Author: KTVZ

KTVZ

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Crook County School Board is seeking input from stakeholders to inform its decision regarding the potential appointment of Dr. Joel Hoff, currently serving as interim superintendent, to the permanent role.

On Monday, the district distributed an anonymous survey via ParentSquare, Facebook, and the district website. The survey invites stakeholders to share their perspectives on Dr. Hoff’s leadership as interim superintendent and to indicate whether they support his appointment to permanent superintendent. 

They said that feedback from students, families, staff and community members is a critical component of the board’s decision-making process. 

“The school board is committed to ensuring this process is transparent, open to all stakeholders, and meaningful,” the district said. “All interested individuals are strongly encouraged to participate.” 

The survey will remain open for three weeks and will close on January 26. A summary of the survey results will be presented publicly at the school board’s February meeting. 

To complete the survey, click one of the links below, or visit the homepage of the Crook County School district website.

Superintendent Stakeholder Feedback (English version) 

Superintendent Stakeholder Feedback (Spanish version) 

In addition to the survey, the school board will host a series of listening sessions in February with staff, students, families, and community members to further gather perspectives and deepen its understanding of stakeholder feedback. 

The process for participating in listening sessions will be communicated mid to late January. Findings from the listening sessions will be presented to the board at the March school board meeting. 

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Spencer Sacks

(UPDATE: added videos and quotes from Todd Mcgee, Owner of Powderhouse)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — With snow already piling onto the mountains, more people are flocking to Central Oregon. With businesses seeing more people now than ever before this season.

Todd Mcgee, owner of Powderhouse told KTVZ News, “It’s a lot more in the fact if you think about it, was Christmas break where we should be slammed? we’re as busy or even busier then on a Monday than we were on christmas, you know, weekend. so it’s a huge, significant amount.” 

Ski and snowboard rentals tell you much about how busy of a time it is.

The busier the rental shops, the busier the mountains are.

“A ton more season leases. and the nice thing about our rentals, when they’re coming back, they’re looking in good shape,” Mcgee told KTVZ News. “We’re not having to stay late and tune them and P-TEX them and get them all back looking nice.”

Powderhouse still has its day and a half turnaround to have equipment ready to go.

Iif you’re still looking to rent equipment, now’s the time to do it.

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Triton Notary

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)– A popular Bend bakery, Ida’s Bakery & Cafe, is closing its west side shop this weekend, citing an unexpected family emergency and a renewed focus on its remaining locations.

In a message to customers, the owner announced the Galveston Avenue location will close after service on Saturday, January 10th. The decision was described as “gut-wrenching,” but necessary to put “family first” and concentrate resources on the main bakery on Division Street in Bend and the Redmond store.

The business emphasized it remains committed to serving Central Oregon and encouraged customers to continue supporting the bakery at its two other locations. The owner also thanked the community for its support and understanding during what they called a difficult time.

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KTVZ

(Update: Added sot from Clay Pruitt)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — BendFilm has announced what it calls a “leadership evolution,” as Executive Director Giancarlo Gatto departs and three veteran division heads form an innovative and collaborative team of managing directors.

Clay Pruitt, one of the new Co-Executive Directors of BendFilm, told KTVZ News “I mean, the truth is this is how we have operated anyway. We have always been a collective with, you know, collaboration really being a center point of how we run BendFilm. That’s collaboration with our external partners”

Here’s the recent announcement, in full:

Gatto has stepped aside to re-engage in his real estate career while remaining actively involved in the Central Oregon community.

“We’re excited by what this structure makes possible,” said BendFilm Board Chair Michael Conforti. “Christina, Clay and Selin have been hands-on close to BendFilm’s work for over a decade, collectively, and have plenty of ideas about how we can meaningfully make change and serve our constituents, including local audiences, filmmakers, and civic and nonprofit partners.”

“It’s been an honor to lead BendFilm,” said outgoing Executive Director Gatto, who stepped into the role in 2023 after a long tenure as a volunteer. “I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve built together, and I have full confidence that this new structure and these leaders’ vision will take the organization to exciting new places.”

The newly-created Managing Directors of BendFilm are: 

Christina Rosetti (Operations & Finance) is an award-winning documentary filmmaker whose passion for visual storytelling led her to the film festival industry. She brings over a decade of experience to BendFilm, combining her degree in communications with a background in production and business management to fulfill her role at the organization. Christina believes in the power of film as both an art form and as a tool for social progress, and she works on both sides of the industry to help platform stories that matter.

Clay Pruitt (Education & Development) is a filmmaker and producer born and raised in Southwest Colorado. He studied Film Production at the University of Colorado Boulder before moving to Los Angeles. He’s worked with the Sundance Institute, WME, Outfest, Palm Springs International Film Festival and ShortFest, AFM, Film Independent, Seed&Spark, and SAVEarth Studios. A 2018 Film Independent Producing Lab Fellow and Sloan Producing Lab Grant recipient, his producing credits include United Skates (HBO), Above and Beyond: NASA’s Journey to Tomorrow (Discovery), American Epic (PBS), and I’m Fine (Dekkoo).

Selin Sevinç (Programming & Artistic Vision) studied filmmaking in the UK, and worked as a writer, producer and critic in the film & TV industry for over two decades. Her role at BendFilm began on the jury and screening committee in 2017 and expanded steadily; she succeeded long-time programmer Erik Jambor in early 2021 and has since built the program and the Festival’s national and local footprints. In addition to championing independent filmmakers, Selin is a screenwriter and director herself; she has written eight screenplays and is currently producing one as a feature.

“We’ve grown up in this organization, and we know both what it is and what it could be,” said Rosetti, Pruitt and Sevinç in a joint statement. “BendFilm has always been a place that trusts its people and invests in bold ideas: this structure is a reflection of that culture. We’ve seen firsthand what BendFilm means to filmmakers and to this community, and we’re energized to build on everything we’ve built.”

This transition comes on the heels of a record-breaking 2025 Bend Film Festival in October, where the event’s largest-ever audiences saw a diverse array of over 100 films over a newly-expanded five-day format that included a meaningful integration with BendFilm: Basecamp, their two-year-old program aimed to foster early-career filmmakers’ connection with producers and industry veterans; the public was invited to experience the culmination of the Basecamp retreat at a ticketed pitch competition. 

The 23rd annual Bend Film Festival will take place October 7-11, 2026. 

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KTVZ

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Redmond’s first-ever marijuana dispensary has opened its doors.

Oregrown is a well-known dispensary with over a decade of history and five locations across Oregon. Its latest location is in Redmond. Recently, the city changed its municipal code to allow up to three dispensaries, after voters approved agreed to lift a ban in November 2024.

The second is coming soon. The Flower Room is set to open later this year on Northwest 4th Street.

For now, Oregrown has set up shop just off Highway 97. The space it occupies was formerly a temporary library and once an antique store. Oregrown invested a lot of money in remodeling the location they moved into. It added required ventilation, which eliminates the smell of weed from the area. Oregrown has also added security upgrades to the building.

When KTVZ visited on Monday, customers told us they were glad they didn’t have to make the trip to Bend anymore.

Staff said edibles and pre-rolled joints were fairly popular in Redmond, and they are already seeing people from Madras and Prineville visiting.

In an interview with Oregrown General Manager Dusty Newman, he said the new location was a big success.

“Oh, it’s been great.” said Newman. “I think people have been waiting a really long time for this. Like, we’ve been here (in Central Oregon) almost 11 years, and I know that (Redmond) has been something we’ve been interested in the whole time. It’s exciting to see it actually come to fruition.”

Like any new business, it’s added more jobs to the economy, but the city also benefits from the marijuana tax revenue.

Expanding into a new area always brings in business from nearby locations. Oregrown is looking at Crook and Jefferson counties and hoping they will show interest.

Earlier article:

REDMOND, Ore. (Jan. 5th 2026-KTVZ) — Oregrown Redmond — the city’s first licensed marijuana retailer — celebrated its grand opening over the weekend, becoming the first dispensary to operate within Redmond city limits after voters chose to overturn the city’s years-long ban on cannabis businesses. The shop offers a range of cannabis flower, edibles, concentrates, and topicals. A second approved retailer, The Flower Room, is also set to open sometime this year at 2245 Northwest Fourth Street.​

Through voter-approved measures in late 2024 and follow-up legislative actions in 2025, marijuana dispensaries were officially given the green light to operate in Redmond, ending a prohibition that had forced local users to travel to Bend or Madras to buy legal cannabis. Measure 9-177, approved by voters, specifically allowed marijuana retailers within city limits, while a companion measure set the local tax rate on cannabis sales.​

The decision followed years of debate at Redmond City Council meetings and public workshops, where supporters argued legal dispensaries would keep tax dollars in town and provide regulated access for medical and recreational users, while opponents raised concerns about youth access, public safety and the city’s image.​

Oregrown’s role in Central Oregon’s cannabis market

Oregrown is a Bend-based cannabis company that has grown into a regional brand, with multiple Oregon retail locations and a product lineup that includes flower, edibles, vapes and topicals sourced from Central Oregon farms. Industry reports have noted that cannabis excise taxes generate millions in revenue annually for the region, with funds supporting public safety, criminal justice, public health and community programs.​

Bringing Oregrown to Redmond means local customers no longer have to drive out of town for legal cannabis, a convenience advocates say was long overdue after the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2014.​

Ongoing debate over cannabis in Redmond

Even as the first dispensary opens, marijuana remains a sensitive political topic in Redmond. City leaders and candidates have continued to discuss land-use rules, zoning for dispensaries, and how cannabis fits into Redmond’s broader economic and community identity.​

Supporters point to state regulation, local control over where shops can locate, and the potential for new tax revenue; critics worry about the normalization of marijuana use and whether enforcement resources will be strained.

As Oregrown starts serving customers and The Flower Room prepares to open later this year, Redmond will begin to see how legal cannabis businesses actually operate in the community — and how residents respond.

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Barney Lerten

HARNEY COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — A two-car New Year’s Eve crash on U.S. Highway 20 in Harney County claimed the life of a Terrebonne man, Oregon State Police reported Monday.

Around 5:40 p.m. last Wednesday, Christopher Emanuel Cortez Morales, 25, of Terrebonne, lost control of his Honda Accord, leading to a collision with an Audi A6 driven by Jennifer Tiffany Carey, 53, of Bend, troopers said.

OSP said their preliminary investigation found that Morales was heading west when he traveled into the oncoming lane, clipping Carey’s car. The impact caused the Honda to roll and throw Morales, who troopers said was not wearing a seat belt and was declared deceased at the scene. Carey reported no injuries.

The highway was closed for around 1 1/2 hours while OSP conducted their on-scene investigation.

“Operator impairment is being considered as a primary factor in the crash,” OSP said in a news release.

OSP was assisted at the scene by Oregon Department of Transportation crews.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: adding video, statement from USPS, comments from Deschutes County clerk)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — When you drop a letter in the mail, you probably assume the postmark date reflects that same day. But after recent changes by the U.S. Postal Service, that may no longer be the case.

The USPS quietly changed its postmarking process at the end of 2025. Now, the date on mail will reflect when it’s processed, not when it’s dropped into a mailbox — a difference that matters for time-sensitive mail like voter registration, government benefits, and election ballots.

Deschutes County Clerk Steve Dennison told us that for election officials, the change itself isn’t a concern — the focus is on making sure people plan ahead.

“The fact that the USPS may not be postmarked something sooner doesn’t change the way we’re evaluating, but it could change the messaging that we’re sending out,” Dennison said. “If you’re mailing something to our office that’s time-sensitive, and postmarks are permissible, just either mail it early, and/or bring it to the counter.”

Dennison said the process at the Deschutes County Clerk’s Office remains black and white. If the postmark date is past a deadline, the document won’t be valid — even if it was dropped in the mail on time.

“We’re following the law. We’re being consistent. We’re applying this consistently,” Dennison said. “We’re just asking the voters and the citizens to take that initiative and make sure they do mail things early.”

In a statement to KTVZ News, the U.S. Postal Service said the update to its Domestic Mail Manual doesn’t change their postmarking procedures, but helps clarify existing practices and improve public understanding.

“Virtually all letters or flats sent by individuals using stamps (such as cards, letters and tax returns) receive a postmark,” USPS said in a statement. “If a customer wants to ensure that a mailpiece receives a postmark and that the postmark aligns with the date of mailing, the customer may take the mailpiece to a Post Office, station, or branch and request a manual (local) postmark at the retail counter when tendering their mail piece.”

The Postal Service also noted that customers can purchase Certified or Registered Mail to receive a receipt with tracking information. It said the updated Domestic Mail Manual “does not signal a change in postmarking procedures with regard to how or what we postmark, but is instead intended to improve public understanding of the information postmarks convey, when in the course of operations they are typically applied, and their relationship to the date of mailing.”

Here in Central Oregon, as election season approaches, residents can also drop off their ballots at official ballot drop boxes located throughout the counties. Those do not require postal processing and provide an alternative to mailing.

The bottom line: if you’re cutting it close to a deadline on time-sensitive mail, bring it directly to the post office for immediate processing. You can also check with your recipient to see if in-person drop-off is an option.

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Tracee Tuesday

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Firefighters from Redmond Fire & Rescue prevented a garage blaze from spreading to a family home Sunday evening at NW Teak Ave., thanks to a swift response to multiple 911 calls.

Crews arrived around 7 p.m. to find heavy flames in the garage with fire starting to extend into the main residence, but they quickly knocked it down and kept it contained. All residents and pets escaped safely, and no injuries were reported among occupants or firefighters.

Investigators determined the fire ignited when gasoline vapors came into contact with a nearby operating propane heater.

Redmond Fire & Rescue issued a safety reminder: When working with flammable liquids like gasoline, ensure all ignition sources, including heaters, are completely turned off.

Damage estimates were not immediately available, but officials noted the rapid action likely saved the home from greater destruction.

(KTVZ News / Based on Redmond Fire & Rescue press release)

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Tracee Tuesday

CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — Central Oregon residents were treated to a breathtaking sight Saturday night as the year’s first full moon — known as the Wolf Moon — illuminated the High Desert skies from Bend to La Pine to Prineville.

Viewers across the region shared incredible photos of the glowing supermoon as it climbed above the horizon, casting a bright, silvery light across the landscape.

This particular full moon qualified as a supermoon, appearing about 14 percent larger and 30 percent brighter than a typical full moon because it was closer to Earth in its orbit. It officially peaked around 2 a.m., but its dramatic rise at dusk drew widespread attention — and plenty of cameras.

Thank you to everyone who captured and shared your images of the Wolf Moon with us.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: adding comments from Bend locals, Fox Business, video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — When the calendar turns to a new year, many people take time to refocus on what matters most — from finances and fitness to family and personal growth. Across Central Oregon, those goals are looking particularly reflective in 2026.

For countless citizens throughout the country, money tops the list. With the effects of inflation still squeezing budgets, many are hoping to spend smarter and save more in the year ahead.

“Many of the people I spoke with say they’re concerned about the cost of everyday items,” said Fox Business correspondent Kelly Saberi. “It’s not just something that they’re thinking about going into the new year, but something they’ve had to think about every day.”

Although inflation has eased slightly in recent months, household expenses remain a challenge. A Fox News poll found 44% of respondents believe they’re falling behind financially — a frustration that’s becoming a powerful motivator for 2026 resolutions.

Some Chicago-area consumers shared simple, practical goals:

“Just getting a set amount to save each week.”

“Not spending money on frivolous things, like buying coffee every day.”

“We are thinking about investing more money.”

Here at home, locals say their focus is broader — balancing financial planning with mental and physical well-being. In true Central Oregon fashion, for many, that involves the great outdoors.

“One of my New Year’s resolutions was to just stay more active and be outside more,” said Kinley Pesenti, a Bend resident.

Another local, Monique Lecomte, said she’s returning to a long-time passion. “I used to be a big runner, and I’m getting back into running. This is Bend, and all the trails are a perfect place to do that.”

Experts say success often means keeping goals flexible and realistic. Halina Kowalski, owner and founder of Gather Sauna House in Bend, uses a single word to guide her year.

“I’ve been doing a word for the year — something that represents multiple layers of what I’m working toward,” Kowalski said. “There are multiple ways I can accomplish that, so you’re still left with a sense of accomplishment.”

Whether it’s saving more, stressing less, or simply slowing down, 2026 is about progress — not perfection.

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