Author: KTVZ

Spencer Sacks

(Update: Added full story and quote from Councilor Cat Zwicker)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Redmond City Council met on Tuesday night. 

The meeting had a spirited and lively discussion surrounding the future of the homeless camp in East Redmond.

Before now, there was an agreement between the City of Redmond and Deschutes County on a 50/50 split.

Now though, the City and County got an updated number which shows each has an increase of more than a hundred thousand dollars

This created a disagreement between Council Members on what they should do.

Some like Councilor Jay Patrick felt they should wait to meet with the County to make a decision.

Ultimately the council voted four to two to table the conversation until its next joint meeting with the County.

Councilor Cat Zwicker was frustrated by the Council’s decision.

Councilor Zwicker told KTVZ News “We’re moving into winter. Winter is when we need to have our availability for people that are unhoused, to be someplace safe and secure, to have access to services, whether it’s electricity for heat or water, just human dignity, living out on the bush and living in the streets doesn’t provide that. I’m disappointed, obviously, because we’ve worked on this for over 18 months with the county as a partnership”

This will impact several homeless residents as by Oregon law a city must have a suitable replacement before they remove someone.

We will continue to update you as the story develops.

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KTVZ

WARM SPRINGS, Ore., (KTVZ) — The Museum at Warm Springs will host the opening of the “32nd Annual Warm Springs Tribal Member and Youth Exhibit” on Wednesday, November 12.

Museum Members and the general public are invited to a reception from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at The Museum (2189 Highway 26, Warm Springs). The exhibit will be on view through Saturday, March 7, 2026. 

This popular annual exhibit displays the immense talent and artistic excellence of Warm Springs adult and youth Tribal members. The exhibit is curated by Warm Springs Museum Curator and Exhibit Coordinator Angela Anne Smith (Warm Springs, Yakama, Nez Perce and Diné). Selected artworks will be available for sale with a 20% commission going toward The Museum. 

Museum Closures for Remainder of 2025 

Wednesday, Nov. 11 — Veterans Day 

Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28 — Thanksgiving 

Thursday, Dec. 25 — Christmas Day 

Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026 — New Year’s Day

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 2024 Oregon Historical Society Reciprocal Membership Program and free admission to a different Oregon museum each month. Join 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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KTVZ

Update: Adding video

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Ranae Staley has made the decision to step down from her role as The Giving Plate‘s executive director, effective September 15th.

“We are sincerely grateful for her dedication and the many accomplishments achieved during her tenure,” a message from Board President Tara Penn said Tuesday.

“Under her guidance, The Giving Plate has seen a season of profound growth and change, leaving a strong legacy that will continue to shape our future,” Penn said in the statement, which continues in full below.

“As we begin the search for our next Executive Director, we are pleased to announce that Donna Mills will serve as Interim Executive Director, effective October 14, 2025.

“Donna brings a wealth of experience to this role. With over 30 years in the nonprofit industry, she has recently held leadership positions at Central Oregon Health Council and The Humane Society of Central Oregon, where she successfully led both organizations as Executive Director and Interim Executive Director.

“Her deep understanding of The Giving Plate’s mission and values, combined with a proven track record of strategic leadership, makes her exceptionally well-suited to guide us through this transition.

“We thank Ranae for her dedicated service and wish her continued success in the future. Please join us in welcoming Donna into this important role,” Penn concluded.

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KTVZ

(Update: Adding video)

EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) – Weekend snowfall over the Cascades has prompted the Oregon Department of Transportation to close the gates on the west side of McKenzie Pass, Oregon Highway 242.

Crews closed the gates Tuesday morning near the junction with Oregon Highway 126 and at the summit by Dee Wright Observatory.

Gates on the east side are expected to remain open a bit longer, with Nov. 6 as the latest possible closing date, ODOT said.

Weather conditions can vary on each side of the pass, and it’s not uncommon for one side to close before the other, ODOT said in a news release Tuesday that continues in full below:

McKenzie Pass is a secondary, scenic highway. Weather, costs and logistics make it impractical to maintain for travel year-round. In the winter, we focus our staff and resources on main highways to keep them plowed, open and safe. 

When the highway is closed, it is not maintained. Travelers who go past locked gates and closure signs could encounter hazards and equipment on the road. There are no services or cell coverage available.

Every year, McKenzie Pass opens and closes with the seasons. Dates vary depending on road and weather conditions. 

McKenzie Pass became a seasonal scenic highway in 1962 with the completion of the Clear Lake-Belknap Springs section of Oregon 126.

Even during its time as the main route between the Willamette Valley and Central Oregon, the narrow, twisting roadway and high elevation (5,325 feet) made the highway too difficult to maintain and keep clear during the winter months.

To see what routes are open over the mountains, and to view current road and weather conditions visit TripCheck.com or call 511.

More information on McKenzie Pass, OR 242, can be found on ODOT’s website. 

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KTVZ

Update: Adding video

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County staff warned community members Tuesday of a recent email “phishing” scam and advised everyone to be wary of suspicious emails designed to steal their personal information.

“The Community Development Department recently discovered that cybercriminals sent a fake email from a CDD staff member, demanding payment and deceiving recipients into revealing sensitive data,” the county said in a news release that continues in full below:

If you receive an email demanding an urgent payment, requesting bank account, Social Security numbers or other personal information, or containing suspicious links and attachments, it may be a scam. Always take protective measures:   

Verify the source – Check email addresses carefully and look closely at the branding. If it looks unusual, contact the sender to confirm. 

Think about the message – Does it stress urgency or ask for sensitive information? Legitimate county sources will not request sensitive information via email.

Don’t open unexpected attachments – Avoid opening or downloading attachments unless you are sure of the source.

Do not click links – Avoid clicking on any links unless you are sure of the source.

Deschutes County urges community members to remain diligent and watch for scams. For more tips on how to avoid phishing scams mvisit: www.cisa.gov/recognize-and-report phishing.

If you believe you are the victim of a cybersecurity scam, please call Deschutes County 9-1-1 non-emergency dispatch at (541) 693-6911 or visit www.deschutes.org/911 to report a crime online.

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes National Forest announced Tuesday that firefighters plan to start pile burning season as early as this Wednesday, if conditions are favorable.

Here are the details the Forest Service released Tuesday:

The Deschutes National Forest may accomplish up to an estimated 15,000 acres of pile burning throughout the fall and winter season, including up to an estimated 11,000 acres on the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District, 4,000 acres on the Crescent Ranger District, and 20 acres on the Sisters Ranger District. 

Pile-burning operations are planned for multiple locations across the forest, with some of the primary locations below: 

Bend – approximately 5 miles west of Bend near the junction of Forest Service Road (FSR) 4601 and 4602 near Triangle Hill and north of Wanoga Butte near FSR 4613 and east of Edison Butte near FSR 4188

Sisters – approximately 2 miles south of Sisters located off of the FSR 1505  

Crescent – approximately 10 miles southwest of Crescent along Hwy 58 and Hwy 97 and 10 miles northwest of Crescent within a quarter mile of Wickiup Estates 

Firefighters implement pile burning to reduce vegetation generated from active forest management such as timber sales and pre-commercial thinning treatments. The piles are concentrations of leftover materials associated with vegetation management activities being done to help maintain and restore forest and ecosystem health while reducing hazardous fuels loading.

Piles may smolder, burn, and produce smoke for several days after ignition. Once ignited, firefighters monitor piles until they declare the piles out. Please do not report ignitions. While smoke may linger in the area, removing these large accumulations of woody debris during the winter months minimizes fire danger. 

Due to elevation differences, units will be burned when conditions are appropriate to meet objectives.

Pile-burning operations are carefully planned and implemented under specific conditions. Firefighters work with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality and Oregon Department of Forestry smoke forecasters to identify conditions that will minimize smoke impacts on people and communities.

While prescribed burn officials take significant preventive measures, it’s likely that communities may experience some smoke during or immediately after ignitions. Most smoke impacts occur during the night and early morning hours.

For more information on pile burning and smoke preparedness in Central Oregon, visit centraloregonfire.org/ and for information specific to the Deschutes National Forest visit fs.usda.gov/deschutes. Text “COFIRE” to 888-777 to receive prescribed burn text alerts. Follow along on X @CentralORFire.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Happening tonight, Friday, October 10th, a new country bar in downtown Bend is having a grand opening party!

The Coyote has had the town talking for some time, taking over what was once Unofficial Logging Co.

For $5, you can enjoy live music, dancing, drinks, and fun–and there’s a mechanical bull!

The night kicks off at 6 p.m. with live music from 7-10, followed by a DJ from 10 to 1 a.m.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Happening tonight, Friday, October 10th at 6:30 pm, there’s a special celebration taking place at Dogwood at the Pine Shed.

It’s a party for local pro snowboarder Jared Elston’s new snowboard release presented by Tactics and Arbor Snowboarding.

Jared, known as ‘Big Air Jare’ online, recently released his ‘El Camino’ model with Arbor.

Tonight, enjoy drinks from Dogwood and hang with the snowboarding community! 2 snowboard films will also be premiering.

Jared told KTVZ News he’s looking forward to the community coming together, kicking off the upcoming winter season.

Money raised from the event will go to the Mount Bachelor Sports Education Foundation.

Stop by Tactics in Bend to purchase a wrist band.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding statements by Rutledge family, attorney, copy of lawsuit)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Relatives of a Troutdale family of four killed by a drugged, sleep-deprived driver in a fiery head-on crash on Highway 97 north of Redmond two years ago have filed a $50 million wrongful death and negligence lawsuit against the driver, his employer and an insurance company. 

Jesse Carl Ross,44, was sentenced last January to 24 years in prison for the October 2023 crash that killed Gary Rutledge, 57, wife Michelle, 53, and their two children, Reynolds High School students Kate, 15, and Ryan 17, as the family was heading to Central Oregon to watch an annular eclipse. 

Ross, a wetlands engineer for the nonprofit Ducks Unlimited, first pleaded not guilty to seven charges, but later agreed to plead guilty to single counts of manslaughter, DUII and criminally negligent homicide. 

During an emotional sentencing hearing, Ross told grieving family and friends, “I would gladly trade places with them (the victims) in an instant.” 

Ross had driven to Montana for a required work meeting in Klamath Falls, at his employers’ direction, and was on a 13-hour drive home at the time of the crash. 

The lawsuit, first reported by The Oregonian, was filed Thursday in Multnomah County Circuit Court by two representatives of the victims’ estate. It names Ross as a defendant, along with Ducks Unlimited and the family’s insurance company, USAA.

The lawsuit claims Ross was driving his pickup north on Highway 97 under the influence of cocaine and caffeine pills and while sleep-deprived when he crossed the center line, sideswiped a northbound semi-truck and collided head-on with the Rutledge family’s SUV, which then burst into flames. 

In the lawsuit, the plaintiffs say the organization required Ross to pay for his travel, so he chose to drive instead of fly. They say he had gotten only about two hours sleep and took Xanax. They also claim his conduct at the work meeting “was erratic and provided reasonable notice to all in attendance that it was unsafe for him to drive.” 

The suit claims co-workers had noticed previously that Ross “was having performance issues and had lost weight,” and he had been asked if he was engaged in substance abuse, but that his employer “took no further action” and “did nothing to ensure (that) Ross was safe to drive.” 

The insurance company USAA is named as a defendant in the lawsuit, alleging it breached its obligation under the Rutledges’ policy by failing to pay under-insured motorist benefits for damages from the accident. 

Portland attorney Jon D. Friedman, who filed the lawsuit, provided KTVZ News with these statements from the surviving Rutledge family members, and his own comments:

“As our family continues to struggle with the unspeakable loss of my daughter, and our brother, and their beautiful family, we are haunted by the milestone of their preventable and horrific death. In the past two years, not a day goes by that we don’t mourn the nightmare of their tragic passing, or miss their irreplaceable contribution to our family.  There is no ease to our collective grief in knowing they could and should still be with us.  An entire limb of our family tree has forever been cut off and that impact will be with us forever.  The entire Troutdale community also lost four shining stars who brought light and love to everyone they met.” – Allen Rutledge, Gary’s Brother, and Linda Windsor, Michelle Windsor-Rutledge’s mother

“What happened to Gary, Michelle, Ryan, and Katherine is beyond a tragedy. No family should have to go through what the Rutledge family has been forced to endure. When organizations like Ducks Unlimited prioritize their business interests over the safety of our community, innocent people are forced to deal with the consequences. Their lives forever changed. No one from Ducks Unlimited stopped Mr. Ross from getting behind the wheel, despite his obvious impairment. Mr. Ross and Ducks Unlimited are clearly responsible for this horrific event and must be held responsible. The Rutledge family’s ultimate goal is to prevent future tragedies like this from happening to any other Oregon family.”  – Jon D. Friedman, Law Offices of Jon Friedman

KTVZ News also has reached out to Ducks Unlimited and USAA for any reaction or statement regarding their being named as defendants in the lawsuit. 

Wronful death lawsuitDownload

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The second snowfall in two weeks left a thin coat of white on Mt. Bachelor and in the Cascades Friday from a storm expected to bring a wintry mix to the mountain passes over the weekend.

Mt. Bachelor’s webcams showed the snow across the slopes, though the snow stake made clear it was a dusting of less than an inch.

KTVZ News Chief Meteorologist says in this afternoon’s update, “The mountain passes are expected to see a mix of rain and snow, but little to no accumulation on the roads. Roads through the Cascades will be slick as we get our first taste of wintry driving conditions.”

If all goes well snow-wise, Mt. Bachelor will open for the winter season on Friday, Nov. 28 – the day after Thanksgiving.

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