Category: ktvz-local-news

Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Two people were injured in a rollover crash Wednesday night on Juniper Canyon Road southeast of Prineville, authorities said.

Crook County sheriff’s deputies responded around 7:40 p.m. to the reported single-vehicle crash on SE Juniper Canyon Road near milepost 7, sheriff’s Sergeant Justin Silence said Thursday.

An investigation determined a male driver was heading south at the wheel of a white Oldsmobile when he crossed the northbound lane, then skidded back into his own lane, Silence said.

The car then left the road, went down an embankment and overturned, coming to rest on its roof.

The driver sustained minor injuries and was treated at the crash scene by Crook County Fire & Rescue medics, Silence said. The female passenger was taken to St. Charles Prineville with non-life-threatening injuries.

“Based on the investigation, speed and inattentiveness are believed to be contributing factors to the crash,” the sergeant wrote.

The sheriff’s office thanked Crook County Fire & Rescue, Oregon State Police and STAR Towing for their assistance.

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KTVZ

(Update: Commissioners to take up district mapping on Wednesday)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County commissioners next Wednesday will take up a contentious five-district map for future commissioner elections, recommended on a recent 4-3 vote by an advisory committee.

The proposal is the last item on next Wednesday’s county commission meeting, which begins at 9 a.m. The agenda indicates a likely time of 11 a.m. for that discussion, although changes can occur during board meetings.

Here’s the issue summary from county staff on the map, other recommendations and the process to this point:

District mapping issue summaryDownload

Earlier story:

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ-November 13) — On Wednesday, the Deschutes County District Mapping Advisory Committee voted to send a proposed county five-commissioner district map to the Board of County Commissioners for consideration.

The committee selected Map C as its final proposed map and recommended the Board assign district numbers by random drawing. The vote was 4-3: Bernie Brader, Matt Cyrus, Ned Dempsey, and Phil Henderson in favor and Andrew Kaza, Carol Loesche, and Melanie Kebler opposed.

Staff will present the DMAC’s findings and the recommended map at a Board of County Commissioners meeting in the coming weeks. If the Board approves the proposal, voters will vote on it in the May 2026 primary. If voters approve the map, it will take effect during the 2028 election.

Background

In November 2024, voters approved Measure 9-173 to expand the BOCC from three to five members. In response, the Board met several times to consider moving from five at-large positions to district-based positions. A majority of the Board voted to appoint a committee of seven community volunteers to draft a district map. Commissioners DeBone and Adair appointed two committee members each and Commissioner Chang appointed three.

The DMAC held weekly work sessions starting in early September to draft a map with approximately equal populations in each commissioner district. Over the course of 11 weeks, committee members reviewed several draft maps using Board-approved guidelines, Deschutes County voter registration data, 2020 census data, race and ethnicity population data and building permit trends since 2022.

For more information about the DMAC, including meeting minutes, draft maps and community feedback, please visit deschutes.org/dmac.

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KTVZ

(Update: Adding Video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes Public Library Director Todd Dunkelberg has announced his plans to retire from his position, effective September 2026, concluding a 16-year tenure as director and 26 years with the library system.

Dunkelberg made the announcement to the library board during their Wednesday, and followed up with a message to library staff Thursday morning, the organization said in a news release

“Serving the residents of Deschutes County, and working alongside dynamic staff members dedicated to the same service, has been an honor,” Dunkelberg said. “I am proud of the work we’ve done together, and look forward to watching this vibrant library system continue to grow and serve the community at the highest level.” 

“From the Great Recession to COVID, and most recently shepherding the district through a series of bond projects, Todd has tirelessly served both staff and community,” said Ann Malkin, who has been on the Library Board since 2007. “He’s faced a series of challenges, and each time he prioritized keeping the library accessible to the public, and keeping staff employed. The Board is grateful for his service.”   

Malkin says the board will appoint a recruiting team to begin the search for a new library director. The position is expected to post in January, kicking off a national search. The new director will overlap with Dunkelberg during a four-to-six-week transition period.   

Dunkelberg began his library career as a children’s librarian after graduating from the University of Texas library school. In 1999 he moved to Central Oregon to manage the Redmond Library. He was promoted to Assistant Director in 2002, and was hired as Library Director in 2009.  

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding PacificSource statement)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — St. Charles Health System announced Thursday an agreement with PacificSource, allowing thousands of patients on both the commercial and Medicare Advantage plans to remain in-network for St. Charles hospitals and clinics.

PacificSource had informed its local customers in late September that they could go out of network with St. Charles on Jan. 1, but that talks were continuing. Days later, the other remaining Medicare Advantage insurance plan available locally, Providence Health Plan, announced it will be leaving the Deschutes County market on Jan. 1, leaving only PacificSource as potentially available.

“We are grateful we were able to come to an agreement with PacificSource to maintain in-network coverage for thousands of local residents, who we hope will welcome this news,” said Matt Swafford, Chief Financial Officer for St. Charles. “We appreciate PacificSource coming to the table and working with us on a solution that meets all of our needs.”

The agreements reached are for one year for the Medicare Advantage contract and two years for the commercial contract, the health system said in a news release.

“We recognize that uncertainty about insurance coverage can cause stress for our patients, especially given state and national trends in declining Medicare Advantage options,” Swafford said. “Negotiations like these are an important part of the overall process that ensures St. Charles can continue to provide access to health care services locally for the communities we serve.” 

St. Charles said it continues to work closely with insurance providers on coverage options for local residents and also recently reached an agreement on commercial insurance with Providence Health Plans, along with Aetna and Cigna.

PacificSource provided KTVZ News with this statement:

“PacificSource is pleased to have reached an agreement with St. Charles Health System, ensuring our members can continue accessing the care they rely on. Our priority throughout this process has been providing clarity and continuity for the Central Oregon communities we serve. We value the collaboration that led to this outcome and remain committed to keeping health care affordable and accessible for our members.”

For the latest information on which plans are currently in-network for St. Charles providers and facilities, visit their website.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Santa is once again trading his sleigh for a fire engine to ride through the city of Bend, collecting donations for The Salvation Army.

On Saturday, December 6th at 6 p.m., the Bend Fire Santa Express is gearing up for another fun year visiting local neighborhoods to collect food, clothing, and toy donations.

Here’s more from the City of Bend’s press release on the event:

“On Saturday. Dec. 6 Santa will be coming through the Three Pines, Westside Meadows and Shevlin Ridge neighborhoods in northwest Bend. 

The Santa Express will begin at the corner of NW Mt. Shasta Drive and NW Jesse Place at 6 p.m. and slowly walk the route shown in the attached map. Meet Santa and the crews along the route to provide a donation!”

If you need help this holiday season with food or presents, please call The Salvation Army at (541) 389-8888.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — From the impact of studded tires on city roads to Bend’s unhoused population, KTVZ News asked Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler your pressing questions Thursday morning.

Make sure to submit your questions for the mayor here. You can remain anonymous if you wish.

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Tracee Tuesday

REDMOND, Ore. {KTVZ} — With the federal government officially reopened, most travel operations are returning to normal — though some passengers flying through Redmond Municipal Airport are still experiencing slight delays.

Airport Director Zachary Bass says while the shutdown briefly impacted staffing and scheduling, disruptions have been minimal.

“So far, the airport itself and, the flights, departures and arrivals have not been affected much. We’ve seen 1 or 2 cancellations randomly over the last week or so. And we’ve had a great crew with TSA and our ATC controllers. So very minimum impact that we’ve seen so far,” Bass said.

Travelers on Wednesday shared similar experiences, saying their flights were only slightly affected.

“So the delay happened. We were actually boarding, and the pilot came out of his cockpit and stopped everybody from boarding and said, hey, we’re going to turn you around so you don’t have to sit on the plane for next hour and a half. And, so he sent everybody out. We all went back into the terminal and, waited until the ground stuff was cleared,” one traveler said.

“Going to San Diego, it took a while. And in Portland, we got delayed very slightly in Portland, but I had no cancellations and no serious delays. It is smooth as silk.” another added.

Airport officials recommend travelers continue checking flight times before heading to the airport, as schedules are expected to fully stabilize in the coming days.

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Triton Notary

(Update: Adding video)

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ)– Bend-La Pine Schools has announced its participation in the 2025 Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, hosting a commemorative celebration and curricular field trip for students at La Pine Elementary and Rosland Elementary. The event is scheduled for Friday, November 14 at 9:15 a.m., taking place in the La Pine Parks & Recreation District Gymnasium at 16405 First Street in La Pine. Families and community members are invited to join the celebration.

Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day is observed annually on November 14, the date marking Ruby Bridges’ historic integration of William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans in 1960. The day honors her pivotal role in advancing civil rights and serves as a reminder of the ongoing importance of equality, justice, and education for all children.

The program aims to bring together students, families, and community members to celebrate Ruby Bridges’ courage while promoting safe, healthy, and active transportation to school. Across the country, communities participate to recognize her legacy and inspire future generations.

This event is a partnership with Safe Routes to School, an initiative designed to make it safer and easier for students to walk, bike, or roll to school. A grant from Safe Routes Partnership is making the local event possible at no cost to participating families or schools.

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KTVZ – News Team

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Staff members and supporters gathered outside Central Oregon Community College on Wednesday, demanding higher wages and better financial security as contract negotiations continue between the college and the Oregon Education Association.

Union representatives say one in four COCC staff members struggles with food insecurity, and eight out of ten report having no emergency savings. Protesters outside the college’s Bend campus held signs and chanted during a board meeting, calling for what they describe as an end to “poverty pay.”

In a statement, COCC said it remains engaged in good-faith negotiations with the union and is committed to reaching a fair contract agreement. The college emphasized the need to balance its responsibility for employees with its long-term financial stability.

No strike has been declared, and both parties say they are continuing to communicate and exchange proposals. Negotiations are ongoing.

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