Author: KTVZ

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Deschutes County judge agreed Tuesday to postpone plea entry by a truck driver facing manslaughter charges after a newlywed couple crashed into his jackknifed rig on Highway 20 east of Bend and were killed.

It’s the second delay in entry of plea by Rajinder Kumar, 32, who faces two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three counts of recklessly endangering another person.

The Nov. 24 crash about 50 miles east of Bend killed driver William Micah Carter 25, and passenger Jennifer Lower Carter, 24.

Defense attorney Andrew Ince Jr. asked Circuit Judge Wells Ashby to reset the plea hearing for about six weeks out. Ashby agreed, but did not schedule it immediately. Instead, he told Kumar and others the date and time would be set by the end of the day.

Court records later Tuesday showed the plea hearing is now set for Feb. 25.

Kumar remains held on $500,000 and is the subject of a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest detainer, accused of being in the country illegally.

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KTVZ

PORTLAND, Ore., – The national average for regular gas has been stable over the past week, and the Oregon average continues to fall. In fact, Oregon had the second-largest week-over-week decline for a state in the nation, AAA Oregon/Idaho reported Tuesday.

Both averages are at their lowest prices in nearly five years. The national average is at its cheapest price since March 2021 and the Oregon average is at its lowest price since May 2021.

However, crude oil prices have climbed above $60 per barrel this week, which could translate into higher pump prices, AAA says.

For the week, the national average for regular remains at $2.82 a gallon. The Oregon average falls five cents to $3.34 a gallon and Bend’s has dropped to about $3.23 a gallon. Oregon has the second-largest decline in the nation, behind the District of Columbia.

“December and January are often when pump prices are at their lowest prices of the year, due to the seasonal factors of lackluster demand for gas as well as cheaper winter-blend fuel,” says Marie Dodds, public affairs director for AAA Oregon/Idaho. “However, with crude oil rising above $60 today for the first time since early December, that may put some upward pressure on pump prices.”

The Oregon average for regular gas began 2026 at $3.42 a gallon, which is the highest price of the year so far. The lowest price of the year so far is today’s price of $3.34.   

The national average began 2026 at $2.83 a gallon, which is the highest price of the year so far. The lowest price of the year so far is $2.795 on January 11.

The average price for the national average for regular gas in 2025 was $3.11 per gallon. The average price of the Oregon average for the year was $3.87.

Demand for gasoline in the U.S. gasoline decreased from 8.56 million b/d to 8.17 million b/d for the week ending January 2. This compares to 8.48 million b/d a year ago. Total domestic supply of gasoline increased from 234.3 million barrels to 242 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.0 million barrels per day compared to 9.5 million barrels the previous week.

Gas prices typically rise starting in mid-to-late winter and early spring as refineries undergo maintenance ahead of the switch to summer-blend fuel, which is more expensive to produce and less likely to evaporate in warmer temperatures. The switch occurs first in California, which is why pump prices on the West Coast often rise before other parts of the country. The East Coast is the last major market to switch to summer-blend fuel. Most areas have a May 1 compliance date for refiners and terminals, while most gas stations have a June 1 deadline to switch to selling summer-blend. Switch-over dates are earlier in California with some areas in the state requiring summer-blend fuel by April 1. Some refineries will begin maintenance and the switchover in February.

Gas prices usually drop in the fall, due to the switch from summer-blend to winter-blend fuel, which costs less to produce. The switch starts in September. Many areas, including Oregon, can sell winter-blend fuel starting September 15. However, Northern and Southern California require summer-blend fuel through October 31. Prices usually decline to their lowest levels of the year in late fall and early winter before increasing again in the late winter and early spring.

The U.S. price of crude oil (West Texas Intermediate) has mostly been in the upper $50s to mid-$70s since September 2024.

WTI is trading at $61 today, compared to $57 a week ago and $79 a year ago. In 2025, West Texas Intermediate ranged between $80.04 (January 15) and $57.46 (October 16) per barrel.  In 2024, WTI ranged between $66 and $87 per barrel. In 2023, WTI ranged between $63 and $95 per barrel. WTI reached recent highs of $123.70 on March 8, 2022, shortly after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, and $122.11 per barrel on June 8, 2022. The all-time high for WTI crude oil is $147.27 in July 2008.

Crude prices are impacted by economic news as well as geopolitical events around the world including the current economic uncertainty, the current situation in Venezuela, protests in Iran, unrest in the Middle East, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, and the war between Russia and Ukraine. Russia is a top global oil producer, behind the U.S. and Saudi Arabia. Crude prices were volatile after the attack on Israel by Hamas in October 2023. While Israel and the Palestinian territory are not oil producers, there were concerns that the conflict could spread in the Middle East, which could potentially impact crude production in other oil-producing nations in the region. Crude oil prices declined after October’s fragile peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. In addition, production cuts by OPEC+ in previous years tightened global crude oil supplies, which continued to impact prices. But in 2025, the cartel boosted production which put downward pressure on crude oil prices. For 2026, OPEC+ says it’s not planning any production hikes in the first quarter of the year due to lower demand.

Crude oil is the main ingredient in gasoline and diesel, so pump prices are impacted by crude prices on the global markets. On average, about 49% of what we pay for in a gallon of gasoline is for the price of crude oil, 14% is refining, 21% distribution and marketing, and 17% are taxes, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Meanwhile, crude oil production in the U.S. remains at or near record highs. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that crude production in his country remains is at 13.81 million barrels per day for the week ending January 2. Production has been at 13.5 million barrels per day many times since October 2024. The U.S. has been the top producer of crude oil in the world since 2018 and has been increasing its oil production since about 2009.

Quick stats

Oregon is one of 33 states and the District of Columbia with lower prices now than a week ago. The District of Columbia (-5 cents) and Oregon (-5 cents) have the largest week-over-week decreases in the nation. Iowa (+15 cents) has the biggest week-over-week increase in the country. The average in Hawaii is flat.

Hawaii ($4.42) has the most expensive gas in the nation for the fifth week in a row. California ($4.21) is second. These are the only states with averages at or above $4 a gallon. This week six states and the District of Columbia have averages in the $3-range. There are 42 states with an average in the $2 range this week.

The cheapest gas in the nation is in Oklahoma ($2.23) and Arkansas ($2.39) and. No state has had an average below $2 a gallon since January 7, 2021, when Mississippi and Texas were below that threshold. At the time, the COVID-19 pandemic drove significant declines in crude oil and gasoline demand in the U.S. and around the world.

The difference between the most expensive and least expensive states is $2.19 this week, same as a week ago.

Oregon is one of 44 states and the District of Columbia with lower prices now than a month ago. The national average is 10 cents less and the Oregon average is 29 cents less than a month ago. Oregon has the largest month-over-month decline in the nation. Idaho (-24 cents) has the second-biggest month-over-month drop in the nation. Maryland (+8 cents) has the largest month-over-month increase.

Oregon is one of 49 states and the District of Columbia with lower prices now than a year ago. The national average is 25 cents less, while the Oregon average is 12 cents less. Utah (-40 cents) has the largest year-over-year drop in the nation. Alaska (+19 cents) is the only state with a year-over-year increase.

West Coast

The West Coast region continues to have the most expensive pump prices in the nation with six of the seven states in the top 10. It’s typical for the West Coast to have six or seven states in the top 10 as this region tends to consistently have fairly tight supplies, consuming about as much gasoline as is produced. In addition, this region is located relatively far from parts of the country where oil drilling, production and refining occurs, so transportation costs are higher. And environmental programs in this region add to the cost of production, storage and distribution.

Rank
Region
Price on 1/13/2026

1
Hawaii
$4.42

2
California
$4.21

3
Washington
$3.80

4
Alaska
$3.49

5
Nevada
$3.35

6
Oregon
$3.34

7
District of Columbia
$3.11

8
Pennsylvania
$3.01

9
Vermont
$3.00

10
New York
$3.00

As mentioned above, Hawaii has the most expensive gas in the country for the fifth consecutive week. California, Washington, Alaska, Nevada, and Oregon round out the top six. Arizona is 11th. Oregon slips to sixth after three weeks at fifth.

Six of the seven states in the West Coast region have week-over-week decreases: Oregon (-5 cents), Alaska (-5 cents), Arizona (-4 cents), California (-4 cents), Washington (-3 cents) and Nevada (-2 cents). The average in Hawaii is the same as a week ago.

The refinery utilization rate on the West Coast inched up from 79.6% to 80.0% for the week ending January 2. This rate has ranged between about 70% to 93% in the last year. The latest national refinery utilization rate is steady at 94.7%.

The refinery utilization rate measures how much crude oil refineries are processing as a percentage of their maximum capacity. A low or declining rate can put upward pressure on pump prices, while a high or rising rate can put downward pressure on pump prices.

According to EIA’s latest weekly report, total gas stocks in the region increased from 29.58 million bbl. to 31.35 million bbl. for the week ending January 2. An increase in gasoline stocks can put downward pressure on pump prices, while a decrease in gasoline stocks can put upward pressure on pump prices.

Oil market dynamics

Crude oil prices have climbed above $60 this week for the first time since early December as investors weigh the protests in Iran, the impacts from the U.S. action in Venezuela and how it might impact that country’s large oil reserves, and seemingly no progress in efforts to end the war between Russia and Ukraine.

Meanwhile, the EIA reports that crude oil inventories decreased by 3.8 million barrels from the previous week. At 419.1 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 3% below the five-year average for this time of year. 

At the close of Friday’s formal trading session, WTI jumped $1.36 to close at $59.12. At the close of Monday’s formal trading session, WTI added 38 cents to settle at $59.50. Today crude is trading around $61, compared to $57 a week ago. Crude prices are about $17 less than a year ago. ($78.82 on January 13, 2025)

Drivers can find current gas prices along their route with the free AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android. The app can also be used to map a route, find discounts, book a hotel and access AAA roadside assistance. Learn more at AAA.com/mobile.

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend-La Pine Schools is inviting the community to learn about its new “choice option” high school during two information nights this week and next at the Bend Technical Academy campus.  

This coming fall, the district will offer a new choice high school open to all students in the community. The soon-to-be-named high school will offer both Expeditionary Learning and Career and Technical Education, and will be located at the existing Bend Technical Academy campus on NE Fifth Street. 

The new high school will allow students to explore applied learning through interdisciplinary, project-based work; college-level Advanced Placement classes; and Career and Technical Education. The school will be led by current BTA Principal Dr. LaKisha Clark and current Realms High School Assistant Principal Zach Harju.  

A volunteer committee of staff, students and families will collaborate to create a name for the new choice high school, which will be announced later this spring.  

Interested students and families are invited to meet the new administrators and learn more about the school during two information nights hosted at the BTA campus, 1291 NE Fifth Street: 

Wednesday, January 14, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. 

Tuesday, January 20, 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. 

Applications for the new choice option high school lottery must be submitted by this Friday, Jan. 23. Families can apply now at bls.fyi/options2026. 

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Details of Deschutes Alert sent in neighborhood)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A police K-9’s bite helped Bend police arrest a wanted Bend man found hiding in a northeast Bend backyard during an extensive search Tuesday afternoon, minutes after nearly 900 area residents got a warning of a possibly “armed and dangerous” person on the run.

Around 10:30 Monday morning, officers responded to a report of a man brandishing a firearm at another person at the Quickway Market parking lot on NE Butler Market Road, Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said.

The suspect, identified as 27-year-old Joel Twobulls Caubet of Bend, and a woman fled the scene in a red 1997 Land Rover, Miller said.  

Around 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, officers spotted the suspect’s vehicle traveling on Third Street near Empire Avenue, with Caubet in the passenger seat.

The driver went through neighborhoods before Caubet ran from the vehicle near the intersection of NE Boulderfield Avenue and Meridian Place, Miller said.  

Officers detained the driver of the Land Rover, identified as 27-year-old Marjorie Deleen Eyle, also of Bend. Miller said she was cited for reckless driving and released at the scene. 

Officers set up a perimeter in the area and used drones and police K-9 Buck to search for Caubet, who was seen trying to enter a backyard in the area.  

Around 2:30 p.m., officers found Caubet hiding in the backyard of a home in the 63000 block of Meridian Place. K-9 Buck bit Caubet, who was taken into custody without further incident.

Miller said Caubet was taken to St. Charles Bend with minor injuries and will be lodged at the Deschutes County Jail on two counts of menacing, second-degree disorderly conduct, unlawful use of a weapon, felon in possession of a weapon and trespassing.

A detective also located a replica handgun at the intersection of NE Peale Street and Boulderfield Avenue.  

A Deschutes Alert sent to 871 contacts at 2:22 p.m. advised residents of law enforcement in the area looking for the wanted man, who they said “should be considered armed and dangerous.”

“If seen, secure your residence, do not make contact with him and call 9-1-1,” the alert said.

Eight minutes later, another alert advised residence that “the subject has been located. Thank you for your assistance.”

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Work on the Olney Avenue Improvements Project continues, city officials said Tuesday, as crews proceed with the construction project, despite a delay in work by Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway crews.

Late last month, the railroad’s signal crew was reassigned to Washington state for emergency flood response, causing a delay in the Olney project, according to city officials.

City Community Relations Manager Jacob Larsen told KTVZ news Tuesday afternoon that the engineer overseeing the project said BNSF crews have returned and plan to work on the Olney project for the rest of this week, then return again to continue their work the last week of January. They expect to wrap up the signal improvements by early February. 

“These upgrades, specifically related to the railroad gate arms and flashing lights, must be completed before the road can safely reopen,” the city said.

The city said its contractor “is working to complete this project as quickly as possible, with collaboration from BNSF Railway.”

Paving and concrete work will continue by the railroad crossing through the end of the month.

“Please do not enter the closed construction zone before, during, or after hours, as there are open trenches, heavy equipment and other hazards throughout the closed work zone,” they said.

Recently, a section of Olney Avenue opened between First and Third streets. That stretch of road includes a new, safer crossing at Olney Avenue and Second Street.

For more information and to stay up to date on the Olney Avenue Improvements Project, visit bendoregon.gov/olney.

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Triton Notary

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ)– Madras City Council has tabled discussions regarding the future viability of running and operating the Desert Peaks Golf Course. The meeting took place this afternoon, where the future of the Madras Police Department will begin to take shape. Acting Police Chief, Sergeant Angela Edler was appointed. She will lead the department beginning on January 23rd until a permanent chief is selected by City Council. For more information on the course and it’s future go to the city of Madras website or the Desert Peaks Golf Course website.

Below is the full release from the city:

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Suspect driver found, arrested)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend police released a vehicle photo Tuesday and asked for the community’s help in finding a driver who allegedly left the scene of a crash involving a child on a bicycle earlier in the day. Just a few hours later, they announced a Bend man’s arrest and thanked the public for its help.

“Thanks to assistance from the public, at approximately 5:55 p.m., Bend police were able to identify the suspect vehicle and the driver in this incident,” Communications Manager Sheila Miller said.

She said the driver, 61-year-old Bend resident Tracy Michael Wood, was taken into custody at his home, and the vehicle was located nearby. 

Wood was taken to the Deschutes County Jail on suspicion of failure to perform the duties of a driver.  

Around 7:26 a.m., officers responded to a report of a vehicle-vs.-bike crash in the roundabout of of Brosterhous and Murphy roads, Miller said earlier.

Witnesses reported that a child was riding a bicycle in the roundabout crosswalk when a vehicle, likely a light blue or gray older-style Honda sedan, hit the bike’s back tire.

The child fell off the bike and suffered minor injuries, Miller said, and was treated at the scene by Bend Fire medics.

Witnesses told officers the driver briefly stopped, then sped away from the crash scene. 

“Leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash is a crime.,” Miller said in a news release accompanied by a photo of the suspect vehicle.  

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KTVZ

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are up year-over-year in all three Central Oregon counties, the Oregon Employment Department reported Tuesday.

Here’s the complete report they issued:

Bend MSA (Crook, Deschutes, and Jefferson Counties): MSA seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are not available at the moment, but more data should be available by the end of the month. For county data, see below.  

The Bend MSA lost 560 jobs (-0.5%) from October to November, with the largest losses occurring in professional and business services (-310 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (-170 jobs); the public sector (-130 jobs); and leisure and hospitality (-100 jobs). Private-sector job gains were less widespread and concentrated within trade, transportation, and utilities (+150 jobs) and private education and health services (+80 jobs). Smaller but notable losses took place in manufacturing (-60 jobs), information (-10 jobs), and other services (-10 jobs).  

Total nonfarm employment increased by 1.8% (+2,030 jobs) from November 2024 to November 2025. Over the year, private job gains were seen in leisure and hospitality (+1,110 jobs), private education and health services (+700 jobs), and other services (+260 jobs). Smaller gains were also seen in mining, logging, and construction (+40 jobs) and trade, transportation, and utilities (+20 jobs). 

Private-sector losses were not as widespread and concentrated in information (-390 jobs), professional and business services (-170 jobs), financial activities (-110 jobs), and manufacturing (-60 jobs). The public sector gained 630 jobs over the year with all gains occurring at the local government level (+840 jobs) –federal government employment decreased by 140 jobs over the year while state government employment was down 70 jobs. 

Crook County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.9% in November 2025, up 0.8 percentage point from the previous year. Outside of the pandemic recession, the last time the unemployment rate was 5.9% was in 2016.  

Crook County lost 140 jobs (-1.9%) over the month. Losses were concentrated within leisure and hospitality (-40 jobs); professional and business services (-20 jobs); and trade, transportation, and utilities (-20 jobs). 

Public-sector employment shed 60 jobs with federal government losing 40 jobs and local government losing 20 jobs. Private-sector gains were minimal and occurred in the information industry (+10 jobs). All other major industries saw little to no change over the month.  

Over the past year, the county lost 300 jobs (-3.9%). Losses were concentrated within the information industry (-270 jobs) and mostly occurred due to a change in the way the data was reported. Otherwise, losses occurred in government (-50 jobs); professional and business services (-30 jobs); trade, transportation, and utilities (-30 jobs); manufacturing (-10 jobs); and private education and health services (-10 jobs). 

Over the year, job gains were not as widespread and were concentrated in leisure and hospitality (+60 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (+30 jobs); and other services (+10 jobs). 

Deschutes County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9% in November 2025, up from 4.1% in November 2024. Outside of the pandemic recession, the last time it was this high was in 2016, and it is 1.6 percentage points above its record low of 3.3% before the onset of the pandemic. 

Deschutes County lost 400 jobs (-0.4%) from October to November, with the largest losses occurring in professional and business services (-300 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (-140 jobs); the public sector (-90 jobs); and manufacturing (-80 jobs).

Within the public sector, losses were concentrated in federal government (-70 jobs) and local government (-30 jobs). Smaller but notable private-sector losses also occurred in leisure and hospitality (-30 jobs), information (-20 jobs), and other services (-10 jobs).

Private-sector job gains were less widespread and concentrated within trade, transportation, and utilities (+170 jobs) with the majority of gains taking place in retail trade (+150 jobs); private education and health services (+80 jobs); and financial activities (+20 jobs).  

Total nonfarm employment increased by 2.5% (+2,410 jobs) from November 2024 to November 2025. Over the year, private job gains were seen in leisure and hospitality (+970 jobs) with more than half (+590 jobs) of gains taking place in accommodation and food services; private education and health services (+750 jobs); and other services (+130 jobs). Smaller gains were also seen in manufacturing (+90 jobs) and trade, transportation, and utilities (+20 jobs).

Over the year, private-sector losses were concentrated in information (-120 jobs); financial activities (-100 jobs); professional and business services (-40 jobs); and mining, logging, and construction (-40 jobs). The public sector gained 750 jobs over the year, with all gains occurring at the local government level (+910 jobs) – federal government employment decreased by 120 jobs over the year while state government employment was down 40 jobs. 

Jefferson County: The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.9% in November 2025, up 1.3 percentage points from November 2024. Like the other two counties, the last time the unemployment rate was this high, outside of the pandemic recession, was 2016. Shortly before the first impacts from COVID-19 were felt, the rate was 4.3%. 

Total nonfarm employment decreased by 10 jobs (-0.2%) over the month of November. Losses were concentrated in leisure and hospitality (-30 jobs); mining, logging, and construction (-20 jobs); and other services (-10 jobs). Gains were marginal and concentrated in government (+30 jobs), specifically in local government (+20 jobs) and state government (+10 jobs), with minor gains also seen in manufacturing (+20 jobs). Very little movement was seen otherwise with little to no change in all other industries.  

Jefferson County’s total nonfarm employment decreased by 90 jobs over the past year (-1.3%). Gains were minimal and concentrated within the private sector with other services gaining 40 jobs over the year. Private-sector losses were more widespread and were recorded in manufacturing (-80 jobs); professional and business services (-30 jobs); and private education and health services (-10 jobs); and government (-10 jobs). 

Next Press Releases 

The Oregon Employment Department plans to release the next statewide unemployment rate and employment survey data for December on Thursday, Jan. 22 and county and metropolitan area unemployment rates and employment survey data on Tuesday, Jan. 27.  

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KTVZ – News Team

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon officials are warning residents to act fast as the deadline to sign up for health coverage approaches — and to be on alert for scams that often appear this time of year.

Open enrollment for health insurance in Oregon ends Wednesday, January 15, 2026, and Insurance Commissioner TK Keen says the state is seeing a rise in fraudulent websites and misleading “junk” health plans that target people searching for affordable options.

“These fake plans may look cheaper, but they often fail to cover key services like prescriptions, mental health care, or preventive care — leaving people with costly medical bills,” Keen said.

State officials urge Oregonians to look out for red flags such as websites promising “free” or “guaranteed” insurance, requests for personal information before confirming eligibility, or short-term plans marketed as full coverage.

To avoid scams, residents should only use trusted sources when shopping for coverage. Free, unbiased assistance is available to help compare plans and check for financial aid.

Eligible Oregonians can visit OregonHealthCare.gov or call 855‑268‑3767 for help enrolling before Wednesday’s deadline.

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KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Visit Bend is looking for community members who want to help shape the city’s future in tourism, recreation, and sustainability. The city’s nonprofit destination marketing organization plays a key role in promoting Bend while prioritizing environmental, social, and economic health.​

The tourism organization is currently accepting applications for four open seats on its board of directors. The new members will serve three-year terms beginning in March, and the deadline to apply is January 30.

Visit Bend is seeking applicants with ties to the city’s visitor economy — including those working in tourism, hospitality, outdoor recreation, or related industries — as well as individuals whose work supports the group’s mission of environmental and economic stewardship.​

Those interested in applying can send an email to boardinquiry@visitbend.com with a brief bio and a statement explaining why they’d like to serve. More information about the board positions and Visit Bend’s initiatives is available at their website.

About Visit Bend

Visit Bend is the destination marketing and management organization under contract with the City of Bend, funded primarily through citywide transient room tax collections. Its work focuses on attracting visitors, supporting local businesses, and reinvesting tourism dollars into community assets, with an emphasis on sustainability and respect for Bend’s natural resources.

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