Opinion
Posted inLetters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, Week of Feb. 19

Topics include education, gerrymandering, voting and what’s on the radio
by The Source Staff

Kids Need Quality Education As a longtime classroom teacher and former union leader for educators, I want to unpack the Source’s Feb. 5 piece, “Oregon’s Education Workforce Climbed While Student Enrollment Slid.” Unfortunately, the headline is misleading, implying that schools are overstaffed. They are not. The numbers presented don’t account for the decades of prior […]

Posted inOpinion

A County Map in Search of a Problem

Voters approved two different citizen initiatives aimed at a more democratic, less-partisan Deschutes County commission. That’s not what they’re getting.
by The Source Editorial Board

Deschutes County government is embarrassing itself. Earlier this month, the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners voted 2-1 to put a map, dividing the county into five districts, before voters. In a subsequent 2-1 vote the Board voted to put that map before voters in November. The Commission could have gotten this painful map process […]

Posted inOpinion

Bentz and the Main Street Caucus Aren’t Asking for the Moon — Just for the President to Keep His Promises

We’re glad we can agree on the bottom
by The Source Editorial Board

Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz (R-OR2) told the Baker City Herald late last month that he’s been lobbying the administration to take a “different approach” on the massive deportation campaign currently underway. Oddly enough, that lobbying effort sounds a whole lot like what we were promised during the last presidential election. If you’re among those who […]

Posted inLetters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, Week of Feb. 5

Topics include a new Prosperity Officer, ICE funding, voting and county districting
by The Source Staff

New ‘Prosperity Officer’ Thank you for your Opinion piece of 22 January 2026, highlighting the new Oregon “Prosperity Officer” and the current economic challenges faced by the Oregon economy. However, discussing the “falling economic outlook” fails to discuss other, more important aspects of measuring the success of a society and its economy. According to the […]

Posted inOpinion

Why Get in a Lather Over a Lil’ Ol’ County Map?

Gerrymandering and pulling the levers of power in Deschutes County
by The Source Editorial Board

Right now, county residents are up in arms about a district mapping proposal that would divide Deschutes County into five districts. If you have been following the labyrinthine path that got us to this political point, then you know none of this had to be this way. Voters said yes to a referendum in the […]

Posted inLetters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, Week of Jan. 29

Topics include district mapping, clean energy, college educations and end of life care for pets
by The Source Staff

Dismayed by the District Mapping Process As an Independent voter, I’m dismayed at the direction taken by commissioners Patti Adair and Tony DeBone on expanding the Deschutes County Commission from three to five members. Republicans Adair and DeBone “control” the county commission, with Democrat Phil Chang in the minority. A committee was appointed mostly by […]

Posted inOpinion

Of Walkouts and Roadmaps: New ‘Prosperity Officer’ Hails from Central Oregon

Tim Knopp, the former Bend senator disqualified from running for re-election after leading the longest walkout in state history, is now being tapped to bring Oregon back from the economic brink. It’s hard not to see the irony.
by The Source Editorial Board

If you’ve been paying attention to state politics in recent months, then you know that the state’s economy has been a big topic.  Perhaps most eye-popping for some state leaders was Oregon’s ranking in a 2025 CNBC poll, which placed the state 39th among its Top States for Business. Oregon ranked 28th in the poll in 2024, and 21st in […]

Posted inLetters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, Week of Jan. 22

Subjects include frustration with the leadership of our country, the departed equity director and a red tent gathering
by The Source Staff

Immorality Rules Our Nation. Flouting the constitution, international and American law and long-standing norms, President Trump declared to the New York Times recently that his power as commander in chief is constrained only by his “own morality.” Let’s review his track record on morality.  He raped a woman in a dressing room He said on camera that to control women he “just grabs them […]

Posted inOpinion

The Public Wasn’t Willing to Flock Around

Bendites came out against Flock cameras and potentially problematic surveillance
by The Source Editorial Board

First it was the invitation to the public to add their personal surveillance cameras to the network of cameras that can be automatically (or manually) accessed by law enforcement. Then it was red light cameras. And this summer, police in Bend added yet another tool ostensibly meant to monitor criminal behavior: Flock cameras installed along the highway. At […]

Posted inLetters to the Editor

Letters to the Editor, Week of Jan. 15

Topics include supporting people, engaging with our youth and supporting worthwhile nonprofits
by The Source Staff

People are a long-term investment After reading the Source’s article on “Budget Cuts Threaten Oregon Program for Helping People Get Jobs After Prison” by Danielle Dawson and Wesley Vaughan on Dec. 23, 2025, I found out that ultimately, this is a problem of prioritization, not spending. When we treat reentry support as a “cost to be cut” rather […]

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