Harley Coldiron
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Fourth graders at Buckingham Elementary in Bend were pumped up and ready to learn about the weather as KTVZ’s Chief Meteorologist John Carroll made a special visit. He talked about how to figure out the weather by looking for signs in the sky.
If your interested in our weather team stopping by, always feel free to contact us at weather@ktvz.com
Tracee Tuesday
(Update: Adding video)
CENTRAL OREGON [KTVZ] — Central Oregon’s housing market continues to evolve. It presents both challenges and opportunities.
Affordability and supply, remain at the forefront of concerns.
According to Rocket, in Bend, the median home list price reached $899,000, in April 2025. That’s a 14.5% increase from 2024.
What follows is Redmond, with a median price of approximately $500,000.
These rising prices, coupled with mortgage rates between 6% and 7%, make homeownership a challenge for many.
In Bend, prices are also rising because of the type of ‘buyers,’ said Principal Broker, Lynnea Miller of Bend Premier Real Estate.
“Believe it or not, we have a lot of people who are buying homes in the million-dollar price point – $2 million price point, who are cash buyers. It depends on where they’re from, and so, our feeder markets typically are from the Bay Area. We steal from the Bay Area. We have a lot of people who have a lot of money moving into this area. and so that’s also driven our prices up. With a median home price of $830,000 it’s not affordable for the average person. They just can’t afford this town.”
Another reason: Miller says, as of the date of this report, Bend only has four months of housing supply, indicating a seller’s market.
Another main factor driving up housing costs: Developer fees.
“You’re not trying to sit back and negate, like I said, the intent behind people introducing these new codes, because again, everybody loves trees. We want to live in a place that has a lot of trees. We want to live in places that the roads are nice. We want to live in places that the landscaping looks beautiful,” said Jason Myhre, Chief Communications Officer, with Pahlisch homes.
Myhre added: “It’s very inviting so, we all want to live in those places, and Development wants to continue to develop those, places. But, it’s just trying to look at, again, are we continuing to add layers? And if so, it’s obviously going to affect, time and cost and, which then just gets passed on to the end consumer with the finished product.”
Myhre also points out, we have to move away from finger-pointing on who’s responsible for the higher cost of building a home, as it’s a collaborative effort between your City and the Developer.
So, what can you do as a consumer, to express your concerns over exorbitant fees and ultimately change the outcome?
Reach out to your local City Council, as ‘they’ adopt the methodologies for System Development Charges (SDCs); fees paid by developers to help fund infrastructure for new growth.
What about the folks who make normal working-class wages, but are not able to attain home ownership, like first-time home buyers?
There are programs out there that can help, said Scott Nordquist, Vice President of Resource Development, of Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity.
“What we do with Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity is we provide pathways to homeownership for regular working-class Oregonians. So, our typical home buyers are folks who make 25, $30 an hour. Our buyers might have a mortgage of, you know, $1300, $1400, $1500, and then a few years from now, they still have that mortgage, so, as their wages continue to go up, they really have a foundation for stability, and a mortgage that they can afford.”
Take a look at Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity’s Qualifications Guide.
The minimum annual income range to qualify for a home is $35,000 to $56,720.
If you’re not quite ready to become a homeowner, what are your rental options?
That’s coming up in part ii of our Problem Solvers report.
As Central Oregon navigates these housing challenges, the collaboration between policymakers, developers, and the community will be crucial in fostering a more balanced and inclusive market.
KTVZ News will continue to monitor these developments and provide updates on efforts to enhance housing affordability and availability in the region.
John Carroll
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — On Thursday, the fourth-graders at Buckingham Elementary School got a visit from KTVZ Chief Meteorologist John Carroll to discuss weather forecasting.
The students were curious about the origin of the word “meteorologist” and found out it has little to do with meteors. They all became “weather detectives,” as John discussed how a meteorologist must look for clues to solve a mystery – and the mystery is the forecast.
They also enjoyed topics like the water cycle and the Adventures of Robbie the Raindrop, Carroll’s children’s book.
The KTVZ Local Alert Weather team would like to thank Ms. Sullivan for contacting us and helping arrange the visit.
If you’s like one of our meteorologists to come to your school, you can email john.carroll@ktvz.com or shannon.brady@ktvz.com and we can sort out the details of our visit.
Barney Lerten
(Update: Police confirm subject of search, take wanted suspect into custody)
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Redmond Police released a statement Thursday evening regarding the arrest of a wanted fugitive after police surrounded a Redmond home for more than an hour.
Here is the latest release from the Redmond Police Department:
On May 22, 2025, at approximately 1:49 PM, Redmond Police Department (RPD) Investigators were able to identify Tyler Kane at a location in SW Redmond. Tyler Kane, a 30-year-old-male, was originally sought on Tuesday, May 20. He was wanted on a Probation Violation and several local charges in connection with a domestic violence incident and burglary. RPD, with assistance from the Central Oregon Emergency Response Team (CERT), took Tyler Kane into custody at approximately 5:11 PM. RPD utilized multiple resources during this operation,n including K9 and drones.
Mr. Kane was taken into custody without incident.
Mr. Kane was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail on a Probation Violation Warrant, Theft 1, Theft II, Burglary 1, Coercion, Harassment-Domestic Violence, and Criminal Mischief 1.
RPD appreciates the services from our partner agencies the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Bend Police Department, and CERT for their assistance on this call.
RPD would like to remind the community if they, or someone they know, are a victim of intimate partner violence, you are not alone. Resources are available by calling the Saving Grace hotline, available 24/7 at 541-389-7021.
—
Earlier info:
Police equipped with several drones, a K-9 team and an armored car converged on a home in southwest Redmond Thursday afternoon, looking for and finding a fugitive wanted in burglary and domestic violence incidents.
Until the situation ended, the public was asked to avoid the area.
“There is a high police presence in the area of the 200 block of SW Third Street,” a Facebook post around 3:30 p.m. said. “Please avoid the area if possible to allow for resources to get into and out of the area. There is no known threat to the community at this time.”
A KTVZ News photographer reported seeing four drones on the scene and heard officers calling for “Tyler” to come out. Around 5:15 p.m., someone was taken into custody
Redmond Police Lt. April Huey later confirmed to KTVZ News they were looking for Tyler J. Kane. Police had asked the public for tips earlier in the week to find him.
Barney Lerten
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Longer, warmer days are here—and so is Summer with the Library! Starting June 1, readers and adventurers of all ages can join the free Summer with the Library program and dive into a season of stories, activities, and fun. Participants can earn a free book at summer’s end.
All reading counts—whether it’s a physical book, audiobook, e-book or anything in between. Track your progress with a paper reading and activity log or use the Beanstack app. Paper logs are available at all Deschutes Public Library locations starting June 1, or sign up online at dpls.beanstack.org/reader365.
“Summer with the Library keeps minds engaged and celebrates the joy of reading,” says Deschutes Public Library’s Youth Services Supervisor Chandra vanEijnsbergen. “We create meaningful ways for people of all ages to stay connected and engaged all summer long.”
Don’t miss the Summer with the Library Kick-off Celebration on Saturday, May 31 • 10:00 a.m.–noon at Alpenglow Park in Bend. This all-ages celebration features outdoor exhibits from the Children’s Museum of Central Oregon, live music from Ian and the Oopsies, library swag, and more. Check out our online calendar and events guide for a full lineup of programs happening in June, July, and August.
“Not everyone can make it into the library, so we bring the Summer with the Library program to local communities,” says vanEijnsbergen. “Our Community Librarians deliver books and activities that spark curiosity and connection, wherever people are.”
Visit the library’s website at www.deschuteslibrary.org/summer for a full list of programs, including when and where the library will be near you.
Barney Lerten
(Update: Adding video)
SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Muriatic acid fumes from a chemical storage closet on Tuesday brought Sisters-Camp Sherman firefighters and a Salem hazardous materials team to the Tollgate subdivision’s pool facility, officials said. No injuries were reported.
At 4:19 p.m., the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District was notified of a hazardous materials incident at the Tollgate subdivision pool facility, Shift Commander Pat Burke said in a news release Wednesday.
Maintenance personnel from the Tollgate Homeowners Association reported that muriatic acid was ”fuming” from the vents of the facility’s chemical storage closet.
Fire and EMS crews responded promptly and confirmed the presence of a hazardous materials spill. A safety perimeter was quickly established to contain the incident and protect nearby residents and property. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
To support the containment efforts, Hazmat Team 13 from Salem Fire Department was dispatched to the scene. The spill was successfully mitigated, and fire crews were cleared from the scene at 10:18 p.m.
Agencies assisting in the response included the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District, Black Butte Rural Fire Protection District, and the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District reminds all residents and visitors in Sisters Country to report spills immediately. If a spill occurs and you are unsure how to handle it, evacuate the area and call 911. First responders are trained to safely contain and hazardous materials.
If you have questions about chemical safety or emergency preparedness, please contact the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District at 541-549-0771.
Barney Lerten
SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Here’s the recorded KTVZ News livestream of Wednesday’s meeting of the Police Policy Committee of Oregon’s public safety oversight board, as members unanimously recommended a lifetime revocation of Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp’s certification.
A short time later, van der Kamp gave a statement to KTVZ News, expressing disappointment in the committee decision but announcing he plans to retire “in the coming months.”
Barney Lerten
(Update: Adding video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Just an hour after the Police Policy Committee of Oregon’s public safety regulator board voted unanimously Thursday to recommend a lifetime ban on Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp’s police certification, he announced that he plans “retirement in the coming months.”
Members of the committee said they voted in favor of removing van der Kamp’s certification because of numerous false or misleading statements uncovered in their investigation.
Here is the statement in full that van der Kamp provided to KTVZ News:
“While my legal team was limited in the scope of information we were permitted to present today, I am proud of the clarity and professionalism with which they outlined the facts and defended my record with the written materials. I am, however, disappointed that the committee appeared to disregard the absence of actual evidence in the historic La Mesa matter and instead relied on speculation and subjective impressions in reaching their decision.
“To the dedicated men and women of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office and the community we serve, I offer my deepest and most sincere apologies. This outcome is not what I, nor the community, expected or deserve. I recognize the weight of this moment and the impact it has on all of you—my colleagues, supporters, and the people who placed their trust in my leadership. I am incredibly grateful for the past 23 years of service in this county—for the unwavering support, the camaraderie, and the friendships built through years of shared commitment to public safety.
“During my tenure, I was honored to lead a cultural shift at the Sheriff’s Office—ending patterns of retaliation, reducing exposure to lawsuits, transparent hiring and promotional processes, streamlining operations to protect taxpayer money with a streamlined budget, and rebuilding vital partnerships with other county departments, public safety agencies, and community organizations. These are just a few priorities we met in record time.
“Following today’s hearing, my team will begin the appeals process in hopes of correcting the record. According to DPSST officials, my certifications remain in good standing pending the outcome of the appeal. I will provide more updates when I get them.
“In the meantime, my family and I are continuing to make plans for my retirement in the coming months. I remain grateful for the opportunity to have served this county for the past 23 years.”
END OF STATEMENT
—
At least two local elected officials – county Commissioner Tony DeBone and Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler – said Thursday that van der Kamp should step down immediately.
First, here’s DeBone’s statement:
“Public Safety is the number one priority for Deschutes County. If you are a long-time resident or moved here recently, if you are a tourist, friend or relative visiting. Public Safety is number one! From patrol to the jail or detectives and search and rescue the Sheriff’s office is fundamental in providing service for the community. I want to thank all of the Sheriff’s office members that serve the community all year long.
“Retired Deschutes County Sheriff Les Stiles quote: “Do the hard right not the easy wrong”
“As your County Commissioner, I work with the Sheriff’s office in Financial, Personnel and Legal matters. Today (May 22, 2025) the Department of Public Safety Standards and Training (DPSST) Police Policy Committee has voted unanimously to revoke van der Kamp’s certification. I now ask that Kent van der Kamp please walk away so the community can move forward.
“The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners will appoint a new Sheriff before the next election cycle,” DeBone concluded.
In response to a question from KTVZ News, DeBone added that he meant van der Kamp should resign “immediately. He is elected and can drag this out for a while, but I can not support the top public safety official in our county not being trustworthy.”
Fellow Commissioner Phil Chang shared with us a column he wrote also calling for van der Kamp to step down.
Appreciate the Sheriff and Request his Resignation
We can both appreciate an elected official and, simultaneously, know that they can’t continue to serve. 10 years ago, John Kitzhaber resigned shortly after being sworn in for a 4th term as Oregon’s Governor. Parts of Kitzhaber’s story provide useful insights as the people of Deschutes County seek a path forward after revelations about past dishonest testimony under oath by now Sheriff Kent van der Kamp about his educational background.
Kitzhaber accomplished great things as Governor – from salmon recovery to overhauling our health care system to land conservation and more. But he made a mistake which made it impossible for him to continue to serve. At that moment, we could both appreciate the Governor’s many accomplishments and still want him to resign to spare our State a long distracting scandal.
Candidate and now Sheriff van der Kamp deserves our appreciation for many things. Former Sheriff Nelson was a toxic leader who ruled the Sheriff’s Office through fear and intimidation. Staff were so afraid of Nelson’s retribution that almost no one had the courage to run against him and his chosen successor in 2024. Van der Kamp was brave enough to do so. When van der Kamp stepped up to run, the members of the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Employee’s Association found hope that someone might deliver them from Nelson’s rule and voted by an overwhelming margin to endorse van der Kamp. Immediately after van der Kamp won the election, morale at the Sheriff’s Office surged and so did employee recruitment.
Van der Kamp has also been a pro-active and disciplined fiscal leader. Sheriff Nelson cut taxes at a time when the Sheriff’s Office really needed the revenue and then raised taxes by three times as much just a few years later when the Office was on the edge of a fiscal cliff. Nelson’s own poor personnel decisions resulted in lawsuits alleging wrongful termination, gender-related discrimination and harassment, tampering with internal investigations, and retaliation. In aggregate, the legal penalties, settlement fees, and other costs of litigation that Nelson inspired cost $2.9 million.
Even as Nelson turned away needed tax revenue and racked up legal expenses, he showed up each of the last 4 years to County Budget Committee meetings complaining that the $55 million generated by the Sheriff’s Office taxing districts didn’t produce enough revenue and demanding that other County revenue streams bail him out.
But last week, Sheriff van der Kamp delivered a thoughtful, balanced budget to the Budget Committee that was swiftly and smoothly approved. He worked with his team and with County Finance staff to understand the resources he had to work with, the commitments and required expenditures of the Sheriff’s Office, and where efficiencies could be implemented. Van der Kamp has helped the Sheriff’s Office to live within its means and was even able to add 20 more deputies for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Kent van der Kamp has helped Deschutes County turn the page on a very problematic leader. We now have a window of opportunity to reclaim the culture of the Sheriff’s Office – for service, integrity, team work, and merit. But while Sheriff van der Kamp has helped the Sheriff’s Office on its journey to a new promised land, completing the journey may require that he stays behind.
The opportunity to establish a new culture at the Sheriff’s Office will require that van der Kamp can recognize what Sheriff Nelson could not – that the Sheriff is not above the law. In this moment, Sheriff van der Kamp can put concern for his team first and demonstrate integrity and an understanding that the rules apply to him too. By doing so, van der Kamp can distinguish himself from his predecessor and finish turning the page on Sheriff Nelson.
Then we can fully appreciate van der Kamp for restoring morale, integrity, care for others, and fiscal responsibility to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office,” Chang concluded.
Meanwhile, Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler told KTVZ News: “The Sheriff is no longer fit to serve as the top law enforcement officer for the county. He should resign immediately and cease taking a publicly paid salary, now that the panel has recommended his law enforcement credentials be revoked by DPSST. Public trust cannot be repaired at this point. “
–The state panel voted first to agree there were aggravating factors, then to recommend a lifetime ineligibility for police certification after it reviewed an investigative report that found van der Kamp had failed to disclose his previous work as a police cadet in Southern California and falsely claimed law degrees in three criminal cases.
The Police Review Committee first heard the results of the investigative report conducted by the Oregon Department of Public Safety Standards and Training that cited numerous instances of misleading or dishonest statements over the years by van der Kamp, who was elected sheriff last fall in a hotly contested race.
DPSST Communications Coordinator Sam Tenney told KTVZ News, “Today’s vote was a recommendation to the full Board on Public Safety Standards and Training, of which the Police Policy Committee is a subcommittee. The Board will vote on whether to adopt the committee’s recommendation when it next meets on July 27.
“If the Board votes to approve the recommended revocation, DPSST will send Sheriff van der Kamp a notice of intent to revoke his certifications,” Tenney explained. “He would have 20 days from the date of that notice to contest the findings. If he does not, his certifications will be permanently revoked. If he does contest the findings, they will remain active, and the case will be referred to the Office of Administrative Hearings, which will assign an administrative law judge to hear the case.
“If he is decertified for lifetime, he will be unable to perform the duties of a police officer in Oregon,” Tenney said. “However, DPSST does not have the authority to remove an elected official from office, or to terminate the employment of a public safety professional.”
During the discussion about agreeing there were “aggravating factors” in the case, DPSST staff nenber Cindy Park noted the report listed “an overwhelming amount of inaccuracies in the statements” made by van der Kamp. Tenney explained that as part of the meeting procedure, staff members always read back aggravating and mitigating factors discussed by committee members prior to taking a vote.
Kevin Dresser said he recalls “100 percent” of his time as a reserve police officer, “so unless it was a negative thing … Most of his (statements) were not solid ‘no’s, simply that he didn’t recall, which I have a hard time believing.”
Dresser criticized attempts “to classify that experience as just a college credit-type thing and not as a reserve program with law enforcement.” Others noted that van der Kamp had included in his background listing his unpaid time with the DCSO Search and Rescue team, but not as a police reserve in California.
Scotty Nowning said the key aggravating factor, to him, was “his continued assertion that by providing a college transcript with a class title is sufficient research. The fact that someone would leave that out, accidentally or not, on multiple occasions is just beyond logic to me.”
After a motion was made for a lifetime ineligibility for certification and before the vote, Patricia Lofgren, a public member of the committee, said based on the information before them, “This is not a person who’d make me feel safe in my community. … I just totally agree that I would not want this person to be in this position.”
Van der Kamp, who previously told KTVZ News he’d decide whether to step down within 90 days, appeared briefly by remote camera before the meeting began but left the camera view and his attorney, Randy Harvey, was given five minutes to rebut the claims, first claiming some taking part in the meeting should rescuse themselves for having “predetermined this and having already made a decision before this meeting.”
Harvey claimed that van der Kamp didn’t consider his time as a cadet/explorer and reserve police officer with the LAPD “experience as a police officer.” And he said there was no evidence van der Kamp was ever discharged from the La Mesa, California Police Department.
The Police Policy Committee members in attendance at Thursday’s meeting were:
Scotty Nowning, Chair, Non-Management Law Enforcement
Casey Codding, Vice-Chair, Oregon State Police
DaNeshia Barrett, Non-Management Law Enforcement
Angela Brandenburg, Oregon State Sheriff’s Association
Mark Daniel, Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police
Christopher Gjovik, (designee of member Chief Bob Day of Portland Police Bureau)
Kevin Dresser, Non-Management Law Enforcement
Michelle Duncan, Oregon State Sheriff’s Association
Teresa Livingston, OSP Command Staff Representative
Patricia Lofgren, Public Member
Megan Townsend, Non-Management Law Enforcement
Robert Wood, Public Member
KTVZ – News Team
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Mt. Bachelor has announced that Memorial Day weekend will mark the last chance to get out on the slopes for the 2024/2025 season. Bachelor will be hosting several events Memorial Day weekend including the Annual North American Pond Skimming Championships on Sunday.
On Monday, Bachelor will host the the Last Chairs and Last Cheers event for skiers to get one last ride in. Pine Martin lift will be open from 9:00 AM until 1:30 PM. Those who say until close will have a chance to get their photo taken with Bachelors “One Last Chair” sign to remember the season.
May 31st will also mark the early-pricing pass deadline for the 2025-2026 season.
Tracee Tuesday
BEND, Ore. [KTVZ] — Here at Impulse Elite in Bend, it’s all about combining cheer, dance, tumbling and gymnastics.
In fact, this team, they’re already state champions.
Fresh off of their big win this year, where 2 of their teams won the state championship at the Pinnacle Cheerleading Championships in Las Vegas, on May 11th
And get this, the ladies had only been practicing with one another, less than a year.
In the heart of Bend, a new cheerleading facility is making waves—Impulse Elite, the region’s first and only all-star cheer gym, redefining what it means to train like a champion.
Addison Chancellor, Impulse Elite champion:
“I think we all know we need to put in the work to become that. So, so obviously that hope that we will win, but we know to win, we have to do the work.”
Averie Unruh, Impulse Elite champion:
“And I feel like we could really see that at practices just the way that we’re like okay. Oh we didn’t hit that in routine. Let’s do it again. Like let’s get this going because you know we want to go to the comps and have fun. But we want to go to the comps and win…. We want to bring home banners for our gym. That’s the end goal.”
Charlie Lininger, Impulse Elite champion:
“Yeah. The goal angle is always to win. But it’s also like supporting each other and just being a family and doing it like for each other.”
Becoming champions is no small fete.
Owner and Head Coach, Julee Vadnais says, their mission is not only to build champions but to instill values that athletes carry beyond the gym, and executing that confidence in front of hundreds of spectators.
“We have 2.5 minutes to go out there on a 42 by 56ft spring floor as a team and try to execute all of these acrobatic skills with absolute precision and drivers and wow the judges and be graded against other people from all over the country. That’s what’s phenomenal about this club sport.”
The drive and passion these gymnasts and cheerleaders exude are contagious – so much so, as a former cheerleader myself, I had to get in on the action!
With its dynamic programs and community spirit, Impulse Elite is not just building champions—it’s building a family.
Julie says her school isn’t just for the elite, in fact beginners as well. Kids join as early as five years old all the way up to 18 and over.
