Friday News: Public Safety, Community Efforts & Central Oregon Housing From the Editor Happy Friday, Central Oregon! Today’s issue has a little bit of everything — public safety updates from Powell Butte, Bend, Madras and Prineville; community projects making a difference across the region; and our Friday look at real estate and business news.
We’re also catching up on a few stories worth a smile, including Bend North Little League’s postseason run, Dog Is My CoPilot reaching a major rescue milestone, and a New Yorker who made the pilgrimage to Bend’s last Blockbuster with a very old-school pitch in hand. Let’s get into it! ⛑️Fire & Rescue News 🚗 Powell Butte Woman Seriously Injured in Highway 126 Crash A Powell Butte woman was seriously injured Monday after pulling in front of a dump truck on Highway 126, according to Oregon State Police.
Heather McColl was driving northbound on Copley Road around 1 p.m. when she attempted to cross traffic and enter the westbound lane of Highway 126. Her car was struck on the driver’s side by an eastbound Peterbilt dump truck towing a trailer. McColl was seriously injured and flown by helicopter to St. Charles Bend. The dump truck was driven by Amy McComas, 47, of Bend. Read more → 🚨Crime News 🚨 Bend Man Arrested After Allegedly Firing Rifle During Dog-Walking Dispute A Bend man was arrested after police say a dispute with a dog walker escalated into threats and gunfire in an east Bend neighborhood near Mountain View High School.
Police say Joshua Russell allegedly threatened to shoot and kill the man and his dog, then fired several rounds after the dog walker passed his home. Officers later detained Russell and booked him into the Deschutes County Jail on charges of menacing and unlawful use of a weapon. Investigators found eight spent rounds, an AR-style rifle and evidence the gun had been fired into the grass. Read more → 🪶Madras 🚓 Madras Police Step Up Sunday Safety Patrols Madras Police are increasing safety patrols Sunday, with officers expected to have a more visible presence around the community. The effort is aimed at public safety and traffic enforcement during a busy summer weekend.
Drivers and residents should expect to see additional officers on patrol and are being reminded to slow down, drive sober and buckle up. Read more → 🐎Prineville 🐕 Prineville Man Hospitalized After Attack by Four Dogs A Prineville man was hospitalized after being attacked by four dogs belonging to friends he and his wife had taken in after they evacuated the Rowe Creek Complex fire. Josh Hixon said he had been around the dogs without a problem the night before, but the next day one lunged at him in his backyard and the others joined in.
Hixon said the attack lasted roughly 10 to 30 seconds before the owners and his wife were able to get the dogs off him. He spent two days at St. Charles Bend and returned home with stitches, bandages and limited use of one hand. Despite the attack, Hixon said he doesn’t blame the dogs or their owners. His brother has created a GoFundMe to help with his recovery. Read more → 🐝Central Oregon 🌲 Heart of Oregon Corps Crews Put Youth to Work Protecting Wilderness Heart of Oregon Corps crews are spending the summer in Central Oregon’s backcountry tackling conservation work that helps protect heavily used public lands. The projects combine hands-on stewardship with paid job training for young people, giving crew members practical skills while improving the places locals head to hike, camp and explore.
For Heart of Oregon Corps, the work is part conservation project and part workforce development — building trails and restoring landscapes while helping young adults gain experience for what comes next. Read more →
🩸 Red Cross Urges Central Oregonians to Give Blood The American Red Cross is again asking Central Oregonians to roll up a sleeve as summer schedules and ongoing demand put pressure on the blood supply. Blood and platelet donations are needed to keep hospitals stocked for trauma patients, surgeries and other critical care.
Appointments can be made through the Red Cross Blood Donor App, RedCrossBlood.org or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS. The Bend Blood Donation Center on SW Bond Street also offers regular donation appointments. Read more →
🎒 Windermere School Supply Drive Helps Central Oregon Students Windermere offices across Central Oregon are collecting school supplies to help local students start the new school year with what they need. Community members can contribute backpacks, notebooks, pencils and other classroom basics through participating offices.
It’s a simple back-to-school effort with a local impact, helping ease some of the expense for families while putting supplies directly into the hands of Central Oregon students. Read more →
💛 Applications Open for Central Oregon Gives 2026 Applications are now open for the 2026 Central Oregon Gives campaign, the annual year-end fundraising effort that brings local nonprofits together in one place and makes it easier for residents to discover and support organizations doing work throughout the region.
Participating nonprofits gain added visibility during the giving season, while donors can browse local causes and choose where they want their dollars to make an impact. Read more →
🧹 “Dirtworld: The Uprising” Calls Central Oregon to Massive Cleanup A large-scale cleanup effort dubbed “Dirtworld: The Uprising” is calling on Central Oregonians to show up, grab a bag and help remove trash from public lands. The event is built around the idea that the region’s outdoor spaces belong to all of us — and keeping them clean takes more than one agency or one organization.
Organizers hope the cleanup becomes as much about community as it is about hauling out garbage, bringing volunteers together around a shared love of Central Oregon’s open spaces. Read more → 🏘️Real Estate 🏘️ Central Oregon Market Report: Inventory, Prices & a More Patient Market The latest market update from Reed Melton takes another look at Bend and Redmond as the summer selling season moves through August. The big picture remains a more balanced market than the frenzy of a few years ago, with buyers able to be more selective and sellers needing to pay closer attention to pricing, condition and competition.
The full report breaks down the latest local inventory, sales activity and pricing numbers for anyone keeping an eye on where Central Oregon housing is heading. Read more →
🏡 Bend Awards $650,000 to Lower Prices at Woodhaven Estates The City of Bend has awarded $650,000 to help reduce purchase prices on homes at Woodhaven Estates, part of an effort to create more attainable homeownership options in a market where entry-level buyers continue to struggle.
The funding is intended to bring the price of qualifying homes down for eligible buyers, adding another tool to Bend’s broader affordable-housing strategy. Read more →
📉 Oregon Ranks 45th for Homebuyers Under 35 Oregon ranks 45th in the nation for the share of homebuyers under age 35, another indicator of how difficult it has become for younger residents to break into the housing market. High home prices, mortgage rates and the challenge of saving for a down payment continue to push homeownership further out of reach for many first-time buyers.
For Central Oregon — where housing costs remain well above many parts of the state — the numbers will probably feel familiar to anyone watching younger family members or coworkers try to buy their first home. Read more → 💼Business News 💼 OSU Lands $5 Million SBA Grant to Support Small Manufacturers Oregon State University has been awarded a $5 million grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration to strengthen support for small manufacturers. The funding will help connect businesses with technical expertise, resources and assistance aimed at improving productivity and competitiveness.
While the program reaches beyond Central Oregon, it could be useful for smaller manufacturers here that often don’t have the same in-house resources as large companies but still need help adopting new technology, solving production problems and growing sustainably. Read more → That’s a wrap for this Friday! Thanks for spending part of your morning with Central Oregon Local Buzz — and for continuing to support local news, local organizations and the people who make this place home. Have a great weekend, Central Oregon! | 
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