Because of pronounced “public interest,” Bend City Manager Eric King will bring the decision to install stationary automated license plate readers to a City Council vote, allowing the public to offer input beforehand. During the May 20 City Council business meeting, Mayor Melanie Kebler, in response to a public comment made by a privacy advocate who mentioned the Source’s reporting on the matter, said the public would be able to give […]
Bend Residents Will Get a Say About More AI Surveillance Cameras
Posted inBusiness News
What Actually Causes Mortgage Rates to Move?
If you’ve followed the housing market over the last few years (or even the last few weeks), you’ve probably heard some version of this sentence: “Mortgage rates went up because of the economy.” While technically true, that explanation doesn’t tell the full story. Mortgage rates are influenced by several moving parts at once, and many […]
Posted inCulture Features
Be an Ally: Books to Support Your LGBTQ+ Family, Friends and Peers
Pride month is just around the corner, observed in June to commemorate the Stonewall Uprising of June 28, 1969, when patrons of the Stonewall Inn in New York City resisted a police raid, sparking days of protests and riots that ignited the modern LGBTQ+ rights movement. The first Pride marches were held in June 1970 […]
Posted inMusic
This is Not AI, It’s Real Human Music
Jessy Ribordy says this about his Portland-based band, The Chilling Alpine Adventure: “TCAA is a pop rock band that leans cinematic. [We] infuse wistfulness, nostalgia and a twist of retro into our emotionally centered songwriting. If we had to name a band that closest resembles our sound, it would probably be early Coldplay.” The name […]
Posted inNatural World
Cacti in the High Desert
Can cacti survive in the harsh climate of the High Desert? The long, cold winters make it seem unlikely, but a recent visit to Smith Rock Cactus Company in Terrebonne dispelled any of my doubts. Cacti fascinate me, so when I heard about a place where they are purposely grown in our region, I had […]
Posted inLocal News
Oregon Suicide Rates for Farming, Fishing and Forestry Workers Are Five Times the State Average
Trigger warning: This story deals with topics that concern mental health and suicide. May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a national effort to educate people about depression, PTSD and other mental health conditions — including suicide. That effort is crucial for Oregon, where workers in agriculture, forestry and fishing have a suicide rate that is […]
Posted inBusiness News
Recent Scams Target Locals with Threats of Arrest, Legal Trouble
Over the past several weeks, Bend Police have seen a significant uptick in scammers posing as members of law enforcement and demanding money to pay for warrants. Officers took a case on May 15 of a Bend woman who received a call from a number identified as the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. The caller alleged […]
Posted inBusiness News
St. Charles Awards $240K to 45 Local Organizations
St. Charles Health System announced today Community Benefit grants of more than $240,000 to 45 local organizations in Central Oregon. The grants were awarded to provide basic needs, sponsor local events and as part of St. Charles’ two Priority Grant focus areas: providing access to healthy, affordable food and increasing a sense of belonging and […]
Posted inBusiness News
Cascades East Transit Launches “Try Transit Week” June 1-5
Cascades East Transit (CET) is inviting the community to leave the car behind and experience public transportation in a whole new way during “Try Transit Week,” happening June 1–5 across Central Oregon. Throughout the week, riders can enjoy free rides during commute hours on Bend fixed routes and Redmond Flex Routes A and B from 6:00–8:00 […]
Posted inBusiness News
Assistance League® of Bend Announces 2026 Kitchen Kaleidoscope Home Tour
Assistance League® of Bend is pleased to present Kitchen Kaleidoscope, its signature home tour fundraiser, now in its 21st year, taking place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This year’s event will showcase a curated selection of homes in the Eagle Crest – West Ridge community, highlighting beautifully designed kitchens […]