In this Issue of C.O. Local BUZZ…

🤔Local Trivia Wednesdays

🌄Bend, OR Weather

📅 What’s Up Central Oregon?

🎨🍷⚡☺️Sip, Create, Activate – A Creative Wellness Event

🎭The Mousetrap

📅Save The Date Section

🌱High Desert Horticultural Center Launches Plant Native Class Series to Inspire Climate-Resilient Landscaping

📰Local News - What’s a Happening?

🏞️ Bend's Sawyer Park to get major upgrades; public open house set

📰⛑️Quick action saved a life at Hoodoo

📰Regional News

📆City of Bend Calendar of Events

🚧 Road Closures & Construction

🔥⛑️Fire & Rescue News

⛑️Tragic Snowboarding Accident Claims Life of 13-Year-Old at Mt. Bachelor

🚨Crime News

📰Community News

🌌 Prineville’s Night Skies Shine Bright Thanks to Dark Sky Efforts

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Prineville group building young business leaders

Have some news or know of news for our Community News Segment - share it with C.O. Local Buzz

🏘️Real Estate News

🏘️📈📉Central Oregon Market Report | April 9, 2025 by Reed Melton

🏠Open house for Bend’s new energy-efficient home for middle-income buyers

🌞An Eco-Friendly, Economical Win for Central Oregon Homes & Businesses

😁 MEME of the Day

Did you get the correct Answer?

Correct Answer: A) A network of lava tubes

Expanded Answer:
Pilot Butte, one of the few city-dwelling volcanoes in the United States, is part of a larger volcanic system in Central Oregon. Beneath it lies a series of lava tubes—tunnels formed by flowing lava during ancient eruptions. While most are sealed off or inaccessible, these tubes are part of the same geologic features found at nearby Lava River Cave. This underground landscape is a testament to Central Oregon's fiery volcanic past!

Good Morning!

BEND

SANTIAM PASS WEATHER

GOVERNMENT CAMP WEATHER

WILLAMETTE PASS WEATHER

What’s Up Central Oregon?

The New Events Newsletter Is Still in the Works
Thanks for your patience as we continue building out the new Central Oregon events newsletter! In the meantime, our embedded calendar is updated regularly—so be sure to check it out for the latest local happenings.

Sip, Create, Activate – A Creative Wellness Event

Looking for a fun way to recharge? Join us Friday, April 11th for Sip, Create, Activate — a vibrant blend of art, community, and wellness hosted in the Energy Room at Epic Energy Centers in Bend. Led by local artist and owner Kelley Salber, this event invites you to tap into your creative flow while “activating” your energy—think cellular-level rejuvenation in a space designed to uplift.

Enjoy half-off regular session pricing, adult beverages, and all the supplies you need to create something meaningful. Space is limited and registration is required. Come sip, create, and connect with your community in the most energizing way possible! Ask about bringing your own wine to energize in the space.

REGISTER HERE

The Mousetrap

Coming up

High Desert Horticultural Center Launches Plant Native Class Series to Inspire Climate-Resilient Landscaping

The High Desert Horticultural Center (HDHC), a newly established nonprofit dedicated to advancing native plant use and resource conservation, is proud to announce the launch of its Plant Native Class Series, beginning April 26 at WinterCreek Nursery.

This engaging educational series is open to all experience levels and will equip community members with the knowledge and tools to create and maintain native plant landscapes — an accessible and impactful way to combat climate change, reduce water consumption, and restore vital pollinator habitats.

Class topics include:

• Which Plant Where?

• Intro to Native Garden Design

• Native Plants 101

• Native Garden Maintenance

Each class is $40, runs from 10am-12pm on Saturdays, and will be held throughout the growing season at WinterCreek Nursery, the region’s largest retail native plant nursery.  HDHC Members enjoy a 25% discount on classes.

“Our goal is to empower individuals with practical, inspiring knowledge about native plants,” said Rick Martinson, founder of HDHC and former owner of WinterCreek Nursery. “Everyone has a role to play in regenerating our landscapes and restoring ecological balance — and native gardening is a beautiful, personal way to start.”

For more information or to register for classes, visit: highdeserthorticulturalcenter.org/events.

About the High Desert Horticultural Center:
Founded in late 2023, the High Desert Horticultural Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on education, research, and native plant propagation in the high desert west. HDHC’s mission is to inspire ecological integrity and improve sustainability of urban landscapes by increasing the understanding of native vegetation in created landscapes.  The center offers hands-on learning opportunities for the public, professionals, and future restoration practitioners.

About WinterCreek Nursery:
Established in 1993 and now owned and operated by the HDHC, WinterCreek Nursery propagates nearly 200 species of high desert native plants. As central Oregon’s largest native plant nursery, WinterCreek continues to serve retail and wholesale customers while also supporting HDHC’s nonprofit mission.

highdeserthorticulturalcenter.org

LOCAL EVENTS

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Deschutes Public Library Events

Local News…

Bend's Sawyer Park to get major upgrades; public open house set

Bend Park and Recreation District will host an open house on April 22 to share plans for improving Sawyer Park, including efforts to mitigate impacts on cultural and historic resources. The $1 million project includes relocating parking, restoring habitat, enhancing accessibility, and adding new amenities with completion expected by summer 2026.

The following is the full announcement from BPRD:

Bend, Ore. – (April 8, 2025) – Bend Park and Recreation District is working on an improvement project at Sawyer Park and will share project information, including plans to mitigate potential impacts to cultural and historic resources at the site. An open house is scheduled for Tuesday, April 22, from 5 pm to 7 pm at the District Office, 799 SW Columbia St. in Bend.

Sawyer is one of Bend’s oldest and most beloved parks. Decades of use and increased visitors to the park each year have created the need for an improved entrance and parking lot. The existing amenities can no longer provide the functions and space needed for the park.

The project plans include relocating the parking area closer to O.B. Riley Road, adding accessible parking, habitat restoration, improving trail accessibility, and the addition of a permanent restroom, picnic shelter and river overlook.

The project was awarded over $1 million from a Land and Water Conservation Fund Grant. As part of the grant program, there was a review of potential impacts the project may have on cultural and historic resources on the site. This project was determined to have an adverse effect on some of those resources.

“We worked with the National Park Service, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department and Oregon State Historic Preservation Office to create a plan to mitigate the impact of the adverse effects, and I will share information about that plan at the open house,” said Bronwen Mastro, BPRD landscape architect and project manager.

The meeting is open-house style and there will not be a formal presentation. Community members are encouraged to drop in at their convenience if they would like to learn more.

The project is estimated to be completed in summer 2026. Learn more at the project webpage

Quick action saved a life at Hoodoo

The Nugget Newspaper

A man nearly died from a heart attack at Hoodoo Ski Area in March. In April, he was back to celebrate his survival with the people who saved his life.

Tom Lane went into cardiac arrest at Hoodoo in March. Quick action saved his life, and he and his wife thanked first responders on Saturday.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District reported that on March 1, Emergency Medical Service (EMS) personnel from the Sisters-Camp Sherman and Black Butte Ranch fire districts were dispatched to a male patient in cardiac arrest at the Autobahn Tubing Park at the Hoodoo Ski Area. Responding units were advised that CPR had been started immediately by bystanders, and by Hoodoo Ski Patrol members. They had applied an AED (Automatic External Defibrillator) and delivered multiple shocks. Ski Patrol staff then loaded the patient into a toboggan and towed him to a designated landing zone to meet with a Life Flight Network air ambulance.

The efforts of the ski patrollers and the bystanders were successful in restoring the patient's pulse, and he was regaining consciousness.

Upon arrival of EMS units, the patient, 67-year-old Tom Lane, was conscious and talking. Paramedics and EMTs from Sisters-Camp Sherman and Black Butte Ranch fire districts then took over patient care, and began advanced life support procedures while waiting for the arrival of the helicopter.

Lane was transported to the hospital for definitive care, where he walked out 11 days later with no memory of the event, but a new lease on life, thanks to efforts of those involved.

On April 5, just over a month after the incident, some of the EMS personnel, along with the ski patrollers, met with Tom and his wife Dawn at the Hoodoo Ski Patrol Lodge. The Lanes expressed their gratitude for the work that was performed by the responders and bystanders. Deputy Chief Tim Craig and Firefighter/Paramedic Anna Westburg, along with Black Butte Ranch Fire District Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Linker, were there to present the Hoodoo Ski Patrol staff with life saving awards.

Early recognition of cardiac arrest, immediate CPR and AED application, and early access to EMS are critical to survival.

"Without the efforts of Hoodoo Ski Patrol members and bystanders, Tom would not be with us today. The fact that these folks had the proper training, proper equipment, and jumped in to apply their skills in a professional manner, saved Tom's life," Craig said.

The Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District thanked Hoodoo Ski Patrol, Black Butte Ranch Fire District, and Life Flight Network for their partnership and support in making this incident a success.

Regional News…

 City of Bend Events

Fire & Rescue News…

Tragic Snowboarding Accident Claims Life of 13-Year-Old at Mt. Bachelor

BEND, Ore. — A 13-year-old boy from Anacortes, Washington, died Wednesday morning after a snowboarding accident at Mt. Bachelor Ski Resort.

The boy was reported missing around 11:15 a.m., prompting a swift response from Mt. Bachelor Ski Patrol, Deschutes County deputies, Bend Fire & Rescue, and AirLink. He was later found unresponsive in a wooded area near the Sunrise chairlift. Despite immediate lifesaving efforts, he died from his injuries.

Investigators believe the boy struck a tree while snowboarding through a treed area roughly 400 meters uphill from Sunrise Lodge. He was wearing a helmet at the time. No witnesses to the crash have been identified.

“This is a devastating loss for a family, a community, and for the first responders who did everything they could,” said Sheriff Shane van der Kamp. “Our hearts are with everyone affected by this tragedy.”

The boy’s name has not been released out of respect for the family and the ongoing investigation.

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office extended its gratitude to Mt. Bachelor staff, Bend Fire & Rescue, AirLink, Summit Medical Group’s Urgent Care, 911 dispatchers, and local chaplains who responded with care and compassion.

Crime News…

Community News…

 Prineville’s Night Skies Shine Bright Thanks to Dark Sky Efforts

Whether you're gazing over the reservoir or stepping outside in town, Prineville offers some of the best night sky views in Central Oregon—and it’s no accident. A growing community effort to protect the area’s dark skies has made stargazing in Prineville an unforgettable experience.

From spotting the Milky Way to catching meteor showers, visitors and locals alike are treated to crystal-clear views of constellations and celestial events. These breathtaking sights are visible not just in remote areas, but even from quieter spots around town—thanks to reduced light pollution and a shared commitment to preserving natural nightscapes.

Dark sky-friendly lighting, thoughtful planning, and community education have played a big role in making Prineville a stargazer’s haven. Whether you're an amateur astronomer or just love a peaceful night under the stars, it's a perfect place to reconnect with the cosmos.

Want to plan a stargazing night?
Visit Explore Prineville's guide to dark sky experiences for the best viewing spots, tips, and upcoming celestial events.

Prineville group building young business leaders

Young Biz Roundup invites kids to host vendor booths, learn about business

• Jason Chaney Central Oregonian

It started with a kid who wanted to host a vendor booth, just like her mom.

It has become a growing young entrepreneur club that enables kids of many ages to sell their wares and learn about making money and how to run a business.

The Young Biz Roundup recently held its spring market, the second vendor event at Pioneer Park. Kids ages 5-17 operated booths that showcased a variety of crafts and skills that they invited visitors to purchase. The event also included chances to win raffle baskets and a bounce house for kids to enjoy.

Tiffany Yale recounted how the Young Biz Roundup group started and how it has grown since it launched last summer.

“I have been doing vendor markets as a home baker, and then my daughter wanted to sell stuff, too. But I couldn’t afford the price that I pay for a table for her own booth,” she said. “So, I thought, ‘Let’s gather up some friends and see if we can’t pitch in.”

By the time Young Biz Roundup was ready to host its first event, a fall market at Pioneer Park, eight kids were participating (with parent supervision, of course). This year, at the spring market held Saturday, April 12, the number of participants had risen to 12.

“It has gotten a lot bigger and we have gotten a couple donations from local companies,” Yale said.

During the markets, each kid gets a 10x10-foot space, the traditional size for a vendor booth at most local events. They can then bring and sell whatever homemade item they want.

“We have some home bakers. We have some jewelry,” Yale said. “There are some kids who do custom t-shirts. One little girl makes candles and tea cups – any kind of creativity the kids can come up with.”

The intent behind Young Biz Roundup is to “encourage kids to learn associating with customers and trying to sell an item, do the money transaction and aloof that business world,” Yale explained.

“It gives them a good grasp on real life,” she continued. “If they don’t want to work whatever job is out there, they can create their own job someday.”

Going forward, Yale would like to take Young Biz Roundup in some new directions beyond the markets.

“I would like to do more,” she said. “I’d like to get more volunteers on board.”

People who want to volunteer for Young Biz Roundup or donate to the organization can visit the organization’s website, youngbizroundup.com.

“We have had a blast,” Yale concluded.

Real Estate News…

Sponsored By

Central Oregon Market Report | April 9, 2025

by Reed Melton

As expected for the season, the inventory of homes for sale throughout Central Oregon is rising, and activity is beginning to increase. The mortgage markets are volatile, with the chaos in the stock and bond markets mainly attributable to the crazy tariff wars. The volatility helped mortgage rates last week but has turned a corner, with the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage at 6.85%, the highest since late February. However, mortgage rates are near the average of the last two years, so in the bigger picture, not much has changed.

Deschutes County inventory increased by sixteen to 1,024 single-family listings. Seventy-eight pending sales are the most since a spike in early March, with a median days listed of only twenty-seven and an average price of $864,786.Fifty-six properties closed after only twenty-one days on the market, at an average price of $903,703. Days listed have increased slightly since 2022, when the pending sales were only five, nineteen this week in 2023, and twenty last year. Only three weeks of listing time before finding a buyer is notably quick and a strong indicator of strength in the housing market.

This morning, 170 single-family homes are listed in Crook County, an increase of eight since last Wednesday. Six pending sales were listed for only seventeen days, with an average sale of $816,150 for the previous seven days, which is a reasonable volume and quick pace—four closed transactions at an average of $792,249 round out the week's activity. Two of the four closed transactions were in Powell Butte, with one of those sales in Brasada Ranch. The two closings in Prineville sold for $499,999 and $315,000. 

Jefferson County inventory increased by nine to 116 listings. The average price of the actively listed homes is $573,575. Nine pending sales, at an average of $422,822, show buyers are engaging the market and stepping up. Two sales closed at $540,000 and $1,200,000. 

With marketing times of less than thirty days through much of Central Oregon, homes that are attractive to buyers are moving quickly. There will always be homes that linger, but for educated buyers waiting for better options, jumping on the right fit is imperative. Making the right decision is easier if you know the market; these reports can help identify trends. However, there is no replacement for seeing properties in person to learn which option is best for you. In most cases, it takes time for buyers to tour homes over an extended period to find the perfect fit. If you want to start learning about the Central Oregon housing market, please contact me to schedule a tour.

Sign Up for the Central Oregon Market Report

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ACTIVE LISTINGS

Open house for Bend’s new energy-efficient home for middle-income buyers

BEND, Ore. -- Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity is showing off its new home, meant to balance affordability and sustainability.

The 2-bed, 2-bathroom home is located at 1745 SE Wilson Avenue, right off the Wilson Avenue and 15th Street roundabout. It's meant for middle-income buyers -- families making between $82,000 and $135,000 a year. 

The house is also built to net-zero energy efficiency standards, which means lower utility bills.

No down payment is required. The home is expected to go on sale by June. Applications can be submitted at this link through April 21.

Open houses take place Wednesday and Saturday, 12:00 - 2:00 p.m. 

An Eco-Friendly, Economical Win for Central Oregon Homes & Businesses

Considering solar? You’re in good company. Many Central Oregon homeowners and businesses have already made this commitment to renewable energy — taking advantage of the abundant sunshine and flat, open land that lies east of the Cascades.

Solar panels, when paired with battery backup, offer dual benefits: these systems enable you to generate an environmentally responsible form of energy, and they are more cost-effective than ever. This means that homeowners and business owners not only help protect the planet by reducing carbon emissions, but they see financial benefits, as well.

The Environmental Case for Solar

Every home or business that installs solar panels reduces its reliance on finite resources such as coal, oil, and natural gas, which are environmentally damaging to extract and transport. Utilizing solar power helps conserve these non-renewable energy resources for future generations.

The lifecycle CO₂ emissions of solar electricity are also significantly lower per kWh than those of fossil fuels. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), solar power produces around 12 times fewer emissions than natural gas and 20 times fewer emissions than coal, making it a cleaner alternative for electricity generation.

While the manufacturing of solar panels does involve some carbon emissions, these are quickly offset once the panels are operational. On average, solar panels offset their lifecycle emissions within two to three years. A typical residential solar system saves approximately 8,460 pounds of CO₂ annually, the equivalent of 432 gallons of gas. That’s like removing a car from the road for nearly a year.

There’s another reason that reducing reliance on the grid is good for the planet. Traditional power plants consume vast amounts of water for cooling and other processes. In contrast, solar photovoltaic (PV) systems require little to no water for operation, only pure sunshine.

The Economics of Solar

For both homeowners and business owners, there are financial benefits to making the shift to solar energy. Federal tax incentives and state programs can significantly reduce the upfront costs of installing solar panels and battery storage. Once installed, a solar system can reduce or eliminate monthly electricity bills, with long-term savings outweighing the initial investment. Net metering programs in Oregon are an added benefit, allowing homeowners and businesses to receive credits for excess electricity they generate and feed back into the grid.

Homeowners are able to take advantage of tax incentives like the Residential Clean Energy Credit, which can decrease the upfront installation costs of a solar + battery storage system (by up to 30 percent). In addition to federal programs, Oregon offers incentives like the Oregon Solar + Storage Rebate Program, which provides rebates for low- and moderate-income households. Programs like Solar Within Reach make solar energy accessible to multifamily and low-income housing, promoting equity in renewable energy adoption.

Homes with solar installations even see an increase in resale value. A 2024 analysis of Zillow data found that solar boosts the national average value of a home by 6.8 percent on average, and even more in high-demand regions.

Businesses that install solar — especially those with energy-intensive operations — also see benefits to their bottom line. This form of renewable energy can help reduce operating costs, increase profitability, and improve a brand’s reputation. Like homeowners, businesses can reduce their installation costs through the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) and receive credits via net metering.

Solar Means Clean, Renewable, and Affordable Energy

If you are a homeowner or business owner who is considering making the move to solar energy, now is a great time to explore your options. By harnessing sunlight as a renewable resource, you’ll set yourself up for decades of clean energy with less expense and minimal environmental impact. Not only will you be cutting expenses, but you’ll significantly reduce carbon emissions — resulting in cleaner air and a healthier Central Oregon.

e2solar.com • 888-668-0478 • 20784 NE High Desert Ln., Bend

 😎 Just sayin

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