Category: ktvz-local-news

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — For the entire month of August, KTVZ and our local shelter and business partners once again teamed up to clear the shelters and find loving homes for pets. 

This week, we’re highlighting the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Animal Rescue Ranch. 

“This ranch exists because we still live in a rural county, and so anytime that we either seize animals from a neglect case or if animal owners voluntarily surrender their animals, they will oftentimes end up here,” said Jason Carr, DCSO’s Public Information Officer. 

Farm and ranch animals are up for adoption at the ranch.

“We have everything from horses and goats to chickens, turkeys, different fowls,” Carr said.

Oftentimes, these animals had a rough start to life—but are looking to find their forever homes.

“Some of the animals are available for adoption right now. Others are not yet because there are pending cases, and until those cases are resolved through the District Attorney’s office, those animals won’t be available,” Carr said. “So all the animals that are on the ranch, there’s pending cases and other issues, and they’re not currently up for adoption, but that will likely change down the road.”

DCSO works closely with the Humane Society of Central Oregon and BrightSide Animal Center, which are both currently full of adoptable dogs and cats.

“Our biggest need right now, both at the Humane Society of Central Oregon and BrightSide in Redmond, is really related to our animal neglect cases that have occurred in the past couple of weeks. That has really elevated the number of animals, especially dogs, that are at both shelters. We’re just hoping that people keep their eye out for both adoption opportunities there,” Carr said. “One of the cases out at BrightSide, those are mostly puppies that are being fostered right now until they’re old enough to be adopted out…If you just continue to look at their websites and find out what’s available, that’s probably our biggest need right now with these large animal neglect cases, is helping those shelters get those animals adopted out. Because when you’re talking about 20 to 30 dogs at one time, that’s a lot.”

Right now, two horses are available for adoption at the ranch but more animals will be ready soon.

“What the general public can do is go to the sheriff’s office website and click on ‘Animal Control’, and then we will have information on all the animals that are currently for adoption,” said Carr.

If you would like to learn more about the animals available for adoption right now at the animal ranch, click here.

Click here to view more of KTVZ’s ‘Clear the Shelters’ stories.

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KTVZ – News Team

OREGON (KTVZ) — Labor Day Weekend is just a few days away and many are packing their bags for a weekend of camping.

The Oregon Department of Forestry is encouraging those looking for a getaway to explore some of the state’s less-traveled state forest campgrounds.

The department says, “Unlike high-traffic destinations across state forests or state parks that book up months in advance, many of ODF’s equestrian campgrounds still offer space for late-summer adventurers, even for those without horses. These quieter sites provide a chance to unplug, unwind, and connect with the outdoors—all while supporting sustainable recreation and forest education.”

The sites include Northrup Creek Horse Camp, Santiam Horse Camp, Stagecoach Horse Camp, and Reehers Camp Horse Camp.

These quieter sites provide a chance to unplug, unwind, and connect with the outdoors, all while supporting sustainable recreation and forest education.

So consider planning your weekend at one of these sites for a less-crowded option!

Click here for a complete list of ODF’s state forest recreation areas.

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Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Following the pandemic, there’s been a rise in the need for mental health resources–not just in schools, but everywhere.

KTVZ News recently spoke with the Bend-La Pine School District about the need, and what the increase signifies.

The district believes the need has always been there–but as the topic becomes de-stigmatized, more are coming forward asking for help.

“I think the whole world has seen a rise in mental health concerns since the pandemic, and we’re just, we’re doing the best we can,” said Director of Student Well-being Jennifer Hauth.

Jennifer Hauth

In Bend-La Pine schools, mental health is a top priority.

“We’re meeting kids where they’re at and providing the support that they need so that they can access their education,” Hauth said.

Hauth said Bend-La Pine schools have made many changes in recent years to meet the varying needs of students.

“Obviously, our teachers are with our students every day. And then we have our school counselors, which for the next year, we will have a school counselor in every school in Bend-La Pine schools, which is all 33 schools,” said Hauth. “And then we also have a mental health intervention called ‘Student Success’, really reserved for about 5% of our students experiencing more acute mental health needs. And we have clinicians in a lot of our schools supporting our students experiencing mental health concerns.”

And a special partnership with Care Solace, which is a mental health care coordination service.

“Anytime a student, a staff member, a family, or really any of their loved ones have any need around mental health, substance, phase of life issues, we do what’s called a warm handoff with Care Solace. And so Care Solace will link you to care,” Hauth said. “They’ll take your insurance and they’ll call around to different providers to help find a match for you. They’ll even make the first appointment for you and follow up after you’ve gone to see if it was a good fit.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 1 in 5 children ages 3 to 17 have been diagnosed with a mental, emotional, or behavioral health condition at some point in their life–meaning these services are crucial for supporting the wellbeing of students.

CDC Data

“There used to be a lot of shame around asking for help that was outside of physical health. And I think now, even more since the pandemic…We have concerns nationally around mental health. I think as we get that language and we teach those skills to students about that help-seeking behavior and when things are outside the typical range, it’s actually great that more people are coming forward,” Hauth said. “Because then we know people are getting the help that they need, and they’re not suffering alone.”

If you would like to learn more about Care Solace, click here.

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Tracee Tuesday

REDMOND, Ore. [KTVZ] — Redmond City Councilors held their meeting Tuesday night. In council chambers, there were two major agenda items:  

Central Dry Canyon Project  

Airport Terminal Building Expansion Project 

The Central Dry Canyon Project has improvements across parks, streets, and water facilities.   

The city’s engineering staff requested council approval of a change order totaling $175,418.60, to reconstruct pavement on Cascade Avenue, after crews found existing surface insufficiency, during water line excavation.   

Assistant City Engineer Lynsey Cromsigt said, completing this work now, is more cost-effective than delaying to a future project.  

“This project is ongoing since April of 2025, and will be completed in June of 2026. We appreciate everyone’s patience, as we do have a lot of pedestrian closures and detours through the canyon, and so, we do ask folks to continue to be patient with that and use the detours on Canyon Drive and Antler Avenue.”

Cromsigt also says the Hope Playground is scheduled to close for 30 days beginning September 3, 2025. 

City Council also considered a $16,462,173 amendment for the Airport Terminal Expansion Project.   

This final amendment covers interior construction and finishes, keeping the project on track and slightly under budget, to meet growing demand and improve safety and capacity at Redmond Municipal Airport. 

“Basically, it’s the final approval for the full construction package to build the new terminal expansion. It’s made up of about four different packages. Three of them have already been approved over the last eight and nine months. This is our final one for FF&E, which is basically furniture, fixtures, and equipment, HAVC; kind of all that stuff that comes, you know, you put in to add to an airport,” said Redmond Airport Director, Zachary Bass. 

The Redmond City Council approved both projects to move forward. 

HERE is the full City Council agenda.

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Harley Coldiron

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) – Actor Rainn Wilson, best known for his role as Dwight Schrute on NBC’s The Office, says he and his family were forced to evacuate their Central Oregon home as the Flat Fire burns 2 miles northeast of Sisters.

The wildfire spread quickly, forcing Level 3 “Go Now” evacuations. Fire crews managed to save more than 800 homes, but four were lost, along with six other structures. At a packed community meeting Monday night, officials struck an optimistic tone—yet warned that dangerous fire weather, including thunderstorms, erratic winds, and extreme heat, remains in the forecast.

Wilson shared the update on Instagram on Monday, assuring fans his family made it out safely. In the post, he noted this was the, “fourth time in six years” he’s had to evacuate due to wildfire danger.

“4th evacuation in 6 years, folks,” the star wrote in the video caption, which was posted on Monday.

He also appears to take aim at President Trump and people who deny climate change, writing, “soaring heat waves and extreme weather, drought and floods are the culprit. But DO NOT BELIEVE A STUPID ACTOR that heat-trapping gases released by humans have anything to do with it. Believe (pre-Trump) NASA.”

Wilson, who grew up in Seattle, has ties to Central Oregon, where he owns a home and sometimes posts from on his Instagram. Our media partners at The Source Weekly have interviewed him before.

Get the latest update on the Flat Fire here.

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Matthew Draxton

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — With students heading back to the classroom next week, school districts are adapting to Governor Tina Kotek’s order to ban phone usage in school. KTVZ has been following this story for six months, highlighting the efforts of parents, teachers, and legislators.

Central Oregon School Districts are now taking different approaches to the phone policy implementation.

Emerson Levy “Our kids that have cell phones during the day receive 200-5909 notifications a day, that is a lot of distraction.”

Driven by concerns about mental health, safety, and learning distractions. Parents like Amy Formica, and teachers like Virginia Johnson echo these concerns

Ami Formica said, “We actually did a survey of over 1000 families in Bend, La Pine last year about tech use in schools and phones specifically, and over 93% of respondents supported phone-free schools.”

“Teachers are just exhausted,” Johnson noted. She continued, “We’ve seen an increase in cheating and plagiarism and an increase in anxiety, depression, and loneliness at school.”

Middle schoolers, within the Bend La Pine Schools, already have these polices, and have seen success

Pacific Crest Middle School principal Sean Keeting said, “Parents love it because they feel like their kids are more focused on school. Teachers and staff love it because they feel like they can teach again.” 

Who will feel the change most? High schoolers.

Public information officer for Bend La Pine Schools, Scott Maben, said Bend La Pine Schools’ former “policy permits high school students to have access to their phones during a few times. During the school day, lunch, for example. 

The new complaint phone policy could mean no phone usage from bell to bell, but the policy for the district would not be implemented right away.

Maben continued saying, “No later than October 31st, we will have a revised policy on student devices, in effect, and then we will implement that policy no later than January 1st, 2026.”

Similar to Bend La Pine Schools, Crook County School District already has a phone policy for elementary, middle, and high school.

Interim Superintendent Joel Hoff said the district is, “Already ahead of the game in terms of no cell phones during class time at our high school. And now it’s just working with our board. They’re set to review a first draft in September.”

Crook County School District will be developing policy by October 31st and implementing the policy by January 2026.

“We know a lot of our students have work schedules or maybe taking care of, you know, younger siblings,” Hoff said. He continued, “So we’re navigating how those students can still get information throughout the school day.”

Matthew Draxton spoke with Redmond School District, who say it will be implementing a new policy immediately at the start of the 2025-26 school year. That policy will include zero student access to personal devices from bell to bell. They’ll revisit the policy in six months to review what worked and didn’t work in the first half of the school year.

Related Stories:

Problem Solvers: The Digital Divide and the call to ease screen addiction among students

Redmond School District Superintendent Talks About New Policy

Governor Kotek signs executive order prhobiing student cellphone use during the day in public schools

House Bill prohibiting cell phone use in schools fails in the Senate

Health professionals, Well Wired founders discuss tech in schools after school board discussion

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Kelsey Merison

Mt. Bachelor is gearing up for the fifth-annual Redline Rally, Central Oregon’s premier downhill bike event.

Ahead of Saturday’s action-packed event, here’s part of an awesome interview the Bachelor team sent to us with one of the local riders excited for this weekend!

“Redline Rally is basically an invitation-only event. It’s on Saturday, August 30th at Mt. Bachelor. It’s where a lot of the local riders, like the pros and really good groms, come out and just throw their best tricks,” said Hunter Michelsen, a local Bend rider. “Basically, there’s this big jump at the bottom that’s called ‘Moon Booter’. You could take this trail called Evergreen, which is a hiking trail for anybody who wants to watch. It would go up that trail and you could just see this big jump with a whole bunch of people just watching it. It’s a really fun event. I’m really stoked to be in it. Everybody should come on out. It’s a really fun time.”

As Hunter mentioned, spectators are encouraged to gather at the Moon Booter jump, where judges will hand out prizes for style, whips, and overall tricks.

Full details are available on Mt. Bachelor’s website.

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Tracee Tuesday

SISTERS, Ore. {KTVZ} — A community meeting was held Monday night at the Sisters High School auditorium, where fire and law enforcement officials updated the public on the Flat Fire. 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal said their mission is to protect people, structures, and firefighting personnel – in that exact order.  

As of this report, 827 homes have been saved; 4 homes have been lost; 10 structures such as sheds and chicken coops have also been lost – however, fire personnel say that number may go up.   

In the last four days, 425 gallons of retardant have been used to fight the Flat Fire.   

With fire containment at only 7%, residents affected by the fire remain nervous. 

“We’re above Whychus Creek, over the creek, and the fire came up to our back deck just about, and all around us, and our neighbors, so yes, very much affected,” said Whychus Creek Resident, Wendy Birnbaum. 

Fire personnel said their biggest concerns are embers.   

“It’s really those embers that move a quarter of a mile, half a mile beyond the fire with the wind that start other fires. So that’s what you got to think of is like, where can embers get into and start a new fire, before the flames come through,” said Gert Zoutendijk of the Oregon State Fire Marshal. 

Oregon Senator Anthony Broadman praised the High Desert community.  

“I think the takeaway lesson is Central Oregon. We have a way of coming together and getting ready for the fires that we know are coming up.” 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s said, if the fire continues toward Sisters, many homes and structures will be threatened.  

This week, fire crews say they will be dealing with critical fire weather conditions including thunderstorms and erratic winds. 

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Claire Elmer

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — On Monday morning just before 9:00 a.m., Crook County Sheriff’s Office and EMS from Crook County Fire and Rescue responded to a car crash in southwest Prineville on SW George Millican Road.

When first responders arrived, they found the female driver had been ejected from the vehicle and was deceased. Officials have identified the driver as 43-year old Rosellyn Thayer of Prineville.

Following a preliminary investigation, officials determined Thayer traveled into the oncoming lane for unknown reasons. After crossing into the oncoming lane, Thayer traveled onto the gravel shoulder before traveling back onto the pavement, across the northbound lane, and rolled onto the east shoulder.

43-year-old Rosellyn Thayer of Prineville’s car, after she left the roadway.

Officials believe Thayer was ejected from her vehicle during one of the multiple instances in which her vehicle rolled over. Thayer was the only occupant of her vehicle and no other vehicles were involved.

SW George Millican Road was closed to investigate the crash for about an hour, with one lane eventually opening while the investigation continued.

Officials are not providing further information at this time.

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Shannon Brady

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Since 2015, NBC Universal’s nationwide pet adoption initiative, Clear The Shelters, has helped nearly 1.2 million pets find their forever family. Animal shelters across Central Oregon are joining in with hopes of emptying their kennels. KTVZ News will be featuring shelters in the region

This week we are highlighting the Humane Society of the Ochocos in Prineville. HSO is Oregons first ever no-kill shelter. It was founded in 1995 with the mission to find loving, permanent homes for stray animals. HSO has cats and dogs of all ages, and pets for a variety of different households available for adoption. With many animals still in need, the humane society is hoping to help as many as possible.

Banner just one of the pets up for adoption. He is the Humane society of the Ochocos longest resident. He’s been here for 6 years. There are many animals just like Banner who spend months, years, or even their whole lives in shelters.

HSO is hoping their Clear the shelter campaign will help many animals find their forever home.

Michaella parker is kennel technician at HSO and she hopes this campaign will help many animals find forever homes. She says, “This is a really good way we can get them in to homes for cheaper, get them out quicker since they’re outright adoptable and hope that they can just get out and into homes. I would come into your local shelter for any animal that you’re looking for.”

They have a BOGO deal for their 40+ cats available and around two dozen adoptable dog for only $150.

Clear The Shelters will run through the month of August. The Humane Society of the Ochocos hopes the national push and strong local support will help every pet find its fur-ever home.

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