Central Oregon News: Fire Updates, Growth & Community From the Editor Good morning, Central Oregon! We’re wrapping up the week with the final update on the Akawa Butte Fire, new charges tied to an April Bend-La Pine school bus route, and several updates out of Redmond and Madras.
Also in today’s Buzz: a possible new burger spot in Bend, a closer look at Central Oregon’s housing market, help for eight local Habitat homebuyers, and a Warm Springs ranch asking for hay after the Bench Fire. ⛑️Fire & Rescue News Akawa Butte Fire Reaches 98% Containment The Akawa Butte Fire was reported at 98% containment in the final incident update, bringing weeks of active firefighting north of Sisters close to an end. Crews had spent days strengthening containment lines, mopping up hot spots and monitoring areas that had previously threatened nearby homes and prompted evacuation notices.
With the fire largely secured, management of the incident was being scaled back and remaining work shifted to patrol, mop-up and rehabilitation. Residents were still encouraged to use caution around fire traffic and recently burned areas. Read more → 🚨Crime News Bend-La Pine Bus Driver Charged After April Route A former Bend-La Pine Schools bus driver is facing 19 misdemeanor charges stemming from an April 3 incident involving a Pine Ridge Elementary route. Police said 67-year-old Martha Ann Gerlicher had transported 18 elementary students before a transportation supervisor responded to a reported brake concern and instead suspected she was impaired.
The district removed Gerlicher from duty that day, and police later arrested her at home. Bend-La Pine Schools said no students were physically injured and that families of the 18 children on the bus were notified the following day. Read more → ⛰️Bend Pilot in Fatal Bend-Area Crash Had Pending Privacy Case The pilot killed in last week’s plane crash west of Bend had been indicted earlier this year on five counts of invasion of personal privacy, according to court records reviewed by The Source Weekly. The criminal case was still pending at the time of the crash.
Authorities have continued investigating the aviation accident separately. The newly reported court history adds background to the pilot’s circumstances before the crash, but officials have not connected the criminal case to what caused the aircraft to go down. Read more →
Bend Police Target Distracted Driving in Safety Operation Bend Police focused on drivers using cell phones behind the wheel during a recent traffic-safety operation aimed at distracted driving. Officers watched for handheld phone use and other behaviors that take a driver’s attention off the road.
The enforcement effort was part of the department’s broader push to reduce serious crashes. Police reminded drivers that even a short glance at a phone can take attention away from changing traffic, cyclists and pedestrians. Read more →
Habit Burger & Grill Eyes Former SuperDeluxe Location Habit Burger & Grill could be headed to Bend, with plans tied to the former SuperDeluxe restaurant location. The California-based chain is known for chargrilled burgers, sandwiches, salads and shakes, and documents connected to the site indicate the company is exploring a Central Oregon location.
The move is not yet the same as an opening announcement, so a timeline remains unclear. If the project moves forward, Habit would take over a familiar restaurant space and add another national fast-casual option to Bend’s east-side dining mix. Read more → ✈️Redmond Funding Cuts Squeeze Redmond Safe Parking Program Redmond’s safe parking program is facing a tighter budget as state homelessness funding declines. The program, operated through Mountain View Community Development, gives people living in vehicles a legal place to park overnight while connecting them with services and longer-term housing resources.
Program leaders have said reduced funding will affect staffing and capacity, even as demand for homelessness services remains high. The cuts come as communities across Oregon adjust to a smaller pool of state money for shelter, eviction prevention and related programs. Read more →
Redmond Managed Camp Slated to Open This Month Redmond’s new managed homeless camp is expected to open this month, adding another piece to the city’s response to unsheltered homelessness. The site is designed to provide a structured place to stay, with on-site management and connections to services rather than unmanaged camping in public spaces.
The opening comes as Redmond continues balancing shelter capacity, safe parking and neighborhood concerns. More details on operations and resident intake are expected as the site moves toward opening. Read more →
Redmond Traffic Cameras Top 1,100 Citations Redmond’s automated traffic-enforcement cameras have issued more than 1,100 citations since ticketing began in mid-June. The system monitors speeding and red-light violations at designated intersections, with violations reviewed before a citation is mailed.
The numbers show how quickly automated enforcement has become part of traffic control in Redmond. Drivers passing through camera-monitored intersections should expect the same traffic laws to be enforced even when an officer is not physically present. Read more → 🪶Madras Warm Springs Ranch Seeks Hay After Bench Fire A Warm Springs-area wild horse ranch is asking for hay donations after the Bench Fire burned tens of thousands of acres of grazing land. The loss of forage has created an immediate feed need for horses that would normally rely on the surrounding range.
The request is part of a broader animal-relief effort following the fire, which affected horses, livestock, pets and wildlife across the Warm Springs area. Local animal groups and community partners have also been raising money and supplies for recovery. Read more →
Three New Doctors Join Madras Rural Residency Program Three new resident physicians have arrived in Madras through the Three Sisters Rural Track Program, a training partnership designed to prepare doctors for careers in rural medicine. The residents will spend significant portions of their training in Jefferson County, working alongside local providers and caring for patients in a smaller-community setting.
The program is built around a long-term goal: give doctors meaningful rural experience in hopes that more will choose to practice in communities like Madras after residency. The new class expands a pipeline aimed at easing persistent physician shortages outside larger cities. Read more →
Three Businesses Fill Eagle Ridge Business Park Three businesses have moved into Eagle Ridge Business Park in Madras, filling the available space at the city-owned industrial property. The new tenants bring additional business activity to a site that was developed to attract employers and support local economic growth.
With the current spaces occupied, the business park has reached a milestone for Madras’ economic-development efforts. The additions also reflect continued demand for commercial and industrial space in Jefferson County. Read more → 🏘️Real Estate Central Oregon Market Report | August 5, 2026 Central Oregon’s housing market remained well supplied in early August, giving buyers more choices while sellers continued to compete for attention. Reed Melton’s weekly market report tracks active inventory, pending sales and price reductions across Deschutes, Crook and Jefferson counties, offering a snapshot of how the late-summer market is moving.
The overall picture remains more balanced than the fast-moving markets of recent years: correctly priced homes are still finding buyers, while listings that miss the mark are more likely to sit longer or require a price adjustment. Read more →
Bend Awards $350,000 to Help Eight Families Buy Homes The City of Bend awarded $350,000 in down-payment assistance to help eight income-qualified families purchase Habitat for Humanity homes. The funding is intended to close part of the gap between what the families can afford and the cost of buying a home in Bend.
The assistance is part of the city’s broader affordable-housing work and will be paired with Habitat’s homeownership program. For the eight participating households, the award moves them another step closer to purchasing homes they otherwise may not have been able to afford. Read more → 📰Deschutes County Deschutes County District Map Heads to November Ballot Deschutes County voters will decide in November whether future county commissioners should be elected from five geographic districts. The Board of Commissioners voted 2-1 to send the proposed map to voters after a seven-member advisory committee spent months developing district boundaries.
If approved, the map would be used for five district-based commissioner seats beginning in 2028. The proposal follows the 2024 vote to expand the County Commission from three members to five. Read more → Thank you for reading this week's edition of Central Oregon Local Buzz. We hope you found the stories engaging and informative. Stay tuned for more updates on the vibrant and ever-changing landscape of Central Oregon in our future editions. | 
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