Cover Story
State’s New Homeless Shelter Program Leaves Some in Central Oregon Without Funding
On a hot August afternoon, Christie Sheffield sits in the shaded corner of a parking lot, in a wide-brimmed hat, waiting for the doors of Bend’s only walk-up overnight shelter to open. Near 6 pm, a line forms outside the door. Others sit quietly nearby. Some carry on conversations, some ride bicycles and play music…
Free Will Astrology, Week of August 20, 2026
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In traditional textile making, the selvage is the strong edge that holds the fabric together and keeps it from unraveling. It’s braided more tightly than the rest so it can do its guarding work. I think that’s a helpful metaphor for your life in the coming weeks, Leo. Your main weave…
Sex, Drugs and Dinosaurs
With the release of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on July 31, we have officially left behind the Summer Blockbuster season and are now entering that nebulous August/September space where studios and streamers throw everything at the multiplex wall just to see what sticks. It’s not quite prestige, Oscar-bait season yet, so whatever movies you end…
The Medicine Cabinet Within: The Season of Smoke and Fire
The smell of smoke, thick haze in the sky, and the knowledge of nearby fires can elicit a very real and ancient instinct in our minds and nervous systems — to flee and get away. This instinct has served humankind well, as those that developed this sensibility were generally those that survived, eluding otherwise catastrophic…
So Long, Big Ski’s
Rich Winiarski was in his truck cutting up onions when I popped in on him on a recent Monday — a similar scene to what he’s been doing since 2015, when he first opened Big Ski’s Pierogis in Bend. This one, however, is one of just a handful of Mondays ahead for the truck, located at…
Some You Sign Up for, Some You Don’t, But Emergency Alerts Warn of Danger
We are in the middle of a raging fire season. Let’s hope you’re already subscribed to Deschutes Alerts or the notifications on the Watch Duty app to help you stay abreast of fires that may crop up near you. Most alerts come because you subscribed to that system. As fires get bigger and hotter and…
Deschutes County Updates Pay Equity Policy, But Wage Gap Study Incomplete
Deschutes County this month adopted new hiring practice rules aimed at eliminating pay differences between men and women, but it still has not released results of an ongoing organization-wide study into wage gaps amid County employees more than a year after its expected completion date. In March 2024, an internal audit found wage gaps existed…
Letters to the Editor, Week of Aug. 20, 2026
White Elephant Our County officials have consistently made decisions in direct conflict with the goals and values of Bend, the county’s largest community. The new courthouse expansion is the most visible and offensive example of their distain for our city. In 2-1 votes, commissioners DeBone and Adair have consistently voted against Bend’s interests. During his…
Sewing Patterns? Fabric? Lace Trim? This Nonprofit Has It All.
Fashion Workshop is on mission to help the crafty people out there in Central Oregon. As a bit of a crafty gal myself, I was surprised when I walked in that most items were under $10. Fashion Workshop, a nonprofit, opened its brand-new storefront Aug. 8, just outside of downtown Bend. The storefront features a space…
Worthy Mural Makes a Mark Downtown
It’s taken a few years, but a colorful, arresting mural commissioned by Roger Worthington, Bend resident, lawyer and owner of Worthy Brewing, is now installed on the side of his Worthy Building in downtown Bend. The installation at 806 NW Brooks St. took three people and four hours to complete on Aug. 7. The 40-foot by…
Dump City Dumplings Announces Closure
A longtime Bend food spot, Dump City Dumplings, is soon to close up shop forever. After 17 years, the place that started as a cart and later expanded to brick-and-mortars in the Old Mill and eventually Galveston Avenue is announcing its closure at the end of August. The owners of Dump City, which serves Chinese…
Come for the Fish and Chips, Stay for the View
There are restaurant patios, and then there are restaurant patios that make you want to cancel whatever plans you had for the rest of the day. Brooks Street Boathouse falls firmly into the latter category. The newest addition to downtown Bend’s riverfront dining scene, Brooks Street Boathouse is a seafood eatery and event space from…
The House You Want Has a Price. Your Lifestyle Does, Too.
Buying a home has always involved compromise. Maybe the house has the perfect kitchen but a less-than-perfect backyard. Maybe the location is ideal, but the square footage isn’t quite what you had in mind. Increasingly, buyers are facing a different question: How much house can I afford without letting the house dictate how I live?…
The Inaugural High Desert Food Trail Scavenger Hunt
If you love treasure hunts, a little competition, and learning more about the farms and local food businesses in Central Oregon, then you’ll want to dust off your John Deere hat and sign up for the Ultimate Scavenger’s High Desert Food Trail Scavenger Hunt, set for Sept. 19 in the Tumalo-Sisters area. “We’ll start at…
Redmond Is One Step Closer to a Full Fireworks Ban
The Redmond City Council moved one step closer to a permanent ban on fireworks Aug. 11, with a 6-1 vote in favor of proposed ordinance 2026-11, prohibiting the sale, use and possession of fireworks in the city. The Council will have a second reading, and likely a positive vote to the ordinance, at its meeting on Aug. 25. Councilor Jay Patrick cast the only dissenting vote for the ban,…
The Lone Bellow says ‘What a Time to Be Alive’
When one thinks of conflict, it’s generally in negative terms, particularly during these divisive times. For Brian Elmquist of The Lone Bellow, it’s an element he’s come to appreciate as an essential element of the creative process. It’s an ingredient he and bandmates Zach Williams and Kanene Pipken have tapped into dating back to when…
Motus Comes to the Crooked River Wetlands
A newly installed Motus antenna in Prineville’s Crooked River Wetlands will help biologists and the general public better understand the migratory patterns of small wildlife species such as birds, bats, butterflies and dragonflies. “Migration is a mystery in many ways,” said Kalysta “Kaly” Adkins, regional diversity biologist for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.…
