Author: KTVZ

Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding Redmond School District)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Crook County School District officials, like others around the region, state and nation, are working to make sure parents know about the options to keep families fed well as SNAP food benefits are poised to be cut until the federal government shutdown is resolved.

Here’s a message that was shared Wednesday with KTVZ News by Crook County Interim Superintendent Joel Hoff, who said, “Beginning next week, the district is expanding several student support services in response to the potential SNAP benefit reductions scheduled to take effect on November 1st.

“We have been collaborating with NeighborImpact and other community partners to identify the most effective ways to support and serve local families in need. Our top priority is to ensure that every single CCSD student has access to the food they need.

“Below is the message that will be shared with our families this afternoon, outlining our efforts to assist students and the ways community members can get involved.”

Dear CCSD Families,

We anticipate that the potential November 1st postponement of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will affect many of our students. Beginning next week, we are taking the following steps to help address this temporary food shortage and provide immediate assistance to our students in need:

🥪 After School Snack Expansion: Elementary schools will now offer sandwiches and snacks to students at the end of each school day for the time being. Additional after-school snack options will also be available at our middle and high schools.

🛍️ Weekend Food Bag Program: Students can take home weekend bags filled with non-perishable food items. You can sign your student up for this program here.

 🤝 Community Partnerships: Local organizations are working hard to connect families with food resources. More information on local food resources for families can be found at Crook County Food Resource Calendar and State of Oregon Food Bank Locator. 

❤️ We Need Your Help: If you’d like to donate non-perishable food items to support our Weekend Food Bag Program, please drop them off at the District Office, located at 471 Ochoco Plaza Dr, Prineville, OR 97754. See the list below for specific requested items.

If you’d prefer to contribute funds to support the Weekend Food Bag Program, please contact the District Office for more information (541-447-5664).

We remain committed to ensuring that every student in our district has access to the nutrition and care they need to be successful. Thank you for partnering with us to support our students and community during this time. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact your school or the district office.

Requested Food Donation Items Include:

Granola Cars 

Fruit Cups

Cereal

Oatmeal 

Chips

Crackers

Peanut Butter

Beef Jerky

Canned Soups

Top Ramen

Mac-n-Cheese

Hormel Meals

Pop-Tarts

Popcorn

Tuna

Uncrustables

Pudding

Spaghetti Sauce

Pasta

Bend-La Pine Schools Director of Communications Scott Maben told us, “We will be sharing similar information with our staff and families about community food resources, including these lists from Thrive Central Oregon:

La Pine/Sunriver

Bend

“Keep in mind that Bend-La Pine Schools no longer charges families for any school meals. Breakfast and lunch are free for all. This contributes to food security for many families who will struggle from the SNAP stoppage,” Maben said.

Redmond School District Public Information Officer Logan McGinnis told us, “Redmond School District is committed to ensuring every student has access to nutritious meals each day. Through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) Program, all students in the district receive breakfast and lunch at no cost.”

“Each school has a Family Access Network (FAN) advocate who works directly with families to connect them with local food supports and other essential resources.Families seeking additional community food resources in Redmond and Terrebonne can visit Thrive Central Oregon’s local food resource guide,” McGinnis said.

Jefferson County School District Director of Communications Joseph Prechtl told us, “Our district provides breakfast and lunch to all students at no cost through our participation in the Community Eligibility Provision Program. In addition, students enrolled in our afterschool program receive dinner at no cost. 

“Several of our schools are offering weekend food programs, and have for a while. 

“We also have FAN (Family Access Network) advocates for each school who work directly with families to connect them with local food resources and other essentials supports.

“Those are just some of the ways we are helping our students and families gain consistent access to nutritious meals” Prechtl said. 

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Barney Lerten

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ)– The Oregon Public Utility Commission has approved a small reduction in rates for Cascade Natural Gas customers that goes into effect this Friday.

But the change could be hard to spot, as the average customer’s monthly bill will fall by less than $1, the PUC said Wednesday.

The agency says the small rate decline is the result of several annual filings, including a drop in natural gas prices.

Customer Impact

The combined result of those annual filings means the monthly bill of a typical residential customer, using an average of 56 therms per month, will decrease by $0.86 or 1.39 percent, for a new monthly bill of about $60.74.

The amount bills will fall for each customer varies, depending on customer type (residential, commercial, or industrial) and their energy use.

Reasons for Adjustment

Each year, the PUC reviews the actual cost of natural gas and approves adjustments annually to rates accordingly through a process called the Purchased Gas Adjustment (or PGA).

The PGA allows utilities to pass through the cost of purchasing natural gas to the customers without a markup on the price.

This year, the PUC said, “natural gas prices were moderate, and Cascade Natural Gas collected more than needed from customers last year. As a result, the PGA, combined with decisions on other rate-related filings that also go into effect October 31, resulted in a decrease in customer rates.”

PUC Chair Letha Tawney said, “Oregon’s purchased gas adjustment mechanism reflects that the cost of natural gas is driven largely by regional, national, and global factors outside the utility’s control, but it holds utilities accountable for careful management within those market conditions.”

“We are fortunate this year to see the stabilizing supply and demand of natural gas ease financial pressures on customers,” Tawney added.

It’s the second straight year Cascade Natural Gas customers will see a drop in rates. Last year, the impact of the lower rates was more sizable, as the average residential monthly bill fell by $9.47, or about 13.2%.

Before that, in the fall of 2023, a rate hike increased the average customer’s bill by $2.56 a month, or about 3.2%, and a 25% rate hike in 2022 boosted the average monthly bill by about $15.

Manage Energy Use and Bills

The PUC also offered these tips on ways to manage your natural gas costs:

Explore rebates and energy-saving tips through the Energy Trust of Oregon.

Learn about the CARES bill assistance program, help with past-due bills, and the Budget Pay Program that spreads costs evenly throughout the year, call Cascade Natural Gas at 888-522-1130 or visit their website for more information.

Reach out to local Community Action agencies to find out what other support is available.

Cascade Natural Gas serves more than 75,000 customers in the Bend region and parts of Northeast Oregon.  

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KTVZ – News Team

SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) — A soapy problem returned to Sunriver as bubbles flowed out of the fountain you see right when you drive in through the main roundabout. The bubbles even covered up the tall Sunriver sign spilling into the roadway.

Suzanne McNally, a visitor to Central Oregon from Portland said, “I was surprised, it’s, like, really cute and wondering what made them happen.”

A worker in Sunriver Village, Wendy Wilson, said, “I was literally driving through the roundabout, and I saw this puff of bubbles. Bubbles so big, like, up in the air. And I was like, what is that? And just kept looking. I was like, huh.”

This is not the first time this has happened, as people have been pulling this prank for years in Sunriver. Officials, say it could potentially impact wildlife as the area is filled with deer and elk migration.

We reached out to Sunriver Police to see how they handle these situations, though we have not yet heard back.

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KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Summit High School and Bend Senior High School are teaming up for their first-ever joint production, Head Over Heels, a jukebox musical set to the chart-topping hits of The Go-Go’s.

Inspired by Philip Sidney’s The Countess of Pembroke’s Arcadia, the story follows the royal court of Arcadia after a prophecy from the Oracle of Delphi warns that the kingdom will lose its “Beat” — the life force that keeps its prosperity alive.

Determined to defy fate, King Basilius leads his court on a wild journey through the woods filled with mistaken identities, unexpected romance, and gender-expansive disguises that challenge tradition. The show unfolds as a colorful celebration of authenticity, acceptance, and love.

Featuring high-energy vocals, a live rock band, and a bold Ancient Greece-meets-the-1980s design, the production invites audiences to groove along to iconic songs like “We Got the Beat,” “Our Lips Are Sealed,” “Vacation,” Belinda Carlisle’s “Heaven Is a Place on Earth,” and “Mad About You.”

Head Over Heels is directed by Lara Okamoto, co-directed by Madeline Schreiber, with music direction by Angelina Anello-Dennee and choreography by Emily Tompkins. The live band is directed by Cooper Ottum.

Performances run December 5–7 and December 11–13 at the Summit High School Auditorium, located at 2855 NW Clearwater Drive in Bend. Showtimes are at 7 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, December 7.

General admission is $15, with discounted tickets available to students (18 and under) and seniors (65+) for $10. The show runs about two hours and 30 minutes, including a 15-minute intermission.

For tickets, audience guidelines, and more information, visit summittheatrecompany.com or contact Lara Okamoto at 541-355-4190 or Lara.Okamoto@bend.k12.or.us.

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Humane Society of Central Oregon is inviting companion animals to enjoy the ghastly delights of Halloween at a special annual costume event.

Unleash your creativity and “trick”-out your four-legged friend in a costume. The Howl-o-ween Pet Costume contest will be Friday, October 31st at 5:30pm at the Old Mill District Center Plaza by the walking bridge (545 SW Powerhouse Drive in Bend).

HSCO will be handing out treats for pets during the Old Mill District Halloween event from 4:00 to 7:00pm.

Unleash your imagination and create or buy a costume for any companion animal. Contest is open to all species. Dress up your cat, bearded dragon or Guinea Pig and surprise the local celebrity judges. There is no entry fee, but donations graciously accepted. Prizes include $100, $75 and $50 Old Mill District gift cards and more to the top entries.

Pet costume contest will begin at 5:30 p.m. Arrive early and register between 4:00-5:15 p.m. at the HSCO booth. Make sure pet costume is comfortable and the animal can move freely and see. Ensure that temperature-sensitive animals are kept warm.

For more information, visit www.oldmilldistrict.com/blog/things-to-do/halloween-in-the-old-mill-district or call 541.382-3537.

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Tracee Tuesday

REDMOND, ORE. {KTVZ} — Redmond’s Tuesday night city council meeting carried both personal and political significance, marking Mayor Ed Fitch’s first public appearance since undergoing heart surgery earlier this month. His return coincided with a key financial decision regarding the city’s Managed Camp project in East Redmond.

The council voted to amend its intergovernmental agreement with Deschutes County, increasing the city’s contribution from $250,000 to approximately $322,000. The additional $72,559.38 will help cover rising costs tied to the project’s development, designed to support the region’s ongoing homelessness response efforts.

Deschutes County Commissioner Patty Adair said the funding increase stemmed from updated construction cost estimates that hadn’t been reflected in earlier documents. “The engineer’s estimate was a couple hundred thousand dollars higher than expected,” she explained, noting that contractor Taylor Northwest later reduced that projection by over $300,000.

However, Redmond City Councilor Cat Zwicker offered a different perspective. “What really happened is that we were working off preliminary engineering estimates,” she said. “When you get on-site and start digging into the land, you often find new challenges that require more time and money.”

Mayor Fitch also weighed in, emphasizing the importance of the Managed Camp to the city’s broader strategy on homelessness. “Before we adopted time and placement restrictions on camping, we had people living on residential and commercial streets, creating significant community conflict,” Fitch said. “Since those regulations and the camp’s development, those conflicts have almost completely disappeared.”

The council ultimately voted in favor of the funding increase. Commissioner Adair later said she expects county officials to approve their share of the adjustment at an upcoming board meeting.

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Spencer Sacks

(UPDATE: adding quotes from Dr. Steve Cook, adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend-LaPine Schools Board met on Tuesday for a work session to discuss goals for the district to take it into the future.

This meeting is part of an ongoing process to update rules and guidelines for the school board. 

The goal of the meeting was to work on the executive limitation in the updated organization goals. The Board is setting rules and expectations for the superintendent. 

KTVZ spoke with Bend-LaPine Schools Superintendent Dr. Steve Cook who explained his hopes for the sessions.

“The board is undertaking the task to work through all of their, governance policies, their organizational goals, and, what we’re working on today was, refining those organizational goals,” Dr. Cook said.

Dr. Cook Continued, “They make sure that their vision continues to be the same, and that the expectations that they clarify in those, executive limitations are still what they want to declare is what the values are for the board.”

The school board will have its next meeting to discuss the organizational goals in January.

They hope to have these goals finalized and ready to go by the end of the school year.

 

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Police Department has one word for it: “Wow!”

Last Saturday, Bend Police and St. Charles hosted a prescription drug take back event, and the community turnout was nothing short of remarkable.

A steady flow of 203 cars rolled through the Bend Police Department parking lot, each one dropping off unused medications to be securely destroyed.

By day’s end, 706 pounds of medication and sharps were collected — helping keep dangerous substances out of homes and away from the environment.

It was part of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s 29th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day, an effort involving nearly 4,000 law enforcement partners and collection sites across the country.

Organizers of the Bend collection event expressed deep gratitude to everyone who participated, saying that the generosity and civic-mindedness of Bend residents made the event a true success.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: Adding video)

CULVER, Ore. (KTVZ) — In Culver, families now have a new place to get active — and a lasting reminder of the kind of community spirit one woman inspired for decades.

The city celebrated the grand opening of its new skatepark and pickleball courts this past weekend, dedicated in memory of longtime Culver teacher’s aide Darlene Urbach, who passed away from cancer in 2019.

The project first took shape years earlier, when a Culver student and young skateboarder approached the city with a simple wish for a safe place to skate. What started as a pipe dream turned into an actual half pipe after the community rallied to make it a reality.

Darlene, known for her love of kids and involvement in her community, used to love taking her grandchildren all over the region to visit various skateparks. After her passing, the idea to raise funds in her memory to support the park was a no-brainer for volunteers.

“She’d be super happy,” said her son, Jason Urbach. “The amount of kids running around right now, having fun — that would be the best part of it for her.”

Over the course of six years, her family, local 4-H youth, city leaders and residents raised more than $100,000 through grassroots efforts — from community grants and donation drives to scooter raffles and personal fundraisers.

Volunteer Cindy Dix, who helped lead the campaign from the star, said every contribution reflected the town’s determination to finish what Darlene had championed.

“What makes me the happiest — seeing all these kids behind me on their skateboards,” Dix said. “I couldn’t be more excited for our community and all the kids.”

The park’s completion was made possible with help from a $750,000 Oregon Parks and Recreation Department grant, funded through Oregon Lottery dollars, as well as support from Jefferson County and local sponsors. The new facilities include a concrete skate zone, custom ramps, and adjacent pickleball courts designed to encourage outdoor recreation for all ages.

At Saturday’s ribbon-cutting, Culver school officials and city representatives joined dozens of residents in honoring Urbach’s memory. Her daughter, Jennifer Harrington, said the park represents her mother’s enduring devotion to Culver’s youth.

“This is a special place to us,” Harrington said. “For our family to have this, and for our mom to be represented like this — it was just a dream.”

During the event, KTVZ, along with Mid Oregon Credit Union and Dutch Bros Coffee, recognized Dix with our Pay It Forward award for her years of volunteer leadership in bringing the project to completion.

Culver leaders said the new park symbolizes the power of community connection — a space that celebrates both youthful energy and the people who shaped this small town’s heart.

The skate park and pickleball courts are open daily at Culver City Park, offering a new recreational hub for families across Jefferson County.

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