Cover Story
Snowy Split
There was once one ski racing state championship. Then there were two. Now, there’s hope for a unified race once again. The Oregon Interscholastic Ski Racing Association began in 1961 with just a few schools, growing to include more than 50 high schools in 2017. “I used to race in Hood River in the ’70s,”…
Extreme Weather in Central Oregon Sparks Wild Fire and Causes Mass Power Outages
You may have noticed the constant stream of fire sirens this afternoon in Bend. That’s because the Bend Fire Department responded to at least 17 calls in a span of just over two hours from late morning until mid-afternoon. City of Bend Battalion Chief, Dave Howe wrote that there were at least eight calls for…
SURGEON RESCUES VICTIMS OF AMTRAK DERAILMENT
A Portland neurosurgeon praised the work of emergency first responders—even though he himself helped 25 victims of the Amtrak derailment in a span of two hours. In an interview with The Oregonian, Dr. Nate Selden, chair of neurological surgery at Oregon Health and Science University said, “We should be very grateful as citizens that they are…
Loiterers at the Source!
For the past few days or so, we’ve been noticing more and more people hanging out on the north side of our downtown office building, just off Bond St. These aren’t your average loiterers, however. Most of them wear office type gear, some ride quality bikes, and they carry nice phones. Some of them have…
Did you catch Star Wars last night?
It’s here, people… the long-awaited, most recent installment of the Star Wars franchise, “The Last Jedi.” Susana Polo at Polygon said it “concludes with an overwhelming note of hope.” Anthony Ha from TechCrunch said it “mixes hope and despair nearly perfectly.” What will our own film critic, Jared Rasic, say? You gotta wait a couple more…
Letters to the Editor: Readers React to Smith Rock Expansion Plans, Ryan Zinke and Women in Politics
Enough Love: A climbing group wants to build a guest house adjacent to Smith Rock, a place some claim is already “loved to death.” Meanwhile, a new Master Plan for the park is still in flux. (12/6) Related I understand there is a fourth plan for the park now, which I would like to see…
A Change in District 2 could mean more than just lip service for struggling Oregonians
OPINION It is beginning to become clear, as the bean counters set their pencils to an evaluation of the tax plans that are currently moving through Congress, that these changes will hurt the majority of Americans. The plan is being rushed through with an arbitrary “before Christmas” deadline to score a year end legislative “win,”…
River, Bedazzled
Think of it as Bend’s version of “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation,” married with a slightly smaller Rose City Christmas Ships Parade. Above Bend’s Whitewater Park comes a sea of Santa beards, elvish hats and ugly Christmas sweaters, as participants launch their vessels in the annual Holiday Lights Winter Paddle Parade. Linda Hudder and friends Sheila…
Humming into Winter
The topic of a lot of my phone calls, emails and text messages this fall has been about hummingbirds and feeders in winter, and to be perfectly frank about it, it’s a worrisome conundrum. Right off the bat, sugar water is not “food” for hummingbirds. It’s like humans and soda pop. The birds get an…
Bring Your Dancin’ Boots
Two years ago Kurt Silva was playing solo gigs around town. Venues in the area were looking to book a country western band and asked Silva if he could recommend one. At that time, a country western dance band couldn’t be found in Central Oregon. Silva, a seasoned guitarist and vocalist, took it upon himself…
Cannabis at Xmas: A primer on coping
It’s the holiday season, and for many of us, it means time with family—and I don’t mean the family you choose I mean the ones who may hit you up for a spare organ at some point because you’re a genetic match. Those people. Yeah. The time spent with them can make it a challenge…
Free Will Astrology: Dec 13-20
Week of December 14 SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): At one point in his career, the mythical Greek hero Hercules was compelled to carry out a series of twelve strenuous labors. Many of them were glamorous adventures: engaging in hand-to-hand combat with a monstrous lion; liberating the god Prometheus, who’d been so kind to humans, from…
Silver Moon Returns
E arlier this year, Silver Moon decided to step up their already well-known local favorite service, beginning a major revamp in May of this year. What began as a planned month-long closure became an extensive overhaul after Silver Moon discovered larger updates than expected were necessary—updates that included, among other things, improving gas and electrical…
Ascending to Something
Riot on a Sunday began in a way reminiscent of The Postal Service, but sending songs via email rather than the U.S. Mail. Brandon Prinzing and Adam Buchanan played together in a band called A Love Like Winter nearly 10 years ago in Bend. Buchanan moved to California for work several years ago, but he…
6 Gifts to Spread Culinary Joy
It can be really hard to find gifts for home cooks. Chances are they already make pillowy piles of parmesan cheese over their pasta with that microplane grater you think they’ll love. To surprise them you have to get creative—but I have an idea. We’ve all heard, “stop playing with your food!” We’re told not…
Picks of the Week: Dec 13-20
Thursday 14 “Shorts and Shades 10” + The Retrospective World Premier SNOWBOARD—Catch the world premiere of Tre Squad’s 10th installment of their snowboard film series, “Shorts and Shades” featuring crazy people snowboarding in beach wear. To mark a decade of their crazy antics, RJ McNichols is also screening his doc about the legendary history of…
Candid Cowboys
An exhibit where LGBTQ people in rural spaces could find and forge meaningful connections at the High Desert Museum.
Source Spotlight: Nathan Pederson
For local librarian Nathan Pedersen, procuring rare books for private collectors in such far-flung locales as North Carolina, Vermont, Massachusetts—and even the country of Scotland was just not satisfying enough. “I wanted to work in a position where I had more opportunities to do public good. I wanted to do something with a bigger impact,”…
Take Me Home
The Beacon Report, based on real estate statistics from our local MLS, (Multiple Listing Service) released its report of the November 2017 figures on Bend single family residence sales of 1 acre or less. Bend real estate price statistics for November 2017 pretty much followed historical patterns of seasonal decline. Closed sales in Bend for…
Words for Willis
I met Nicolas Mezzanatto through a mutual friend. He had just moved to Bend and was looking for someone to write movies with. We struck up an instant partnership that’s been one of the best working relationships of my life. While we were writing together, he would periodically update me on another project he was…
A Blast from the Prairie
When fans of good craft beer think about great places for the beverage of their choice, a few international hotspots come to mind. Germany. Belgium. The great city of Bend. Tulsa, Okla., would not be atop anyone’s list, except for people exceptionally attuned to local beer scenes across the U.S. That’s thanks in part to…
Advice Goddess: Nose To The Groin Stone
Nose To The Groin Stone I’m a woman, and I recently made a new professional connection — a man who’s excited about my work. We’re planning on doing a big important project together. I’m worried that he’s interested in me romantically (based on a few things he’s said). I’m not interested in him in that…
The Oscars of Teaching
Out of 44 recipients of the prestigious Milken Educator Award this year, only one was from Oregon—and she happens to be a teacher at Bend High School. Unaware she was to be honored, representatives from the Milken Foundation presented Andria Lindsey with the award in a surprise all-school assembly Tuesday morning. As she stood with…
Like a Tuxedo at the Beach?
While the U.S. House and Senate work to synthesize the two versions of the proposed tax plan into one they can attempt to pass by the end of the year, some local people are bracing for impact. Meanwhile, over 40 independent analysts—including the nonpartisan Tax Policy Center—are coming forward with analyses stating the new tax…
2017 Gift Guide: Feel Good Guide
Last week we gave you some ideas for over-the-top, guilty-pleasure gifts. This week, it’s all about gifts that make you—and your loved ones—feel good. Check the pages inside for ideas that support local businesses, that give something back to the community or even help your loved ones lower their carbon footprint. Pendleton stockings Class up…
The Room with a View
There’s this word that I love which I never use because when I do I sound like a pretentious ass. The word is schadenfreude, which basically means taking pleasure in someone else’s misfortune. Unless you’re a full-blown sociopath, schadenfreude comes when witnessing someone who has either wronged you or someone you care about “getting what…
