In this issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 What’s Up Central Oregon?

🎪 Crook County Fair – “Timeless Traditions”

 🎶 Spotlight Festival: Sunriver Music Festival (Aug 2–13, 2025)

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

📰 Key voice in Deschutes conservation plan to retire from irrigation district

🦌 Adenovirus hemorrhagic disease likely the cause of sickly looking deer in Bend

🏊‍♂️ Bend swimmer Campbell McKean brings home medal from world championships

🪽After Escape, Champion Pigeon Napoleon Flies 22-Miles Home

 🚒⛑Fire & Rescue News

⛑️Search Continues for Missing Tuber at Dillon Falls - No new Updates

🚨Crime News

🚨California Man Arrested in Connection with Bend Gas Station Stabbing

⚖️Bend Man Extradited from Thailand to Face Child Exploitation and Drug Charges

⚖️Man sentenced to 10 years for rifle theft, chase at 2022 Jefferson County Fair

📰Regional News

🏥Oregon awards $1.8 million in grants to help people enroll in private insurance

🥰Community News

🦅Think Wild pleads for help after mealworm shipment dies in heat

🛠️🚵Eagle Scout Upgrades Phil’s Trailhead Skills Area with Cedar Fence and Information Kiosk

📆City of Bend Calendar of Events

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥Central Oregon Fire Info

💖Sponsors

😆Today’s Meme

🧠 Test your Central Oregon knowledge!

GOOD MORNING

 BEND

SUNRIVER

PRINEVILLE

What’s Up Central Oregon? 

Featured Events

🎪 Crook County Fair – “Timeless Traditions”

📍 Crook County Fairgrounds, 1280 S Main St, Prineville Map
🗓️ Wednesday, August 6 – Saturday, August 9, 2025 | Open daily 10 AM–9 PM (Opening night: 5 PM–9 PM) 
🎡 Fair / Live Entertainment / Family-Friendly

Step into four days of wholesome, hometown fun with free admission and parking! Enjoy live music on the main stage with acts like Brady Goss & the Band, Court Priday, and Countryfied closing out Saturday night. Dive into classic fair favorites—carnival rides (12+ rides), games, and mouthwatering fair food stalls. Catch thrilling livestock shows from 4‑H and FFA participants, cheer on benefit barrel racing, join free water events for kids, pony rides, face painting, and balloon art. Don’t miss the community barbecue & scholarship dinner kickoff on Wednesday with “Wonder” under the tent and a lively line‑dance lesson Thursday evening. Wrap it up Saturday with the parade, livestock auction, and a final BBQ celebration. All this—and more—under the nostalgic theme “Timeless Traditions.” 🔗 More Info

 🎶 Spotlight Festival: Sunriver Music Festival (Aug 2–13, 2025)

For 48 years, the Sunriver Music Festival has brought world-class orchestral performances to Bend and Sunriver—and the week of Aug 4–10 offers some of its most engaging highlights. Led by Artistic Director & Conductor Brett Mitchell, the season features four classical concerts, a pops concert, a solo piano recital, and a family-friendly performance—many rehearsals and events are free and open to the public (sunrivermusic.org).

About the Festival

The festival opens at Tower Theatre in downtown Bend on August 2 and culminates at the Sunriver Resort Great Hall on August 13 (sunrivermusic.org). The lineup celebrates 150 years of French musical heritage and showcases compositions from Leipzig and Vienna, including Beethoven’s monumental Symphony No. 5 (sunrivermusic.org). Featured soloists include pianist Stewart Goodyear, cellist Mark Kosower, violinist Yi Zhao, and a silver medalist from the 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (sunrivermusic.org).

🎟 Events During Aug 4–10

Classical Concert II: The Classical Tradition

🗓 Thursday, Aug 7 – 7:30 p.m.
📍 Tower Theatre, Bend
Conductor: Brett Mitchell | Soloist: Mark Kosower (cello)
Program highlights:

• Bolcom’s Commedia for (Almost) 18th‑Century Orchestra

• Tchaikovsky: Variations on a Rococo Theme

• Mozart: Overture to The Marriage of Figaro

• Stravinsky: Danses Concertantes
  This concert blends classical beauty and modern flair, perfect for both longtime fans and new listeners alike (sunrivermusic.org).

Family Concert

🗓 Friday, Aug 8 – 3:00 p.m.
📍 Benham Hall at SHARC – Sunriver
One-hour, informal concert designed for kids and families, including:

• Instrument petting zoo before the performance

• Works like Les Toreadors (from Carmen) and Bugler’s Holiday

• Performance by a Young Artists Scholarship recipient
  Free for ages 17 & under; just $15 for adult general admission. Educational, engaging, and entertaining (Village Properties at Sunriver, sunrivermusic.org, sunrivermusic.org, sunrivermusic.org, Oregon Festivals & Events Association).

🌟 Why It’s a Feature Worth Writing Home About

• Programming Variety & Musical Depth: From Bolcom and Mozart to Tchaikovsky, Stravinsky, and Beethoven, the festival balances tradition with innovation.

• Acclaimed Soloists: Internationally recognized performers like Stewart Goodyear and Yi Zhao elevate every concert (sunrivermusic.org).

• Family-friendly Engagement: The Aug 8 concert adds interactive elements like the instrument zoo—perfect for introducing youth to orchestral music.

• Local & Cultural Connection: Held at iconic venues, the festival emphasizes community outreach via free rehearsals and educational programs (sunrivermusic.org, sunrivermusic.org).

🔍 Looking Ahead

Beyond this week, audiences can enjoy Classical Concert III: The Leipzig Connection on Aug 11, a solo recital by Van Cliburn medalist Vitaly Starikov on Aug 12, and a grand Season Finale: “Vienna Waits for You” on Aug 13, featuring Beethoven’s famous Fifth Symphony (sunrivermusic.org, sunrivermusic.org).

✅ Final Take

For those seeking world-class orchestral music, educational outreach, and community connection wrapped in a scenic Central Oregon summer setting—the Sunriver Music Festival, especially the Aug 7 Classical Tradition and Aug 8 Family Concert, makes an ideal feature. It’s the perfect intersection of artistry, family engagement, and cultural community.

📅 Events: Bend

 🎶 Sunriver Music Festival: Summer Festival — Tower Theatre (835 NW Wall St, Bend) & Great Hall at Sunriver Resort
Aug 2–13, various times — Eight-concert series featuring pops, classical, family, and chamber performances. Bend Magazine🌽 Bend Farmers Market — Brooks Alley (between Oregon & Franklin St), Downtown Bend
Wed, Aug 6 • 11 AM – 3 PM — Local produce, meats, cheeses, artisan foods.
🎶 Sunriver Music Festival: Classical Concert II: THE CLASSICAL TRADITION — Tower Theatre (835 NW Wall St, Bend)
Thu, Aug 7 • 7:30 PM — Bolcom’s Classical Overture, Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations, Stravinsky neoclassical works. Visit Bend🛒 Central Oregon Locavore Indoor Market — 207 NW Franklin Ave, Bend
Sat, Aug 9 • 10 AM – 2 PM — Year-round indoor market featuring farms & makers. Central Oregon Locavore
🎶 Sunriver Music Festival: DEMOLA — Tower Theatre (835 NW Wall St, Bend)
Sun, Aug 10 • 7:30 PM — Contemporary repertoire presented by JMax Productions. towertheatre.org
bendfarmersmarket.com

 📅 Events: Redmond & Nearby

🎵 Live Music at WXYZ Lounge — DoubleTree by Hilton (3075 N Business 97)
Wed, Aug 6 • 6 PM – 8 PM — Acoustic acts in a cozy hotel lounge. Experience Redmond
🌽 Redmond Farmer’s Market (Alternate site) — Centennial Park, Fridays through Aug 29 • 3 PM – 7 PM — Weekly summer market (May–Aug). local.aarp.org

🌽 Redmond Saturday Market — Overlake Christian Church (9900 Willow Rd NE)
Sat, Aug 9 • 9 AM – 2 PM — Organic produce, food trucks, live music, kids’ crafts. Experience Redmond

🎪 Redmond Outdoor Recreation Expo — Paulina Event Center (63330 Oregon 61)
Sat, Aug 9 • 9 AM – 3 PM — Gear demos, vendor booths, river safety demos. (info via local rec calendar)

🌄 Events: Sisters

🎨 Makin’ It Local Art Exhibit — Sisters Country (290 E Main Ave)
Fri–Sun, Aug 1–31 • 10 AM – 5 PM — Glass art and paintings by local creators. sisterscountry.com

🎬 Outdoor Movie Nights — Village Green Park (305 S Fir St)
Thu, Aug 7 • 7:15 PM – 10:15 PM — Family-friendly film under the stars. Sisters Oregon

🛒 Sisters Farmers Market
📍 Fir Street Park
🗓️ Sundays, 2025 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
👪 Farmers Market / Family-Friendly
Shop fresh produce, artisan goods, and enjoy live music and kids’ activities at this weekly community market in Fir Street Park. 🔗 More Info (Sisters Oregon)

🌲 Events: Sunriver & La Pine

🎶 Music in the Pines Concert Series — La Pine Community Park (16405 1st St)
Thu, Aug 7 • 5 PM – 8 PM — Free family-friendly outdoor concerts. lapineoregon.gov

🌽 Sunriver Resort Farmers Market — Activity Barn (57007 Center Dr)
Wed, Aug 6 • 10 AM – 2 PM — Farm-to-table produce and artisan vendors. Visit Bend

🎨 Sunriver Art Fair — The Village at Sunriver (57000 Abbot Dr)
Fri–Sun, Aug 8–10 • 10 AM – 5 PM — 70+ juried artists in fine arts & crafts. Sunriver Art Fair
🎶 Sunriver Music Festival: Pops Concert — Great Hall, Sunriver Resort (17600 Center Dr)
Sat, Aug 9 • 7:30 PM — Broadway & film music tribute by festival orchestra. Visit Bend

🐴 Events: Prineville, OR

🎡 Crook County Fair — Crook County Fairgrounds (1280 Main St)
Wed–Sat, Aug 6–9 • See schedule — Carnival rides, livestock shows, live demos. Visit Central Oregon
🌽 CROP Farmers Market — Stryker Park (NE 4th & Court St)
Sat, Aug 9 • 9 AM – 1 PM — Seasonal produce and artisan foods.

🛍️ Events: Madras

 🚗 First Thursday Pin-ups & Hot Rods — Downtown Madras (Canal & 4th St)
Thu, Aug 7 • 5 PM – 6 PM — 1950s-themed car show, pin-up contest, live tunes. Madras Downtown Association
🌽 Madras Farmers Market — Sahalee Park (Madras)
Sat, Aug 9 • 9 AM – 2 PM — Produce, artisan goods, family activities.

Check back often in the Calendar App below as it is updated regularly 👇

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Deschutes Public Library Events

Other Event Sources:

Local News…

Key voice in Deschutes conservation plan to retire from irrigation district

Longtime North Unit Irrigation District manager Mike Britton—who spent over 15 years guiding nearly 60,000 acres of Jefferson County farmland through drought and helped broker the landmark Deschutes Basin Habitat Conservation Plan—announced he will retire at the end of the year to move closer to family (Madras Pioneer). Read More

Adenovirus hemorrhagic disease likely the cause of sickly looking deer in Bend

When Jacy Richards returned home Monday evening to find a severely ill deer in her Bend backyard—emaciated, soiled, and struggling with basic functions—she contacted the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, who confirmed that Adenovirus Hemorrhagic Disease (AHD) is spreading locally and carries a roughly 75% mortality rate for affected deer. Richards was advised to remove bird baths, feeders, and salt licks to curb transmission, since AHD spreads via nose-to-nose contact with contaminated surfaces, but was told there is no treatment and that ODFW will only euthanize the animal once it can no longer stand. Another sick deer at a local news station and, despite multiple requests, ODFW declined to be interviewed about the outbreak. Central Oregon Daily News

Bend swimmer Campbell McKean brings home medal from world championships

Bend’s own Campbell McKean helped Team USA clinch bronze in the men’s 4×100-meter medley relay at the World Championships in Singapore, swimming the breaststroke leg in the preliminaries that posted the fastest qualifying time; although he didn’t race in the final, he received his medal at a private team ceremony. McKean also competed in the mixed medley relay and both the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke—events he won at U.S. Trials to earn his trip—and now heads to the University of Texas to join the Longhorns as he eyes a spot on the 2028 U.S. Olympic team.

After Escape, Champion Pigeon Napoleon Flies 22-Miles Home

Twelve-year-old Thomas Dawson’s prized pigeon Napoleon—fresh off winning grand champion in confirmation at the Deschutes County Fair—managed to escape his enclosure and embark on an unexpected 22-mile journey before returning home on his own in under six hours. Though homing pigeons like Napoleon are typically trained to find their way over gradually increasing distances, the bird wowed the Dawsons by navigating from the fairgrounds back to their Deschutes River Woods loft without any formal release training. Napoleon’s brief vanishing act taught the family the value of pre-fair training, but also showcased the remarkable navigational instincts that earned him his championship title. Central Oregon Daily News

 Fire & Rescue…

Crime News…

California Man Arrested in Connection with Bend Gas Station Stabbing

BEND, Ore. — A man suspected of stabbing a Bend resident at a gas station late last month has been taken into custody, according to an update from Bend Police.

Authorities arrested 36-year-old Kirk Raymond Reed of Apple Valley, California, early Sunday morning, Aug. 3. Officers had identified Reed as the suspect in a July 25 stabbing at the ARCO South station on South Highway 97. They also located multiple vehicles associated with him.

Around 12:34 a.m., Bend Police spotted one of the suspect’s vehicles traveling southbound on Highway 97. About 10 minutes later, Sunriver Police conducted a traffic stop at the Pinnacle 365 on Venture Lane in Sunriver and took Reed into custody without incident.

Reed was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail on charges of first-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon.

The arrest follows an incident in which a 33-year-old Bend man was stabbed in the arm during a confrontation at the gas station. Witnesses and officers rendered aid before the victim was transported to St. Charles, where he was listed in stable condition.

Bend Police thanked the Sunriver Police Department and Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in the case.

Bend Man Extradited from Thailand to Face Child Exploitation and Drug Charges

BEND, Ore. — A Bend man has been extradited from Thailand to Deschutes County to face a wide range of child exploitation and drug-related charges following an international investigation involving local, federal, and foreign authorities.

Simon Lesley Hannes, 37, was returned to Oregon on July 25 after fleeing the country earlier this year. He is now being held at the Deschutes County Jail on 28 felony charges, including multiple counts of encouraging child sex abuse, using a child in the display of sexually explicit conduct, and drug manufacturing.

The case began in February 2024, when the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) unit received a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Investigators traced the suspect’s online activity to Hannes and executed a search warrant at his residence, uncovering digital evidence, psilocybin mushrooms, and firearms.

Further analysis revealed that Hannes had communicated sexually with a minor and possessed numerous files depicting child sexual abuse. He was arrested twice in March 2024 following these discoveries.

While awaiting trial, Hannes violated his pretrial release by leaving Oregon and ultimately fleeing the country. Authorities tracked him to Thailand, where he was arrested in May with the assistance of the FBI, Thai law enforcement, and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Hannes appeared in Deschutes County Court on July 28 and is being held on $1.15 million bail.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude to all agencies involved, including the FBI, Thai authorities, and the U.S. Marshals Service, for their roles in bringing Hannes back to face justice.

Man sentenced to 10 years for rifle theft, chase at 2022 Jefferson County Fair

A man armed with a rifle stolen from a truck outside the 2022 Jefferson County Fair in Madras, then fled into town before being shot by law enforcement, was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison.

Regional News…

Oregon awards $1.8 million in grants to help people enroll in private insurance

Oregon is channeling nearly $1.8 million in grants to 37 community-based organizations and licensed agents to offer free, expert enrollment support for private health coverage—focusing on those who don’t qualify for employer plans, Medicaid, or Medicare (Madras Pioneer). Read More

Community News…

Think Wild pleads for help after mealworm shipment dies in heat

A heat wave killed a shipment of mealworms bound for Think Wild in Bend, leaving dozens of rescued songbirds without a vital food source. The wildlife nonprofit is asking for donations to help cover the cost of replacements.

 https://www.thinkwildco.org/

Eagle Scout Upgrades Phil’s Trailhead Skills Area with Cedar Fence and Information Kiosk

Bend’s own Jake Garner, a member of Boy Scout Troop 21 and avid mountain biker, completed his Eagle Scout project this July by partnering with the Central Oregon Trails Alliance and local partners to replace worn safety fencing and install clear signage around the Skills Area at Phil’s Trailhead. With custom cedar split-rail fencing milled and donated by Miller Lumber and an information kiosk—complete with trail guidelines and a map—built using materials from Home Depot and Lowe’s, Garner worked alongside COTA’s Trails Program Director, Forest Service officials, and community volunteers to secure approvals, develop a plan, and finish the project on time, bolstering trail safety and demonstrating the power of local collaboration.

 City of Bend Events

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