A new, baby North American river otter will make its debut Wednesday at the High Desert Museum. Find out more here.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — High Desert Museum visitors will have their first official opportunity to see the new, baby North American river otter on Wednesday, when he joins two other otters full-time in the Autzen Otter Exhibit.

The museum will celebrate the addition of the male pup, now approximately 5 1/2 months old, at 2:30 pm. Visitors will be able to view the pup, who is yet to be named, as well as the other two male otters in the museum’s care, Brook and Pitch. Naturalists will be at an Otter Fodder Interpretation Station to share interesting scientific facts about…

The “Be More Like Millie Walk,” honoring Millie McGillivary, is on September 26th at Larkspur Community Center. Find out more here.

Be more like Millie.

Bend Park and Recreation District is planning a celebration for MillieMcGillivary — known to most simply as Millie — at Larkspur Community Center on September 26. The “Be More Like Millie Walk” starts at 11:00 a.m.

That would’ve been her 100th birthday.

Central Oregon Daily News brought you Millie’s story earlier this year after hearing about her walks around the track at the center, smiling and giving words of encouragement to others.

She passed away in June at the age of 99.

Those in attendance at the…

Two Bend roundabouts will have new art soon! Learn more here.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Art in Public Places said Wednesday it has awarded two public art commissions for the sculpture designs that were recently on view for the Empire Avenue /Butler Market Road/27th Street roundabout and the Powers Road/Brookswood Boulevard roundabout.    

Michael Stutz will create his proposed sculpture Golden Squirrel’s Wondrous World for the Empire Avenue/Butler Market Road/27th Street roundabout.

The woven steel wheel connects the timber mills from Bend’s past, the rolling wheels of cars, and a hamster wheel — humorously representing the routine of daily life. Inside the wheel are silicon bronze strips in blue and green hues where the sunlight will sparkle through the openings.…

Deschutes County’s population has a grown nearly 29% since 2010. Read more here.

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon’s counties have been three of the four fastest-growing in the state since 2010, with Deschutes County’s nearly 29% growth rate more than twice that of the Portland area, a state economist said Monday.

Here’s the report from Oregon Employment Department economist Jessica Nelson:

In 2021, Oregon’s population increased by 22,769 to 4,266,620. This marked growth of 0.5% over the year and growth of 11.4% since the 2010 Census, close to the rate of growth over the prior decade from 2000 to 2010 as well. Portland State University’s Population Research Center recently released more detailed information on why this population growth has…

Rising prices take a toll on the new housing market. Learn more here.

By Anna Bahney, CNN Business

New home sales plunged in July as high prices and mortgage rates pushed buyers to think twice about closing the deal.

Sales of newly constructed homes fell by 12.6% in July from June and were down 29.6% from a year ago, according to a joint report from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and the US Census Bureau. It was the second consecutive month of declines.

Only 511,000 new homes were sold last month, at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate, down from a revised 585,000 in June. That’s the lowest sales number since January 2016. A year ago, 726,000 newly…

Work on Bend’s North corridor of Highway 97 begins this fall. Find out more here.

Realignment to the east will turn existing 97 into Third Street extension; two roundabouts, paths, bike lanes

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Work begins this fall on the long-awaited Bend North Corridor project. This $121.9 million project aims to improve safety, mobility and accessibility while relieving congestion on the north end of town from Empire Avenue to just beyond Cooley Road on both U.S. Highways 20 and 97.

Project features include;

Developer of Thornburgh Resort withdraws request to purchase 400 acres of public land. Find out more here.

Kameron DeLashmutt says he doesn’t need to buy land, since he already leases it; foes call move a ‘big win’

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The developer of the controversial Thornburgh Resort west of Redmond said Monday he has withdrawn a much-criticized request to buy 400 acres of public land held in trust by the state School Fund – because he doesn’t need to, having already leased the property for 17 years.

Department of State Lands Communications Officer Liane O’Neil confirmed that “Central Land and Cattle Company has elected to withdraw their application” for the Cline Buttes Tract, so it has been removed…

New roundabout art is being proposed for two Bend intersections. Find out more here.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Design renderings of seven proposed sculptures for the Powers Road & Brookswood Boulevard roundabout in SW Bend and Empire Avenue/Butler Market Road/27th Street roundabout in NE Bend will be on view from July 25-August 9, Art in Public Places said Thursday.

Each sculpture design will be on display for one week at both the downtown Bend Deschutes Public Library and at the Larkspur Community Center.

Powers & Brookswood Roundabout                                                       Empire/Butler Market/27th Roundabout

Downtown Library, July 25 to August 1                                                    Larkspur Center, July 25- August 1

Larkspur Center, August 2-9                                                                        Downtown Library, August 2-9

Community members of all ages are invited…

Help clean up the Deschutes River at the annual clean-up event. Learn more here!

What: Annual Deschutes River Clean-Up

Who: The Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, Local Partners, and Community Volunteers

When: 9am to 1pm on Saturday, July 30, 2022

Where: Volunteers will meet at Farewell Bend Park and other cleanup sites. River clean-up activities will take place in the Deschutes River at six different sites between LaPine State Park and Tumalo State Park. After stewardship activities, there will be a volunteer appreciation event at the new Black Diamond store.

How: Volunteers will need to pre-register to participate in the Deschutes River Cleanup at www.restorethedeschutes.org

The Deschutes River Clean-Up is a special day for watershed stewards of all ages to give…

Chip-sealing will take place on eight miles of Skyliners Road. Read more here.

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Deschutes County began a chip-sealing project on about eight miles of Skyliners Road west of Bend on Wednesday, and an official assured concerned cyclists that the bike lane is getting a different treatment that won’t leave it too rough for safe cycling.

Some cyclists and others expressed their concerns on a comment thread on Reddit’s Bend subreddit on Wednesday (warning: some graphic language) upon learning of the project, one of several chip-sealing projects the county is undertaking this summer.

But Chuck Schutte, operations manager for the Deschutes County Road Department, said chip-sealing only will be…