AdvenChair makes birding possible for those with mobility challenges Page 12
Don't miss SROA's Annual Meeting August 16, 1pm at SHARC All owners are welcome!
The LT Rangers are looking for recruits to join the battle to keep Sunriver litter free Page 29
S U N R I V E R
S C E N E A NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSOCIATION
AUGUST 2025
VOLUME XLVIII • NUMBER 8
House fire threatened Spring River community outside Sunriver
By Kristine Thomas When Ken Khachigian was 15 years old, he was tasked with creating irrigation levees in his family’s walnut orchard in Visalia, California. “I was on the tractor and creating levees with two tandem discs,” he said. “They were about two-and-a-half feet high. I remember looking back and noticing the lines weren’t straight.” The next day, his father drove him to school. He slowed the truck to a putter as he viewed the orchard. His father told him the levees were crooked. “I told him it didn’t matter if they were straight or not because they could still hold water,” Khachigian said. “He told me it did matter because when people drove by our farm and saw the le-
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PHOTO COURTESY LAUREN NOYES, OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FORESTRY
Drier, warmer temperatures are expected through at least September. Everyone should remain vigilant about fire risks – especially when recreating outdoors. As a reminder, there are no outdoor/open flame fires permitted within Sunriver.
Sunriver resident witnessed some of the 20th century’s pivotal moments as confidant to Reagan and Nixon vees weren’t in straight lines, that would tell them what kind of farm operation we ran.” That was one of the many lessons Khachigian carried with him throughout his career as an attorney and veteran of nine presidential campaigns. He served as a speechwriter, political strategist and confidant for Presidents Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon. A Sunriver owner for 25 years, Khachigian, now 80, shared what it was like to work for Reagan and Nixon in his book “Behind Closed Doors: In the Room with Reagan and Nixon.” Throughout his book, Khachigian revealed examples of power struggles, betrayals and ethical dilemmas within the White House. His accounts served
THE WENATCHEE WORLD 14 N MISSION ST WENATCHEE, WA 98801
From Aug. 2-13, the Sunriver Music Festival presents its 48th season in two spectacular, historic Central Oregon venues – the Tower Theatre in downtown Bend and the Sunriver Resort Great Hall. Performances feature world-class orchestra musicians and renowned soloists, led by Artistic Director & Conductor Brett Mitchell. The Summer Festival opens Aug. 2 at the iconic Tower Theatre in downtown Bend and closes Aug. 13 at Sunriver Resort’s historic Great Hall. Four classical concerts, one pops concert, a brilliant solo piano recital and a Family Concert will be presented. Featured artists include Stewart Goodyear, pianist; Mark Kosower, cellist; Yi Zhao, Festival concert master/ violinist; and Vitaly Starikov, 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Silver Medalist. "I'm thrilled to share with you a season of orchestral music that celebrates 150 years of French musical life, composers from Leipzig, Germany and iconic music related to Vienna, Austria, including Beethoven’s epic 5th Symphony, which was premiered in Vienna in 1808,” Mitchell said. “Other highlights include the appearance of a 2025 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition medalist, a tribute to legendary scores from
– and due to the close proximity of homes – this incident could have been a lot worse with a potential structureto-structure conflagration. "Creating defensible space around your home is an essential step in reducing wildfire risk. By clearing flammable materials, maintaining healthy vegetation, and properly spacing and pruning trees, homeowners can significantly enhance their property's protection. It's especially important to remove dead or dying plants and debris, as well as maintain a buffer zone between structures and surrounding vegetation,” Sunriver Fire Chief Bill Boos said. “Taking these proactive measures helps safeguard both your home and the community, contributing to a safer, more resilient environment.” For more information about keeping your home and community safe, visit www.sunriverowners.org/ propertypreparedness
Sunriver resident Ken Khachigian.
as a reminder of the importance of integrity and making ethical decisions in all areas of life and staying true to one’s principles. Khachigian will discuss his memoir from 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 17 at Sunriver Christian Fellowship, 18139 CottonT K,
SUNRIVER SCENE SUNRIVER OWNERS ASSN. VOLUME XLVII I • NUMBER 8 SUNRIVER, OR 97707
Sunriver Music Festival fills Central Oregon with music
A July 7 structure fire in the nearby Spring River community less than a mile from Sunriver quickly turned into a forest/vegetation fire. The fire prompted a three alarm, mutual aid response for fire agencies from around Central Oregon and a Level 2 evacuation that stretched to the Deschutes River along Sunriver’s western flank. The fire started around 5 p.m. Upon arrival, emergency personnel found a log home engulfed in flames and quickly spreading to nearby forest vegetation. The cause of the fire is not yet known. This incident was an unfortunate, but important reminder to keep your home hardened and to conduct ladder fuels reduction on your property. Although the fire was stopped at under 2 acres, the home was a complete loss. No other homes were damaged thanks, in part, to the community’s larger lot sizes. If a fire like this had started in Sunriver
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