Category: ktvz-local-news

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Police Department is offering a reminder to stay sober behind the wheel, as it’s already arrested more than 240 people for DUII this year alone.

It’s easy to avoid being a DUII statistic if you plan ahead.

“The best thing we can do, is if we’re going to be out drinking, going to bars, or even staying home and drinking, be responsible,” said Officer Tommy Charles. “Get somebody to drive for you. Call an Uber, call a taxi, whatever you need to do to keep yourself from being on the road and endangering other people.”

BPD says the worst case scenario is not that you go to jail, it’s that you get into a crash, and severely hurt yourself or someone else.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — There’s good news, and it comes from our friends at Think Wild!

An adult female garter snake arrived at the wildlife hospital in early June. She was found outdoors barely moving with multiple puncture wounds, and other injuries consistent with a possible cat attack.

After more than two months of treatment and rehabilitation, her wounds have healed, and she is nearly ready for release. But on August 8th, she surprised the team by giving birth to eight babies! Six of the newborn snakes survived, and were healthy enough to be released to the wild just a few days later.

Mom will remain in think wild’s care a little longer before being cleared for release.

Click here to follow the original article.

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Right now, progress continues on the Franklin Avenue project, but drivers should be prepared for another traffic closure beginning Monday, August 17th.

The closure will affect Franklin Avenue between NE Third and NE Fourth streets.

During the closure, traffic will be limited to one-way westbound travel only. There is also an existing closure between NE Second and NE Third streets. Traffic in that section will be limited to one-way eastbound travel, with detours in place.

Officials say business access and emergency response access will be maintained at all times.

For more information about the project and current traffic impacts, click here.

Click here to follow the original article.

Spencer Sacks

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Redmond City Council voted five-one today to advance a proposed ordinance that would establish a permanent ban on all fireworks.

If enacted, the ordinance would change a long-standing tradition in the city. Under previous regulations, fireworks were banned every day except the Fourth of July.

The push for a complete ban follows several fireworks-caused fires this year. The Police Department, fire department and City Council members have been exploring options to prevent future fires.

The Redmond City Council has been looking at ways to curb illegal fireworks usage to prevent potential fires for the last three years.

City Councilor Clifford Evelyn advocated for safety measures and suggested residents attend public displays rather than setting off fireworks in residential neighborhoods. “Safety above everything. Okay. Celebrations. We can go down to the fairgrounds and do it down there and watch the fireworks. And take your family home once its done. You don’t have to do it in your neighborhood, okay? It’s very important to keep kids safe, keep adults safe, keep our property safe,” Evelyn said.

Members of the public addressed the council for close to 45 minutes during the meeting. Opponents of the measure argued that a complete ban unfairly penalizes law-abiding citizens.

“I don’t believe the answer is to take a traditional way from everyone, because some people choose not to follow the rules,” one Redmond resident said.

Another Redmond resident stressed the cultural importance of the holiday. “Everyone who celebrates the 4th of July is celebrating their independence. It’s an American holiday. It’s a patriotic holiday. It’s ingrained in our culture. And for those who want to take that away, I just want to say that is wrong,” the resident said.

Other community members supported the ban, citing increasing hazards in the area. Redmond resident John Fullman spoke in favor of the measure. “It’s dangerous. And the danger in our area is just it’s just too much now. So we can’t ignore anymore,” Fullman said.

The ordinance passed its first reading today. The council will hold a second reading at a later date in Redmond.

Click here to follow the original article.

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, ORE. (KTVZ) — The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation awarded $7,500 to the Family Access Network to support basic-needs services for families in Deschutes County, Ore. The grant will support up to 30 local children during the school year.

The Family Access Network calculates that providing services to one child for an entire school year costs approximately $250. Advocates stationed directly in schools link children and their families to essential local resources.

Julie Lyche, executive director of FAN, highlighted the impact of the grant. “CCUIF has been a longtime supporter of FAN and our services in Deschutes County,” Lyche said. “We are thankful for their partnership and dedication to improving the lives of children and families throughout our community.”

Founded in 1993, FAN employs 28 advocates stationed across 66 sites in Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties. Advocates work directly within schools to connect families to community resources, assisting more than 7,600 children and family members annually across the region.

The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation was founded in 1997 and began its grantmaking in 1998. In its most recent round of funding, the foundation awarded $606,815 to 87 Oregon charities, targeting support toward education, youth and family programs and basic necessities such as food and shelter.

Click here to follow the original article.

Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden traveled across Central Oregon to assess ongoing wildfire response efforts and meet directly with emergency crews.

During his tour of the region, Wyden attended a fire briefing in Warm Springs before traveling to Prineville and the Rowe Creek Complex West Zone. He also visited the air base in Redmond, where crews refuel tankers that drop fire retardant over active fires.

Throughout his visits to the fire sites and facilities, Wyden made a point to ask firefighters directly what support and supplies they required to carry out their work.

“They said that in particular they had about half of what they really needed.” Sen. Wyden, U.S. senator for Oregon, said in a news conference today, ” And that’s now given the fact that we got a couple of months, you know, coming up and I think mentioned with made about the kind of people we really need to respond to, the people they’re talking about, which are managers.”

Wyden punctuated his message by adding: “They said that the fires are fresh and the equipment is stale.”

Wyden was joined at the news conference by local and state leaders, including Mayors Kebler and Letz, State Rep. Emerson Levy and Deschutes County Commissioner Phil Chang.

The participating officials expressed their gratitude to the firefighters battling blazes across the region and emphasized the ongoing need for federal and state funding.

Click here to follow the original article.

Claire Elmer

(Update: adding video, interview with patrol officer)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A private patrol officer may have helped save a Bend woman’s life after discovering smoke coming from her northwest Bend apartment early Sunday morning.

Bianney Ventura, a patrol officer with Patrol Services Inc., was making her rounds at Awbrey Pines Apartments, 2500 NW Regency Street, when she heard a faint alarm and noticed smoke shortly before 1:40 a.m.

Ventura called 911, activated the main building’s fire alarm and began alerting neighbors to evacuate, according to an incident report provided to KTVZ News.

Bend police officers arrived around 2 a.m. and entered the smoke-filled apartment with Ventura after forcing open the door. Inside, they found a woman asleep in a bedroom while wearing headphones, Ventura and the report said.

The woman was awakened and guided safely outside. She told responders no one else was inside the apartment.

Ventura said she has not been able to speak with the woman since the incident but is thankful she was there when needed.

“I couldn’t really speak to her, but, yeah, just very glad that I was able to be there at the right time,” Ventura said. “No sooner or too late, you know.”

Bend Fire & Rescue confirmed the fire started after food was left on a stove. The apartment complex appeared undamaged from the outside.

Ventura, who hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement, said she enjoys her work and the people she meets.

Click here to follow the original article.

Tracee Tuesday

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Redmond City Council is scheduled to hear public testimony Tuesday on a proposal that would prohibit the possession, sale and use of fireworks within city limits.

Ordinance No. 2026-11 would amend Redmond City Code Section 5.305, creating a broader restriction on private fireworks in the city. Currently, private use of legal fireworks is allowed only on July 4, according to the city.

Mayor Ed Fitch said the July Fourth weekend helped convince him to support a complete ban.

“I call it the 7-Eleven weekend,” Fitch told KTVZ. “July 4th, we had 11 fires. Seven of them were caused by fireworks. So it was dramatic.”

The city also said 11 fires occurred in Redmond during the July Fourth weekend.

Fitch said he had resisted a full ban for several years, in part because fireworks have been a family tradition.

“I love doing fireworks with the kids and grandkids, but it’s just getting too difficult,” he said.

The mayor said input from police and fire personnel also influenced his position, particularly the difficulty of identifying illegal fireworks when legal fireworks are also being used.

“Having both legal and illegal fireworks at the same time makes it more difficult to track down illegal fireworks,” Fitch said. “And there’s just too many fires. Plain and simple.”

Fitch said he expects the ordinance to pass and plans to support it.

In written responses to KTVZ, Redmond Fire Marshal Tom Mooney said Redmond Fire & Rescue is concerned about the risk private fireworks can pose to people, property and natural resources during Central Oregon’s hot, dry and windy summer conditions.

“While many fireworks are used responsibly, even legal consumer fireworks have the potential to ignite vegetation, structures, and other combustible materials,” Mooney wrote.

Mooney said the department responds each year to fire incidents directly or indirectly associated with fireworks. He said a ban “would likely reduce the number of ignition sources present during the highest-risk periods of the year.”

“From a fire-service standpoint, fewer fireworks being used generally means fewer opportunities for accidental fires, burn injuries, and fireworks-related emergency calls,” Mooney wrote.

He added that reducing preventable ignitions could help protect homes, businesses and open spaces while allowing first responders to remain available for medical calls, crashes and other emergencies.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office also emphasized wildfire prevention.

“Preventing wildfires caused by fireworks is the primary concern of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office,” Public Information Officer Jason Carr said in a written statement to KTVZ. “Our goal is to help people understand just how quickly fireworks can start a wildfire if they are improperly handled or discarded.”

Carr encouraged people who use fireworks to keep water nearby, use them only on cleared surfaces such as a driveway or paved road, and fully soak them before disposal.

Mooney said Redmond Fire & Rescue recognizes fireworks are a longstanding tradition for many families, but urged councilors and residents to weigh that tradition against the potential risks to neighborhoods, first responders and the broader community.

The public hearing is one of the main agenda items for Tuesday’s (August 11, 2026) Redmond City Council meeting at City Hall.

Click here to follow the original article.

Adrielle Hasara

(Update: adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Thistle & Nest has received a $650,000 award from the City of Bend Affordable Housing Fund to support its Woodhaven Estates development in Southeast Bend.

The funding will offset development and construction costs, reducing purchase prices for qualifying buyers earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income.

The grant is part of a broader effort by the City of Bend to expand affordable housing options throughout the community. During the same funding cycle, Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity was awarded $350,000 to support homebuyer assistance for an upcoming development.

Located off Pettigrew Road, Woodhaven Estates consists of two- and three-bedroom townhomes. The city funds will be distributed to eligible buyers on an as-needed basis, with funding capped at $50,000 per household to reduce the mortgage required for purchase.

The development operates under a community land trust model. Under this structure, buyers purchase the home itself while Thistle & Nest retains ownership of the land beneath it. Resale provisions are designed to keep the homes affordable for future buyers while allowing current homeowners to build equity.

Amy Warren, board president and founder of Thistle & Nest, emphasized the challenge that local families face when trying to buy a home. “High home prices and the upfront costs of purchasing a home remain significant barriers for Central Oregon families, even when they can manage a monthly mortgage payment,” Warren said. “The City’s investment helps us close that affordability gap at Woodhaven Estates, giving more Central Oregonians the opportunity to build equity, achieve greater financial stability and remain rooted in the community where they live and work.”

Click here to follow the original article.