James Williams, Author at The Source - Bend, Oregon

From Flat Water to Fast Water: Take the stand-up paddleboarding basics to the coast

Given that stand-up paddling traces its origins to the Pacific Ocean, it’s worth noting that there’s much more to the sport than what we see from the banks of the Deschutes River.

James WilliamsAugust 1, 2012February 22, 2025

Stand-up paddleboarding on flat water is the equivalent of going for a lunch-hour jog—it’s good for you, it probably makes you feel better, but it doesn’t exactly get you into the red zone. As a result, it can be hard to get motivated. You could say the activity is short on ‘psyche.’
Wait, before anyone gets their board shorts in a wad, let me say this: getting exercise, no matter the format, is always preferable to getting none at all. Also, there’s nothing wrong with flat-water stand-up paddle board (SUP) sessions, or flat water anything else for that matter. But given that stand-up paddling traces its origins to the Pacific Ocean, it’s worth noting that there’s much more to the sport than what we see from the banks of the Deschutes River.

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Stand Down or Stand Your Ground?: Critics say self defense laws like Oregon’s and Florida’s go too far

The good and bad of standing your ground.

James WilliamsJune 6, 2012July 17, 2025

On a warm night in the summer of 2007, Sarah Keirstead awoke around 3 a.m. to the sound of someone in her bedroom.
At first, Sarah, paralyzed by fear, could do nothing. Eventually she squeaked, “Matt, there’s a man in our room.” Her husband, laying next to her, was still asleep.
Matt Keirstead awoke just as the late-night intruder laid on the bed, perpendicular to the couple. Matt began to furiously kick the man and succeeded in knocking the intruder to the floor.

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Walking the Line: Court rulings and increasing tolerance have opened new avenues into area schools for religious groups

Children from the Tumalo Community School are sat down to listen to bible verses and religious lessons.

James WilliamsFebruary 22, 2012June 18, 2025

At lunchtime on a recent Wednesday afternoon, 20 elementary school children file out the door of the Tumalo Community School and into a mobile trailer with the words, “Child Evangelism Fellowship” emblazoned on its side. After some brief chatter, the students take their seats, dig into their hamburgers and stare expectantly at the adult at the front of the room, who quickly grabs their collective energy and attention by leading them in what has become a familiar song for the group.

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Take a Number: As school board waffles, critics say magnet school admission policy is biased

Magnet schools are a tough ticket in Bend.

James WilliamsNovember 16, 2011February 27, 2024

Chevy Pham is exhausted.
The stay-at-home mother of three stays on the move all day, shuttles kids to and fro, helps with homework, cooks meals, works around the house, volunteers in the community and tries to find a moment to connect with her husband who works full time.
Because time is precious and energy is finite, Pham didn't investigate why, back in 2007, her kindergartener wasn't selected from a pool of applicants, all of whom were vying for the few remaining spots at Amity Creek, a popular downtown magnet school.
In Bend, there are four magnet schools that serve elementary students, three of which are located west of 3rd Street. To determine who can attend the popular schools, the district uses a hybrid attendance policy that combines traditional neighborhood school boundaries and an at-large lottery system open to everyone in the district. Recently, though, that system has come under fire from parents like Pham and Amity's own principal who believe it serves to enhance, rather than mitigate, the district's existing economic segregation, limiting educational options for students.

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