Author: KTVZ

Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Former Central Oregon Rep. Lori Chavez-DeRemer resigned from President Donald Trump’s Cabinet on Monday following investigations into alleged misconduct involving her and her husband.

Chavez-DeRemer served as U.S. secretary of labor for 14 months. She is the third Cabinet member to leave the administration in recent months, following the departures of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and former Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Allegations and response

Chavez-DeRemer’s husband had previously been banned from Labor Department offices in Washington, D.C.

In a statement posted to social media, Chavez-DeRemer thanked the president and addressed the allegations.

“Thank you, President Trump. While my time serving in the administration comes to a conclusion, it doesn’t mean I will stop fighting for American workers,” she wrote.

In a separate post, she pushed back on the accusations.

“The allegations against me, my family, and my team have been peddled by high-ranked deep state actors,” she said.

Reaction from Oregon leaders

Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., criticized Chavez-DeRemer’s tenure in a statement to KTVZ.

“The only thing steady about this administration is its continued and blatant abuse of the law,” Wyden said.

“Chavez-DeRemer, whose term was plagued with widespread misconduct, was no exception. Oregonians deserve a labor secretary that cares more about protecting workers than executing Trump’s agenda and getting wine delivered to their hotel room.”

Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., declined to comment.

Portland policy controversy

During her time in the Cabinet, Chavez-DeRemer drew attention for comments supporting federal intervention in Portland.

“Thank you for what you were doing with your agents on ICE,” she said during a Cabinet meeting. “And thank you for the prosecution that I hope you will come to Portland, Oregon, and crack down.”

The remarks came amid protests in Portland related to federal immigration enforcement actions.

Political background and next steps

Before joining the Cabinet, Chavez-DeRemer lost her reelection bid to U.S. Rep. Janelle Bynum, who now represents Oregon’s 5th Congressional District.

Chavez-DeRemer has said she plans to pursue a role in the private sector following her resignation.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — If you see a man riding around Central Oregon on a classic motorcycle with a big poodle in the sidecar, stop: He wants to talk to you about something very important.

Max Orsini and his service dog Gnocchi are spreading the message of Orsini’s charity, Ride4LifeNW, by traveling around the state to raise awareness of the need for organ donations.

Orsini, a two-time organ recipient himself, knows it’s difficult to talk about death. But he says it’s important to have discussions with your family.

Many people don’t realize most organ donations do not happen because the family interferes, Orsini said.

“When there is that moment of grief, the family hesitate or the family could say, ‘Please don’t talk to us about this issue right now. I don’t want to know.’ And that’s where most of the time, the process stops,” he said.

Orsini will be gearing up for his next ride around the state next month. There’s a send-off party at the Audi showroom on Friday May 22nd from 4-6:30 p.m. After that, Max will do a circuit around the state, visiting hospitals.

KTVZ News will be keeping an eye on Max, as he’s working on another record-breaking trip.

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Barney Lerten

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Madras man indicted on murder, kidnap and other charges in the 2022 killing of another Madras man was sentenced Tuesday to a 25-year prison term on a lesser manslaughter charge, after he denied shooting or burying the victim, whose grieving family members pleaded for a murder conviction and life sentence. 

Victor Manuel Romero Jr., now 29, signed a plea petition last month, pleading guilty to four of the nine charges he faced in the September 2022 abduction, assault and killing of Thomas Patrick Nielson, 61. 

Nielson was taken from his mobile home, which was then destroyed by fire. He was taken to a field in Crook County, off Lone Pine Road, where authorities said Romero and co-defendant Audrey Hahn, now 34, of Bend, shot him several times. His body was found there a year later. 

In November of 2024, Romero was returned from a California prison where he was serving time for drug crimes to face new charges in the killing. Hahn still faces the same murder and other charges, unless a plea deal is reached in her case as well. 

One of the victim’s five sons, Zack Nielson, had a statement read for him in court. He told of how, as a Marine serving in Afghanistan in 2012, he nearly killed an innocent man in the “fog of war.” Ten years later, almost to the day, waiting to retire from the Marines, he learned of the fire at his father’s home, and his disappearance. 

“I sat in that darkness for an entire year, hoping they’d find my dad, and he’d be OK.” Instead, he said, “I was robbed of a future full of freedom to visit my dad.” 

Zack Nielson said the plea deal was “made without family involvement” and that Romero and Hahn beat and kidnapped his father, torching his house and eventually killing him. 

“They should be given no relief from the consequences of their depraved actions,” he said. 

Another son, Brian Nielson, spoke in court, calling it “one of the most heinous, brutal crimes in Oregon history.” He said Romero was a “gangster” and “thug” who “came hunting for someone who wasn’t there” – not Nielson, a disabled senior who he said had “nothing to do with the gang, the cartel” Romero was associated with. 

“But innocent didn’t matter to Victor Romero,” Brian Nielson said. “This was not a crime of passion. This was not manslaughter. … What happened to my father was murder. I’m asking you from the bottom of my heart to reject the plea. … I do not believe justice is being served in this courtroom today. A plea deal is not justice – it’s paperwork.” 

“This will not be the end,” he said, vowing to pursue every avenue, from civil and federal court.  

“Your honor, please reject this plea,” he pleaded. “Give my father justice.” 

The victim’s brother, Tim Nielson, provided a recorded audio statement that was played in court. He talked of many difficulties, claiming authorities did not keep his brother’s assets secure and that the family was forced to sell his property at a loss for expenses such as like removal of the burned home and burial expenses. 

And he said the family has not issued a death notice or obituary, “for fear of upsetting the process.” 

“We hesitate to imagine what Tom endured in the hours and minutes prior to his brutal murder,” Tim Nielson said. 

Nielson provided KTVZ News with the recorded statement:

Tim Nielson – Victim Impact StatementDownload

When it was his turn to speak – if he wished, Romero said: “I did not shoot Thomas. I did not shoot the guy. I did not end his life.” But he added, “I made a mistake of being (involved). I did not shoot him. I did not bury him – other persons did.” 

He added that he was “sorry to the bottom of my heart” for what happened. 

Crook County Circuit Judge Wade Whiting, who oversaw the settlement conference, held to the agreed-upon sentence. 

“It’s clear to me this was a very senseless and horrific crime that didn’t need to happen,” Whiting said. “At the end of the day, I know my words may ring hollow” to the family, he said, adding that he hopes the sentencing “can bring some measure of closure to the family,” and that “healing can follow.” 

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Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As Bend continues to expand, city park officials are working to stay ahead of environmental damage in a lesser-used area of Shevlin Park that’s seeing a surge in visitors.

Bend Park and Recreation District staff are presenting an updated trail plan for North Shevlin Park during a board meeting Tuesday evening, aiming to address issues caused by increasing foot traffic tied to nearby development, including Skyline Ranch.

Historically, most visitors have gravitated toward South Shevlin, known for its extensive trail network and popular gathering spots. But that’s beginning to shift.

With more people entering from the north side, unauthorized trails and informal parking areas have emerged along Shevlin Park Road — leading to erosion and damage to sensitive habitat.

“I don’t think or hope that anybody would intentionally just disregard it,” said Bend resident and frequent park user Tom Donohoe. “But they might not really be cognizant of what that actually is doing. And then if it starts, people will see that one walking trail — and then it gets worse.”

District leaders say the goal is to manage that growth before impacts become more severe, while still improving access for the community.

“We sharpened our pencils and we refined that plan trail alignment to meet up with those new neighborhood connections, but also to provide access to that park,” said Henry Stroud, Principal Planner for the Bend Park and Recreation District.

The proposed refined trail plan outlines options to formalize certain paths, create designated access points and address environmental damage already occurring in the area. The effort builds on a planned trail first included in the district’s 2024 comprehensive plan update.

Unlike Tuesday’s regular business agenda, the Shevlin discussion is informational. Board members are expected to provide feedback rather than take formal action.

Park officials say planning now is key, especially as visitation continues to climb. Data shows a significant increase in use on a main North Shevlin trail, from fewer than 10,000 visitors in 2015 to more than 24,000 in 2025.

Some community members believe small changes could help guide behavior and protect the landscape.

“I think if Bend Parks could actually maybe even get some small signs in certain areas that they really want protected, hopefully people will carry that throughout, to stay on the trails,” Donohoe said.

For now, park users like Donohoe are encouraging others to be mindful while enjoying the space.

“I would say it’s just — try and be a good steward when you’re here,” he said.

The Bend Park and Recreation District board meeting runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at the district office on Southwest Columbia Street, with a virtual attendance option available via Zoom.

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Barney Lerten

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) — “Lillian Pitt: Art, Memory, Home” — a major exhibition featuring the art of celebrated artist Lillian Pitt (Warm Springs, Wasco, Yakama) and the art of a number of the artist’s closest friends from her personal collection and collections of other art institutions — will open Thursday, May 21, at The Museum at Warm Springs. 

The exhibition will be on view through Saturday, October 10. 

Angela Anne Smith (Warm Springs, Yakama, Nez Perce, Diné) is the exhibition’s curator. Rebecca Dobkins, curator of Native American art at The Hallie Ford Museum of Art and professor emeritus of anthropology at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon is a contributing curator. 

Museum Members and the general public are invited to the opening reception on Thursday, May 21 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Museum (2189 US-Highway 26, Warm Springs). The reception is sponsored by The Ford Family Foundation, in recognition of the Inaugural 1905 Legacy Award in the Visual Arts, which was recently awarded to Pitt. For more information about The Ford Family Foundation’s 1905 Legacy Award in the Visual Arts visit https://bit.ly/3QQyKa8. 

Reception speakers will include The Ford Family Foundation President and CEO Kara Inae Carlisle; Indigenous scholar, artist, writer and traditional healer Phillip Cash Cash (niimíipuu, weyíiletpuu); Alfred (Bud) Lane III, vice chairman of The Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians and Pitt. 

Pitt is a Pacific Northwest Native artist whose ancestors lived in and near the Columbia River Gorge and its tributaries. The focus of her work is on creating contemporary fine art pieces that delight today’s art lovers, and at the same time, honor the history and legends of her people. 

Pitt’s art can be found in personal collections, art galleries, and museums. Her works are also displayed in numerous public spaces including parks, schools and cultural institutions. 

Other artists represented in the exhibition include Rick Bartow, Gabrielle Belz, Joe Cantrell, Phillip Cash Cash, Joe Feddersen, June Grant, Harry Fonseca, Analee Fuentes, James Lavadour, Darcy Nicholas, Jaune Quick-to-See Smith, Gail Tremblay, Toma Villa, Colleen Waata-Urlich, Tina Wirihana and Elizabeth Woody. Selected artworks are on loan from s’gʷi gʷi ʔ altxʷ (House of Welcome), The Evergreen State College, Olympia, Washington; The Hallie Ford Museum at Willamette University, Salem, Oregon and PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Portland, Oregon. 

Six themes in Pitt’s life and art will be explored, including: Ancestry, She Who Watches, Lillian and the Art of Business, Lillian as Educator, Pacific Rim Indigenous Connection, and Collaborations and Public Art. 

“My Aunt Lillian Pitt held ground and broke ground in major art institutions and academic venues that had not previously shown contemporary works from thriving Indigenous artists of her generation,” said Elizabeth Woody (Warm Springs, Yakama, Diné), executive director of The Museum at Warm Springs. “We are so honored at The Museum at Warm Springs to be hosting this prestigious, major exhibition of Lillian’s art and the work of those who she called her kindred spirits.” 

A 96-page fully illustrated catalogue edited by Anne Keala Kelly (Kanaka Maoli, Irish) and published by The Museum at Warm Springs will retail for $40. Visitors to The Museum while the exhibition is on view from May 21 to October 10 will be able to purchase the catalog for $30, with Museum Members receiving an additional 10% off. 

The catalog essays were written by Phillip Cash Cash, Rebecca Dobkins, Alfred “Bud” Lane III, Anne Keala Kelly, Donald J. Stastny (FAIA emeritus and Board of Directors, The Museum at Warm Springs) and Elizabeth Woody. The majority of photographs in the catalog were shot by Dennis Maxwell with additional photos by Joe Cantrell. 

The catalog was designed by DeeAnn Glazier, senior graphic designer at XPress Printing, Inc., in Sisters. An 18-by-12 inch color poster also will be available for $10 in the Museum Gift Shop. 

Selected artworks in several media by Pitt and some of the other artists from the exhibition will be available for sale with a 20% commission going toward The Museum. “This will be a rare opportunity to buy artwork by this amazing collection of artists and support The Museum at Warm Springs at the same time,” said Woody. 

Become a Museum Member 

There are several levels of annual Museum Membership, which begin at $25 for elders and students. All Members receive these benefits: free admission for one year, 10% discount in the Museum Gift Shop and special invitations to exhibits and programs. Members have access to the Northwest Attractions Alliance. Through this program, membership in The Museum at Warm Springs offers free admission for individual Members and three guests of any age to a different attraction each month. Join The Museum by visiting https://museumatwarmsprings.org/ and click “Join” to see Membership levels and online payment information. Or send a check to: The Museum at Warm Springs, P.O. Box 909, Warm Springs, OR 97761 (Attn: Membership). 

About The Museum at Warm Springs 

The Museum at Warm Springs opened its doors to the public on March 14, 1993 and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023. Built to Smithsonian Institution professional standards, The Museum’s mission is to preserve, advance and share the traditions, cultural and artistic heritage of The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, Oregon. Regular Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m. The Museum is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Admission: Museum Members (free), Adults ($7), Senior Citizens over 60 ($6), Students 13-18 with student body card ($4.50), Children 5-12 ($3.50) and Children 4 and younger (free). The Museum is located at 2189 Highway 26 in Warm Springs. Phone: (541) 553-3331. For more information, visit https://www.museumatwarmsprings.org/. 

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Park and Recreation District said Tuesday it has completed its seasonal changeover at The Pavilion and is now open for roller activities.

Spring through early fall welcomes roller skating, inline skating, skateboarding and scootering at The Pavilion’s non-ice season rink and skatepark. See the schedule for all details. There is also registration space available for programs beginning soon for roller hockey, learn to roller skate and cornhole league.

These drop-in sessions are offered from now through mid-June:

Friday Night Roller Dancing including themes of Glow Night on first Friday, Pajama Party on second Friday, Queer Night & Friends on third Friday, DJ Dance Party on fourth Friday and Costume Party on fifth Friday.

Adult Saturday Night Roller Jam – beginning May 23

$8 Cheap Skates & Skatepark on Wednesday afternoons

$8 With A Child Skate & Play, Friday mornings

$8 Sunday Family Skate & Skatepark

Open Skate & Skatepark

Fees: $8 youth (age 3-18); $9 older adult (age 65+); and $10 adult (age 19-64). Skate rental is $4 per person.

In addition, from now through September, The Pavilion skatepark features are included during Open Skate, With A Child Skate & Play, Cheap Skate and Sunday Family Skate times. Roller skates, skateboards and scooters are allowed in the skatepark – sorry, no bikes.

You can learn more at The Pavilion website.

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Barney Lerten

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, Oregon State University-Cascades, and Sisters High School are teaming up this month to conduct a “bioblitz” at four proposed wildlife crossing structure locations along US Highway 20.

A bioblitz is a communal effort to record as many species within a designated location and time period as possible, as a way to gauge and understand the biodiversity of an area.

From April 14-27, the 16 participating high school students are collecting information on the presence of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles, insects, plants and fungi in the forests and meadows near Black Butte, Central Oregon LandWatch said in a news release Monday that continues below:

This biologically rich area can also be a dangerous one for wildlife. The section of Highway 20 between Suttle Lake and Bend sees one of the highest densities of wildlife-vehicle collisions in the state, with 200 to 650 mule deer and elk killed yearly by vehicle strikes.

A desire to address this risky situation for both wildlife and people led to the formation of the Bend to Suttle Lake Wildlife Passage Initiative.

The group of state and federal agencies, nonprofits, landowners, and institutions brings together the necessary expertise and regulatory authority. Central Oregon LandWatch manages the B2S coalition, in partnership with the Oregon Wildlife Foundation, the coalition’s fiscal sponsor.

Currently in Phase II of this multi-year, multi-phase project, coalition members are actively working on the engineering and design for the top four priority crossing locations, as well as engaging local communities within the Bend to Suttle Lake corridor.

“I love seeing the students using field sampling methods and really diving into the process,” said Rima Givot, a veteran science teacher at Sisters High School, known for using hands-on learning techniques and mentoring students in community science projects.

As ODFW and OSU-Cascades biologists are focused on collecting pre-construction data to inform the design of the wildlife crossing structures, knowing what species are present in the vicinity of these crossing structures and how they’re using the area are key pieces of the puzzle.

“The bioblitz is a great opportunity to engage with the community while also allowing us to teach students about the native wildlife species in our area that would benefit from improved habitat connectivity provided by crossing structures,” said Jessica Wilkes, Wildlife Habitat Biologist for ODFW, adding, “I am excited to see what the students come up with in their designs for the crossings, especially habitat elements that could be included.”

Crossing construction is expected to start between 2027 and 2030.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Families in the Bend-La Pine School District with children entering kindergarten this fall can register at a neighborhood park this Saturday.

The mobile registration event will also provide details for the 2026-27 school year, including school boundary information, required enrollment documents and more, officials said this week.  

“On the Road to Kindergarten is a fun registration and orientation event that goes out in the communities to meet families and incoming kindergarten students where they are — the local parks,” said Tammy Doty, executive director of elementary programs for Bend-La Pine Schools.

“At the events, families make what is often their first contact with their school community where they can talk to teachers and staff who get them excited and ready for school.,” Doty added. 

Families can find the yellow school bus at the following locations on Saturday, April 25: 

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. 

Hollygrape Park – 19489 Hollygrape Street, Bend 

Sun Meadow Park – 61141 Dayspring Drive, Bend 

Pilot Butte Neighborhood Park – 1310 NE Highway 20 

Sunriver/Three Rivers area – Three Rivers K-8 School, 56900 Enterprise Drive, Sunriver 

10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. 

Education Center – 520 NW Wall St., Bend 

Ponderosa Park – 225 SE 15th St., Bend 

Canal Row Park – 1630 NE Butler Market Rd., Bend 

Frontier Heritage Park – 16405 First St., La Pine/Rosland area 

(Photos courtesy Bend-La Pine Schools)

To be eligible for kindergarten for the 2026-27 school year, students must be 5 years old on or before September 1, 2026.  

To learn how to register online, visit bls.fyi/kindergarten. Find your neighborhood school through their Attendance Area page: bls.fyi/attendanceareas. 

Those who are unsure about their child’s school of attendance or have more questions about kindergarten registration are urged to call 541-355-8750 to reach a staff member who can answer questions in English and Spanish.  

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Barney Lerten

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — As the busy recreation season begins, the Bureau of Land Management’s Prineville District is reminding visitors that Teaters Road remains open for public access.

Gates along the road may be closed for short periods of time, but they will remain unlocked, officials said Monday. Visitors may pass through and should leave gates as they are found — open or closed.

Teaters Road provides a direct connection between Highway 380 north to the BLM North Fork Crooked River area and the Ochoco National Forest, both popular recreation destinations and important areas for timber production. 

It also serves as the only public access point to a 160-acre “island” parcel of BLM- administered public land along Teaters Road.

The BLM is encouraging all visitors to travel respectfully when using Teaters Road to access public lands. Much of the road runs through private land, so visitors should drive slowly and watch for livestock.

 For more information about recreation access in the Prineville District, contact the BLM office at (541) 416-6700.

TeatersRdROWDownload

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