Category: ktvz-local-news

Kelsey Merison

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon lawmakers approved millions of dollars in emergency funding during the September meeting of the Joint Legislative Emergency Board, with much of the money going toward wildfire suppression.

The board approved 42 items totaling $139.6 million in General Fund support.

Of that, $122.8 million was allocated to the Oregon Department of Forestry and the Office of the State Fire Marshal to help cover wildfire suppression costs through the remainder of the 2026 fire season. Legislative fiscal documents show ODF expects wildfire suppression costs to exceed available agency resources and has been working to maintain cash flow as the season continues.

The board also approved $7.5 million to address a projected operational funding shortfall at Southern Oregon University.

Another $1.25 million was allocated to the Secretary of State for election security efforts, including expanding the BallotTrax ballot-tracking system statewide and increasing the number of ballot drop boxes.

Lawmakers also received an update from the Oregon Public Defense Commission. The report showed a 68% decrease in the number of unrepresented cases.

The board was also briefed on state debt refinancing. According to the information presented, $202.7 million in bonds were refinanced, with an estimated $23 million in savings over the life of the bonds.

In addition, lawmakers authorized the Oregon Department of Emergency Management to apply for a $3.2 million FEMA nonprofit security grant. The funding would support physical security improvements and other security-related activities for nonprofits considered at high risk of terrorist or extremist attacks.

The Oregon Legislature’s Emergency Board handles emergency funding and other state financial matters between regular legislative sessions. The board’s September meetings are part of the 2025-26 interim legislative period.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Nearly 600,000 Oregonians are receiving notices this month that they could lose their health care coverage following federal budget cuts enacted under HR one. The Oregon House Committee on Health Care met today to hear updates from the Oregon Health Authority regarding how the federal budget reconciliation law will affect state residents, including teenagers and senior citizens.

According to Oregon Health Authority officials, the potential loss of eligibility is driven by a new wave of federal paperwork and reporting requirements. State Reps. Rob Nosse, Lesly Muñoz, Cyrus Javadi and Travis Nelson convened with health officials to assess the impact of the federal policy changes on Medicaid recipients and local health care systems.

Oregon Health Authority officials informed the House Committee on Health Care that the projected coverage losses stem from residents becoming ineligible under new administrative processes. State officials noted that the federal budget reconciliation law, known as HR 1, introduced a new wave of documentation and reporting mandates.

State lawmakers expressed concern over the potential strain on health care facilities, particularly in non-metropolitan areas. Rep. Javadi, D-Tillamook, highlighted the financial risks facing local medical centers and Medicaid recipients. “Hundreds of thousands of Oregonians are about to be kicked off Medicaid and rural hospitals are at risk, all because Trump’s bill gave trillions in tax giveaways to the top 1%,” Javadi said. “It’s not right and many people are going to needlessly suffer.”

Legislators also discussed the state’s options for mitigating the effects of the federal legislation. Rep. Nosse, D-Inner SE & Inner NE Portland, noted the burden placed on state leaders to respond to the federal policy. “We didn’t put Oregon in this position. Trump did,” Nosse said. “Every option has real costs for real people and now it’s on us to figure out how to protect people in this state from the mess he made.”

Other lawmakers focused on the administrative hurdles facing individual policyholders who must repeatedly verify their status. Rep. Muñoz, D-Woodburn, criticized the repeated verification process required by the new rules. “People who are already doing everything right are being told to prove it over and over again, or they’ll lose their care,” Muñoz said. “Trump and Congressional Republicans are tearing people down and harming our communities.”

The reporting guidelines have been characterized by federal officials as employment verification, though state lawmakers argued the rules act as a barrier to care. Rep. Nelson, D-N & NE Portland, commented on the structure of the reporting requirements. “Trump didn’t have the guts to say “I’m cutting your health care,” so instead he buried it under a mountain of paperwork and called it “work requirements,”” Nelson said. “Oregon wouldn’t be having this hearing if our federal administration spent a quarter of the energy fixing things as it does finding new ways to make people’s lives harder.”

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The COCC Foundation has opened scholarship applications for the 2026-27 academic year, offering a share of $2.4 million in funding, including full scholarships valued at $5,500. Students interested in applying can find more information on the college website.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend Fire & Rescue launched a new online tool Thursday to streamline requests for free wildfire risk home assessments and personalized mitigation recommendations. The system uses Fire Aside, an online platform for scheduling appointments and managing property assessment data.

The initiative operates under the department’s Own Your Zone program, which assists property owners in preparing homes and neighborhoods for wildfires. Bend Fire & Rescue provides emergency medical services, fire protection and community risk reduction programs to more than 144,000 residents in Bend and the Deschutes Rural Fire Protection District.

The home assessments involve a property walkthrough lasting approximately one hour. A trained assessor inspects the location alongside the resident, identifying specific vulnerabilities and offering guidance on defensible space and home hardening.

Melissa Steele, deputy fire marshal for Bend Fire & Rescue, emphasized the role of property reviews in local safety efforts. “The launch of this tool is an important step in helping residents take action to reduce wildfire risk around their homes,” Steele said. “These assessments provide practical recommendations that can help homeowners improve their property’s resilience to wildfire while supporting Bend Fire’s community wildfire preparedness efforts.”

Following the walkthrough, residents can set up a secure Fire Aside profile to view assessment reports and access preparedness materials. Homeowners can also upload photographs of finished mitigation work to document their progress and maintain an ongoing record of risk reduction.

Data gathered through the assessments will help fire officials evaluate common preparedness needs across the area to guide future education, outreach and resource planning. Residents can request a free assessment at bendoregon.gov/own-your-zone, after which department staff will follow up to schedule an appointment.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The nonpartisan campaign Deschutes For All will host a community gathering this Sunday, Sept. 13, in Terrebonne to inform residents about Ballot Measure 9-185. The ballot measure asks voters whether to establish five geographic commissioner districts across Deschutes County.

The proposal follows a 2024 vote in which Deschutes County voters expanded the County Commission from three members to five. If approved, Measure 9-185 would require voters in each geographic district to elect one commissioner who lives in that district beginning in 2028.

The event will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Smith Rock Ranch, located at 1250 NE Wilcox Ave. in Terrebonne. Sponsored by the Deschutes County Farm Bureau and Smith Rock Ranch, the gathering will offer complimentary snacks, family activities, back-to-school supplies while supplies last and a local beverage vendor. A presentation and Q&A session about Measure 9-185 will run from 2:30 p.m. to 3 p.m.

According to Deschutes For All, the proposed district map was developed through a public process that evaluated population balance, communities of interest, transportation corridors and adjacent precincts. All five commissioners would continue working together and making decisions for the entire county under the proposed structure.

Deschutes County voters will consider Ballot Measure 9-185 on the November 2026 ballot. If approved, district-based commissioner elections will begin in 2028.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon National Guard and the U.S. Navy broke ground yesterday on a $12 million Multi-Purpose Machine Gun Range at the Naval Weapons Systems Training Facility in Boardman.

The project will create the first and only Army Standard crew-served weapons range in Oregon, allowing soldiers to conduct heavy weapons qualifications in-state.

Currently, Oregon soldiers must travel to out-of-state military installations in Yakima, Wash., or Boise, Idaho, to qualify on crew-served weapons. The new facility fulfills a license agreement signed in August 2004 between the Department of the Army, the Department of the Navy and the Oregon Military Department.

Once completed, the facility will support qualification training on crew-served weapons systems, including the M240, M2 and MK19. The range is also designed to accommodate the Army’s Next Generation Squad Weapon and its 6.8 mm round as soldiers transition to the new system in coming years.

Brig. Gen. Alan R. Gronewold, the adjutant general of Oregon, highlighted the operational benefits of training locally during the ceremony. “That travel costs time, costs money and it pulls our soldiers away from being available here at home when the state needs them most,” Gronewold said. “This range changes that.”

Reaching the groundbreaking required more than two decades of administrative work, including placement on the military’s Future Years Development Plan in 2007, 2015, 2025 and 2026. The effort required a six-and-a-half-year environmental impact statement spanning more than 1,400 pages, alongside coordination across the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, the National Guard Bureau and the Oregon Military Department.

Gronewold emphasized the long-term impact of the 2004 agreement. “Twenty-two years ago, someone signed a piece of paper that made a promise, a promise that Oregon soldiers would someday train on their own ground for their own state,” Gronewold said. “Today, we break ground on keeping that promise and when this range opens, it won’t just serve the soldiers standing here today; it will serve the generations of Oregon’s citizen-soldiers who come after them.”

Cmdr. Joshua Overn, executive officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island and the Northwest Training Range Complex, delivered remarks on behalf of Capt. Nathan Gammache, the air station’s commanding officer. Overn described proficiency with crew-served weapons as a cornerstone of ground combat. “Today, we aren’t just turning dirt; we are laying the foundation for the future of our tactical readiness,” Overn said, adding that the facility will ensure deploying forces “are fully qualified, confident and lethal in the field.”

Overn also noted that the partnership between the Navy and the Oregon Military Department has helped advocate for military interests across the Pacific Northwest while maintaining compatible land and air use in the region.

Dignitaries in attendance included retired Maj. Gen. Raymond F. Rees, a former adjutant general of Oregon and Boardman City Manager Brandon Hammond. They were joined by Morrow and Umatilla county commissioners, local fire and police representatives, field representatives for Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley and Guard leaders CW5 Lenora L. Landwehr and CMSgt Brent W. Cavanias.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony is expected within the coming year as construction on the range wraps up.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Dollar General Literacy Foundation announced approximately $20,000 in youth literacy grants for Oregon schools and non-profit organizations today. The funding is expected to impact more than 700 individuals across the state.

The Oregon grants are part of a broader national initiative that awarded more than $4.1 million to youth literacy programs across the country. Recipient organizations can use the funds for professional development or to purchase books, technology, equipment and learning materials for K-12 students.

Four Oregon organizations received funding through the grants, including Santiam Elementary School in Mill City ($5,000), Mt. Angel Middle School in Mt. Angel ($5,000), Philomath Elementary School in Philomath ($3,936) and the Children’s Literacy Project in Sweet Home ($5,000).

Denine Torr serves as executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation. “When students have access to books, technology and educational resources, they gain tools that can support their learning for years to come,” Torr said. “Through our youth literacy grants, we are honored to help strengthen schools, libraries and nonprofit organizations literacy programs and resources. We are grateful to support the meaningful work they do to help young learners grow, thrive and pursue brighter academic futures in DG communities nationwide.”

In addition to the grant awards, the foundation recently concluded its seventh annual campaign called The Yellow Glasses Project. The project featured a partnership with radio personality Bobby Bones, host of the nationally syndicated Country radio program “The Bones Show.” Since 2020, the campaign has raised more than $9 million to benefit the foundation and its literacy programs.

Since its establishment in 1993, the Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded nearly $297 million in grants to non-profit organizations, reaching more than 26 million individuals across the country.

Applications for the foundation’s 2027 grant cycle will open online in January 2027 at www.dgliteracy.org. The upcoming funding cycle will support youth, family, summer and adult literacy programs located within a 15-mile radius of a Dollar General store or distribution center.

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Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of Nine Peaks, a new 45-unit affordable housing apartment complex located in the medical district of Bend. Rep. Janelle Bynum and Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler attended the event.

The development is reserved for residents earning below 50% of Bend’s median income, with priority given to seniors and people with disabilities. Designed to be ADA-compliant, the complex offers proximity to many of the area’s medical providers.

The apartment complex is structured around stairwell towers that connect the individual units together. Each tower is decorated with art and murals created by local artists. One of the towers also features a common room and a small gym.

Lynne McConnell, executive director of Housing Works, detailed how funding subsidies help lower tenant costs for the development. “So nine peaks is considered publicly supported affordable, which means that we received a number of different subsidies or, funds to help us construct this,” McConnell said. “In exchange for that, we subsidize the rent and push that rent down as far as we can. So right now, a two bedroom in Nine Peaks will be available for just over $1,000 a month.”

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Kelsey Merison

SALEM, Ore. — Oregon’s public defense crisis is showing signs of improvement, with the number of defendants waiting for an attorney dropping 66% over the past year, according to Governor Tina Kotek.

When Kotek appointed Ken Sanchagrin to lead the Oregon Public Defense Commission in April 2025, more than 4,000 defendants statewide were without legal counsel.

As of August 31, 2026, that number had fallen to 1,104.

Kotek said the reduction follows the transfer of the Oregon Public Defense Commission to the executive branch, her appointment of Sanchagrin and her direction to make reducing the number of unrepresented defendants a top priority.

“When people charged with crimes go without counsel, justice is delayed for defendants and for the communities harmed by crime,” Kotek said. “A 66% reduction in unrepresented defendants is a turning point.”

Two counties previously identified as being in crisis — Coos and Marion — have also resolved their backlogs.

Kotek credited criminal defense attorneys across Oregon for working together to address the shortage of legal representation.

“The work is not done, and we will keep striving for improvement until every person needing counsel has an attorney,” Kotek said.

The Oregon Public Defense Commission presented the latest progress to the Oregon Legislature on Wednesday.

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Kelsey Merison

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Governor Tina Kotek has ordered all flags at public institutions across the state to fly at half-staff from sunrise to sunset on Friday, September 11, 2026. The order marks the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The directive commemorates the nearly 3,000 civilians and first responders killed during the 2001 attacks. All state and local government buildings in Oregon are instructed to observe the order throughout the day.

Gov. Kotek released a statement honoring the victims, survivors and first responders of the 2001 attacks:

“Today marks 25 years since the horrifying events of September 11th, a day that changed our country and the lives of so many Americans,” Kotek said. “As we observe the lowering of our nation’s flag, we remember those who lost their lives and support the loved ones who continue to carry that loss. We honor the courage and selflessness of the first responders and all those who stepped forward to help when the moment needed them. Let’s carry the spirit of courage and community forward and find strength in unity over division.”

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