Category: ktvz-local-news

Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A longtime Central Oregon audio destination is making its return to downtown Bend, aiming to reconnect the community with a deeper, more intentional way of listening to music.

Stereo Planet, a Bend business with a 45-year history, will officially reopen its doors during First Friday on June 5 at its location on NW Bond Street. The reimagined space is designed to offer more than just equipment — it is built around creating an immersive, shared music experience.

The reopening comes through a collaboration with Patrick Smith, owner of Smith Rock Records and a longtime Central Oregon music figure, along with his team. Together, they are blending decades of audio expertise and record-collecting culture to create a destination for both longtime audiophiles and newcomers.

Inside, visitors will find a curated mix of high-performance stereo systems, vintage audio equipment, vinyl records, CDs and a wide range of music spanning generations and genres. Organizers say the focus is less on selling products and more on helping people rediscover the emotional impact of music.

“When someone hears a favorite album through the right system for the first time, it can genuinely move them,” said Stereo Planet owner Jon Houston. “That experience never gets old.”

The grand reopening event will coincide with Bend’s First Friday art walk and will include live listening sessions, music-focused conversations, food, drinks and in-store experiences designed to bring people together.

Organizers say the event is meant to offer a contrast to modern listening habits dominated by streaming and background noise, encouraging people to slow down and engage more deeply with music.

Stereo Planet and Smith Rock Records hope the new space will serve as a community hub where people can gather, discover new sounds and revisit old favorites in a more meaningful way.

The grand reopening begins at 6 p.m. Friday, June 5, at 1008 NW Bond Street in downtown Bend.

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Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Firefighters are planning a controlled training burn south of Bend on Monday as part of a wildland fire investigation course and simulated wildfire response exercise.

If conditions allow, crews will ignite about seven acres roughly 10 miles south of Bend and three miles south of Bessie Butte. The burn is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., according to fire officials.

The operation will support the field portion of the FI-210 Wildland Fire Origin and Cause Determination course, which is designed to prepare participants for roles as wildland fire investigators. The training gives firefighters hands-on experience with investigation techniques, evidence collection and documentation in a range of wildfire scenarios.

Smoke from the burn will likely be visible from Highway 97 and surrounding areas, though officials say no trail or road closures are expected.

Firefighters will continue to patrol and monitor the area until the burn is declared out.

Central Oregon residents can find more information at centraloregonfire.org or through the Deschutes National Forest website. Officials also encourage the public to follow @CentralORFire on X or text “COFIRE” to 888-777 for wildfire and prescribed fire alerts.

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Claire Elmer

(update: adding comments from fire officials)

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — It may feel like routine spring cleanup — raking pine needles, trimming branches, pulling weeds — but those small chores can make a big difference when wildfire strikes.

During Prineville’s Highland Fire back in July 2025, KTVZ News showed you one Central Oregon home that was spared, thanks in part to defensible space work. Even still, Oregon State Fire Marshal officials showed how critical clean-up still made it a close call.

“They’ve done a lot of good things for their structure prep in the wildland-urban interface,” said Cord Von Derahe, a supervisor trainee with the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office. “They have noncombustible siding, but they had short grass up to the foundation. That grass still allowed fire to burn right up to the home.”

Von Derahe said features like lattice under decks can also pose a risk, allowing embers to get underneath and smolder undetected.

“That can sit there until conditions are right — dry and windy — and then ignite the deck, which can lead to the home catching fire,” he said.

To help reduce those risks, Central Oregon residents can take advantage of FireFree debris disposal events starting next week.

From June 5th through June 13th, transfer stations in Redmond, Sisters, and La Pine will accept yard debris at no cost, including grass clippings, pine needles, and weeds. As other regions of Central Oregon have already wrapped up their debris events, now is the time to take advantage.

Fire officials also warn homeowners to be mindful of materials close to their homes — especially bark mulch, which can easily ignite in dry conditions.

“The bark is so dry right now because we haven’t had much rain in May, and it’s been very windy,” said Dan Derlacki, deputy fire marshal with Bend Fire & Rescue.

“Make sure bark mulch is kept away from anything combustible like decks, homes or framing. Even if you have noncombustible siding, it’s still attached to combustible materials,” Derlacki added.

Clearing space around structures, fences, and decks is especially important as temperatures rise and fuels dry out.

“When we get further into summer, fires can move from one house to another, then spread into trees and brush and carry on to the next home,” Derlacki said.

More information about FireFree and tips on protecting your property from fire can be found here.

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Spencer Sacks

The 2026 Bend Summer Fest, an annual celebration of summer bringing together artists from various disciplines, is currently underway in downtown Bend.

The festival’s schedule was shifted from its usual mid-July timeframe to an earlier date, coinciding with summer’s meteorological start on June 1st. Several artists and locals expressed enjoyment over this change.

Kurt, owner of Mandrake Roots, crafts art pieces from driftwood. This marks his third time participating in Summerfest and his second time working alongside his mother. “I love coming to Summerfest. This is my third time doing it. This is my second time with my wonderful mother over here. So we’re a partnership. Yeah, it’s been absolutely real. I love the I love the customers. I love the people, love coming to bend,” Kurt said.

Oil painter and artist Dave Fox also attended the festival. Fox noted the importance of summer for artists. “I’m excited for summer. It’s a very busy time for artists. Art shows are in the summer typically. Sometimes they’re later in the year. But you got to go much farther south. But in the northwest, it’s all about the summer,” Fox said.

Fox also commented on the benefits of the festival’s new timing. “It’s not as hot as it usually is because they’ve shifted it from mid-July to here. The crowd’s been good and everybody’s enjoying the art. It’s been good so far,” Fox said.

The event showcased a diverse array of artists, including sculptors, painters and jewelers. The festival also offered live music and numerous food trucks for attendees to enjoy.

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Harley Coldiron

Update: Added response from local tire company, which says it immediately stopped working with the property owner after allegations surfaced.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon environmental regulators say they remain focused on enforcing action against Martin Soto Hernandez, who is accused of illegally storing 6,000 waste tires that remain piled on his rural Central Oregon property.

A DEQ official said in a Dec. 30 notice sent by certified mail that Martin Hernandez Soto of Prineville was previously issued a warning letter last May directing him to correct the violation.

Storing so many tires on a property on Fort Rock Road, east of Horse Ridge and south of Highway 20, without complying with permit requirements, “poses a risk to human health and the environment, including the risk of fire,” DEQ Office of Compliance and Enforcement Interim Manager Erin Saylor wrote.

“You have been storing and processing approximately 6,000 waste tires at your property since at least the spring of this year (2025),” she told Soto in the notice.

Soto has appealed the fine, DEQ Public Affairs Specialist Antony Sparrow told KTVZ News.

A 2024 Google Earth aerial view of 57810 Fort Rock Road in Bend, where you can see thousands of waste tires piled up.

Questions emerge about who brought tires to the site

The investigation has also raised new questions about who was working with Soto to dump tires at the location. The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality confirmed it recently received an email from a concerned citizen regarding Tires USA using the site as a drop-off location and working with Soto.

KTVZ News independently obtained a series of emails and invoices that appear to show Tires USA working with Soto and using the site to drop off trailers full of tires. In one email to a customer, Newman wrote, “I do need to swap/exchange the 2 in Bend this week. There are 2 empty trailers on site in 57810 Fort Rock Road Bend Oregon 97701.”

That is the location where Soto is allegedly illegally storing 6,000 tires.

However, Tires USA owner Jason Newman said he immediately stopped working with Soto when he realized the operation was likely illegal. Newman told KTVZ News that Soto employed illegal immigrants and had another suspect business in Klamath Falls, reiterating that he wanted nothing to do with the business.

DEQ: Oregon enforcement remains focused on the property owner

The DEQ said it is aware of the international investigations and the accusations leveled against Newman. However, the agency said its enforcement efforts in Oregon remain focused on a much narrower issue: the conditions currently present on the Fort Rock Road property.

“The email did not include information about any environmental issue immediately occurring outside of the waste tire storage on Mr. Hernandez’s property, which DEQ is already enforcing,” the agency said in a statement.

Instead, regulators say responsibility rests with the property’s owner.

“Because Martin is the owner of the property, he is the party responsible for proper storage and disposal of the waste tires,” DEQ said.

That distinction is important because DEQ’s enforcement authority is tied to the property and its owner, regardless of who may have been involved in bringing tires to the site.

The Oregon DEQ said attempts to reach Newman were unsuccessful.

Public complaints continue to drive environmental investigations

While DEQ says its attention remains fixed on the Fort Rock Road site, officials emphasized that public complaints continue to play an important role in environmental enforcement.

“Reports of pollution from Oregonians are an important element of the enforcement of Oregon’s environmental laws,” the agency said.

DEQ added that if it receives information about environmental violations connected to Newman outside the Fort Rock Road property, it has the authority to investigate.

Residents can submit environmental complaints through DEQ’s online reporting system.

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Harley Coldiron

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ)— A Prineville property owner has been fined more than $10,000 after state environmental regulators said he continued operating an unpermitted waste tire storage site despite repeated warnings from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

As part of a statewide enforcement report released this month, DEQ assessed a $10,709 civil penalty against Kenneth Ferguson for storing hundreds of waste tires on his property at 6260 SE Thomas Road without the required permit.

According to DEQ records, Ferguson has stored more than 100 waste tires at the property since at least July 2023. State law requires operators of waste tire storage sites to obtain permits and comply with safety requirements intended to protect public health and the environment.

DEQ officials said the violation remained unresolved despite a Warning Letter with Opportunity to Correct issued in July 2023 and a subsequent pre-enforcement notice sent in June 2024.

“Storing in excess of 100 waste tires without complying with the protections required by a waste tire storage permit poses a risk to human health and the environment, including the risk of fire,” DEQ wrote in its penalty assessment.

The agency said several hundred waste tires remain on the property.

Aerial view of the unpermitted site allegedly holding over 100 waste tires illegally, according to the Oregon DEQ. Photo via Google Maps.

In addition to the financial penalty, DEQ has ordered Ferguson to develop a cleanup plan within 30 days after the order becomes final. The plan must outline how the tires will be removed and legally disposed of. Once approved by DEQ, the cleanup plan must be implemented and documented with photographs and disposal receipts.

Of the total penalty, $2,709 represents what DEQ described as the economic benefit gained by avoiding proper disposal costs. The agency said it may reconsider that portion of the penalty if the required cleanup is completed.

DEQ classified the violation as a Class I offense and said the penalty amount was increased because the violation has continued for an extended period and remained uncorrected after multiple notices from regulators.

The Prineville case was one of 13 environmental enforcement actions announced by DEQ for April. Altogether, the agency assessed more than $3.4 million in penalties statewide for violations involving air quality, water quality and waste management regulations.

Ferguson Enforcement LetterDownload

Recipients of DEQ penalties have 20 days to either pay the fine or appeal the action. The agency also allows some violators to offset a portion of penalties through approved Supplemental Environmental Projects that provide environmental benefits to Oregon communities.

DEQ said it works with thousands of businesses and property owners each year through education, technical assistance, warnings and enforcement actions aimed at preventing harm to Oregon’s air, land and water resources.

DEQ issued civil penalties to the following entities:

Rusty B. Taylor, Garibaldi, $19,382, stormwater

Christine and Alexander Tsarnas, Wolf Creek, $14,053, solid waste

City of Wilsonville, Wilsonville, $10,400, wastewater

Confederal Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation – Imtwaha Fish Hatchery, Milton-Freewater, $5,200, wastewater

Kenneth Ferguson, Prineville, $10,709, solid waste

NW Cascade Painting, LLC, Portland, $40,268, asbestos

Oak Lodge Wastewater Treatment Plant, Milwaukie, $7,200, wastewater

Pacific Bio Products – Warrenton, LLC, Warrenton, $104,800, wastewater

Pacific Cast Technologies, Albany, $50,780, hazardous waste

Pacific Seafood – Brookings, LLC, Brookings, $114,000, wastewater

Pacific Seafood – Charleston, LLC, Charleston, $2,985,262, wastewater

PMP Properties, Portland, $12,000, stormwater

PNW Metal Recycling, Inc., doing business as Rivergate Scrap Metals, Portland, $51,000, air quality

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Harley Coldiron

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend Senior High School has completed its new main parking lot, marking the close of phase one of its redesign project. Phase two construction is scheduled to begin in summer 2026.

The new parking lot serves as a significant milestone in the school’s ongoing transformation.

The newly completed main parking lot will allow the new main entrance to officially open off 9th Street in August 2026. Upon the project’s completion in fall 2028, the campus will gain 102 more parking spaces than it has previously had on its footprint.

The parking lot currently features new paving, hardscaping, landscaping, parking stall striping, directional traffic flow, and wayfinding signage.

Bend High’s parking lot before paving.

Parking lot after the paving and upgrades.

Chris Reese, Principal of Bend Senior High School, expressed enthusiasm for the new additions. Reese said he is “ecstatic with the way it looks.” He noted the new light poles and the addition of a new reader board and Bend Senior High signage create an “incredible sense of pride and arrival for our campus community.”

The new main parking lot represents more than infrastructure, symbolizing the successful completion of Phase one and the momentum toward the school’s future, according to Reese.

The redesign also includes a new Bend-La Pine Schools transportation bus drop-off, which will be located off Glenwood. This addition aims to improve traffic flow and campus access.

While parking availability will be tighter during the next two years of construction, the temporary inconvenience is expected to be worthwhile for the “much-improved experience for students, staff and families alike” upon phase two completion.

Reese highlighted the collaborative efforts of the project partners, which include BBT Architects, Kirby Nagelhout Construction Company, and Bend-La Pine Schools Facilities Development. Reese stated he “cannot express enough appreciation and gratitude for the collaboration, professionalism and commitment these teams have shown throughout this process.”

Reese emphasized that “The future of Bend Senior High School is becoming visible every day, and we could not be more thrilled with the way this campus has been designed and constructed. This is an exciting time for our students, staff, families, and the entire Bend community.”

Phase two construction for the Bend Senior High School redesign is set to begin in summer 2026. The new main entrance will officially open in August 2026. The final project completion is expected in fall 2028.

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Gregory Deffenbaugh

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Cascade Equinox Festival has been postponed until 2027, with new dates set for Sept. 17-19, 2027, at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds. Festival organizers announced the change was made to ensure they can deliver the experience the community deserves.

Those who have already purchased tickets for the 2026 event will have their tickets automatically transferred to the rescheduled 2027 dates.

Alternatively, ticket holders have the option to request a full refund. To receive a refund, individuals must complete a specific form and follow the provided instructions. No action is required for those choosing to retain their tickets and receive the free VIP Upgrade.

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Harley Coldiron

As strong thunderstorms with wind up to 70 miles an hour ripped through Central Oregon, KTVZ Viewers captured some fantastic video and photos of the impactful weather. Always feel free to send us videos and story ideas to news@ktvz.com

How to stay safe during thunder and lightning

Crook County under Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe thunderstorms batter Harney County with destructive winds and hail

Latest forecast.

Winds topple trees and power lines

A viewer Justin Smith posted this dramatic weather video of slightly rotating clouds in the Spectrum Sunstone Mine near Plush in Lake County.

Lighting lights up the skies in Silver Lake.

Localized flooding on Awbrey Butte in Bend’s West Hills.

Hail falling across Prineville Lake Acres.

Lightening strike over East side Bend rattles house.

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Gregory Deffenbaugh

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) — After being closed for several hours due to an overturned semi-truck, U.S. 26 is now open between Warm Springs and Mt. Hood at milepost 88 following a crash. 

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