Richard Sitts, Author at The Source

Best Lodging in Redmond: SCP Redmond Hotel + Best Happy Hour & Best Bar in Redmond: Wayfarer Club

Innovative SCP Hotel sets the bar high for hospitality and the environment

by Richard Sitts August 12, 2026August 11, 2026

On a recent hot Friday afternoon the Wayfarer Club in the cozy confines of the SCP Hotel in downtown Redmond is fairly packed, with only a few empty seats to be had. The happy clientele appeared to be a mix of hotel guests and locals, probably more of the latter. Smoky skies and an unhealthy […]

Best of People

Best Local Band: Not Your Ex Lover

Not your typical homegrown band (and that’s a good thing!)

by Richard Sitts August 12, 2026August 11, 2026

Voted Best Local Band by Source readers, Not Your Ex Lover describes itself as a “Latina, femme, (mostly) queer, ALL GRRL rock band based in Bend, Oregon.” The band also offers the following: “Their music tells the story of love and heartbreak with a grunge-pop vibe — and lots of sparkle. The band was formed […]

Best of Drinks

Best Sour Beer: Sea Plague

Small brewery Funky Fauna gets its funk on with uniquely tasty beers

by Richard Sitts August 12, 2026August 11, 2026

Tucked away in a quiet, shady block on Second Street in the Makers District, adventurous beer drinkers will find Funky Fauna, the home of truly unique brews, owned and operated by Michael Firth and Danielle Burns. The front of the house exudes a cool, dark vibe despite large windows that let in plenty of light. […]

Music

Warsaw Poland Bros. Bring the Ska!

35-year veteran band still rocks the energetic genre of dance music

by Richard Sitts July 8, 2026July 6, 2026

Local live music fans can get their dance on when the longtime purveyors of ska, the Warsaw Poland Bros., hit town July 15. The Bend date kicks off a six-show Oregon run, the band’s first Oregon tour in more than a decade. This tour is a milestone for founder and frontman Chris Poland, the band’s […]

Music

Sing-Along with KPOV and the Beatles at The Commonwealth Pub

It’s a fundraising celebration of the radio station’s 21st birthday

by Richard Sitts May 20, 2026May 18, 2026

“Do You Want to Know a Secret?” The Central Oregon community is going to “Come Together” for the fabled and fabulous KPOV radio station and its 21st “Birthday” Beatles Sing-Along on Friday, June 26, from 7-10pm. “Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?” Nah! There’s a much better location at The Commonwealth Pub in Bend. This […]

Central Oregon Pets

Herd Mentality

Highly intelligent herding dogs require action and room to roam

by Richard Sitts March 25, 2026March 23, 2026

Every other Saturday, at various pet stores in Bend and Redmond, the nonprofit Herding Dog Rescue of Central Oregon hosts adoption events, inviting the public to come meet the herding dogs available for fostering or adoption. At a recent event at Local Paws in Redmond, HDRCO President Jessi Harrison was joined by dog trainer Ali […]

Food & Drink

Where to Watch Your Favorite Teams in Action

Central Oregon has so many sporting options

by Richard Sitts January 28, 2026January 27, 2026

So where’s the best bar/brewery/food cart lot in Central Oregon to watch your favorite televised sporting events? There are so many that it’s like asking where’s the best place to go for a hike, bike ride, float, swim, ski, snowshoe, well, you get the idea. It’s no secret that Central Oregon has a plethora of […]

Music

Not Your Typical ‘Paper Doll’

Red-hot guitar slinger returns to Central Oregon

by Richard Sitts November 19, 2025November 20, 2025

Having played in these parts before, rock/blues guitarist Samantha Fish is no stranger to Central Oregon. In the meantime, she and her band have just been tearing it up. Fish was nominated for Best Contemporary Blues Album in the 2024 Grammys for her 2023 collaboration with rocker Jesse Dayton, “Death Wish Blues.” She and the […]

Central Oregon Pets

A Place to Call Home

Second Chance is a sanctuary for unwanted parrots

by Richard Sitts October 22, 2025October 14, 2025

Donna Costley says that back when she decided to start a bird rescue operation in 2012, she didn’t even like birds. “I hated birds. My mom had parakeets,” Costley recalls. However, one of her sons, Jon, got into birds first and brought his mother along, under his wing, so to speak. And since then, Second […]

Music

Band Brings its ‘Dashboard Heat’ to Bend

Husband-wife duo from Seattle lead the Smokey Brights band

by Richard Sitts October 3, 2025November 20, 2025

Here is a collection of words describing Smokey Bright’s music culled from various sources quoted on the band’s website: “Smokey Brights is one of the most exciting rock groups in the Emerald City. One part Fleetwood Mac (without the turmoil) and one part something all their own.” “Insane charm.” “… plays rock in its truest, […]

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