Category: ktvz-local-news

KTVZ

(Update: Video Added)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — This holiday season, Central Oregonians can give a child and family much-needed support by taking part in KIDS Center’s toy and gift card drive, “Hope for the Holidays.”

Now through December 15, KIDS Center is collecting gift cards and toys to distribute to children and families impacted by abuse. 

This year, KIDS Center expects to serve 500 children and families across the region. “Many of our families are under stress, which can affect a child’s healing process,” explains Hailey Porter, a Child & Family Therapist at KIDS Center.

Gift cards offer immediate relief for families. Throughout the year, KIDS Center’s family advocates distribute $10,000 in gift cards to client families. Gift cards to gas stations, grocery stores, and big box stores offer the most impact, notes Nikki Guthrie, Family Advocate.

“A gas card can help a child reach KIDS Center for a therapy session or child abuse evaluation,” Guthrie said. “A grocery card can offer a family warm meals for the week. Gift cards to big box stores help families buy diapers and other necessities. Gift cards give families much-needed stability so they can focus on healing.”  

“We encourage people to pick up a gift card while they’re doing their holiday shopping,” explains Ginger Theis-Stevens, the nonprofit’s Director of Marketing and Development.

Gift cards can be mailed to KIDS Center or dropped off in the drop box by the front door. KIDS Center is located on Bend’s westside at 1375 NW Kingston Ave, Bend OR 97703.  

You can also donate online to the Gift Card Fund and KIDS Center will purchase gift cards on your behalf.  Visit https://kidscenter.org/giftcards.  

Along with gift cards, KIDS Center also collects toys to give a little joy to children who have experienced abuse. “Our toy wish list on Amazon is a great place to start,” says Theis-Stevens. “You can order toys and have them shipped directly to KIDS Center, or purchase toys in town and bring them (unwrapped) to KIDS Center during our regular business hours (Mon-Fri, 8 am to 5 pm).  

If you are interested in learning more or would like your business to participate in “Hope for the Holidays,” please reach out to Barbera Vella at bvella@kidscenter.org.  

About KIDS Center: Built by the community in 1994, KIDS Center is a local non-profit leading our region’s response to child abuse. KIDS Center is where hope and healing begins for children and families who have experienced abuse. KIDS Center provides independent child abuse evaluations, therapy and family advocacy—at no cost to families. Information about KIDS Center can be found at: kidscenter.org or by calling, (541) 383-5958. Anyone with a concern about a child’s safety can call the Oregon Child Abuse Hotline at: 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). 

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KTVZ

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bureau of Land Management is extending the deadline to apply for new special recreation permits for guiding activities on sections of the Lower Deschutes River and the Lower Crooked River south of Prineville.

On the lower 100 miles of the Lower Deschutes River, these permits cover guiding activities that require non-motorized watercraft, such as rafts, drift boats, and standup paddle boards. On the Chimney Rock segment of the Lower Crooked River, permits cover land (hiking), bank-based (fishing), or water-based activities.

The BLM will accept applications for these special recreation permits through Dec. 15. Approved permits will be valid starting in the 2026 season.

 The Lower Deschutes Wild and Scenic River is a remarkable resource that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors annually. Guide and outfitter businesses facilitate access to recreation opportunities and support local communities and create jobs.

The BLM, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Wasco County, and State of Oregon work collaboratively to manage the river for its recreational values.

The Lower Crooked Wild and Scenic River is an 8-mile segment that runs between Bowman Dam and mile marker 12 on State Highway 27. The river is known for outstanding scenic, fish, and recreation values.

 The Lower Deschutes Wild and Scenic River Management Plan authorizes the number of permitted guides and outfitters to increase by 5% each year. This year, up to four new special recreation permits (SRPs) are available on the Lower Deschutes River.

This is the first time permits have been offered for the Lower Crooked River, with up to four available as well. The goal is to allow more guided use while still protecting the rivers’ natural and scenic values.

 The prospectus and SRP application are available on the BLM Prineville website at https://www.blm.gov/office/prineville-district-office.

Application packets can also be requested by calling the Prineville District Office at (541) 416-6700. Completed packets can be delivered to the Prineville BLM Office at 3050 N.E. 3rd St., Prineville, Oregon 97754 and must be received by 4:30 p.m. (close of business), Dec. 15, 2025. A separate application is required for each river.

 Applicants are encouraged to read the prospectus carefully to ensure they provide all required elements, as incomplete applications will not be considered. For more information or for questions about this SRP application process, please contact the permit lead, Beth Hartwood, at (541) 416-4624.

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Four annual winter range closures take effect next Monday across the Deschutes National Forest to provide critical habitat for deer and elk.

The closure areas include Cabin/Silver Lake, Metolius Winter Range, Opine Travel Management Area and Tumalo Winter Range. Motorized vehicles (including snowmobiles and e-bikes) are prohibited in the closure areas, to protect deer and elk during the winter. The winter wildlife closures will continue until March 31, 2026.

Winter range is habitat deer and elk migrate to in order to find more favorable living conditions during the winter. It’s found predominantly at lower elevations of Central Oregon and is extremely important to elk and mule deer survival.

Winter ranges usually have minimal amounts of snow cover and provide vegetation for forage, hiding cover, and protection from the weather. In Oregon, elk and mule deer migrate, often long distances, to lower elevations to escape or minimize exposure to snow cover.

Local mule deer populations have declined 56% between 2004 and 2021. Human disturbance of deer and elk during the winter can cause the animals to flee, which expends energy from the reserves they’re relying on to survive through winter and to successfully provide for young in the spring. 

By respecting winter range closures, the public can reduce impacts to deer and elk helping to sustain existing populations into the future, the Forest Service ssaid. Improving habitat quality for deer can preserve the functionality of traditional migratory routes and reduce impacts with nuisance deer in town resulting in more healthy and productive deer populations.

The public can learn more about the importance of winter range, including maps of the closure areas, by visiting Winter Range Closures on the Deschutes National Forest website.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A California truck driver was arrested by Oregon State Police on two counts of criminally negligent homicide after an SUV struck his jackknifed semi on Highway 20 east of Bend, killing both the driver and passenger.

Oregon State Police and other first responders were called to the crash around 9:30 p.m. Monday near milepost 51, about 50 miles east of Bend, troopers said Wednesday.

A preliminary investigation found that truck driver Rajinder Kumar, 32, of Fresno, Calif., had jackknifed his Freightliner rig, blocking both lanes of the two-lane highway, troopers said. The tractor was facing eastbound in the eastbound lane.

A Subaru Outback driven by William Micah Carter, 25 of Springfield, struck the trailer at highway speeds.

Carter and passenger Jennifer Lynn Lower, 24, of John Day, died at the crash scene, OSP said. Kumar reportedly was unhurt.

As a result of the on-scene investigation, Kumar was arrested on charges of criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangering. He was booked into the Deschutes County Jail and held without bail pending arraignment.

“Dark conditions and a lack of active emergency warning equipment is being considered a primary contributor of the crash,” OSP said in a news release.

The crash and investigation closed the highway for about seven hours.

District Attorney Steve Gunnels confirmed Wednesday to KTVZ News that Kumar will face two counts of criminally negligent homicide.

Oregon court records did not show a filing by Wednesday afternoon. They did show that Kumar, listed as a New York resident, was ticketed and fined $440 in January of 2024 for violating ODOT safe operations and equipment rules by failing to carry chains in a snow zone on Interstate 84 in the La Grande area. He also was ticketed and fined $440 at that time for lacking an Oregon wight-mile tax permit.

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KTVZ

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — An Oregon business organization is calling on state lawmakers to restore local control over “unsanctioned public camping” – and advancing a possible ballot measure if they fail to act during the 2026 legislative session.

On Wednesday, chief petitioners for the Local Control & Safety Act submitted 1,770 sponsorship signatures, advancing the 2026 ballot measure to the next phase of the qualification process, according to a news release from the group, Oregon Business & Industry.

In submitting the signatures, petitioners reiterated their request for Oregon lawmakers to address challenges related to unsanctioned public camping in the 2026 legislative session, Lukens said in a news release.

“Local control over unsanctioned public camping is essential to addressing the ongoing crisis in our streets,” said Preston Mann, chief petitioner for the Local Control & Safety Act and director of external affairs for Oregon Business & Industry.

“It’s clear from our conversations with signers that this is an issue that demands urgent attention from our state lawmakers. We renew our call for the Legislature to restore local control and safety through legislative action next year. If the Legislature fails to act, we will have an opportunity to put the question before voters next November.”

Following Wednesday’s sponsorship signature submission, the Oregon secretary of state will conduct a verification of the signatures to ensure the minimum 1,000 valid signatures threshold has been met, the group said. When verification is complete, the initiative will be sent to the Oregon attorney general for the drafting of a ballot title.

The Local Control & Safety Act seeks a repeal of HB 3115 (2021) / ORS 195.530.

“Repealing this law will allow local governments to respond more acutely to the crisis in our streets and improve community safety,” the business group said. “The law as it stands has effectively tied local governments’ hands when it comes to responding to unsanctioned public camping by establishing ambiguous ‘objectively reasonable’ ‘time, place and manner’ considerations.”

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Jillian Fortner

(update: adding video, comments from Alex Bradley)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – An Austin man walking more than 2,500 miles to honor his best friend and support others facing mental health struggles is nearing the end of his journey in Oregon. 

Jillian Fortner sat down with Bradley to talk about his journey and the inspiration behind it.

Bradley said he felt compelled to act after the 2021 suicide of his best friend, AJ, a loss he describes as the driving force behind his mission.

“I always told myself I was going to see those last steps,” Bradley said. “I was going to find a way – come hell or high water – to get there, whether it was flying, driving, or, walking.”

He began his journey in Austin, documenting each step as he walked through Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Nevada and California before reaching Oregon.

He is set to arrive in Bend on Sunday.

“There’s going to be a big green van in the town,” Bradley said. “We’re really quick to respond if you guys, if anybody wants to go on a walk.”

He now finds himself in the final leg of his trip, with plans to finish in early December in Oregon City, the same place AJ took his last steps.

​The walk has tested Bradley’s limits, both physically and emotionally. 

“I didn’t even know I could walk 88 days, 89 days. But we’re here doing it,” he said. 

He averages about 50,000 to 60,000 steps a day, traveling with a van, a small crew and support from people he meets along the way.

Along his route, many people stop to share their own stories with him.

“You carry those people’s names with people’s family members, those people’s stories,” Bradley said. “So many people are fighting much harder battles, and I get to see and witness it from just driving this big thing across the country and walking beside it.”

The holidays can be an especially difficult time for those struggling with mental health. Bradley hopes his journey encourages people to reach out, talk about their pain and seek support when they need it.

He says simple moments can make the biggest difference.

“Everybody just needs a walk, somebody to talk to and a chance to look at a beautiful landscape for just a little bit,” Bradley said.

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Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. [KTVZ] — For many Central Oregonians, the cost of Thanksgiving this year feels tougher despite some good news on food prices. Rising living expenses alongside reduced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are making it increasingly difficult for families to put a complete holiday meal on the table. More than 23,000 households in Central Oregon rely on SNAP for food assistance, and many face hard choices as benefits have been cut or delayed due to federal funding issues.

According to the American Farm Bureau Federation, the average cost to cook a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for 10 people is about $55.18 in 2025, which is approximately $5.52 per person. This marks the third consecutive year of price declines, representing a 5% drop from last year’s cost. The centerpiece turkey has seen a significant price decrease, with a 16-pound frozen turkey averaging around $21.50 — down more than 16% from 2024. However, fresh turkey prices have risen slightly. Despite these declines, the current cost still does not erase the record-high increases seen in 2022 when the average meal cost $64.05.​

Thanksgiving expenses extend beyond the dinner plate. Survey data from LendingTree shows that hosts in 2025 expect to spend an average of $487 on food, drinks, and decorations, which is up 13% compared to last year.

For those looking to save time and money, grocery stores such as Safeway/Albertsons and Fred Meyer are offering various options ranging from pre-cooked meals starting around $60 to do-it-yourself packages priced between $57 and $80. These convenient bundles include staples like turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pies, and even wine at Fred Meyer.​

Kristen Gillis from OnPoint Community Credit Union offers practical financial tips for families striving to manage Thanksgiving costs without relying on SNAP, “Shopping early and spreading out your purchases so you don’t just do it on one paycheck right away or last minute. Compare prices and use your loyalty programs. A lot of grocery stores have some kind of loyalty programs.” Gillis also said, “Bonus points – look at those. Reuse, repurpose, recycle, use old Thanksgiving decor; creating and tracking a budget, making sure that you are staying on track.”

Gillis also encourages families to reach out for local support resources early to alleviate financial pressure around the holidays.

Several Central Oregon organizations provide Thanksgiving meals and assistance for those in need, including: Shepherd’s House Ministries, NeighborImpact, St. Vincent de Paul, Salvation Army, Nativity Lutheran Church, and PeaceHealth.

For general assistance, dialing 211 or texting a zip code to 898211 connects individuals to local resources and support networks. These options are crucial for many as SNAP benefits decrease and food affordability challenges persist with the holiday season near.​

This combination of slowly declining food prices but rising overall holiday spending and SNAP reductions underscores the ongoing financial balancing act faced by Central Oregon families trying to celebrate Thanksgiving with dignity and gratitude. Local organizations and practical budgeting advice play a key role in helping ease the burden this year.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — If you have not made your Thanksgiving plans, it’s not too late. There’s going to be a massive banquet in Bend, with some of the best food imaginable.

The Riverhouse Convention Center is holding a Thanksgiving grand buffet from 1-4 p.m. It’s a buffet-style meal with all the Thanksgiving staples, like turkey and stuffing. But it goes beyond that, with whole hams encrusted with brown sugar and maple, smoked prime rib, shrimp, and charcuterie platters.

Executive Chef Frederick Schumann invites everyone to join.

“We want you to come here and have dinner with us, because we just want you to skip the cooking and clean up at your house, right?” Schummann said. “We’re going to prepare amazing food for you – just as good as Grandma, if not better. And we don’t want you to have to go home and worry about the hassle of doing it all. We want to do that for you.”

Schumann showed KTVZ News around the kitchen, proudly displaying the large amount of preparation they aere doing for the event.

. “We cook amazing food here, and we want you to enjoy it and we take great pride in that,” Schumann said.

Alongside all the food, there’s going to be live music and activities for kids. There’s also going to be an art station for them to write letters to Santa. For adults, there’s a bar, and the games will be on.

Now here’s the best part: zero cleanup after Thanksgiving.

Tickets are online or on sale at the door. The cost is about $97 per person, with discounts for seniors, veterans and groups. More information is available on the event website.

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KTVZ

(Update: Video Added)

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Sentences are being recalculated for hundreds of current or former Oregon prison inmates after a state Supreme Court clarification prompted a Department of Justice review – and that includes over a dozen released inmates who have been returned to custody.

The court’s clarification to its July 10 decision in the case of Torres-Lopez v. Fahrion has prompted a review of DOJ guidance to the Oregon Department of Corrections on the topic of sentence recalculation, impacting hundreds of adults in custody and many who have already been released, DOC officials said late Tuesday.

“We recognize that the Oregon Supreme Court’s decision to change sentence calculations has significant and immediate impacts on victims, survivors, the formerly incarcerated, and their families,” DOC spokesperson Amber Campbell said.

“As we implement these changes, the Department of Corrections remains firmly committed to public safety, accountability, and full transparency throughout every step of this process,” she added in a news release that continues in full below:

In close consultation with the Governor’s Office, DOJ, and out partners in public safety, DOC has brought back some formerly incarcerated individuals into custody because of a recalculation of their release date per this recent Supreme Court ruling and DOJ guidance. DOC is also actively recalculating the sentences of several hundred adults who are currently in custody.

The role of DOC in the criminal justice system is to obtain sentencing judgments from the courts, accurately provide all affected parties with a release date, incarcerate those individuals for their full sentence, and partner with counties to oversee those who are released on parole and probation.

The Oregon Supreme Court’s Torres-Lopez v. Fahrion decision significantly constrained DOC’s discretionary authority in the sentence calculation process. DOC’s legal counsel, the DOJ, gave advice that a literal interpretation of court judgments was the correct course of action. This resulted in a hand review of almost 11,000 sentences whose judgments could be affected by Torres-Lopez v. Fahrion.

Many judgments were unclear. For instance, Case No. 20CR08127 in Jackson County had several counts in one sentencing document. Each count specified, “Defendant shall receive presentence incarceration credits pursuant to ORS 137.370(4) f­­rom 6-10-21.”

Before the Oregon Supreme Court’s Torres-Lopez v. Fahrion decision, DOC would have only applied credit for time served to one count, despite what the documentation indicates. However, in this case, the formerly incarcerated person’s release date was reduced by several years due to duplicate applications of “Time Served Credit” in the judgment. Other examples of unclear sentencing documentation may be seen at: Judgment Examples.

After the Oregon Supreme Court’s clarification on Nov. 14, the DOJ supplied new advice to DOC, prompting another recalculation for a subset of these affected cases.

For those judgments containing consecutive sentences within a single case, DOC is now applying Time Served Credit to the sum of the consecutive sentences. These recalculations found that 20 formerly incarcerated individuals owe additional time, of which 17 have been returned to custody.

DOC said it wishes to thank Oregon State Police, county parole and probation officers, county sheriffs, and local law enforcement for their assistance in bringing these individuals back into custody safely.

Crime victims who want to receive updates about an offender’s recalculated release date should subscribe to VISOR (Victim Information System in Oregon), if they haven’t already. You can also visit the Victim Information System in Oregon to receive alerts about changes to an offender’s current location, custody status, and release date.

DOC has recommended that district attorneys and defense attorneys review judgments with their courts, to ensure the sentencing documentation matches the agreements made between the parties.

To ensure clarity and support for everyone impacted, DOC has established several ways for affected parties to ask questions about changes to sentences. For updated information, you can subscribe to DOC Sentence Recalculation.

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Claire Elmer

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Sierra Stigall, the former La Pine Middle School volleyball coach accused of sexually abusing two boys under the age of 14, has pleaded not guilty to nearly 40 charges.

In a Deschutes County courtroom on Wednesday, Stigall’s attorneys entered her plea(s).

Her trial date has been set for January of 2027, which is expected to last four days.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — At the Deschutes County Courthouse former La Pine Middle School volleyball coach Sierra Stigall appeared for a scheduled plea hearing.

Stigall faces dozens of serious counts, including rape, sexual abuse, and luring a minor, involving two boys under 14.

Stigall is accused of abusing at least one boy she coached outside her brief 2024 volleyball season with the Bend-La Pine School District, as investigators say she later coached a youth baseball team outside the district as well.

Stigall’s bail was previously reduced from $500,000 to $100,000, and she has since posted that bail.

Stigall left the Deschutes County Jail under strict release conditions, including electronic monitoring, surrendering her passport, and having no contact with minors.

Before Monday’s hearing began, the prosecutor and Stigall’s defense attorney briefly spoke and agreed to push back the hearing.

In court, the judge approved their joint request, pushing Stigall’s plea entry to February 17th.

The investigation is still active, and more information could emerge as the case moves toward that February court date.

If convicted on the most serious felony counts, Stigall could face years in prison under Oregon’s sentencing guidelines.

We’ll continue to keep you updated as the case develops.

Below are some of our previous articles about her case.

Former La Pine volleyball coach Sierra Stigall faces dozens of sex crime charges involving two alleged underage victims, and new questions have emerged over how a letter from a former employer was described in open court during a recent hearing on Monday.

Stigall is charged with a growing list of felony counts, including rape, sexual abuse, sodomy, and luring a minor. After Monday’s hearing, the case now includes a second alleged minor victim with accusations that encounters with one or both alleged victims potentially occurred through November of this year. 

Stigall previously served as a seventh-grade volleyball coach at La Pine Middle School for a short season in the fall of 2024. Authorities say at least one alleged victim was someone she coached outside of her brief employment with the Bend-La Pine Schools. Court documents also indicate she later coached a youth baseball team in the La Pine area.

At the Monday hearing in Deschutes County Court, Stigall’s defense attorney told Judge Raymond Crutchley he had a letter from Stigall’s family that they said came from her former employer, a feed store in La Pine.

In court, the defense characterized the letter as describing Stigall as a good employee and indicating she would be able to return to work at the feed store if she were released from jail.

Judge Crutchley noted that Stigall had been employed and could likely be employed again, citing that among the factors he considered before ultimately reducing her bail from $500,000 to $100,000. The judge also imposed conditions including monitoring, surrender of her passport, and no contact with minors if Stigall were to post bail and be released.

Monday’s courtroom exchange was included in KTVZ’s earlier reporting on the case.

After that story aired, Kimball Pet and Farm Supply contacted KTVZ and posted on Facebook, saying the business had never stated that Stigall could return to work there. In response, KTVZ released the court video showing the statements made by the defense and the judge during the public hearing.

KTVZ’s Claire Elmer spoke with the feed store’s owner by phone on Tuesday morning to clarify details. The owner then provided KTVZ with a copy of the letter she says she gave for use in court, and its wording appears to differ from how it was described during the hearing. 

Both the letter and the court recording have been shared with the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, which has confirmed receiving the materials but has not provided further public comment.

The owner of Kimball Pet and Farm Supply has been encouraged to contact prosecutors directly if she believes the letter was mischaracterized in court. 

Even with the reduced bail amount, Stigall remains in custody as the case moves forward. KTVZ will continue to follow developments in both the criminal proceedings and the questions surrounding the feed store letter.

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