Author: KTVZ

KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners announced Tuesday it will host two public hearings in January to gather feedback on the five-commissioner district map recommended by the Deschutes Map Advisory Committee (DMAC).

Evening Hearing: Tuesday, Jan. 20, 6:00-8:00 p.m.

Daytime Hearing: Wednesday, Jan. 21, during the BOCC’s weekly meeting, starting at 9 a.m.

Both sessions will take place in the Barnes Sawyer Room of the Deschutes Services Building, 1300 NW Wall St, Bend. The public is invited to attend in person or online through the County’s website.

Background

In November 2024, voters approved Measure 9-173 to expand the BOCC from three to five members. In response, the Board met several times to consider moving from five at-large positions to five district-based positions. A majority of the Board voted to appoint a committee of seven community volunteers to draft a district map. Commissioners DeBone and Adair appointed two committee members each, while Commissioner Chang appointed three.

The DMAC held 11 work sessions starting in early September to draft a map with approximately equal populations in each district. Following Board-approved guidelines, the committee reviewed several draft maps using Deschutes County voter registration data, 2020 census data, race and ethnicity population data and building permit trends since 2022.

On Nov. 12, the DMAC voted 4-3 to recommend Map C to the BOCC. Following the public hearings, the Board will decide whether to send the map to voters during 2026.

For more information about the DMAC and the proposed map, visit dechutes.org/DMAC.

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KTVZ

(Update: Crook County official comments on bill’s passage)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Crook County official on Friday thanked Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Ore., and his congressional colleagues for passing a key bill to restore stable federal funding for rural timber-dependent counties.

 “We want to thank Congressman Cliff Bentz for constantly fighting for rural Oregon,” Crook County Commissioner Seth Crawford said. “These Secure Rural School dollars that he worked so hard to reinstate are so important to our roads, schools, and public lands.”

The county official emphasized that the reauthorization will help sustain essential services, including education, transportation, and public safety — services heavily impacted by fluctuations in federal timber revenue. Crawford also said the renewed funding stream allows Crook County to plan more effectively for long-term community needs and infrastructure maintenance.

The bill, approved by the House on Tuesday by a 399-5 vote, provides back pay for the 2024 and 2025 federal fiscal years and reauthorizes Secure Rural School funding through FY 2026, Crawford said, ensuring critical funding stability as rural communities continue to navigate economic transition and infrastructure demands.

The legislation’s passage follows extensive national advocacy led by the National Association of Counties, county representatives from across the country, and bipartisan congressional supporters who underscored the importance of SRS to rural communities.

Crawford said the county “will continue working with federal partners and Oregon’s congressional delegation to ensure stable, predictable funding for rural counties and to support long-term economic resiliency throughout the region.”

Earlier story:

WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTVZ-Dec. 9) — The U.S. House on Tuesday approved on a 399-5 vote reauthorization of the Secure Rural Schools program, has which sent millions of dollars to rural areas with large amounts of tax-exempt federal forests but had lapsed over a year ago. Oregon’s only Republican in Congress, Rep. Cliff Bentz, voted in favor of the bill, which passed the Senate several months ago.

Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., issued a statement applauding House passage of his bipartisan legislation introduced with Senators Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and James Risch, R-Idaho, to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program and ensure rural, forested communities across Oregon and the country receive funding for roads, schools, law enforcement and other critical services.

Here’s the rest of that statement:

“The Secure Rural Schools program has been a lifeline for rural communities across Oregon since I originally authored the program back in 2000,” Wyden said.

“I’m relieved the House has finally done its job with the long-overdue passage of my bill to return the safety net for critical services to communities that need it the most. This is exactly why we need a permanent solution to get rural communities off the financial roller-coaster and ensure they have the resources they need to not only survive, but grow and thrive.”

“By passing our bipartisan bill, Congress has finally taken critical action to restore funding that is crucial to keeping schools and libraries open, maintaining roads, restoring watersheds, and ensuring there are police officers and firefighters to keep rural communities safe,” said Merkley.

“Extending the SRS program ensures Oregon communities and local governments can maintain access to these important lifelines and resources, and I look forward to President Trump swiftly signing our bill into law.”

Wyden first authored the SRS program in 2000. Funding for the program lapsed in September 2023, and counties have not received payments since early 2024. Wyden’s bill to reauthorize the program had previously passed the Senate in June, but stalled in the House, delaying crucial funding for rural schools, law enforcement, and infrastructure projects.

Last week, 83 bipartisan, bicameral members, led by Wyden and Crapo, called on House leadership to take up the reauthorization bill for final passage.

Congressman Bentz Supports House Passage of the Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act

WASHINGTON, D.C.– Today, Congressman Cliff Bentz (R-OR) voted YES on Senate Bill 356, the “Secure Rural Schools (SRS) Reauthorization Act,” which will bring some $50 million, for each of three years, to Oregon’s timber-dependent counties.  

Said Congressman Bentz: “In 1990, the Spotted Owl was listed under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species. Almost immediately timber production from federal forests in the Western United States plummeted by 80%. The economic and societal cost to timber dependent states and their timber reliant counties was appalling. Demand for SNAP and Medicaid shot up, alcoholism and meth addiction became routine. County tax revenues were decimated.

“A belated but needed response was the Secure Rural Schools Act first passed in 2000, 10 years after the listing of the Owl. This law, and the funding it provides, was designed to partially offset the massive decline in federal timber revenue. It provides a modest amount of funding for critical services including infrastructure maintenance (roads), wildfire mitigation, conservation projects, search and rescue operations, fire prevention initiatives, and most importantly, money for children’s education.”

“When society enacts socially attractive laws that seemingly benefit the broader public but end up harming small communities, society must mitigate that harm. This is what the SRS bill does. It mitigates at least a part of the billions in damage done to small communities by the implementation of social goals such as, in this case, the Endangered Species Act. I thank my colleagues and Speaker Johnson for supporting this essential bill and the funding that my counties so desperately need,” Bentz concluded.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies answered an unusual call Monday night just west of Redmond that sounded more like a scene from an action movie than a typical family dispute, authorities said.

Shortly before 8 p.m., 911 dispatchers got a call from a resident on NW Norse Way, saying a family member was threatening to crush their vehicle with a tractor, DCS Public Information Officer Jason Carr said.

Moments later, the caller confirmed the threat had turned into reality: “The suspect was actively ramming the vehicle with heavy machinery,” Carr said in a news release Tuesday. (He later told KTVZ News the Jeep Liberty he struck sustained only minor damage.)

Deputies quickly responded and spotted a massive CAT 980M front loader rumbling away from the scene near NW 35th Street and Upas Avenue.

They conducted a traffic stop, Carr said, and the driver, identified as 36-year-old Blake Mogan of Redmond, was taken into custody without further incident. 

According to Carr, Mogan admitted to stealing the front loader from a nearby construction site. The CAT, valued at over $750,000, sustained minimal damage and was returned to its owner.  

Mogan was booked into the Deschutes County Jail on two felony charges, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and first-degree theft, and a misdemeanor charge of second-degree criminal mischief.

According to a jail representative, Mogan was released to a responsible third party shortly after midnight, told to appear in court Dec. 30.

Drugs are believed to be a factor in what happened, Carr said.

“While the situation could have ended much worse,” Carr said, “deputies were able to safely resolve the incident and return the stolen equipment.”

“It’s not every day you see a traffic stop involving a 70-ton front loader, but our team is ready for anything,” the sheriff’s office representative added. 

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes National Forest has finalized its plan to allow Class 1, pedal-assist e-bikes on most than 160 miles of mountain bike trails for much of the year, except for winter.

The forest announced Tuesday it has signed the final decision on the Class 1, Pedal Assist E-bikes on Select Trails located on select, existing, natural surface trails and paved paths located near Bend, Sisters and Sunriver, Oregon.

Recognizing the growing interest in e-bikes on public lands, the Forest Service said it assessed how these bikes fit into existing recreational activities.

“The Forest gave thoughtful consideration of the ecological and social impacts of this decision, balanced with providing increased access for class 1 e-bike users” the announcement said.

The final decision authorizes Class 1, pedal assist e-bikes on about 161.4 miles of 67 existing soft-surface and paved path trails. Existing trails selected for the inclusion of Class 1 pedal assist e-bikes are currently designed for bike use.

But e-bike users will have to wait until next spring to make use of the trails. That’s because the trails identified for Class 1 pedal assist e-bikes also adhere to Winter Range Closure Season, which prohibits e-bike usage December 1 through March 31 in support of critical deer and elk habitat. Routes identified will open for e-bike use on April 1, 2026.

The Central Oregon Trail Alliance said it supported the move, “based on extensive research, consultations with trail alliances across the country, and feedback gathered from local riders.”

It said the ruling came after completion of an environmental review process, significant research, collaboration with user groups and public comment. COTA said it will “assist with implementation by updating signage, supporting rider education, and helping ensure a smooth, safe transition for all trail users.”

“Evidence from similar trail systems, including the Tahoe National Forest, Jakes Rocks, Fruita, and local examples such as Madras East Hills and Redmond Radlands, shows no significant increase in trail damage or user conflict after allowing Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes,” COTA said.

“For many riders in our community, including older adults and those with physical limitations, Class 1 pedal-assist e-bike access can make the difference between enjoying mountain biking with friends and family or sitting out entirely.”

Class 1 pedal-assist e-bikes only provide assistance while the rider is pedaling and only up to 20mph. This class of e-mountain bikes or e-gravel bikes are trail-capable with things like proper tires, suspension, and brakes. These types of bikes are not the same as commuter e-bikes commonly seen in Central Oregon. Those types of bikes often have throttles (i.e., no pedal-assist) and higher speeds and remain illegal for trail use.

Class 1, pedal assist e-bikes provide assistance only when the rider pedals. Assistance stops when the bike reaches 20 miles per hour. E-bikes that are modified and no longer fit the criteria described above are no longer considered Class 1, pedal-assist e-bikes and therefore would not be authorized for use on trails.

Visitors can expect to see updated signage, including information on education and etiquette, as the decision is implemented in the spring, officials said.

“The Forest has conducted compliance monitoring prior to the decision and will continue monitoring to inform ongoing education efforts,” it added.

Project documents, including the signed Decision Notice and Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI), can be viewed on the Deschutes National Forest website here: fs.usda.gov/r06/deschutes/projects/66475

To view an online project map, visit: usfs.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=5080ef7e7f2d45ac96788cf1a2447a86

For questions about the project, contact Alicia Bergschneider, Forest Environmental Coordinator, at alicia.bergschneider@usda.gov

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Tracee Tuesday

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A grieving and supportive Central Oregon community came together Monday evening to support two families after tragedy struck two teens who both attended Crook County High School, over the weekend.

A public vigil was held at Crook County High School to honor 15-year-old Tyler Maxey, who died in a motorcycle crash Saturday night, and to pray for Trent Debban, also 15, who remained in critical condition.

Crook County sheriff’s deputies said the crash happened around 9:23 p.m. Saturday on Southeast Indian Lane. Investigators say the two motorcycles collided head-on. Tyler died at the scene and Trent was flown to St. Charles Bend with life-threatening injuries.

Tyler’s aunt, Tonya Robinson, told us the community was doing all it can to “lift up both these families and be there for them. Carrie Bauer started what we call the “meal train,” for meals for these families. We’ve also started GoFundMes, because no mother or father should bury their child.”

Blake Ridgeway, Tyler’s cousin, told us, “I never had a little brother growing up. Tyler was that little brother that I never had. We always got into trouble, did stupid stuff together. And I got the call.

“I couldn’t believe it, didn’t want to believe it,” Blake said through the tears. “And then it finally set in. I realized my – my little brother’s gone.”

The Crook County Sheriff’s Office says alcohol is not believed to be a factor, but the investigation continues.

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KTVZ

(Update: Missing teen found)

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Human Services, Child Welfare Division, said late Tuesday it was thankful for the community support and had located a 15-year-old in foster care who went missing from Molalla and was believed to be in danger, and may have been in the Bend area.

Tyler Shoop, went missing from Molalla on Monday and was found Tuesday, the agency said. Further details were not revealed.

Earlier story:

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Oregon Department of Human Services Child Welfare Division is asking the public to help find a 15-year-old in foster care who went missing from Molalla on Monday, is believed to be in danger and could be in the Bend area.

ODHS asked the public for help in the effort to find Tyler Shoop and to contact 911 or local law enforcement if they believe they see him.

“Tyler Shoop is suspected to be in the Molalla or Bend area,” DHS said.

Name: Tyler ShoopPronouns: he/himDate of birth: 3/3/2010Height: 5-foot-9Weight: 148 poundsHair: BlondeEye color: Blue EyesOther identifying information: Tyler’s hair is cut short and is a reddish tint. He typically wears jeans that are really stained and a hat.Molalla Police Department # 25-024563National Center for Missing and Exploited Children #2070863

KTVZ News reached out to the Bend Police Department and the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, neither of which had any additional information to share about the missing teen.

“Sometimes, when a child is missing, they may be in significant danger, and ODHS may need to locate them to assess and support their safety,” the department said in a news release.

“As ODHS works to do everything it can to find these missing children and assess their safety, media alerts will be issued in some circumstances when it is determined necessary. Sometimes, in these situations, a child may go missing repeatedly, resulting in more than one media alert for the same child.

“Report child abuse to the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline by calling 1-855-503-SAFE (7233).  This toll-free number allows you to report abuse of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 365 days a year,” the department said.

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KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Infants and newborns can now breathe easier at St. Charles Bend, due to a new ventilator technology in the hospital’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, officials said Tuesday.

St. Charles is the first NICU in Oregon to use Neurally Adjusted Ventilatory Assist (NAVA), which helps make breathing more comfortable for infants who need support. It has been used to assist more than a dozen babies at St. Charles over the past six months, according to a news release that continues below: 

“We are proud to lead the way in Oregon. It’s one more way we are giving babies the best possible start,” said Cammie Egan, an advanced practice provider in the St. Charles NICU. “NAVA is safer and more comfortable than traditional ventilation.

“This is especially important for babies in the NICU whose lungs may have not yet fully developed, as the average gestational age for our NAVA patients is just over 29 weeks.” 

Egan explains NAVA is more comfortable for the patients because it follows the babies’ cues.

Whereas a traditional ventilator helps patients breathe by assisting with the breath on a steady cadence, NAVA assists with breathing by following the patient’s signals.

A catheter with electrodes is placed into the baby’s stomach, where it measures the electrical activity of the diaphragm. 

“That tells us when the baby wants to take a breath and then the ventilator supports that breath. It synchs the ventilator with the patient’s natural respiratory signals,” said Blake Andrews, manager of respiratory therapy for St. Charles.  

Andrews said using NAVA promotes sleep and development. Infants who are cared for with NAVA are able to transition to independent breathing more quickly. 

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KTVZ – News Team

(Update: Missing teen located)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Police Department reported Tuesday afternoon that a missing/runaway 17-year-old, Karter William Cash Novacoff, “has been located and is no longer considered missing.”

Earlier information: (Bend PD press release):

“The Bend Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating a missing/runaway 17-year-old.  

At approximately 1 p.m. on Dec. 1, Bend Police responded to a report of a missing juvenile. A family member reported she had not heard from Karter William Cash Novacoff, 17, in about two months after he reportedly left his family’s home and may have moved to Redmond for work.  

Other family members reported they had not spoken to Karter in about a month, and that Karter frequently left home in the months leading up to this most recent disappearance.  

Over the past week, officers have unsuccessfully attempted to locate Karter, who was last known to be living in Redmond and possibly working for a landscaping company there. 

Anyone with information about Karter’s whereabouts is asked to contact nonemergency dispatch at 541-693-6911.”

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KTVZ – News Team

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Right now, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is inviting community members to take part in a short, confidential survey to help inform how the county might reduce the impact from natural disasters.

The survey is part of a larger effort to update the county’s natural hazards mitigation plan, which focuses on real projects like strengthening bridges or clearing wildfire fuels, that can help protect people, property, and critical services before a disaster strikes.

The county is partnering with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council to better understand how residents think about the risks from natural hazards like wildfires, floods, earthquakes, and winter storms.

This helps local leaders align planning efforts with community concerns and priorities.

The survey asks residents about their experiences with natural hazards, how they prepare for emergencies, and what kinds of risk-reduction efforts they’d like to see in their neighborhoods.

It takes just a few minutes to complete, and all responses are confidential. The information gathered will help guide future planning, funding, and outreach efforts across Deschutes County and its cities.

The survey will be open until January 5th and can be accessed online. Click here to take the survey.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: adding video, information from hearing on December 9th)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Redmond woman accused of fatally stabbing her mother was back in a Deschutes County courtroom Tuesday morning, but her scheduled plea hearing was postponed after a discussion with lawyers in the judge’s chambers.

Jessica Andersch is charged with killing her mother, Tracy Berry, in their Redmond home earlier this year. Investigators said Andersch called 911 to report the crime, and responders found her covered in blood.

A neighbor previously told KTVZ News that Andersch had been acting erratically and insisting someone else was inside the home hours before Berry was found. In earlier court appearances, Andersch’s behavior also raised concerns about her mental state, including outbursts referencing “the being” representing her mother.

A judge had ordered a mental evaluation and treatment for Andersch at the Oregon State Hospital, though she waited for weeks in the county jail for an open bed amid the state’s ongoing shortage of psychiatric treatment space. During her time at the hospital, Andersch filed a petition seeking acquittal, making several unusual claims — including calling the victim a “copy.”

Despite that petition, Deschutes County Circuit Judge Alison Emerson ruled Monday that Andersch was mentally competent to stand trial and to aid and assist in her defense, clearing the way for the case to proceed and for her to enter a plea to the charges. That plea hearing, originally scheduled for Tuesday, is now set for January 14.

We will continue to follow developments in this case. KTVZ’s Claire Elmer also will be digging deeper, examining how Oregon’s strained mental health system continues to impact criminal proceedings across Central Oregon.

Earlier Story — December 8th — BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Deschutes County judge has ruled that Redmond murder suspect Jessica Andersch is now mentally fit to aid and assist in her own defense, clearing the way for her to enter a plea.

Andersch is charged with murder in the fatal stabbing of her mother, 56-year-old Tracy Lynn Berry, at the Redmond duplex the two shared earlier this year. Police were called to the southwest Redmond home in June, where Berry was found dead and Andersch was taken into custody at the scene.

During an earlier court appearance, Andersch had an outburst in front of the judge and admitted to the killing, saying she stabbed “the being that represented herself as Tracy Berry” and asking to be sent to prison. Those statements, along with her behavior in court, led to questions about her mental fitness and a decision to send her to the Oregon State Hospital for evaluation and treatment.

While at the Oregon State Hospital, court records show Andersch wrote a letter to the court from the psychiatric facility, asking to be acquitted of the charges. In that letter, she referred to “T. Berry” as a “copy,” echoing the unusual language she used in court, and asked to be “left out of plans to renovate” the Redmond duplex where the killing occurred.

After months under state hospital supervision, evaluators concluded Andersch is now able to understand the proceedings and work with her attorney, a key standard for being found fit to aid and assist in her own defense under Oregon law. Judge Alison Emerson adopted that finding in Deschutes County Circuit Court on Monday, ordering that her criminal case move forward and scheduling her expected plea for Tuesday, December 9th.

Andersch’s case is one of several in Central Oregon where questions of competency have been risen. Officials in the judicial system have noted that mental health evaluations can be difficult to schedule and that treatment beds at facilities like the Oregon State Hospital remain limited — just some of the factors causing delays which ripple through the justice system. 

KTVZ News will continue to follow developments in State v. Jessica Andersch as the case returns to open court.

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