Category: ktvz-local-news

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Fire officials in Central Oregon will reduce public use fire restrictions to Stage 1 starting at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5, 2026. The decision follows recent moisture and cooler temperatures across the region.

The reduction applies to the Deschutes National Forest, Ochoco National Forest, Crooked River National Grassland and Prineville District Bureau of Land Management.

Under Stage one restrictions, open fires—including wood stoves and charcoal briquette fires—are prohibited on Central Oregon public lands. Exceptions are allowed only in Deschutes National Forest Wilderness Areas and designated campgrounds.

Despite the reduction in restriction levels, fire officials noted that the regional fire danger rating remains high. A high fire danger rating indicates that unattended fires are likely to spread rapidly.

Stage one restrictions set specific rules for equipment powered by internal combustion engines. Chainsaw use is prohibited between 1:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Saw operators must carry a long-handled round point shovel with an 8-inch blade and a minimum 8-ounce ABC fire extinguisher and they must maintain a one-hour fire watch after operations cease. Portable generators are permitted only in areas cleared of all flammable material within a 10-foot diameter and equipped with an approved spark arrestor.

Liquid and pressurized gas stoves, lanterns and fire pits with an on-and-off switch are allowed outside designated campgrounds on most federal lands. However, open flames remain prohibited on Bureau of Land Management lands along designated stretches of the Crooked River, Deschutes River, John Day River, White River, Lake Billy Chinook and Lake Simtustus under annual river corridor restrictions in effect since May 13, 2026. Designated campgrounds where open fires are permitted include specific sites across the Prineville District BLM, Ochoco National Forest, Crooked River National Grassland and Deschutes National Forest ranger districts.

Smoking is prohibited under Stage one restrictions unless inside an enclosed vehicle or building, within a designated campground, or while stopped in an area at least three feet in diameter cleared of flammable material. Traveling off developed roads and trails is restricted, allowing off-road motor vehicle access only to reach campsites within 300 feet of an open developed road. Possessing, discharging or using fireworks, pyrotechnic devices or explosives remains prohibited on all National Forest System and Bureau of Land Management lands in Central Oregon.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — City and county officials alongside clean transportation advocates will gather in Bend on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026, to highlight the financial and environmental benefits of clean cars, hybrid vehicles and electric vehicles. The event comes as gasoline prices in Bend average nearly $4.90 per gallon.

The event is scheduled for 2 p.m. at The Haven Co-Working Space and is part of the national Freedom to Drive summer event series. Organizers aim to demonstrate how expanded investments in clean transportation can lower costs for consumers, reduce air pollution and support energy independence.

Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler, Bend City Councilor Steve Platt, Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang and Deschutes 350 Executive Director John Bates are scheduled to speak at the event. Chang also serves as a member of the Oregon Transportation Commission. The gathering will take place at 2 p.m. at 1001 SW Disk Dr., Suite 250 in Bend.

Speakers plan to highlight past federal investments that supported the expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Deschutes County. With Congress debating transportation funding, local officials and advocates intend to urge federal lawmakers to support clean transit, hybrid options and electric vehicles.

Reporters are encouraged to arrive by 1:45 p.m., and speakers will be available to answer questions following the 2 p.m. presentation on Tuesday.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The federal government petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday to lift an order blocking a new U.S. Postal Service mail ballot rule.

The emergency petition comes as a federal court considers whether to issue a preliminary injunction that would keep the regulation on hold during ongoing litigation. Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield and a coalition of state leaders filed a lawsuit challenging the rule on Aug. 26, 2026.

Rayfield, the attorney general of Oregon, criticized the federal government’s petition to the high court, emphasizing that states hold authority over voting administration.

“The federal government has no business playing referee over who gets a ballot in our elections,” Rayfield said. “The job of the U.S. Postal Service is to deliver the mail. States run elections and this fight is about protecting the integrity of our vote.”

The lawsuit was brought by a coalition that includes 23 states, the District of Columbia and the governor of Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs argue that the regulation upends successful, longstanding vote-by-mail procedures and violates the U.S. Constitution, which grants states primary authority to run elections.

According to details released by Jenny Hansson, communications director for the Office of the Attorney General, the complaint further alleges that the rule is inconsistent with governing statutes for the Postal Service, bypasses agency procedural requirements, violates the Privacy Act and conflicts with federal voting rights law.

A federal court is currently weighing whether to grant a preliminary injunction that would keep the Postal Service rule blocked while the legal challenge moves forward.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A new business in Bend is offering customers the opportunity to craft their own silver jewelry. Wild Ring Co, located just off Northeast Division, provides appointments where participants design and construct custom gemstone rings.

Rather than a typical “make-your-own” jewelry experience, the workshops are closer to an introductory class in silversmithing. Participants learn technical skills, including how to solder metal and set gemstones, before taking home a finished piece.

Jacob Rogers, owner of Wild Ring Co, said the process is part of the fun, but in the end, you have something you can keep forever. “And that’s one of the best parts about it. It’s really popular for date nights and anniversaries because it’s a piece. It’s not just another stamped, you know, mass-produced piece of jewelry. It’s something you made with your hands, with your friend or with your spouse and it makes it that much more meaningful,” Rogers said.

Participants can select from a wide variety of gemstones, including multiple types of turquoise. The business also provides design options for the ring’s style and finish, allowing the silver to look bright and new or feature a classic aged patina.

Workshop appointments start at $95 per seat, plus the cost of the selected stone. In the end, the average customer pays between $115 and $175 total, with appointments booking up fast. Bookings are available on Wild Ring Co’s website.

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Kelsey Merison

BURNS, Ore. (KTVZ) — A commercial building in Burns was damaged after a fifth-wheel trailer caught fire yesterday morning.

The Burns Fire Department was called to South Date Street around 6:26 a.m. Firefighters arrived to find the fire had spread into a nearby commercial building.

Crews from Hines Fire also responded to help with water and fire suppression.

Because the building was too dangerous to enter, firefighters used Burns Fire’s new aerial ladder to attack the fire from above. No injuries were reported.

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Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read met with Central Oregon residents during an hourlong event hosted by the League of Women Voters of Deschutes County to discuss election security, voting options and ballot handling. The presentation took place as the upcoming election approaches, approximately 61 days away.

The Bend gathering was part of a series of stops Read is making across the state to answer voter questions and explain election procedures.

Oregon Secretary of State Read emphasized the state’s commitment to maintaining election integrity and protecting voter access. “Oregonians get to have their voices heard and hold politicians and government accountable. We run safe, accurate and fair elections in Oregon. We’re going to continue to do that, defend our authority to do it and make sure that every legal vote is counted accurately,” Read said.

During a question-and-answer period, community members asked Read about ballot delivery through the U.S. Postal Service. Read noted that mail concerns stem from internal state mail distribution processes rather than federal operations, advising residents to submit their ballots using local drop boxes rather than mailing them.

Anne Goldner serves as the First Thursday coordinator for the League of Women Voters of Deschutes County. She noted that Read directly addressed her questions regarding ballot handling. “And he said, okay, use the box. Don’t put them in the mail only because of the uncertainty with the Post Office right now and what who they’re going to follow. So I think that’ll be quite easy, to be honest with you. And in Deschutes County, there’s boxes easily assessed and that’s what I’m going to do,” Goldner said.

Read stressed the importance of engaging directly with voters across Oregon during election season. “Be connected with people in person really matters. And to hear those concerns, to hear that enthusiasm, to hear the real commitment that exists here and everywhere to vote. You know, too many people sacrificed and fought and died to give us this ability and we should not take that lightly, especially in a year when there is so much to be decided,” Read said.

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Kelsey Merison

CROOK COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Crook County Search and Rescue is looking for community members interested in joining its Search and Rescue Auxiliary Unit.

The auxiliary unit helps support the county’s search and rescue efforts and provides community safety education and emergency preparedness resources.

According to the Crook County Sheriff’s Office, volunteers can help with several aspects of the program, including:

Community safety education: Teaching outdoor safety and emergency preparedness.

Fundraising for deployments: Helping raise support for search and rescue missions.

Training for rescue cases: Assisting with simulation drills and logistics involving missing or injured people.

The Search and Rescue Auxiliary Unit provides an opportunity for community members to support local rescue operations and help prepare others for emergencies in Central Oregon’s outdoors.

Anyone interested in learning more can call 541-447-6398 and ask about the SAR Auxiliary Unit.

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Lance Campbell

CENTRAL OREGON — From early heat and limited water to fields still producing strawberries and pumpkins, harvest season is telling a different story from one Central Oregon farm to the next.

At Sakari Farms, farm manager Sam Schreiner said this growing season has been tougher than most. Heat arrived early and persisted, while water availability remained a concern as the farm planned its crops.

“Overall, this has been a tougher year than others because, number one, the heat started early this season and didn’t stop for a while,” Schreiner said.

But those challenges weren’t unexpected.

Schreiner said the farm went into the growing season planning around the possibility of limited water, including scaling back some plantings. Sakari Farms was also designed with resilience in mind, using irrigation options that help the farm respond to conditions including heat, smoke and ash.

“We had all this in mind at the beginning of the season and cut some of our plantings back because we knew we would run out of water,” Schreiner said.

Despite the challenges, Schreiner said the planning helped the farm make it through the season and produce successful crops.

Just a short distance away, the growing season has looked different at Well Rooted Produce.

Crop manager Scott Maricle said the farm is fortunate to be in the Swalley Irrigation District and has had plenty of water this season.

That has translated into what Maricle described as a bountiful harvest of melons, tomatoes, sweet corn and pumpkins.

“We really can’t complain about this year at all,” Maricle said.

And the harvest isn’t over.

Well Rooted is preparing for pumpkin season, while strawberries are still coming out of the field. Maricle said the berries could continue producing until colder weather finally brings the season to an end.

The experiences at the two farms highlight how much growing conditions can vary across Central Oregon. For some growers, this season required adapting to heat and limited resources. For others, water availability helped produce an abundant harvest.

Either way, farmers are now taking stock of what made it through the growing season — and turning their attention toward fall.

Watch the video above for KTVZ’s Lance Campbell’s full report from the fields.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office released annual report highlights today for the Central Oregon Partnerships for Youth program, showing continued growth in mentoring relationships for children with justice-involved family members.

Based in Bend, Ore., the COPY program formed 16 new mentor matches and supported 34 total active matches during the 2025–2026 reporting period.

COPY is a community-based mentoring initiative established by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office to assist youth whose parents or caregivers are involved in the criminal justice system. The program pairs youth with trained volunteer mentors who offer guidance, encouragement and consistent positive relationships.

During the reporting period, volunteer mentors provided more than 2,700 hours of contact with participating youth. Additionally, 29 participants attended program training sessions. Out of the 16 new mentor matches established during the year, 14 remain active.

Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert emphasized the community impact of the program’s volunteers. “Every day, our COPY volunteers make a real difference in the lives of young people in Deschutes County,” Rupert said. “Their commitment is an investment in stronger families and a stronger community.”

Bob Moore serves as the project coordinator for the COPY program. Moore noted the importance of volunteer commitment in supporting youth. “This work simply wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our volunteers,” Moore said. “Their time, energy and compassion directly impact the confidence and resilience these kids carry forward.”

The COPY program will host its next fall mentor training on Saturday, Sept. 26.

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Adrielle Hasara

Update: The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has provided from Sheriff Ty Rupert concerning Wednesday’s incident:

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office wants to address a statement released by Redmond Fire regarding the September 2 incident east of Redmond and provide additional information to the community. Redmond Fire stated that “no action was taken by DCSO.” This is not accurate.

A DCSO deputy responded to the fire call and was actively involved in the incident. While fire personnel directed individuals to extinguish prohibited burning, an individual approached the deputy and disclosed an outstanding warrant. The deputy confirmed the warrant and made an arrest on scene while the fire response was underway.

At the same time, deputies were handling two separate priority incidents: one involving a suicidal subject who was reported to be armed, and another involving an alleged person crime. These calls required immediate attention and affected the number of deputies available to respond directly to the fire location.

In addition to the on‑scene arrest, the Sheriff’s Office initiated a criminal investigation into the prohibited fire activity. That investigation remains open, and enforcement decisions will be made once it is complete.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office maintains a strong working relationship with all public safety agencies in the region, including Redmond Fire, and will continue to work collaboratively on incidents of this nature.

Sheriff Ty Rupert

Update: KTVZ News has spoken with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, deputies did respond to the scene and provided support with the investigation.

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Fire crews responded Wednesday night to a brush fire on undeveloped land east of Redmond last night, discovering individuals who were burning prohibited materials. One brush rig and one battalion chief responded.

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