Category: ktvz-local-news

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Right now, a major road project in Bend is moving forward, but weather has delayed some paving work.

Paving on Franklin Avenue between NE Third and Eighth streets is now scheduled for September 8th and 9th.

Drivers should expect temporary one-way closures during that work.

The Franklin undercrossing is still set to close to vehicles September 14th for major transportation and stormwater improvements. It will temporarily reopen from Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Families in the Bend-La Pine School District have one less thing to worry about this school year: packing lunch.

All students in the district are eligible to receive one free breakfast and one free lunch every school day through the federal Community Eligibility Provision program.

Families do not need to complete an application to receive the meals.

Parents of students with special dietary needs are encouraged to contact their child’s school nurse for more information or to discuss accommodations.

More information about the district’s free meal program is available through Bend-La Pine Schools.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) A section of Butler Market Road officially re-opened today after months of construction.

The road between NE Brinson Boulevard and Broken Bow Drive is now open to westbound traffic.

The change comes as crews wrap up major work on the Butler Market Corridor Project.

The project includes a new roundabout at Butler Market and Wells Acres, along with improvements for people walking and biking.

The city expects the project to be completed this month.

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Gregory Deffenbaugh

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Park and Recreation District removed a long-standing play boat from Harmon Park this week after staff determined the structure no longer met modern safety standards.

District staff regularly inspect all community playgrounds and had fenced off the boat for further evaluation following concerns about chipping paint, rust and exposed metal that heats up in the sun. All other play features at Harmon Park remain open to visitors.

The play structure had been in use for more than 50 years. In 1974, park district employee Ken Lehto converted a repurposed lifeboat into the play tugboat. Ten-year-old Tim Carpenter named the vessel PS Happy Harmon after winning a district naming contest.

Michelle Healy serves as executive director of the Bend Park and Recreation District. She acknowledged the community impact of removing the long-standing structure. “The old boat at Harmon is beloved by community members and our staff, so we know this is disappointing,” Healy said. “The boat was repurposed from the start and was showing its age and years of use, which doesn’t meet standards for modern playgrounds.”

Harmon Park recorded approximately 40,000 visits last year. The park district manages 47 playgrounds across the community and provides a park locator tool on its website. “We wish to continue welcoming families to enjoy the playground at Harmon Park,” Healy said.

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Lance Campbell

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — This week’s Pet Pals visited the Humane Society of Central Oregon to meet Remy, an eight-year-old dog who has been waiting for a new home since Aug. 3.

Shelter staff describe Remy as house-trained, comfortable on a leash and previously happy living with cats. She may be shy and quiet at first, but she has grown more comfortable and confident at the shelter. Remy loves being around people and is often found near the front desk, keeping an eye on the activity.

HSCO’s veterinary team recently gave her a dental cleaning and performed an extraction, helping prepare Remy for a healthy new start with her forever family.

If you already have a dog, shelter staff recommend arranging a proper introduction to make sure the animals are a good match.

“This gal is going to be your shadow and absolutely your new best friend,” a shelter representative said. “She is just a hidden gem waiting to start a new chapter. And hopefully that’s with you.”

Anyone interested in meeting Remy can visit the Humane Society of Central Oregon or learn more at hsco.org.

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CNN

WASHINGTON, D.C. (CNN) — A former Labor Secretary with ties to Oregon is under fire from the Labor Department’s internal watchdog.

A new 40-page report says Lori Chavez-Deremer spent public money on personal travel and tolerated harassment. It also found she had an inappropriate relationship with a member of her security detail.

More than three dozen witnesses said working in her office was quote “toxic, intimidating and humiliating.”

The report cited a whistleblower who alleged that staff disregarded federal spending limits on trips that mixed business and pleasure, including expensive hotels, rentals and strip clubs.

Chavez-Deremer resigned from her job in April. She had served as Labor Secretary for a year.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The High Desert Museum in Bend, Ore., recognized National Wildlife Day on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026, highlighting its ongoing care for more than 100 ambassador animals. The occasion coincides with the one-year anniversary of the museum receiving accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Opened in 1982, the museum operates as a 501(c)three nonprofit organization and is designated as a Smithsonian Affiliate. Its collection of ambassador species—which includes bobcats, beavers, skunks, foxes and rattlesnakes—supports daily educational presentations and regional conservation initiatives.

The museum’s summer program, Raptors of the Desert Sky, is entering its final weekend. Held daily at 11:30 a.m. weather permitting in a natural amphitheater, the flight show features owls, hawks, falcons, vultures and eagles soaring above attendees. The program is recommended for ages 5 and older.

In addition to birds of prey, the museum houses Pacific lamprey in the Autzen Otter Exhibit. Developed in collaboration with the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, the exhibit details the ecological role of the lamprey and highlights recent population declines.

Visitors to the Hollern Atrium can view North American porcupines in their habitat, where the nocturnal animals can be seen sleeping or eating pine needles and manzanita leaves. The museum also invites the public to record wild porcupine sightings through the iNaturalist community and the Wildlife Watch program. Additionally, the daily Desert Dwellers program takes place at 3 p.m. and is included with admission.

Beyond its AZA accreditation, the High Desert Museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. The facility was awarded the Autry Public History Prize from the Western History Association in 2025 and received the National Medal for Museum and Library Service in 2021.

The summer presentation of Raptors of the Desert Sky will conclude following its scheduled flight shows this weekend.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bureau of Land Management issued a warning Friday ahead of Labor Day weekend that wildfire season is far from over across Oregon and Washington.

More than 2.5 million acres have already burned across the Northwest in 2026 during an exceptionally active fire season.

While temperatures may begin to cool and some areas could receive rain, fuel conditions remain dry and fire danger can change quickly. September often brings periods of warm, dry and windy weather that increase the potential for rapid fire growth. Fire restrictions remain in effect across all lands administered by the bureau in Oregon and Washington.

Officials noted that while the agency recently adjusted some closures and restrictions as local conditions change, visitors must remain cautious. Todd Forbes serves as the acting Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington associate state director. He urged visitors to prioritize fire prevention while visiting public lands over the holiday weekend.

“Labor Day can feel like the end of summer, but it is not necessarily the end of fire season,” Forbes said. “We are asking visitors to keep fire prevention in mind as they enjoy public lands this weekend. Conditions can change quickly and one careless spark can have consequences for communities, wildlife, natural resources and firefighters.”

Fire officials emphasized that preventing human-caused blazes is critical to managing overall fire risk across the region. Josh O’Connor is the Northwest geographic area fire chief for the U.S. Wildland Fire Service.

“The best wildfire is the one that never starts,” O’Connor said. “This Labor Day weekend, we’re asking visitors to know the restrictions, understand the conditions and do their part to prevent human-caused fires.”

Under standing restrictions, several items remain strictly prohibited on all bureau-administered public lands in Oregon and Washington. Prohibited items include fireworks, sky lanterns, exploding or metallic targets, tracer or incendiary devices and steel-core or steel-jacketed ammunition. Additional local restrictions or closures may apply depending on local fire danger, weather and fuel conditions.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Nonprofit organization Discover Your Northwest will host the Care for the Land Fall Trash Bash community cleanup near La Pine State Park in the Deschutes National Forest on Sept. 26, 2026.

The volunteer event is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. in celebration of National Public Lands Day.

The cleanup is the second Trash Bash organized under the Care for the Land Program, which focuses on maintaining public lands and building community connections in Central Oregon.

Karen Walsh serves as director of programs for Discover Your Northwest and is coordinating event administration.

The community event requires no prior experience and all community members are invited to participate. Minors ages 12 and older must be accompanied by a parent or guardian for the duration of the cleanup.

Organizers will provide all necessary tools, supplies and lunch for participants. Dogs are not allowed at the cleanup due to event logistics and permitting requirements, though accommodations for disability-related needs may be requested.

In addition to picking up trash, participants will have opportunities throughout the morning to learn about public land stewardship in Central Oregon and ways to stay involved in future conservation efforts.

Discover Your Northwest is a Seattle, Wash.-based 501(c)(three) nonprofit organization founded in 1974. The group operates across Oregon, Wash., northern California, Idaho and Montana to support public lands through educational programs, retail operations and community partnerships.

Volunteers can register for the cleanup online at discovernw.org/volunteer. The exact meeting site near La Pine State Park will be finalized prior to the Sept. 26 event.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Sisters Ranger District will host a public meeting on Monday, Sept. 14, to share updates on local vegetation management projects and recovery plans following the Akawa Butte Fire.

The meeting will run from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Sisters Ranger District office, located at 201 North Pine St. in Sisters.

Forest Service staff will begin the meeting at 5:30 p.m. with a formal presentation covering current vegetation management implementation and the proposed recovery plan for the Sisters Canyons Active Restoration Project. Following the presentation, attendees can participate in a question-and-answer period and small group discussions. Members of the public may also stream the presentation live online by pre-registering.

The Akawa Butte Fire began on July 16 following an intense lightning storm across Central Oregon. The fire burned approximately 27,500 acres overall, including about 12,000 acres within the Deschutes National Forest.

The burned area included approximately 9,321 acres within the Sisters Canyons Active Restoration Project area. The restoration project is currently undergoing National Environmental Policy Act planning review.

For additional details regarding the meeting or vegetation management plans, contact person Lauren DuRocher can be reached at lauren.durocher@usda.gov.

The public meeting will take place on Monday, Sept. 14, at 5:30 p.m. at the Sisters Ranger District office.

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