Category: ktvz-local-news

KTVZ

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The 2025 Bend Veterans Day Parade marks the 24th year of honoring Veterans of all eras on Tuesday, November 11th in downtown Bend.

“Service to Nation & Community” is the theme of the 2025 parade, recognizing the contributions of active military service members in defense of our country and their service to their community when they return home as Veterans.

Central Oregon Veterans Outreach (COVO) produces the Parade, along with support from the High Desert Chapter of the Oregon Veteran Motorcyle Association. The title sponsor is Mid Oregon Credit Union.

Robert Landers, a local U.S. Marine Corps Veteran who served in Vietnam, is this year’s parade Grand Marshal.

A retired college instructor, Landers gives his time and talent to support Veterans throughout Central Oregon. He is currently the Commander of the Bend Disabled American Veterans (DAV), served as Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Chaplain, and has been an integral part of the Bend Band of Brothers, COVO, Marine Corps Leage, Vietnam Veterans of America, and more.

“Bob’s dedication to helping local Veterans spans back decades. He is a true example of how Veterans serve their community.”, according to J.W. Terry, Executive Director of COVO and President of the Bend Band of Brothers.

The Parade kicks off at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, November 11th with a fly-over by the Civil Air Patrol. The Patriot Guard motorcycle group leads the parade, starting at NW Harmon proceeding across the Newport Avenue Veterans Memorial Bridge, turning south on Wall Street, west on Franklin Avenue around Drake, rolling down Wall Street to Franklin Ave., continuing around Drake Park on Riverside Avenue to NW Galveston and concluding at NW Harmon Blvd.

The public is invited to participate. There is no registration fee. ADA parking is available at the lot at 710 NW Newport Avenue and in the lot behind City Hall on Wall Street.

Parade-goers are asked to please observe all city and neighborhood parking regulations and designated “no parking areas” when coming to view the Veterans Day Parade. More information on parking is found at https://www.bendoregon.gov/services/parking.

For more information on the parade, contact bendveteransparade@covo-us.org.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Road Department, in partnership with the U. S. Forest Service, said Monday it will close Cascade Lakes Highway and Paulina Lake Road at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, unless early-season snowfall prompts a shift in plans.

The high-elevation forest roadways are closed every winter, the announcement said.

The county maintains both roadways. Snow at the summits can exceed 5-10 feet, making continual snow and ice maintenance too costly.

The county said Cascade Lakes Highway and Paulina Lake Road will remain closed until the Road Department removes the snow that accumulates during winter and early spring. Typically, both roadways reopen before Memorial Day, weather permitting.

*Please note: The roads may be closed earlier if there are significant weather events before Nov. 18. Check the Deschutes County Road Department website for updates.

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KTVZ

Update: Adding video

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — How satisfied are you with the services of Bend Park and Recreation District? Is the district utilizing your tax dollars wisely and efficiently? What should the agency’s role be in regards to tax exemptions for housing?

Now is your chance to provide input and feedback.

BPRD, with help from Probolsky Research, will launch a new Public Perception Survey beginning this week, seeking valuable insight from district community members on topics ranging from parks and trail use, safety, inclusivity and more, the park district said in Monday’s news release, which continues in full below:

Every few years, BPRD conducts surveys like this to gauge awareness, perceptions and priorities of Bend residents in regards to parks and recreation services. These results directly inform district communications and services and identify community priorities for future programs and projects.

The 2025 survey includes questions asked in previous years to track changes over time and also features new questions based upon current issues in the community.

Beginning Monday, community members (selected randomly) living in the park district will receive a phone call, postcard, or text asking them to participate in the anonymous, statistically valid survey, which will take about 15 minutes to complete. This multi-mode approach provides community members with the opportunity to participate in the survey in a manner that is most convenient for them.

If you are contacted, please consider taking time to complete the survey.

“Community input is integral to informing district priorities and helping us to be more effective in our mission to strengthen community vitality and foster healthy enriched lifestyles through parks, trails and recreation,” said Park Planner Rachel Colton. “If you are selected to participate in the survey, please provide your feedback as it is valuable and meaningful and will inform how we deliver parks, trails, programs and activities for the community.”

In 2022, approximately 900 community members completed the perception survey. According to the results:

More than eight in 10 residents rated quality of life in Bend positively.

Parks, trails and recreation services were the top of the list of services residents felt were a good value. On a scale of one to 10, survey respondents gave parks and recreation services an average ranking of 7.9.

More than eight in 10 were satisfied with BPRD services. Most residents were somewhat (42%) or very (42%) satisfied with BPRD.

For district residents who don’t receive a phone call, postcard or text to take the statistically valid survey, there is still an opportunity to participate. An online open link survey will be available later in November.

Community members can check bendparksandrec.org and/or BPRD’s social media accounts for information about when the open link survey is available to all community members.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: adding interview with City of Bend official)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend’s relatively new Transportation Utility Fee is changing how the city maintains and clears its streets — from fresh pavement in the summer to expanded plow coverage in the winter.

The fee began appearing on Bend utility bills in 2024, after city leaders identified about a $7 million annual shortfall in road maintenance funding. The charge is structured in phases, with the first phase starting in July 2024 and a second phase that increases residential rates and revises how most businesses are billed.

City officials say the goal is to create a stable, dedicated funding source for day-to-day transportation operations and long-term street preservation, separate from one-time construction funds.

“We’ve been working hard on bringing our street conditions up,” said City of Bend Transportation and Mobility Director David Abbas. “The Transportation Utility Fee that folks are seeing on their bills this past year — Phase 1 last year and Phase 2 implemented this year — has really helped us ramp up that work.”

With the added revenue, the city’s Street Preservation Program completed about 67 lane miles of work this construction season, at a cost of roughly $4.85 million. Abbas said that includes a mix of paving, slurry seal and other preservation treatments that extend the life of the road surface and keep it in better condition longer.

“We were able to increase our street preservation efforts — 67 lane miles at about $4.85 million this year,” Abbas said. “Pretty good year for us.” He added that staff are focused on “the right treatment at the right time,” so streets are sealed before they deteriorate to the point of needing far more expensive reconstruction.

“You don’t want to wait until it requires that expensive reconstruction,” he said. “Keep it sealed up, and not have those cracks and potholes that everybody doesn’t like.”

City information explains that the Transportation Utility Fee is meant to fund maintenance and operations of the existing transportation system — things like pavement preservation, bike lanes, sidewalks, and winter operations — rather than major new road projects.

The fee is charged to all developed properties within city limits, with single-family homes paying a flat monthly rate and non-residential properties charged based on use and size, such as retail, office or industrial space. Households enrolled in the city’s utility assistance program receive a reduced rate.

City leaders and business groups have said the fee was chosen instead of a local gas tax or higher property taxes because it can be applied more broadly, including to tax-exempt properties that still generate traffic and use city streets.

Officials also note that the funding is intended to address backlogs in basic maintenance that, if left unchecked, could lead to higher long-term costs and more disruptive reconstruction projects.

When snow season arrives, Abbas said the same fee is helping the city keep up with Bend’s growth and rising expectations for winter road conditions.

“We continue as a growing city, so the transportation utility fee I mentioned also helps in the wintertime,” he said. “We brought on a few more staff and some equipment to try to keep up with the needs of the community — more proactive snow plowing and sanding, and things to try to keep the roads safe for folks.”

Bend now runs overlapping plow shifts, with on-call crews available nights and weekends, and the department can scale up to 24-hour operations during major storms. The city also offers an online plow-tracking map, updated every 30 minutes, so drivers can check where plows have been before they head out.

With more snow in the forecast as winter approaches, Abbas said drivers still play a big role in staying safe, even with expanded coverage.

“Slow down, be safe, give yourself extra time,” he said. “Our crews will do the best we can to have the roads safe.”

The city says it expects to maintain a similar level of preservation and winter operations work next year, supported in part by the transportation utility fee. Staff plan to continue monitoring pavement conditions and winter response metrics as Bend grows, adjusting how the fee is used to balance long-term maintenance needs with day-to-day safety on the streets.

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KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A 23 year old Bend resident has been arrested and charged with felony hit and run and unlawful use of a weapon. Early Sunday morning, Police responded to a report of gunshots fired in the parking lot of the Shilo Inn in northern Bend.

Police learned the suspect came to a large gathering at the Shilo Inn and got into an argument with two other partygoers. The suspect allegedly fired a handgun multiple times during the altercation, though none of the shots fired struck anyone.

According to Bend Police, the suspect then hit a 32-year-old Bend man with a vehicle before fleeing the scene.

Here is the full press release from Bend Police:

At approximately 4:03 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2, Bend Police responded to a report of shots fired in the parking lot of Shilo Inn on O.B. Riley Road in Bend. 

Responding officers learned that the suspect showed up to a large party at the hotel and got into an argument with two partygoers. During the altercation, the suspect allegedly fired a handgun three times. None of the shots fired struck anyone, but the suspect then struck a 32-year-old Bend man with a vehicle before driving away from the scene.  

Officers saw a truck speeding southbound on NE Third Street and conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle near NE Fourth Street and Quimby Avenue. Inside, officers located the victim of the vehicular assault and provided care to him until Bend Fire medics arrived to transport him to St. Charles Bend with non-life-threatening injuries.  

Approximately an hour after the assault, a blue Ford Explorer was found abandoned on the Wilson Avenue overpass of the Bend Parkway with the doors open and the keys still in the ignition. Damage to the vehicle and evidence found around the vehicle were consistent with the earlier assault. 

Detectives and patrol officers investigating the incident identified the suspect as Jeison Barrios, a 23-year-old Bend resident. At approximately 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2, officers located Barrios at Cascade Lodge in the 400 block of SE Third Street. He was taken into custody and transported to the Bend Police Department before being lodged at the Deschutes County Jail on the above offenses.  

Bend Police wish to thank the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance in this case. 

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KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Get ready to feast! The Deschutes Historical Museum is inviting the public to its 42nd-annual Chili Feed and Raffle happening this Friday and Saturday.

It’s a fundraiser to support year-round programs and exhibits. 

The event is happening November 7th and 8th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Deschutes Historical Museum at 129 NW Idaho Avenue in Bend.

Admission to the museum is free during the event. Chili is $10 per person and is available to go.

If you enter the raffle, you have a chance at winning a gift basket containing items from local and historic businesses, including the Old Mill District, Newport Avenue Market, Mt. Bachelor, Trader Joes, and more. 

For more information, click here.

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KTVZ

(Updeate: Adding video, comments by night shift leader)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — KTVZ News has obtained exclusive security video of a masked gunman who robbed Sassy’s Cafe in downtown Redmond on Halloween night. We also spoke with a manager about the confrontation.

Officers responded shortly before 5 p.m. Friday to the report of an armed robbery at the NW Fifth Street restaurant, Lieutenant April Huey said earlier Monday in a news release, accompanied by a photo taken from the security video.

“The male suspect entered the cafe, displayed a black handgun and demanded money,” Huey said in a news release.

“The suspect left the business on foot and has yet to be identified,” she added.

Redmond Police released a surveillance photo Monday of the suspect in Friday’s armed robbery of Sassy’s Cafe.

No employees or customers were injured in the incident, according to police.

In the video obtained by KTVZ, you can see the suspect enter the cafe, flash a handgun in his waistband at a worker and demand money.

Night shift Manager Joe Costello told us: “He told me that he had ‘had a bad day.’ He threw a Crown Royal bag on the counter and, um, showed me his gun. It was underneath his, in his waistband.

The suspect was wearing a black ski mask, black hat and black pullover with an Adidas logo, along with blue jeans and Romeo-style boots, Huey said.

“Police are asking the public if anyone witnessed the incident or saw the suspect at Sassy’s on Friday at 4:50 a.m. to contact RPD,” Huey said. Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact Redmond Police through the non-emergency dispatch number, 541-693-6911.

Earlier story:

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – KTVZ has received multiple reports that Sassy’s, the cafe located inside the Cruise N Market and Deli in Redmond, was robbed this week.

Details on the incident remain limited. KTVZ has reached out to Sassy’s for comment, but staff have declined to speak at this time.

Redmond Police confirmed they were aware of the situation and said an official statement would be released. As of Sunday evening, that statement has not yet been issued.

This is a developing story. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.

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KTVZ

As thousands of Oregonians face delays in receiving their November SNAP benefits due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, the Farmers Market Fund (FMF) has launched an emergency program designed to keep healthy food accessible across the state. 

The new initiative, called Emergency Double Up Food Bucks, provides anyone with an Oregon Trail Card twenty dollars to spend on fresh, locally grown produce at more than 40 participating farmers markets and farm stands statewide. The funds can be used to buy items such as beans, mushrooms, herbs, and vegetable starts—no SNAP balance required. 

Farmers Market Fund Executive Director Rachael Ward says the effort is about more than just food access. “Even with the recent court ruling, thousands of Oregonians are going to experience a delay in receiving their November SNAP benefits,” Ward said. “We are rooting down to rise up and asking Oregonians to step up and support their neighbors, while supporting the small farmers and local economies that depend on SNAP.” 

Funding for Double Up Food Bucks used through regular SNAP transactions is provided by the Oregon Department of Human Services. The emergency version of the program—offering automatic $20 produce credits—is supported by private donors and FMF general funds. 

Locally, Rainshadow Organics in Sisters is participating in the program. A full list of markets and farm stands can be found at www.doubleuporegon.org. 

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Claire Elmer

(update: adding video)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — It’s been more than a month since 43-year-old James Herrera was found dead near Lake Simtustus in Jefferson County. His death has been ruled a homicide, but so far, no arrests have been made.

James’s family is now speaking publicly — sharing memories of his warmth, humor, and compassion, as they call for justice and answers.

Gabriela Vasquez, James’s sister, remembers her brother as someone who cared deeply for others, even when struggling himself.

“He was a very loving, caring person,” Gabriela said. “Even when he was at his lowest point, he still cared about so many people around him. He loved to bring a smile and a happy day to you, even if he wasn’t having a good day.”

Investigators say James’s body was found September 25th near the Pelton Dam area of Lake Simtustus. Redmond Police are leading the homicide investigation, with help from Jefferson County deputies and the FBI. Few details have been released, leaving loved ones desperate for updates.

His mother, Sherry Vasquez, shared a story that captures her son’s character — a memory passed along from a stranger who met James by chance.

“I met a lady once who said, ‘I’m really happy to meet the mom of James,’” Sherry recalled. “She told me, ‘My car was broken down. He jumped my car, and when he was done, he gave me the jumper cables and said, you’re gonna need this.’ That’s the kind of person my son was.”

James leaves behind two adult children and two young daughters, ages three and five. His partner, Elisha Sinclair, says their girls still pray for their dad and ask when he’s coming home.

“They don’t really understand,” Elisha said. “My three-year-old will say, ‘Can I just call my dad and have him come home now? I’m not mad at him anymore.’ It’s hard trying to explain that to little girls who miss their dad.”

Elisha said she’s heartbroken knowing their daughters will grow up without him at important moments ahead — from prom night to their wedding day. “Now my daughters don’t have their dad for those days when daddies are supposed to be there for their babies,” she said.

James’s family says they appreciate the condolences they’ve received from the community. Many attended his funeral and a memorial that also served as a birthday celebration for James. Yet despite the outpouring of love, the family says the silence surrounding the investigation has been painful.

“I’m not saying, give me names or tell me exactly when there’ll be arrests,” Sherry said. “I just want reassurance that you’re actively investigating this — because when we don’t hear anything, we start feeling like it’s being forgotten.”

Due to the nature of the case, little information has been shared to protect the integrity of the investigation. While expected, the lack of updates is anxiety-inducing for his loved ones.

Sister Jessica Gaskins says her brother’s death has shaken everyone who knew him. “It rocked the community. Nobody could believe it. Everybody loves James,” she said. “A big part of our family will never be the same.”

The family’s message is clear — they won’t stop speaking out until there’s accountability.

“None of us are going to be silent,” Gabriela said. “Nobody that loved him is going to sit down quietly and take what happened to him.”

As the Redmond Police investigation continues, James’s loved ones say they’ll keep raising their voices and telling his story — determined that his kindness, humor, and “pirate jokes,” as they fondly recall, will never be forgotten.

“Justice for James,” Elisha said. “He’ll live on forever — and we’re not going to stop until justice is served.”

Anyone with information about James Herrera’s death is asked to contact the Redmond Police Department.

As James was the primary provider for his family, a fundraiser has been set up to create a trust fund for his youngest daughters. You can find the link here.

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Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. {KTVZ} — The Old Mill District was buzzing with Halloween excitement Friday evening as pets of all shapes, sizes, and species took center stage for the annual Halloween Pet Costume Contest. Hosted by the Humane Society of Central Oregon, the event turned Center Plaza by the walking bridge into a festive parade of paws and creativity.

From 4 to 7 PM, families, friends, and their furry companions showed off their Halloween spirit with costumes that ranged from spooky to downright silly. Cats, dogs, and even a few more unusual pets strutted the plaza runway, drawing laughs and cheers from the crowd.

The contest’s top prize went to a family of four and their enthusiastic dog for their themed group entry titled “The Wagon Train.” Their clever collaboration rolled into first place, earning them Old Mill District Gift Cards and plenty of applause from spectators.

While the costume contest was the highlight of the evening, it was part of a larger district-wide celebration. Trick-or-treating at local shops, Halloween-themed art projects, and the popular “witches’ paddle” on the Deschutes River added even more magic to the night.

With costumes, candy, and a whole lot of wagging tails, the Old Mill District once again proved that Halloween fun in Bend isn’t just for humans.

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