This week, Editor Nicole Vulcan has elected to write a personal note to readers, in honor of the 2019 Women’s Issue. Every year, the Source dedicates one issue to highlighting the work of some of the women doing impactful work around social, environmental and cultural change in our community. Some years, we’ve elected to name […]
Editorial
Posted inOpinion
When it comes to paying for transportation infrastructure, locals may be paying twice
In Central Oregon, housing and transportation infrastructure represent two of the region’s biggest challenges. With explosive growth in recent decades, people know the housing shortage can drive up rents and make buying more difficult. They also know that certain roads are “avoid at all costs” during certain times of the day, due to congestion. A […]
Posted inOpinion
Marijuana: Let “Oversupply” Become “Export”
It’s no secret that Oregon produces good weed—and a lot of it. Along with other bastions of marijuana, such as Humboldt County, Calif., Oregonians have a very green thumb that’s put the state near the top of the heap when it comes to production of the stuff. Oregon’s thumb is so green, in fact, that […]
Posted inOpinion
Pet rent ban would do away with hidden “fee” for pet owners
As Oregon continues to grapple with a housing supply problem, the Oregon Legislature has introduced a number of bills in the current session, covering everything from rent control to no-cause evictions to pet rent. Some bills surrounding housing can have unintended consequences. In the case of pet rent, it seems a case of unfair double-dipping […]
Posted inOpinion
Hit the Reset Button on the City Council Position
At the time of this writing, messages continue to come into the inboxes of Bend City Councilors, in regard to—to use the words of one resident—the “opaque process” by which the Council selected its recent appointee, Chris Piper. At no point in the past several years have we seen so much public outrage about a […]
Posted inOpinion
Transparency and listening fall off in appointee process
Ahead of the November election, then-Mayor Pro Tem Sally Russell promised, were she to be elected as Bend’s first directly elected mayor, that she would prioritize listening to constituents as she makes City decisions. Following the election, then Mayor-Elect Russell, tasked, along with the rest of the council, with appointing someone to fill the council […]
Posted inOpinion
Thank Walden for supporting workers over his party
In the past, we have criticized our U.S. representative when he’s made moves that don’t appear to benefit his constituents—such as when he moved in favor of repealing the Affordable Care Act, for example. We also know it’s important to offer praise when it’s due. Last week, U.S. Rep. Greg Walden (R-Hood River), who represents […]
Posted inOpinion
Apartment fight reveals Bend’s latent—and damaging—xenophobia
Our editorial board has already established its position regarding the construction of the proposed apartment complex near The Pavilion in Bend. In a housing crisis, it is unconscionable for a city not to approve apartments on land that’s been privately, legally obtained by owners who have adhered to the rules for developing such a property. […]
Posted inOpinion
The Legislature Misstepped in a Sexual Harassment Scandal. Companies and Organizations Can Do Better
Editor’s note: This version has been altered from the original version. In the original print version, the text in the third paragraph alluded to Sen. Tim Knopp (R-Bend) being party to contemplations among Republican leadership of a lawsuit against Sen. Sara Gelser. Knopp and Gelser confirmed today that Knopp was not party to that contemplation. […]
Posted inOpinion
Libraries are Equity Makers. Deschutes County Voters Should Support Their Expansion
If you need some inspiration about the benefits of libraries in modern society, you might start with 2018’s “The Library Book,” by Susan Orlean—named a Top 10 Book of the Year by The Washington Post. The book chronicles the hunt for a suspected arsonist in the wake of the 1986 fire at the Los Angeles […]