Culture
Posted inFilm

An Odyssey, a Dunesday and Everything In-Between

What films to anticipate in the second half of 2026
Avatar photo by Jared Rasic

While the first half of the year hasn’t given us an overabundance of masterpieces, it has been a banner year for genre entertainment. From the meteoric rise of YouTube creators turning out horror blockbusters like “Obsession,” “Backrooms” and “Iron Lung,” to the deeply touching, humanistic “The Sheep Detectives,” and the jaw-dropping maximalist brilliance of “I […]

Posted inCulture

Free Will Astrology, Week of July 2, 2026

Cancers, now is the time to give yourself a little TLC
by Rob Brezsny

CANCER (June 21-July 22): There are phases when the cosmic energies and I urge you to put others first—even tend to their pain before you tend to your own. But this isn’t one of those times. Right now, sacrificing yourself for the sake of others would obstruct the flow of righteous grace into your life. […]

Posted inColumns

Extremely Ordinary Miracles

by Burt Gershater

Relax. I know my title, EXTREMELY ORDINARY MIRACLES, is a contradiction in terms, an oxymoron, a paradox, an incongruity. I know what a miracle is. Trust me for a few more minutes. Some common definitions of miracle are: an event caused by a deity that suspends the ordinary course of nature or a highly improbable, […]

Posted inFilm

To Infinity and Beyond

“Toy Story 5” and the evolution of play
Avatar photo by Jared Rasic

I’ll be perfectly honest with you right now. The hardest I’ve ever cried in a movie theater was at the end of “Toy Story 3.” Rewatching it to prepare for the release of “Toy Story 5,” I figured it wouldn’t wreck me as badly as it did 16 years ago. I thought I was an […]

Posted inFilm

The Great, the Terrible and the In-Between

Best (and worst) of the year…so far: 2026 Edition
Avatar photo by Jared Rasic

Every July, I like to look back at the first half of the year to take the temperature of our current cinematic landscape. By this time last year, we already had the dizzying peaks of “Sinners” and “On Becoming a Guinea Fowl” and the subterranean lows of “Jurassic Park: Rebirth” and “Snow White.” Will 2026 […]

Posted inCulture Features

Expanding the Story

The High Desert Museum takes a fresh look at the stories of the plateau region with a new facility
by Kim Cooper Findling

When the High Desert Museum opened in 1982, founder Don Kerr had a lofty vision for the destination he’d long dreamed of. The campus nestled in the forest south of Bend would create experiences to inspire awe, curiosity and wonder in visitors, which would in turn stimulate learning and stewardship about the unique high desert […]

Posted inCulture Features

Find Your Fun Outside

Book recommendations to pair with the outdoors
by Sara Rishforth, author and bookseller at Roundabout Books and Cafe

It’s that time of the year again! Outrun the mosquitoes at Tumalo Falls as you hike to Happy Valley, run the Burma Road Trail, soak up some rays paddleboarding on Three Creek Lake and hike Black Butte, starting from the bottom of the trail. Those are just a few favorite activities to kick off summer! […]

Posted inColumns

Lawyers, Guns and Ganja: It’s Complicated

Cannabis consumption and gun ownership
by Josh Jardine

Americans love their firearms, and I do mean love. The Pew Research Center estimates about one third of Americans – 107 million – personally own a firearm, and four in 10 live in a household with a firearm. Over 70% say they do so for protection, while about a third say it’s for hunting or […]

Posted inColumns

Divorce Is a Rite of Passage. Why Don’t We Treat It Like One?

Understanding the identity transformation that takes place during a divorce
by Natasha Bacca

We know how to recognize a rite of passage. We throw baby showers for new parents. We celebrate graduations. We hold weddings. We mark retirements. Across cultures and throughout history, communities have created rituals to acknowledge life’s major transitions and to support people through them. These moments are recognized not simply because something happened, but […]

Posted inCulture

Artist Showcase Celebrates Sisters Quilt Week

A free reception over four nights highlights local art
Avatar photo by Nic Moye

Thousands of visitors are expected to flock to Sisters for Quilt Week July 7-10 and the annual Outdoor Quilt Show on July 11. The Sisters gallery store, Makin’ it Local which showcases paintings, photography, fine crafts, jewelry, ceramics and other artwork, is hosting four artist receptions and unveiling new artwork created especially for Quilt Week. […]

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