Author: KTVZ

Barney Lerten

TERREBONNE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Terrebonne man crossing an unlit stretch of Highway 97 away from a crosswalk Thursday night was struck by a minivan and flown to St. Charles Bend with severe injuries, Oregon State Police said.

The crash occurred shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday near milepost 116, troopers said.

A 46-year-old woman from Onalaska, Washington was driving a black Honda minivan heading south on the highway when she struck the Terrebonne man, identified as Joshua Benitez, 29.

OSP said the pedestrian was wearing dark clothing and was crossing the highway in an unlit, non-crosswalk area. The driver showed no signs of impairment, troopers added.

ODOT said Highway 97 was closed for the crash investigation until about 12:15 a.m. Friday.

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Tyson Beauchemin

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — This Saturday at General Duffy’s in Redmond, Precious Byrd is putting on a benefit concert. The well-known local band is partnering with the Redmond High Sparrow Club to raise money for a child with medical issues.

All proceeds for this event will go to help Grayson Gage, who was born prematurely and has had medical complications as a result.

Dean of Students Chris Davis told KTVZ News, “It’s something the students in the Sparrow Club have gotten passionate about. Something bigger than themselves is what the whole idea is that they want to be a part of something where they can give back to the community, but also have something where they have a passion for helping a family in need, especially somebody that’s close to home.”

The event starts at 6 this Saturday and tickets will cost $25. Besides the Precious Byrd concert, there will be items and desserts for auction.

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Claire Elmer

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Allergy season is typically rough on the High Desert, but this year seems especially brutal for residents.

We spoke with allergist Dr. Mangat earlier in the week, whose recommendations included over-the-counter medications approved by the FDA.

We wanted to hear from the public directly, so we asked locals what they’re doing to find relief. Some are looking for solace with traditional methods, while others are waiting out the extreme season of allergens.

“Filter at home that filters the air, otherwise eye drops, medication,” stated Rick Myers of Bend.

“I don’t know – accept that it’s reality and just hope that it ends soon,” said Victoria Akhtar of Bend.

We also caught up with Mike Rust of Bend, who was wearing a medical mask.

“This is not because of sickness. This is because of allergies,” he said.

For those still struggling with severe symptoms, Dr. Mangat suggests meeting with an allergist for treatment specific to you.

One thing most Central Oregonians can agree on: The end of this allergy season can’t come soon enough.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — While Cascade Lakes Highway and Paulina Lake Road remain closed, snow removal efforts are well underway, Deschutes County Road Department officials said Friday.

Crews are reporting more than eight feet of snow on the Cascade Lakes Highway south of Devils Lake. 

The Road Department says the roads won’t be open to traffic until sometime prior to Memorial Day, but we wanted to share footage of our crews hard at work. The public is encouraged to check the Road Department website for updates.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A fire sparked by a candle being used for warmth destroyed a vehicle Friday morning in the Juniper Ridge area north of Bend, often referred to as “Dirt World.”

At 7:17 a.m., several 911 callers reported a column of smoke in the Juniper Ridge area, near the Central Oregon Irrigation Hydro Plant, on property owned by the City of Bend, Bend Fire & Rescue Deputy Fire Marshal Cindy Kettering said.

The first crews to arrive found a passenger vehicle fully engulfed, with fire spreading to a tree and adjacent vegetation. 

Kettering said firefighters were able to quickly contain and extinguish the fire, with mutual aid assistance provided by a water tender from Redmond Fire. One person was transported by ambulance to St Charles Medical Center in Bend.  

Upon investigation, it was determined that the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder SUV, was being used as living quarters and was occupied at the time of the fire.  A candle was being used to keep warm, and the candle ignited nearby combustibles inside the vehicle. 

The vehicle and contents were a complete loss, estimated at $8,000, the fire official said in a news release. 

Kettering wrote, “Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that anything which produces heat needs a safe space around it. 

“Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from all heating equipment such as fireplaces and space heaters. Make sure that fueled portable heaters are rated for indoor use. If they are for outdoor use only, they can produce deadly carbon monoxide if used in an enclosed area.

“For more safety tips, visit our website at https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/fire-rescue/community-programs

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Harley Coldiron

(Update: Adding video)

CHILOQUIN, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jeld-Wen has announced that its Chiloquin Doors plant is closing permanently and the 128 people who work there are losing their jobs.

“On May 1, 2025, JELD-WEN announced it will stop operations at its Chiloquin Doors plant and move production to other existing JELD-WEN facilities. The transition will begin immediately,” Manager of External Communications Katie Lykins told KTVZ News on Friday.

Multiple employees who wished to remain anonymous shared with KTVZ News that the company had informed workers they would be fired and lose their severance if media interviews were conducted.

KTVZ News learned more than a hundred employees will be impacted, and several have told us they don’t know why they are losing their jobs.

The Chiloquin factory, located two hours south of Bend, makes custom doors and frames. It’s been one of the few sources of good-paying jobs in Klamath County.

When KTVZ news arrived at the facility Tuesday morning to get answers on why the plant was shutting down, we were immediately told to leave and were kicked off the property.

According to multiple employees who wished to remain anonymous, the company warned employees they would lose their severance package if they spoke to the media.

KTVZ News could not confirm this information. 

Oregon is an at-will state, meaning employers can terminate employees at any time unless the decision is based on discrimination or illegal reasons.  

“We value the contributions of our employees and have provided those affected with a competitive separation package and outplacement services to help provide a smooth transition,” the company said.

“While decisions that impact people are never easy, we make them only after careful consideration and with the understanding that our actions today are necessary to position JELD-WEN for long-term success,” the statement from Lykins concluded.

Lykins would also not comment on how well the facility was doing financially. The company released its 20-25 first-quarter results, showing major losses in revenue.

The required closure notice sent to Chiloquin Mayor Julie Bettles and a state workforce official indicated over 100 production workers are expected to have their last day of work on June 30, with 14 production and management staying on until Dec. 1.

Jeld-Wen started in Klamath Falls over 60 years ago, but moved its headquarters to North Carolina a decade ago. Jeld-Wen operates facilities in 14 countries in North America and Europe and employs approximately 16,000 people.

In the meantime, employment organizations are working to find jobs for the people who will be impacted by the closure.

Here’s the plant closure notice:

WARN 9218 Jeld-Wen – Chiloquin FacilityDownload

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A La Pine-area man was formally charged Friday with aggravated animal abuse for hitting his dog with a shovel as photos of his three seized dogs were shared with KTVZ’s Problem Solvers.

The victim dog, Hooch, and John Coe Richardson’s other two dogs, Evie and Paco, were seized Wednesday when Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies arrested Richardson in the La Pine Post Office parking lot.

KTVZ’s Problem Solvers broke the story on our 11:00 p.m. Tuesday newscast after a neighbor’s video of the alleged beating went viral on social media, prompting numerous calls for action.

Court records show Richardson was granted conditional release from the Bend jail on Friday as he was charged with first-degree aggravated animal abuse, a Class C felony, and second-degree animal abuse, a Class B misdemeanor. He’s scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on May 20.

The charging document alleges Richardson “did unlawfully and knowingly torture an animal,” and injured Hooch “by use of force.”

The standard conditional release form signed by Richardson did not address issues regarding animal possession.

District Attorney Steve Gunnels told KTVZ News, “He was released by the jail based on release criteria that they are required to follow. We will ask the judge to address release conditions when he comes to court on May 20, which will be the first time in this case that he will be in front of a judge.”

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Isabella Warren

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ)– Just outside the city limits of La Pine, in the dense forest that surrounds the community, you won’t find wild animals enjoying their habitat. Instead, homeless camps.

Deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office showed the Problem Solvers first-hand the camps set up right outside of town.

“This is a camp where the guy’s been in jail for some time. All this was left out here. We have firewood. We have structures that have been built, all these forest products,” Lieutenant Joshua Spano said while driving through a camp.

But during our interview, he arrived at a new trailer, “This is a brand-new trailer addition here. It wasn’t here a week ago. This isn’t supposed to be happening.”

Lieutenant Spano patrols this part of the county and says he’s counted six new camps set up within three days.

All six arrived from Bend’s largest encampment off China Hat Road. That land belongs to the federal government, and the U.S. Forest Service closed the area Thursday for wildfire mitigation, a problem La Pine residents know all too well.

“It’s a struggle, for real,” said David, who moved from Colorado to La Pine and now lives in the forest.

He tells the Problem Solvers that the small community of La Pine just doesn’t have the services to help the growing population, and with people being forced out of camps along China Hat Road, the challenge is going to grow. 

“The only resource that I necessarily use is St. Vincent de Paul, and that’s just for food,” he said.

The camps are just a short walk from new housing developments where people, young and old, are looking to call home. A dream that many people in the camps feel is far out of reach.

As the deputies continue their patrol, they are reminded that wildfire season is quickly approaching. Evacuation tape could be seen in camps following the Jack Pine Fire.

Viral video KTVZ News shared last June shows what appears to be an encampment on fire, the same day the nearly 4,000-acre Darlene 3 Fire ignited, forcing hundreds to evacuate, including those living in the city of La Pine.

The fire was human-caused, officials said, but the specific cause of that fire still hasn’t been determined.

Solutions are continuing to be discussed as wildfire season quickly approaches and the city of La Pine braces.

A cleanup with Deschutes County jail inmates is scheduled for May 10, part of the efforts of the Newberry Regional Partnership aimed at providing solutions to homelessness and wildfire risk.

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Barney Lerten

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A drug raid late Wednesday night on a La Pine-area home turned up an illegal marijuana operation, and a resident was cited on three felony charges.

Around 11 p.m. Wednesday, detectives with the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement team, assisted by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team, executed a search warrant in the 17000 block of Kasserman Drive, Bend Police Lt. Mike Landolt said in a news release Friday, which continues below:

This search warrant was the result of a short-term drug investigation involving the illegal manufacture, possession, and distribution of marijuana. 

Deschutes County deputies contacted a 37-year-old man outside his residence and advised him of the search warrant. 

A search of the property revealed over 50 pounds of processed marijuana at the location, over 400 grams of marijuana concentrates and approximately 50 growing marijuana plants, along with evidence of distribution, including packaging, scales, and mailing boxes. Drug agents also recovered evidence that drugs were being distributed through the mail.

The resident was issued a criminal citation to appear in Circuit Court, and he will be facing the following charges:

ORS 475C349 (3)(b)(A) Unlawful Manufacture of marijuana  >12 plants(C Felony)

ORS 475C.341(3)(b) Unlawful possession of marijuana >8lbs (C Felony)

ORS 475C345(3)(b)(A)(ii) Attempted Distribution of marijuana (C Felony).

KTVZ News policy is not to name arrested individuals until and unless formal charges are filed.

Deputy District Attorney Andrew Doyle told KTVZ News the man was cited on the charges and not taken to jail due to his limited criminal history and his cooperation with authorities conducting the raid.

Doyle said that’s a standard procedure for marijuana cases that don’t involve guns, an existing warrant or other, more serious allegations.

CODE Detectives and the DCIMME team were assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration during this investigation.

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies:  Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department,  Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations.

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Barney Lerten

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The wait is over! The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has announced it will reopen the popular Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program on Thursday, May 22.

Here’s the full news release announcing the program’s resumption:

In even more exciting news, the program will remain open longer this year due to funds awarded to DEQ last summer through the Climate Equity and Resilience Through Action grant. Any vehicles purchased or leased before May 22 are not eligible to apply for the rebate.

DEQ offers two rebates*:

Standard Rebate (Open to all Oregon residents, businesses, non-profits and government agencies): Up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of a new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a new zero-emission ​motorcycle selected from the Standard Rebate Eligible Vehicle List.

Charge Ahead Rebate (Open to low- and moderate-income households and nonprofit, low-income service providers):

The Used Charge Ahead Rebate: $5,000 for the purchase or lease of an eligible used battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

The New Charge Ahead Rebate: Up to $7,500 for the purchase or lease of an eligible new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Select vehicle options from the Charge Ahead Eligible Vehicle List.

*You may only apply for one rebate.

To determine Charge Ahead Rebate eligibility for individuals, check DEQ’s Charge Ahead Rebate: Income Eligibility web page. Charge Ahead Rebate applicants can prequalify by completing the prequalification application to receive a voucher to be used at participating dealerships.

“The Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program is enormously popular,” said DEQ Air Quality Transportation Section Manager Rachel Sakata. “By helping to offset the cost of an electric vehicle, it continues to be one of the best ways many individuals and families can gain access to cleaner transportation and improve air quality across the state.”

The Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program receives at least $12 million annually, or 45% of the state’s Vehicle Privilege Tax. Last year, overwhelming demand closed the program after just two months. However, the $31 million CERTA grant will expand the Charge Ahead Rebate option, giving more low- and moderate-income households access to savings. DEQ will monitor rebates and is required to suspend the program once funds are depleted. The agency will announce the closure date at least 30 days in advance.

Applicants have six months from date of purchase or lease to apply for a rebate. However, people are encouraged to apply early and track available rebate funding online. If approved applications are submitted after funds are depleted, those applicants will be placed on a waitlist for payment in early spring 2026.

Electric vehicles purchased or leased before May 22, 2025 will not receive state rebates and will not be placed on a waiting list, but they may still qualify for federal tax credits.

A variety of state agencies and public electric utilities offer savings on electric vehicle purchases, leases or charging infrastructure. The Go Electric Oregon website lists available incentives and provides helpful information for potential electric vehicle buyers and lessees.

DEQ’s Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program web page has all the details. Please visit the EV Rebate Contact web page to ask questions. You may register at OCVRP Sign Up to receive program updates by email.

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