Laurel Brauns
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Climate Action Plan Passes

Councilors continue to debate the merits of Home Energy Scores
Laurel Brauns

Bend City Council passed the Community Climate Action Plan 5 – 2 Wednesday night, with Councilor Justin Livingston and Councilor Bill Moseley voting against.  Bend City councilors had been divided in the weeks before the vote, because the original resolution contained a mandate would have required home sellers to complete a Home Energy Score before […]

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Berm Burden

City of Bend invests in more staff and equipment to stay ahead of snow removal
Laurel Brauns

The first major storm of the season hit Tuesday, leaving many people with ice-encrusted snow berms blocking their driveways the day before Thanksgiving. But a new pilot project may make “the berm burden” a thing of the past—at least on major arteries in Bend, said Streets and Operations Director David Abbas. This is just one […]

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Impartial Judgement

A chat with Alycia Sykora, Deschutes County Circuit Court’s new judge
Laurel Brauns

Some may wish they never had to be in the same room with her. For others, her decisions may set their lives on a better course. Alycia Sykora—a civil lawyer in Bend since 2002—was sworn in as Deschutes County’s newest circuit court judge in November, replacing Judge A. Michael Adler, who had served since 1997. […]

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Eileen Kiely Enters State Senate Race

Kiely (D) Sunriver is running for the Oregon Senate, District 27, against incumbent Tim Knopp (R) Bend
Laurel Brauns

Eileen Kiely (D) of Sunriver is running for Oregon Senate District 27, challenging incumbent republican Tim Knopp of Bend who has held the seat since 2013. (Knopp told the Source Weekly that he plans to run for this seat again during the 2020 election.) District 27 covers Bend, Redmond and Sunriver. Kiely ran for State […]

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A Progressive Approach to Health

An inside look at Deschutes County Behavioral Health
Laurel Brauns

Last week, the Source Weekly published a piece about the county’s efforts to decriminalize mental illness. Local crisis experts told stories of working within jails and police departments to identify and assist people coping with chronic mental health disorders. This week, Deputy Director Janice Garceau of Deschutes County Behavioral Health provides an inside look at […]

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Bend Winter Warming Shelter Opening Soon

Local officials hope to have warming shelter open by Dec. 15
Laurel Brauns

The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Work Center will house up to 48 men and women per night this winter, filling part of the need for an emergency warming shelter in Bend. The Homeless Leadership Coalition has been working with local shelters and area nonprofits to find a temporary space for Bend’s unhoused since early this […]

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Shop for a Santa Cause

E-bike sales are soaring—making them one big way to “Shop Small”
Laurel Brauns

Buy an electric bike for the eco-conscious thrill-seeker and they’ll probably thank you many times over as they’re flying up Awbrey Butte without breaking a sweat. “Santa is fully on the e-bike Kool-Aid train. Kris Kringle is crushing it this month,” said Sterling McCord, owner and operator of Bend Electric Bikes on NW Hill Street. […]

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Decriminalizing Mental Illness

Deschutes County is set to open a stabilization center this spring. With a 17-fold increase in mental health calls over the past decade, it’s a welcome addition
Laurel Brauns

Calls to the Bend Police Department involving people who were “allegedly mentally ill” increased by 172% from 2010 to 2017. People affected by mental illness end up in prisons and jail at a much higher rate than people without a diagnosis. In response to the increase in calls, Deschutes County has created a number of […]

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Q & A With COCC’s New President

Dr. Laurie Chesley talks democracy, technology and 18th century British lit
Laurel Brauns

Dr. Laurie Chesley started this summer as Central Oregon Community College’s sixth president. She’s a first-generation college graduate from Michigan and has held a range of leadership positions in diverse educational settings, from community colleges to four-year liberal arts institutions. Chesley sat down with the Source Weekly to talk about her leadership. Source Weekly: What […]

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Recession Proof?

Local economists report on Bend’s growing tech sector, low unemployment and a strong housing market
Laurel Brauns

As whispers of the next economic downturn grow to a roar in the national news, two regional economic experts believe Central Oregon will not be “bulldozed” this time around. A host of insulating factors—like sustainable job creation in the professional sector, and an unmet demand for affordable housing—may combine to shield the region from a […]

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