Avatar photo

Nicole Vulcan

Nicole Vulcan became Editor of the Source in 2016 and was promoted to Editor in Chief in 2024, managing the Editorial Board and the news team's many investigative projects. She's also at work on her debut book of journalistic non-fiction, titled "Self Medication," which traces Oregon's drug decriminalization efforts in the 21st Century, and tells a parallel tale of her own family’s losses from fentanyl addiction in the age of Measure 110. With all of that on her plate, send snacks. Catch up with the adventures at her book's Substack, called Self Medication.

nicole@bendsource.com
Posted inFood & Drink

Cooking Up New Ideas

Amber Amos’ experiment with Westside Local didn’t exactly pan out as planned. Now she looks to the future.
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Chef Amber Amos had already made a splash in Redmond with the opening of Westside Taco Co. in summer 2017—its second incarnation, after initially opening in Los Angeles. With the cart, located at Kobold in downtown Redmond, running successfully, Amos then ventured into a brick and mortar, opening Westside Local shortly before the pandemic started, […]

Posted inFood & Drink

Taj Palace Moves to Hwy. 97

Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Fans of Taj Palace’s classic Indian buffet had to suffer through two full years of having it off the table—but now, the buffet is back, and in a new location. Taj Palace opened in its new space on Hwy. 97 in March, in the former Red Dragon restaurant location. It and downtown neighbor Wall Street […]

Posted inNews

Musictown, USA

Prepare to rock your summer nights away. Concerts are back in a big way in 2022.
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

You’d be forgiven if you’d lost count of the number of show announcements flowing out of the Old Mill District’s newly titled Hayden Homes Amphitheater this year. As of April 4, 39 shows were scheduled for Bend’s biggest stage—ranging from comedy acts like Jim Gaffigan, to returning acts like My Morning Jacket, to legacy artists […]

Posted inFood & Drink

A Focaccia Pop-Up

Some people baked sourdough during the pandemic. Barb Myers baked focaccia—and turned it into a business.
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Some people took to baking sourdough during the pandemic. But one Bendite started baking focaccia instead—and now that hobby is available for locals to try. The people behind Focaccia Folks, including owner Barb Myers, are hosting their first focaccia pop-up event in front of West Coast Provisions in Northwest Crossing April 7. Focaccia Folks “adapts […]

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

A Spay/Neuter Clinic in the Yucatán

Bend’s Street Dog Hero teams up with nonprofits in Mexico to treat over 400 pets
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Dogs and cats can be our faithful companions—but left unchecked and uncared for, their populations can quickly get out of control. A single unspayed female and her puppies can produce 67,000 puppies in just six years, says Bend-based nonprofit Street Dog Hero, with a single unspayed cat and her kittens able to produce a whopping […]

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Losing the Pandemic Pounds

Pets, like their humans, tended to gain weight during the time of social distancing. Here are a few ways to help your pets get back to a more ideal weight.
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

The shock was real—but not entirely unexpected—the first time we brought our little (formerly) 11-pound rescue mutt to the vet after the pandemic had started. Three pounds is not a big weight gain for an adult human, but for this little guy, it was a lot. I guess all those evenings opting to watch “Dogs” […]

Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides

Caring for Cats’ Chompers

A chat with a vet about feline dental health
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Dr. Stephanie Kadasi is co-owner and the medical director of Feline Fine Cat Clinic, a cats-only clinic where cats can get their health needs addressed, without the presence of those sometimes-pesky pups. For this edition of Central Oregon Pets, Dr. Kadasi talks about the importance of cat dental care. Central Oregon Pets: Why is dental […]

Posted inNews

Is That Weed Even Legal?

A new website aims to help locals figure that out
Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Maybe your neighbor has a few smelly plants and you want to know if there’s something you can do about it. Maybe your neighbor is a farmer who has a field of what looks like marijuana—but you’re not sure how to tell whether it’s hemp—which is federally legal—or the stuff people smoke to get high. […]

Posted inFood & Drink

New Sushi Cart at The Lot

Avatar photo by Nicole Vulcan

Bendites can find a new sushi cart located on the west side. The Lot is now home to Maki Maki Sushi, owned by sushi chef Adam Pan and his wife Shi, who’s also a sushi chef. The couple moved to Bend after operating their own sushi restaurant in New York, and later operating supermarket sushi […]

Sign up for newsletters

Get the best of The Source - Bend, Oregon directly in your email inbox.

Sending to:

Gift this article