On June 9, the Bend Park & Recreation District was forced to close its new Whitewater Park due to safety concerns. The park, meant to offer a safe passage for recreational floaters as well as a fun zone for more advanced whitewater enthusiasts, was expected to be a huge draw for the area—so a rapid […]
Editorial
Posted inOpinion
Funding for Affordable Housing: A Step in the Right Direction
One sunny summer morning not long ago, I marched across a dusty front yard in midtown Bend with a $45 rental application fee in hand. This wasn’t exactly the house I’d dreamed of living in when I knew I was moving to Bend, but it was adequate—and available, and I was going to lay down […]
Posted inOpinion
When is a Park not a Park?
For the citizens of Bend, Troy Field has become a de-facto park. Soccer teams practice there, local residents exercise their dogs there, and community members gather there for picnics and potlucks. It is a major urban open space in downtown Bend and for children who live nearby, the only place to run and play that […]
Posted inOpinion
Channeling White Guilt
This week saw two black men killed by police officers in two days, under questionable circumstances. During a #BlackLivesMatter protest in Dallas – a city that has embraced and implemented police reforms more than most – five police officers were killed by a sniper who said he wanted to kill white people and, in particular, […]
Posted inOpinion
Airbnb Should Share and Share Alike
Bend residents concerned about Airbnb’s effect on the local housing supply and economy should pay close attention to what’s currently happening in San Francisco. In response to a new rule there that would fine Airbnb $1,000 per day for every unregistered listing in the City, the home-sharing behemoth is suing its hometown. The company contends […]
Posted inOpinion
Bend Pride and Troy Field: Two Big Winners
Bend Pride We visited the Pride celebration this past weekend in Drake Park, and Bend sure has changed since 2005 when the Human Dignity Coalition and a few dozen brave folks threw the first public Pride celebration in McKay Park. Back in those days, many locals were hesitant to join the party, out of concern […]
Posted inOpinion
Mirror Pond Dam
Now that PacificPower has announced it's planning to keep the Mirror Pond dam after all, we can all breath a temporary sigh of relief. While in some quarters this decision by the energy company has upended the apple cart of “progress” on Mirror Pond, for those who share the sentiment that the best solution for […]
Posted inOpinion
Taking Responsibility for River Trash
Local government and businesses have rolled out the red carpet for river runners. Parks and Rec launched the Ride the River shuttle long before we had a public bus system. Sun Country Tours rents float tubes to families at Riverbend Park Beach. Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe has helped create a veritable SUP armada on […]
Posted inOpinion
Oregon’s Education Crisis
Five high schools in Bend will celebrate graduation in June, with Mountain View first on June 9, followed by La Pine High on June 10, Summit and Bend Senior High on June 11, and Marshall on June 13. For many, it will be one of life’s happiest days, but nearly one in four students won’t […]
Posted inOpinion
Rethinking City Council
Though City Council duties, meetings, committees, and hearings require 45 to 55 hours per week to fulfill, Bend City Councilors are considered volunteers, have no administrative support staff and receive no benefits. The archaic notion of an unpaid mayor and city council is not in step with the times within the paradigm of the exponential […]
