Editorial
Posted inOpinion

Congressional District 2 is a Huge Geographic Area. Break It Up, Already.

Leaders in Salem have promised a series of public meetings to present those plans, and each of us should care to attend
by The Source Staff

It’s been expected for quite some time, but last week, it became official: Oregon is picking up a new seat in the U.S. House. Oregon narrowly missed adding a seat following the 2010 U.S. Census, so it comes as little surprise that we’d add one now, with our state continuing to be a place with […]

Posted inOpinion

In a Housing Crisis, Put the Focus Back on Locals

With prices rising astronomically and no end in sight, it’s time for local governments to increase their efforts to help provide housing for those who live right here
by The Source Staff

By now most Bendites have either experienced the crunch of housing first-hand—or if not, they know someone who has struggled to find rental housing or to buy a home at a reasonable price, or who has otherwise noted how elevated prices and spiking demand are impacting the quality of life here. While a city such […]

Posted inOpinion

As Bend Transitions to a City, Be Ready to Talk More about the “Big P”

For those not yet in the know, we’ll supply a quick rundown of some of the parking considerations currently on the table in Bend
by The Source Staff

P is for Parking—and with Bend’s explosive growth, Bendites should be prepared to spend a lot more time talking about it in the months and years to come. The conversations that are already emerging about this topic include ones covering whether we should have to pay for it, how to pay for it, where it exists, […]

Posted inOpinion

We’ve All Sacrificed. Now’s the Time to Set a Course for Oregon’s Live-Event Industry.

During an isolating year when many of us have described ourselves as being lanky saplings in need of a good dose of water, it is the memory of better days ahead that have kept us going
by The Source Staff

When people think of Oregon, among the first things that come to mind—along with our mountains, waters and trees—is the cultural wealth our state provides. From festivals such as Oregon Shakespeare in Ashland, to Pickathon near Portland, to concert venues such as McMenamins’ Edgefield in Troutdale, or the Les Schwab Amphitheater in Bend, chances are, […]

Posted inOpinion

With Oregon’s Prospective Public-Building Gun Ban, Two More Steps are Still Ahead

This hot-button, urban-rural-divide issue is one worth taking up in our very purple region
by The Source Staff

Last week, the Oregon Senate voted in favor of Senate Bill 554, a bill that would, if passed, allow state and local governments to ban firearms in public buildings for those with a concealed carry permit. The bill was set to go before the Oregon House on March 29—but due to more cases of COVID-19 […]

Posted inOpinion

The Tourists Are Coming. Let’s Plan Accordingly

We all now realize, even without promotion of Bend this year, the tourists will come, as they did last summer, as well.
by The Source Staff

With spring upon us and COVID-19 vaccines promised to be available to all people in Oregon within a handful of weeks, we here in Central Oregon are beginning to look to the summer and beyond—when tourism will return with full force to the region. Tour operators and guide services we have talked to say they’re […]

Posted inOpinion

A Welcome Change for Public Lands, and for Native Representation

Glass slipper for the confirmation of Rep. Deb Haaland, a Laguna Pueblo woman, as Secretary of the Interior
by The Source Staff

It’s been easy over this past year to be laser focused on the calamities presenting themselves most urgently: the coronavirus pandemic and the push for racial equality, to name just the top two. But lurking in the backs of our minds throughout this time of crisis has been the issue that is not just ours, […]

Posted inOpinion

Why Redistricting Matters and How You Can Take Part

The lines defining districts for state House and Senate, along with U.S. Congressional Districts, have an opportunity to be redrawn based on shifts in population
by The Source Staff

Just when you thought we’d put aside politics for a while—so soon after an emotional and contentious 2020 presidential election—more intrigue is ahead. Every 10 years, following the U.S. Census, the lines defining districts for state House and Senate, along with U.S. Congressional Districts, have an opportunity to be redrawn based on shifts in population. […]

Posted inOpinion

Between Supporting Working Mothers and Passing the Equality Act, the Work Toward Gender Parity Continues

Whether in the home or the workplace, the battles for gender parity continue
by The Source Staff

Every year, the Source Weekly puts out its Women’s Issue, typically coinciding with International Women’s Day on March 8—a day that celebrates “the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity,” as described on the International Women’s Day website. The issues around equal […]

Posted inOpinion

In Pandemic Response, Embrace the Gray

We’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel
by The Source Staff

With cases falling sharply across the country and our own county having moved from the most extreme risk category into a lower one that allows for more interaction among people, it’s obvious that we’re moving into a “middle territory” as it pertains to the pandemic. While public health experts warn that it’s too soon to […]

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