Category: ktvz-local-news

Triton Notary

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) The Bend-La Pine Education Foundation has expanded its Axel F. Hoch Legacy Scholarship program in Bend, Ore., selecting 12 new students for the 2026–27 school year. This expansion brings the total number of students supported by the program to 32 scholars who are pursuing higher education, trade schools and technical programs. The scholarship recognizes students who demonstrate perseverance and have overcome significant personal challenges.

The Hoch Legacy Scholarship is built upon the Foundation’s Perseverance Awards and honors the vision of Hoch. Unlike traditional scholarships that often prioritize grades or test scores, this program focuses on grit, determination and resilience over academic metrics. It supports students who have faced adversity such as poverty, homelessness, family hardships and health struggles, as they continue their educational journeys throughout Oregon.

Jamie Goldman, executive director of the Bend-La Pine Education Foundation, highlighted the program’s unique approach. “Success looks different for every student,” Goldman said. “The students in this program have already overcome challenges that many adults never face. They have shown remarkable resilience and determination and we are honored to stand beside them as they continue their educational journeys and redefine what success can look like.” The scholarship provides more than financial assistance, offering ongoing support designed to remove barriers and help students thrive. This includes pairing each recipient with a mentor to guide them through their college or career journey.

Cheri Helt, a Bend-La Pine Education Foundation representative, emphasized the deeper purpose of the initiative. “This program is about more than helping students get to college or training programs,” Helt said. “It is about helping students believe that their story, their hard work and their future matter.” The newest cohort joins an expanding community of scholars pursuing various fields. These range from health care and education to skilled trades, engineering and business.

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Tracee Tuesday

(Update: adding video, Life Flight Network is a not-for-profit air medical transport organization)

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — St. Charles Health System is switching air medical transport partners, naming Life Flight Network as its preferred provider for patient transport and ending a long-standing relationship with AirLink.

The decision comes after a months-long request for proposals process focused on patient transportation between St. Charles facilities and from St. Charles hospitals to out-of-region care facilities. The change does not impact 911 emergency response services in Central Oregon communities.

Life Flight Network, a not-for-profit air medical transport organization founded in Oregon in 1978, has served Central Oregon for decades and opened its Redmond base in 2012. The organization is owned by four nonprofit Pacific Northwest health systems: OHSU, Legacy, Providence and St. Alphonsus.

AirLink, which has been a staple in the Central Oregon community since at least 2013, said it respects St. Charles’ decision but will remain in the area.

“We’re not going anywhere. We’ve been here a long time. And in fact, there’s people on our team that have been with the company for well over 20 years. And AirLink has been a staple in the community,” said Dan Brattain, regional vice president for AirLink. “We respect their decision. That’s their call. However, we know what our service is. We provided a top-notch service to the community.”

Brattain said AirLink has secured two hangars in Redmond and added another hangar in Bend after the hospital indicated it wants to use the current pad area for expansion. The company will move off the hospital pad back to the Bend Airport and may do some basing in Redmond.

“Our understanding is where there were three bidders, as being one of those and obviously LifeFlight. And they selected LifeFlight. We still have a current agreement with them. So our agreement expires in a few months,” Brattain said.

Life Flight says patients will see no disruption during the transition, which will happen over the coming months.

“We’re very familiar with the Saint Charles system as we’ve been flying patients in and out of the hospitals in this Central Oregon area. And so there shouldn’t be any disruption. We’re familiar with the system. We’re familiar with the providers and how they transfer patients,” said Angela Holcomb, business area manager for Life Flight. “The public shouldn’t see any disruption at all in services.”

Holcomb said Life Flight and AirLink have worked side by side for 14 years with great working relationships.

“The majority of people can’t tell us apart when we show up into a hospital room and we’re coming to take their loved one. And so I think for the public to know that both air medical companies provide excellent service in this area. And I don’t see that anyone will notice much difference as far as the public is concerned,” Holcomb said.

Life Flight crews operate with a team of three: a pilot, a critical care nurse and a critical care paramedic. The aircraft services all of Central Oregon and can fly to Portland, Klamath Falls and other locations as needed. Five or six helicopters stationed throughout the valley, north of Central Oregon and east of Central Oregon cover the region, all within less than an hour away.

For 911 calls, Deschutes County 911 dispatches the closest available aircraft, whether it’s Life Flight, AirLink or another aircraft from outside Central Oregon, ensuring patients get care as quickly as possible.

“What I’m most proud of is our culture. The dedication that all of our flight crew members and our pilots and our mechanics and our air staff and our support staff, everyone within the company and how we all have the same mission. We all have the same values. We all want what’s best for the patient,” Holcomb said.

All Life Flight staff at the Redmond base live in Central Oregon, raise their kids here and recreate here.

“We were founded in Oregon almost 50 years ago. So we’ve been in the central Oregon area operating here for the last 14 years at this Redmond base. But our aircraft out of Portland has been also servicing this area prior to us establishing a base here,” Holcomb said.

St. Charles values its longstanding collaboration with regional EMS partners and remains committed to working closely with local agencies in support of the communities they collectively serve.

LifeFlight says patients are expected to see a transition from AirLink to their critical care medical transport. That transition will happen in the next few months, with no disruptions expected in service.

Reported at 11:53 AM on May 27, 2026

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — St. Charles Health System is moving away from its longtime air ambulance program, AirLink, and partnering with Life Flight Network to handle patient transports across Central Oregon and beyond.

The change will roll out in the coming months, shifting how critically ill patients are moved between facilities.

The decision is raising questions about what prompted the switch, how patients may be affected, and what lies ahead for AirLink and its members.

KTVZ’s Tracee Tuesday takes a closer look in a full report tonight at 6 p.m. on NBC.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: adding comments from Prineville Planning Director)

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Prineville housing development is moving forward with a new builder, and city leaders say the change could help add more homes to the fast-growing community.

The Ochoco Pointe subdivision has been in Prineville since 2003. Over the years, Pahlisch Homes has built up a large part of the neighborhood.

Now, Pahlisch has assigned its agreement to purchase the remaining lots to another builder, Lennar.

Because the land is city-owned, the change had to be approved by Prineville City Council.

“If we’re going to sell property to a developer, we want to know what it’s going to look like and what it’s going to be,” said Joshua Smith, planning director for the City of Prineville.

“We assigned it to Pahlisch, and we had specific requirements. So they had to come back to City Council and request that they allow that to be turned over to Lennar,” Smith added.

The City of Prineville worked with Lennar on the development’s rules, street networks, and overall design. The goal is to build on the groundwork Pahlisch laid, while providing more housing at a lower price point.

“They made the decision to allow the assignment primarily based on providing a slightly lower priced home,” Smith said. “What it does is it keeps the project moving, which it would have stalled out.”

Lennar is expected to build around 150 homes in the next phases. That will help add inventory, but it is only one piece of Prineville’s housing needs.

The city is also seeing apartments go up, while still looking for more ways to fill low- to middle-income housing gaps.

“We have a need at the low end. I think that’s everywhere,” Smith said.

“A tremendous amount of apartments being built. So that’s kind of hitting some of that upper middle. I think we have a little bit of need at that lower middle,” Smith added.

City leaders say Prineville is actively planning for growth, while trying to make sure each step protects the culture and community that make the city unique.

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Harley Coldiron

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A drug trafficking case with ties to Central Oregon has now brought Bend residents into the middle of a much larger federal investigation.

Federal prosecutors say six people have been charged in connection with a methamphetamine and cocaine trafficking network that stretched from the Portland area to Bend, where investigators say two of the defendants helped move large quantities of drugs for resale.

Bend connection

Among those charged are Nathalie Claire Buchanan, 28, and Charles Ottis Johnson, 37, both of Bend. According to court documents, investigators say the two were trafficking partners who routinely bought large amounts of methamphetamine in the Portland and Salem areas and brought it back to the Bend area to sell.

Prosecutors say the case came into focus after a February 11 traffic stop, when police found more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine in the car Buchanan and Johnson were riding in. Investigators also reviewed text messages tied to the alleged drug deal, which they say added to the evidence against them.

How the case unfolded

The federal case stems from an investigation that began in July 2025, when the DEA, Oregon State Police, and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force started looking into a Forest Grove supplier believed to be run by Mariano Perez-Sanchez.

Court documents say Perez-Sanchez acted as a drug dispatcher and took orders from retail-level distributors. Investigators say other defendants worked as couriers, including Cristina Echeverria, who allegedly delivered drugs to Buchanan at a hotel before the Bend-area traffic stop.

On February 17, 2026, OSP troopers stopped Echeverria and Rafael Mora Contreras after what authorities say was an overnight trip to California to restock drugs. Troopers allegedly found 28 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine in Echeverria’s car.

Troopers allegedly found 28 pounds of methamphetamine and 6 kilograms of cocaine in Echeverria’s car.

Investigators also say Dagoberto Ayala-Lopez worked as a courier for Perez-Sanchez, and that a search of his vehicle and home turned up more than 2 kilograms of methamphetamine.

What prosecutors say

The six defendants were charged in a second superseding information on April 29 with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, along with other drug counts, including distribution of methamphetamine and cocaine.

The defendants are:

Rafael Mora Contreras, 45, Forest Grove.

Cristina Echeverria, 42, Forest Grove.

Nathalie Claire Buchanan, 28, Bend.

Charles Ottis Johnson, 37, Bend.

Mariano Perez-Sanchez, 42, Forest Grove.

Dagoberto Ayala-Lopez, 38, Hillsboro.

Bend suspects background

A review of court documents found Nathalie Buchanan has had several misdemeanor arrests, while Charles Johnson has an extensive criminal history in Crook County. He has been arrested at least 11 times in the County dating back to 2006. His arrests include DUII, eluding a police officer, theft, trespass, and possession.

DEA is leading the investigation with help from Oregon State Police and the Clackamas County Interagency Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lewis Burkhart is prosecuting the case.

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Campbell Porter

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Applications for Wickiup Station Apartments, a new affordable housing community in La Pine, will open on Thursday, May 28, 2026, along with a community application event. This event marks a major milestone for the development located in the Wickiup Junction area.

The new development will provide 39 affordable housing units, offering a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. These units are designed to support individuals and families in the La Pine community making below 60% Area Median Income. Ten of the units will be reserved for veterans and rents will range from approximately $643 to $1,783, with all utilities included.

Cascade Management will oversee the leasing and property management for Wickiup Station Apartments. Representatives from Cascade Management will be available during the May 28 lease-up event to answer questions and assist prospective residents with the application process. For more information on leasing, individuals can email: wickiup@cascade-management.com.

Residents will also have access to supportive programming and community-building opportunities through Embrace Resident Services. This nonprofit organization, founded in 1999, is part of the Foundation for Affordable Housing and provides individualized, no-cost services to residents. Programs offered may include after-school activities for children, financial literacy and employment workshops, health and wellness programming, food distributions, case management support, social events, veterans services and connections to local community resources. On-site service coordinators work directly with residents to help address barriers, strengthen community relationships and foster a safe, supportive environment.

Upon completion, the property will feature various amenities including secured entries, a large community room, game room, state-of-the-art gym and two common decks with mountain views. Outdoor amenities will include a playground, raised bed gardens and natural areas, designed to foster connection, well-being and a healthy lifestyle.

Applications for Wickiup Station Apartments will be available in person and online starting May 28, 2026. A community lease-up event will also take place Thursday, May 28th from 1-6PM at the American Legion in La Pine.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon State University-Cascades has launched the Energy Innovation Center in Bend to accelerate research and development in energy technologies. The center will focus on energy storage, carbon capture and abatement, and power generation and controls.

The new center is designed to help advance the work of entrepreneurs and companies focused on energy solutions. Campus leaders view the center as a demonstration of the university-industry partnerships possible at the campus’s future innovation district.

Zachary Taie, executive director, and Chris Hagen, co-director, lead the Energy Innovation Center. They leverage existing expertise in energy research at the OSU campus in Bend, as well as energy sector assets in Central Oregon and beyond.

The Energy Innovation Center occupies an 11,000 square-foot space located on Potts Court in District 2 of Northwest Crossing, Bend, about one mile from the OSU-Cascades campus. This facility includes a light industrial laboratory with access to 800 amps of 208 three-phase power.

The space also features tall ceilings and roll-up garage doors that can accommodate forklift access. Additionally, it provides meeting, conferencing and project space, and a kitchen for researchers and tenants.

Tenants at the center will gain access to various resources within Oregon State University. These resources include the Advantage team, which supports intellectual property licensing, and entrepreneurial training through the Advantage Accelerator. Tenants can also access additional manufacturing instrumentation through the Advanced Technologies and Manufacturing Institute.

Zachary Taie, the executive director of the Energy Innovation Center, earned a bachelor’s degree in energy systems engineering from OSU-Cascades. He also holds a master’s degree and a doctorate in mechanical engineering from OSU. During his doctoral studies, Taie received a fellowship from the U.S. Department of Energy to conduct research at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He previously led a $35 million portfolio of projects in the Department of Energy’s Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Office. Taie returned to Bend in 2023 to join RedoxBlox, a startup focused on thermochemical energy storage technology, before joining the Energy Innovation Center at OSU-Cascades.

“Central Oregon and the Pacific northwest are evolving as an epicenter for businesses and entrepreneurs focused on finding solutions to energy challenges facing our country and world,” Taie said. “The Energy Innovation Center at OSU-Cascades, in partnership with OSU, will support these companies and entrepreneurs, helping them more quickly transform ideas into viable commercial solutions.”

Chris Hagen serves as co-director of the center. Hagen is a professor of energy systems engineering and an expert in energy conversion and storage related issues. His expertise includes thermal energy storage and next generation fuels, which may offer greenhouse gas reduction opportunities. Hagen founded and directed the Energy Systems Lab at OSU-Cascades, leading work that resulted in the spinoff of Onboard Dynamics, a company now located in Bend.

The center is anticipated to move to the Innovation District at OSU-Cascades as the district develops. This future innovation district is planned to be 24 acres. Campus leaders are currently securing a master developer for the first eight-acre phase of the district.

The first buildings in the innovation district at OSU-Cascades are anticipated to open in 2028.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A suspected robbery of marijuana vapes was captured on camera. The business, Wacky Tobacky on Greenwood, seeks public assistance in identifying the individual in the video.

In the video, you can see a young man tearing vapes off of the wall. The manager, Jay Burns was just around the corner and gave chase. Outside, security cameras captured the suspect heading towards a car he arrived in, but Burns is too close to him, and he opts to run around the corner. Burns says he hurt his foot, and returned to the parking lot to get in his car. Then, Burns says he was able to catch up with the suspect, who was allegedly changing his shirt when Burns found him.

According to Burns, the suspect offered to return all of the stolen items, but then only returned some of them, before fleeing again.

Wacky Tobacky reports that some product remains missing from the store and is in the process of filing a police report.

Burns, believes the suspected robbery was a planned event, because of how the suspect parked and then waited till he was called to the back of the store by a co-worker.

“Daniel was in the back helping a customer.” Explained Burns, “He called me back there because he needed to know something about one of our products back there. I walked back there and then, right when I walked out, a couple of minutes after or seconds after I walked back there, that kid got out of the car that was parked right there. So I’m assuming they were just watching through the window, saw there was no one up front for a second.”

Employees at Tobacky are circulating the suspect’s picture. They have heard of similar incidents in the area and suspect this individual may have committed other thefts elsewhere.

The store is filing a police report regarding the incident. Employees will continue to show the suspect’s picture around the area as they believe he may be responsible for similar thefts.

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Tracee Tuesday

Update: Central Oregon Fire Information is reporting the Zen Fire is now 40% contained, with the fire burning 1,500 acres. According to the latest reports, crews are continuing with suppression efforts.

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – Fire crews are reporting steady progress on a wildfire burning in a remote, hard-to-access area, with improved weather conditions helping slow its spread.

Officials say the fire is holding at about 1,500 acres and is roughly 3% contained, with no new growth reported. Recent rain has played a key role in moderating fire behavior after strong wind gusts — reaching up to 49 miles per hour — helped drive rapid spread when the fire first ignited.

“Anytime you have wind, dryness and heat, that’s a recipe for a fire,” said Suzannah Burke, Public Information Officer for Central Oregon Fire Management Service, noting crews were prepared for the conditions and responded quickly.

The terrain remains one of the biggest challenges. Much of the fire is burning in steep, rugged areas with limited access, making it difficult for crews to fully map the fire perimeter and establish containment lines. Firefighters are relying on a mix of ground crews, air resources and specialized teams to navigate cliffs and narrow canyon areas.

Despite those challenges, suppression efforts are ongoing, with crews working toward full containment as conditions allow.

Looking ahead, officials say cooler temperatures and lighter winds are expected to continue in the coming days, with the possibility of additional rain. While moisture is helping current fire conditions, crews are also watching for lightning associated with storms.

Lightning can create delayed fire starts, smoldering for days before igniting under warmer, drier conditions.

“We do want to monitor if we do have rain for lightning,” Burke said. “Lightning can often lead to a new start. It can smolder for a few days, and then once things warm up, that’s when you can see a fire start.”

As of now, there are no road closures, evacuations or public access restrictions tied to the fire.

Fire officials are also emphasizing prevention as fire season ramps up, noting that more than half of wildfires in Oregon are caused by human activity. They urge the public to follow restrictions and avoid activities like fireworks or open burning.

For the latest updates on wildfires in Central Oregon, visit Central Oregon Fire Info.

Reported on at 1:00 pm, May 26, 2026

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) – The ZEN Fire is burning south of Clarno in Wasco County and remains at 0% containment as crews continue to monitor and respond to the blaze.

KTVZ’s Tracee Tuesday will have a full update on the ZEN Fire, including the fire’s current behavior and what is driving its spread, how crews are working to contain it, and what weather conditions firefighters are watching most closely in the next 12 to 24 hours.

We’ll also ask fire personnel whether any road closures, evacuations, or public access restrictions could be coming if conditions worsen.

Tune into KTVZ News at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. on our FOX affiliate for the latest.

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Claire Elmer

(Update: adding comments from family members)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Northeast Bend family returned Tuesday to what remains of their home, days after a late-night fire destroyed two residences and caused more than $1 million in damage.

For the Juarez family, the house was more than a structure. It was where they grew up, celebrated birthdays, and built a lifetime of memories.

“All of our memories are here. I can’t pick one,” said Gabriela Juarez, who lived in the home with her mother and siblings. “They’re all precious to me now. Even the bad ones, they’re all special now.”

The fire broke out late on May 21, just hours after the family had gathered to celebrate the youngest family member’s 5th birthday.

Gabriela said they had noticed the smell of smoke earlier in the day, but did not know where it was coming from, even after checking WatchDuty and neighbors online.

Hours later, the family woke up to smoke and flames.

“It all happened so fast,” Gabriela said. “By the time I ran through, the door was already covered in flames. The whole night I could just still feel the heat on my back from the flames behind me.”

Everyone made it out safely. But Gabriela said the fire moved so quickly, a matter of seconds could have changed the outcome.

“I’m so glad that I didn’t waste any time grabbing anything,” she said. “Our fire alarms were good and recent updated. We don’t remember hearing anything. We don’t even remember hearing sirens. We were so in shock.”

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

On Tuesday, Gabriela returned to the home for the first time. What remained was mostly ash, twisted metal, and collapsed walls. But within the damage, the family found a few precious items that survived — including a small souvenir and old family keepsakes.

Gabriela’s mother, Maria Contreras, said she found boxes of family photos, birthday cards, and school projects through a hole in the garage wall.

One of those items, made by Gabriela’s sister, Destiny, when she was a child, went from a stored ceramic to a prized keepsake. 

“Destiny made a little bowl at school. It was like a chocolate brown color,” Maria said. “I remember when she brought it home when she was little, I thought it was so ugly. And when I reached in and grabbed that, it was the most beautiful thing I’ve seen.”

The family is now working through insurance, temporary housing, and the long recovery process ahead. Gabriela said the support they have received from the community has helped keep them going.

“It’s crazy to see strangers donate to us and send us messages and call us and show up for us when they never knew us,” she said. “It’s definitely helping.”

Even surrounded by loss, the family said they are focusing on what they still have: each other, and a community helping them through.

Gabriela has set up a GoFundMe to help support the family.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon drivers are getting a little relief at the pump this week.

According to GasBuddy, the average price for regular gas in Oregon dropped nearly 5 cents over the past week, now sitting at $5.26 a gallon. That’s still about 26 cents higher than a month ago — and more than a dollar higher than this time last year.

Across the country, the national average also fell, down nearly 7 cents to $4.45 a gallon. The highest price was nearly $6.90 — a difference of more than two dollars per gallon.

Meanwhile, the national average price for diesel also dipped this week, falling 4 cents to $5.57 a gallon.

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