Category: ktvz-local-news

Kelsey Merison

OREGON (KTVZ) — Right now, fire officials are asking Oregonians to use extreme caution as wildfires continue burning across the state and firefighting resources remain stretched.

The National Weather Service is warning of critical fire weather, including thunderstorms, lightning and strong, unpredictable winds.

Officials say even a small spark could quickly start a new fire.

People are urged to be careful when mowing, using power tools, driving or parking on dry grass, and to follow all current fire restrictions.

The message is simple: Stay alert, be cautious and help prevent the next wildfire.

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Kelsey Merison

UMATILLA COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon National Guard crews are making a big difference in the fight against the Hagen Fire in Umatilla County.

Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters are dropping water on the fire, helping ground crews slow the flames and protect nearby communities.

So far this season, Oregon National Guard aircrews have made more than 600 water drops, delivering about 676,000 gallons of water.

Officials say the aerial support is giving firefighters an important advantage as they work to protect homes and communities.

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Kelsey Merison

OREGON (KTVZ) — Right now, Oregon schools are seeing an increase in students regularly attending class, but one state lawmaker says more work is needed.

New data shows more than 7,000 additional students regularly attended school during the 2025-26 school year. That brings Oregon’s regular attendance rate to 64.5%.

State Representative Lamar Wise says the numbers are encouraging, but not enough.

Wise is pushing for better attendance data and policies to help schools address barriers that keep students from attending regularly. Wise says he’ll continue working on attendance solutions during the 2027 Legislative Session.

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Kelsey Merison

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Drivers in Prineville should expect delays and temporary road closures as sealcoating work continues on several streets.

The project schedule has changed because of construction conflicts and an asphalt plant breakdown.

Sealcoating is now scheduled for Thursday, September 4th and Friday, September 5th, weather permitting, on NE Mariposa, NE Brookstone Loop, and NE Brookstone Drive.

Drivers should expect detours and temporary closures, allow extra travel time, and use alternate routes when possible.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Base Camp, a new tavern and food cart lot, opened its doors behind Powder House Ski & Patio.

The venue features 10 food carts offering options ranging from Thai food to pizza. Inside, visitors can find sushi and a bakery serving desserts. There’s a wide selection of drinks, both alcoholic and non. Behind the bar there’s 36 taps, spirits and wine by the bottle

Carts Include Thaipas, Luckey’s Woodsman and El Taquero.

While there’s a wide selection, base camp keeps it local by offering Central Oregon brands

Hayden McGee serves as the general manager of Base Camp. He highlighted the venue’s focus on offering serving local food and beverages. “We’re super excited to get open create this space. And with all of our selections, they’re all we have a ton of local Oregon breweries. I mean, we have breweries right down the road from us that we have on tap. We’re super excited about it. Can’t get any kegs any fresher than from the guys right down the road, you know,” McGee said.

The spacious venue features two stories of seating for visitors. Indoor amenities include pool tables and an 18-foot screen for watching games.

As part of the grand opening celebration, the location set up live music performances, a mechanical bull and axe throwing. For more information about the carts at base camp, or to see upcoming events, check their website

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Lance Campbell

BEND, Ore. — A major expansion of the Deschutes County Courthouse in downtown Bend is nearing completion, adding courtroom space and security improvements as the county’s justice system works to keep pace with a growing Central Oregon.

The $46.8 million project includes a new three-story, 50,933-square-foot addition to the existing courthouse. The expansion includes two sets of courtrooms, jury deliberation rooms, judges’ chambers and support staff offices.

The new space also includes a more accessible entrance, an expanded and upgraded court security checkpoint, public service counters, a lobby and reception area, secure staff parking and a sallyport for transporting people in custody.

The project was developed after two additional judges were appointed to the Deschutes County Circuit Court in 2022, creating a need for additional courtroom space.

Deschutes County Commissioner Tony DeBone said the expansion gives the court system additional room to operate.

“We didn’t have enough courtrooms for the number of judges,” DeBone said. “Now we do, and we have extra room.”

DeBone said the expanded facility also provides a more modern environment for people coming to the courthouse.

“It’s a really bright, modern facility,” DeBone said. “Justice is going to be served. It’s welcoming for all parties.”

The $46.8 million project cost includes the design and construction of the new addition as well as remodeling of the existing main courthouse.

Improvements to the existing courthouse include a new hearing room, meeting spaces, a security office and court administration offices.

The expansion comes as Deschutes County and the rest of Central Oregon continue to grow, increasing demands on the region’s justice system.

For many people, a courthouse is a place they hope they never have to visit. But what happens inside affects victims, defendants, families and the broader community. The expansion is designed to give Deschutes County’s justice system additional space and infrastructure to serve the community for years to come.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: adding comments from library official, video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes Public Library marked a new chapter over the weekend with the formal grand opening of its Central Library in east Bend.

Although the library first welcomed visitors in May, the two-day celebration gave community members an opportunity to explore the new building while taking part in performances, presentations, and other activities.

Sunday’s events included a free documentary screening, a writing workshop with Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston, and a performance by the Bella Acapella Choir.

Liz Goodrich, event supervisor for the Deschutes Public Library, said it was exciting to see residents experience the new space.

“We’ve had two full days of celebrating this new, big, beautiful Central Library with the county residents,” Goodrich said. “It’s just been so much fun, such a delight to see people come into the building and just be so excited.”

The three-story, 103,000-square-foot library offers more than books. Its features include a MakerSpace, meeting and co-working rooms, an early learning area, public art, study spaces, and a café.

“They have a state-of-the-art building. They have a MakerSpace. We have more meeting rooms and larger community rooms for the public to use and for the library to host programs,” Goodrich said.

Goodrich said the early learning area on the second floor has already become a favorite among children and families. She also encouraged visitors to explore the public art displayed on all three floors.

Library leaders say the building was designed to serve as a gathering place for people throughout Deschutes County.

“Libraries are really the center of communities. Everyone is welcome here. All resources and services here are free and open to the public, and that’s a mission that we’re really proud of,” Goodrich said.

The Central Library was made possible through a bond approved by Deschutes County voters in 2020. The bond also funded a new library in Redmond and remodeling projects at libraries in La Pine, Sisters, and Sunriver. It is also funding the ongoing renovation of the Downtown Bend Library.

After years in the making, the weekend’s events were less about opening the doors and more about celebrating the community that made the new library possible.

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Tracee Tuesday

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Three counties and 10 major western water and agricultural organizations have filed friend-of-the-court briefs supporting a request by the Klamath Water Users Association for a larger panel of judges to review a recent federal court ruling involving water deliveries in the Klamath Project.

The filings were submitted Thursday in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, backing a petition filed Aug. 3 by the Klamath Water Users Association, or KWUA. The organization is seeking an en banc rehearing, a process in which a larger group of appellate judges reviews a decision previously issued by a three-judge panel.

At the center of the dispute is how the Endangered Species Act applies to water deliveries from the federally operated Klamath Project, which provides irrigation water to farms in Southern Oregon and Northern California.

KWUA is challenging a June 17 decision issued by a divided three-judge panel. The association argues the ruling should be reconsidered because it conflicts with more recent Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit precedent regarding when federal agencies must consult under the Endangered Species Act.

According to KWUA, many irrigation contracts within the Klamath Project have been in place for more than a century. The group contends that once the Bureau of Reclamation entered into those contracts, its obligations became nondiscretionary unless specific contract language reserved the authority to alter water deliveries.

That distinction is significant because federal courts have generally held that Endangered Species Act consultation requirements apply only when a federal agency retains discretion to act on behalf of protected species.

KWUA’s petition also argues the panel majority relied on an older court decision rather than applying more recent legal precedent. The filing points to a dissenting opinion from Judge Ryan Nelson, who said the court should have conducted a contract-by-contract analysis to determine whether the Bureau of Reclamation retained sufficient discretion to trigger consultation requirements under the ESA.

The case has attracted support from local governments with ties to the Klamath Basin.

In a brief prepared by the law firm Nossaman LLP, Klamath County in Oregon and Siskiyou and Modoc counties in California argued the panel’s decision could significantly affect residents and local economies. The counties urged the court to conduct what they described as the proper legal analysis under Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit precedent while considering the local impacts of the decision.

“Our counties know too well the harsh impacts of the ESA on rural economies and communities,” Siskiyou County Supervisor Michael Kobseff said in a statement. “That’s one reason we act together to ensure that the ESA is at least applied fairly and consistently.”

KWUA President Scott Seus, a farmer in the Tulelake area, praised the counties for their involvement.

“The farm and ranch community in Klamath, Siskiyou and Modoc counties notices that, and we’re grateful for it,” Seus said.

Support also came from a coalition of western water and agricultural organizations represented by the law firm Stoel Rives. The groups argued the case carries broad implications because millions of people throughout the West depend on Bureau of Reclamation water projects.

The coalition includes the Oregon Water Resources Congress, Association of California Water Agencies, Oregon Farm Bureau Federation, California Farm Bureau Federation, Family Farm Alliance, National Water Resources Association, Agribusiness and Water Council of Arizona, Idaho Water Users Association and Washington State Water Resources Association.

April Snell, executive director of the Oregon Water Resources Congress, said water users across the West are closely watching the outcome.

“Water users throughout the West understand that what happens in Klamath can affect us all,” Snell said, adding that the organizations’ support underscores the importance of reliable water supplies for irrigated agriculture.

KWUA Executive Director Elizabeth Nielsen said the filings demonstrate strong partnerships among organizations that advocate for irrigated agriculture across the region.

The Ninth Circuit will now determine whether to grant the request for rehearing. If accepted, the case would be reconsidered by a larger panel of judges, potentially providing additional guidance on how federal agencies should balance long-standing contractual obligations with Endangered Species Act consultation requirements.

The legal fight comes as the Bureau of Reclamation and federal fisheries agencies conduct a separate consultation process on future Klamath Project operations.

KWUA said it plans to continue advocating for what it describes as a strong legal and scientific foundation for reliable water deliveries while meeting federal environmental requirements.

The outcome could have consequences far beyond the Klamath Basin, shaping how the Endangered Species Act is applied to federal water projects and other federal actions across the western United States.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, ORE. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang will host an informal “coffee with a commissioner” session at Red Point Climbing, Coffee and Taps in Terrebonne on Tuesday, Aug. 25, from 10 a.m. to noon. Residents are invited to attend the event to share questions and ideas regarding Deschutes County.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, OR. (KTVZ) — The Grocery Outlet Independence from Hunger Campaign raised $16,546 during the month of July to support local children and families through the Family Access Network. The funds raised will be converted into Grocery Outlet gift cards and distributed to Crook County clients throughout the year.

This marks the fourth consecutive year Grocery Outlet Prineville selected the Family Access Network as the beneficiary of the fundraiser. Store owners Rhonda and Lambert Bourgo partnered with 10 local businesses that matched patron checkout donations up to $500 each, contributing $4,899 toward the final total.

The participating matching businesses included 7th Street Dental, Slater Chiropractic, The Lumberyard, Bigfoot Rentals, Williams Family Electric, Wild Ride Brewery, NW Graphicworks, Bayberry Lane, Sunrise Pool & Spa and St. Charles Health Systems. During the campaign, Family Access Network employees, board members and volunteers visited the Prineville store to bag groceries and assist customers.

Tasha McFarland serves as board chair for the Family Access Network Foundation. “This is such an amazing event! I’m so grateful for these generous matching partners,” McFarland said. “When I was at Grocery Outlet today, I was just blown away by the generosity of their staff and customers.”

Founded in 1993, the Family Access Network places advocates directly inside schools across Central Oregon to connect children and families with assistance. The organization employs 28 advocates across 66 sites in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties, serving more than 7,600 children and family members annually.

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