Month: June 2026

Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — As concert season ramps up across Central Oregon, venues in Bend, Redmond and beyond are doing more than drawing crowds—they’re helping drive the region’s summer economy.

From large-scale performances at Hayden Homes Amphitheater to local shows at General Duffy’s Watering Hole, live music is bringing in both visitors and locals who spend money on hotels, restaurants, retail and more.

Beau Eastes, marketing director for the Old Mill District and Hayden Homes Amphitheater, says a single sold-out show can have a significant financial impact.

When accounting for spending tied to concerts—from lodging and dining to merchandise and drinks—Eastes estimates each sold-out event can generate around $2.3 million for the local economy.

He says the amphitheater also plays a key role in seasonal employment.

“We hire about 800 people seasonally… it’s a great way to get more money in people’s pockets,” Eastes said, noting the venue draws visitors from across the Pacific Northwest who often explore other parts of Central Oregon during their stay.

That economic ripple extends to smaller venues as well.

At General Duffy’s Watering Hole in Redmond, part owner and operator Tanner Robertson says hosting concerts comes with a high price tag—but also wide-reaching benefits.

Robertson says booking an artist can cost between $50,000 and $100,000, with an additional $30,000 to $40,000 needed to produce a high-quality show.

“…we bring to bear half a million dollars’ worth of staging, lighting, sound system, tech, security,” Robertson said. “For a really big show, we’ll have around 100 staff… we partner with local high school athletics programs… we write them a check for their hard work.”

Those partnerships, along with staffing needs for food vendors, bars and event operations, help circulate money back into the local community.

Large-scale events at the Deschutes County Fair and Expo Center also contribute to that momentum.

County officials say the 2025 Deschutes County Fair drew about 170,000 people over five days, making it one of the largest fairs in Oregon. Year-round, the fairgrounds host roughly 250 events that attract nearly one million attendees, many of whom contribute to the local economy through lodging, dining and other activities.

From amphitheaters to fairgrounds and neighborhood venues, concert season is proving to be more than entertainment—it’s a key economic driver across Central Oregon.

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Triton Notary

PRINEVILLE, ORE. (KTVZ) The Fourth Annual Wheels and Wings event will return to Prineville Airport on Saturday, June 20th. The event, hosted by Central Oregon Car Shows, will bring together aviation and automobiles to raise funds for Ronald McDonald House Charities of Oregon & Southwest Washington

This highly anticipated summer event will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and offers free public admission, making it a Father’s Day weekend outing for families. Shane Mayfield, director of Central Oregon Car Shows, highlighted the event’s growth, stating, “Last year we had more than 211 cars and more than 30 airplanes to view. We hope this year is even bigger and better and we can continue to build this community event for years to come.”

The event showcases a mix of aircraft, classic cars, custom builds, trucks, motorcycles and specialty vehicles. It also highlights businesses, pilots, sponsors, veterans and volunteers.

Community support will be visible through participation from local businesses, aviation companies, automotive partners, veterans organizations, ROTC programs and nonprofit groups.

Attendees can enjoy an airplane and vehicle show competition with more than 30 awards and trophies, including a People’s Choice Award and a Kids’ Choice Award.

There will be various kids’ activities, community vendors and exhibitors, a live DJ and entertainment. Food trucks, a beer cart and Kona Ice will be available.

Raffles and giveaways, including a motorcycle raffle and a 50/50 cash raffle, are planned. Veterans and community organizations will have displays and ROTC programs will participate.

Aircraft displays and pilot meet-and-greets will also be part of the day’s events. Vehicle registration for participants is $30.

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Harley Coldiron

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A new campaign is underway by several nonprofits in Deschutes County that its supporters say could reshape how local leaders are elected and give more voters a voice in the process.

A coalition of community members and good-government groups has launched a signature drive for a proposed measure called Voices for All of Deschutes, which would bring proportional ranked choice voting to county commission races.

Ranked choice voting is a system where voters rank candidates in order of preference instead of picking just one, and if no candidate wins a majority, the lowest vote-getter is eliminated and those ballots move to the voter’s next choice. It is used in places like Portland, Minneapolis, New York City, San Francisco, Seattle, and many other cities across the country.

What supporters want

Backers of the measure say Deschutes County needs a system that better reflects the full range of voters in the county. They argue the current or proposed options for county commission elections could leave too many residents without real representation.

Freddy Finney-Jordet, campaign manager for Deschutes Defend Our Democracy Coalition, said the proposal is meant to avoid shutting out entire groups of people. He said proportional ranked choice voting is a “gold standard” system for legislative bodies and pointed to its use by more than 280,000 Oregonians in other counties.

Brian Smith of the Tribal Democracy Project said proportional representation would help eliminate gerrymanders, reduce the influence of money and corporate interests, and allow all voters to have a say in who is elected.

What the debate is about

The push comes after voters approved expanding the Deschutes County Commission from three members to five in 2024. The initiative was put on the ballot after John Heylin collected enough signatures for it to qualify. Voters then passed the initiative by a large margin.

Since then, county election rules have become a major topic of discussion, with several approaches under consideration.

One option would keep the current system, where commissioners are elected at-large. Another would divide the county into five districts, with one commissioner elected from each district. Supporters of the district map say it would create geographic representation, while critics argue it could be drawn to give one political party an advantage.

Opponents of the at-large system say it lets a majority faction control the whole board and can leave rural, progressive, and conservative voters without a meaningful voice. Critics of the district plan say it could amount to gerrymandering and prevent voters from weighing in on every commission seat.

Debate over Districting

The districting fight has drawn clear lines in Deschutes County. Supporters of the map, including Commissioners Patti Adair and Tony DeBone, say moving to five commissioner districts would give voters better geographic representation and finally put a plan in place for the expanded board approved by voters in 2024. County staff and the District Mapping Advisory Committee spent months drawing the proposal, using population data and voter registration trends to build what they describe as a balanced map.

Opponents, including Commissioner Phil Chang and many residents who packed public hearings, say the map is unfair and could tilt the county’s political balance. Critics argue the proposed lines split Bend in a way that weakens the city’s influence and could favor conservative voters, while supporters say the district plan is the fairest way to ensure all parts of the county have a voice.

Why this matters

Supporters of the new petition say proportional representation could be a middle ground that captures the strengths of both systems while avoiding their biggest flaws. They say it would give more voters a seat at the table and help elect commissioners who better reflect the county’s political and geographic diversity.

Kate Titus, executive director of Common Cause Oregon, said the state has a history of leading on election reform, pointing to vote-by-mail and automatic voter registration. She said Oregon can again help lead the way as other states look for new ways to strengthen democracy.

Next steps

The petition, Initiative Petition 9-2026-I-01, was cleared for signature gathering in May by elections officials. Supporters of the “Voices for All of Deschutes” campaign plan to host a kickoff event on June 27 for residents who want to learn more and get involved.

The campaign now faces the harder part: gathering enough signatures to qualify the measure for the ballot.

Find more local Decision 2026 coverage here.

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Harley Coldiron

CULVER, Ore. (KTVZ) — A group of Culver High School students spent the final month of the school year bringing new life to one of the community’s most familiar landmarks: the giant “C” on Juniper Butte.

What started as a class project turned into a monthlong restoration effort, with students hiking up the steep hillside after school to clear brush, cut back overgrowth, and repaint the landmark that overlooks the town of Culver.

Principal Scott Novelli said restoring the “C” had been a goal of his since he arrived at the school in 2022. He said the hillside letter has long been a symbol of school and community pride, and seeing it visible again means a lot to people in town.

A tradition returns

For years, Culver High students regularly maintained the “C,” but that tradition slowly faded. Over time, brush and small trees crept in and the landmark became harder to see.

That changed this spring, when students in Sports and Entertainment Marketing and Forensic Science classes began meeting at the base of Juniper Butte during seventh period. From there, they hiked roughly 200 yards up the steep hill and spent 30 minutes to an hour each day working on the project.

Katy Schonneker, secretary at Culver High School, said the last time she remembers students restoring the “C” was in 2016, when her daughter graduated. School officials later found that the landmark had last been fully restored nearly a decade ago by Betty Nitchelm and a group of Culver students.

Student-led effort

The restoration took teamwork and a fair amount of sweat. Students brought weed-eaters, garden tools, chainsaws and other equipment to cut through the overgrowth and prepare the site for a fresh coat of paint.

Junior Thayne Dickson said the group quickly had to figure out what the project would take. Eli Nielson said the first day was spent assessing the hill and making a plan before the real work began.

The effort was led by several juniors, including Dickson and Nielson, and supported by Culver High staff and administration. In just over a month, the work was done.

Community support

The project also got help from local businesses and community members.

GreyFab, a fabrication business in Madras, donated two backpack sprayers. Madras Paint and Glass donated five of the 20 gallons of paint needed. The remaining 15 gallons were funded through a GoFundMe campaign organized by the newly formed Culver Alumni Association, led by Chuck Gates.

More than paint

For the students involved, the project was about more than just repainting a hillside letter. Many balanced the work with baseball, track and field and other spring activities, yet still found time to keep showing up.

Now, the freshly painted “C” is once again visible from much of Culver, including the sports complex, and students hope the project helps restart a tradition for future classes.

Their goal is to make maintenance of the “C” an annual responsibility again, with each graduating senior class returning in the fall to clear brush and touch up the paint. For the students behind the project, the hope is simple: keep the landmark visible, and keep the pride alive.

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