Author: KTVZ

Spencer Sacks

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Approximately 4,000 high school students from across the state gathered at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds in Redmond this weekend for the Oregon Future Farmers of America State Convention.

The annual event provides resources and training for the next generation of leaders in the agricultural industry.

The convention arrives as the number of farms in the United States has reached a near all time low. According to industry data, the number of U.S. farms decreased from 6.8 million in 1935 to 1.88 million currently, prompting the organization to focus on educating youth about food and fiber production.

Reynold Garner, an agriculture content specialist for the state of Oregon, emphasized the global need for new agricultural leadership during the event.

“The world right now needs trained, qualified individuals, to emerge into the leadership space both in food and fiber production, for for our planet,” Garner said.

Participants came from almost every county in the state to participate in the learning sessions. Dan McNary, an adviser for Crook County High School and the Central Oregon District, noted that only a small portion of the population currently produces food.

McNary stated that educating students at a young age is vital so they are “at least informed about agricultural issues,” regardless of whether they enter the production field. He explained that this knowledge is critical as the trade is passed to a new generation.

The convention features a variety of competitive events designed to build foundational knowledge of the industry. Oregon FFA CEO Kjer Kaiser described the importance of understanding the origins of resources.

“You’re going to learn about where food and fiber comes from,” Kaiser said. “And that’s foundational for, for our society.”

Beyond agricultural skills, the program includes training in professional development and real-world applications. Sessions held throughout the weekend include public speaking competitions, job interview training and a career fair. These activities are designed to provide resources for students to become leaders in the agricultural space.

Aubrey Leao, the 2025-26 Capital District secretary, highlighted the networking opportunities provided by the gathering of students.

“This convention is just such a good leadership opportunity,” Leao said. “There’s not a lot of opportunities in agriculture to kind of get out and meet a lot of people that, you relate to so closely. So it’s super cool to see everybody from across the state of Oregon.”

Other students focused on the social connections and peer interactions made during the four-day event. Silverton FFA Secretary Elise Gardner noted the high energy among the thousands of attendees.

“Everyone’s just so excited to be here and everyone’s so happy,” Gardner said. “And you get to see all your friends that you haven’t gotten to see yet, so it’s just really fun.”

National representation was also present through Jael Cruikshank, the Western Region vice president for the National FFA Organization. Cruikshank, who is a Bend native, previously spent nearly a decade participating in agricultural events at the fairgrounds.

“It’s super cool to be back here since this is actually where I showed all my pigs growing up,” Cruikshank said. “And so I have about 8 or 9 years of experience showing pigs on these grounds and just proud to be a Bendite.”

Redmond has become the yearly home for the convention.

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Spencer Sacks

UPDATE: TUMALO, Ore. (KTVZ) — An accidental fire caused by a vehicle backfire destroyed a 1,600-square-foot shop and several vehicles in Tumalo Friday evening, resulting in $220,000 in estimated damages. The blaze occurred at 65425 76th Street and was sparked by a fuel leak.

Investigators determined the fire was accidental in nature, originating from a vehicle parked inside the structure. While the flames began to spread toward nearby homes, fire crews were able to contain the blaze quickly.

The total financial impact of the fire is estimated at $220,000. This figure includes $100,000 for the loss of the 1,600-square-foot shop structure and $120,000 for the contents and a heavily damaged travel trailer located nearby. The contents of the shop were considered a total loss.

Among the destroyed property were two classic vehicles and a motorized scooter. Fire officials noted that trees and other vegetation located close to the shop allowed the flames to spread toward other homes in the area. Fire crews were able to stop the fire’s progress before it reached neighboring residences.

In response to the incident, officials are reminding property owners to maintain defensible space around all structures. Recommended safety measures include removing bark mulch and vegetation within five feet of a foundation to reduce the risk of fire spread.

TUMALO, Ore. (KTVZ) — A structure fire destroyed a detached shop building in the Tumalo area Friday afternoon, prompting a multi-agency response as flames spread to nearby vegetation. Bend Fire & Rescue crews arrived at 65425 76th St. around 5:11 p.m. on March 20 to find the building fully engulfed.

While the shop was fully involved, firefighters prevented the blaze from reaching the main residence or other detached structures on the property. The fire was highly visible to motorists traveling along Highway 97 and Tumalo Road.

Bend Fire & Rescue received mutual aid assistance from both the Cloverdale Fire District and Redmond Fire to bring the flames under control quickly. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office also provided support during the emergency response. Crews continued working at the site throughout the evening.

As of 8:00 p.m. on Friday, firefighters were still on the scene performing mop-up duties and monitoring for remaining hot spots. Numerous emergency units remained on the road and authorities asked members of the public to avoid the area while operations continued.

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.

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Campbell Porter

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) Central Oregon Community College and Oregon State University-Cascades will host the inaugural “La Copa del High Desert” soccer match and Latinx cultural celebration on Sunday, April 12. The event will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the COCC Bend campus.

Organized by the COCC Latinx program, the event is designed to celebrate High Desert Latinx culture through sports, food and traditional activities. The celebration is sponsored by the High Desert Museum and St. Charles Health System. Approximately 15% of the student population at COCC is Latinx and a suggested $10 donation from attendees will benefit a Latinx student scholarship fund at the college.

The competitive soccer match begins at 10:30 a.m. at Mazama Field. Both institutions are recruiting players for the match from their respective student bodies and staff members. Claudia Bisso-Fetzer, the Latinx student program coordinator at COCC, said the event’s purpose extends beyond the athletic competition.

“While the teams are competing on the soccer field, the goal is to celebrate and foster a sense of belonging and mutual respect,” Bisso-Fetzer said. “Come to play or cheer your team and enjoy Latin American cuisine — the event extends far beyond the final score.”

Following the match, the celebration moves to the Coats Campus Center. From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., attendees can participate in cultural activities including the Mexican board game loteria and ceramic drink coaster painting. Lunch featuring authentic cuisine from various Latin American countries will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

College officials have established points of contact for individuals requiring accessibility assistance. Those needing accommodation or transportation due to physical or mobility disabilities should contact campus services at 541-383-7775. For other accommodations, such as those related to hearing impairments, student accessibility services is available at sas@cocc.edu or 541-383-7583.

COCC students and staff interested in playing must contact latinx@cocc.edu to receive a sign-up link. The deadline to register for the soccer match is April 3.

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Campbell Porter

This week for Pet Pals, the Humane Society of Central Oregon is spotlighting Domino, a one-year-old herding mix with plenty of puppy energy and a whole lot of heart.

Domino is spunky, loving, and highly treat-motivated, making him eager to learn and easy to train with consistent positive reinforcement. While he can be a little shy when meeting new people, he quickly bonds with those he knows and would make a fantastic adventure buddy for the right family.

According to HSCO, he’s already proven himself on the trail, recently conquering the hike up Misery Ridge at Smith Rock, and loves exploring Central Oregon’s great outdoors. When playtime is over, Domino is all about cuddles, naps, and squeaky toys.

If you’re looking for a loyal, medium-sized companion to join your adventures, stop by the Humane Society of Central Oregon and meet Domino today. Here’s his page on their website.

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Campbell Porter

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Mt. Bachelor will begin selling 2026/27 season passes on March 24, featuring a “Buy Now, Ski Now” perk that grants new passholders immediate access to the slopes starting April 1. The new incentive allows purchasers to use their passes for the remainder of the current spring season in addition to the full 2026/27 winter season.

The early sales period runs through June 2, 2026, offering the lowest rates of the year and renewal discounts of up to $100 for returning guests. Mt. Bachelor is also providing retail credits of up to $100 and a “Kids Ski Free” option for children age 12 or under with the purchase of an adult pass.

John Merriman, president and general manager of Mt. Bachelor, expressed gratitude to the local community for their support during the current winter. Merriman noted that the resort has a full schedule of activities planned for the upcoming month.

“I’m so grateful to our passholders for coming out and making the most of this season,” Merriman said. “This community is special and despite challenging conditions, our passholders continued to show up and have a great time on the mountain together. April is packed full of events and we look forward to welcoming new Mt. Bachelor passholders this spring with our “Buy Now, Ski Now” option.”

The Full Season Pass is priced at $1,249 for renewals and $1,349 for new purchasers. This pass offers daily access with no blackout dates or restrictions. Each purchase includes a $50 retail credit for the Mt. Bachelor Sports Pro Shop and allows the adult passholder to add a free season pass for a child age 12 or under. Full Season renewal prices have remained flat compared to the previous year.

The premier Outplay 365 Pass costs $1,899 for renewals and $1,999 for new members. This year-round multi-sport pass includes unlimited alpine skiing and snowboarding at the resort, an Ikon Base Pass and access to the Nordic Center. It also features a 2026 Mt. Bachelor Bike Park Season Pass and provides a $100 retail credit. Like the Full Season option, it includes the “Kids Ski Free” benefit for children age 12 or under.

Mt. Bachelor also offers several specialized pass tiers, including a Midweek Pass for $949 that provides access Monday through Friday. A five-Day Pass is available for $419, which breaks down to $84 per day of use. For those interested in cross-country skiing, the Nordic Pass is priced at $399 and covers 56 kilometers of groomed trails and three snowshoe loops with views of the Cascades.

The resort is located on a 9,065-foot volcanic peak and offers 4,323 acres of lift-accessible terrain. It is served by 12 lifts and three carpets, including seven high-speed quads and one high-speed six-pack lift. Mt. Bachelor is a part of POWDR, a family-owned and operated adventure lifestyle company. Beyond winter sports, the resort offers summer attractions such as mountain biking, zip-lining and whitewater rafting.

Season pass sales will begin March 24 and the early-pricing window will close June 2, 2026. Guests can use payment plans through Affirm to manage the cost of their pass purchases.

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Campbell Porter

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — High Desert Chamber Music is partnering with the Society of St. Vincent de Paul to host a community donation drive during its upcoming concert on Sunday, March 29, 2026. The event will take place in Bend and aims to provide support for local individuals and families.

The drive focuses on collecting nonperishable food and essential household items for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Bend. This partnership allows audience members to contribute to local relief efforts while attending the scheduled musical performance.

Donations will be collected at a table located in the entrance of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon. Collections will take place prior to the start of the performance. A specific list of the most-needed food and household items is available on the High Desert Chamber Music social media, including:

Food items:

Canned soup and instant ramen

Canned fruits and vegetables

Pasta, rice, oatmeal

Canned proteins

Granola bars

Snacks (chips, crackers, fruit snacks)

Juice/juice boxes

Non-dairy milk

Cereal

Peanut butter and jelly

Non-food items:

Tampons and pads

Soap

Shampoo/conditioner

Hand warmers

Shaving razors

Deodorant

Toothbrushes and toothpaste

Diapers – 4, 5, 6, 2T, 3T

Toilet Paper

Isabelle Senger serves as the executive director of High Desert Chamber Music. She emphasized the value of using the concert as a platform for local outreach. “We are grateful for the opportunity to partner with St. Vincent de Paul and invite our audience to make a meaningful impact,” Senger said. “It’s a simple way to come together—through music and generosity—to support our neighbors.”

While the organization encourages all attendees to participate in the drive, donations do not replace the requirement for concert admission. Tickets are still required to attend the musical performance regardless of whether a donation is made.

Concert details and tickets are available on the High Desert Chamber Music website.

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Campbell Porter

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — NeighborImpact donated more than $5,000 in gift cards to support TSA employees at Redmond Municipal Airport who are working without pay during a partial federal government shutdown. The donation is intended to help approximately 70 affected workers and their families afford groceries, gas and other essential items.

The assistance comes as the shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security has disrupted paychecks since Feb. 14. NeighborImpact provided 70 gift cards valued at $75 each, ensuring every impacted officer at the airport received support.

The officers affected are a part of the daily infrastructure at the airport, supporting business, family, medical and tourism travel. A delayed paycheck for these households can lead to late fees, missed rent payments and high stress for families already managing tight budgets. NeighborImpact executive director Scott Cooper noted that the organization aims to provide stability for these workers.

“NeighborImpact is here to help people stay steady when circumstances change,” Cooper said. “These are working households dealing with a sudden gap in income outside of their control. In moments like this, a local response can help families bridge the gap.”

The gift card initiative was supported by local businesses and private donations. Jersey Boys Pizzeria hosted a fundraiser day to help fund the effort and several community members provided targeted gifts to purchase the cards. This type of local response is funded through flexible community support, which allows the organization to bypass traditional funding structures that may lag behind immediate needs.

NeighborImpact has a history of responding to urgent local events, including the Flat Fire and disruptions to SNAP benefits. While the non-profit manages ongoing services in housing, food, energy assistance and child care, it maintains the flexibility to address unexpected challenges as they arise. Since 1985, the private non-profit has developed resources for Crook, Deschutes and Jefferson counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs.

Alongside the gift card donation, Redmond Municipal Airport has started its own drive to support the staff. The airport is seeking nonperishable food and other household essentials to assist employees who have been working without pay for over a month.

Community members who want to support the TSA workers can drop off nonperishable food, household essentials or gift cards at the airport. Donations are being accepted at the badging office located across from the baggage claim area.

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Silas Moreau

CENTRAL OREGON (KTVZ) — The Central Oregon Wildfire Educators Group is launching a series of regional preparedness fairs starting in April 2026. These events highlight the group’s ongoing efforts to provide unified education on how to live safely in fire-adapted communities.

Established in 2022 as part of the Central Oregon Fire Prevention Co-Op, the organization coordinates wildfire outreach among city, county, state and federal agencies. The partnership includes fire departments, tribal partners, public health organizations and nonprofit groups.

The group’s educational programs reached thousands of residents in 2025. Outreach focuses on four critical pillars: defensible space, home hardening, evacuation preparedness and smoke readiness. These programs teach residents how to reduce flammable vegetation and strengthen structures against ember intrusion.

Leadership for the organization includes co-chairs Melissa Steele of Bend Fire & Rescue and Ariel Cowan of OUS Extension. Under their direction, the group acts as a regional amplification network to ensure a consistent message across different jurisdictions.

Beyond residential education, the group supports the use of prescribed fire tactics across Central Oregon. This practice is used as an ecological necessity to return fire to the landscape and reduce the risk of high-severity wildfires on private and public lands.

Outreach efforts also include creative media projects such as public service announcements and video content designed for all age groups. The group conducts school visits and youth events to encourage wildfire awareness among future community leaders.

The 2026 Wildfire Preparedness Fairs are free to the public and feature hands-on learning opportunities for adults and children. The first event is scheduled for Wednesday, April 8, 2026, from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Sisters High School.

Two events will take place on Saturday, April 11, 2026. The first will be held in Prineville at the Wilco parking lot from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., followed by a fair at La Pine High School from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Sunriver will host a fair at the SHARC facility on Thursday, April 16, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. In May, events are planned for Bend and Madras to conclude the series.

The Bend event is set for Saturday, May 9, 2026, at Central Oregon Community College from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The final fair is scheduled for Wednesday, May 20, 2026, at the Jefferson County Fire and EMS Station in Madras from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

The upcoming fairs will share educational resources and demonstrate wildfire readiness practices for property owners. Residents seeking more information or organizations looking to get involved can contact Steele or Cowan.

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Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Former Deschutes County Sheriff’s Captain William Bailey is appealing his firing from the agency. The termination followed an investigation into comments Bailey made during a radio appearance in June of last year.

The appeal will move to a hearing before the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners. The Deschutes County administrator confirmed the hearing will provide Bailey an opportunity to contest the county’s disciplinary decision.

The investigation into Bailey’s conduct focused on comments he made during a radio broadcast. In those remarks, Bailey criticized then-Sheriff Kent Van Der Kamp. Bailey alleged that he and his supporters were the targets of retaliation within the sheriff’s office following the election.

Bailey also addressed the internal atmosphere of the department during the radio appearance. He described the morale within the sheriff’s office as “broken.” The Deschutes County administrator is coordinating the next steps in the appeal process.

The matter is scheduled to go before the Board of County Commissioners, where Bailey will be permitted to challenge the county’s decision to terminate his employment.

A specific timeline for the hearing before the Board of County Commissioners is still being developed.

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Triton Notary

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) Cycle Oregon is expanding its Summer Kids Bike Camp to serve children in Portland, Hillsboro and Bend for the 2026 season. The week-long day camps are designed for young riders ages 8 to 12.

The expansion follows a pilot program conducted in 2025. The camp is led by the team behind Jump Start, a statewide bicycle education program and aims to provide children with the skills and confidence needed to navigate their communities on two wheels.

The program’s curriculum focuses on developing technical skills, including shifting, hand braking, signaling and group riding. Beyond basic mechanics, the camp emphasizes safety and wayfinding. Participants apply these skills during supervised rides to local parks, picnics and playgrounds while utilizing city bike lanes and existing infrastructure.

To ensure the program is accessible to families from various backgrounds, the Cycle Oregon Foundation provides scholarships that cover between 50% and 100% of the tuition. Cycle Oregon also provides loaner bikes and helmets at no additional cost to participants who do not have their own gear.

The registration fee for the weeklong sessions is $550. Camps operate Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The schedule begins in Hillsboro during the week of June 22. Portland sessions are scheduled for July 13-17 and Aug. 3-7.

In Bend, the organization is partnering with R.A.D. Camps to offer three separate sessions. These are scheduled for the weeks of July 6-10, July 27-31 and Aug. 17-21.

Scholarship applications are being accepted through March 29. The first 2026 camp session is scheduled to begin on June 22 in Hillsboro.

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