On Sept. 14, Bend’s senator in the Oregon Legislative Assembly filed to run for re-election. As of this writing, the status of Sen. Tim Knopp’s (R-Bend) application is pending and is likely to stay that way. While they currently disagree about the timing of their ineligibility, Knopp and nine others are, by decree of the […]
Editorial
Posted inOpinion
Amid Rising Costs of Living, Should We Spread Transportation Fees Around?
The City of Bend is pondering a solution to help pay for the costs of maintaining and fixing roads
In a city where a burger without fries is around $18 and costs seem to be rising for residents every day, it’s tough to go whole-hog on the notion of a transportation fee being tacked on to Bend residents’ water and sewer bills, to the tune of around $180 per year. The City of Bend […]
Posted inOpinion
With Aspergillus Testing in Pot, a Solution in Search of a Problem
For now, testing for Aspergillus is not required
In July, the Cannabis Industry Alliance of Oregon and other individual farmers set out to end a new rule that was causing concern in the industry. An Oregon Health Authority rule that began in March required testing of the marijuana flower for aspergillus, a common fungus — and to either toss that flower out or […]
Posted inOpinion
On the Anniversary of the Safeway Shooting, a Status Quo in Addressing Gun Safety
When it comes to suicides and homicides, we can look to gun-safety initiatives in other states for statistics about harm reduction
This week, Bendites are marking the one-year anniversary of the day when a gunman entered the east side Safeway and shot two people before shooting himself. Thanks to the quick actions of one of the victims, Donald Surrett, Jr., the body count may have been far less than what it could have been, police said. […]
Posted inOpinion
We’re Not Doing Enough to Change Our Emissions Habits. It’s All Our Faults.
A recent survey outlines how Oregonians are not opting for bicycle transportation any more than they have in recent years
As we write this, Central Oregon is once again experiencing what is shaping up to be a yearly event: smoke season. A new fire erupted over the weekend near Sisters, blanketing our already smoky region with more unhealthy air. Perhaps it’s a leap in thinking to relate this to a survey released late last week, […]
Posted inOpinion
In the Matter of the People vs. Knopp, More Political Gymnastics
For some Republicans (and one Independent) in the Oregon State Senate, the writing is on the wall: Voters wanted them at work
For some Republicans (and one Independent) in the Oregon State Senate, the writing is on the wall: Voters wanted them at work. When they didn’t show up 10 times this past legislative session, they were deemed ineligible to run again. There’s a good chance if current legislation holds, they’re out of a job. For legislators […]
Posted inOpinion
To Increase Councilor Pay, We Could Decrease Their Numbers
In the City of Bend, leaders recognize that in order to offer sound governance, you’re going to have to lay down some cash
In the City of Bend, leaders recognize that in order to offer sound governance, you’re going to have to lay down some cash. City Manager Eric King earns a healthy salary that’s well over $200,000 a year. Many other city jobs pay at least six figures. These are the salaries that allow Bend to attract, […]
Posted inOpinion
Don’t Like Pumping Your Own Gas? You Still Don’t Have To
Oregonians have embraced the notion of choice
This week, Oregonians from the Pacific to the Owyhee have been breathlessly awaiting the news: Will they be able to determine their own fates, and to choose whether they pump their own gas, or not? In what one might have thought was a pretty straightforward bill that a governor might otherwise not think twice about […]
Posted inOpinion
Even With AI, People Still Need People to Help Them Understand Their Worlds
This week’s issue delves into artificial intelligence in a way that so far, this newspaper has not yet explored
This week’s issue delves into artificial intelligence in a way that so far, this newspaper has not yet explored. Indeed, perhaps we’re late to the party, but here we are. We created this week’s cover — a portion of the paper that encourages people to pick it up off the stands and read a while […]
Posted inOpinion
Will the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Be Relieved of Its “Culture of Corruption” This Time Around?
After the years of Black Lives Matter protests and a focus on police accountability that we’ve experienced recently, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has faced what we could characterize as less than its fair share of scrutiny.
After the years of Black Lives Matter protests and a focus on police accountability that we’ve experienced recently, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has faced what we could characterize as less than its fair share of scrutiny. Perhaps that’s because its reputation of corruption and unfair retaliation has been largely targeted toward employees, rather than […]
