Columns

Hello readers! Let’s dive right into our question. Sherri, a longtime local resident, asks, “When I was a kid, it was illegal to swim in the Deschutes River in Bend. Yet now, thousands of people float the river and swim all summer long. What makes it safer today?” What good is such a beautiful river […]

I had the pleasure of attending a gala for the Friends of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge this month. A small but mighty nonprofit promoting “conservation and appreciation of natural and cultural resources…through education, outreach, advocacy, and on-the-ground stewardship,” its territory includes nearly 190,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat. The gathering coincided with the birthday of […]

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): As a teenager, I loved the music of Jefferson Airplane. I recall sitting on the couch in my New Jersey home and listening to their albums over and over again. Years later, I was performing on stage at a San Francisco nightclub with my band, World Entertainment War. In the audience […]

There may be no better proof of the connection between mind and body than the effects that joy, and conversely, stress or anxiety, have on our bodies. Based on my current informal survey, it’s safe to say that at this pre-election moment, many seem to be in a state of stress and worry more than […]

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): Your bulboid corpuscles are specialized nerve cells in your skin that can experience intense tactile pleasure—more so than any other nerve cells. They are located in your lips, tongue, and genitals. According to my analysis of your astrological potentials, these ultra-sensitive receptors will be turned on extra high in the coming […]

Dear Dr. Jane, I’m a 39-year-old single woman. I have a great job, a nice place and a really cute dog. Overall, I’m happy. The problem’s been dating. The men my age don’t usually have the maturity I’m looking for and most older men seem incredibly entitled. A while back, I connected with a mid-50s […]

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): In 2010, Edurne Pasaban became the first woman to climb the world’s tallest 14 mountains, reaching the top of Shishapangma in China. In 2018, Taylor Demonbreun arrived in Toronto, Canada, completing a quest in which she visited every sovereign nation on the planet in 18 months. In 1924, explorer Alexandra David-Néel […]

Random? I don’t think so. My last name, Gershater, is not a common one. Most people haven’t bumped into a Gershater prior to our “randomly” meeting someplace. It didn’t take long to learn that nobody knows how to spell it. Invariably, when I’m asked my name, the response is some version of, “Would you please […]

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): On those infrequent occasions when I buy a new gadget, I never read the instructions. I drop the booklet in the recycling bin immediately, despite the fact that I may not know all the fine points of using my new vacuum cleaner, air purifier, or hairdryer. Research reveals that I am […]

Taking a spill wasn’t a medical red flag when first learning to ride a two-wheel bike or, at 30, cartwheeling down the ski slope leaving a trail of goggles and skis. So, Boomers, when you commit a young person’s fall, don’t admit to your doc you tripped on a root while on a September hike. […]