Category: ktvz-local-news

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Ballots for the Nov. 3 General Election have been mailed to Deschutes County’s registered voters. Official drop boxes open Friday, Oct. 16. Locations can be found at deschutescounty.gov/dropbox.

If voters do not receive their ballot by Wednesday, Oct. 29, they are encouraged to call the Deschutes County Elections Office at (541) 388-6547 or email elections@deschutescounty.gov.

For more election and voting information, you can visit deschutescounty.gov/elections.

Click here to follow the original article.

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon residents can now preview their health coverage options for 2027 following the launch of the Explore Health Plan Guide today. The new online tool allows users to compare individual health and dental plans available in their area ahead of the upcoming open enrollment period.

The guide helps users estimate potential financial assistance through the marketplace and assess eligibility for Oregon Health Plan benefits.

Explore Health is Oregon’s new state-based health insurance marketplace, launching for the 2027 plan year. The platform is designed for Oregonians who lack access to affordable health coverage through an employer and do not qualify for public medical programs such as the Oregon Health Plan.

Users can input their current prescription medications and preferred doctors into the Plan Guide to identify plans that best match their health care needs. The tool allows residents to compare costs, benefits and plan features across available providers, though state officials noted that using the tool does not enroll someone in coverage.

The tool’s release comes ahead of major market changes for 2027. Insurance carriers Providence and PacificSource will stop offering individual health plans in Oregon entirely, while Moda will restrict its coverage to select counties.

Chiqui Flowers, director of the Oregon Health Insurance Marketplace, emphasized the utility of early planning amid these carrier shifts. “Choosing health insurance can feel overwhelming, especially when plans and coverage options are changing,” Flowers said. “The Plan Guide gives you a chance to explore options before Open Enrollment begins so you can better understand what coverage and financial help may be available.”

Oregonians seeking assistance can visit ExploreHealthOR.gov to use the tool or schedule an appointment with an Enrollment Partner for help navigating coverage options.

Open Enrollment for 2027 health coverage begins Nov. 1, 2026 and runs through Jan. 15, 2027.

Click here to follow the original article.

Claire Elmer

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Four Bend men have been arrested in connection with an ongoing human sex trafficking investigation involving a minor female, the Redmond Police Department announced Thursday.

The investigation, which began in late August in the Redmond-Bend area, resulted in its fourth arrest on Tuesday.

Detectives with the Redmond Police Department launched the investigation during the week of August 28th after learning that a minor girl was the victim of ongoing human sex trafficking involving multiple adult men.

All four suspects were booked into the Deschutes County Adult Jail on felony charges including human trafficking, rape, sex abuse, sodomy, and luring a minor.

Victor Santos Govea, 36, was the most recent suspect taken into custody, arrested on Tuesday, October 13th. He faces charges of trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution, promoting prostitution, luring a minor, unlawful delivery of marijuana, providing alcohol to an intoxicated person, third-degree rape, second-degree sex abuse, third-degree sodomy, and prohibited acts regarding tattooing.

Shawn Michael Bowlin, 45, was the first suspect arrested in the case on September 5th. He was charged with third-degree rape, first-degree sex abuse, third-degree sodomy, and encouraging child sex abuse.

Pedro Joel Linares Alonso, 22 and Juan Carlos Linares, 31, were both arrested on September 18th. Linares Alonso was charged with first-degree rape, third-degree rape, first-degree sodomy, third-degree sodomy, luring a minor for sexual conduct, first-degree online sexual corruption of a child, and strangulation. Linares was charged with third-degree rape, third-degree sodomy, luring a minor for sexual conduct, first-degree online sexual corruption of a child, and a probation violation.

Redmond Police detectives are asking anyone with information regarding potential additional victims or details about the case to contact non-emergency dispatch and reference case number 2026-30033.

Numerous agencies assisted with the investigation, including the Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police, Deschutes County Parole & Probation, U.S. Marshals Service, FBI, Oregon Department of Human Services, and the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office.

Police also noted community resources available for human trafficking victims, including the AT project and In Our Backyard.

Click here to follow the original article.

Spencer Sacks

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the City of La Pine released performance data Thursday detailing the first eight months of the La Pine-DCSO Community Action Team contract. The initiative, which ran from Jan. 1 through Aug. 31, focused on wildfire prevention, traffic enforcement, neighborhood safety and public event management.

KTVZ’s Spencer Sacks is in La Pine and will have a full report tonight for KTVZ News at 6.

Local leaders established the partnership to address specific safety priorities, particularly following destructive statewide fire seasons in recent years. City officials and sheriff’s deputies reported that La Pine completed the 2026 fire season without any wildfires threatening local residents, attributing the outcome to regular public land monitoring and targeted prevention checks.

Traffic enforcement formed a major part of the team’s work, resulting in 482 speed-enforcement traffic stops within La Pine. Deputies conducted 231 stops on Highway 97, which runs directly through town and 251 stops on city streets. The team also logged 455 hours providing traffic management, pedestrian safety and event logistics for local gatherings including the Rhubarb Festival, Frontier Days, the High Lakes Car Show and the La Pine Rodeo.

The team is staffed by Sgt. Kyle Kalmbach and Deputy Jonathan Ebner, both of whom are longtime La Pine residents. Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert said the contract was designed specifically around local community feedback.

“We built this contract around the specific needs and public safety concerns that La Pine faces,” Rupert said. “Every number in this report represents the time deputies spent on the community’s biggest priorities, whether that is checking public lands for fire risk, supporting businesses, or being present on streets and in neighborhoods.”

Deputies spent an estimated 373 hours conducting 234 public land and fire safety checks across the area. La Pine Mayor Jeannine Earls noted that recent fire seasons across Oregon prompted the city to take a proactive approach to wildfire prevention.

“After seeing how destructive recent fire seasons have been statewide, we knew we needed a more focused approach to prevention,” Earls said. “By working closely with DCSO and prioritizing boots-on-the-ground checks, we put ourselves in a stronger position this year. I believe that approach played a key role in helping our community avoid another major wildfire threat in 2026.”

The team’s activities also included 154 neighborhood patrols totaling 101 hours and 67 business safety advisements totaling 58 hours. Deputies provided school bus marshaling during pickup and drop-off times, increased visibility around school grounds, developed a new emergency response plan for local schools and established a streamlined evacuation process for residents and animals in South Deschutes County.

Managing transient camps on nearby public lands was another key focus of the team’s mandate. Earls described the issue as one of the community’s most complex challenges.

“This is one of the most complex issues we face as a community,” Earls said. “Many of those residing in these camps are transient, but we also have long-term residents who need to be valued, feel safe and be healthy. The increased engagement from deputies has helped create stronger relationships, better communication and improved conditions that have led to cleaner, safer spaces and more accountability.”

La Pine City Manager Geoff Wullschlager stated that the joint effort has required flexible collaboration across local jurisdictions.

“We are inspired by our work with the Sheriff’s Office as we collectively address these issues in ways that are as unconventional as the problems themselves,” Wullschlager said. “Regardless of jurisdictional ownership, DCSO and the La Pine have pivoted in a collaborative effort to maintain public health and safety standards in south Deschutes County.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Discover Your Northwest, the nonprofit partner of the Deschutes National Forest, will host its annual Winter Volunteer Information Night in Bend, Ore., on Oct. 27, 2026. The event aims to recruit volunteer rangers to support winter conservation education and naturalist programming.

The information session will begin at 6 p.m. at the Deschutes National Forest Headquarters, located at 63095 Deschutes Market Road. Attendees will learn about positions serving as education and interpretive volunteer rangers representing the U.S. Forest Service at Mt. Bachelor.

Volunteer opportunities include teaching within the forest’s conservation education program and leading guided snowshoe tours for visitors at Mt. Bachelor. Discover Your Northwest provides official uniforms and required training for all selected volunteers.

Discover Your Northwest requests that volunteer rangers commit to serving at least one day per week throughout the winter. The commitment period begins in mid-December and extends through the end of March 2027.

Program inquiries and volunteer management are handled by Karen Walsh, director of programs for Discover Your Northwest and Davey Pearson, volunteer and career pathways program manager for the organization.

The volunteer recruitment session takes place Oct. 27, 2026, ahead of the winter program season that runs from mid-December through March 2027.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kelsey Merison

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Drivers in Redmond should slow down on SW Blackbutte Boulevard near SW 10th Street, where photo radar citations are set to begin Thursday, Oct. 15.

The transportable photo radar enforcement unit has moved from SW Quartz Avenue near SW Quartz Park to SW Blackbutte Boulevard, where it monitors eastbound traffic.

The speed limit on the roadway is 25 mph. The area is a residential street with significant traffic volume and is near a school zone.

The city previously issued 30 days of warnings to registered vehicle owners before citation enforcement began. The citation period at this location is scheduled to last 90 days.

Redmond officials are reminding drivers to obey the speed limit, watch for pedestrians and follow all traffic laws to help keep the community safe.

Click here to follow the original article.

Claire Elmer

(Update: adding statement from OSU-Cascades)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon State University-Cascades issued a safety warning to the campus community following reports of two sexual assaults in a university residence hall on October 8th and October 10th.

University officials said both incidents involved an assailant who was unknown to the victim.

The OSU-Cascades Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement are investigating the incidents.

To enhance campus security, the university is increasing public safety patrols, stepping up hallway observations by housing staff, and regularly monitoring video footage of the residence hall and surrounding campus areas.

A description of the assailant was not immediately available. OSU-Cascades is working alongside the Bend Police Department and campus officials to investigate the reported assaults and implement additional security measures.

University officials urged community members to take safety precautions.

Recommended steps include keeping residence hall doors locked at all times, preventing unknown individuals from entering secured buildings, staying aware of surroundings, traveling with trusted companions, carrying a charged mobile phone, and reporting suspicious behavior immediately.

OSU-Cascades reminded students and employees of available confidential support services, including:

The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at 541-737-3556 The Center for Advocacy, Prevention, and Education at 541-737-2030 Student Health and Wellness

Anyone with information regarding the incidents is asked to contact:

Campus Public Safety at 541-322-3110 Residential Education and Housing The Bend Police Department at 541-693-6911 Emergency: 911

KTVZ News received the following statement from OSU-Cascades regarding the reports:

“A precautionary message was sent to the Oregon State University-Cascades community with the available information and in response to The Clery Act, a federal law that requires universities to disclose certain offenses, including sexual assault, to alert members of the campus community to situations that may pose a serious or continuing threat so they can take precautions.

The report, which has not been confirmed, was shared with Oregon State University’s Equal Opportunity & Access office and later with the Department of Public Safety, who respond to all such reports.

University resources and support are being offered to those impacted. Increased staffing, patrolling and observation of the OSU-Cascades residence hall and campus have been initiated and will continue for the foreseeable future.

The university has no further information to share given the ongoing investigation into this matter.”

– Rob Odom, vice president, University Relations and Marketing

A copy of the statement warning sent to students is below:

OSU Cascades NoticeDownload

Click here to follow the original article.

Campbell Porter

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality will host a community meeting on Thursday, Oct. 29, 2026, to gather public input on allocating just over $1 million in federal groundwater funding. The meeting is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. at the Crook County Library in Prineville, Ore.

Federal lawmakers secured the Community Initiated Project funding after Crook County residents living near the Knife River sand and gravel mine raised concerns about manganese and other contaminants in drinking water. A multi-agency technical team including the DEQ, the Oregon Department of Geology and Mineral Industries, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey and Oregon State University is finalizing plans to address local water quality.

The DEQ previously tested 61 private domestic wells near the Knife River mine, while Knife River Corp. conducted three rounds of sampling on its property under an agency-approved plan. All private well results were submitted to the Oregon Health Authority for public health assessments. Test data revealed varying levels of manganese and arsenic across deep and shallow wells, though officials found no clear singular source for the metals.

Manganese and arsenic occur naturally in local soil and rock from regional volcanic activity. Changes in oxygen levels within groundwater can alter subsurface geochemistry, mobilizing the metals into private drinking wells. Various natural and human-caused factors influence water chemistry, including pumping patterns, drought conditions, irrigation, leaking septic systems and individual well conditions.

State and federal agencies are presenting three research options for spending the federal funds. The first option would expand the groundwater investigation into the specific source of manganese, which could take a year or more without guaranteeing clear evidence. The second option would direct funds toward safe drinking water solutions, such as evaluating water treatment or delivery methods.

The third option, recommended by the DEQ and supported by the impacted community, involves two additional rounds of domestic well sampling and soil testing within a focused area around the mine. The DEQ would coordinate and complete this focused scope in about one year. Members of the Crook County Board of Commissioners may attend the meeting to listen to community feedback, though they will not conduct official business or participate in deliberations.

The meeting will take place strictly in person, with no remote attendance options provided. Residents requiring disability accommodations, language interpretation or communication aids may contact the Crook County Administration Office at 541-447-6555 or email Eric Blaine at Eric.Blaine@crookcountyor.gov. Requests should be submitted at least five days in advance to allow time for event coordination.

The DEQ plans to request a working session with the Crook County Board of Commissioners to informally discuss the options and determine the next steps for project funding.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kelsey Merison

OREGON (KTVZ) — Tomorrow, October 15th, fire season is coming to an end in Northwest Oregon Area (NWOA).

The Oregon Department of Forestry says fire season will officially end tomorrow, October 15th, at 12:01 a.m. in five protection districts across northwest Oregon.

That means some property owners can burn yard debris without a permit.

But fire officials warn people to use caution — avoid burning on dry, windy days, keep water and a shovel nearby, and never leave a burn pile unattended.

Residents should check local burning rules before lighting a fire.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend is getting 25 new homes as part of a statewide affordable housing investment.

Oregon Housing and Community Services approved funding for 480 affordable rental homes and 36 homes for purchase across the state.

In Bend, the funding will support new homeownership opportunities.

The state says the investments are also supporting new apartments and preserving existing affordable housing in several Oregon communities.

The Housing Stability Council also approved the last available funding for a program expanding affordable, accessible rental housing for older Oregonians.

Click here to follow the original article.