Category: ktvz-local-news

Oregon Capital Chronicle

BY ALEX BAUMHARDT, OREGON CAPITAL CHRONICLE

SALEM, Ore. (OREGON CAPITAL CHRONICLE) — A bipartisan proposal to raise a state hotel tax by 1.25 percentage points to fund wildlife conservation could be killed by two Oregon Senate Republicans.

House Bill 2977 would raise the transient lodging tax — currently 1.5% of the amount charged for occupying a hotel, short-term rentals like Airbnbs, and tent and RV camping sites — to 2.75%, to help pay for species and habitat conservation projects at the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife that currently get no consistent, dedicated funding.

Some money would also go to the Oregon Department of Justice for anti-poaching enforcement, some would go to the Oregon Department of Agriculture to stop and prevent invasive species and some to the state’s wolf predation fund.

The bill, which could raise an additional $42 million a year, already passed the Oregon House of Representatives on a 36-15 vote, with five Republicans voting with Democrats. It also cleared the Senate Committee on Rules, its last step before a vote on the Senate floor.

But a late amendment proposed Thursday in the form of a minority report from Senate Minority Leader Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles, and Sen. Cedric Hayden, R-Fall Creek, could kill the bill.

A minority report, a sort of counterproposal to a bill a lawmaker opposes, has the effect of stalling the bill process, forcing at least one day to pass before the bill is read on the floor and, in the Senate, up to five days.

Most of the time, that delay doesn’t mean much. But because the legislative session must end by Sunday and lawmakers hope to leave earlier, any delays in the last days of session can doom a bill without a vote.

Money for horses, primates

Bonham’s and Hayden’s proposal scraps House Bill 2977 entirely and instead proposes sending $14 million from the state’s general fund to horse, primate and county animal rescues and the state’s wolf predation fund that pays ranchers who lose livestock to wolves.

 Sen. Cedric Hayden, R-Fall Creek, at the Oregon Legislature on Feb. 12, 2024. (Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle)

“I am not interested in passing a tax increase on Oregon’s restaurants and lodging businesses to fund what should be a shared general fund effort,” Hayden said in an email. “There are no success metrics in the bill that I can see — just a plan to dump more tax dollars into an amorphous fund so legislators can say they did something to help animals.”

One of the bill’s early and chief sponsors, Rep. Ken Helm, D-Beaverton, said Hayden and Bonham should have submitted a bill to fund those causes earlier in the session, not in the last three days.

“It shows how unserious the amendment is,” Helm said.

False information

Helm said false information provided by the CEO of the Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association, and uncorrected by the association’s lobbyist Bill Perry, is further stymying the bill’s passage.

The association has opposed and lobbied against each of the six bills proposed this session to increase or redirect some of the transient lodging tax.

Restaurant & Lodging Association CEO Jason Brandt claimed in oral testimony June 24 that Helm had not tried to meet with him or members of the association. Helm refuted that, providing the committee with emails and summaries of meetings he and his team had with members and Perry and others between 2020 and 2025. Helm asked Perry, who was in the hearing where Brandt claimed Helm had not tried to meet with the group, to correct Brandt and set the record straight.

Helm also wrote to Perry Thursday to ask that he correct the record, he said, but did not hear back. Perry said in a text he forwarded Helm’s note to leaders at the Restaurant & Lodging Association.

State Rep. Cyrus Javadi, R-Tillamook, said he also took issue with an interaction he had with Perry in the current session over a bill related to the transient lodging tax, after Javadi sent out his constituent newsletter advocating for passage of House Bill 3556, a bill Javadi sponsored to redirect some hotel tax dollars to county emergency and public services. Javadi said Perry came to his office and said he’d been “sent to beat the s— out of me by his organization. And I told him that was unacceptable and to leave.”

Javadi said Perry apologized the next day, and the bill ultimately failed to pass out of committee in March. In a text Thursday evening Perry said the Capital Chronicle should direct inquiries to the Restaurant & Lodging Association. “I am not sure where the Javadi issue came from, 3556 was dealt with earlier in session,” he said.

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association contributed to 35 lawmakers in 2024, including Javadi, with a $5,000 contribution. They sent $2,000 to Hayden’s campaign in November — the first time in ten years, and more than $17,000 to Bonham’s campaigns since 2018. Of that, more than $12,600 of it was contributed between August and November 2024 — more than five times the average donation lawmakers got from the association in 2024. Helm has not taken money from the association.

Species at urgent risk

Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife currently has to ask the Legislature every two years to find money from the general fund for its comprehensive wildlife strategy and habitat division, both of which are outside of the activities the agency can fund with hunting and fishing license fees and federal funds. Federal funds and licensing fees make up about 90% of the agency’s budget.

House Bill 2977 would establish a separate fund to support annual payments to Fish and Wildlife’s habitat division and the state’s Wildlife Action Plan, or Oregon conservation strategy.

The plan targets more than 200 species in the state that face the most urgent risk of endangerment or extinction from climate change and human pressure. It identifies key issues affecting them, key habitats they depend on and tools to begin helping them.

In the next few years, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife expects to add 70 species to the list of greatest conservation need, pushing it over 300 species for the first time, Davia Palmeri, strategic adviser and federal policy director at the agency, told lawmakers at a hearing on the bill in February.

Everyone wants the lodging tax

The 2025 legislative session started with six proposals to raise or redirect a portion of the lodging tax, which brings in about $40 million a year.

House Bill 2977 is the only one remaining. The others, proposed by several Republican lawmakers representing Oregon Coast communities, including Javadi, would have changed the proportion of the transient lodging tax dollars counties can use for emergency and public services.

The lodging tax currently funds statewide and local programs administered by the nine-member, governor-appointed Oregon Tourism Commission, also known as Travel Oregon, which promotes tourism across the state. At least 65% of the revenue by law must go to marketing and to statewide programs.

The Oregon Restaurant & Lodging Association also opposed those measures.

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Jillian Fortner

(update: adding comments from Mt. Bachelor, Visit Bend, and visitors)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Although the ski season has come to end, visitors are driving up to Mt. Bachelor for its summer attractions.

The resort reopened Thursday, offering mountain biking, zip lining, and scenic chairlift rides throughout the season.

“We closed for about a month to do snow removal, to do maintenance on our lifts, to onboard summer employees. And we’re really excited to kick things off,” said Presley Quon, Mt. Bachelor’s Communications & Community Relations Manager.

Visitors were eager to return to the mountain.

“I just love being out here. I couldn’t wait for the season start,” said mountain biker, Carlos Abascal.

Visit Bend took a look at the numbers regarding summer visitation at the resort. They can estimate that visitation up there grew from 82,229 “visitor days” in 2018 to 170,937 “visitor days” in 2024, a 108 percent leap. 

“We estimate that the increase is most likely due to population growth and/or a growing popularity among locals. If it were tourism related, our overnight lodging data would likely capture that but that is not the case,” said Tim Neville from Visit Bend.

Visit Bend says the numbers show that Mt. Bachelor is a solid summertime destination that’s getting more and more popular. That’s a big reason why the tourism group redirected $245,000 of lodging taxes in 2022 to help them expand their summer trail system.

It added 11 miles of mixed-use trails (hiking and biking).

“The grant from Bend’s Sustainability Fund did not go to Powdr, but to Discover Your Forest, a non-profit for the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests,” Neville added.

Mountain biking and zip tours are the resort’s most popular summer attractions. Rider Katie Tomala, visiting from Minnesota, said she was ready to get out on the zipline for the first time.

“I’m feeling pretty good. I’m really excited,” said Katie Tomala. “The short one is a little bit jerky, but they said once you get up, it’s going to be really pretty view. And it’s going to be really nice and fast.

As temperatures rise, so does fire danger. That’s why Mt. Bachelor teams check weather conditions daily to keep guests safe.

“We have protocols for fire, for smoke, for lightning, and we kind of just have to take every day as it comes because the weather can change really quickly,” Quon said.

It’s a slower pace at the resort in the summer with reduced staff. The shift creates opportunities for seasonal workers to stay on year-round by moving from winter roles to summer positions.

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KTVZ News Partners

BEND, Ore. — National eyewear retailer Warby Parker is officially opening its doors in Bend’s Old Mill District on Saturday, July 5, and will replace half of the former Victoria Secret building, which operated for 20 years before closing this February.

A mission-driven retailer that specializes in affordable, accessible and stylish eyewear, Warby Parker will move into 1,800 square feet of space in the heart of the Old Mill District.

Warby Parker and another soon-to-be-announced tenant replace Victoria’s Secret, whose lease in the Old Mill District concluded at the end of February. The 6,300-square-foot space has been demised into two separate leasable areas.

To celebrate its grand opening, Warby Parker is offering a free custom tote bag with any eyewear purchase while supplies last. Guests will be able to browse the brand’s full assortment of optical and sun eyewear, contact lenses, accessories, and more. The new location will also offer affordable eye care, including comprehensive eye exams and telehealth services.

“We’re excited to welcome Warby Parker to the Old Mill District,” said Beau Eastes, Old Mill District marketing director. “Their grand opening marks a fresh addition to our retail mix and brings a new level of access to quality eyewear, thoughtful design and personalized eyecare.”

“This is a brand that does things differently,” Eastes added. “They’ve proven they can scale without compromising values, and that aligns with how we operate here.”

Founded as an online retailer in 2010, Warby Parker was created with the belief that everyone deserves good vision and that prescription glasses were too expensive. It opened its first retail space in 2013, and today Warby Parker operates more than 280 stores in the United States and Canada.

Warby Parker is also known for its philanthropic efforts. For every pair of glasses or sunglasses sold, a pair is distributed to someone in need through its Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program. To date, the company has distributed more than 20 million glasses to people in need in partnership with nonprofit organizations.

In addition, Warby Parker partners with schools and government agencies through its Pupils Project, which provides free vision screenings, eye exams and glasses to schoolchildren. To date, the Pupils Project has distributed more than 227,000 pairs to students across the country, from Boston to the Bay Area.

ABOUT WARBY PARKER

Warby Parker was founded in 2010 with a mission to inspire and impact the world with vision, purpose and style without charging a premium for it. Headquartered in New York City, the co-founder-led lifestyle brand designs products and develops technologies that help people see, from designer-quality prescription glasses starting at $95 and contacts to eye exams and vision tests available online and in more than 280 retail stores across the United States and Canada.

Warby Parker believes in vision for all. Through its Buy a Pair, Give a Pair program, the company has worked alongside nonprofit partners to distribute more than 20 million glasses to people in need. Learn more at www.warbyparker.com.

ABOUT THE OLD MILL DISTRICT

The Old Mill District is one of the Pacific Northwest’s most distinctive and dynamic mixed-use developments. Located on 270 acres that once housed one of the world’s largest sawmill operations, the district blends rich history with mountain views, river vistas and an extensive trail system. More than 55 local, regional and national retailers and businesses call the Old Mill District home. Learn more at www.oldmilldistrict.com.

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Matthew Draxton

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) —   A contentious topic this past week: the possible sale of public land. The provision brought forth by Utah Senator Mike Lee as part of the Trump Administration’s Big Beautiful Bill, aimed to sell swaths of Forest Service and and Beurau of Land Management land.

That provision, though, was blocked Tuesday in the United States Senate, with revisions expected soon.

KTVZ News spoke to locals and Central Oregon nonprofits about the provision, it’s possible revisions, and generally how folks would feel to the sale of public land.

One Bend resident, Kara Laduke, said “I think it’s a bummer for for a lot of us.” Another resident, Kirk Anderson, “it’s really concerning.”

Bend resident, Andrea Napoli said it’s “detrimental to everyone.” Andrew Deenick, a frequent user of public lands said, “it’s not good keep it as it is” 

Frustration and confusion. That’s how community members and nonprofits such as Oregon Hunters Association initially felt about the possible sale of public land 

Tyler Dungannon, the conservation coordinator with Oregon Hunters Association saidm, “OHA strongly opposes the sale of our public lands.”

The provision, though introduced by senator mike lee from Utah, was blocked In the us senate Tuesday morning. It proposed to mandate the National Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to sell 0.5 to 0.75 percent of all public lands. That’s about 2 to 3 millions acres of public land between 11 states.

“We moved to Central Oregon for this reason, and we have two young kids, and we want them to be able to grow up playing in the outdoors and taking advantage of what makes Central Oregon special,” Laduke said. She added, “so we feel protective over it.”

“I think public lands obviously benefit everyone. So, keeping them public is certainly ideal and out of the hands of private owners,” Napoli added.

In Oregon there’s 22 million acres of public land that would have been eligible. That includes over 9 million acres of Forest Service Land and over 11 million acres of BLM land.

Democratic Senator Ron Wyden commented saying “in terms of what this means, this runs contrary to all the Oregon values in our DNA, and particularly in Central Oregon.”

In a post on X, Senator Lee said he would make revisions to the provision. Still making housing a priority, the revised version would include a removal of all forest service land from the provision. He also noted he would significantly reduce the amount of BLM land in the bill.

Jeremy Austin, Wildlands and Water Program Director with Central Oregon Landwatch said, “efforts like this to sell off our public lands will only further fragment those landscapes and make it harder for wildlife to reach the access to access the resources they need to survive.”

Initially, the proposal required state or local government to nominate possible land. It also formerly required nominated land to be adjacent to existing developed areas, have existing infrastructure, and be suitable for residential housing.

Now, it’s Senator Lee’s intention to make land within 5 miles of population center eligible. 

Dungannon added, “urban sprawl is one of the main reasons why our mule deer are declining in central Oregon. Urban sprawl, housing development, any sort of development is a direct loss of habitat.“

Others question the integrity that the need for housing justifies selling public land 

“President Trump’s proposed budget would slash the US Department of Housing and Urban Development by up to 50%,” said Austin. He continued, “so it’s really concerning to see our public lands being, used in this way.”

Though the provision has been blocked, some say this attempt at privatizing public land is about principle and creates worries for future public land legislation.

Deenick noted ”setting the door so that it’s unlocked. So down the road, you know, someone can come in and develop it more aggressively.”

Dungannon added, “this could absolutely set a precedent for future land sales. That is of extreme concern for OHA.”

Representative Cliff Bentz voiced strong opposition to proposals that would sell millions of acres of federal land arguing that improving federal land management, not selling it, is the best way forward.

While he supports land exchanges, when there’s clear local demand, he says such decisions must include thorough debate, and local input.

This comes as the trump administration said Monday it’s moving to rescind Clinton-era Policy known as the roadless rule that blocked logging on 58 million acres of national forest lands.

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KTVZ News Partners

(Update: Adding video)

Bend, Ore. – (June 26, 2025) – Bend Park and Recreation District’s July 4th Pet Parade is a community tradition since 1924 and is an annual tradition to mark the Independence Day holiday.

The parade has a new start time this year! The parade begins at 9:30 a.m. Lineup for the parade starts at 8:30 a.m. at Harmon Park.

Parade participants are encouraged to arrive in costume with a pet or stuffed animal and on pulled wagons, bikes or trikes. Parade spectators are also welcome to watch all the action on the parade route.

One of the largest parades in Central Oregon, it is anticipated that more than 8,000 people participate and watch the parade.

“The pet parade is a favorite tradition and nearly equal numbers of spectators as participants in the parade,” said Julie Brown, BPRD community engagement director. “The weather forecast looks warm, so we encourage everyone to plan ahead for their health and safety as well as pets.”

Volunteers needed

Volunteers are needed to help as monitors on the parade route and to assist with clean-up after the parade. Information and volunteer sign up available on the website.

Parade route

Parade staging is set for Harmon Park and the route will head north on Harmon Boulevard to Newport Avenue, east on Newport to Wall Street and on to the finish at Drake Park.

The morning parade will conclude before the warmest part of July 4th

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KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — For the first year ever KTVZ News will be showcasing both Bend and Redmond’s firework shows with the our live show, The 4th of July Fireworks Spectacular.

Starting at 9:45PM on Friday, July 4th we will be streaming the show on KTVZ+. Then at 10PM our Fox station will join-in on the fun, until the fireworks show ends.

This means you don’t have to leave your home to watch both Bend and Redmond’s firework show. Just put on KTVZ+, kick back, and enjoy!

For details on how to download KTVZ+ click here.

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KTVZ News Partners

(Update: Adding video)

Washington, DC – On Saturday, June 28th at 11:00AM PT, Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) will be hosting an open-to-all town hall meeting in Redmond, OR.

This will be Rep. Bynum’s sixth town hall as part of her “Give ‘Em Hell Tour” – a 10-stop summer series designed to connect with constituents across the district and fight back against the Trump admin. It will also mark her tenth total town hall since joining Congress.

Who: Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05)

What: Redmond Town Hall

When: Saturday, June 28th at 11:00 AM

Where: Ridgeview High School, 4555 SW Elkhorn Ave, Redmond, OR 97756

The town hall will take place in Ridgeview’s gym.

KTVZ News was on hand for Rep.Bynum’s last town hall in Central Oregon, which you can watch here.

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Jillian Fortner

(Update: Adding video)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – It’s a big week in Prineville as crowds roll in for the 80th Crooked River Roundup to celebrate western heritage and lifestyle.

Held annually in June and July at the Crook County Fairgrounds in Prineville, the Crooked River Roundup Association puts on two separate events that include a PRCA-sanctioned rodeo and the largest parimutuel horse races in the State of Oregon.

Jillian Fortner spoke with the Young Guns program coordinator to learn more about the rising stars in the arena.

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Tracee Tuesday

PRINEVILLE, Ore. [KTVZ] — One of the biggest employers in Prineville is shutting down—without giving city leaders a heads-up – leaving 184 employees, jobless.  

The Owens Corning plant, located on Main Street in Prineville, which produces extruded polystyrene foam boards, commonly known under the trademark foamular®, which are used for insulating residential and commercial buildings, has announced it will close its manufacturing facility, resulting in 184 employees losing their jobs.  

KTVZ News obtained the manufacturing facility’s “Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification” or “Warn Notice” announcing that layoffs would begin August 25, 2025. 

But what’s drawing added frustration is how the city of Prineville found out. 

Prineville mayor Jason Beebe says Owens Corning never informed him or the City Council before making the decision public, and of the company’s three locations in Oregon, only Prineville is on the chopping block. 

“I don’t know why they picked Prineville. I really don’t know why, and it’s sad because that mill’s been in operation in some aspects. I’m 51 years old, and they’ve been there my entire life.” 

Mayor Beebe said, this week, he will request a special meeting with the City Council and City Manager, because he says he would like to see the facility restored to what it’s known for lumber milling. 

“We need a place for it to go. All the other mill sites… there’s only a couple left. I could see someone coming in and, you know, maybe revamping some of those operations and making a mill site again.” 

After a request for comment, Owens Corning emailed KTVZ News, a statement about the facility’s closure. 

“Owens Corning has made the strategic business decision to close our doors components facility in Prineville, Oregon. This decision was not taken lightly, and leadership’s priority is supporting the team in Prineville through this transition.” 

The Prineville plant is one of three facilities the company operates in Oregon. 

The other two sites are in Gresham and Portland, which, at this time, will remain open.  

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Gregory Deffenbaugh

EUGENE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Eugene man was sentenced Tuesday to five years in federal prison for trafficking fentanyl and methamphetamine in Oregon, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon announced.

David Toedtemeier, 34, was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release.

According to court documents, on Jan. 24, 2022, the Central Oregon Drug Enforcement (CODE) team conducted a traffic stop on Toedtemeier’s vehicle in Deschutes County as part of a drug trafficking investigation. Inside the vehicle were Toedtemeier, his wife and their infant child.

During a search of the vehicle, officers located a safe on the rear passenger floorboard beneath the infant’s car seat. Inside the safe were fentanyl pills, heroin, methamphetamine and a firearm. Additional fentanyl, methamphetamine, a digital scale, Narcan nasal spray and several cellphones were found in the vehicle’s trunk.

Later that day, officers searched Toedtemeier’s residence and found methamphetamine, heroin and another firearm.

When questioned by investigators, Toedtemeier admitted to possessing the drugs and firearms and said he intended to sell the drugs in Oregon.

On Feb. 17, 2022, Toedtemeier was charged by criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He pleaded guilty on March 6, 2025, to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

The case was investigated by the CODE team with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam E. Delph.

The CODE team is a multi-jurisdictional operation made up of federal, state, county and city law enforcement agencies that investigate large-scale drug trafficking organizations.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine and 30 to 50 times stronger than heroin. A dose as small as two milligrams—just a few grains—can be fatal to an average adult. The widespread availability of illicit fentanyl has led to a significant rise in overdose deaths across Oregon.

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