In this issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 What’s Up Central Oregon?

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

 📰 Body of missing Post-area man found in rural Crook County, sheriff's office says

⚖️ Samson Garner takes the stand in Smith Rock attack trial

 📰 Frustrations, hope shared as BLM closes fire-prone land in La Pine

🏌️Prineville Expands Access to Golf with Adaptive Cart at Meadow Lakes

🚒⛑Fire & Rescue News

🚨Crime News

📰Regional News

🥰Community News

 🪚⚙️Bend Celebrates Grand Opening of Central Oregon Tool Library

🐎🥒🎾Sitting down with Stirrup Purpose to talk about its upcoming Pickleball Benefit Tournament

📆City of Bend Calendar of Events

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥Central Oregon Fire Info

💖Sponsors

😆Today’s Meme

GOOD MORNING

 BEND

PRINEVILLE

What’s Up Central Oregon? 

Featured Events

TBD

Bend

Ottmar Liebert & Luna Negra
🎵 Music
📍 Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St, Bend, OR
🗓️ Tue, Sept 9 • 7:30pm
📝 Grammy-nominated Nuevo Flamenco guitarist returns with Luna Negra for an intimate seated show.
🔗 Tickets/Info (towertheatre.org)

Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts (Love Earth Tour)
🎵 Music
📍 Hayden Homes Amphitheater, 344 SW Shevlin-Hixon Dr, Bend, OR
🗓️ Wed, Sept 10 • Doors 6:00pm | Show 7:30pm
📝 Neil Young with Reverend Billy & The Stop Shopping Choir. Mobile-only tickets; chair rental available.
🔗 Official Event & Tickets (bendconcerts.com)

Bend Roots Revival 2025 (multi-venue)
🎪 Festival • Music
📍 Multiple venues across Bend (see schedule)
🗓️ Fri–Sun, Sept 12–14 • Set times vary
📝 Free, family-friendly celebration of local music & arts across dozens of stages.
🔗 Schedule/Map

Bend Roots Late Night Party – Midtown Ballroom / Domino Room
🎵 Music
📍 51 NW Greenwood Ave, Bend, OR
🗓️ Fri, Sept 12 & Sat, Sept 13 • Late-night sets
📝 Official Roots after-hours shows in the Midtown complex; check the Roots schedule for exact set times.
🔗 Venue details

Bend PorchFest
🎪 Community • Music
📍 Old Bend & Westside porches (neighborhood-wide)
🗓️ Sat, Sept 13 • 2:00–6:00pm
📝 Stroll porch-to-porch for free mini-concerts by local musicians.
🔗 

Garcia Birthday Band – “Cascade Equinox Summer Jam”
🎵 Music
📍 Volcanic Theatre Pub, 70 SW Century Dr #180, Bend, OR
🗓️ Sat, Sept 13 • Evening
📝 Portland’s beloved Grateful Dead tribute brings a dancey night to Volcanic.
🔗 https://www.volcanictheatre.com/events

Rafe Pearlman: Rumbo Tumba at the Tower
🎵 Music / World
📍 Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St, Bend, OR
🗓️ Sun, Sept 14 • Evening
📝 Vocalist/composer Rafe Pearlman blends world, folk and cinematic sounds.
🔗 Event (towertheatre.org)

Bingo for a Cause – Silver Moon Brewing
🎲 Games • Fundraiser
📍 Silver Moon Brewing, 24 NW Greenwood Ave, Bend, OR
🗓️ Sun, Sept 14 • Morning
📝 Weekly community bingo benefitting rotating local nonprofits.
🔗 Tickets

Redmond (incl. Terrebonne)

Live at the Vineyard: The Blackline Band
🎵 Music
📍 Faith, Hope & Charity Vineyards, 70450 NW Lower Valley Dr, Terrebonne, OR
🗓️ Fri, Sept 12 • 6:00–9:00pm
📝 Outdoor concert with wine, wood-fired pizza, and sunset views; advance tickets recommended.
🔗 Tickets/Info (Visit Central Oregon)

R’Oktoberfest at Wild Ride Brewing
🎪 Community • 🍺 Food & Drink • 🎵 Music
📍 Wild Ride Brewing, 332 SW 5th St, Redmond, OR
🗓️ Sat, Sept 13 • 2:00–9:00pm
📝 Family-friendly Oktoberfest with games (stein-holding, grain toss) and live bands: Derek Michael Marc (2–4pm) and Sleepless Truckers (6–8:30pm). Free entry.
🔗 Event details (wild-ride-brewing)

Sisters

Sisters Festival of Books
📚 Books/Literary • Community
📍 Venues around downtown Sisters
🗓️ Fri–Sun, Sept 12–14 • Sessions vary
📝 Author talks, readings, and community literary events all weekend.
🔗 Festival overview (Sisters Oregon)

Glory Daze Car Show
🚗 Car Show • Community
📍 Downtown Sisters (Hood Ave corridor)
🗓️ Sat, Sept 13 • 10:00am–2:00pm
📝 Classic cars, music, awards, and family-friendly fun in the heart of Sisters.
🔗 Event page (Sisters Oregon)

Sisters Farmers Market
🛍️ Market • Food & Drink
📍 Fir St Park, 170 N Fir St, Sisters, OR
🗓️ Sun, Sept 14 • 10:00am–2:00pm
📝 Local produce, makers, and music every Sunday through September.
🔗 Market info

Prineville

Central Oregon Acoustic Music Gathering (Old-Time Fiddlers)
🎵 Music • Dance • Community
📍 Crook County Fairgrounds, Carey Foster Hall, 1280 Main St, Prineville, OR
🗓️ Thu–Sat, Sept 11–13 • Jamming all day & night; Gospel show Sat 1:00pm
📝 Free (donations welcome). Workshops, dancing, stage shows, RV/dry camping available.
🔗 Official poster (PDF) (centraloregonfiddlers.com)

Madras

Madras Saturday Market
🛍️ Market • Food & Drink • Community
📍 Sahalee Park (7th St between B & C), Madras, OR
🗓️ Sat, Sept 13 • 9:00am–2:00pm
📝 Final weeks of the open-air market with local produce, crafts, and music.
🔗 Listing • Chamber calendar (AARP Local, madraschamber.com)

Sunriver / La Pine

Artists’ Gallery Sunriver – Second Saturday Reception
🎨 Art • Community
📍 The Village at Sunriver, 57100 Beaver Dr, Sunriver, OR
🗓️ Sat, Sept 13 • 4:00–6:00pm
📝 Meet the artists, browse new works, and enjoy light refreshments.
🔗 Event page (The Village at Sunriver)

Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory – In-Depth Nighttime Visit
🌌 Stargazing • Science
📍 SNCO Campus, 57245 River Rd, Sunriver, OR
🗓️ Sat, Sept 13 • 9:00–11:00pm
📝 Small-group telescope session with educators at the nation’s largest public observatory.
🔗 Book/Info • SNCO overview (SNCO, SNCO)

Monday Night BINGO – La Pine Senior Activity Center
🎲 Games
📍 16450 Victory Way, La Pine, OR
🗓️ Mon, Sept 8 • Doors 4:30pm | Bingo 5:30pm
📝 Affordable dinner before the games; prizes and community fun.
🔗 Details (La Pine Senior Activity Center)

Quarter BINGO – La Pine Senior Activity Center
🎲 Games
📍 16450 Victory Way, La Pine, OR
🗓️ Tue, Sept 9 • 1:00–3:00pm
📝 Play for quarters; family-friendly afternoon session.
🔗 Details (La Pine Senior Activity Center)

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Local News…

Body of missing Post-area man found in rural Crook County, sheriff's office says

PRINEVILLE, Ore. -- The Crook County Sheriff’s Office has issued an update on the case of missing person Gordon Grafton.

Authorities say 29-year-old Gordon Grafton III was reported missing on August 29, after he was last seen leaving his home in the Post, Oregon area the day before.

In a statement, the Sheriff’s Office shared, "It is with deep sadness that I inform you Gordon Grafton was found deceased. Gordon was located Saturday morning, September 6, 2025, in a rural part of Crook County.  Gordon’s family has been notified. Our thoughts are prayers are with the family as they deal with the loss of Gordon. No further information will be released."

Samson Garner takes the stand in Smith Rock attack trial

BEND, Ore. -- The man accused of plotting a mass shooting at a climbing event at Smith Rock State Park in 2023 took the stand in his own defense Friday.

Samson Garner is charged with multiple counts including attempted murder, assault and unlawful use of a weapon for the alleged plot at the Craggin' Classic. He has pleaded not guilty.

During his testimony Friday, he talked about owning guns and knowing about the climbing festival that was going on at the park. He was asked about his history of gun ownership and why he bought an AR-15.

“I was really looking for a gun to take to the range than was less expensive to shoot than my 30 but a little more fun to shoot than my 22. Maybe a little longer range, just a little bit more capable at the range,” Garner said.

Garner is a self-proclaimed climbing enthusiast and he testified to having been to Smith Rock many times before the incident. He had also stayed in Central Oregon several times to go skiing or mountaineering.

Garner said he joined the American Alpine Club in 2013 because it offered rescue insurance, which protects climbers if they have an accident. The American Alpine Club also has a group emailing system, which Garner said he was automatically subscribed to.

Garner said he knew about the Smith Rock Craggin’ Classic and he had seen the emails advertising for it.

“So, I had seen some emails about that over the years, I had never been, and I haven’t been to one,” Garner said. “But yeah, I was aware of it.”

Garner also testified about some injuries related to climbing and backpacking, which he said limited his usual outdoor activities.

The trial is expected to continue until Sept. 11.

Frustrations, hope shared as BLM closes fire-prone land in La Pine

LA PINE, Ore. -- It’s been one week since the Bureau of Land Management closed off one of La Pine’s most fire-prone areas after homeless camps and trash raised safety concerns. On Thursday, neighbors filled the community center to hear how the move is working and what might come next.

BLM officials acknowledged frustration in the community.

“I know many of you are here because you have concerns about some of the not nice things that are happening on public lands,” said Lisa Clark, Prineville District BLM Field Manager. “We’re, honestly, as frustrated as you are in a lot of ways.”

The closure affects land east of Darlene Way, stretching from Rosland Road south to La Pine city limits. City leaders say they support the move.

“The city is in very strong support of the closure,” said La Pine City Manager Jeff Wullschlager. “It’s an extra tool in our box to manage the circumstances that continually add to wildfire danger in the community.”

Others say the environmental hazards in the area make cleanup impossible without action.

“It needs to be closed,” said Kathy DeBone with Newberry Country Land Stewards. “That is one of the areas that BLM will not allow our group to go and clean up because of the environmental hazards.”

Clark said homelessness and trash dumping are problems that no single agency can address alone. She pointed to growing collaboration between BLM, the Forest Service, Deschutes County, law enforcement and social services as a path forward.

Residents like Mike Edson say they’ve noticed a shift.

“They are becoming a lot more responsive to us,” Edson said. “I see a good thing happening. It could take us another five, six, seven years, but I see us as teaming up instead of turning away from each other.”

The closure is expected to remain in effect for up to a year or until the land is cleaned up. BLM leaders say the effort in La Pine could become a blueprint for tackling wildfire risk across Central Oregon.

Prineville Expands Access to Golf with Adaptive Cart at Meadow Lakes

Prineville is making golf more inclusive with the addition of a Vertacat adaptive golf cart, also known as a Paramobile, at Meadow Lakes Golf Course. One of the few courses in the Pacific Northwest to offer this equipment, the cart allows golfers with mobility challenges to stand, swing, and move freely across the course. The cart is available free of charge to those with accessibility needs, with reservations made directly through the course.

The project was made possible through a grant from the Central Oregon Future Fund, support from the Stand Up and Play Foundation, and a local partnership with the City of Prineville, which houses and maintains the cart. Leaders say the initiative removes barriers to the game and reflects Prineville’s commitment to inclusive recreation, ensuring more people can enjoy the camaraderie and beauty of golf while strengthening the community’s reputation as a hub for accessible outdoor adventure. prinevillechamber.com

Fire & Rescue…

Crime News…

Regional News…

Community News…

Bend Celebrates Grand Opening of Central Oregon Tool Library

The Central Oregon Tool Library (COTool) officially opened its doors in Bend on September 5, offering residents access to a wide range of tools for home repair, gardening, and creative projects. Membership is structured to be affordable, with a suggested contribution based on household income, but no one is turned away due to lack of funds. The nonprofit is entirely volunteer-run, with all contributions reinvested into maintaining and expanding the tool collection.

Founded by Peter LoVerso, Tony Grzesik, and John Heylin, the library came together in just six months with the support of community partners including the Environmental Center, the Blankfort Family Fund, and Habitat for Humanity. Open three days a week, the new resource is seeking donations of tools and funds, along with volunteers and sponsors, to help grow its offerings across Central Oregon. https://cotool.org/

 City of Bend Events

Current updates for the Flat Fire can be found in CO Fire Info above⬆️

 😎 Just sayin

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