Eric Flowers

editor@tsweekly.com
Posted inCulture

Carnival Atmosphere: Bend Circus Center peels back the big top

Huston with his curled moustache is the clear ring master here at what he hopes will be an academy of sorts for circus arts like juggling, tight rope walking and even trapeze work.
Eric Flowers

There are no elephants or other exotic species. There’s no lobster boy or bearded lady sideshow.
In fact there isn’t even a trademark big top tent at the Bend Circus Center, which is located in a non descript metal fab  building on Bend’s southeast side.
That’s all right with founder Brandon Huston who modeled his upstart circus academy on the modern European circus acts like Vegas veterans Cirque de Soleil. While there may not be a caged lion in the wings, Huston with his curled moustache is the clear ring master here at what he hopes will be an academy of sorts for circus arts like juggling, tight rope walking and even trapeze work.

Posted inNews

Harnessing Harney: In the tug of war over wind power, Steens Mountain is a line in the sand

Worries spread that another kind of energy development could threaten the unspoiled expanses of eastern Oregon, the way the gas and oil industry did Utah.
Eric Flowers

A rancher from birth, Stacy Davies came to Eastern Oregon for the wide-open spaces and solitude. Davies, who runs the 200,000-acre plus Roaring Springs Ranch near Burns, said he was essentially driven from his native Utah by oil and gas development on the east side of the state. The boom economy fractured the long-standing farming and ranching community, even as it created lucrative jobs.
Davies, now 43, had no interest in working in the industry, so he put the oil derricks in his rearview mirror and headed west to Harney County, home of Burns and Steens Mountain. Now Davies worries that another kind of energy development could threaten the unspoiled expanses of eastern Oregon, the way the gas and oil industry did Utah.

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Free to Ski: It’s not over until it’s over—and it ain’t over

With blue skies overhead and the prospect of ditching your jacket entirely, this is akin to catching an endless wave on a summer day.
Eric Flowers

The toughest part about summer skiing is finding your gloves. OK, maybe that’s not the toughest part, but it was probably the most difficult part of my recent skiing excursion. Well, that and wiping the smile off my face when I sauntered into the office at 9:30 a.m. with three summit runs under my belt – in late June.
Of course, I had the benefit of a chairlift, or more precisely, chairlifts, thanks to Mt. Bachelor’s decision to re-open for an early summer stint on the weekend prior to the Fourth of July holiday.

Posted inNews

Total Recall: Losing an election was just the beginning for the embattled Lake County D.A.

Voters mount a recall campaign that could force Schutt out of office in a matter of weeks.
Eric Flowers

By his own account Mark Webber is a lot of things. He’s an entrepreneur, a volunteer, a pilot, a musician and a community organizer. One thing Webber says that he is not is a drunk driver, even if his record says otherwise.
It’s this belief that’s led Webber on a crusade of sorts against the man who prosecuted him despite the fact that a breathalyzer test showed Webber had a blood alcohol level that was less than half of the legal limit.

Posted inOutside

Going Walkabout: The Chewaucan River is a gem in Oregon’s Outback country

Venturing in the Outback of Central Oregon to the Chewaucan River, the ideal spot for fly fishing.
Eric Flowers

It’s easy to miss the Fisher King’s fly shop in the postage stamp-sized town of Paisley just beyond Summer Lake.
The small shop is tucked into the corner of a self-storage business on the side of Highway 31 in the heart of the Oregon Outback. In fact, I blew right past it on my way to Lakeview, turning around only after I thought better of trying to navigate the back roads of the Winema-Freemont forest without the benefit of local knowledge. So I whipped a U-turn just outside of Paisley and backtracked.
I’m glad I did.

Posted inNews

Say What?: A Snapshot of Last Week’s Top Local and Regional Stories

A few need-to-know stories that occurred in the area and in the U.S.
Eric Flowers

Ida Tech Announces Layoffs
The Bulletin reported that fuel cell maker Ida Tech was laying off a chunk of its global research department in response to dwindling development dollars. CEO Hal Koyama told the paper that his company was in no danger of going under, but was instead focusing on areas that are already profitable. Koyama declined to say how many of the layoffs would happen in Bend. The paper noted that the front doors of the Bend facility were “locked Wednesday and opening for employees entering or leaving.”
According to KTVZ, about 30 of the positions cut will be in Bend. One of the former employees told the station that employees knew cuts were in the offing before they were gathered on Tuesday to hear the news.

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Summer Solstice Mostest

A couple things to consider doing this summer to keep you busy.
Eric Flowers

Those of us who have been around know that summer doesn’t officially start until July 4. But if you’re waiting until the fireworks pop to roll out your Tevas and T-shirts, you’re missing out on at least one early summer ritual that’s worth honoring—the summer solstice.
Also known as the longest day of the year, summer solstice falls on Wednesday, June 20—as in next week. And while it may be hump day, it’s worth marking solstice on your calendar as a day to worship the sun by packing your bike, your golf clubs or even your kayak when heading to work so you can take advantage of the extra light as soon as you bust out the door.

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Lawn Olympics: Make it Count This Fourth of July

How to organize and host your annual 2012 Lawn Olympics.
Eric Flowers

There is something just inherently awesome about the Fourth of July holiday.
Maybe it’s the fact that it’s not tied to any particular religious tradition or greeting card campaign. Maybe it’s the fact that it falls right in the heart of summer break for students. Whatever it is, the Fourth of July always stands out as one of the great days of the year.
The best way to enjoy it isn’t riding in a car on the way to a national park or standing in line at airport security.

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Tool Time: Tinkering led Bend’s Scott Holmer to revolutionize the ski tuning biz

Creator of the BEAST, Scott Holmer has designed a globally used tool that shapes and sharpens the edges of skiis just like the pros.
Eric Flowers

Scott Holmer has always been a tinkerer. Back home in his native Minnesota he built three boats to help him navigate the land of ten thousand lakes.
So it only made sense that Holmer would eventually apply his restless mind to his first love, downhill skiing. The father of two successful racers, including a son who competed for a spot on the U.S. Olympic team, Holmer was at a race in Oregon when he first hit on the idea of taking the mystery out ski tuning.

Posted inFood & Drink

The Guilded Age

Central Oregon Brewer’s Guild and the inaugural craft beer week.
Eric Flowers

If you made it through Central Oregon’s inaugural craft beer week without running across a tasting or some other beer-related promotion, then you probably stand to lose your beer connoisseur credentials.
In fact, it was hard to darken the door of any self-respecting taproom without running into a meet-your-brewer event or a food pairing special. In all, there were more than a dozen craft beer related happenings, all of which were well-received, according to Garrett Wales, president of the newly minted Central Oregon Brewer’s Guild and partner in Bend’s meteoric 10 Barrel Brewing.

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