In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 What’s Up Central Oregon?

 🐾 Stars, Stripes, and Wagging Tails: Bend’s Beloved Pet Parade Returns July 4th

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

🎀 Pink Duck 5K: Bend Community Races Against Human Trafficking

🌊 Bend Whitewater Park Due for Major Repairs After 10 Years

🎨 New Sculptures Installed Across Redmond

🚙 Off-Roaders Haul RVs, Boats & Trash at Gambler 500 Near Madras

 🚒⛑Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

🚨 Prineville: One Dead, Two Injured in Home Disturbance

🚔 Major Cocaine Seizure on Hwy 97

🔫 Bend Teen Arrested for Brandishing Firearm

📰Regional News

🏛️ State Policy: HB 2025 Transportation Bill Update

🔥Ambush on Idaho Firefighters Leaves Two Dead, Shooter Found Dead After Standoff 🎦

📆City of Bend Calendar of Events

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥Central Oregon Fire Info

🔥 Ferry Fire Containment Continues

😍Sponsors

😁 MEME of the Day

Good Morning!

 BEND

SISTERS

REDMOND

What’s Up Central Oregon? 

 🐾 Stars, Stripes, and Wagging Tails: Bend’s Beloved Pet Parade Returns July 4th

One of Bend’s most cherished Independence Day traditions is back: the 4th of July Pet Parade will once again wind its way through downtown Bend on Friday morning, bringing a delightful mix of dogs in tutus, goats in patriotic hats, ponies with braids, and kids with leashes and smiles.

The parade kicks off at 9:30 a.m., with check-in and lineup beginning at 8:30 a.m. in Harmon Park. Participants—both two- and four-legged—will stroll through the neighborhood, ending at Drake Park, where thousands of spectators traditionally gather to cheer on the creatively costumed crowd. This year, the start time has been moved 30 minutes earlier to help pets and people beat the mid-morning heat.

First held in 1924, the Pet Parade is now in its 101st year, offering a sweet and slightly silly slice of small-town charm. The event is free and open to all, and no registration is required. All animals must be leashed or safely contained—dogs are the most common participants, but organizers regularly welcome llamas, ferrets, chickens, and even the occasional pig. Stuffed animals are welcome too, often proudly pushed in decorated wagons or strollers.

Spectators are encouraged to come early, bring water, and find a shady spot along the route. ADA parking and accessible viewing areas are available, and food vendors will be set up in Drake Park after the parade.

Whether you’re marching or watching, the Pet Parade promises a feel-good start to Bend’s busy 4th of July festivities.

👉 More details available at Bend Parks & Rec

*Hey guys, I’m using My AI guy K-AI (also known as Kevin AI) for the event listings, he’s being difficult this morning with information so Please let me know if any of the links don’t work or any other issues you find. Thanks so Much! [email protected]

Bend:

🎶 Lake Street Dive
📍 Hayden Homes Amphitheater – Map
🗓️ Wednesday, July 2 · 7 PM
Indie-soul favorites Lake Street Dive bring live music and family-friendly vibes to Bend’s scenic amphitheater.
🎟️ Tickets & Info (bendsource.com, bendconcerts.com)
Live Music · Family-Friendly

🥂 Tequila & Taco Tuesdays
📍 Bar Rio (NW Wall St) – Map
🗓️ Tuesday, July 1 · 2 PM–10 PM
Midweek patio party with tacos, tequilas & live tunes—great for unwinding after work or starting the week.
🎟️ More Info (visitbend.com)
Food & Drink · Outdoor · Live Music

🧘‍♀️ Silent Disco Outdoor Yoga
📍 TBD outdoor location – Map
🗓️ Tuesday, July 1 · 6 PM–7 PM
Guided yoga under the open sky with your own wireless music headset—peaceful, social, and unique.
🎟️ More Info (visitbend.com, visitbend.com)
Wellness · Outdoor

🎸 Munch & Music: Boss Mortgage Stage
📍 Drake Park – Map
🗓️ Thursday, July 3 · 5 PM–9 PM
Free weekly concert series featuring live local music, food vendors, artisan booths & a kids’ zone.
🎟️ More Info (visitbend.com, en.wikipedia.org, us.trip.com)
Family-Friendly · Music · Food & Drink

🎥 Outdoor Movie Night: “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”
📍 Riverbend Park Pavilion – Map
🗓️ Saturday, July 5 · Dusk (~8:30 PM)
Bring chairs, blankets & snacks for this free, riverside family movie screening under the stars.
🎟️ More Info (visitbend.com, visitbend.com)
Family-Friendly · Movies · Outdoor

🎷 Live Jazz at Café des Chutes
📍 25 NW Minnesota Ave – Map
🗓️ Sunday, July 6 · 2:30 PM–4 PM
Relax on the café patio with smooth jazz from the Michelle Van Handel Trio—perfect weekend vibe.
🎟️ More Info (en.wikipedia.org)
Live Music · Arts · Coffee Culture

 Redmond:

🎤 Music on the Green
📍 American Legion Park – Map
🗓️ Tuesday, July 1 · 5:30 PM–7:30 PM
Free summer-concert series featuring local bands—bring lawn chairs and enjoy food vendors, family vibes, and community spirit.
🎟️ More Info
Event Type: Live Music · Family-Friendly

🎉 Redmond 4th of July Parade
📍 Downtown Redmond – Map
🗓️ Friday, July 4 · 10 AM
Celebrate Independence Day with floats, marching bands, local businesses, and community pride downtown.
🎟️ More Info
Event Type: Holiday · Community

Sisters:

🎆 Sisters 4th Fest
📍 Village Green Park – Map
🗓️ Friday, July 4 · 7:30 AM–12 PM
Old-fashioned Independence Day celebration with music, food trucks, kids’ activities, contests, and hometown charm.
🎟️ More Info
Event Type: Holiday · Family-Friendly

🧵 Quilter’s Affair Workshop Kickoff
📍 The Stitchin’ Post – Map
🗓️ Monday, July 7 (preview day) – July This one is just outside your window, but feel free to preview the Quilter’s Affair workshops starting early next week.
🎟️ More Info
Event Type: Arts · Workshops 

La Pine:

🤠 2025 La Pine Rodeo
📍 La Pine Rodeo Grounds – Map
🗓️ Friday, July 4 · 6:30 PM–11:30 PM
The “Greatest Little Rodeo in Oregon” kicks off with rodeo events, live concert, and fireworks—$25 General Admission, $20 Kids/Seniors.
🎟️ More Info & Tickets
Event Type: Holiday · Family-Friendly · Rodeo

🎇 La Pine 4th of July Fireworks
📍 Meadow west of Hwy 97/S Third Street – Map
🗓️ Friday, July 4 · 10 PM
Community fireworks show as part of Frontier Days—gather family and friends for a festive evening sky.
🎟️ More Info
Event Type: Holiday · Community

Prineville:

🎪 Crooked River Roundup Rodeo
📍 Crook County Fairgrounds – Map
🗓️ Monday, June 30 (Open Riding Frontier) & July 5 private rodeo event
Experience bull riding, horse shows, livestock events, and family fun at the iconic fairgrounds.
🎟️ Check schedule & tickets via fairgrounds site
Event Type: Rodeo · Family-Friendly · Outdoors

🌆 City Council Meeting
📍 Prineville City Hall – Map
🗓️ Tuesday, July 8 · 6 PM (planning session)
Stay informed on local governance, zoning updates, and community planning decisions.
🎟️ Public meeting—no tickets required
Event Type: Civic · Community

Madras:

🚗 CRR 4th of July Celebration & Parade
📍 Crooked River Ranch – Map
🗓️ Friday, July 4 · 6 PM
A hometown parade celebration featuring floats, live music, and community spirit—family-friendly kickoff to the evening.
🎟️ More Info
Event Type: Holiday · Community

🎆 Madras 4th of July Fireworks
📍 Madras High School – Map
🗓️ Friday, July 4 · 10 PM
Nighttime fireworks show at the high school—weave in patriotic celebrations to close out the holiday.
🎟️ More Info
Event Type: Holiday · Community

HAVE an upcoming event you want us to FEATURE?

Click here to let us know about your upcoming Event!

Deschutes Public Library Events

Other Event Sources:

Local News…

 🎀 Pink Duck 5K: Bend Community Races Against Human Trafficking

The Pink Duck 5K returned to Bend on Sunday, June 29, with families and community members gathering at Lifty’s Bar & Restaurant to “race and waddle” in support of anti-human trafficking efforts. Organized by In Our Backyard, the event promoted awareness, online safety education, and community connection.

• The 5K included interactive “Connection Challenge” feathers along the route—encouraging conversations about safe adults and warning signs of trafficking.

• Participants received rubber duck medals and safety-feather cards; children who completed the challenge earned extras.

• Proceeds support trafficking prevention programs—protecting youth and assisting over 100 local victims through collaboration with law enforcement.

💡 Highlights:

• Wide community turnout with families and age-diverse participants.

• Emphasis on prevention education—especially for youth.

• Post-race festivities at Lifty’s provided a friendly atmosphere for reflection and fun.

More @ Central Oregon Daily News

 🌊 Bend Whitewater Park Due for Major Repairs After 10 Years

Bend’s Whitewater Park—opened in September 2015—is now facing a significant round of upgrades after a decade of heavy recreational use. A 2024 engineering report by Recreation Engineering & Planning, commissioned by Bend Park & Rec District, identified several structural issues that need addressing to enhance safety and usability.

🔍 Key Issues Identified:

• Waves in the whitewater channel have eroded, creating scour holes, unstable banks, and foot‑trap hazards. Some wave structures require full rebuilds or reshaping.

• The fish‑passage/tubing channel has eroded access banks and eddies that can trap floaters; widening and regrading are recommended.

• The island between channels needs stabilization and reshaping to prevent channel migration and ensure safe flows.

• Pneumatic water control gates are malfunctioning or leaking—some pose safety risks with exposed air lines.

• Degraded erosion control, gravel buildup downstream, and a lack of ADA‑compliant bank access were also cited.

🛠️ Projected Cost & Timeline:

• Base repairs: Estimated at $4.9M–$9.1M

• Comprehensive overhaul: Could reach $6.6M–$12.2M

• Timeline: Conceptual designs start summer 2025, permitting and detailed planning to follow, with major construction expected 3–4 years out bendbulletin.com.

✅ Community & Ecosystem Value:

Park users enjoy three channels—tubing, surfing, and wildlife/fish passage—with over 250,000 annual visitors. The habitat channel has aided wildlife, including osprey nesting, and supports native species like the Oregon spotted frog en.wikipedia.org 
Bend Park & Rec District and landscape architect Ian Isaacson emphasize that strategic upgrades are crucial for preserving safety, ecological benefits, and vibrant recreation.

 🎨 New Sculptures Installed Across Redmond

Redmond’s Art Around the Clock public art program has unveiled several new sculptures throughout downtown, continuing the city’s decade‑long tradition of rotating public art.

🌟 What’s New:

• Curated by the Redmond Commission for Art in Public Places (RCAPP), the latest installations reflect a vibrant mix of local talent and traveling works. As of spring 2025, the outdoor gallery features 63 unique sculptures by 42 artists over seven “seasons”.

📍 Locations & Highlights:

• Sculptures are displayed in parks, near city hall, and along pedestrian corridors—bringing art into everyday public spaces and encouraging community exploration .

🗳️ People’s Choice & Engagement:

• Community members are invited to vote in the annual “People’s Choice” contest. Winning sculptures are purchased and added to Redmond’s permanent collection—and come with a $9,000 award for the artist.

💡 Why It Matters:

• Since launching in 2011, Art Around the Clock has transformed Redmond into an open-air gallery, with over $100,000 in public art on loan. The program fosters civic pride, beautifies public spaces, and supports artists statewide.

🔗 Learn More & Get Involved:

• RCAPP details, art locations, and voting info: Redmond city website  

• Sign up for the People’s Choice vote and explore current sculptures: official city arts page.

🚙 Off-Roaders Haul RVs, Boats & Trash at Gambler 500 Near Madras

Madras, OR (June 28, 2025) — The Gambler 500, the annual off-road rally doubling as a trail cleanup, returned with a splash near Madras, transforming public lands into a grassroots environmental effort.

• Over 3,000–4,000 participants set up a pop-up "Mad Max–style" camp at Norton Cattle Co. property, with food carts, first‑aid tents, entertainment—and dumpsters filling rapidly with debris by the end of day one - madraspioneer.com.

• In addition to trash, participants filed out old RVs, boats, tires, appliances, and scrap metal from Crooked River National Grassland 

• Event organizer Tate Morgan emphasized stewardship: “We feel public lands belong to everyone and we want to keep them clean,” acknowledging support from local partners like Madras Sanitary and IRA’s Salvage .

• Tech meets cleanup: volunteers used a GPS‑linked app to track dumped items and map cleanup zones, reinforcing Gambler 500’s trail‑preservation goals.

• Nationally recognized as one of the largest trail cleanups, the Gambler 500 continues to combine adventure with environmental responsibility.

More @ Central Oregon Daily News

Fire & Rescue…

Crime News…

 🚨 Prineville: One Dead, Two Injured in Home Disturbance

On June 27, a disturbance on NW 10th Street in Prineville led to one fatality and two others hospitalized. Martin Ray Terry, 36, has been arrested and faces charges including second-degree murder, attempted murder, and assault. Authorities have confirmed the incident is being treated as a homicide, and there's no ongoing threat to the public. Read More @ Central Oregon Daily

🚔 Major Cocaine Seizure on Hwy 97

Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team (CODE) and Emergency Response Team stopped a red Chevy Colorado south of Bend (MP 150) on June 24. Officers confiscated 2 kg of cocaine, a spring-assisted knife, and cash. Tyler Jacob Speas (29, Bend) is charged with felony cocaine possession/delivery, weapons and probation violations; Nichole Johnson (24, Prineville) received a citation and was released on scene (KTVZ) ktvz.com.
🔗 Read more from KTVZ

🔫 Bend Teen Arrested for Brandishing Firearm

On June 24, Bend police detained a 17-year-old male downtown after reports of a gun being brandished during an attempted vehicle break-in. The youth faces charges including menacing, unlawful use of a firearm, and unlawful entry.

Regional News…

🏛️ State Policy: HB 2025 Transportation Bill Update

• HB 2025, the ambitious $14+ billion transportation funding proposal, was pulled off the House floor on June 27 and sent back to committee after losing support 

• A more modest replacement, an amendment to HB 3402, proposes a 3¢ gas tax increase plus registration/title fee hikes, aiming to raise ~ $315 million in the next budget cycle (~$2 billion over a decade) 

🔥Ambush on Idaho Firefighters Leaves Two Dead, Shooter Found Dead After Standoff

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (June 30, 2025) — A tragic and calculated ambush in the hills above Coeur d’Alene has left two firefighters dead, another critically injured, and a community in mourning. Authorities say the attack began Saturday afternoon when a gunman intentionally set a brush fire on Canfield Mountain to lure first responders into a deadly trap.

Shortly after 1:20 p.m. on June 29, firefighters were dispatched to a reported wildfire on the mountainside, located just east of the city. As they worked to contain the blaze, sniper fire rang out. Three firefighters were shot—two fatally. One remains in critical but stable condition following emergency surgery.

Law enforcement agencies from across the region, including FBI tactical teams, SWAT units, and local sheriff’s deputies, responded to the scene. Officials say more than 300 personnel were involved in the response, which included helicopters and aerial surveillance.

A prolonged standoff followed as officers sought to locate the gunman. Using cellphone data and drones, law enforcement tracked the suspect’s position. Hours later, the shooter was found dead on the mountain near his rifle. Investigators have not yet determined whether the suspect was killed by return fire or died by suicide. Sheriff Bob Norris confirmed that the exact cause of death remains under investigation.

“This was a deliberate and heinous act,” Norris said during a Sunday press conference. “The suspect used fire as a weapon to draw in firefighters and then opened fire on them. It was an unprovoked attack on public servants trying to protect lives and property.”

The fire, which initially covered 15 to 20 acres, remains active but is now being contained by firefighting crews after being temporarily halted during the active shooting.

Idaho Governor Brad Little called the ambush a “direct assault on our brave firefighters” and urged residents to keep the victims and their families in their thoughts. Community leaders and emergency agencies across the state have expressed shock and grief over what some described as a “scene of unspeakable evil.”

Names of the victims have not yet been released pending family notification.

As the investigation continues, authorities are working to learn more about the suspect, his motives, and whether any further threats remain. At this time, investigators believe he acted alone.

Shelter-in-place orders issued for nearby neighborhoods have been lifted, and the area is now secure.

 City of Bend Events

 🔥 Ferry Fire Containment Continues

Crews battling the Ferry Fire in Central Oregon achieved 43% containment as of June 24. Despite brisk winds, crews are making headway, but the blaze remains active.

 😎 Just sayin

Follow us on facebook