Category: ktvz-local-news

Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — According to the Mayo Clinic anywhere between 1 in 50 thousand and 1 in 100 thousand young athletes die from sudden cardiac arrests.

But here in Central Oregon, St. Charles Bend is working to prevent those tragedies before they happen.

Through their free teen testing event on Saturday, they allowed teens to have their hearts checked for potential heart disease. 

I spoke with Cheryl Rodgers and Mary Taft, two mothers who were both impacted by sudden cardiac arrest.

Mary Taft told KTVZ News, “We both have, multi-sport athletes who never complain of dizziness, shortness of breath, rapid heart rate, nothing that would ever, as a parent, give you any indication that something was deeply wrong inside.”

Cheryl Rodgers said, “You think you’ve got a child that’s doing great athletically, pushing the limits, and you have no idea of the hidden heart issues that could be there. At any time, they could just drop.”

Taft’s daughter Nina was playing at a soccer tournament 3 years ago when she collapsed on the sidelines from a sudden cardiac arrest.

Luckily a quick reaction allowed her to get life-saving care.

Dr. Tiffany Lim, a pediatric cardiologist at St. Charles Bend, described what the tests are like.

Dr. Lim told KTVZ News, “At our screening event, we obtain a screening EKG, a limited echo, and we also screened for high blood pressure.”

Dr. Lin Continued, “Oftentimes, kids or even adults don’t know that they have this condition. One of the first signs of it is collapse, sudden collapse, or even sudden death. So that’s why this screening is so important, so that we can prevent those things from happening in our community and in our young student athletes.”

The event also taught the teenagers how to perform CPR and administer an AED

You can find more information at The St. Charles Foundation.

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Campbell Porter

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Redmond resident and KTVZ viewer says they were the latest victim of a viral TikTok prank known as the “door kick challenge.”

Video shared by the homeowner with KTVZ shows someone running up to a home, kicking the front door, and sprinting away. The incident happened around 8 p.m. Thursday while the homeowner, who we will not identify for privacy reasons, was watching TV.

Redmond police confirmed to KTVZ that they received a report about the incident and are investigating.

The so‑called “door kick challenge” has gained traction on TikTok in recent months, encouraging people to record themselves forcefully kicking doors, often late at night, and then running off.

What may seem like a harmless stunt can cause significant property damage or spark dangerous confrontations.

Back in October, KTVZ reported a similar incident in Redmond where a homeowner told KTVZ that repairs cost around $3,000.

Elsewhere in the U.S., the trend has led to criminal charges, and, in at least two cases, deaths linked to startled residents defending themselves.

Redmond Police urge anyone affected by the challenge to contact law enforcement and report suspicious activity immediately.

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Barney Lerten

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced recently that they secured more than $100 million in federal investments for 54 community projects across Oregon, including over $7 million for four in Central Oregon, from canal piping to groundwater testing and “floating solar” plans.

The funding was included in two Fiscal Year 2026 packages that cleared Congress and will support initiatives in nearly every county in the state.

The $102,692,000 in funding is dedicated to “community-initiated projects” that were identified through local feedback.

Both senators hold annual town halls in every Oregon county to ensure that regional needs inform the spending bills they advocate for in Washington, D.C.

The 54 projects were secured through the work of the Oregon congressional delegation. Sen. Merkley is the only member of Congress from Oregon to serve on the Senate Appropriations Committee since Sen. Mark Hatfield.

Merkley joined the committee in 2013 and currently serves as the top Democrat on the Interior, Environment and Related Agencies Subcommittee, a role that allows him to help set the state’s priorities while funding bills are drafted.

Merkley emphasized that the projects are designed to address the specific requirements of the local areas that proposed them.

“Community-initiated projects are rooted in the fact that no one knows the unique needs of communities across Oregon like the folks living and working in them,” Merkley said. “The communities identified top projects, and we fought for them.”

Wyden also credited his frequent travel throughout the state for helping identify which projects required federal support.

“No-one knows what a local community needs more than the local community itself,” Wyden said. “That’s why I hold town halls and meetings in every nook and cranny of the state: to hear directly from Oregonians about their needs, and bring that back to D.C. to fight for these critical projects.”

Wyden said he was gratified to work alongside Merkley and the rest of the delegation to help Oregon communities thrive.

CENTRAL OREGON (Klamath, Lake, Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson, and Wheeler Counties)

$2.373 million to the Lake County Umbrella Watershed Council for their closed basin watershed restoration and resilience project. These funds will be used to design and construct fish passage and conduct habitat restoration in the Goose Lake Watershed to improve fish passage, fish and bird habitat, and flood mitigation across five tributaries and eleven streams within the drought-prone watershed.

$2 million to North Unit Irrigation District for its infrastructure modernization project. This effort is working to convert over 27 miles of open-ditch irrigation canals with gravity-pressured buried piping, which will significantly reduce water loss, improve water delivery reliability, and improve streamflow in the Deschutes River.

$2 million to Arnold Irrigation District (AID) for their infrastructure modernization project. Funds will be used to complete the final phase of AID’s Infrastructure Resiliency and Modernization Project to pipe nearly 12 miles of the District’s main canal which will reduce overall water seepage and promote more efficient and sustainable irrigation across the District.

$1.123 million to Oregon Institute of Technology for equipment for an advanced energy manufacturing initiative to develop cutting-edge research, education, and training in hydrogen production, solar and solar-thermal manufacturing technologies, and emerging battery tech at Oregon Tech’s Klamath Falls and Portland-Metro campuses.

$1.014 million to the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) for their Crook County groundwater research project. These funds will be used to implement a surface and groundwater sampling program in Crook County to identify the scope and potential causes of groundwater contamination issues impacting the community’s water.

$1 million to the Ochoco Irrigation District for their floating solar project ,which will generate 900 kilowatts of power and benefit local agriculture, residential homes, and local industry.

$648,000 to Wheeler Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) for the construction of a new community center. Wheeler SWCD’s current facility is insufficient to support the public’s needs as the county’s leading natural resource agency. This new space will be a centrally located innovation hub for multi-agency accessibility to best support Wheeler County’s natural resources work while promoting intra-agency collaboration.

STATEWIDE

$2.5 million for the Oregon Department of the State Fire Marshal to support the statewide “Fire Adapted Oregon” initiative and implement community-based wildfire mitigation and defensible space projects throughout high wildfire risk communities in Oregon.

$1 million to Oregon DEQ for their air quality improvement project, which will stand up grant programs across the state to enable communities to implement alternatives to the open burning of woody debris. This effort would reduce wood smoke emissions in communities by making preferred alternatives more accessible and improving the health of communities.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A dramatic blaze involving a Kia Soul caused a partial closure of Highway 97 near Bend today, drawing a swift response from Oregon State Police and local firefighters. The incident, which saw flames erupt from the vehicle just before noon, left no injuries as all occupants escaped safely. Authorities are investigating the cause of the fire as traffic lanes have since been reopened.

The driver of the vehicle told the Oregon state police that she felt the car acting strangely while she was driving. She pulled over to the side of the road shortly before the fire began. Emergency responders closed one southbound lane of Highway 97 to accommodate firefighting efforts.

A vehicle fire in Bend causes a partial closure of Highway 97. Courtesy: Blake Blevins.

Numerous motorists passing the scene reported seeing flames coming from the Kia Soul on the shoulder of the highway. Firefighters arrived on the scene and finished extinguishing the blaze by approximately noon.

Officers with the state police assisted with traffic management while the lane was closed during the fire.

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Barney Lerten

WARM SPRINGS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Warm Springs Power and Water Enterprises and the Warm Springs Housing Authority have been awarded a $1 million state grant to bring high-performance solar and battery energy storage systems to three locations on the Warm Springs Reservation.

The grant was awarded by the Oregon Department of Energy’s Community Renewable Energy Program, the Tribes said in a news release Friday, pointing to their goal of “advancing the Tribes’ priorities of energy sovereignty, equity, affordability, and resilience.” 

Cathy Ehli, general manager of Warm Springs Power & Water Enterprises, said, “This project is an excellent example of how solar and other energy solutions can make a real impact on both individual community members in their homes and community spaces by lowering energy bills and providing consistent power during outages and other emergencies.”

As proposed in the project plan, the solar and battery system installation sites are:  

Park Place Court Permanent Supportive Housing, which includes 10 “tiny homes” and an essential community services center for previously unhoused Tribal members; 

24 single-family homes requiring low-income verification in the West Hills Affordable Housing neighborhood; and 

Greeley Heights Community Center, which serves as an accessible gathering space for the Tribe’s low-income community.

These locations, owned and operated by Warm Springs Housing Authority, currently provide affordable housing and community spaces to low-income Tribal members.

They have all been evaluated by Energy Trust of Oregon, and many of the homes have already been upgraded with efficiency improvements, including weatherization, lighting upgrades and heat pump installations.

The project aims to maximize those improvements by adding solar and battery systems, which the Tribes said will lower energy costs, strengthen resilience to mitigate the impacts of wildfires and extreme weather, and unlock opportunities for WSHA to expand future energy projects. 

“We’re excited to partner with WSPWE on improving the lives of our community members, said Danielle Wood, executive director of the Warm Springs Housing Authority. “This project will lower bills and make sure there is reliable power year-round in their homes and important community spaces,”

More information about the CREP award can be found at the ODOE website.

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The Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation of Oregon is a federally-recognized, sovereign Indian tribe, representing the Wasco, Warm Springs and Paiute peoples. The Tribes occupy the Warm Springs Reservation, which stretches from the summits of the Cascade Mountains to the cliffs of the Deschutes River in Central Oregon. The Reservation is reserved for the Tribes’ exclusive benefit by an 1855 Treaty with the United States, which reserved to the Tribes the right to fish, hunt, gather foods and pasture livestock in the ceded lands and at usual and accustomed stations.

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Spencer Sacks

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — In the wake of Turning Point USA‘s founder Charlie Kirk’s assassination last September, Turning Point and Club America chapters have grown rapidly across the United States.

Old chapters are being revived, and new ones are sprouting up. That includes a Club America chapter in Deschutes County. The high school club arm of the organization.

On Friday, the group had a meet-and-greet with student leaders of the club to talk about the organization.

Jaxon Middleton, a high school sophomore and founder of the chapter, told KTVZ News, “After the whole Charlie Kirk incident and people were just asking us if we were going to do it, and then we were like, ‘Yeah, we’re definitely going to do it.’”

Emilyn, a member of the organization, told us, “There’s a lot of people who do want to get involved with something like this. And so I think that having these resources would really help a lot of them.”

With Deschutes County’s continued growth, it has become a more “purple” area politically.

Many were curious why Turning Point started a Club America chapter here.

Jaxon’s mom, Jamie Middleton, said, “Being a purple county, it’s important that the conservative voices stand up, speak out, because often we are given a chance to. and these youth need to know it’s okay to stand up for what they believe. We know the aversion to it will come, and that just helps build character.“

Friday’s meeting was just the second event the club’s had since its founding, but it has goals to not only expand, but also to have speaker events in the future.

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Eddie Bauer Outlet at Bend Factory Stores will close amid several news and industry reports that the outdoor apparel retailer plans to close all of its North American stores after a planned Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

An employee of the Bend store on South Highway 97, who asked not to be named, confirmed Friday to KTVZ News that workers learned on Thursday that the store will close by April 30.

Women’s Wear Daily reported late last month, quoting sources, that Catalyst Brands, which owns the rights to operate the stores, will leave the brick-and-mortar business and close its approximately 180 North American stores. It reported that the Chapter 11 filing could happen this month.

Business Insider reported Friday that several parties are expected to bid for the rights to operate some or all of the stores, possibly keeping its U.S. stores open or bringing the Eddie Bauer brand under another retailer.

Eddie Bauer’s namesake opened his first store in Seattle over a century ago, in 1920 and later designed the first patented down jacket. The company previously twice filed for bankruptcy, in 2003 and 2009.

Some Eddie Bauer stores already have posted signs announcing their closure, with no date given, including one at a Reno, Nevada mall.

The closure is not expected to affect the brand’s manufacturing or e-commerce operations or stores operating outside the U.S. or Canada.

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Oregon Capital Chronicle

By Mia Maldonado, Oregon Capital Chronicle

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon lawmakers are considering a bill to ban resellers or people affiliated with resellers from offering event tickets they don’t actually have, unless they have a written contract to obtain the ticket from an initial sale. 

House Bill 4024, which has bipartisan support, comes as states including Maryland, Minnesota and Maine in recent years passed restrictions on speculative tickets while many other states have introduced legislation to prohibit the practice. 

Bill sponsor Rep. Pam Marsh, D-Ashland, told lawmakers on the House Commerce and Consumer Protection committee this week that she’s heard countless stories of Oregonians unknowingly buying fake tickets. 

“Someone in my district paid $3,000 for two tickets to see Willie Nelson at the Britt,” she said, referring to a hillside venue in Jacksonville. “They turned out to be speculative. Up north, a Portland resident spent $446 for tickets purchased through a reseller to see a live performance of ‘Wicked.’ When she arrived at Keller Auditorium, people with the real tickets were already in those seats.”

Several arts and culture venue managers testified in favor of the bill, telling lawmakers that within hours of announcing an event, there are usually online listings for tickets that haven’t yet been made available, and online platforms often use language suggesting ticket scarcity and listing them at prices much higher than the actual price. 

“This deceptive practice happens for every single show we announce at the venue,” said Marney Smith, an owner and general manager of Hayden Homes Amphitheater, a popular Bend venue. 

The bill advanced on a 7-3 committee vote Thursday and is headed to the full Oregon House for a vote.

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Tyson Beauchemin

Madras, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Madras Fairgrounds hosted the 46th Annual Farm Fair today. The event brings together agricultural professionals for a trade show and information exchange.

Sponsored by the Jefferson County Seed Growers Association, the event focused on connecting members of the agricultural community, and sharing what works as them

The fair serves as a platform for growers to explore the latest agricultural supplies and technology while sharing their knowledge with each other.

The event’s main draw was a series of lectures covering issues faced by farmers and ranchers. The topics included using drones for farming and ranching operations. Other presentations focused on soil science and the application of pesticides.

Water availability remained the primary concern for the agricultural community throughout the event. Steve Culman, director of the Central Oregon Agricultural Research Center, spoke about the issue saying: “We’re facing unprecedented times right now with water, uncertainty and availability with, challenges with with market prices,”

Culman added, “It’s a challenge, a very challenging time to be a grower. And it’s, this is it’s more important now than ever to get, together and share experiences and try to figure out the best path forward.”

The Oregon State University Central Oregon Agricultural Research Center will host a presentation on crop management during times of water uncertainty next Thursday.

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KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Despite community rumors that the Central Oregon Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) might close, the organization’s CEO, Bob Mickelsen, confirmed to KTVZ News that the chapter is staying open and busier than ever.

In fact, a special Valentine’s Day Bed Build is on the calendar for Saturday, February 14, bringing together volunteers from the Sisters Rotary Club and the Sisters Kiwanis Club. The groups plan to construct 35 beds for local children in need, each one complete with a homemade quilt.

“This is truly a community effort,” said Hal Darcey, Bed Build Project Chair for Sisters Rotary. “Rotary and Kiwanis are joining together to make sure every kid in our community has a bed of their own.”

Darcey added that the project offers something beyond the practical: “Volunteering with SHP provides the opportunity to meet wonderful people in your community. Rubbing shoulders with complete strangers while building a bed for a child in need can turn into lifelong friendships — all focused on one goal: helping children sleep in heavenly peace.”

Up to 50 volunteers are expected to gather at the Earthwood Development site at 148 Sisters Park Drive, which was donated for the day. Lumber and building supplies are being provided by Hoyt’s Hardware and Building Supply in Sisters at a discounted rate.

Kiwanian Jeff Taylor said his group is proud to partner with Rotary for the project: “Our community is better when we all work together. As Sleep in Heavenly Peace says, ‘No kid sleeps on the floor in our town!’”

Adding a creative touch to the build, members of both clubs are coordinating a “quilt per bed” initiative led by Sisters Rotarian and local quilter Julie Fugate.

“So far, almost 20 quilts have been donated from quilters across Central Oregon,” Fugate said. “They’re all twin size — about 68 by 82 inches — and include everything from modern designs to traditional favorites.”

Those interested in donating a quilt or learning more can contact Fugate at FinishFairyQuilting@gmail.com.

The Rotary Club of Sisters, a nonprofit of 37 community leaders, continues its long tradition of service through local and international Rotary initiatives. And Sleep in Heavenly Peace remains committed to its mission: reminding everyone that a bed is a basic need — and that every child deserves one.

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