Author: KTVZ

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend city councilors have approved this year’s street preservation projects that involve several streets slated for paving, chipseal and slurry seal contracts.

The city is preparing to do about $4.34 million worth of street preservation contract work this year that will improve about 77 lane miles around the city. That includes about 12.9 miles of paving, 26.7 miles of chipseal, 26 miles of slurry treatments, and 11.1 miles of micro paving.

This work is supported by Bend’s Transportation Fee.

The city says its “goal is to maintain and preserve streets with the most cost-effective treatment for the road condition, implementing the right treatment at the right time.”

Maintenance treatments for the 2026 construction season include:

Paving: Old asphalt is ground out and replaced, or a new layer of asphalt is paved on top of existing roadway. This process can take a couple of days.

Chip seals: Asphalt emulsion and rock are applied to the road. Rolling, short-term closures.

Slurry seal: A treatment typically for low-volume residential streets. One-day closures.

Micro paving: A cost-effective, quick treatment for high-volume streets. Night work.

An interactive version of project map can be found at the city’s Street Preservation page, linked below

With its own crews, separate from the contracted services, the city will also reconstruct the asphalt surface of about 1.5 miles of streets this year. With reconstruction, the existing roadway asphalt surface is removed and rebuilt. That work can take several days.

The city of Bend monitors the condition of roads to determine maintenance plans. That allows for the right treatment to be applied at the right time to save costs and extend the life of a road.

The worst roads need full reconstruction, which is exponentially more expensive than regular maintenance. The city says full roadway reconstruction is not an efficient use of maintenance funds and is likely to be paid for as part of a larger transportation construction project.

“The street preservation contracts are part of our continued maintenance efforts to extend the life of our transportation infrastructure with the most cost-effective treatments and available resources,” said Transportation and Mobility Department Director David Abbas.

“We have more than 900 lane miles of roads to maintain, and the cost of maintaining streets has increased considerably in recent years. Our operations and maintenance revenues, such as the Transportation Fee, will need to keep pace with cost and inflation increases in the future to improve our pavement conditions.”

To learn more about Bend’s street preservation practices, visit bendoregon.gov/streetpreservation.

To subscribe to weekly emails to plan your best route around road work and construction, visit bendoregon.gov/traffic for the weekly road and traffic report.

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Harley Coldiron

Do you want to be part of the solution to addressing the housing crisis in Central Oregon?

Central Oregon YIMBY, 1000 Friends of Oregon, and Central Oregon LandWatch are joining forces to tackle the housing crisis with a unique workshop and presentation. This interactive event will explore policy strategies and community advocacy, offering attendees a chance to learn, engage, and enjoy some free pizza.

Mark your calendars for 5:30-7:30 PM on April 21st at Open Space Event Studio to be part of the solution.

You are asked to RSVP if you plan to attend: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/lets-talk-housing-solutions-tickets-1985959985778

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Think Wild has introduced two new wildlife ambassador animals, a western toad and a gopher snake, to help educate the community on wildlife and habitat conservation. These animals will participate in education and outreach programs across Central Oregon.

The ambassador animals, both native herpetofauna, will visit classrooms and community events to teach students and the public about native species and coexistence. Both animals were approved for the ambassador program by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife after being deemed non-releasable.

The western toad, named Timmy, had his name submitted and voted on by local students from Barnes Butte Elementary, Jefferson County 21st Century After School Program and Warm Springs K-eight Academy. Timmy arrived at Think Wild as a patient after being kept as a pet for about one year. He was deemed non-releasable due to habituation concerns, as wildlife accustomed to humans often lose critical survival behaviors needed in the wild. Timmy’s story serves as a reminder that keeping wild animals as pets is illegal and harmful to both animals and ecosystems.

Timmy with a cricket on his head. Credit: Think Wild / Sue Dougherty

Western toads (Anaxyrus boreas) are a Species of Greatest Conservation Need in Oregon, facing threats from habitat loss, disease and changes to wetland and riparian ecosystems. Amphibians are particularly sensitive to environmental changes because they depend on both aquatic and terrestrial habitats throughout their lives. Timmy will serve as an ambassador for his species, highlighting the importance of wetlands, clean water and habitat connectivity.

The gopher snake was rescued from a construction site in Tumalo with significant trauma near the cloaca that required stitches. Isaiah Bagley Blessing, the gopher snake rescuer, brought the animal to Think Wild Wildlife Hospital. “While working in Tumalo , I stumbled upon an injured gopher snake. After a quick glance, I noticed the excavator accidentally moved concrete blankets and injured him pretty badly,” Blessing said. “After my girlfriend suggested taking him to Think Wild Wildlife Hospital, we brought the snake in with little hope, but against the odds, they survived. Seeing them pull through meant a lot to me, I’ve always had a deep love for animals, especially reptiles and I’ve always been the kind of person to rescue even the smallest creatures, from snakes to spiders.”

Gopher snake. Credit: Think Wild / Sue Dougherty

Due to the injury, the gopher snake cannot defecate independently and requires physical assistance from trained staff approximately once per week. An animal unable to perform essential biological functions on its own is not suitable for release. Blessing expressed gratitude for Think Wild’s efforts. “Thank you to all the people at Think Wild for taking him in and all the other conservation they do,” he commented.

Gopher snakes (Pituophis catenifer) are non-venomous and native to Central Oregon, playing a role in controlling rodent populations. They are often mistaken for rattlesnakes due to defensive behaviors such as flattening their head, hissing loudly and vibrating their tail. Despite this mimicry, gopher snakes are harmless to humans and are an important part of a balanced ecosystem.

These new animals will join Wild’s existing ambassador, Shar, a red-tailed hawk, in supporting the organization’s programs. They will help students and community members learn about native wildlife, habitat conservation and how everyday actions affect local ecosystems. Becca LiPuma, education manager at Think Wild, emphasized the animals’ role. “while these animals may be small, they represent a big opportunity to connect people with wildlife conservation in a fun and meaningful way. Our education programsss are about to be hoppin’,” LiPuma said.

Think Wild is inviting the community to submit name ideas for the gopher snake until April 24. Following the submission period, voting for the snake’s name will be open to the public.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A local veterinarian is encouraging dog owners to keep their pets up to date on de-worming medications following the discovery of a potentially harmful parasite in the Pacific Northwest.

The parasite, Echinococcus multilocularis, is a tiny worm that has been spreading across North America, often without people realizing it exists. It can survive in soil throughout the winter and is raising concerns about exposure.

Echinococcus multilocularis life cycle. Credit: CDC

Dr. Rex Urich, owner of Mt. Bachelor Veterinary Hospital in Bend, says the parasite is not new globally. It has long been common across Europe and Central Asia and has been present in Canada for some time. More recently, it has been detected in Washington State and parts of northern Oregon.

“It’s ubiquitous all over Europe and Central Asia. It’s really common. It’s existed in Canada for a while,” Dr. Urich said. “The organism can live through the winter in the soil. It doesn’t die out. You can’t clean fabric and materials with regular laundry soap and kill it. You have to bleach it. Probably the most vulnerable are children that are crawling around on the ground and people that are immunocompromised.”

Echinococcus multilocularis. Credit: CDC

The parasite lives in wild animals like coyotes, but it can sometimes reach pets and humans.

“All dogs. Canids, foxes, wolves, coyotes, domestic dogs. This is almost a normal parasite, and it doesn’t cause a lot of problems for them,” Dr. Urich said.

However, the situation changes when the parasite infects what experts call an “abnormal host,” such as humans or certain small animals. In those cases, the parasite cannot complete its lifecycle and instead becomes lodged in the body.

“When it gets into an abnormal host, people being one, the parasite figures out, ‘Uh oh, I’m in the wrong animal.’ And it doesn’t complete its lifecycle, and it stops where it is,” Dr. Urich said. “It gets in the liver and causes tumor-like things in the liver and also in the lungs and in the brain.”

Researchers at the University of Washington have confirmed the parasite’s presence in the Pacific Northwest. They surveyed 100 coyotes in the Puget Sound region, and found the parasite in 37 of them.

Research map. Credit: PLOS

Despite the findings, Dr. Urich emphasizes that there is no need for panic. There are things you can do to protect your pets and yourself.

“It’s not a big epidemic,” he said. “But common sense goes a long way—sanitation, limiting exposure, especially for children, and regular monthly de-worming is probably the best advice I can give.”

Dr. Rex Urich

He recommends using a monthly de-wormer that specifically targets tapeworms, noting that consistent protection is key. While some products last longer, ongoing coverage is preferred.

Pet owners are also advised to be cautious when cleaning up after their dogs. Proper disposal of pet waste and maintaining clean outdoor spaces can help reduce the risk of spreading the parasite.

“There are even services in town that help with pet waste removal,” Dr. Urich noted. “They’re aware of this disease and understand the precautions needed to limit its presence in the environment.”

A dog exploring Pine Nursery Park in Bend.

Veterinarians say that with regular care and attention, pet owners can significantly reduce the risk to both their animals and their families.

Click here to read the University of Washington’s report.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The city of Bend is inviting community members to a pre-construction open house for the Southeast 15th Street and Ferguson Road Roundabout Project.

The open house will take place on Tuesday, April 28, from 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. at Larkspur Community Center, 1600 SE Reed Market Road. The open house will be held both in person and online to share project construction information.

City officials say the single-lane roundabout at Ferguson Road and 15th Street aims to improve safety and increase efficiency. Pending City Council approval, the project is anticipated to begin construction in June and be completed in the fall.

The drop-in event offers residents an opportunity to meet the project team, ask questions, learn more about the project schedule and what to expect during construction. The same information will also be available on the project website at bendoregon.gov/15th-ferguson.

(City of Bend)

The project focuses on enhancing safety and improving traffic flows at the busy intersection.

This project is funded through the voter-approved 2020 Transportation GO Bond.

Sign up to receive construction updates at bendoregon.gov/15th-ferguson.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video, assistant manager comments)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Elks recently completed a major upgrade to the stadium lighting at Vince Genna Stadium, sparing neighbors the glare from unshielded lights – and now, the new system has officially earned DarkSky certification.

The recognition from DarkSky International highlights the significant improvements made to reduce light pollution, glare, and light spill into the surrounding neighborhood, while also enhancing visibility and safety on the field for players and fans.

This announcement also comes during International DarkSky Week, and the team will be highlighting the certification Friday.

The upgrade replaced an aging 1970s lighting system with modern LED fixtures and steel poles, dramatically reducing light spilling into nearby homes and improving field performance. Vince Genna Stadium is now Oregon’s eighth certified Dark Sky location.

“This project reflects a continued commitment to balancing a great fan experience with neighborhood impact and sustainability,” the team said.

While the Elks haven’t played under the new lights yet, a few high school games have happened. Taylor McEuin, the team’s assistant general manager, says people seem to like them.

“(We’ve heard) only positive stuff,” McEuin told us Friday. “I know the Bend High team, every time (the lights turn on, I hear the ‘whoa!’ and it’s kind of cool. And then they also do a light show, too, which is exciting. So if we get a home run, we can flash the lights.”

Read more about the project and recognition at the Bend Elks blog. The Elks season starts May 29th.

Stadium Lighting Overspill ComparisonDownload

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jeff Bekos, founder of “One Dad’s Mission,” arrived in Bend Thursday as part of his cross-country cycling journey to visit every Ronald McDonald House in the United States.

The aim of “One Dad’s Mission” is to raise awareness about the critical support Ronald McDonald Houses provide to families.

Bekos’ wife supports his cycling endeavor by driving their recreational vehicle, which serves as their mobile base of operations across the country. Bekos was inspired by his family’s personal experience with his daughter Hailey’s severe illness. The family spent more than 200 days in a Ronald McDonald House while she received treatment. Their stay made an impression on him.

“I think it was the kindness and generosity of the staff and the volunteers,” Bekos said. “I mean, they were very concerned about our family and how Hayley was doing every single day and then just meeting other family members that were also facing catastrophic situations with their child. And we really rallied together. It’s a little community that’s built within the house.”

During his stop at the Ronald McDonald House in Bend, Bekos also took time to repair bicycles for some of the children residing there. He states that the core purpose of his mission is to encourage the public to learn about their local Ronald McDonald House and to inspire people to visit and volunteer their time.

The next stop for “One Dad’s Mission” is the Ronald McDonald House located in Springfield, Oregon. You can follow Bekos and “One Dad’s Mission” on their website.

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Barney Lerten

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Crook County Fire & Rescue crews stopped a fire in a Les Schwab Tires Prineville warehouse Thursday afternoon and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Fire Chief Matt Smith said the fire was reported around 12:20 p.m. in the warehouse at 646 NW Madras Highway, and was quickly contained within 45 minutes of arrival.

Crook County Fire crews responded to the scene with two structure engines and a medic unit, Smith said. Firefighting personnel accessed and contained the fire within 45 minutes of their arrival.

When they arrived, flames were visible along structural members inside the warehouse. Smith said crews remained on scene for hours doing overhaul work, assisted by Les Schwab employees

Redmond Fire & Rescue provided mutual aid with a ladder truck, while Bend Fire provided a medic unit for station coverage.

A Les Schwab Tires representative provided this statement to KTVZ News about the fire in their 17,500-square-foot warehouse: “We’re grateful to the Crook County and Redmond fire departments for their quick response, and to our teams for keeping everyone safe and ensuring only minimal structural damage. The fire was quickly extinguished, and no one was injured.”

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Economic Development for Central Oregon released on Thursday the 2026 Central Oregon Largest Employers List, including breakouts of the top employers in each Central Oregon community.

The data, collected by EDCO annually for the past 25 years, is the most comprehensive major employer list in Central Oregon. EDCO’s regional list features the largest private employers, including for-profit and non-profit organizations, while community-level lists include public employers. 

This year, the top 50 private companies collectively employ 22,733 Central Oregonians, or roughly 20.9% of the region’s January 2026 annual average total non-farm employment of 108,800.

St. Charles Health System tops the list again, employing 5,538 people regionwide, a 6.75% increase since last year at the same time, according to an EDCO news release that continues in full below: 

The top five private traded-sector businesses, those that primarily sell their goods or services outside the local market and bring revenue into the region from national or international markets, include: 

BASX Solutions (Regional, OR) – An industry leader in manufacturing high-efficiency data center cooling solutions, cleanroom systems, custom HVAC systems, and modular solutions. The company recently completed a 36,000 square-foot weld shop in Redmond and opened an additional location in Sisters. 

Bright Wood Corporation (Regional, OR) – The largest independent manufacturer of window and patio door components and engineered dimension lumber in the U.S. The company was founded in Madras, Oregon in 1960. 

Les Schwab Headquarters & Tire Centers (Regional, OR) – Founded in 1952 as a single shop in Prineville, the company’s Prineville campus evolved into a longtime headquarters and operations hub, including large-scale warehousing and tire distribution facilities supporting regional logistics. 

Meta Platforms, Inc. (Prineville, OR) – One of the largest hyperscale data center campuses in the U.S., Meta’s Prineville site was its first wholly-owned data center (operational since 2011). The campus has expanded to nearly 4.6 million square feet, representing over $2 billion in investment. 

Epic Aircraft, LLC (Bend, OR) – Founded in 2004, Epic Aircraft is a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance, all-composite, six-seat single-engine turboprop aircraft. Their flagship model, the Epic E1000, is known for its speed, range, payload, and luxurious features, catering primarily to business and private aviation markets.  

Of the top traded-sector businesses, Medline ReNewal experienced the most significant increase in new jobs, adding 73 positions, a 22.88% rise compared to last year. 

“Across Central Oregon, traded-sector companies continue to demonstrate the strength and momentum of our regional economy. These businesses bring new revenue into the region and their growth is a key reason we’re seeing Central Oregon outperform much of the state. At EDCO, we work with more than 400 companies each year and we consistently see how critical the traded sector is to driving investment, job creation and long-term economic resilience for our communities,” said Jon Stark, CEO of EDCO. 

When companies consider relocating to, starting or expanding in Central Oregon, EDCO serves as a key partner in navigating the region’s business environment, providing in-depth market intelligence and industry insights spanning traded-sector industries such as advanced manufacturing, technology and bioscience, as well as local-serving sectors like healthcare, education, retail, and construction. 

EDCO supports businesses at every stage by offering services including site selection assistance, connections to workforce and training resources, guidance on incentives and financing, and access to a strong network of regional partners. In addition, EDCO fosters entrepreneurship through mentorship, programming and resources designed to help scalable companies launch and grow in Central Oregon. 

To view the lists in their entirety, click on the link below:  

https://www.edcoinfo.com/about-the-area/major-employers

Data for the lists is self-reported and not audited and should only be used as an informational guideline. Businesses are asked to provide the total number of employees, not full-time equivalency, during their most recent pay period or, for companies with seasonal patterns of employment, their seasonal high. Numbers only include employees working in Central Oregon and contain contractors or interns if they are full-time and long-term. Some businesses chose not to participate in these lists and are therefore excluded.   

About Economic Development for Central Oregon  

Founded in 1981, EDCO is a non-profit organization supported by private and public members and stakeholders. Its mission is to strengthen communities by creating opportunities that generate new revenue and family-wage jobs. Guided by its vision to be the catalyst for economic prosperity for all, EDCO works to recruit new employers to Central Oregon, support entrepreneurs in starting new, scalable businesses, and help existing companies grow and expand. For more information, visit www.edcoinfo.com. 

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Oregon Capital Chronicle

By Alex Baumhardt, Oregon Capital Chronicle

SALEM, Ore. — The head of Salem-Keizer Public Schools spent nearly a year painstakingly holding meetings and restructuring staffing plans to close a $23 million budget deficit for the next school year.

By early February, Superintendent Andrea Castañeda shared the plans publicly with staff and media, describing it at a news conference as a “proactive measure for us, because we actually are in pretty solid financial condition, but we think it is important to get ahead of the pressures that are coming.”

She could not have anticipated the $5 million pressure coming just three weeks later.

On Feb. 20, she learned Salem-Keizer Public Schools was among many Oregon districts that would have their state school funding reduced, in large part because the Oregon Department of Education readjusts its formula for doling out money to districts based on annual releases of U.S. Census Bureau estimates on student poverty.

Those federal poverty estimates, using two-year-old data, are vastly different from the state’s own accounting of students in each district experiencing poverty. And because of federal shutdowns and delays at the bureau, schools didn’t get the data until months after they’d finalized their annual budgets.

In response, Castañeda and 10 other school superintendents from around the state – including Redmond’s Charan Cline – on Thursday reupped their calls to the State Board of Education in a letter and at its monthly meeting. They called on the board to change the school funding formula, and to remove or diminish the role of the federal poverty estimates, which they say continually lead to an undercount and underfunding for their schools.

The letter notes that the Redmond School District lost over $700,000 in anticipated revenue due to a poverty factor adjustment and was notified of the change in February 2026.

Relying on estimates

Oregon is unique in relying heavily on the Census Bureau’s Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates — an amalgamation of SNAP beneficiary data, tax data and poverty estimates based on them — that showed most recently, in 2024, the number of Salem-Keizer students experiencing poverty dropped nearly 27% from 2023 to 2024.

The federal estimate put Salem-Keizer’s overall proportion of students experiencing poverty at just 13% in 2024, down from 18% the year prior.

But the Oregon Department of Education’s own data shows that in 2023, 41% of students in the Salem-Keizer School District were experiencing poverty, and a year later in 2024, that had increased by 1 percentage point to 42% of students.

The state’s data directly matches each student registered in the district with Oregon Department of Human Services data about the food, housing or other assistance they receive from state and federal programs. Poverty is measured as living at 130% of the federal poverty level, or a family of four living on about $42,900 per year.

The federal data measures every kid in a district’s boundaries, even if they go to private school or are home-schooled, and poverty is measured at 100% of the federal poverty level — a family of four living on $33,000 annually.

Unexpected losses

At the same time Castañeda learned about her district’s cuts, Greater Albany Public Schools learned its poverty adjustment will leave it with $1.1 million less from the state school fund than expected.

The Woodburn and Hermiston School Districts will lose $800,000 each. In the Klamath County School District, the adjustment will cost schools $750,000.

Glen Szymoniak, superintendent of the Klamath County School District, said the district has never experienced swings as big as this year in the federal poverty estimate. He said it won’t just cut into his district’s allocation from the state, but also its federal allocation. The federal government uses the same Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates to dole out Title I funds to high poverty schools.

“$750,000 is a significant amount of money, and most of that goes into people to serve as tutors and paraprofessionals, people who can do small group activities like reading groups,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll have some attrition and we can repurpose some of those positions, but it’s highly likely we’ll have to let some people go.”

Mike Wiltfong, director of school finance at the Oregon Department of Education, said it’s hard to know what made the federal poverty estimates so anomalous for some districts in the most recent report. He speculated about student migration post-COVID, as well as possible survey or modeling changes.

Legislative choices tie education department’s hands

Calls to remove the use of the federal estimates have been ongoing since it was first incorporated in 2013 due to a legislative mandate, Wiltfong explained. In essence, lawmakers were working within a limited number of state school fund dollars and, rather than meeting the needs of every individual kid, preferred to know the ballpark estimate of students experiencing poverty and to send a proportion of existing dollars commensurate to that.

If the state started using its own data, which show significantly more poor students, the state school fund would need a lot more money, or many more schools would be splitting the same amount of money, he said.

“Much of our constraints now are with the Legislature, not necessarily what the Department of Education or what our staff are willing to do,” he said. “It’s more so that the Legislature is driving much of how we’re defining that (poverty) for the state school fund.”

In its most recent estimate, the U.S. Census Bureau put the estimated number of kids experiencing poverty in the Hermiston School District boundaries at 800.

“It doesn’t seem like that is actually reflective of our community,” said Tricia Mooney, superintendent of Hermiston Schools.

State data shows more than 2,000 students are experiencing poverty in the district.

“If the state has more accurate data that we use for other things, why aren’t we using those data sets?” she asked.

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