Local News

Oregonians who received federal aid to pay for their groceries last year frequently reported working for the nation’s largest grocery and retail corporations, according to a Capital Chronicle analysis of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program data from the Oregon Department of Human Services. The data, taken from SNAP income verification forms, shows that tens of thousands […]

Applause and cheers thundered through the La Pine City Council meeting Wednesday evening as the body quashed a proposed industrial land sale to develop a data center that generated fierce public opposition in recent weeks.   The City Council’s unanimous vote on May 27 came after hearing a combined nearly five hours of public meeting comments this month, mostly lambasting the proposal. People formed online Facebook groups […]

Pattie Gonia ain’t goin’ nowhere. A nationally touring drag artist, entrepreneur, LGBTQ activist and environmentalist, Bend-based Pattie Gonia broke her silence May 27 about the federal lawsuit Patagonia, the clothing company, filed against her for trademark infringement in January. The outdoor brand is suing for $1 in damages, along with demanding that Wyn Wiley, a […]

The number of people injured in e-bike crashes in Bend is on the rise, prompting safety warnings from officials and emerging education efforts as the weather warms and cycling increases.  The announcement comes as local and state policymakers respond with a patchwork of new rules and regulations intended to address skyrocketing popularity in e-bikes and other powered mobility devices.   The Bend Police Department, Bend Fire & Rescue, Bend-La […]

Central Oregonians who identify as LGBTQIA+ and Two-Spirit have a unique opportunity to have their voices heard and let their artistry resonate as part of a statewide art project and online survey that’s nearing completion on May 31. Pride in Numbers takes a two-pronged approach to gather data and recognize participants with its community art […]

Two global communities have an intersecting history of discrimination, criminalization and prejudice; their plights not equivalent, but still exist in solidarity with one another. To be Black and to be queer aren’t two mutually exclusive things; the first known drag queen, William Doresey Swan, was born into slavery in Maryland.  The issue, among many, is […]

The Bend City Council on May 20 approved a master plan to expand the facility that filters Bend’s main water source for drinking. The plan provides the roadmap for future upgrades including a new pretreatment system, hydropower generation facilities, future storage reservoirs and other infrastructure City officials say is critical to ensuring long-term resiliency in a major water source for residents.   Approval of the Outback Facility Plan comes as the City awaits a final decision from the U.S. Forest Service on the transfer of a 48-acre piece of land north of Skyliners Road. Some […]

The City of Redmond is moving ahead with plans to demolish an old police station downtown and build an outdoor ice-skating rink expected to open by Thanksgiving next year.   Project meetings kicked off earlier this month after the City Council, sitting as the Redmond Urban Renewal Agency Board, awarded a design contract to Kirby Nagelhout Construction Company. The City expects the rink to cost between […]