Good morning, Bend.

Bend Park and Recreation District is asking community members to help with five volunteer project days on Saturdays from June through October—starting with a vegetation trimming event on June 7 at Shevlin Park.

Later days at Drake, Big Sky, Discovery, and Alpenglow Parks will focus on weed removal and planting native species to support local pollinators.

Elmer’s Breakfast returns to Bend later this summer or early fall in the former Shari’s Cafe & Pies site near the Bend River Promenade — the chain has applied for a business license and plans to offer breakfast, lunch, and dinner with locally sourced ingredients.

Downtown Bend business owners say Memorial Day Weekend will start a busy summer as they count on increased tourist foot traffic to help recover from a slow winter—local shops and restaurants stressed that visitor spending is critical for a turnaround.

Visit Bend awarded $300,000 in grants to 20 organizations to boost art and culture in Bend—using transient room tax dollars from the Bend Cultural Tourism Fund after a commission reviewed 28 proposals.

The funds will support a variety of projects including film festivals and art exhibits.

Today, new rules give Oregonians a clear statewide list of accepted recycling materials while retailers can stop container returns after 8 p.m.—with convenience stores allowed to end hand-counted returns at 6 p.m. Earlier, lawmakers approved changes to the bottle bill to address issues of drug use and homelessness while keeping the refund system for those who rely on it.

Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp faced a state police committee recommendation to revoke his credentials for misconduct — he said he will appeal and plans to retire in the coming months.

The Public Safety Standards Board will review the case on July 27 while his credentials remain valid pending the appeal.

Bend Women’s Expo

5 PM — 12 AM — 18575 SW Century Dr, Bend, OR — Free entry — Celebrate creativity and connection with unique activities and wine tastings.

Bend Brews & Beyond Festival

12-8 p.m. — Drake Park — $30-$55 — A celebration of local breweries and cideries with fun activities and live music.

Sting Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — Hayden Homes Amphitheater — Ticket pricing vary — Experience the legendary Sting perform electrifying hits with a dynamic trio.

Sting Concert

2 AM — Hayden Homes Amphitheater — Tickets starting at $98 — Experience a night of iconic music from Sting under the stars.

After School Membership Application

12:00 – 11:59 PM — Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend — Membership details available online — Applications for the After School program for Kinder–8th graders open soon.

Alpenglow Nights Concert Series

5-8 p.m. — Alpenglow Park — Free entry — Groove to live music every Thursday with local bands and family fun activities.

Goose Live Concert

6:30-8 p.m. — Hayden Homes Amphitheater — Ticketed event — Experience the genre-blending sound and improvisational performances of the acclaimed band Goose.

The Black Keys Concert

7-8:30 p.m. — Hayden Homes Amphitheater — Tickets starting at $76 — Catch the electrifying sounds of The Black Keys in Bend, OR.

Leon Bridges Live Concert

6:30-8 p.m. — Hayden Homes Amphitheater — Ticket required — Grammy Award-winning artist Leon Bridges performs his latest album and timeless hits in a night of soulful melodies.

Beertown Comedy Open Mic Night

6:30-9 p.m. — Silver Moon Brewing — Free entry — Enjoy a night of laughs at Bend’s top-rated open mic for comedy enthusiasts.

Christmas in July with Central Oregon Holiday Toy Drive Santa

Central Oregon Holiday Toy Drive has taken over for the Toys for Tots which has suspended operations in Central Oregon and Marines from MCL 1308 with support from Summit Health are taking over with our Santa on the 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th, 31st of July and 7 of August every Thursday at 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm BRING A TOY PLEASE its needed