Katie Merritt, who created the wildly successful BendFilm Festival in 2004, has begun treatment for breast cancer. It’s an unusually aggressive form of the disease which demands an equally strong therapeutic response. Doctors began chemo in late May; it’s scheduled to last all summer and into the fall. Merritt, 51, then faces a double mastectomy […]
Howard Leff
Posted inCulture
Where the Wild Things Are
Prineville ranch works to save the mustangs
Forty-seven miles east of Bend, alongside a stream with the storybook name of Little Bear Creek, America’s mythical wild horses have come to heal. Mustangs. They’re the lucky ones—safe here, and no longer running scared. Once, there were two million spread across America. Only a small percentage remain. That’s because today these horses spark controversy, […]
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Painting Over Depression
The colorful way to beat the blues
Drop the Prozac and pick up a paint brush. Can the process of making art actually slay the twin emotional demons of depression and anxiety? Most definitely, according to one Oregon painter, who claims artistic creativity can settle your thoughts and ignite positivity in all areas of your life. “Being an artist is being authentic […]
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Welcome…Everyone
Central Oregon’s Pride Celebration has grown from a small picnic to a full day of inclusive fun
Let’s start with the entertainment: Dykes on Bikes. Purple Queen. Lady Dice. Maurice’s Fashion Show. Plus, Detroit’s award-winning R&B singer Alise King. And your mistress of ceremonies for rather eclectic lineup? Why, it’s the lovely Poison Waters. Add it all up and you get just one word: Pride. The 13th Annual Central Oregon Pride Celebration, […]
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Gallery Alleys
More Outdoor Art on The Way—If You Know Where to Look
Like some fresh air with your art? Bend has the perfect solution. As you know, there’s no shortage of traditional downtown galleries where you can see a wide variety of exhibits on any given day. But have you noticed the growing number of pieces adorning some of the area’s outside walls too? It’s all part […]
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Humor Us
Local Live Comedy More Popular Than Ever
What’s so funny about Bend? Plenty, as it turns out, with the comedy calendar here getting increasingly crowded. Some weeks, you can find as many as six separate, locally-produced stand-up shows. That doesn’t even count special events such as Louie Anderson and Jake Woodmansee’s recent Tower Theater appearance, or the variety of comedy “improv” shows. […]
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A Home for Science
A new Bend Science Station on the way…with your help
Question: What happens when you pour green-tinted water into a vat of liquid nitrogen? Answer: A group of kindergarteners finds it pretty awesome! Welcome to the Bend Science Station, where that sort of magic takes place all the time. Today’s STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) workforce demands a solid science education for today’s kids. Now […]
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First Friday’s First Host
Barbershop has cutting-edge idea
Call it First Friday: The Next Generation. Sure, you can still find plenty of art on Bend’s most festive night of the month. That’s not likely to change anytime soon. It’s an “artwalk” after all, with galleries at their brightest and shiniest. There’s plenty of live music, too. Now, Bishops Barbershop, in a push to […]
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A Choir for The Rest of Us
Sing like a rock star—even if you aren’t one
There’s a reason the Lukas Graham song, “7 Years,” has rung up a half billion hits on YouTube. It’s one of those incredibly accessible ballads even the most cynical among us can’t help but latch onto: simple, sad, emotional and uplifting all at the same time. But there’s another reason: It’s awfully fun to sing! […]
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The Bobs “Farewell” Tour Stops in Bend
Bye-bye Bobs
The seriously talented musicians who refuse to take themselves too seriously have decided to stop touring. While hilariously spoofing every logical expectation of how bands behave, these delightful and rather mischievous guys (and gals) have, over the years, injected humor into harmony—and comedy into “a cappella.” (Words that generally don’t appear so close together.) But […]