Cover Story
Santa Uncensored
Pooped on by a parrot. Straddled by strippers. Brought to tears by the blind. These are all experiences that Mani Pureheart, a mostly retired mall Santa, has under his thick black pleather belt. To Pureheart, becoming Santa over 25 years ago was far more than a seasonal job. It was about embodying the values he…
Got Fitness? Bend Tops Another List
With New Year’s just around the corner, many Americans set goals to get in shape and maintain a healthier diet this time of year. But how accessible and affordable is it to achieve these resolutions? Here in the “Bend bubble” we’re surrounded by gyms, yoga studios, healthy restaurants and inspiring professional athletes. According to SmartAsset—a…
Stressed for the Holidays
For some, the holidays are a time of joy, wonderment and time-worn traditions. For most, however, the holidays are a time of financial distress, deep disappointment and dangerously heavy drinking patterns, (“just one more spiked eggnog, it’s fine”). A Healthline survey conducted in 2015 found that 62 percent of people experienced “very elevated” stress levels…
Reporting on Suicide has an Impact. In One Case Involving a Black Teen, a Lawsuit May Have a Bigger One.
It was with heavy hearts that we learned this week of the pending lawsuit filed by the family of Deshaun Adderley against Bend-La Pine Schools. As parents ourselves, the story of Deshaun’s suicide in December 2017 hit us hard. When Deshaun’s father, Donavan, granted us an interview in the spring of 2018, Donavan’s story describing…
Nordic Fun for Racers and Everyone Else
For cross-country skiers, Meissner Sno-Park, located along Century Drive offers an extensive venue for classic or skate skiing. While a trio of events take place at the sno-park throughout the season, this year a new race, happening Jan. 5, is also part of the action. The management of the popular winter recreation site is a partnership…
Guided First Day hikes—get ’em while you can
What’s better than spending the first day of the new year hiking with family and/or friends? Hiking with family and/or friends for free—along with a guide to help show you what’s what. This is the ninth year that the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department is offering free, guided First Day Hikes in state parks around…
May the Source Be with You
I can’t believe it’s been another year of writing for all you beautiful people. We’ve had our ups and downs, learned some valuable lessons and realized that the real treasure was the friends we made along the way. Our hearts were invaded by a Baby Yoda, our internet had deep fakes that were somehow more believable…
Ghoul, Interrupted & Keepin’ It Revealed
Ghoul, Interrupted A good friend’s mom just died. Out of nowhere, he told me that his mom never liked me very much. Frankly, the feeling was mutual, but I of course never said anything. While I don’t want to start a fight or anything, I’m bothered that he told me this. How should I let…
YAC buffers and Sex Offenders
In October, the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals decided that the Deschutes County Commissioners’ definition of a “youth activity center” amounted to an unreasonable restriction on marijuana farms. Since then, I have to admit I’ve been anxiously awaiting another Deschutes County Board meeting to put marijuana land-use on their agenda. On Dec. 11, I…
Giving the Gift of Art Supplies
For those still pondering the best gift to get for the artists or creative people in their lives, here’s the answer: the gift of materials and supplies. All most artists want in life—and in gifts—is to be well equipped as they follow inspiration down whichever path it leads. Art supply stores are their outfitters, offering…
Who Did It Better?
The fire’s burning, the presents are under the tree and the records are spinning—but what’s playing? Everyone has a couple of favorite Christmas songs, and even as hard as those Scrooges may try to suppress the cheer, there are always a couple of tunes that come on throughout the holiday season that don’t let you…
Eating Chinese on Christmas
The Jewish American tradition of eating Chinese food at Christmas is rooted in pragmatism and loneliness. In the mid-1900s, America’s two largest non-Christian immigrant populations shared the experience of watching the world grind to a standstill each December. Their friends and neighbors vanished into their extended families, leaving behind empty cities where everything was closed—except…
Live From Parkway Studios
There are certain things in music that are really magical, and a well-done live recording is one of them. It’s great to see and hear the passion that musicians put into their work and the different spin they might put on a song for that performance. Bend-based band Guardian of the Underdog recently released a…
Do Not Buy!
Holiday gift guides are so ubiquitous this time of year the last thing you need is another listicle screaming at you to spend your hard-earned cash on the latest, greatest beer gadget. With only a few shopping days left in the holiday season, I thought it would be better to provide a DO NOT BUY…
A Community Thread: Travis Wiggins
Joshua Langlais is a local photographer and the creator of A Community Thread, a project for which he interviews folks on the subject of community, its importance and how we function as individuals within it. This is an excerpt from his interview with Travis Wiggins in October. Travis describes himself as a father, a husband,…
Reducing the Yuletide Waste Stream
‘Tis the season to shop and eat. But are the holidays a carte blanche for throwing eco-consciousness to the wind? Consuming in the name of celebrating comes at a cost to the environment: According to the Environmental Protection Agency, American household waste increases by more than 25% from Thanksgiving to Christmas, adding an additional 1…
Snowy Day Selling
Spring and summer seasons are traditionally the favored time to list a home, but the winter months also offer exceptional opportunities for sellers. The benefits to selling during the off season include a chance to encounter more serious buyers and less competition from the lower inventory. Winter provides an occasion for homeowners to accentuate a…
Free Will Astrology—Week of December 19
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Sagittarian poet Rainer Maria Rilke (1875–1926) embodied a trait that many astrology textbooks suggest is common to the Sagittarian tribe: wanderlust. He was born in Prague but traveled widely throughout Europe and Russia. If there were a Guinness World Records’ category for “Time Spent as a Houseguest,” Rilke might hold it.…
Letters to the Editor
Editor’s note: From all of us at the Source Weekly, we hope you’re enjoying time with friends and family and reveling in the beauty of Central Oregon this holiday season. We’ll be on a slightly amended distribution schedule over the next two weeks, but you can be sure that, like always, all stories published in…
Gift and You Shall Receive
Thu., Dec. 19 – NPT Benefit The Commons Join three of Central Oregon’s hottest musical artists for an evening of song, benefitting the High Desert Food and Farm Alliance. Bend locals Jess Ryan and Eric Leadbetter will be joined by Portland’s Patrick Connell. Live music from 7-9pm. Thu., Dec. 19 – Ugly Sweater Christmas Bingo…
My Feathered Foster Son
“Way back, when the Sun was a tiny thing and the Big Dipper was a little tin drinkin’ cup,” (thanks Reub Long) I was living in the Jones House in Bend with Dean and Lily Hollinshead. One evening the phone rang. “This Jim Anderson, the wildlife guy?” a gruff voice asked. I said it was,…
Divided on Impeachment
The U.S. House of Representatives was set to vote Wednesday on whether to impeach President Donald Trump, (just after this issue went to press). At this historic moment, we asked local city councilors and Bend’s representatives in Washington, D.C. to weigh in on the proceedings. A quick impeachment primer: The House will likely vote along…
