Local News

Face Covering Distribution for Deschutes County

Deschutes County to distribute over 130,000 masks, hoping to prevent a second wave of shutdowns

In light of the statewide face covering mandate, Deschutes County announced that they will begin distributing close to 130,000 masks to local nonprofits, chambers and cities. The State of Oregon and Business Oregon provided the masks, and they are intended solely for public use.

By Cayla Clark Jul 10, 2020

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Environmental Watchdog: Central Oregon LandWatch Executive Director Ben Gordon 🎧 [with podcast]

Gordon will lead the organization's efforts to enforce Oregon's land use laws and protect local rivers, farm lands and forests

For this week’s “Bend Don’t Break” podcast, we talk with Ben Gordon, the head of Central Oregon LandWatch, a local environmental nonprofit. COLW has been working behind the scenes for decades to mitigate the effects of urban development and wasteful water use.

By Laurel Brauns Jul 10, 2020

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Oregon Voters to Consider Psilocybin Therapy, Drug Decriminalization this Fall

State-regulated psilocybin therapy along with drug decriminalization will appear on the November 2020 Oregon ballot

Two groundbreaking drug-related ballot measures may put Oregon on the map for drug decriminalization and psychedelic therapy this fall. The group behind the Oregon Psilocybin Therapy Ballot Measure (IP 34) announced July 8 that it had collected enough signatures to qualify for the November 2020 ballot.

By Laurel Brauns Jul 9, 2020

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The Slow Boat to Recovery

On the last weekend of June, the occupancy rate at local hotels and short-term rentals was at 92%. Will tourism keep Bend's economy and city budget afloat?

During the Great Recession, some believed tourism in Bend rescued the local economy. Travelers poured money into Central Oregon's restaurants and coffeeshops, millhouses were transformed into profitable vacation rentals and national sports events attracted first-time visitors.

By Laurel Brauns Jul 8, 2020

Bend-La Pine Schools Plans to Go Hybrid This Fall

The district releases tentative plans for a mix of in-person and online learning

Bend-La Pine Schools elementary students will go back to school full time next fall, while middle and high school students will split their time between the classroom and online learning from home, according to a July 1 letter sent to parents from Lora Nordquist, Bend-La Pine Schools interim superintendent.

By Laurel Brauns Jul 8, 2020

Mask and You Shall Receive

Local business owners share the ups and downs of the new statewide mask mandate

As of July 1, Gov. Kate Brown mandated face covering in all public, indoor settings in Oregon. The statewide requirement spurned opposition and appreciation; some refused to comply, others grasped the public safety implications.

By Cayla Clark Jul 8, 2020

For the Locals

With travel not widely recommended, Central Oregon hoteliers offer some staycation inspiration

Summer is finally here! Unfortunately, this year we get "Summer 2020 Edition," which can only mean one thing: nothing is normal, and traveling away from home is in something of a gray area.

By Cayla Clark Jul 8, 2020

Source Weekly Update 7/8/20 🎧

To wear or not to wear? The grey area of wearing a mask in public, and the impacts COVID has had on Bend's tourism based economy.

In this week's Source Weekly Update were focusing on the grey area connected to wearing masks in public. Later, we’ll talk about Bend's tourism and the role it has been playing during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the economic impacts the city of Bend is facing due to the pandemic.

Jul 8, 2020

Podcast

Bend Park & Recreation Camp Leader Tested Positive for COVID-19 in late June; Seven Campers Self-Quarantined

Staff member was not hospitalized, and no campers tested positive, BPRD's executive director says

A staff member working with campers a Bend Park and Recreation District summer camp tested positive for COVID-19 in late June, park district officials confirmed Saturday. BPRD officials learned of the case June 25, BPRD Executive Director Don Horton told the Source, after the staff member reported the positive result to a supervisor.

By Nicole Vulcan Jul 4, 2020

Hospitalizations Tick up at St. Charles

To slow the spread, hospital system asks people to celebrate at home and mind health guidelines during the July 4 weekend

This past week, Oregon saw its highest-ever daily number of positive cases of COVID-19, at 374 cases in a single day, on July 2—even exceeding the early days of the pandemic. In Deschutes County, the number of new cases has trickled in—around one or two a day over the past several weeks.

By Nicole Vulcan Jul 4, 2020

Former Bend Mayor: Jeff Eager on Local Government 🎧 [with podcast]

Jeff Eager, author of the "Bend Business Roundup," shares his views on lockdowns, protests, public health and polarization

For this week's "Bend Don't Break" podcast, we talk with Jeff Eager who is a business attorney and former mayor of Bend. He shares his perspective on the coronavirus lockdowns, the protests against police brutality and the need for competent leadership in the wake of a worldwide pandemic.

By Laurel Brauns and Aaron Switzer Jul 3, 2020

Podcast