Author: KTVZ

Barney Lerten

SALEM, Oregon (KTVZ) — The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department wants to better understand the public’s values and priorities for the future of state parks through a new survey as it launches a strategic initiative to reimagine how parks are funded, operated and supported.

OPRD faces a potential 14% budget shortfall for park operations by 2027, even with recent fee increases. The gap is due to increasing costs, the impact of higher visitation and changes in lottery funds. The strategic initiative will work to address that shortfall before 2027.

“For more than a century, Oregon’s parks have been a source of pride, joy and connection for communities across the state,” said OPRD Director Lisa Sumption. “But the way we fund the system has not kept up with how Oregonians use and value it today. We’re not waiting for the crisis—we’re planning ahead to build a more resilient and relevant park system.”

OPRD launched an online survey this month to collect feedback from visitors and potential visitors about their priorities for new and existing experiences, services and amenities, as well as views on public-private partnerships, sponsorships and other funding options.

The survey is open to everyone and will help inform decisions about the future of state parks. Those who complete the survey have the option of entering a drawing for a free Oregon State Parks annual parking permit. 

Oregon State Parks continues to experience record visitation with more than 56.6 million estimated visits in 2024. It is one of the most visited park systems in the country.

This level of use significantly increases wear and tear on aging park infrastructure, driving up maintenance needs and long-term operational costs.

Parks’ funding comes from three main sources. A little less than half comes from constitutionally dedicated lottery funds, about 15% comes from the agency’s share of recreational vehicle license plate fees and roughly 35% comes from park fees from visitors. Oregon State Park operations is not funded by general fund taxes.

“We already operate leanly, but we’re also taking a hard look at costs and spending decisions as we plan the future. We’re building new partnerships with Oregon businesses and growing opportunities for visitors to experience state parks in new and innovative ways,” Sumption said.

In addition to operating more than 250 state parks and maintaining hundreds of historic structures, the agency also manages the ocean shore, the State Historic Preservation Office, ATV safety programs and permits as well as multiple grant programs for trails, ATVs, historic structures and local government projects.

For more information about the survey or to learn about ways to support parks, visit stateparks.oregon.gov/ or take the survey at bit.ly/stateparksurvey.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Clydesdales’ travel delay, downtown Redmond event canceled)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) —  The Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center said Wednesday it’s learned that the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales have experienced an unexpected travel delay and won’t not arrive in time for the Grand Opening Day of the 2025 Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo.

“While the Budweiser Clydesdales will not be with us on Opening Day, we’re still working closely with the team to bring them to Central Oregon,” the announcement said.

Meanwhile, the city of Redmond announced, “We have been informed that due to transit delays, the Anheuser-Busch Clydesdales are unable to make their scheduled appearance in downtown Redmond on (Thursday evening), July 31. They will still be at the Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo for visitors to enjoy.

Fairgoers can still experience world-class horse displays and meet impressive equine teams every day of the Fair. On site and on display for the full run of Fair are the Lone Pine Clydesdales from Walking H Ranch and the Percherons from Lazy M Ranch in Terrebonne—both providing demonstrations and photo opportunities daily.

All equine exhibitions are included with Fair admission.

For up-to-date information on Fair happenings, visit DESCHUTESFAIR.com

About the Bi-Mart Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo:

The Bi-Mart Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo, presented by Indian Head Casino, is Oregon’s largest county fair, offering five days of action-packed entertainment, family fun, rodeo excitement, and, of course, the Kendall Toyota of Bend FREE Summer Concert Series on the Bi-Mart Stage. With five nights of concerts, five thrilling rodeo performances, and hundreds of hours of free family programming, this year’s Fair will be an unforgettable experience for all ages. Join us from July 30 to Aug. 3, 2025, for the Five Best Days of Summer! The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be making a special appearance in downtown Redmond on Thursday, July 31, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., courtesy of the Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo. 

Earlier story:

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) July 25 – The public is invited to come to Centennial Park to meet and take pictures with the Clydesdales, and then cheer them on as they travel down Sixth Street under the Redmond Arch starting at 7:30 p.m.   

“We are honored the Budweiser Clydesdales have selected our community to make an appearance as well as have an active role in this year’s Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo,” remarked Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch. “While many may be familiar with their famous television ads, once you see them in person, you will have an entirely new appreciation for the 90-year tradition they have upheld.” 

Beginning in the spring of this year, the iconic Budweiser Clydesdales have been traveling to communities across the country and appearing at various local events and venues in support of Anheuser-Busch’s longstanding partnership with Folds of Honor.

Through its scholarship program, Folds of Honor ensures that families of fallen or disabled U.S. service members and families of first responders receive educational opportunities and support.  

To date, Anheuser-Busch, its brands, and wholesaler partners have donated over $33 million, which has funded over 6,600 scholarships for Folds of Honor recipients.  

The iconic Budweiser Clydesdales will be on display every day of the 2025 Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo! Fairgoers will have the rare opportunity to see these majestic horses up close through daily meet-and-greets, hitching demonstrations, and special presentations—all included with Fair admission. 

In a powerful tribute, the Clydesdales will also escort Folds of Honor scholarship recipients into the rodeo arena during an evening performance, highlighting our shared commitment to honoring military families. 

Don’t miss your chance to experience these legendary horses in person, either at the fair or downtown Redmond. For Fair & Rodeo event schedules and details, visit: https://expo.deschutes.org/p/fair/bi-mart-fair-and-rodeo. 

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Barney Lerten

ASHWOOD, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office on Friday removed the last Level 3 GO NOW and Level 2 GET SET evacuation zones on the nearly 2-week-old Cram Fire that blew up to cover nearly 96,000 acres. A small area along the fire’s perimeter is stil at Level 1 GET READY.

Here’s what the sheriff’s office posted on their Facebook page:

“The area to the SE of the perimeter is currently in a Level 1. It’s the western side of NE 15, the northern half of SE 17 and the top NW corner of SE 18.

Road closures are still in effect and are only open to the residents and fire personnel.

Mop up will continue through the weekend, so please be cautious of the fire personnel and apparatus that you will see on the roads.

Thank you so much to the community for your patience during this fire and thank you SOOOOO much to all the men and women fire personnel who have come to our county to help with the #CramFire,” the post concluded.

Friday’s evacuation levels map (Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office)

Here’s Thursday’s final daily update on the Cram Fire:

ire Information Line: (541) 216-7206Email 2025.cram@firenet.govInformation Resources: https://linktr.ee/cramfire2025

Size: 95,736 acres | Cause: Under Investigation | Total Personnel: 533| Containment: 77%

This will be the final daily update for the Cram Fire unless fire activity changes. As containment and suppression repair objectives are met, firefighting resources and excess equipment will be released from the incident and made available to fill other needs.

There were some areas of heat detected yesterday on the southeast portion of the fire, well within the fire perimeter. Firefighters continue to patrol and mop-up to further secure containment lines. This includes assessing threats and extinguishing areas of interior heat that may pose a threat to containment lines.

Work is ongoing to restore soil stability and vegetative cover in areas impacted by suppression-related activities.

Weather: Today will be hot and dry again, with temperatures in the high 80s to low 90s and humidity around 25%. Northwest winds will be gusty in the afternoon, potentially 25 miles per hour along ridgetops. Unburned green islands within the fire perimeter may produce smoke and isolated tree torching may occur.

Evacuations: Evacuations remain in effect for some zones around the fire. Please refer to official evacuation maps for the most up-to-date info: Jefferson County: tinyurl.com/JCSOEvacMap, Wasco County: tinyurl.com/WascoCountyEvacMap, Crook County:tinyurl.com/CrookCountyEvacMap

Smoke Outlook: An interactive smoke map for your area is available at https://fire.airnow.gov.

Safety: The public plays an important role in preventing the next wildfire; use caution with all ignition sources. For prevention tips visit, https://keeporegongreen.org.

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Barney Lerten

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A police call lto a Prineville residence Thursday evening led to a standoff with a barricaded man armed with a knife that lasted several hours before the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team was able to convince him to surrender.

Officers responded shortly after 6 p.m. Thursday to a call of a disturbance involving a weapon in the 800 block of NE Belknap Street, Police Chief Jeff Profio said in a news release Friday.

Prineville officers and Crook County sheriff’s deputies tried to contact the man, but he refused to come out of the residence, Profio said.

The CERT team responded to assist after the suspect, later identified as Jacob Todd Boyum, 46, of Prineville, barricaded himself inside the home and was believed to be armed.

The Prineville Review reported that the man refused to come out of a camper trailer, and the heavy law enforcement response drew a crowd of more than 100 onlookers. It said a family member who asked to remain anonymous told the Review police alleged Boyum threatened others with a knife and was likely dealing with a “mental episode.”

For several hours, law enforcement made repeated “loud hail” announcements, trying to encourage the suspect to surrender.

When these efforts were unsuccessful, Profio said CERT utilized unspecified “additional methods to attempt to gain the suspect’s compliance and continued to encourage the suspect to surrender peacefully.”

Eventually, Boyum surrendered peacefully, the police chief said, adding that “no force was used during the arrest.”

The Review reported that CERT used one of its armored vehicles to breach the camper’s back window and place a cellphone inside in an effort to speak with him. He surrendered without further incident a short time later.

Boyum was lodged in the Crook County Jail on charges of menacing and unlawful use of a weapon, as well as a felony warrant for parole violation.

“There were no injuries to the suspect or law enforcement personnel during this incident,” Profio said. 

The initial charging document indicated Boyum was armed with a knife. Court records show he was due for arraignment Friday afternoon on the charges.

Profio said Prineville Police “would like to thank the Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Bend Police Department, Redmond Police Department, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, and the CERT team for their assistance and professionalism during this incident.”

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Forward progress stopped on 3-acre fire)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A fast-moving brush fire broke out early Thursday evening east of East Antler Avenue in Redmond, prompting the evacuation of threatened homeless camps.

Incident 598, later called the Greenwood Fire for nearby NE Greenwood Avenue, was reported shortly after 5 p.m. and brought a quick response by Redmond Fire & Rescue. First crews on scene reported a moderate to rapid rate of spread as it burned brush and grass and also involved some juniper trees.

The fire initially was reported at about three acres. Crews stopped forward progress of the fire by about 6 p.m.

Central Oregon Interagency Dispatch sent three engines, a hand crew and a bulldozer to help stop the fire’s wind-fanned spread to the northeast. Air attack also was on the scene, according to Watch Duty.

No structures were threatened, but Redmond Police were helping clear camps in the area, Redmond Fire Marshal Tom Mooney told KTVZ News.

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Hot air balloons will fill the skies once again as Balloons Over Bend returns for a three day celebration starting Friday.

The event kicks off with a sunrise balloon launch at Jewell Elementary School. Organizers recommend arriving around 6:15 a.m. to grab a good viewing spot.

The sunrise launches continue Saturday and Sunday. They’re free and open to the public.

For those who prefer evening events, the Night Glow festivals in Bend and Redmond offer a chance to see the balloons illuminated against the night sky.

For the full schedule and details, visit balloonsoverbend.org.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Vehicle fires appear to ramp up in the summertime, and another one on the Bend Parkway led to a southbound traffic jam into town as the Thursday evening commute began.

Bend Fire Deputy Fire Marshal Dan Derlacki said crews called to the scene around 4:15 p.m. found an older sedan burning along the southbound parkway shoulder, just before the Revere Avenue exit.

“Our crews were there and cleared within 20 minutes,” Derlacki told KTVZ News. All emergency vehicles were released before 5 p.m., but it can take a while for those backups to clear.

ODOT was advising on its TripCheck map of the vehicle fire affecting one southbound lane and the shoulder. They advised motorists to “slow or move over for worker safety.”

About 24 hours earlier, a pickup fire put up black smoke on Highway 97 south of Deschutes Junction.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) —  With Central Oregon in the thick of summer and daytime temperatures consistently in the 90s, individuals experiencing homelessness are at heightened risk of dehydration and heat-related illness. To address this challenge, Shepherd’s House Ministries is calling on the community to donate bottled water and support its effort to combat hunger and homelessness.

A Place at the Table is a summer initiative focused on raising critical funds for food, hydration and support services for those living on the streets.

As part of this effort, Shepherd’s House Ministries is urgently seeking donations of bottled water. Cases or pallets of individual-sized bottles are especially needed to help relieve the current shortage and ensure immediate hydration needs are met.

“In this heat, a cold bottle of water can be life-saving,” said Curt Floski, executive director at Shepherd’s House Ministries. “But water is just the beginning. People also need food, rest, and connection. That’s what A Place at the Table is all about.”

In addition to water donations, monetary contributions are deeply appreciated. Every dollar raised through A Place at the Table supports meals, outreach services, shelter, and compassionate care for individuals and families experiencing homelessness throughout Central Oregon.

How You Can Help:

Donate bottled water (cases or pallets) at:

Bend -1854 NE Division St

Redmond – 1350 S Hwy 97

Make a financial gift to support the full scope of the A Place at the Table campaign at shministries.org

Together, we can offer more than just relief; we can offer dignity, hope, and a place at the table for everyone.

About Shepherd’s House MinistriesShepherd’s House Ministries serves individuals and families experiencing homelessness, trauma, addiction, and crisis in Central Oregon. Through emergency services, case management, long-term recovery programs, and strategic partnerships, we help rebuild lives and restore hope.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners on Wednesday appointed seven community members to serve on the county’s District Mapping Advisory Committee. The committee will draft a commissioner district map, which will first be considered by the Board before being put to Deschutes County voters as a ballot measure in 2026.

Commissioner Chair Tony DeBone appointed two committee members: Bernie Brader and Ned Dempsey. Brader, an Air Force veteran, has lived in La Pine for more than 20 years. In his career, he has worked in industrial water treatment and, outside of work, he serves on the La Pine Frontier Days board, participates in the Ponderosa Mountain Men and is president of the La Pine RC Fliers. Dempsey, a resident of Bend since 1973 and a licensed professional engineer, founded Century West Engineering Corporation, which is based in Deschutes County. He serves on several boards and committees, including the Deschutes County Solid Waste Committee, the Oregon Sustainability Board, and the High Desert Museum Board of Directors.

Commissioner Patti Adair appointed two committee members: Matt Cyrus and Phil Henderson. Cyrus, a sixth-generation Oregon farmer, resides in the community of Cloverdale. He is president of the Deschutes County Farm Bureau and chairman of the Deschutes County Planning Commission. Henderson grew up in Hood River working in his family’s fruit orchards. He has lived in Bend since 1989, where he has worked as a private attorney, general contractor, and served as a Deschutes County Commissioner from 2017 to 2020.

Commissioner Phil Chang appointed three committee members: Andrew Kaza, Carol Loesche, and Melanie Kebler. Kaza, a resident of Redmond, has owned and operated the Sisters Movie House and Cafe since 2016. He serves as co-chair of the Independent Party of Oregon. Loesche has lived in Bend for eight years, works part-time, and enjoys volunteering in the community. She is a longtime member of the League of Women Voters and previously served as president of the Deschutes County League. Kebler, who grew up in Bend, has spent her career working as an attorney working for the public. She currently serves as the mayor of Bend, with her term ending in 2026.

Last November, voters approved Ballot Measure 9-173, which expands the Board of County Commissioners from three to five members, with two new commissioners to be elected at-large in 2026. In response, the BOCC agreed to appoint a citizen advisory committee to draft a district map representing each commissioner position, moving away from five at-large positions. If the BOCC—and ultimately the voters—approve the DMAC’s recommended map, the new districts would be in place for each election of commissioners, beginning in 2028.

Following their confirmation of the DMAC appointees on Wednesday, the BOCC reviewed and provided recommendations to the committee’s guidelines. The DMAC will hold an orientation meeting in August and will meet weekly from early September to mid-November as necessary. Facilitated by Neil Bryant and supported by a county project management team, the committee will draft district map following specific criteria.  

DMAC meetings will be open to the public, and community members are encouraged to participate in person or virtually, providing input during designated public comment periods. The meeting locations, agendas and virtual login information will be available online at deschutes.org/meetings.  

A District Mapping Advisory Committee website is currently being developed and will be available soon at deschutes.org.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Gunshots fired Tuesday night in an area of homeless camps in east Redmond led to a man’s arrest on several charges, police confirmed Thursday.

KTVZ News asked city and Deschutes County law enforcement for information based on a viewer’s tip about a large police presence and shots fired in the area shortly after 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Redmond Police Captain Jesse Petersen provided this information to us:

On July 22, Redmond Police officers responded to vacant land north of SE Ochoco Way & Highway 126 for a civil dispute over property. 

“During the investigation, officers heard gunshots in the area and bullets were ricocheting in their vicinity,” Petersen said.

“RPD officers, along with assistance from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, contacted two males near a trailer,” he said. “A 39-year-old male was arrested for shooting a handgun in the direction of a motorcycle that had driven by the trailer.” 

Petersen said the man was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail on charges of menacing, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of reckless endangering.

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