for a refund.• Double bag and dispose of any loose seed in the trash — do not compost.• Clean bird feeders thoroughly before reuse to remove remaining seeds.• Inspect areas under and near bird feeders for sprouted weeds, carefully remove any plants, place them in black plastic bags and dispose of them in the trash to prevent seed spread.

Detailed information on identifying Palmer amaranth is available on WSDA’s Palmer Amaranth Pest Alert, which can be found online at the link below.

Palmer amaranth

WSDA Palmer Amaranth Pest Alert

Customers should contact their local Safeway, Haggen or Albertsons store for assistance or refund information. Refunds are available for any unused recalled product returned to the store.

State contact: Washington State Department of Agriculture Plant Services Program: 360-902-1874General WSDA Information: 360-902-1800

Consumer contact: Global Harvest Foods Customer Support: cs@ghfoods.com

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Barney Lerten

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Avelo Airlines, which announced this summer that it would be ending its flights out of Redmond on Dec. 1, confirmed Friday to KTVZ News that it will be leaving the West Coast over a month earlier than planned, leaving customers scrambling for new flights and refunds.

“We elected to end our services at RDM early, on October 20, due to aircraft needs elsewhere and lack of demand during our final month,” Avelo Communications Manager Courtney Goff told us.

“We have alerted all customers with their options and apologize for any inconvenience incurred,” Goff added.

Avelo Airlines had announced in July that it would be closing its base in Burbank and eventually cease services at the Redmond Airport, as it expands operations on the East Coast.

Avelo said at the time it would halt its Redmond flights to Sonoma County and Las Vegas in August, but continue its flights to Burbank until Dec. 1.

The early end to the final Burbank flights came as a surprise to many, including Redmond Airport Director Zachary Bass. 

“We just found out about it,” Bass told KTVZ News Thursday. “Other airports got a little head’s up. October 20th is their last day here and the West Coast.” 

Asked about refunds, Avelo’s Goff told us, “Customers have received an email stating their options to reaccommodate to an earlier flight or refunded to their original form of payment on their current booking.”

An upset customer from Bend who had booked an Avelo flight with his wife to visit family for three days in November contacted KTVZ News. He said he was told after long on-hold phone calls by a customer representative in Houston that they would not refund his credit card – instead only offering ‘Avelo Cash’ credit for future travel, valid for five years.

“They’re leaving the West Coast! How can we ever use those credits?” he asked.

KTVZ News asked Avelo’s Goff about the report and she could not provide specifics without knowing the customer’s name and details, again stating, “If their flight was canceled by us, they would be refunded to the payment method they used for their current booking.”

The customer, who asked that his name not be used, said he followed the email directions from the airline on how to get a refund, canceling the flight through the airline’s app.

“Our plan is down the drain,” he said.

Two weeks after Avelo’s announcement this summer, Alaska Airlines announced that it will be adding year-round daily flights between Redmond and Burbank, starting in October. Breeze Airways also announced that it will be serving Redmond starting next March, including flights to Burbank, Las Vegas and Provo-Salt Lake City.

The upset Avelo customer said the flight cancellation and refund situation “left such a bad taste in our mouth,” they will be sticking with established airlines like Alaska and Delta, not others who could be “here today and gone the next day.”

He also said he emailed Avelo’s customer relations – and cc’d his congressman. “This is horrible, what they are doing,” he said.

 

 

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County announced Friday it is accepting statements of interest from individuals who want to serve on the Wolf Depredation Compensation and Financial Assistance Committee.

The Wolf Depredation Committee oversees grant funds awarded by the Oregon Department of Agriculture to Deschutes County for wolf depredation compensation and non-lethal preventive assistance, according to the news release, which continues in full below:

The seven-member committee makes recommendations to the Board of County Commissioners on how to distribute the funds, which compensate ranchers or producers for the confirmed depredation of livestock or working dogs due to wolves.

Additionally, grants support livestock management strategies and other non-lethal measures to reduce conflicts between livestock and wolves.

Community members representing a business sector with relevance to wolf activity— such as eco-tourism, livestock management, veterinary services, or those working as ranchers or producers—are encouraged to submit a statement of interest for the vacant committee position.

Committee positions are unpaid. Members serve a two-year term and typically meet quarterly, though additional meetings may occur if necessary.

For more information about the Wolf Depredation Compensation and Financial Assistance Committee please visit the committee’s website.

To apply, please submit a two-paragraph statement of interest via email to Jen Patterson at jen.patterson@deschutes.org by 5 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, 2025.

Here’s Harley Coldiron’s April 2025 Problem Solvers report about an Oregon farm family seeking changes to federal protections after a lone wolf killed several calves.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Fire officials on the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests, Crooked River National Grassland and Prineville District BLM said Friday they will end public use fire restrictions due to increased moisture, cooler temperatures and decreased daylight hours.

Here’s the full announcement by Central Oregon fire officials:

Effective at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, September 20, public use fire restrictions will be lifted, and the Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) will decrease to IFPL I, which requires a one-hour fire watch after equipment is shut down for the day and onsite water and/or a fire extinguisher and tools to prevent the spread of any fire. The fire danger rating is currently “moderate.”

Campfires are allowed across the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests and on Prineville District BLM lands not currently under seasonal campfire restrictions.

Seasonal annual river corridor campfire restrictions remain in place for BLM-designated campgrounds along portions of the Crooked, Deschutes, John Day, and White Rivers, as well as on BLM-administered lands along Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus.

These restrictions prohibit campfires, charcoal fires, or any other type of open flame. This includes a ban on the use of portable propane campfires and wood pellet burning devices. Commercially manufactured lanterns and metal camp stoves used for cooking are allowed, when fueled with bottled propane or liquid fuel and operated in a responsible manner.

Remember to have plenty of water and a shovel on-hand when maintaining a campfire. Make sure your campfire is cold to the touch before you leave it unattended.

Prineville District BLM

Public use fire restrictions will remain in effect in La Pine until October 31st. For more information about Oregon/Washington BLM restrictions and closures, please visit https://www.blm.gov/programs/public-safety-and-fire/fire-and-aviation/regional-info/oregon-washington/fire-restrictions

Possessing, discharging or using any kind of firework or other pyrotechnic device or using an explosive is always prohibited on National Forest System lands in Central Oregon and currently prohibited on BLM-administered lands in Central Oregon.

Information on current restrictions or the current Industrial Fire Precaution Level (IFPL) can be obtained by contacting your Central Oregon Fire Use Information Line at 1-800-523-4737.

For current wildfire information, the public can visit centraloregonfire.org or follow fire information on X/Twitter @CentralORfire. Call 9-1-1 to report a wildfire.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: More details from Bend Police)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — An 83-year-old Bend man was cited for reckless driving Friday morning after crossing the double-yellow line on Third Street while trying to pass several vehicles, causing a three-vehicle crash near the railroad underpass, police said. 

One driver suffered a minor injury in the crash that occurred around 9:30 a.m. near SE Scott Street, where the four-lane road narrows to two lanes before reaching the underpass.

Bend Police Communications Manager Jessica Rich said the cited driver was heading north in a white Kia SUV when he crossed the double-yellow line while trying to pass several vehicles.

His SUV struck a utility trailer being towed by a southbound orange Nissan pickup truck, Rich said. That caused the Kia to spin and hit a third vehicle, a red Mazda sedan that was also heading south.

Rich told KTVZ the southbound driver was unable to avoid the oncoming car when it came into his lane. 

The driver was cited in lieu of custody and released at the scene, Rich said.  

Reckless driving is a Class A misdemeanor in Oregon that carries a maximum possible sentence of a year in jail, a minimum 90-day license suspension, a $6,250 fine and five years of probation or supervision. 

Third Street was closed for about an hour while officers investigated the crash and towed the vehicles from the scene, Rich said.

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Jillian Fortner

(Update: adding video, comments from BestCare, Recover Together Bend)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – BestCare Treatment Services says they’re seeing more people walk through their doors because of kratom, a substance some turn to for pain or anxiety.

Kratom is a Southeast Asian plant containing mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine (7-OH). Low doses can stimulate while higher doses can sedate, like opioids.

“The perception is that this is safe and natural,” BestCare’s medical director, Billie Cartwright, said Friday. “That perception isn’t not necessarily true. Kratom actually is a plant. But ‘natural’ doesn’t necessarily mean safe.”

BestCare Addiction Clinic says they’re now seeing a few patients each week coming in for help with kratom use. Some people in recovery have relapsed after trying it.

“It totally reactivates their addiction that may have been stable and in remission,” Cartwright said.

Some have developed a dependency, despite having no prior history of addiction.

“I’ve seen another set of patients, you know, an older population that is using it for pain,” Cartwright added.

BestCare warns 7-OH is far stronger than mitragynine, especially in synthetic or concentrated products. It has already been banned in some states, including Florida.

Back in August, KTVZ spoke with Recover Together Bend about the dangers it poses.

“7-OH can be as potent and at times even more potent than morphine and heroin themselves. The problem lies in the fact that it’s unregulated,” said Dr. David Campbell of Recover Together Bend.

The CDC identified 91 kratom-involved deaths in 2016-2017. Only seven were kratom-only. Most involved fentanyl, opioids or benzodiazepines.

Naloxone may help in mixed overdoses but isn’t always effective for kratom alone, according to BestCare.

Cartwright mentioned adverse effects include nausea, liver injury, seizures and psychiatric symptoms.

This year, the Food and Drug Administration referred 7-OH to the Drug Enforcement Administration for possible scheduling under the Controlled Substances Act. This referral targets synthetic and concentrated 7-OH products, not traditional kratom leaf.

Local Resources & Support:

BestCare Addiction Medicine Clinic: 541-668-9070

BestCare Withdrawal Management Services: 458-218-2027

Recover Together Bend Withdrawal Management Services: 832-398-1138

Call 911 immediately in case of overdose.

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KTVZ

TERREBONNE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of Republic Services, will provide the final scheduled free shred event of 2025 on Saturday, September 20, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the Terrebonne Elementary School parking lot.

This residential-only shred event is not intended for business or commercial use. Paper clips and staples may remain attached, but plastic bags and three-ring binders cannot be accepted.

Participants are asked to bring no more than four boxes of documents per household. If you have more than four boxes, please contact Republic Services at 541-352-2263 for disposal options.

The event will also include safe medication disposal. Accepted items include:

Prescriptions

Patches

Ointments

Over-the-counter medications

Vitamins

Samples

Pet medications

Not accepted: Sharps, thermometers, inhalers, aerosols, or pressurized containers.

The event also provides proper disposal of American flags. Community members may bring worn or tattered flags for respectful retirement. In addition, non-perishable food donations will be accepted and donated to a local food bank.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office encourages residents to take advantage of this opportunity to safely and securely dispose of sensitive documents, unwanted medications, and worn flags—all while supporting the local community.

Terrebonne Elementary School is located at 1199 B Ave, Terrebonne, OR 97760. 

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon Community College is staging ‘Jobfest’ events for career-seekers at its Bend and Redmond campuses, with nearly 40 local companies and agencies set to participate.

They will take place October 2nd and 7th from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and are free and open to the public.

Additionally, both campuses will hold free resume-building workshops ahead of the ‘Jobfest’ events:

-Bend campus: Tuesday, September 30th in Cascades Hall, room 240a from 11 a.m. to Noon.

-Redmond campus: Monday, October 6th in the Technology Education Center, room 135 from 3-4 p.m.

No registration is required. You can find additional information on COCC’s website.

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