Local News

People who use Wilson Avenue for cross-town travel will soon have to find a new route.   The City of Bend announced Tuesday that an estimated three-month closure of the Wilson Avenue railroad crossing near 9th Street will begin April 27 to replace track and signal equipment. It’s the final phase of work on the Wilson Avenue corridor, where the City has piloted new protected designs for roundabouts and intersections.   The Burlington Northern […]

Preserving the earth is something that benefits us all and ensures future generations a certain quality of life. Some Central Oregonians are more dedicated and passionate on that subject, making it their career or serving as volunteers. In this week’s Earth Heroes issue, we reached out to local nonprofits for “hero” nominations.   Read the […]

For patients in north Central Oregon, a new Redmond cancer center is making care closer to home.   The St. Charles Health System this week is opening a new $65 million, two-story, 53,000-square-foot cancer center in Redmond, offering nine times the space of its current facility. The new cancer center will offer radiation, chemotherapy, surgery and other services, matching the capabilities of St. Charles’ cancer center in Bend 17 miles to the south.   It’s a big step for […]

Sakari, a word meaning “sweet” in Inupiaq, represents a loving and warm personality, which exactly describes the vibe I felt when Spring and Sam Schreiner, along with Otis, their energetic canine, welcomed me to their farm on a bright, blue-sky day in Tumalo. Spring, an enrolled member of the Chugach Alaska Native Corporation and Valdez […]

Kevin Tanski is a lifelong conservationist and environmentalist, but in the past three years his attention has been laser focused on beavers. As a volunteer with Think Wild’s Beaver Works Oregon, he’s traveled to remote areas of the state, putting in countless hours restoring beaver habitat.   The significance of beavers caught his attention after he read two books, “Eager” and “Beaver Land” which explore the profound impact beavers have […]

It’s hard out there for climate justice advocate these days. Few know how quickly your eyes glaze over when the topic turns to, say, heating pumps, than this year’s Young Hero, Brennan Breen. Breen, the campaign coordinator of Energize Bend, a nonprofit coalition advocating for electrification, however, decidedly does not live in mamby-pamby land. At […]

Rick Martinson can summon the Latin name for almost any High Desert plant on a whim.   Ask for the common name, and it may take him a few seconds to conjure up.   That’s because, in the world of native plants, common names are far less important.   Take genus Arcostaphylos, commonly known as manzanita. It’s the mid-sized tree or shrub with smooth, deep-red bark, brooked branches and […]