Laurel Brauns

This Friday, some of the small businesses that bring personality, culture and soul to towns and cities across Oregon may get the chance to reopen. Stores including art galleries, jewelry shops and boutiques, along with local restaurants, barber shops, gyms and many “non-essential” businesses may be able to begin to welcome customers, after surviving nearly […]

Some Oregon counties will reopen as early as May 15, Gov. Kate Brown confirmed today—so long as they can verify they’re complying with certain guidelines. Within the regions able to open, bars, restaurants, hair salons and gyms would  be able to open their doors. Statewide, childcare services can operate by May 15, as well as […]

In some of the world’s largest cities, the urban skyline is rarely visible behind a haze of puke-colored smog. But since the coronavirus hit, people around the globe have been posting photos of clear blue skies. From Los Angeles to Beijing, coronavirus lockdowns halted city traffic. Day by day, the winds carried city air pollution […]

Panic buying and empty grocery store shelves have inspired some people in Central Oregon to rethink the importance of a sustainable, local food economy. At Central Oregon Locavore—a nonprofit indoor farmers market on NE Third—sales have more than doubled since the pandemic began, according to Nicolle Timm-Branch, president and founder of the organization. “People are […]

Central Oregon Public Health Departments announced Friday that they strongly encourage workers in restaurants and other local food establishments to use cloth face masks while they’re working. While this is not required by the state or local health departments, Friday’s press release referenced the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations, which state that wearing […]

The Central Oregon economy is highly dependent on tourism. As a result of the COVID-19 statewide lockdown, it’s been decimated—making the local unemployment rate the third highest in the state. Going forward, the loss of room tax revenues will have a huge impact on the budgets of local city and county governments. Two months into the […]

Anxiety around the spread of COVID-19, coupled with the loneliness of lockdown and economic insecurity is enough to test the sanity of those who are mentally stable. But add in a predisposition to depression, anxiety, addiction, psychosis or other concerns, and the current environment could lead to an increased likelihood of a mental breakdown. Researchers […]