Category: ktvz-local-news

Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding update from Governor Kotek, Adding House Republican leader’s reaction to proposal)

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) – Governor Tina Kotek unveiled more details Thursday of her proposed funding solution of tax and fee increases lawmakers will take up at an August 29 special session. She said the proposal, if approved, will “preserve critical transportation and maintenance services for Oregonians, protect the jobs of hundreds of essential workers across the state, and preserve transit services.”

A top Republican lawmaker again blasted the proposal, calling it a “tone-deaf” package that would “hurt struggling families.”

The proposal follows up on the initial details she outlined to reporters last month, including a six-cent-a-gallon gas tax hike and increases in the state’s payroll tax and vehicle registration and title fees.

Here’s the rest of her news release, followed by one from Oregon House Republican Leader Christine Drazan:

The proposal would deliver adequate funding for the State Highway Trust Fund in the 2025-27 biennium, while maintaining Oregon’s emergency funds for urgent needs, such as wildfire suppression.

“In the weeks since the adjournment of the legislative session, my team and I have worked every day with legislators, local partners, and key stakeholders to zero in on a focused solution for the immediate crisis in our transportation system,” Governor Kotek said. “I am confident that lawmakers will step up this month to avert these layoffs, and I appreciate their partnership in getting to the other side of this crisis.”

Table of proposed gas tax and fee hikes to cover ODOT funding shortfall

“The Governor’s proposal is a targeted, near-term, and necessary fix to a statewide crisis. We must protect the jobs of ODOT employees whom we rely on to keep our roads and bridges safe,” Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) said. “For decades, Oregon has underinvested in the safety and maintenance of our roads, bridges, and transit options. This proposal doesn’t solve all the funding challenges facing our statewide transportation system, but we have an opportunity with this legislation to keep Oregon on a path toward a fair and stable funding system that puts safety first.”

“This proposal is about keeping Oregonians safe; making sure that every community – urban and rural – has functioning roads and transit; and holding ODOT accountable to Oregon taxpayers,” House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-Eugene) said. “We’ve heard from mayors, county commissioners, and transit leaders across the state who have been clear that the stakes are real and the timeline is urgent. We need to take action before harmful cuts to transportation services take effect.”

If additional revenues for the State Highway Fund are not secured during a special session, a first wave of layoffs will go into effect on September 15, and a second wave is slated for January 2026. 

Here is the governor’s transportation funding proposal released Thursday:

Transportation Funding Proposal One PagerDownload

News release:

HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER RESPONDS TO GOVERNOR’S TRANSPORTATION TAX PACKAGE THAT RAISES TAXES, HARMS STRUGGLING OREGONIANS

SALEM, ORE. — House Republican Leader Christine Drazan (R-Canby) released the following statement in response to the governor’s tone-deaf transportation tax package that takes from family savings accounts instead of using available funding:

“The governor’s tax package is going to hurt struggling families. Oregonians will be paying more but getting less—no new lanes, no improved bridges, just higher taxes. House Republicans proposed using money from the state’s Legislative Emergency Board to protect maintenance and preserve essential jobs that keep our roads safe, but the governor rejected any plan that didn’t raise taxes. Her plan to cut maintenance workers was dangerous and wrong, and her push to raise costs at the pump is extreme and out of touch. She should listen to Oregonians, work across the aisle and pursue a measured approach to the transportation needs of the state without forcing the largest transportation tax increase in Oregon’s history.”

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Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Police Department alerted community members Thursday of a recent uptick in scams they are seeing frequently offering tips,in an effort to help you avoid becoming a victim.  

“So far in 2025, we have received at least 243 calls reporting scams and fraud attempts,” Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller said in a news release. “In July alone, 20 people reported to the Bend Police Department that they had lost a combined $107,905 in scams, in amounts ranging from $25 to $26,000.”

The types of scams can vary, but over the past couple of months, we’ve seen multiple incidents in which the victim lost tens of thousands of dollars through similar methods.

Here are just a few examples:  

The victim received a call purporting to be from Wells Fargo. The caller told the victim there was an issue with her account, then sent an Uber to the victim’s home to provide transportation to the bank. The victim was directed to withdraw $12,000 and then took a second Uber to a Chase Bank to deposit the money in separate ATM deposits to unknown accounts. The caller then provided the victim with a third Uber to transport the victim back home.  

The victim received a call purporting to be from U.S. Bank. The caller told the victim that someone had attempted to open a Zelle account with the victim’s phone number. The victim was directed to withdraw $2,000 in cash and use that money to buy MoneyPak Green Dot cards, then repeat the transaction at a different grocery store with $1,500 in cash. The victim then provided the numbers on the back of the cards to the caller.  

The victim received an email from a scammer regarding a fake purchase on eBay. The victim called a number listed in the email and spoke with a person who directed the victim to go to a Bitcoin ATM and make multiple deposits totaling $32,000. The scammer was able to gain access to the victim’s computer through a screen-sharing program, and the scammer may also have shut down the victim’s bank account and attempted to make purchases on multiple credit cards. 

Many of our most recently reported scams have featured a victim receiving either an email or a phone call about a problem – an issue with a bank account, a fraudulent charge, a warrant or a missed jury duty call.

The scammer then rushes the victim – they need to act quickly to solve the issue by transferring money, giving the scammer gift cards, or taking money out of their bank account and putting it elsewhere.

Often, the scammer stays on the phone with the victim the entire time the scam is taking place. By the time the victim figures out it’s a scam, they’re often too late and lose a lot of money.  

Here are a few reminders to help prevent these scammers from getting hold of your hard-earned money:  

Law enforcement and other federal agencies will never call or email you demanding money. Banks will not ask you to wire money as part of a fraud investigation. Banks will not tell you to remove money from their accounts and place it in another bank.  

Do not transfer money into Bitcoin ATMs or online apps at the behest of any agency or business.  

Legitimate groups do not request payment in the form of gift cards.  

Not sure if it’s a scam? Trust your gut. Hang up, don’t reply to the email. Call your banking institution and check that the call or email is legitimate. Don’t trust caller ID – a scammer can fake a number they’re calling from. You can also Google the number you’re receiving a call from. Often, other people who have been scammed will post to the internet identifying the phone number as a scammer.  

Have you been the victim of a scam? Call non-emergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 to report it and file a complaint with the FBI at www.IC3.gov. 

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Barney Lerten

PORTLAND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., announced Thursday that he will hold open-to-all town halls this month in Polk, Jefferson, Josephine, Benton and Clatsop counties.

Heading into these five town halls from August 14-23, Wyden has held 1,129 open-to-all town halls in keeping his promise to hold at least one town hall each year in each of Oregon’s 36 counties.

“I’m looking forward to these town halls in communities large and small because hearing my fellow Oregonians’ opinions and answering their questions are a must to do my job in the Senate representing all parts of the state,” Wyden said. “Our country faces unprecedented challenges, and these open-to-all meetings help shape the solutions that Oregonians want for our state and country.”

The schedule for the upcoming town halls is as follows:

Thursday, Aug. 14

Polk County, 5 pm, Western Oregon University’s Werner University Center, 400 Monmouth Ave N., Monmouth

Saturday, Aug. 16

Jefferson County, 10 am, Madras Performing Arts Center, 412 SE Buff St., Madras

Monday, Aug. 18

Josephine County, 4 pm, Rogue Community College gym, 3345 Redwood Highway, Grants Pass

Wednesday, Aug. 20

Benton County, 4 pm, Philomath High School auditorium, 2054 Applegate St., Philomath

Saturday, Aug. 23

Clatsop County, 4 pm, Astoria High School auditorium, 1001 W Marine Dr., Astoria

For everyone’s security, backpacks and large bags will not be allowed in the town hall.

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John Carroll

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — This week on Show Us Your Garden, we have another great variety of gardens to show off. A garden that is made from a circle of friends who all share different parts of their gardens with each other. Another is a lovely fountain hidden in some beautiful flowers on the front deck. The third garden is one that gets a lot of attention each morning.

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Tyson Beauchemin

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The city of Bend has installed a camera on the Portland Avenue Bridge, but it’s not for surveillance. The camera sits atop a light pole on the bridge and is designed to record traffic data.

It’s not just cars – it’s recording the number of people walking and cycling over the bridge. It can also tell the difference between cars, trucks and motorcycles.

The camera replaces several different devices that were built into the bridge.

The project lead, Colleen Miller, is the city of Bend’s Geographic Informations Systems (GIS) manager. She explained on Wednesday why the city went with a camera: “Any time we would do surface treatment of the bridge, those (traffic-counting road) loops would need to be replaced. For bike and pedestrian counting, we use infrared sensors and pressure plates. And those also needed some maintenance and required battery changes regularly. This new equipment will require less maintenance, because it has a constant power connection.”

The camera uses artificial intelligence to tell the difference between the types of vehicles and pedestrians in the area.

The city of Bend stresses that the video taken by the camera is not stored. Every 15 minutes, it’s converted into traffic data and then discarded.

This camera also does not detect faces, nor license plates.

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KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Keeping the fridge full is becoming costly. According to Nielsen IQ, food costs are rising across the board.

When comparing the price of eggs, between this July and last July, the price has risen 60 percent. The price of eggs hit a record high in 2025, due to the bird flu outbreak. Some places reported prices as high as $6 a dozen in March of this year.

Chicken is also up 80 cents, peaking at over $6 a pound. Ground beef is nearly 70 cents per pound. Orange juice is up 40 cents, and bacon is up to 17 cents a pound.

The smallest increase has been for a loaf of bread. Now that’s up 5 cents, at just over $3 a loaf.

KTVZ News went out to local markets on Wednesday and asked grocery shoppers for their thoughts.

“I think prices in general keep rising almost every time I come, I would say,” Michael Paulson said as he left a grocery store. Paulson mentioned the price of beef, and wondered why we are importing meat when we could be raising it here in the U.S.

In the parking lot of another store, Michael Coe was picking up some food on his lunch break. When asked about how prices had impacted him, he said: “It takes probably a little bit more thinking now than it used to. I find that my wife and I have to spend more time navigating kind of what possible options are, instead of just showing up at a store and buying something. “

Conversely, Linda Brant seemed less burdened by prices as she headed into a market: “You just have to be a really smart shopper and know how to get good quality protein and good fats and things like that, nutritionally. “ Brant praised Grocery Outlet’s prices, but said she did spend more time seeking out less-expensive products.

Many of the people we spoke to also said housing prices and rent were a major concern for them.

Lastly, according to the latest Consumer Price Index, food prices have climbed 3% over the past year.

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Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Housing Works, the regional housing authority for Central Oregon, held a grand opening event on Wednesday to celebrate the completion of a 59-unit rental community in southwest Bend.

Housing Works said it was thrilled to celebrate the opening of the College View Apartments at 198 SW 18th Street with a myriad of partners who have helped make the community possible.

The site was declared a public surplus by Deschutes County and purchased by Housing Works in 2022, as part of a joint development application with RootedHomes. On site is the Housing Works rental community, adjacent to 40 future homes for affordable ownership to be managed by RootedHomes.

The development was further supported by the City of Bend, Oregon Housing and Community Services, and Bend Park and Recreation District, as well as PNC Bank and WaFed Bank. This property is the first rental LIFT (Local Innovation and Fast Track) community funded by the state in Bend.

The building is designed to meet the Earth Advantage Platinum standard (the highest standard available) and includes large, high-efficiency windows to support natural daylighting, LED lighting with occupancy sensors,a 34 KW solar system, a whole-house fan system that provides filtered air into the building, and mini split heat pumps.

Building to the Earth Advantage Platinum standard will reduce operating costs and increase comfort for residents.

The development was designed by the Pinnacle Architecture/Ashley Vance engineering team, and has been constructed by local general contractor CS Construction Co.

Houesing Works is the largest affordable housing provider in Central Oregon. It provides people with quality, safe and affordable homes; and through a number of collaborations, it provides the resources to help people stabilize their lives. Housing Works developments in Bend, Redmond, Prineville, Madras and Sisters have won awards for innovation, economic impact, design, and beautification. For more information, visit www.housing-works.org.

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Barney Lerten

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Crook County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce a generous donation from Country Financial in the amount of $8,064 to support the purchase of 16 complete sets of Nomex wildland fire Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the Crook County Search and Rescue team. 

This critical donation ensures that SAR volunteers are outfitted adequately with flame-resistant gear during wildfire evacuation operations, allowing them to work safely and effectively in hazardous conditions, sheriff’s Lieutenant Mitch Madden said in a news release Wednesday:

As wildfire activity continues to increase across Central Oregon, this PPE provides an essential layer of protection for those tasked with assisting in evacuations, searching for missing persons, and supporting emergency operations in fire zones. 

The donation will cover the full cost of purchasing Nomex pants, shirts, and tools that are vital for rapid and safe response during wildland fire emergencies. 

“Local law enforcement and firefighters do so much for our communities; the least we can do is to give back to thank them for their lifesaving work,” said COUNTRY Financial representative Ray Austin in Terrebonne.

“It’s about protecting those who ultimately protect us,” adds COUNTRY Financial representative Joe Mitchell in Prineville. “This way, they can have the very best tools and other gear to help them in their important work.” 

The donation is part of COUNTRY Financial’s Operation Helping Heroes program, which donates funds to local police, fire, and other first responders as part of their commitment to giving back to communities where the company does business. 

The Crook County Sheriff’s Office extends its sincere thanks to Ray Austin with Country Financial for championing this initiative and helping ensure that the men and women of SAR are ready and protected when duty calls. 

About Crook County Search and Rescue 

Crook County SAR is a volunteer-based unit under the Crook County Sheriff’s Office, dedicated to providing emergency response for lost, injured, or missing persons in Crook County.  The team plays a crucial role in wildfire evacuations and disaster response across the region. 

About Country Financial 

Country Financial is a national insurance and financial services provider with a longstanding commitment to supporting first responders, public safety, and community resilience efforts across the United States. 

For additional information, please contact: 

Lt. Mitch Madden 

Crook County Sheriff’s Office 

Phone: 541-447-6398 

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Barney Lerten

The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners is celebrating several legislative victories for Central Oregon following an end-of-session report on the 2025 Oregon Legislature presented during its meeting on Monday.

Here are the details outlined in a news release KTVZ News received on Wednesday:

Throughout the 158-day legislative session, commissioners and county staff actively engaged with state legislators, offering support for bills benefiting Deschutes County and the Central Oregon region. The Board’s legislative priorities included a path forward for wildfire funding, building a mental health facility for youth, securing funding for juniper remediation projects, continuing the development of a CORE3 emergency operations center, and advocating for a transportation funding package.

One of the top successes celebrated by the Board is the legislature’s approval of $3.1 million to establish a mental health facility for youth in Central Oregon. Currently, there are no psychiatric beds available for young people in the region. In addition to the funding approved by state lawmakers, the Oregon Health Authority will provide matching funds, and the Central Oregon Health Council will contribute a $750,000 grant to have the facility built by the fall of 2026.

“When we met with Rep. Emerson Levy and Sen. Anthony Broadman last year to discuss the need for a youth-centered mental health facility, they became dedicated supporters of the initiative,” said Commissioner Phil Chang. “Through this facility, healthcare providers and families will be able to meet both acute and respite care needs for young people across Eastern Oregon.”

Juniper removal and water restoration initiatives received a boost with the allocation of $5.2 million in funding, focusing on areas of more than 100 acres (HB 3135). Juniper removal activities help preserve water and reduce wildfire risk. The funds will be distributed in varying amounts to seven counties in Eastern and Southern Oregon, including Crook, Deschutes, Harney, Jefferson, Klamath, Lake, and Wheeler.

“I want to give special thanks to Rep. Vikki Breese Iverson and Rep. Emerson Levy for pushing this bill forward,” said Commissioner Patti Adair. “This legislation plays a critical role in reducing the wildfire risks for thousands of high-risk properties in Deschutes County and significantly enhances our community’s safety and resilience.”

Another highlight from the 2025 legislative session is the $10 million allocated for the CORE3 project, an emergency response and training facility to be used by local, state and federal public safety and emergency management personnel.

“The CORE3 facilities are designated for first responder training and for providing a multi-agency emergency operations center in support of large-scale emergencies,” said Commissioner Chair Tony DeBone. “We greatly appreciate legislators including this essential facility in the Capital Construction funding, which will allow us to move the project forward.”

One of the major issues of the legislative session was wildfire funding. While lawmakers did not pass a single comprehensive funding package, the BOCC acknowledges the measures passed by state lawmakers that aim to reduce the risk and cover the cost of wildfires in Central Oregon and across the state.

During the final week of the legislative session, lawmakers established a tax on oral nicotine products, with an estimated biennial revenue of $60 million going toward wildfire mitigation. Legislators also voted to repeal the controversial wildfire hazard map, which classified more than 21,000 properties within Deschutes County’s wildland-urban interface as high hazard (SB 83).   

While state legislators failed to pass a transportation funding package before the session ended, the BOCC is awaiting the outcome of the upcoming special session, starting Friday, Aug. 29. The hope is that legislators will find ways to adequately fund critical operations and maintenance programs, as well as public safety improvements along key targeted areas like U.S. Highway 97.    

These legislative achievements, along with others, reflect the Board of County Commissioners’ commitment to advancing the health, safety, and infrastructure of Deschutes County, while ensuring our growing community is resilient and continues to thrive for years to come.

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Barney Lerten

 On Friday, August 8, the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District on the Deschutes National Forest will open the gate at Todd Lake to Forest Service Road (FSR) 370, which provides driving access to the Broken Top and Crater Ditch Trailheads.

Forest Service Road 370 is a very rough road, with sections through which low-clearance vehicles cannot travel. The Forest Service does not maintain FSR 370 for passenger cars and recommends high-clearance vehicles. Several washouts occurred on the road during winter and spring making conditions extremely rough.

Central Cascades Wilderness Permits are now available for overnight and day use for Broken Top and Crater Ditch Trailheads. Central Cascades Wilderness Permits are required for overnight and day use entry into the Three Sisters Wilderness from these two trailheads. Visitors can reserve permits through Recreation.gov.

For more information or questions, please contact the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District at (541) 383-5300.

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