Local News
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Lots of Housing Units Approved

City Council approves a massive walkable, mixed-use community master plan near the Box Factory
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

Soon, thousands more people may be living within walking distance of the Old Mill and downtown Bend. The Bend City Council approved a 1,600-unit housing and commercial development on 32 acres of land that was formerly a particle board plant. The master plan also includes a 180-room hotel, office space and retail along “linear meandering […]

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Strike Averted

St. Charles and the Oregon Nurses Association found common ground days before a strike would’ve occurred
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

On June 8 the Oregon Nurses Association and St. Charles announced they’d reached a tentative agreement on a contract for the next three and a half years. ONA submitted a 10-day strike notice to the hospital system on June 1, meaning the Bend campus could’ve lost nearly 1,000 registered nurses by June 12. Negotiations lasted […]

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County Code on Camping Proposed

Deschutes County is the latest Central Oregon government to explore time, place and manner restrictions on camping
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

Deschutes County Commissioners voted two to one to move forward with code amendments that would restrict people from camping on publicly owned property. Deschutes County Sheriff Shane Nelson proposed the camping ban, saying it would allow his office to enforce no-camping zones and a two-week limit on campsites, similar to the federal government’s regulations on […]

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Wildflowers Abound for Early Summer Hiking

Hike with the family or go it solo, but check out these locales while the bloom is still on
by Roseann Dennery

The snow has thawed, the highway is open. It’s time to dust off those La Sportiva boots and get your day bag packed; summer hiking season has arrived. Welcome! We’ve been waiting for you. And with all the additional precipitation we grumbled about this spring, the reward to now reap is wildflowers – lots of […]

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Serving Up Smiles and Slamming Success

Level up the summer fun by giving pickleball a swing
by Lily Hausler

In a world where ball sports reign supreme, there’s a sport that’s been quietly gaining momentum, bringing together people of all ages and skill levels. It’s a game that blends the finesse of badminton, the agility of ping pong and the strategic intensity of tennis. Welcome to the wonderful world of pickleball. According to the […]

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Floating the New and Improved Riverbend Park

After two years in Bend, I float the most popular part of the Deschutes
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

Despite living in Bend for more than two years, I haven’t done something most tourists here accomplish in a couple days: float Riverbend Park. The closest I’ve gotten is floating past the Old Mill and down the rapids. Two weeks ago my editor tasked me with doing some outdoor summer activity, so I decided to […]

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LISTEN: Creating a Theatre Community with Craig Brauner 🎧

President of Ellipse Theatre talks local theatre, Project Pride for Pride Month and more
by The Source Staff

Craig Brauner is a theatre artist and educator who’s called Central Oregon home since 2018. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, he has starred in over 80 productions across the country with prominent regional theatres as well as numerous workshops, readings and devised pieces. He obtained his MFA in Acting from the University of California-Irvine and BFA […]

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Fifty Years of Unique Land Use

Oregon’s land-use laws are one of a kind in the U.S. They’re both beloved and reviled, 50 years after Senate Bill 100 was signed into law
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

In 1973 Oregon Gov. Tom McCall signed Senate Bills 100 and 101, creating the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development and 14 statewide planning goals and protections to farmland. It was the most ambitious and powerful statewide land-use decision any state undertook before or since. No other state regulates land use to the extent […]

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ONA Issues Strike Notice

St. Charles could be down hundreds of workers next week if a compromise isn’t reached
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

Update: St. Charles narrowly avoided a strike on June 8 after both parties reached a tentative agreement. Oregon Nurses Association members at the St. Charles campus in Bend will vote to ratify the contract within the next few days. St. Charles nursing staff gave notice that they’ll start striking on June 12 if a contract […]

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Intimidating Note, Dead Raccoon Left at Redmond Mayor’s Law Office

Police are investigating the incident as a potential bias crime
Avatar photo by Jack Harvel

An unknown suspect placed a menacing note and a dead racoon at the door to Redmond Mayor Ed Fitch’s law firm offices on Monday morning, and the Redmond Police Department is investigating it as a potential bias crime. The sign referenced both Fitch and Redmond City Councilor Clifford Evelyn with what police say is intimidating […]

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