Here, in Central Oregon, local volunteer opportunities are plentiful, both for children and adults, and range in variety from animal welfare to community events to farming tasks and more. Participating in any of these activities has countless benefits for the whole family. Not only do we help others and make a meaningful impact in our […]
Joshua Savage
Posted inOutdoors
Labyrinths & Bats
Discover Central Oregon’s magnificent caves and their ecosystems
Beneath our feet, Oregon is riddled with a labyrinth of natural tunnels, lava tubes and underground chambers, all shaped by fire and time and home to several species of bats. Central Oregon’s dramatic landscape was sculpted by ancient lava flows and millennia of geologic upheaval. Situated on the eastern edge of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, […]
Posted inColumns
Savage in Bend: The Oldest Business
The oldest business in Bend
Because I often get questions about the “oldest” things in Central Oregon, I thought I’d tackle one to kick off the Savage in Bend column for this year. Catherine H. asks, “What is the oldest business in Bend?” There are several factors to consider, but if we mean the currently operating longest business under the […]
Posted inBend Nest
Styling and Saving
A Quick Guide to Thrifting
As a kid I always wanted to wear the name brand stuff—Ralph Lauren, Guess, Tommy Hilfiger—you get the gist. Perhaps I was a bit vain, but I had various jobs as a teen that helped pay for most of my own clothing. I never even considered shopping at secondhand stores. College came and my perspective […]
Posted inBend Nest
Snow Much Fun
Skiing and snowboarding for kids in Central Oregon
For some people, winter in Central Oregon means time to relax by a cozy fire, sip hot cocoa and watch the beautiful snow fall—all from indoors. But for many families, winter is an active season and one of the best times to get outside and take advantage of the snowy playgrounds our region offers. For […]
Posted inCulture Features
The Astounding Jim Schmit & His Fantastic Museum
Unique items fill the quirky museum in Sisters
Walking down the main strip in Sisters, an extremely rare car sits noticeably parked in front of a little spot known as the Fantastic Museum. A Doval Shadow, rumor has it that only 20 of the vehicles were ever made. But as rare as that car may be, it’s nothing compared to the man who […]
Posted inColumns
Savage in Bend (or Redmond)
The Redmond Hotel haunted?
Readers get a two for one, because this week is the Redmond issue AND Halloween! So why not answer a question about a haunting? Lynn J. asks, “Is the SCP Redmond Hotel really haunted?” This tale begins way back in 1906, when William and Fannie Wilson built the original Redmond Hotel, a wooden two-story structure […]
Posted inCulture
Lazy Z Ranch
History, mead and regeneration
If you’ve ever driven on Highway 20 toward Sisters, you’ve seen the metal horses off to the left side, frozen midstride against the Cascade peaks. Just past them on the right, not as noticeable but with a much longer history, lies the Lazy Z Ranch. At first glance, with all the recent construction happening on […]
Posted inBend Nest
Let’s Get Rolling!
Tips for helping your child learn to ride a bicycle
Few skills stir up a sense of childhood adventure and accomplishment like learning to ride a bicycle. Practicing wheelies, feeling the wide-open road, cruising downhill at high speeds all scream the word “freedom!” Though the initial learning process is usually filled with anticipation and anxiety, after a few wobbles or mishaps, the personal triumph of […]
Posted inCulture
Savage in Bend
Hospital Hill
“Recently, a local told me she was born on Hospital Hill. I had no idea what she meant. Do you know the story?” Absolutely! When I moved to Bend, I heard the same thing. People born on a hill? Bend was a smaller town not so long ago, sure, but the citizens weren’t that backwards, […]