Category: ktvz-local-news

Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding jail photo, more info; correcting age)

FORT TOWSON, Oklahoma (KTVZ) — A Redmond fugitive recently charged with attempted rape and sexual abuse of a young girl nearly a decade ago has been arrested in Oklahoma, authorities said.

John Patrick Varney Fackrell, 38, was indicted Feb. 25 on one count of first-degree attempted rape, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse and one count of third-degree sexual abuse.

The alleged crimes occurred between January and July of 2016 and involved a girl under the age of 12.

A $500,000 arrest warrant was issued in the case two days after Varney Fackrell’s indictment.

Choctaw County, Oklahoma Sheriff Terry Park said two deputies went to a location and arrested Varney Fackrell in Fort Towson without incident and that he will be extradited back to Oregon to face the charges.

Choctaw County Jail records Monday showed he remained held there for Oregon officials and faces a charge of flight to avoid prosecution.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Deschutes County Elections officials are sharing important information for voters ahead of the Tuesday, May 20, Special District Election.

The Special District Election includes district director contests for community college, fire, school, park and recreation, library, sanitation and water districts. A small portion of county voters will also have the opportunity to vote on two local ballot measures.

Voters should check their mail for a Voters’ Pamphlet, which has information about the candidates and ballot measures. The pamphlet is also available online.

Special District Election ballots will be mailed to every active registered voter in the county on Wednesday, April 30. If you haven’t received a ballot by Tuesday, May 7, please contact the County Clerk’s Office at (541) 388-6547. Once you vote your ballot and sign your ballot return envelope, you can either return it by mail or drop it at any secure, official drop box throughout Deschutes County.

Here are some important dates and information about the 2025 Special District Election:

April 29 – Deadline to register to vote, update your voter registration.

April 29 – Logic & Accuracy test of ballot tabulation equipment at  9 a.m. in the County Clerk’s Office, 1300 NW Wall St. in Bend. The public is invited. Please RSVP in advance if you plan to attend by calling (541) 388-6547.

April 30 – Ballots begin to be mailed to voters. All ballots include a postage-paid return envelope for you to mail in your voted ballot, or if you prefer, you can drop it off at an official ballot drop box location.

May 2 – Deschutes County drop boxes open for voted ballots. Visit the Deschutes County Clerk website to find a drop box location near you.

May 20 – Election Day. Ballots must be received at a drop box by 8 p.m. or postmarked by the United States Postal Service (USPS) by this date and received by the Clerk’s Office by Tuesday, May 27, 2025, to be counted.

*Don’t forget to sign your ballot return envelope before you turn in your ballot.

Preliminary election results will be available on the Deschutes County Clerk website  starting at 8 p.m. on Election Day.

You can find more information and the answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on the County Clerk/Elections website. 

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Barney Lerten

(Update: More specifics on acreage, location)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — With favorable weather conditions in place, the Ochoco National Forest Monday it is beginning this year’s prescribed fire operations this week on nearly 900 acres about 15 miles northeast of Prineville.

“We use prescribed fires to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires,” Public Affairs Officer Isabella Isaksen said in a news release.

We plan on burning up to 898 acres,” she told us.

Prescribed fires planned for the area include: 

Along the north end of Forest Service Road 27, north of Highway 26 and south of Forest Service Road 2710, in the Lookout Mountain Ranger District. 

These areas may close to the public for several days for public safety. Watch for warning signs along roads near all prescribed fire areas before and during burns.  

Residents may experience smoke during the prescribed burns. Go to https://fire.airnow.gov/ to find more detailed information about air quality. When driving, slow down and turn on your headlights when you encounter smoke on the road. 

We will evaluate weather conditions in the hours before a burn begins. If conditions warrant, scheduled prescribed fire activities may be canceled. 

Stay informed about the scheduled prescribed fires through the forest website, social media channels, and InciWeb, the interagency incident information system. We will notify county emergency management officials when burning begins.   

About the Forest Service: The USDA Forest Service has for more than 100 years brought people and communities together to answer the call of conservation. Grounded in world-class science and technology– and rooted in communities–the Forest Service connects people to nature and to each other. The Forest Service cares for shared natural resources in ways that promote lasting economic, ecological, and social vitality. The agency manages 193 million acres of public land, provides assistance to state and private landowners, maintains the largest wildland fire and forestry research organizations in the world. The Forest Service also has either a direct or indirect role in stewardship of about 900 million forested acres within the U.S., of which over 130 million acres are urban forests where most Americans live. 

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KTVZ News Team

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) –  Volunteers with the American Red Cross, Jefferson County Fire and EMS, and Warm Springs Fire and Safety, installed free smoke alarms as part of the national Red Cross Home Fire Campaign.

Volunteers were trained and then headed out into the community to install free smoke alarms in local homes.

The event has helped save more 2,320 lives since launching in October 2014.  

The event is part of the Red Cross’s national Home Fire Campaign, which aims to prevent home fire deaths and make communities safer.

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Jillian Fortner

(Update: adding video, comments from Bend cyclist, Bend Endurance Academy)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Volunteers were busy Friday at The Pavilion, preparing for the first-ever Bend Bike Fest, happening this weekend.

Produced by the Bend Endurance Academy, the festival is the new event home of the Bend Bike Swap from years past. 

Jillian Fortner is visiting Friday’s Volunteer Day for the festival to learn more about the event. She’ll be there live tonight on KTVZ News.

Attendees will have the opportunity to consign new and used gear and bikes, browse offerings from local businesses and nonprofit vendors and enjoy live music, food and drinks. The event also features games and raffle prizes.

Funds raised during the event will directly support the nonprofit’s mission of increasing accessibility to youth sports and recreation in Central Oregon.

“We’re all about spreading sports and making it more accessible for riders who might not have the opportunity to do it otherwise,” said Conor Munns, mountain biking program director with the Bend Endurance Academy.

We learned Friday that the event has reached full capacity for gear and is no longer accepting additional items. More than 1,000 items have already been registered for the event.

Bend resident Dan Smith has been a part of the cycling community for 30 years. He stopped by The Pavilion on Friday to drop off some gear.

“It’s stuff that I’m no longer going to use or need and hopefully can go to a good cause. That would be fantastic,” Smith said.

Some of the items he brought were bicycles, wheels, saddles, stems and handlebars.

“We have such an outdoor community, especially here in Bend,” Munn said. “This festival aspect brings more people here, whether they’re looking to buy a bike or just share the stroke of bike season.”

Munns noted that while there are bike festivals in Washington and California, there hasn’t been one in Oregon for some time. They’re excited to finally bring it to the High Desert.

“Last year it was in a warehouse. They’ve really upgraded this.” Smith said.

The Bike Swap and Fest Expo runs Saturday and Sunday at The Pavilion in Bend.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Amid U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, Bend’s Campfire Hotel said Friday it’s offering a “tariff-free” enticement: a 20% discount on room stays for all Canadian travelers.

Many residents are boycotting American-made goods and cancelling travel plans to the United States, an especially troublesome outlook for hotels on the High Desert, which rely on international visitors.

The Campfire Hotel says it wants Canadians to know they are wanted in Central Oregon, even as international travel is on shaky ground.

“We do kind of see ourselves as rebellious, and more importantly, fully inclusive,” General Manager Keagan Parks said. “We like to make sure that we have a safe space at Campfire Hotel, and that everyone always feels welcome here.”

Parks told KTVZ News about 2% of their visitors come from Canada. That might not sound like a large number, but to them, every guest matters.

KTVZ News is closely following the effects of tariffs here locally. Always feel free to reach out to our newsroom if you’d like to talk about how they impact you.

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