Category: ktvz-local-news

Kelsey Merison

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — The City of Madras Public Works Department will conduct road striping Thursday, September 10, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Work is planned on portions of Oak Street, 7th Street, C Street, J Street, Kemper Way and Cherry Lane.

No parking will be allowed on the roadway within the project areas while crews are working. The city says door hangers will be delivered and notices will be placed on vehicles parked along the affected streets.

Vehicles that remain in the project areas during striping could be towed at the owner’s expense.

Residents are asked to move their vehicles before 7 a.m. Thursday to give crews enough room to safely and efficiently complete the work.

The city thanked residents for their cooperation.

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Kelsey Merison

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — It’s officially back-to-school season in Deschutes County, and local deputies are also returning to campus.

Three Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office deputies will serve as school resource deputies this year, covering 11 schools across the county.

Deputies Karpstein, Woods and Cox are reminding drivers and the community to take extra precautions as students return to school.

The deputies are encouraging drivers to slow down and remain alert, especially when traveling through school zones.

With more children walking, biking and being dropped off at schools, deputies say a little extra caution can help keep students safe.

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Kelsey Merison

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — Prineville police are reminding residents that Facebook is not an effective way to report a crime, file a complaint, or contact officers.

The Prineville Police Department says its dispatch center and officers are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, even when the department’s administrative office is closed.

For non-emergency matters, residents should call 541-447-4168 and press 1.

For emergencies, police say residents should always call 911.

Police are reminding the community to use the appropriate phone line to ensure they can respond when help is needed.

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Lance Campbell

Update: KTVZ News has removed the photos and videos of the suspect due to their age.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A suspect in a burglary at a Bend restaurant has been arrested after police released surveillance video and asked the public for help identifying the person.

The burglary was reported at Washington’s Restaurant on Monday night, Sept. 7, around 11:30 p.m., Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller told KTVZ News.

Wednesday, KTVZ News aired the surveillance video showing the suspect allegedly stealing from the restaurant. Today, Washington’s owners announced on social media that they had identified the person in the video.

Bend Police told KTVZ News the suspect was arrested Wednesday night on three counts of second-degree burglary and one count of first-degree theft.

The restaurant thanked the community for their help and support in identifying the suspect.

Police did not release the suspect’s name or additional details about the arrest.

Previous story:

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend Police are investigating a reported burglary at a local restaurant and are asking for the public’s help identifying a suspect captured on surveillance footage.

The burglary happened around 11:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7, Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller told KTVZ News.

Police said the restaurant reported the burglary and officers are investigating. Surveillance footage from the business shows the suspect, but police have not released additional details about the incident.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information that could help with the investigation is asked to contact non-emergency dispatch.

Miller said police only recently received the report, so there is limited information available at this point in the investigation.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon employers would pay an average of 92 cents per $100 of payroll for workers’ compensation coverage in 2027 under a proposal announced today by the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services. The proposal includes an average 2.1% increase in the pure premium rate, marking the second-lowest rate on record for the state.

The proposed change increases the average loaded pure premium cost from 89 cents per $100 of payroll in 2026. The increase is driven by Senate Bill 1519, a 2026 law that modified weekly lost-time wage compensation benefits for injured workers with disabling claims. Despite the proposed increase, the pure premium rate per $100 of payroll will have declined 36.5% between 2018 and 2027.

Under Senate Bill 1519, effective Jan. 1, 2027, the weekly compensation rate for injured workers earning up to 75% of the state average weekly wage will increase to 75%. Compensation for workers earning more than 75% of the state average weekly wage will decrease to 65%. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, long-term declines in lost-time claim frequency continue to help offset upward cost pressure from higher medical and indemnity claim severity and benefit changes.

The state’s premium assessment rate will remain unchanged at 9.8% of premiums for the sixth consecutive year in 2027. The assessment funds state workplace safety and regulatory programs, including the Workers’ Compensation Division, Oregon OSHA, the Workers’ Compensation Board, the Ombuds Office for Oregon Workers and the Office of the Small Business Ombudsman for Workers’ Compensation. For self-insured employers, assessment rates also remain unchanged from 2026 at 0.1% for individual self-insured employers and public-sector groups and 0.5% for private-sector groups.

Employers and employees also split cents-per-hour-worked assessments. The Workers’ Benefit Fund assessment will increase from 1.8 cents to 2.2 cents per hour worked in 2027 to fund return-to-work programs and disability benefits. Under House Bill 4027, a new BOLI Expense Fund component of 0.2 cents per hour worked takes effect in 2027 to help fund the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries, bringing the total combined hourly assessment to 2.4 cents per hour.

The proposed rate changes will take effect Jan. 1, 2027, though employers will see changes when renewing their policies. Individual employer costs will vary depending on industry, payroll, claims experience and insurer expense factors. In 2024, Oregon’s workers’ compensation rates ranked as the 14th least expensive in the nation, according to a biennial study conducted by the department.

Public hearings on the premium assessment and Workers’ Benefit Fund assessment are scheduled for Sept. 17 at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m., respectively. Written testimony will be accepted through 5 p.m. on Sept. 24 by the Director’s Office of DCBS in Salem.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — At approximately 9:45pm Redmond Fire & Rescue crews  responded to the undeveloped land east of Redmond for a reported RV fire. Upon arrival crews extinguished a fully involved RV fire that spread to two trees and a pile of rubbish. Three brush engines and one Battalion Chief responded with 9 personnel total. The total time on scene was 90 mins.

Photo by: Redmond Fire & Rescue

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — PODER, Oregon’s Latino Leadership Network, will host its 17th annual Hispanic Heritage Month Breakfast & Summit on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, at the Salem Convention Center in Salem, Ore.

The theme for this year’s event is “Built on Hope. Carried Forward by Community,” which focuses on honoring past generations while supporting current leaders across the state. Anthony Veliz, founder and executive director of PODER, emphasized the importance of bringing community members and leaders together.

“For 17 years, this gathering has created a space for Oregon’s Latino community to celebrate our heritage, recognize leadership and build relationships that move our communities forward,” Veliz said. “Latino Oregonians are an important part of Oregon’s story and we are helping shape what comes next.”

The event runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and features a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration, breakfast, community resource fair, leadership networking lunch, community awards ceremony and an afternoon leadership summit.

Dr. Juana Bordas, an author, leadership expert and founder of the National Hispana Leadership Institute, will deliver the keynote address titled “The Vision, Power and Inclusiveness of Latino Leadership.” Bordas was the first Latina recipient of the International Leadership Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

During the awards presentation, PODER will recognize three Oregonians for their contributions to local communities. Jaime Miranda, owner of M&M Marketplace in Hillsboro, will receive the Heart of the Community Award. Leda Garside, a bilingual and bicultural nurse, will receive the Legacy Leadership Award. Diane Bocking-Byrd, a licensed professional counselor, will receive the Ally of the Year Award, presented by OYEN Emotional Wellness Center.

The afternoon summit includes six concurrent sessions focusing on technology, government, sports, civic leadership and family well-being. A panel on Latinas in technology will feature engineers from Nike and Microsoft. The civic leadership session will feature elected and aspiring officials, including State Rep. Lesly Munoz of District 22, Hillsboro City Councilor Olivia Alcaire and state Senate candidate Myrna Munoz. Additional sessions will cover public service partnerships with state agencies, leadership lessons from sports and generational well-being in Latino families.

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Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield announced Wednesday that the state is filing two lawsuits against federal environmental agencies over rule changes that weaken protections under the Endangered Species Act.

The legal actions, supported by Gov. Tina Kotek, challenge regulations issued by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service that make it easier to alter or destroy protected wildlife habitats.

The state argues the regulatory rollbacks ignore the core purpose of the Endangered Species Act and violate both the Administrative Procedure Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Oregon is joined in the litigation by attorneys general from 20 other states and the District of Columbia.

The first lawsuit, filed against the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, challenges the federal government’s rescission of the longstanding definition of “harm” under the Endangered Species Act. For decades, the definition included significant habitat degradation that disrupts breeding, feeding or shelter. State officials contend that narrowing the term allows critical habitats to be destroyed even when the damage threatens a species’ survival.

A second lawsuit targets both the Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service over two additional policy revisions. One rule change removes automatic protections for newly listed threatened species, while the second alters how federal authorities determine and designate critical habitat areas.

Rayfield emphasized the importance of safeguarding wildlife habitats when announcing the legal filings. “One of the things that makes Oregon a truly great place to live and visit is our natural environment, including our rich, vibrant habitats and animal species,” Rayfield said. “Protecting these spaces and the animals who call them home is about preserving our way of life for generations to come.”

Gov. Kotek voiced strong support for the state’s court actions against the federal administration. “Oregon’s natural landscapes and waters are the foundation of our rural economies and the ecosystems that define this state,” Kotek said. “While President Trump is doing everything in his power to roll back decades of longstanding habitat protections, Oregon will continue to fight back on every front, with everything we have, to protect our wildlife.”

Oregon contains numerous threatened and endangered species that depend on federal public lands for habitat. The state was also the first in the nation to have a fish species delisted following population recovery under Endangered Species Act protections. According to the attorney general’s office, habitat destruction remains the primary cause of wildlife decline nationwide.

Oregon filed the litigation alongside attorneys general from Arizona, Calif., Colo., Conn., Del., Hawaii, Ill., Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., N.J., N.M., N.Y., R.I., Vt., Va., Wash., Wis. and the District of Columbia.

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Kelsey Merison

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Back-to-school looks a little different this year at Redmond High School, where teachers and students are starting the school year in a new group of portable classrooms as construction continues on the main campus.

The temporary classrooms, known as the “Panther Portables,” are located just outside the high school. School officials say nearly all classes will be held in the portables this school year, with the exception of gymnasium activities and career and technical education classes.

Redmond High School Principal Audrey Haugan says the portable classrooms are spacious, temperature-controlled and designed to provide as normal a school experience as possible.

“I think there’s a genuine curiosity about what is it going to be like?” Haugan said. “Our first reaction from the teachers is that the portables are very nice. They’re large.”

For teachers, the move has meant packing up classrooms and adapting to a new environment.

Social Studies Teacher Kelli Tusow said the transition will take some getting used to, but staff are approaching the change with a positive attitude.

“It’s going to be an adjustment for everybody. And it’s not going to be perfect,” Tusow said. “But I think everybody seems really positive and like we’re adapting really well.”

School leaders are also working to make sure students, particularly seniors, still get the traditional high school experience despite the construction.

Seniors will have their own parking area, senior gold cards, and other new perks and activities planned by student leadership.

“We know high school is supposed to be special,” Haugan said. “We’re especially concerned about our seniors having a great year.”

The changes affect everyone on campus, including students, teachers, staff and administrators. School officials say the focus is on supporting one another and making the temporary arrangement work.

The portable classrooms are not expected to be a permanent solution. Redmond High School anticipates moving back into the main building for the 2027-28 school year.

Until then, teachers say they’re focused less on what is different and more on preparing to welcome students back to class.

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Tyson Beauchemin

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The academic year began today for elementary and middle school students across Redmond.

At John Tuck Elementary, it was business as usual as pupils resumed their typical schedules. In moderate-sized schools like Tuck, returning students frequently already know the teachers assigned to them for the next year.

Fourth-grade students at Tuck Elementary shared their hopes for this school year. Vivian Sigura, a fourth-grade student at the school, expressed enthusiasm for her classes. “I’m so excited for all the activities we’re going to be doing. and I just love fourth grade so far,” Sigura said.

Another fourth-grade student, Owen White, was more interested in getting out of the classroom. “I hope I get to go on the field trip to Mount Bachelor,” White said.

4th grader Loretta Mehner, is already enjoying the new school year. “My teacher is really nice and she’s really fun. Classrooms really well run,” Mehner said.

District officials noted that an increased number of children will be on the streets traveling to and from school, prompting the reminder for drivers to remain vigilant in school zones.

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