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Julianna LaFollette

Julianna earned her Masters in Journalism at NYU in 2024. She loves writing local stories about interesting people and events. When she’s not reporting, you can find her cooking, participating in outdoor activities or attempting to keep up with her 90 pound dog, Finn.

1reporter@bendsource.com
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Pacific Power Increases Rates, Citing Rising Costs and Wildfire Mitigation

Pacific Power customers will see an average rate increase of 12.9% in 2024
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On Jan. 9, the Oregon Public Utility Commission announced that Pacific Power, which serves approximately 618,000 customers in Oregon, will increase rates for customers in 2024. New rates account for rising power costs, increased volatility in the Western electricity market and costs for wildfire mitigation actions taken by the company.   Residential customers can expect to […]

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Workouts to Improve Your Ski Season

The snow has arrived! Here are some workout classes that can help increase endurance, prevent injuries and improve the skiing or snowboarding experience
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The ski season is finally in full swing. Whether you’ve been skiing for weeks or are just getting started again, you likely know the feeling of transitioning back into this outdoor activity. Early season skiing, for me, usually involves shorter days and next-day soreness. You always hear about the importance of pre-season conditioning, whether it’s […]

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Low-Barrier Shelter Awarded Extra Funds for Needed Beds

The low-barrier Franklin Avenue shelter, formerly known as the Rainbow Motel, is at capacity and will receive more money to increase beds for family units
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The Bend City Council awarded an additional $127,868 of funding for low-barrier, emergency shelter beds at the Franklin Avenue Shelter, the former Rainbow Motel. The shelter, which is currently at full capacity, plans to add more units for families. The number of houseless people in families increased by more than 25,000 between 2022 and 2023, […]

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Ballot Measure Proposed to Increase Number of Deschutes County Commissioners

A ballot initiative calls for increasing the number of Deschutes County Commissioners from three to five
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Community member and local business owner John Heylin started a petition to create a ballot measure that would increase the number of county commissioners from three to five members. Heylin hopes to get enough signatures for the November ballot this year.  If approved by voters, the proposed ballot measure would also set a schedule for […]

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Bend City Council Approves Nearly $10.6 Million Tax Exemption for Jackstraw

The Box Factory development will require one more approval from Bend-La Pine Schools to receive a full tax exemption
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A controversial tax exemption for a local development is on its way to full approval. The Bend City Council approved a request for a 10-year tax exemption of approximately $10.6 million for mixed-use development, Jackstraw, on Jan. 3. The developers, Killian Pacific, requested the tax break through the City’s Multiple Unit Property Tax Exemption program, which […]

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Two Local Tourism Organizations See Management Shakeups

Just before the new year, CEO of Visit Bend and President and CEO of Visit Central Oregon announced their departures
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On Dec. 23, Visit Bend announced that CEO Kevney Dugan will leave the organization and take a role with Travel Oregon. Then on Dec. 27, Visit Central Oregon announced the departure of its president and CEO, Julia Theisen. Amid these announcements, both organizations credit these CEOs with several innovative programs and begin the search for […]

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Threat to Central Oregon Schools Determined Not Credible

A Jan. 2 social media post sharing a photo of a rifle along with a general threat, came out of Portland, deemed non-credible
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A threatening message shared online throughout Central Oregon caused concern on the morning of Jan. 2. The message included a photo of a rifle and a vague message about not going to school, according to a post from the Madras Police Department. Several law enforcement agencies, including the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, investigated the social media […]

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Alleged Embezzlement Closes Eugene’s Weekly Newspaper

A conversation with ‘Eugene Weekly’ editor, Camilla Mortensen, following the news of a devastating embezzlement within the organization
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On Dec. 28, “Eugene Weekly” published an article informing readers why there wasn’t a print edition distributed in Eugene and Lane County for the first time in over 20 years. The article, “Where’s the Damn Paper,” explained that EW discovered embezzlement within the company. We spoke with Eugene Weekly’s editor, Camilla Mortensen, to hear about […]

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Year in Review: 10 Impactful Stories from 2023

Going into a new year, we look back on stories that remain impactful, relevant and explore important topics in Central Oregon
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As 2023 comes to an end, take a look through some of this year’s most impactful stories, exploring topics such as child care, housing, addiction, transportation and more. Coming… To A Pipeline Near You In February, the Source Weekly wrote about Canadian energy company, TC Energy, which plans to pump 50 million additional cubic feet […]

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Praying for Snow? Blame El Niño

Climate experts suggest a “strong” El Niño climate pattern can cause even warmer, drier winter conditions in Oregon
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As soon as winter rolls around, many Oregon residents begin hoping for the snow to come. This year, it may not come as quickly or as heavy as past years. The reason is due to a climate pattern taking place in the Pacific Ocean that can affect weather. El Niño describes the warming of the […]

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