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?

🚳 Biking trails west of Bend closed for fire prevention work

🌊 Landowner Works on Creek Restoration

 🌄SPRD's park begins to take shape

 📰City of Bend installs traffic data camera on Portland Avenue Bridge

 🚒⛑Fire & Rescue News

💥Bend, Oregon man killed in wrong-way crash near American Falls

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

🚨Crime News

⚠ Bend Police See Uptick In Recent Scams Targeting Community Members

📰Regional News

🥰Community News

🚴‍♂️ Bend Man Officially Becomes Oldest to Bike Across the U.S.

💝 Tykeson Family Foundation Donates $100K to Heart of Oregon’s New Youth Workforce Campus

📆City of Bend Calendar of Events

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥Central Oregon Fire Info

🏘Real Estate News

🏘📊Central Oregon Market Report by Reed Melton

🏘️ RootedHomes to Break Ground on Landmark Middle-Income Housing Community Coming to Redmond

📰Discovery West blends parks, pop-ups and history in Bend’s newest hub

🍻 Bend Brewing and Sisters Smokehouse Team Up for New Bar at Jackstraw Development

💖Sponsors

😆Today’s Meme

✅ Answer: D) Shaniko
Expanded Answer: Shaniko, now considered a ghost town, was once known as the "Wool Capital of the World" in the early 1900s. It had a population of several hundred, a hotel, bank, and its own newspaper. The town declined rapidly after the railroad bypassed it.

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…

Biking trails west of Bend closed for fire prevention work

The Sector 16 trail, a favorite among mountain bikers for its tight turns and dense forest, is closed as crews remove hazardous fuels to reduce wildfire risk. Nearby Royal Flush and Duodenum trails are also closed during the mitigation work.

Landowner works on creek restoration

Once prone to running dry each summer, Whychus Creek near Sisters has seen a remarkable revival thanks to decades of restoration efforts, including piping irrigation ditches, improving riparian habitat, and returning water rights to the stream. Now flowing year-round, the creek is on the verge of restoring steelhead runs, with help from private landowners like Chris Crever, who recently worked with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to release 16,000 steelhead smolts along his property. While agencies like the Deschutes Land Trust have restored sections of the creek on public lands, the stretch between those projects lies in private ownership, making landowner cooperation essential. Crever is rallying his neighbors to seek a grant for a feasibility study to address erosion, improve habitat, and control invasive weeds, all while keeping the land private and free from public access. The ultimate goal: a healthier creek benefiting residents, wildlife, and the long-awaited return of steelhead. Read the Full Story Here The Nugget Newspaper

SPRD's park begins to take shape

Sisters Park & Recreation District is transforming the site of the former Sisters Elementary School into Sisters Community Park, the district’s first traditional community park, with completion expected by October. Guided by community input, the $1.3 million project will feature an ADA-accessible walking path, covered pavilion with restrooms, eight pickleball courts, upgraded multiuse/basketball courts, enhanced green spaces, and a preschool playground open to the public outside of program hours. Funded primarily through grants, donations, and system development charges — with minimal reliance on taxpayer dollars — the project is being built by Deschutes Construction with design by Dougherty Landscape Architects. Recent progress includes paving the walking path and pickleball courts, foundation work, and creating a new ADA entrance. Once finished, the park will offer a new hub for recreation and community gathering in Sisters.

City of Bend installs traffic data camera on Portland Avenue Bridge

The city of Bend has installed a camera on the Portland Avenue Bridge, but it's not for surveillance. The camera sits atop a light pole on the bridge and is designed to record traffic data.

It's not just cars - it's recording the number of people walking and cycling over the bridge. It can also tell the difference between cars, trucks and motorcycles.

The camera replaces several different devices that were built into the bridge.

The project lead, Colleen Miller, is the city of Bend's Geographic Informations Systems (GIS) manager. She explained on Wednesday why the city went with a camera: "Any time we would do surface treatment of the bridge, those (traffic-counting road) loops would need to be replaced. For bike and pedestrian counting, we use infrared sensors and pressure plates. And those also needed some maintenance and required battery changes regularly. This new equipment will require less maintenance, because it has a constant power connection."

The camera uses artificial intelligence to tell the difference between the types of vehicles and pedestrians in the area.

The city of Bend stresses that the video taken by the camera is not stored. Every 15 minutes, it's converted into traffic data and then discarded.

This camera also does not detect faces, nor license plates.

 Fire & Rescue…

Bend, Oregon man killed in wrong-way crash near American Falls

AMERICAN FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho State Police are investigating a fatal wrong-way crash that happened August 6th, on I-86 near American Falls.

Around 8:55 PM, an 81-year-old man from Oregon was reportedly driving a Honda Civic westbound in the eastbound lanes at mile marker 40. The Honda crashed head-on into a Volkswagen SUV. The man died at the scene.

The driver of the Volkswagen, a 35-year-old woman from California, was transported to a local hospital. Her current condition is unknown.

The westbound lanes of I-86 were closed for about four hours as crews investigated the scene and cleared the wreckage.

Crime News…

Bend Police See Uptick In Recent Scams Targeting Community Members

 The Bend Police Department would like to alert community members to an uptick in scams we are frequently seeing in an effort to help you avoid becoming a victim.  

So far in 2025, we have received at least 243 calls reporting scams and fraud attempts. In July alone, 20 people reported to the Bend Police Department that they had lost a combined $107,905 in scams in amounts ranging from $25 to $26,000. 

The types of scams can vary, but over the past couple months we’ve seen multiple incidents in which the victim lost tens of thousands of dollars through similar methods. Here are just a few examples:  

• The victim received a call purporting to be from Wells Fargo. The caller told the victim there was an issue with her account, then sent an Uber to the victim’s home to provide transportation to the bank. The victim was directed to withdraw $12,000 and then took a second Uber to a Chase Bank to deposit the money in separate ATM deposits to unknown accounts. The caller then provided the victim with a third Uber to transport the victim back home.  

• The victim received a call purporting to be from U.S. Bank. The caller told the victim that someone had attempted to open a Zelle account with the victim’s phone number. The victim was directed to withdraw $2,000 in cash and use that money to buy MoneyPak Green Dot cards, then repeat the transaction at a different grocery store with $1,500 in cash. The victim then provided the numbers on the back of the cards to the caller.  

• The victim received an email from a scammer regarding a fake purchase on eBay. The victim called a number listed in the email and spoke with a person who directed the victim to go to a Bitcoin ATM and make multiple deposits totaling $32,000. The scammer was able to gain access to the victim’s computer through a screen-sharing program, and the scammer may also have shut down the victim’s bank account and attempted to make purchases on multiple credit cards. 

Many of our most recently reported scams have featured a victim receiving either an email or a phone call about a problem – an issue with a bank account, a fraudulent charge, a warrant or a missed jury duty call. The scammer then rushes the victim – they need to act quickly to solve the issue by transferring money, giving the scammer gift cards, or taking money out of their bank account and putting it elsewhere. Often, the scammer stays on the phone with the victim the entire time the scam is taking place. By the time the victim figures out it’s a scam, they’re often too late and lose a lot of money.  

Here are a few reminders to help prevent these scammers from getting ahold of your hard-earned money:  

• Law enforcement and other federal agencies will never call or email you demanding money. Banks will not ask you to wire money as part of a fraud investigation. Banks will not tell you to remove money from their accounts and place it in another bank.  

• Do not transfer money into Bitcoin ATMs or online apps at the behest of any agency or business.  

• Legitimate groups do not request payment in the form of gift cards.  

  Not sure if it’s a scam? Trust your gut. Hang up, don’t reply to the email. Call your banking institution and check that the call or email is legitimate. Don’t trust caller ID – a scammer can fake a number they’re calling from. You can also Google the number you’re receiving a call from. Often, other people who have been scammed will post to the internet identifying the phone number as a scammer.  

  Have you been the victim of a scam? Call nonemergency dispatch at 541-693-6911 to report it and file a complaint with the FBI at www.IC3.gov. 

Regional News…

Community News…

Bend man officially becomes oldest to bike across the U.S.

Central Oregon Daily News

It’s official. Guinness World Records has recognized 85-year-old Bob Sanders of Bend as the oldest man to bike across the United States.

Sanders completed the coast-to-coast ride earlier this year, finishing in May after months on the road. He says the journey was about more than just distance, it was about connection.

Sanders says the most rewarding part was meeting people at every stop.

But getting the record wasn’t as simple as finishing the ride. He spent weeks gathering documentation and working with Guinness to verify every detail of the journey.

Now back home in Bend, Sanders says the experience gave him a renewed faith in the country despite the divisions he often hears about.

He plans to keep riding, just maybe not across the country again.

Tykeson Family Foundation Donates $100K to Heart of Oregon’s New Youth Workforce Campus

 Heart of Oregon Corps has received a $100,000 gift from the Tykeson Family Foundation to support its Legacy 25 campaign, which aims to raise the final $2.1 million needed for a new $7.3 million centralized youth workforce development campus in Redmond. The 3.4-acre facility will be the first of its kind in Central Oregon, providing construction, conservation, and childcare training for the 225 youth served annually by the nonprofit. For 25 years, Heart of Oregon has operated from borrowed and aging facilities, graduating over 5,000 workforce-ready young people. The new campus will unite programs under one roof while maintaining satellite sites across the region, with transportation provided for rural youth. Boosted by a $500,000 matching grant from the Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund, all donations of $100,000 or less are currently doubled. Groundbreaking is set for September 10, with the opening planned for fall 2026.

 City of Bend Events

Friday’s

Real Estate News

Sponsored by

Central Oregon Market Report | August 6, 2025

by Reed Melton from “EnjoyBendLife Real Estate Group”

Anyone who has been wishing for lower mortgage interest rates will be happy to learn that the 30-year fixed-rate conventional average this morning is 6.58%, the lowest point since a brief dip last September. The decrease in interest rates coincides with a busy season for home sales, and unsurprisingly, activity is robust. With many sellers anxious to move properties before the winter, this is proving to be the best buying conditions in several years.

Supply continues the seasonal decline in Deschutes County, with 1,522 single-family homes listed, a decrease of twenty-two from last week. It was another strong week of pending sales at 87, with fifty-one of those properties reducing the list price by an average of 7.13% before securing a contract. Seventy closed transactions are the most in more than five weeks, with exactly half of those sales negotiated below the list price by an average of 6.23%. The average price per square foot for the sold homes this week was $399.

Crook County inventory finally decreased this week after steadily increasing each week since February. This morning's inventory shows 248 listings, down by eight from last week. Pending sales were robust at fourteen, with nine of those properties decreasing the list price by an average of 6.08% before finding a buyer. Six transactions closed, with three negotiating a price below the listing price by an average of 5.49%. The average price per square foot of the closed transactions was $335.

Jefferson County's inventory is stable and still increasing slightly, up by two from last week. Pending sales remain steady, with five this week, and only one price change of -2.28% before securing a buyer. Sales match last week at seven, with four negotiating a price below the listing price. The sold-to-original list price ratio this week was 89.83%, and the average price per square foot was $312.

There will be great buying opportunities through the end of the year and into spring 2026, but the available inventory today gives buyers a selection not seen in several years. If mortgage rates continue to decline, more buyers will step up, and the chances of building inventory to today's levels decrease. There are always homes for sale and opportunities, but it is a relief for buyers to have options. Not that many years ago, during the pandemic peak, at any given price point, buyers were lucky to have a handful of options. Tight supply applied upward pressure on prices, and many homes sold for more than they would have otherwise. It is correct that prices are softening, but that is directly related to competition from other homes. The housing market in Central Oregon is still strong, but is favoring buyers more than in several years. 

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Active Listings

RootedHomes to Break Ground on Landmark Middle-Income Housing Community Coming to Redmond

RootedHomes, a local nonprofit dedicated to affordable housing, is breaking ground on its newest community, Rooted at Antler, on August 22 from 11am to 1pm at 1699 West Antler Avenue in Redmond. The community is designed to address Central Oregon’s mid-market housing shortage, offering homeownership to buyers earning up to 120% of the Deschutes County Area Median Income (AMI), a significant increase from the typical 80% AMI. Read More

Discovery West blends parks, pop-ups and history in Bend’s newest hub

Bend's newest mixed-use neighborhood development hopes to provide a space for people living in the area and others in the community. Discovery West is being developed by the same team behind Northwest Crossing, which is a partnership between Brooks Resources and Tenant Development.  Read More - CO Daily News

Bend Brewing and Sisters Smokehouse team up for new bar at Jackstraw development

Two beloved Central Oregon brands are joining forces for a new concept coming to one of Bend’s fastest-growing areas. Way West, a western-themed indoor-outdoor bar and deli, will be the latest addition to the Jackstraw development on the city’s west side. It’s a partnership between Bend Brewing Company and Sisters Meat & Smokehouse. Read More - CO Daily News

 😎 Just sayin

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