Category: ktvz-local-news

Barney Lerten

(Update: New video and reactions)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Hundreds of Rite Aid pharmacy customers on the south end of Bend got the upsetting news in person or by mail this week: The store at 700 SE Third Street will be closing later this month. 

“We appreciate your loyalty,” the letters begin. “We’re sorry to tell you we’ve had to make the difficult decision to close your Rite Aid at 700 SE Third Street in Bend on 4/29/25.” 

“What an honor it has been to care for you and your health and well-being,” the message continues. “Please accept our heartfelt thanks.” 

Starting on April 30, former Rite Aid customers will have their prescriptions available at the Fred Meyer Pharmacy on South Highway 97. 

Until the store closes, customers can speak with their Rite Aid pharmacist with any questions, or tell them if they’d prefer their prescriptions be sent to a different store. 

The closure will leave Bend with one Rite Aid, on Northeast Third Street. 

“We know you have choices when it comes to pharmacies, and we appreciate that you entrusted us with your health,” the letter concludes, closing: “Take Care, Your Pharmacy Team.” 

KTVZ News has reached out to Rite Aid officials for more information and will update as we learn more.

CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid have all been closing stores in recent years due to several factors, including rising competition, lower reimbursement rates for prescriptions and shifting consumer habits. 

Last summer, Rite Aid, which declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October 2023, announced 11 Oregon store closures, from Portland and Salem to Florence and Milton-Freewater. By last fall, it had closed 800 stores for a total of about 1,300. 

Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Attorney General Dan Rayfield continues to hold federal oversight forums, with the next stop planned for Bend on Saturday, May 3rd. Joining AG Rayfield will be state Senator Anthony Broadman, Representatives Jason Kropf and Emerson Levy.

Here’s the rest of Tuesday’s announcement:

This is an opportunity to hear from organizations and people facing big impacts because of federal cuts, as well a chance to hear from the public about what they’re experiencing and time for Q&A.

“Last week, we heard from Oregonians who are scared, confused and angry,” Rayfield said. “They’re worried about not getting their social security payments. Organizations that help with food assistance and healthcare are scrambling after learning about major funding cuts. We want to travel the state to hear directly from those impacted and send a message: Oregon won’t be silent while the Trump administration plays political games with people’s lives.”

Rayfield held town halls in both Eugene in Portland last week. It’s part of a series of community impact hearings organized by state attorneys general to address the effects of federal actions and executive orders issued by President Trump.

The town hall will feature a panel of speakers from different areas impacted by the cuts, including food assistance programs, public health and safety, veterans, LGBTQ+ community members, fired federal workers and more. There will be an open forum for attendees to share their stories and ask questions.

Event Details:Date: May 3rd, 2025Time: 9:30 AM – 11:00 AMLocation: OSU Cascades Campus, Edward J. Ray Hall – Atrium

For public who wish to attend, please click here to RSVP.

Barney Lerten

Third local cultural event called off in recent days

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Another local cultural event has been canceled due to safety concerns, the third in recent days: Central Oregon Community College’s Latinx Fiesta Celebración, which was scheduled for this coming Saturday.

On Monday, April 7, the Latino Community Association canceled this fall’s Central Oregon Latino Fest in Madras and the Father’s Group called off its Juneteenth Celebration at Bend’s Drake Park, both over safety concerns and a “volatile political climate.”

Here’s COCC’s full announcement, received by KTVZ News Tuesday afternoon:

Central Oregon Community College regrets to share that the 2025 Latinx Fiesta Celebración, originally scheduled for Saturday, April 19, has been canceled. While we were looking forward to gathering in celebration of Latin American cultures, this difficult decision was made out of an abundance of caution and in alignment with similar decisions by community partners, as well as COCC’s core values of safety, inclusion and community well-being.

We recognize the importance of cultural celebration and the opportunity this event offered to uplift and share Latinx voices, stories and traditions. To those who were planning to attend — we see your excitement and we share your disappointment. Rest assured, COCC remains committed to celebrating Latinx cultures in meaningful ways and looks forward to bringing this and other community events to life in the future, when the environment allows us to do so with the safety and support all attendees deserve.

Text from original press release (April 2):

With dancing, crafts, piñata-breaking and a banquet-style meal that showcases the flavors of Brazil, Cuba, Perú, Colombia and other Latin American countries, Central Oregon Community College’s (COCC) Latinx Fiesta Celebración will take place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, at the Coats Campus Center on the college’s Bend campus.

This is a family-friendly event, free and open to the public, organized by the COCC Latinx Student program and Latinx Club, and with partnership from the High Desert Museum and the Deschutes Public Library. Attendees are encouraged to park in COCC’s Barber Library parking lot.

Beginning with story time — read in both English and Spanish — along with ceramic drink coaster painting, the Mexican board game loteria, piñata-breaking and other activities from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., the event features a complete lunch of Latin American flavors from 12:30-2 p.m., with dessert provided by students of COCC’s Cascade Culinary Institute, and then music and dancing from 2-4 p.m.

Lewis & Clark College’s Freddy Vilches, Ph.D., an associate professor of Hispanic studies and a talented multi-instrumentalist musician, will provide live Latin American music, accompanied by student musicians, to offer an opportunity for dancing.

Barney Lerten

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) –Midnight Tuesday night is the deadline to file tax year 2024 state and federal personal income tax returns, and the Oregon Department of Revenue wants to remind taxpayers of the tools available to make the experience easier for both those who haven’t yet filed their 2024 return and those who have.

Through Monday, April 14, Revenue says it has processed 1.7 million of an expected 2.2 million returns and issued 1.1 million refunds.

Direct file

New this year, taxpayers can file their federal return directly with the IRS using IRS Direct File and their Oregon return directly with the state through Direct File Oregon for free. Videos are available to show how to use IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon.

Taxpayers using the combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon have been completing their Oregon returns in about 17 minutes. Taxpayer response has been positive with survey feedback averaging 4.5 on a five-point scale.

IRS Direct File does not support all return types. Specifically, taxpayers with dividends reported on Form 1099-DIV and capital gains or losses are not supported.

More free filing options

Revenue reminds those who haven’t yet filed, that filing electronically is the fastest way for taxpayers to get their refund. Information about available free tax preparation tax preparation software is available on the Revenue website, along with a list of organizations providing free or reduced cost assistance.

Public computer kiosks for filing taxes with Direct File Oregon and free fillable forms are available in department regional offices in Bend, Eugene, Gresham, Medford, and Portland.

Where’s my refund? tool and video

Taxpayers who want to check the status of their Oregon state income tax refund will find more information available this year when they use the Department of Revenue’s Where’s My Refund? tool.

For the 2025 tax season, Where’s My Refund? has been upgraded to provide:

Additional detail about refund status. 

Added functionality to see when the agency is requesting additional information to complete processing a return. 

Website enhancements for improved customer experience.

To have the benefit of the enhancements, however, taxpayers need to be signed into their Revenue Online account. Taxpayers who don’t already have a Revenue Online account can create one by following the Revenue Online link on the department’s website. Taxpayers can still use the Where’s My Refund? tool without being signed into Revenue Online account, but won’t be able to see the updated features.

A video outlining the refund process and timelines is also available to help taxpayers understand the process.

Filing a paper return

Taxpayers who haven’t yet filed their tax year 2024 return and file a paper return should make sure it’s post-marked by today or place it in one of the drop boxes available on both the east and west sides of the Department of Revenue Building in Salem, or outside the DOR offices in Portland, Eugene, Medford, and Bend. A drop box at DOR’s Gresham office is available during business hours.

DOR staff will be on hand in the atrium of the Salem headquarters building today until 5 p.m. to accept and stamp tax returns as having been filed timely.

Filing an extension.

Individuals who are not able to file by midnight can file an extension directly with the Oregon Department of Revenue or with the Internal Revenue Service. If the IRS extension is granted, the Oregon extension is automatically granted. A timely filed extension moves the federal tax filing deadline and the Oregon filing deadline to October 15, 2025.

Taxpayers should only request an Oregon extension if they:

Don’t have a federal extension.

Owe Oregon taxes.

Can’t file your return by April 15, 2025.

Remember that an extension to file  is not an extension to pay any tax owed. Taxpayers who can’t pay the full amount they owe, should pay what they can to avoid late payment penalties.

First quarter 2025 estimated payments due today

Today is also the due date for first quarter estimated payments. In most cases, taxpayers must make estimated tax payments for tax year 2025 if they estimate their tax after withholding and credits (including refundable credits) will be $1,000 or more when they file their 2025 Oregon return. Taxpayers can make their payments on Revenue Online or mail their payment with a voucher. Taxpayers mailing their payment should mail it separately from their return or other correspondence. Oregon Estimated Income Tax Instructions, Publication OR-ESTIMATE, can be found on the Revenue website. 

Visit www.oregon.gov/dor to get tax forms, see a list of approved tax preparation software products, check the status of your refund, or make tax payments. For questions not answered on the Revenue website, call 800-356-4222 toll-free (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 or email questions.dor@oregon.gov. For TTY (hearing or speech impaired), we accept all relay calls. Due to the number of calls Revenue receives during tax season, you may experience extended wait times.

Dylan Anderman

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Just a season ago, Summit Robotics didn’t qualify for Districts. This year, the team didn’t just make it to Districts—they’re heading to the FIRST Robotics World Championships in Houston, Texas, for the first time in seven years.

“It’s really exciting just to go to Worlds, see teams from all over the world, and really just experience that,” said one team member. “It’s a whole new setting. It’s a whole new atmosphere. And I’m really excited to see it.”

The team, known as Chaos Theory, is made up of more than 20 dedicated students and mentors who built a competition robot they named Triton. With relentless teamwork and innovation, Triton helped them secure two second-place finishes, one first-place win and a spot on the global stage.

“So just being able to see that boost in confidence in everyone—and in myself—of being on a team where, statistically, you know you’re a good team. I think we’re currently ranked in the top 50 in the world. Before, we were in the bottom 80%. That’s a huge shift.”

Their robot Triton was designed to perform a variety of technical tasks on the field, including manipulating objects with precision.

“As you can see here, this is one of the reefs behind me where we have to place these corals. They’re basically PVC tubes on each of these different nodes,” explained another team member.

But technical skill isn’t the only thing powering Chaos Theory—it’s also reliability.

“Liability is availability, and availability wins. And we are 100% reliable. We’ve never missed a match. We’ve never broken down in a match. We’re always there to play.”

For Chaos Theory, making it this far is already a victory, and every experience the team has had along the way is priceless.

“What’s amazing about the FIRST Robotics program, and a big reason I’m still here – I’ve learned more in my three years on the team than any classroom has ever taught me, and you’re able to do these things that are not an option anywhere else.”

As the team prepares for the global competition, the focus isn’t just on winning—but on everything else that comes with it.

“At Worlds, yeah, I think a joint goal is really to win. But also, you know, it’s the friends you make along the way.”

The World Championships begin this Wednesday, and getting to this point hasn’t been easy—or cheap.

To power their journey to Houston, the Summit Robotics team has invested over $100,000 this season alone. That funding has supported everything from parts and equipment to travel and competition fees.

While the team is backed by 30 generous sponsors, they’re still seeking additional support to make the most of this incredible opportunity.

If you’d like to help Summit Robotics on their road to Worlds, donations can be made at summitrobotics.com.

Click here to follow the original article.

John Carroll

We have a new feature from the KTVZ weather center that we will be showcasing on the 6 pm and 10 pm newscasts each night. We call it the Futuretrack 14-Day, and it gives you a broadbrush view of the following week. This will track trends over the next week after the 7-Day, and provide a guideline to help you to make your plans.

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The required 3,000 vouchers were purchased, so the Golf Oregon license plate, to benefit junior golf programs around the state, will be sold soon by the Oregon DMV.

You can learn more about the license plate from this Oregon Golf Association page.

DMV spokesman Chris Crabb told KTVZ News Monday now that the required vouchers have been sold, “an implementation team is being formed. That team will validate vouchers, initiate implementation, including ordering license plates, and establish the implementation date. Once the team is established, it takes a minimum of 7-8 months to produce the plate.”