It’s Quitters Day!
Three weeks into the new year means many things. One of them is that many new goals were set, which is awesome! Self-improvement is definitely encouraged. But it also probably means many of those sought after goals are going to be quit. To top it off, according to studies done by Strava, January 17 is…
Yoga Use is Up in the U.S. Here’s One Way to Keep Practicing While on the Road
This fall, the days got shorter and shorter until there was not a shred of light left after the work day was done. It’s the perennial dilemma of the office warrior: How to take care of body (and coincidentally, soul) when the dark days are upon us and outside activities get tougher to accomplish mid-week?…
St. Charles Nurses Reach Tentative Agreement
After a marathon negotiation session that lasted two days, the Oregon Nurses Association and St. Charles Medical Center reached a tentative agreement on a new four-and-a-half year contract for St. Charles hospital nurses. “This agreement is a win for our community’s health,” David Hilderbrand, ONA bargaining unit chair and registered nurse said in a press…
Slowing it Down
The state of Oregon and the City of Bend have implemented a few new laws and policies in the new year, from road kill to the downtown parking scene – and now speed limits. You don’t want to be the one who misses these updates and ends up with a ticket. Here are…
SNAP Benefits Issuing Early
The partial federal government shutdown prompted the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ask states to issue February’s benefits early for people who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for food security. The 615,405 Oregonians currently enrolled in SNAP will see their next monthly allocation by Jan. 20, according to a press release from…
Help For Furloughed Government Workers
Amid the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, some local businesses and organizations are offering meals and services to furloughed federal government workers. This is a living document that will be updated as we learn about local charitable efforts to help federal workers affected by the government shutdown. High Desert Museum Offering free admission to…
Quite Possibly the Strangest List Bend Has Made It On
Bend makes its way onto a host of Top 10 and “Best” lists. The city has been listed among the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. this year, and routinely gets accolades for being among the best outdoor destinations, according to this mag or that. But this could quite possibly be the most off-base list our…
Court Shoots Down OHV Trails in the Ochocos
The fight over a proposed off-road vehicle route system in the Ochoco Mountains looks like it’s at an end, after U.S. District Court Judge Marco Hernandez ruled the U.S. Forest Service failed to satisfy its legal obligation to study wildlife impacts. Central Oregon LandWatch brought a legal challenge in federal court over the proposed 137-mile…
Weekend Warrior: January 11-13
There’s a lot going on this weekend—which is awesome! That is, until you can’t make a decision on what to do… If you need some help, here are some of the top notch options for what’s happening: Friday: BendFilm Presents: The Dawn Wall Rock climbing is pretty crazy when you think about it, and after…
Bride-to-Be on the Loose
During certain times of the year, it can be difficult to walk Bond or Wall Street past sundown without seeing a parade of females dressed to the nines, the leader in a tiara and sash which reads, “Bride to be.” Bend is a hot spot for more than just Après Ski events, delicately man-scaped facial…
New Chef in Residence at Plantd
It’s a new year, and Plantd has new menu items from a new chef, Tenzin Sherpa. If Sherpa sounds familiar, he owns the food cart, Himalayan Bites. He will be infusing the Plantd menu with the healthy cooking and aromatic spices he grew up with in Nepal. If you’ve dined at Sherpa’s food cart, a…
Watch This: The Evolution of Organic
If you want to eat healthier this year, make more responsible purchasing decisions or decrease your carbon footprint, think about eating local. As inspiration for a healthier lifestyle watch the screening of “The Evolution of Organic” at Central Oregon Locavore. The movie is about the history of organic agriculture, narrated by the group that championed…
Let Them Eat Something Besides Cake
When my husband and I were planning our wedding, he kept mentioning to people that we might have doughnuts instead of cake. I thought he was trying to be a little over the top or different (he has a habit of that…) but it turned that he was not joking at all and was extremely…
Garcia Peoples Head West
There’s a cliché about life and open doors, and in a sense, it’s kind of true. At least that’s something Tom Malach, guitar player in the alternative rock band, Garcia Peoples, is becoming more aware of following the release of their debut album, “Cosmic Cash.” We sat down with Malach to talk about the album,…
‘Grounded’ worth a fresh look
George Brant’s thought-provoking play, “Grounded,” is back for a second and more complete performance at 2nd Street Theater this weekend, after enjoying a popular run as a black-box production by the Cascades Theatrical Company last season. When Director Lilli Ann Linford-Foreman brought the one-woman show to life at CTC last year, she says it was…
2019 is Gonna Be Juicy For Handmade Moments
Following a collision in their biodiesel bus in 2016, Anna Moss and Joel Ludford were on a track of recovery. Not just physically, but also mentally and spiritually as well. The Arkansas duo has since then moved through those challenges and is ready to start putting out the best music they’ve ever made as the…
(Almost) DIY Weddings
There’s no shortage of wedding blogs catering to the budget-conscious couple, but planning a wedding within any modest budget is a daunting task. A bride-to-be can pin as many listicles as she wants to her Pinterest, citing tips and tricks for planning a wedding under $5,000 — but the reality isn’t quite as neat and…
December Statistics Mix of Up and Down for Bend
According to December 2018 Central Oregon MLS statistics for Bend single family residences (excluding condos and manufactured homes) on 1 acre or less, the market cooled down again, with sales volume decreasing by about 16 percent from December 2017. The median sold price increased slightly from $433,143 in November 2018 to $438,632 for December 2018.…
Same-sex Marriage Still a Fight in Many Places
Last week, two Austrian women became the first same-sex couple to marry in their country, after years of legal challenges that barred marriage between people of the same gender. Austria follows a host of countries that have relaxed or altered laws around same-sex marriage in recent years. Oregon saw a change in 2014, when a…
St. Charles Nurses May Picket
Nearly all the nurses at St. Charles Health System—Central Oregon’s largest health care provider—voted to endorse an informational picket if they can’t agree with their employer on a tentative work agreement before Jan. 21. According to Lydia Hallay, an organizer for the Oregon Nurses Association—representing nurses throughout Oregon—there are currently only two more scheduled days…
Wedding Libations
So, you’ve decided to tie the knot and need to figure out how you’re going to wet your guests’ whistles during the reception? Depending on your venue, there are options. Those who have an unlimited budget may choose to use an open bar—basically a free-for-all for guests, and maybe a way to have the reception…
Free Will Astrology—Week of January 10
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In 1984, singer-songwriter John Fogerty released a new album whose lead single was “The Old Man Down the Road.” It sold well. But trouble arose soon afterward when Fogerty’s former record company sued him in court, claiming he stole the idea for “The Old Man Down the Road” from “Run Through…
Letters to the Editor
Comment on dog training in the community I just wanted to speak out about a popular form of dog training in Bend known as “shock collars.” This is a form of training that I have seen frequently while visiting the many dog parks in town. While I understand that sometimes these devices may be called…
Tortillas with El Sancho
Learn to make tortillas from one of Bend’s favorite taco shops, El Sancho. The demo and hands-on experience covers making handmade tortillas from the proper hydration and mixing of dried masa to the shaping and cooking of tortillas. Once you make your own tortillas you can fill them with El Sancho’s signature condiments and fillings.…
Newts Deserve Respect, or Else…
Victor Berthelsdorf, who lives over in The Swamp on a farm near McMinnville, recently sent me an email with a photo of a great egret posing with a mouthful of rough-skinned newt. Berthelsdorf’s note read: “I was wondering what your take might be on this. Taken Dec. 13. Dazed & confused? Washing it off? Flipping the…
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.…
Winter Sky Watch
In 2017, a total solar eclipse created a cosmic sensation across Central Oregon. The next total solar eclipse, laying a path of totality from Texas to Maine, will be April 8, 2024. So, what’s there to do in between? Answer: star party! Starry, Starry Night The winter night sky is a celestial treat for many…
Almost a Movie
Every January, the studios frontload the movies they think are either hot garbage or that won’t make them any money. Usually, that first week of the new year gives us the worst horror and action movies we’ll see for the next 12 months. Every once in a while a great little movie will sneak in…
Gramping Her Style and Debt Valley
Gramping Her Style My friend just joined a dating site for elite creative professionals. Unfortunately, it grabs your age from Facebook, so you can’t shave off years. At 50, she’s outside of most men’s search parameters—even older men’s. What gives? —Concerned Aging is especially unkind to straight women on dating sites. At a certain point (usually…
Dawn Wall is a Delight for Doc Lovers
Anyone who loves documentary films knows this: the subject doesn’t really matter. The heart of a great documentary transcends its subject, and “The Dawn Wall” is no exception. BendFilm is bringing this film back to The Tower Theatre on Jan. 11, and it’s free for BendFilm members. “The Dawn Wall” tells the story of Tommy…
Winter X Winter: Collaborative Exhibition at Bend Art Center
On display in January at the Bend Art Center is a collaborative, site-specific exhibit, guest curated by Bend artist Julie Winter. Entitled “Winter X Winter,” the exhibit is inspired by people’s connections to place. Winters invited 30 artists to respond to the theme of “home” on a common canvas of 30-inch-by-84-inch natural fiber handmade Asian…
Prohibition Arguments Cannalyzed: On Mexico Smuggling
Happy 2019, everyone! Let’s kick off the New Year with another installment of our series “Prohibition Arguments, Cannalyzed,” in which we examine arguments used by those who are anti-cannabis. This week, a favorite often cited by those who sport MAGA hats. Argument: “If you legalize cannabis, it just helps the criminal gangs like MIA smuggle…
Wubba’s BBQ Shack Closes Brick and Mortar
After six years, Wubba’s BBQ Shack is permanently closing its brick and mortar restaurant on Layton Avenue, due to the sale of the building. On Facebook they stated, “we will be seeking out another location in the future.” Until then you can find Wubba’s BBQ Shack at the food cart at River’s Place across from…
