Category: ktvz-local-news

KTVZ – News Team

(Update: Adding video)

Bend, OR. (KTVZ) — A new nonprofit, Cascades Cannery, has launched in Central Oregon with a mission to reduce farm food waste, support local growers, and increase food security for the community. By collecting surplus produce from area farms, Cascades Cannery transforms it into healthy, shelf-stable products such as jams, sauces, pickled vegetables, and soups.

The effort is designed to address two challenges at once: the large amount of nutritious food that goes unharvested or unsold each season, and the ongoing need for reliable, year-round access to local food among families in Central Oregon.

“Every year, thousands of pounds of fresh produce are lost simply because markets can’t absorb it all,” said James Radnich, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Cascades Cannery. “Our work ensures this abundance isn’t wasted, but instead preserved to nourish our neighbors and support the farmers who grow it.”

Cascades Cannery operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, with a dual approach:

Farm support: purchasing or gleaning surplus produce, giving growers a return on crops that might otherwise go unsold.

Community benefit: donating preserved foods to food banks and hunger-relief partners, while alsoselling products locally to generate income that sustains the mission.

The project is the first of its kind in Central Oregon and is currently building partnerships with farms, food access organizations, and local markets.

Community members who wish to get involved can learn more, donate, or sign up to volunteer at cascadescannery.org

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Triton Notary

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)– Think Wild is pleased to announce the successful release of the Northern flying squirrel patient admitted on July 20, 2025. She was released Friday night at dusk at the exact location where she was found in Virginia Meissner Sno-Park. Check out her release video here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOHECRWkgOj/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 

Upon release, the young squirrel explored a large dead ponderosa, nibbled on lichen, and found a crack in the bark to use as shelter—demonstrating strong natural instincts for survival and nest-seeking. As cavity nesters, this behavior is a positive sign that she is ready to reintegrate into her wild habitat and, hopefully, reunite with others of her species.

Think Wild thanks the community for their support and donations, which made her rehabilitation and care possible.

For more information about Think Wild and our wildlife rehabilitation efforts, visit www.thinkwildco.org.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Over the Labor Day holiday weekend, Bend Police arrested at least five people for DUII, including one who was involved in a crash.

So far this year, the department has arrested more than 355 people for DUII in the community.

It says there’s no excuse for driving while intoxicated, and to please do your part to keep the community safe by not getting behind the wheel if you’ve been drinking.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Police Department is inviting you to Coffee with a Cop!

On Wednesday, October 1st from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Backporch Coffee Roasters on Greenwood Avenue in Bend, sit down with the department for a cup of joe, ask your questions, and hear what officers are doing to protect our community.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As kids head back to school in Central Oregon, St. Charles has an important reminder: new drivers are hitting the roads and it’s important to stay safe and aware, so no one ends up in the hospital.

“Being a new driver is hard enough. The key thing is making it as safe as possible,” said Dr. Jon Roberts, a trauma surgeon at St. Charles. “If you’re tired, take a rest. Never drive while intoxicated. And please put your phone down to avoid that distraction. It’s not just your safety, but the safety of everyone around you.”

The Oregon Department of Transportation has more tips online for new drivers. Click here to read more.

And to all of the new drivers out there, congratulations–and stay safe!

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Tracee Tuesday

REDMOND, Ore. {KTVZ} — Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, leaving behind not only grief but also unanswered questions for families, friends, and entire communities. Experts say many of these tragedies can be prevented through awareness, support, and open conversations about mental health.  September is recognized as National Suicide Prevention Month—a time for communities, advocates, and organizations to come together, break the stigma around mental health, and remind people that suicide is preventable and healing is possible.  One local effort is the Suicide Grief Support Group, which meets on the first Tuesday of each month to provide a safe space for those who have lost loved ones.  Loren Petersen, one of the group’s facilitators, says the gatherings are vital for families navigating life after such a loss.  “We want people to be able to come and express themselves and talk about their loved ones in a safe space, and to feel like they’re surrounded by people that actually understand this type of loss,” Petersen said. “It can feel very isolating, and we just want to provide that space for people.”  For some, that support has been life-changing. Julie Leutschaft lost her 26-year-old son, Kiefer, to suicide on October 3, 2021.  “When it first happened, I didn’t know anything about suicide. I had never known anyone who had taken their life personally, and so it was very isolating when it happened to our family,” Leutschaft said.  She says the support group gave her a sense of community, helping her move forward in a world that felt disconnected.  

The group, she adds, provides not only understanding but also hope—that “normality” can eventually return.  For more information about the Suicide Grief Support Group, you can reach out by email at: sgsgoregon@gmail.com.

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Triton Notary

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)– Bend Police could use your help. They’re looking for any potential additional victims in a child abuse case. In November of 2023, Bend police got a tip about possible sex abuse material being shared. After an investigation, detectives identified a suspect, 27-year old Bend man Connor Duhn. Detectives then found suspected child sex abuse material on devices in his home. In March, police say Duhn violated his release agreement by contacting a teenage boy online. After allegedly violating that agreement two more times, Duhn was arrested in July. Police believe there may be additional victims. Anyone with information is asked to call the non-emergency dispatch line at 541-693-6911.

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Gregory Deffenbaugh

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Kiln, a flex-office and coworking brand with locations across the Western U.S., announced plans to open a new 43,000-square-foot coworking and lifestyle space in Bend’s Old Mill District.

The new location, set to open in spring 2026 at 501 SW Hill St. Kiln Bend will offer a mix of private offices, open and resident desks, conference rooms, and content creation studios, as well as wellness and lifestyle amenities designed to foster community and creativity.

“Bend is full of people doing meaningful work and living inspired lives,” said Alexa Ford, community director for Kiln Bend. “Our goal is to create a space that not only supports business growth but also fosters connection and balance. We’re so excited to open our doors to this community.”

The two-story facility will feature amenities including a theater, refresh rooms, wellness zones and communal lounges.

Based in the Western U.S., Kiln currently operates more than 20 locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and Utah. Recent openings include spaces in Portland, Phoenix and Las Vegas.

Each Kiln location is designed to reflect the culture of its host city while connecting members to a broader network of professionals and resources. The Bend location is expected to become a key anchor within the Old Mill District’s mix of businesses, restaurants and entertainment venues.

“Kiln is an ideal fit for Bend and for the Old Mill District,” said Beau Eastes, marketing director for the Old Mill District. “They’ve created spaces that go far beyond a typical office. These are places that inspire people to do their best work and build real community.”

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KTVZ – News Team

CORVALLIS, Ore. – Scientists at Oregon State University have taken a big step toward lighting and display technologies that are more energy efficient and better for the planet.

The work centers around crystalline, porous materials known as metal organic frameworks, often abbreviated as MOFs, and points toward next-generation materials that may end reliance on rare earth metals.

The study by Kyriakos Stylianou, associate professor of chemistry in the OSU College of Science, and graduate students Kyle Smith and Ankit Yadav was published in Nature Communications.

The findings are important because displays – ubiquitous in communications, computing, medical monitoring and many other aspects of everyday life – and lighting contribute heavily to global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

And the rare earth metals that underpin those technologies – europium, terbium, yttrium, cerium, gadolinium and others – are expensive and environmentally hazardous to mine and process.

Made up of positively charged metal ions surrounded by organic “linker” molecules, metal organic frameworks have nanosized pores and tunable structural properties. They can be designed with a variety of components that determine the MOF’s properties, and for this project the scientists developed novel MOF structures that combine two types of porous crystals to enhance light emission.

The researchers explored different ways of combining the different types of crystals. One of those methods, known as MOF-on-MOF – the crystals were stacked like building blocks – resulted in light emission that was roughly four times as energy efficient as seen in traditional MOFs.

“By controlling how the components interact, we discovered how to reduce energy losses that typically limit brightness in these materials,” Stylianou said. “This higher efficiency means that future LEDs could produce the same amount of light while consuming far less electricity.”

In the United States, Stylianou notes, lighting and display systems consume about 213 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually – a level of energy usage that accounts for 13% of global carbon dioxide emissions, primarily because 80% of electricity generation in the U.S. comes from the burning of fossil fuels.

Replacing rare-earth-based components in lighting and display systems with the new, more sustainable MOF structures would simultaneously reduce production costs, ecological impact and energy consumption, he said. It also would provide an alternative to elements whose global supply chains are fraught with geopolitical tensions.

In the United States, Stylianou notes, lighting and display systems consume about 213 billion kilowatt-hours of power annually – a level of energy usage that accounts for 13% of global carbon dioxide emissions, primarily because 80% of electricity generation in the U.S. comes from the burning of fossil fuels.

“There’s an urgent need for advanced, efficient fluorescent materials, and we think our new MOFs can help fill that need,” Stylianou said. “We see a lot of potential in their ability to have economic, environmental and climate impacts.”

This project was supported by the OSU Department of Chemistry and the Oregon chapter of the Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon lawmakers are in a special session debating Governor Tina Kotek’s proposal — Oregon House Bill 3991 — to close a major transportation funding gap. Without action, the Oregon Department of Transportation warns it could face hundreds of millions in cuts — forcing layoffs and the closure of road maintenance stations, including right here in Central Oregon.

Oregon Representative Emerson Levy (D) spoke with KTVZ News about the bill, and the local impacts Central Oregon would face if it didn’t pass. 

“The most important thing to me is to keep my constituents safe. And the Sisters maintenance station would have closed. And then additionally, we’re looking at the Detroit station being closed. So that would be the entire pass. Also, they’re part of our wildfire evacuation plan. So it’s important for winter, but it’s also important for summer,” said Levy.

The bill would raise about 4.3 billion dollars over the next decade. The biggest changes include a six-cent increase to the state gas tax starting in 2026, higher vehicle registration and title fees, and new charges for electric and hybrid vehicles.

“We know that costs are increasing. The number one issue in Central Oregon is cost of living. And so this was a really challenging vote. Where we landed was a six-cent gas tax increase. And that six cents goes straight to maintenance,” said Levy.

At Hyundai of Bend, where about 30 percent of sales are electric vehicles, there is worry the changes will make it harder for people to switch to cleaner cars.

Edward Brown, general manager for Team Hyundai of Bend, spoke about how the sale of electric vehicles could be impacted.

“There already is a higher registration tax and a higher title fee on electric vehicles. So they’re just raising it higher at this point. It’s going to drive everybody to not want to go electric because they’re just charging more taxes,” said Brown. 

Brown says the combination of new state fees and the loss of federal rebates could push customers away from EVs entirely. He believes the government should look for other ways to fund transportation.

“I think it’s a misappropriation of funds by the Oregon government, and they shouldn’t be a burden for taxpayers,” said Brown. 

Supporters of the bill argue the changes are necessary to keep plows on the mountain passes and roads clear during wildfire evacuations. Opponents argue the costs will hit working families hardest, in a state that already has some of the highest gas prices in the nation.

The House has already approved the plan. The Senate is expected to vote this week, deciding the future of Oregon’s transportation funding — and how much drivers here in Central Oregon will pay to keep roads open and safe.

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