Ditch the Kitchen this Christmas

The dog doesn’t have to “accidentally” eat the turkey for you to feel justified in taking your loved ones out to a restaurant to eat this holiday. If the idea of planning, preparing, serving, and then cleaning up after feeding family and friends sounds more like a work day than a holiday, then we haveโ€ฆ

Beware the Christmas Goat

Let’s get weird for a second. Imagine you were trying to explain Western holiday traditions to someone not raised in our culture. For one, there’s this bearded guy, totally not connected to Jesus or his birthday, who climbs down the chimneys of people with children and leaves presents under a tree propped in a cornerโ€ฆ

All You Can Do is Laugh

Regardless how good of a year we had as individuals, it’s kinda hard to deny that 2016 sucked. Sucked bad. Like, out of toilet paper in a cemetery outhouse bad. We lost Bowie, Prince and Alan Rickman. Politics have us divided worse than four years ago (or eight years ago…or maybe just really any electionโ€ฆ

You Say You Want A Resolution?

If only my 2016 New Year’s resolution had panned out, I’d still be celebrating my Golden Globe nod for “Best Screenplay, Motion Picture.” But that would have involved writing a screenplay at some point in the past 365 days. Or at least that novel I had planned for National Novel Writing Month. NaNoWriMo? Ha. Itโ€ฆ

The Making of Santa

It takes a special person to don the red suit and be Santa over the holidays. Not convinced? Disagree? Maybe once we did, too. It’s not that we were haters before Hal Reitmeier walked through the doors of the Source Weekly; it’s just that we hadn’t yet been introduced to the magic a gifted Santaโ€ฆ

Gung Ho For Shows 12/21-12/28

Book these tickets now so you don’t miss out! January 19 Robert Earl Keen MUSIC—Acclaimed alternative country singer Robert Earl Keen makes his way back to Bend to promote his new album, “Live Dinner Reunion.” In 1996 Keen recorded “No. 2 Live Dinner” at the famous John T. Floore’s Country Store in Helotes, Texas. Twentyโ€ฆ

Letters 12/21-12/28

Four-Way Stops & Traffic Circles Listen up morons. Yeah, I’m talking to you. First, let’s talk four-way stops. They are simple. Pull up to the stop line. Wait your turn. Take your turn! Put down your phone. Quit texting. Yank your head out of your anal orifice. Everybody is expecting you to go when itโ€ฆ

Little Bites: The Fight to Save Novicky’s Farm

With greenhouses and trellising systems, Novicky’s Farm offers Central Oregonians the option of fresh, locally-grown tomatoes longer than some other farmers in the area. Today though, Novicky’s—formerly Victoria’s Veggies—is at risk of losing its land. The owner of the property would like to sell the land, and the best option to keep the farm isโ€ฆ

Our Friend, The Abyss

Can’t see your car under the snow? Must be time for The Abyss. One of Deschutes Brewery’s most well-known brands, the 11th edition of The Abyss barrel-aged imperial stout made its official debut last Friday at the Deschutes pubs on Bond Street and Portland’s Pearl District. It will eventually be shipped across the nation, fromโ€ฆ

Natural World: All Whiteโ€š but Not Quite

It’s tough enough to come up with the correct ID for the varied finches that gang up around my feeder every day, so when you have a leucistic one show up, the whole day gets disrupted. My pal Brent McGregor happened to run into one in his backyard the other day. The first thing thatโ€ฆ

New School Bond: Paying the Piper, One Way or the Other

In November, voters turned down Measure 97, an admittedly-vague measure that would have added billions to state coffers, and ostensibly more money to Oregon schools. Voters approved Measure 98 to fund career and technical education and college prep in all Oregon high schools. The passage of Measure 99, meanwhile, created an Outdoor Education Fund toโ€ฆ

Field Medicine

With so many opportunities to explore the outdoors in Bend come just as many opportunities to get hurt. From a simple sprain to a traumatic injury, getting hurt in the wilderness can elevate the intensity of any medical emergency. That’s where wilderness first aid is key. Specially-trained nurses, paramedics and therapists are prepared to deliverโ€ฆ

Losing Yourself

Something terrible happened to Lee Chandler. When we first meet Lee he’s working as a handyman/janitor in Quincy, Mass. His interactions with customers are cordial and sometimes confrontational. When he gets the news that his older brother has suffered a heart attack, he rushes to the hospital 90 minutes away. The first thing he asksโ€ฆ

Picks 12/21-12/28

Daily Through Dec. 31 Horse Drawn Christmas Caroling HOLIDAY—Cowboy Carriage is hosting Christmas caroling with two Percheron horses pulling a wagon equipped with jingle bells, cookies and hot chocolate through downtown Bend. Caroling books will be provided, all guests need to bring is cheer and singing voices! // Times vary. Meet in front of Pineโ€ฆ

I Am With the Force, the Force is With Me

Trying to review a Star Wars movie is like breaking down the comfort level of your childhood teddy bear. Even though “Rogue One” tells a story with mostly new characters and exists outside of the typical Episode I-VII structure, it’s so deeply rooted in the Star Wars universe that nostalgia holds tightly to every frame.โ€ฆ

Around the World in Cannabis

This week, Smoke Signals goes around the world in cannabis news, starting in the Great White North: Legalization in Alaska Santa may be extra jolly this year, as last week brought the revelation that the North Pole has a commercial cannabis growing operation. OK, the grow op is not at the North Pole. As farโ€ฆ

Moments of Connection

Last year’s Make-A-Band event was a huge deal for Central Oregon. There wasn’t quite anything like that in town before and it teamed up some of the most ridiculously talented producers and musicians in the region. To recap, the series invited local musicians to perform at one of six events at Silver Moon Brewing. Producersโ€ฆ

Stay Lit, Central Oregon!

Over the past two years, you may have wondered at the crew of people in Americorps gear, riding around Bend on bikes laden with boxes of LED bulbs. Whether in snow or in sleet, the crew has been working to get the word out about the incredible energy savings you can get by replacing yourโ€ฆ


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