Category: ktvz-local-news

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — While Cascade Lakes Highway and Paulina Lake Road remain closed, snow removal efforts are well underway, Deschutes County Road Department officials said Friday.

Crews are reporting more than eight feet of snow on the Cascade Lakes Highway south of Devils Lake. 

The Road Department says the roads won’t be open to traffic until sometime prior to Memorial Day, but we wanted to share footage of our crews hard at work. The public is encouraged to check the Road Department website for updates.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A fire sparked by a candle being used for warmth destroyed a vehicle Friday morning in the Juniper Ridge area north of Bend, often referred to as “Dirt World.”

At 7:17 a.m., several 911 callers reported a column of smoke in the Juniper Ridge area, near the Central Oregon Irrigation Hydro Plant, on property owned by the City of Bend, Bend Fire & Rescue Deputy Fire Marshal Cindy Kettering said.

The first crews to arrive found a passenger vehicle fully engulfed, with fire spreading to a tree and adjacent vegetation. 

Kettering said firefighters were able to quickly contain and extinguish the fire, with mutual aid assistance provided by a water tender from Redmond Fire. One person was transported by ambulance to St Charles Medical Center in Bend.  

Upon investigation, it was determined that the vehicle, a Nissan Pathfinder SUV, was being used as living quarters and was occupied at the time of the fire.  A candle was being used to keep warm, and the candle ignited nearby combustibles inside the vehicle. 

The vehicle and contents were a complete loss, estimated at $8,000, the fire official said in a news release. 

Kettering wrote, “Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that anything which produces heat needs a safe space around it. 

“Keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from all heating equipment such as fireplaces and space heaters. Make sure that fueled portable heaters are rated for indoor use. If they are for outdoor use only, they can produce deadly carbon monoxide if used in an enclosed area.

“For more safety tips, visit our website at https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/fire-rescue/community-programs

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Harley Coldiron

(Update: Adding video)

CHILOQUIN, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jeld-Wen has announced that its Chiloquin Doors plant is closing permanently and the 128 people who work there are losing their jobs.

“On May 1, 2025, JELD-WEN announced it will stop operations at its Chiloquin Doors plant and move production to other existing JELD-WEN facilities. The transition will begin immediately,” Manager of External Communications Katie Lykins told KTVZ News on Friday.

Multiple employees who wished to remain anonymous shared with KTVZ News that the company had informed workers they would be fired and lose their severance if media interviews were conducted.

KTVZ News learned more than a hundred employees will be impacted, and several have told us they don’t know why they are losing their jobs.

The Chiloquin factory, located two hours south of Bend, makes custom doors and frames. It’s been one of the few sources of good-paying jobs in Klamath County.

When KTVZ news arrived at the facility Tuesday morning to get answers on why the plant was shutting down, we were immediately told to leave and were kicked off the property.

According to multiple employees who wished to remain anonymous, the company warned employees they would lose their severance package if they spoke to the media.

KTVZ News could not confirm this information. 

Oregon is an at-will state, meaning employers can terminate employees at any time unless the decision is based on discrimination or illegal reasons.  

“We value the contributions of our employees and have provided those affected with a competitive separation package and outplacement services to help provide a smooth transition,” the company said.

“While decisions that impact people are never easy, we make them only after careful consideration and with the understanding that our actions today are necessary to position JELD-WEN for long-term success,” the statement from Lykins concluded.

Lykins would also not comment on how well the facility was doing financially. The company released its 20-25 first-quarter results, showing major losses in revenue.

The required closure notice sent to Chiloquin Mayor Julie Bettles and a state workforce official indicated over 100 production workers are expected to have their last day of work on June 30, with 14 production and management staying on until Dec. 1.

Jeld-Wen started in Klamath Falls over 60 years ago, but moved its headquarters to North Carolina a decade ago. Jeld-Wen operates facilities in 14 countries in North America and Europe and employs approximately 16,000 people.

In the meantime, employment organizations are working to find jobs for the people who will be impacted by the closure.

Here’s the plant closure notice:

WARN 9218 Jeld-Wen – Chiloquin FacilityDownload

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A La Pine-area man was formally charged Friday with aggravated animal abuse for hitting his dog with a shovel as photos of his three seized dogs were shared with KTVZ’s Problem Solvers.

The victim dog, Hooch, and John Coe Richardson’s other two dogs, Evie and Paco, were seized Wednesday when Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies arrested Richardson in the La Pine Post Office parking lot.

KTVZ’s Problem Solvers broke the story on our 11:00 p.m. Tuesday newscast after a neighbor’s video of the alleged beating went viral on social media, prompting numerous calls for action.

Court records show Richardson was granted conditional release from the Bend jail on Friday as he was charged with first-degree aggravated animal abuse, a Class C felony, and second-degree animal abuse, a Class B misdemeanor. He’s scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on May 20.

The charging document alleges Richardson “did unlawfully and knowingly torture an animal,” and injured Hooch “by use of force.”

The standard conditional release form signed by Richardson did not address issues regarding animal possession.

District Attorney Steve Gunnels told KTVZ News, “He was released by the jail based on release criteria that they are required to follow. We will ask the judge to address release conditions when he comes to court on May 20, which will be the first time in this case that he will be in front of a judge.”

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Isabella Warren

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ)– Just outside the city limits of La Pine, in the dense forest that surrounds the community, you won’t find wild animals enjoying their habitat. Instead, homeless camps.

Deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office showed the Problem Solvers first-hand the camps set up right outside of town.

“This is a camp where the guy’s been in jail for some time. All this was left out here. We have firewood. We have structures that have been built, all these forest products,” Lieutenant Joshua Spano said while driving through a camp.

But during our interview, he arrived at a new trailer, “This is a brand-new trailer addition here. It wasn’t here a week ago. This isn’t supposed to be happening.”

Lieutenant Spano patrols this part of the county and says he’s counted six new camps set up within three days.

All six arrived from Bend’s largest encampment off China Hat Road. That land belongs to the federal government, and the U.S. Forest Service closed the area Thursday for wildfire mitigation, a problem La Pine residents know all too well.

“It’s a struggle, for real,” said David, who moved from Colorado to La Pine and now lives in the forest.

He tells the Problem Solvers that the small community of La Pine just doesn’t have the services to help the growing population, and with people being forced out of camps along China Hat Road, the challenge is going to grow. 

“The only resource that I necessarily use is St. Vincent de Paul, and that’s just for food,” he said.

The camps are just a short walk from new housing developments where people, young and old, are looking to call home. A dream that many people in the camps feel is far out of reach.

As the deputies continue their patrol, they are reminded that wildfire season is quickly approaching. Evacuation tape could be seen in camps following the Jack Pine Fire.

Viral video KTVZ News shared last June shows what appears to be an encampment on fire, the same day the nearly 4,000-acre Darlene 3 Fire ignited, forcing hundreds to evacuate, including those living in the city of La Pine.

The fire was human-caused, officials said, but the specific cause of that fire still hasn’t been determined.

Solutions are continuing to be discussed as wildfire season quickly approaches and the city of La Pine braces.

A cleanup with Deschutes County jail inmates is scheduled for May 10, part of the efforts of the Newberry Regional Partnership aimed at providing solutions to homelessness and wildfire risk.

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Barney Lerten

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A drug raid late Wednesday night on a La Pine-area home turned up an illegal marijuana operation, and a resident was cited on three felony charges.

Around 11 p.m. Wednesday, detectives with the Deschutes County Illegal Marijuana Market Enforcement team, assisted by the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team, executed a search warrant in the 17000 block of Kasserman Drive, Bend Police Lt. Mike Landolt said in a news release Friday, which continues below:

This search warrant was the result of a short-term drug investigation involving the illegal manufacture, possession, and distribution of marijuana. 

Deschutes County deputies contacted a 37-year-old man outside his residence and advised him of the search warrant. 

A search of the property revealed over 50 pounds of processed marijuana at the location, over 400 grams of marijuana concentrates and approximately 50 growing marijuana plants, along with evidence of distribution, including packaging, scales, and mailing boxes. Drug agents also recovered evidence that drugs were being distributed through the mail.

The resident was issued a criminal citation to appear in Circuit Court, and he will be facing the following charges:

ORS 475C349 (3)(b)(A) Unlawful Manufacture of marijuana  >12 plants(C Felony)

ORS 475C.341(3)(b) Unlawful possession of marijuana >8lbs (C Felony)

ORS 475C345(3)(b)(A)(ii) Attempted Distribution of marijuana (C Felony).

KTVZ News policy is not to name arrested individuals until and unless formal charges are filed.

Deputy District Attorney Andrew Doyle told KTVZ News the man was cited on the charges and not taken to jail due to his limited criminal history and his cooperation with authorities conducting the raid.

Doyle said that’s a standard procedure for marijuana cases that don’t involve guns, an existing warrant or other, more serious allegations.

CODE Detectives and the DCIMME team were assisted by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration during this investigation.

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team is a multi-jurisdictional narcotics task force supported by the Oregon-Idaho High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) program and the following Central Oregon law enforcement agencies:  Bend Police Department, Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Redmond Police Department,  Prineville Police Department, Crook County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Madras Police Department, Oregon State Police, Sunriver Police Department, Black Butte Police Department, United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Warm Springs Tribal Police Department, Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson County District Attorney’s, and the Oregon National Guard.

The Oregon-Idaho HIDTA program is an Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) sponsored counterdrug grant program that coordinates and provides funding resources to multi-agency drug enforcement task forces to disrupt or dismantle local, multi-state and international drug trafficking organizations.

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Barney Lerten

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The wait is over! The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has announced it will reopen the popular Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program on Thursday, May 22.

Here’s the full news release announcing the program’s resumption:

In even more exciting news, the program will remain open longer this year due to funds awarded to DEQ last summer through the Climate Equity and Resilience Through Action grant. Any vehicles purchased or leased before May 22 are not eligible to apply for the rebate.

DEQ offers two rebates*:

Standard Rebate (Open to all Oregon residents, businesses, non-profits and government agencies): Up to $2,500 for the purchase or lease of a new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, or a new zero-emission ​motorcycle selected from the Standard Rebate Eligible Vehicle List.

Charge Ahead Rebate (Open to low- and moderate-income households and nonprofit, low-income service providers):

The Used Charge Ahead Rebate: $5,000 for the purchase or lease of an eligible used battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

The New Charge Ahead Rebate: Up to $7,500 for the purchase or lease of an eligible new battery electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle.

Select vehicle options from the Charge Ahead Eligible Vehicle List.

*You may only apply for one rebate.

To determine Charge Ahead Rebate eligibility for individuals, check DEQ’s Charge Ahead Rebate: Income Eligibility web page. Charge Ahead Rebate applicants can prequalify by completing the prequalification application to receive a voucher to be used at participating dealerships.

“The Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program is enormously popular,” said DEQ Air Quality Transportation Section Manager Rachel Sakata. “By helping to offset the cost of an electric vehicle, it continues to be one of the best ways many individuals and families can gain access to cleaner transportation and improve air quality across the state.”

The Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program receives at least $12 million annually, or 45% of the state’s Vehicle Privilege Tax. Last year, overwhelming demand closed the program after just two months. However, the $31 million CERTA grant will expand the Charge Ahead Rebate option, giving more low- and moderate-income households access to savings. DEQ will monitor rebates and is required to suspend the program once funds are depleted. The agency will announce the closure date at least 30 days in advance.

Applicants have six months from date of purchase or lease to apply for a rebate. However, people are encouraged to apply early and track available rebate funding online. If approved applications are submitted after funds are depleted, those applicants will be placed on a waitlist for payment in early spring 2026.

Electric vehicles purchased or leased before May 22, 2025 will not receive state rebates and will not be placed on a waiting list, but they may still qualify for federal tax credits.

A variety of state agencies and public electric utilities offer savings on electric vehicle purchases, leases or charging infrastructure. The Go Electric Oregon website lists available incentives and provides helpful information for potential electric vehicle buyers and lessees.

DEQ’s Oregon Clean Vehicle Rebate Program web page has all the details. Please visit the EV Rebate Contact web page to ask questions. You may register at OCVRP Sign Up to receive program updates by email.

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Barney Lerten

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Department of Forestry’s Central Oregon District reported Friday it’s seeing an uptick in escaped debris burn piles, with several over the past few weeks burning up to 30 acres in size.

For example, a recent 8-acre fire resulted from a week-old burn pile that was assumed to be out cold but rekindled several days later, requiring suppression action by firefighters. 

Not following burn day instructions, one of which is thoroughly checking the burn piles later when the weather shifts, are the leading causes of these escapes, according to ODF.

Central Oregon District Forester Rob Pentzer reminds residents that escaped debris burns can lead to citations and cost collection from the responsible party for any suppression costs.

“Escaped debris burn fires continue to be the leading human cause of wildfires on private lands.” Pentzer said, “They are also the most preventable, when folks follow the rules.”

ODF fire managers and fire district chiefs want to remind residents to:

Check with their local fire district to ensure that burning is allowed on a given day

Follow all instructions after obtaining any necessary permits.

Watch the weather forecasts. Wind and rapid weather changes are major factors that can affect the spread of fire from a debris burn.

Ensure you have a safe fire area cleared around your pile with water and tools readily available.

Monitor your pile until it has consumed all fuels, then stir with water until the area is out cold. Unattended piles can rekindle and spread later without warning.

With May being Wildfire Awareness Month, now is the time for everyone to take these extra steps to prevent the next wildfire in Oregon. For more wildfire prevention tips, visit KeepOregonGreen.org.

For local ODF burn information, please call:

Prineville-Sisters Unit  – (541) 447-5658

John Day Unit  – (541) 575-1139

The Dalles Unit – (541) 296-4626

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Barney Lerten

CHEMULT, Ore. (KTVZ) – An Amtrak passenger was arrested on assault and other charges Wednesday night at the Amtrak train station in Chemult, accused of stabbing one man in the face with a knife and waving a pair of scissors at other frightened passengers, one of whom pepper-sprayed him. 

Peter Scott Harrison, 67, of Richmond, Calif., remained held without bail at the Klamath County Jail after an initial court appearance Thursday.

Deputies said Harrison struck someone once in the face with a pocket knife, causing minor injury but placing the victim in fear. 

“During the incident, Harrison placed eight other passengers in fear for their lives while he was waving (a) pair of scissors,” a deputy wrote in a probable cause statement filed in court.  

Klamath County Deputy District Attorney Ted Martin said initial reports indicate Harrison already was exhibiting odd behavior since apparently boarding the southbound train in Portland, such as stabbing a seat cushion.

Martin said Amtrak staff already were planning to remove Harrison at the next stop in Chemult when the stabbing occurred on the moving train around 8:17 pm.

“Somebody pepper-sprayed him, and the Amtrak guys got him and zip-tied him” until the train arrived in Chemult, Martin said. Harrison was arrested by Klamath County deputies around 9:40 p.m.

Court records show Harrison made his first court appearance Thursday afternoon. He’s initially charged with four felonies, one count of second-degree assault and three counts of unlawful use of a weapon, as well as three misdemeanors: two counts of menacing and one of second-degree disorderly conduct.

Martin said those charges could change after he receives an investigative report from Oregon State Police.  

Court records show a probable cause hearing has been set for next week and a 12-person jury trial for June 18. 

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Barney Lerten

EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A federal judge who refused to grant an emergency court order to block the removal of dozens of homeless residents from the Deschutes National Forest south of Bend explained his reasoning in a ruling filed Thursday, offering sympathy for their plight but saying the forest health and fuels-reduction project is crucial for the broader public’s safety.

U.S. District Judge Michael McShane, who denied the requested court order to block the closure two days earlier, filed his six-page written opinion Thursday, the very day the U.S. Forest Service closed the gate on China Hat Road and authorities began efforts to remove any remaining homeless people.

“The court is sympathetic to the circumstances faced by Plaintiffs and the dozens of others who have called China Hat home and will need to employ significant efforts to relocate,” McShane wrote.

“As Plaintiffs note, the majority of China Hat residents are not there by choice, but because of personal disabilities, wide-ranging policy choices, and costs of living that are outside of their control,” the judge said.

While the Forest Service apparently complied with federal environmental regulations, McShane said that “does not diminish the community’s need to provide better support to houseless and disabled people.”

“Despite Plaintiffs’ very real struggles, the balance of equities does not tip sharply in Plaintiffs’ favor, nor is an injunction in the public interest,” the judge wrote.

“This Project will serve the public by preventing ‘uncharacteristic large-scale loss of forest habitat’ and increasing public and firefighter safety,'” he added, quoting Deschutes National Forest Supervisor Holly Jewkes.

“The public’s significant interest in restoring natural habitat, preventing catastrophic wildfires, and preserving the overall health of Deschutes National Forest is not outweighed by the interest of 150 or so individuals in residing on this particular plot of land,” McShane concluded.

TRO rulingDownload

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