Category: ktvz-local-news

Barney Lerten

(Update: adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Police Department, in partnership with the Deschutes County District Attorney’s Office, said Tuesday it’s accepting applications for the Organized Retail Theft Bend Connect Integration Grant — a new opportunity for local retailers to join the fight against organized retail theft. 

Funded through the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission’s ORT Grant Program, the initiative offers 10 Bend retailers a chance to receive a FususCore Device Bundle, which will connect existing security cameras to the Bend Connect system. 

Each FususCore Core Lite Bundle includes: 

One FususCore device that will connect with up to four security cameras 

512GB of onboard storage 

One-year subscription to Bend Connect 

Software/hardware warranty 

Adding a FususCore to security cameras allows conditional access by Bend Police to integrated camera feeds during a theft, investigation or emergency near the participating retailer, increasing the ability to respond in real time and investigate effectively. 

This grant-funded effort is part of a broader regional strategy coordinated through the new Central Oregon chapter of the Organized Retail Crime Association of Oregon. The chapter hosts quarterly information-sharing meetings between law enforcement and local businesses. 

Retailers located in the City of Bend that are interested in enhancing their security and supporting regional crime prevention efforts are encouraged to apply. 

How to Apply 

Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, August 3.

To apply, use the QR code 

or visit: https://www.cognitoforms.com/deschutescounty2/organizedretailtheftbendconnectintegrationgrantprogram 

For more information on Bend Connect, visit  https://bendconnect.org 

Questions about the grant opportunity or ORCAOR call 541-317-3175, or email DeschutesSafe@dcda.us 

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Barney Lerten

(Update: All evacuation levels lifted on UDC Fire)

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Firefighters working through the night secured a perimeter of the UDC Fire that burned close to 1,000 acres and prompted Level 2 and 1 evacuation alerts on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation.

The Sunrise Fire was reported around 7 p.m. Monday in the area of Upper Dry Creek Road and Sunnyside Drive, Watch Duty reported.

Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs Fire Management said Tuesday morning that due to progress overnight, earlier Level 2 GET SET evacuation notices were dropped to Level 1 BE READY, except for the Casino and Mill area, where the levels were completely lifted. The rest of the Level 1 areas also had them lifted at mid-afternoon.

Watch Duty said the National Interagency Fire Center reported a 950-acre estimate for the fire, while the tribes said they were working to map and update an earlier 700-acre figure.

Crews were working Tuesday on mopping up, monitoring the perimeter and addressing burning dead and down trees in the interior.

Firefighters on the reservation also were on standby for initial attack as storms moving in from the south are expected to bring more lightning Tuesday afternoon and evening, prompting the National Weather Service Red Flag warning amid continued hot weather.

Meanwhile, in southeastern Crook County, the nearly 400-acre Sunrise Fire southeast of Highway 380 prompted the BLM to issue an immediate temporary closure Tuesday of some public lands.

The Crook County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Management said Tuesday it is closely monitoring the Sunrise Fire, which is actively burning in the South Fork Wilderness Study Area in Southeastern Crook County.

“At this time, there are no evacuation notices for this fire,” the agency said. “CCSO will continue to monitor the fire alongside our fire resources that are engaged with it.”

To the west, in the Three Sisters Wilderness, the Willamette National Forest reported Tuesday that full suppression efforts continue on the 3-acre Honey Creek Fire, reported following last week’s thunderstorms.

Firefighters are building line around the perimeter, with help from helicopter water-bucket drops. Officials said smoke may still be visible from Central Oregon as work continues on the remote fire, surrounded by hazardous snags from a 2017 fire scar.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A favorite Bend restaurant serving up healthy Mexican food with a Mayan-Hawaiian twist for some 25 years is closing its doors. Longboard Louie’s recently announced its last day will be July 26th, as the owner retires from a nearly half-century career in the restaurant business.

The restaurant has moved a few times over the years, and Jeff Parshall says it’s time to hang up his hat. He says his lease is up, and he’s simply choosing to retire instead of re-upping.

“It’s been a good run – 45 years – about two lifetimes in the restaurant business,” Parshall told us. “So you know – the time is right, so we’re just kind of going to wind it down.”

So you now have less than three weeks to grab your favorite surf and turf burritos. As Longboard Louie’s shuts down, it’ll sell off the last of its merchandise, memorabilia and some of the decor.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding KTVZ News Poll)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The City of Bend announced Tuesday it’s partnering with Veo, an independent shared mobility company, to bring shared e-bikes to the community. Veo will begin introducing its fleet of 300 e-bikes this week.

The city’s selection of Veo as its new vendor followed the City Council’s vote in April to establish a permanent bike-share program.

This type of program is not new to Bend – between 2022 and 2024, the company Bird operated a Bike Share Pilot Program within the city.

Like Bird, Veo’s e-bikes – the model they call Cosmo – will be available to riders for a fee. The permanent bike share program allows one operator to manage the citywide program under a license of up to three years, officials said, and will incorporate lessons learned from the pilot program – including the importance of responsible e-bike parking. 

“Improving access to affordable and convenient multimodal transportation is a priority for the City of Bend. A permanent bike share program will help ensure flexibility and inclusivity across different modes of travel, the city said in Tuesday’s announcement.

“Bikes and e-bikes are also effective tools for reducing traffic congestion, lowering single-occupancy vehicle use, and minimizing emissions, helping to reduce the City’s carbon footprint.”

“Bend’s new bikeshare program is about expanding access to convenient, affordable transportation —and making car-free travel fun,” said Jeff Hoover, Veo’s director of government partnerships. “Whether you’re commuting to work, connecting to CET, or just exploring Bend without a car, Veo is here to make getting around easier. We’re proud to partner with the city to support its climate goals, reduce parking demand, and bring more transportation options to the community.”

Veo also emphasizes rider responsibility, or the “riding Dos and Don’ts” listed below:

Do:

●Yield to pedestrians: Give people walking the right of way every time.

●Park responsibly: Park your vehicle out of pedestrian paths to ensure safety.

●Wear a helmet: Protect your noggin while riding.

●Take the bike lane: Ride in the street or bike lane, not on the sidewalk.

●Obey traffic laws: Follow stop signs, signals, and speed limits.

Don’t:

●Ride underage: Riders must be 18+ to unlock and operate.

●Double ride: One rider per vehicle.

●Ride on the sidewalk: Keep sidewalks clear and stick to the street or bike lane.

●Ride under the influence: Never while under the influence—it’s illegal.

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Kade Linville

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – On Monday the Central Oregon Symphony Association announced that Dr. Travis Allen would be stepping up as the program’s new executive director. He will be replacing Tanya Elia, who previously occupied the role and serves on COSA’s executive board.

“I am honored and excited to serve in this capacity, and I look forward to continuing and expanding the great work that COSA does in our community,” Allen said in a Monday press release provided by COSA.

Dr. Allen has been a long-time member of Central Oregon’s classical music scene, since 1996, when he played cello with the Central Oregon Symphony as a high school student.

Dr Allen’s involvement with Central Oregon music includes his current roles as the principal cellist of the Central Oregon Symphony and as a cellist for the Dove String Quartet. Dr. Allen also can be seen performing frequently with the Sunriver Music Festival.

Along with serving as a faculty member at Central Oregon Community College, teaching music history and theory, Dr. Allen served for five years as the executive director of the Central Oregon Youth Orchestra (COYO), where he worked to expand the program’s size and increase its public engagement.

Dr. Allen holds a Master’s degree in Cello Performance from Portland State University and both a Master’s and Doctorate in Musicology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

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Tracee Tuesday

(Update: adding fourth applicant for position)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The union representing Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies has released a list of five recommended applicants for the interim sheriff role to succeed retiring Sheriff Kent van der Kamp and they were invited to speak at a public debate Monday night.

The five listed by the Deschutes County Sheriff Employees’ Association are: Deschutes County Undersheriff Aaron Wells; DCSO Detective and Special Services Commander Ty Rupert; DCSO Detective Lt. James McLaughlin; former DCSO Captain Deron McMaster; and COCC Director of Campus Safety and Emergency Management, Cory Darling.

As of Monday afternoon, a county representative said three people had filed statements of interest with the county: McLaughlin, Rupert and Wells.

A fourth applicant, who was not on the union’s list, is Gabe Burchfiel, a digital forensic detective with the sheriff’s office.

The list of applicants and the letters of interest submitted by each can be viewed at the county’s website for the interim sheriff selection process.

The deadline for filing statements of interest and other information is 5 p.m. on Friday, July 11, the county said recently in announcing the application process.

The public was invited to the informal debate at the Bend Elks Lodge. It was also livestreamed on YouTube by Connect Central Oregon, and can be viewed here.

While the union will make its own recommendation, county commissioners will in the end select who will serve as interim sheriff until next year’s election.

Van der Kamp, under sharp criticism for false statements and other issues, announced recently he will retire at the end of July.

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Tracee Tuesday

(Update: adding video of interviews with Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang and Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz)

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Governor Tina Kotek and the Oregon Department of Transportation announced Monday the first wave of layoffs of state workers who deliver basic services to Oregonians and warned of the widespread impacts that will ensue as a result.

The agency initiated 483 of an estimated 600 to 700 total layoffs Monday. A second wave of layoffs, pending any unpredictable winter weather, is currently planned for early 2026, absent legislative action to preserve Oregon’s transportation services.

Tracee Tuesday spoke Wednesday with Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz and Deschutes County Commissioner and Oregon Transportation Commission member Phil Chang on the looming impacts of the cutbacks. One of a dozen maintenance stations slated for closure is in Sisters.

Both waves would constitute the largest layoffs in the history of Oregon state government, the governor said in her announcement, which continues in full below: 

Following the adjournment of the 2025 legislative session, which concluded without passage of sufficient resources to fund ODOT’s budget, the Governor directed the state’s Chief Operating Officer, DAS Director Betsy Imholt, and the Chief Financial Officer, Kate Nass, to conduct a detailed review of ODOT’s reduction plan with ODOT Director Kris Strickler.

The Governor asked for a plan focused on decreasing the immediate impact to basic services for Oregonians and balancing personnel costs with materials costs and anticipated needs heading into the summer and fall seasons. 

The Governor issued the following statement: 

“Consequences to essential transportation services are imminent across the state. This is not business as usual. These layoffs constitute an emergency in Oregon’s transportation system that will hurt every part of Oregon. While we sharpened our pencils to temper the pace of layoffs from one wave into two, there will not be enough workers to provide the level of response Oregonians rely on, whether it’s filling a pothole or clearing safe passage for evacuation when a fire strikes.

“This emergency was preventable, and we still have time to intervene. I have not and will not stop fighting for Oregonians who rely on us to keep our roads safe and people and products moving. Come winter, without a shared commitment to solve this crisis from partners and lawmakers, Oregonians will be left out in the cold – literally.”  

Among other adjustments, the current reduction plan temporarily mitigates the impact to basic services by vastly reducing purchases of materials like sand and deicer, delaying the replacement of aging vehicles, maintaining senior staff to protect irreplaceable expertise, and closing fewer maintenance stations. 

As early as this summer, Oregonians will see noticeable impacts to road maintenance and safety services, the governor and agency said.

With fewer crews and limited resources, ODOT will reduce or delay essential tasks like pothole repairs, pavement maintenance, and road striping. Vegetation management, including brush clearing and fire prevention work, will also be scaled back, increasing wildfire risk and reducing visibility along roads.

Roadside litter pickup, striping and signage replacement, and graffiti and camp cleanups will occur less frequently, leading to a visible decline along state highways across the state. Planned and existing transportation and capital projects will be cancelled or delayed.

As winter approaches, Oregonians can expect slower and less frequent snow and ice removal, particularly in rural and mountainous areas where fewer staff will have to cover more miles of roadway. Deicing treatments will be scaled back, increasing the risk of icy roads and dangerous driving conditions.

Drivers can expect longer and more frequent road closures. Some roads may close during storms if crews are not able to clear snow. With fewer staff, reopening those roads will take longer. 

For the past two biennia, ODOT has been holding hundreds of positions vacant to manage available resources. In addition to the planned layoffs, these vacant positions will also now be permanently eliminated. 

Click here for more information, or review it below:

ODOTFAQ_July7Download

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Barney Lerten

La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bureau of Land Management announced Monday the mobilization of a National Fire Prevention and Education Team to address human-caused fires in the La Pine Basin.

The NFPET team is composed of fire prevention specialists from the BLM and U.S. Forest Service. The team’s initiatives will focus on enhancing wildfire education and prevention measures tailored specifically to the community’s needs.

The fire prevention team will operate with five key objectives:

Develop prevention messaging to target human-caused fires.

Increase awareness by elevating the engagement of Federal Land Management Agencies within the La Pine community.

Collaborate with key partners across Central Oregon to effectively disseminate fire prevention messaging.

Integrate local expertise from assigned resources to initiate positive community involvement.

Develop a fire prevention strategy to reduce the number of human-caused fire starts in the La Pine Basin.

“This proactive approach is crucial for safeguarding our communities and natural resources against the risk of wildfires,” said Jona Ensley, BLM Assistant Fire Management Officer. “By working closely with local residents and organizations, we can create a culture of prevention that aims to reduce fire risks to communities and infrastructure.”

The BLM invites community members to share the responsibility of protecting the landscapes in the La Pine Basin.

For more information on fire prevention initiatives or to get involved, please contact Jona Ensley at (541) 416- 6423 or jensley@blm.gov.

-BLM-

The BLM manages roughly 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: New size on Sunrise Fire; new blaze near Kapka Butte stopped)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — One of several new fires quickly grew to about 450 acres in eastern Crook County on Monday, while another east of Mount Bachelor burned about three acres before it was stopped, as crews prepared for potential abundant lightning from a new round of storms on Tuesday.

The Sunrise Fire was reported shortly before 11 a.m. Monday, five miles southeast of milepost 49 on state Highway 380, and was reported at 450 acres by late afternoon, Watch Duty reported.

The smoke plume could be seen over a wide area, including from the AlertWest-University of Oregon camera on Hampton Butte.

Another new fire, the Katalo Fire (Incident 485) was burning Monday afternoon southeast of Kapka Butte on the Deschutes National Forest, east of Mt. Bachelor. It was estimated at three acres before forward progress was stopped, according to a post late Monday afternoon by fire officials.

Heavy helicopters were cooling hot spots while a bulldozer, a Type 2 hand crew, a five-person Oregon Department of Forestry crew and two engine crews worked to establish a fire line around the perimeter. Once the spread was halted, firefighters shifted to securing the perimeter and mopping up the fire.

Other smaller fires were tackled around the region, including a brush and grass fire reported at midday off Yucca Court in the Cimarron City area east of Bend Airport that burned about a quarter-acre before it was doused.

Further east, the 35-acre Bad Water Fire off U.S. Highway 20 near milepost 176 in the Drewsey area prompted ODOT to advise drivers to prepare to slow down and use caution.

KTVZ News Fire Alert will keep you up to date as a Fire Weather Watch (Red Flag Warning) is in place for 2-11 p.m. Tuesday for potential lightning.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Planners at Oregon State University-Cascades said Monday they are seeking to sell the Graduate & Research Center as they prepare for the consolidation of academic and other operations onto the university campus on Chandler Avenue in Bend.

The Graduate & Research Center will be listed for sale this week with Fratzke Commercial for $8.2 million, the university said in Monday’s announcement. 

The Graduate & Research Center is OSU-Cascades’ only off-campus property. Located at 650 SW Columbia Street in Bend, the 28,000-square-foot building was purchased in 2011 with private, state and university funds. 

“By selling the Graduate & Research Center as outlined in our long-range development plan, we can centralize our mission on OSU-Cascades’ 128-acre campus, enhancing student engagement; increasing student, faculty and staff interactions; and providing more cost-efficient access to services,” said Laurie Hill, chief business officer at OSU-Cascades. 

Hill explained that proceeds from a sale would be reinvested in the development of the campus.

The Graduate & Research Center currently houses classrooms and other space for master’s programs in teaching and counseling, an undergraduate computer science program, the Human and Ecosystem Resiliency and Sustainability Lab, the Laboratory for the American Conversation and the Central Oregon Innovation Hub, and other campus groups. 

The building hosts classes for about 285 students each term and office space for about 30 faculty, researchers and staff, including in shared workspaces. Following the sale of the building, employees and academic operations will be eventually moved to the nearby campus.

The Graduate & Research Center also houses an early childhood learning center, which will move into to the new Little Kits Early Learning and Child Care Center, located on the OSU-Cascades campus. Little Kits is slated to open in August.

—

News release from Fratzke Commercial Real Estate Advisors:

Fratzke Commercial Real Estate Advisors, Inc.,

Announces Oregon State University – Cascades campus,

Graduate & Research Center – FOR SALE.

Bend, Oregon, July 7th, 2025 – Fratzke Commercial Real Estate Advisors, Inc., is proud to announce the Oregon State University-Cascades campus, Graduate & Research Center, is now FOR SALE.

Located at 650 NW Columbia Avenue, Bend, Oregon, the 27,394+/- Rentable Square Foot, Class A steel frame building, formerly known as Millpoint 7000, is now for sale at $8,225,000.00.

The building is designed and engineered as a three (3)-level steel structure including dedicated tuck under parking, elevator service, Three Phase 480v, 2000 amp, electrical service, providing the Buyer, in place utilities to support a Biotech/Research & Development Facility, Manufacturing, or in-suite Medical Surgery Center and related medical services.

The decision to sell the GRC supports OSU’s strategic goals, consolidating all instruction on the One hundred twenty-eight (128) acre contiguous campus on Century Drive and Chandler Avenue, Bend, Oregon. The proceeds from the sale will be used for the development of infrastructure and buildings for the growth of OSU-Cascades.

Fratzke Commercial is the Exclusive Commercial Real Estate Brokerage marketing the GRC for sale.

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