No Sisters Folk Festival in 2020
The 24th annual Sisters Folk Festival was slated for September 11-13, but with uncertainty stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, SFF is postponing the event until September of 2021. It’s the second time the festival has been forced to cancel in the past several years. In 2017, wildfire smoke caused organizers to make a last-minute call to…
Source Weekly Update Podcast 5/27/20
In this week’s Source Weekly Update podcast: Deschutes County gets an “F” after a resurgence of cases, OSU researchers head to Bend to survey people about COVID prevalence and Bend moves forward with its Core Area project. Source Weekly – Bend, Oregon · Source Weekly Update Podcast 5/27/20
Coronavirus Study Coming to 30 Bend Neighborhoods
A team of researchers from Oregon State University will descend upon Bend and fan out through 30 neighborhoods to offer confidential coronavirus tests to 650 people through May 30 and 31. TRACE, or Team-based Rapid Assessment of Community-level coronavirus Epidemics, is a study designed to get an overview of how the virus has spread in Bend,…
Old industrial neighborhoods will (eventually) get a facelift
The plan to revitalize Bend’s urban core surpassed another hurdle during the May 20 Bend City Council meeting. The Core Area extends about three blocks both east and west from NE Second Street. The north end of the core almost reaches the Riverhouse on the Deschutes and stretches south just beyond Crux Fermentation Project. City…
Green on Green on… Green
One of five stories that are part of this week’s cover feature, “Counting Change: Winners and losers in the rocky restart to the economy.” One of the positives that bloomed from widespread stay-at-home orders was the development of healthy new hobbies, including backyard farming and gardening. From Victory Gardens to chicken coop construction, many flexed…
Everyone Needs a New Sign
One of five stories that are part of this week’s cover feature, “Counting Change: Winners and losers in the rocky restart to the economy.” Go anywhere these days and you’re sure to see a few new signs: “We’re Open!” or “Now with Delivery!” signs abound—whether hand-drawn with fat Sharpies or ordered special from local sign…
The Glass is Half Empty
One of five stories that are part of this week’s cover feature, “Counting Change: Winners and losers in the rocky restart to the economy.” Restaurants have faced some of the most devastating challenges since the coronavirus hit: Gov. Kate Brown closed down table service altogether, and now that it’s back and in Phase One, restaurants…
Building a Nesting Box with Jim Anderson ▶ (with video)
Around these parts, he’s known to spin a yarn that wraps around the block. Now, Naturalist Jim Anderson and longtime Source Weekly contributor sits down with us to talk about one of his favorite subjects: Birds—and how to help care for them. Source videographer Darris Hurst met with Anderson at his home—social-distancing-approved style—to walk through…
Raising the Bar
Serving drinks to thirsty customers is fraught with concerns for bartenders—but customers have a role to play, too. Read what happened during a recent Friday morning at a local greasy spoon.
Unmasked Questions
With the rise of COVID-19 came the rise of misinformation. Scientific facts became topics of debate. “One of my residents is heart broken that the country he fought for in WWII can’t manage to wear a mask for his safety.” One of the most controversial topics in the current climate is mask wearing: should we…
![A PAC for the People ▶ [With Video]](https://i0.wp.com/www.bendsource.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/screen_shot_2020-05-24_at_8.46.27_am.png?resize=600%2C450&ssl=1)
A PAC for the People ▶ [With Video]
Many elected officials in Central Oregon are independently wealthy or retired. It’s expensive to run campaigns, and most positions don’t pay a living wage. Meanwhile, Deschutes County has grown into an urban hub with an increasingly diverse population—not necessarily reflected by the people who hold power. A new political action committee, Strengthening Central Oregon PAC,…
Cans-To-Go: Sippy Cup Hazy Pale Ale
Hazy beers are huge right now, and I’m just as guilty as the next hazy-lover in indulging the trend. There are plenty of good ones brewed right here in Bend and Central Oregon, so why not fully embrace it? One of my favorites from the area is GoodLife Brewing’s Sippy Cup. I had it on…
Pearl’s Puzzle – Week of May 21
Download and print the puzzle here:
Downtown Street Closures: Cool Idea, Lots of Cooks in the Kitchen
Downtown pedestrian districts—so commonplace in Europe—have brought both charm and economic prosperity to some of America’s favorite cities. College towns including Boulder, Colorado; Madison, Wisconsin; and Burlington, Vermont have thriving car-free zones filled with cafes, restaurants, bars and specialty shops. These areas have become novel tourist destinations that stand out in contrast to many American…
State Reveals $2.7 Billion Budget Shortfall
State economists released the latest official state budget forecast Wednesday, and things aren’t looking good. The Oregon Office of Economic Analysis’ report predicted that the state will take in about $2.7 billion less than these economists expected in March. The long-term effects of a depressed economy mean that the picture may be even worse in budget…
A Different Kind of Memorial Day Weekend
Normally, Memorial Day weekend would be a guaranteed celebration—an extra day tacked on to the weekend, right as summer begins to kick off. If this was like other years, Central Oregon would be busy playing party host to visitors and locals alike. But in 2020, things will look and feel different. There will be no…
The Summer of the Sidewalk
Downtown Bend restaurants and retailers are lobbying in favor of a car-free summer, hoping that proposed street closures will make social distancing guidelines easier to implement. The majority of local eateries have had to cut the number of dining room tables in half. Outdoor dining options would free up more space for patrons while helping…
An Eagle Obituary
I have a friend, Lynn Tompkins, who, with her husband, Bob, operate a wildlife facility that does wildlife rehab work near Pendleton. At the moment she and her irreplaceable Volunteers (Capitalized because they are so faithful and hard-working), headed by Michele Canon, are currently handling over 30 orphaned barn owls that have come to her attention…
Source Material
Local’s Bin “Un Nouvel Adieu” – Elisha David One of the most unique projects you’ll hear all year. Recorded with four members of the Central Oregon Symphony, Elisha David delivers a modern and ethereal take on classical music. In our story about the album this month, David told the Source how he was inspired by…
Is Anyone Enforcing This?
Over the last week, local, state and county officials have hosted a slew of virtual press meetings to announce the news that most of Oregon is reopening… albeit with caution. At every level of government, curious reporters have asked the same questions: Who is enforcing the new guidelines? Will people violating the non-essential travel ban…
Reopening: We Might Have Just One Chance to Get This Right
Bend has always been a boom-and-bust town, but this time, we have less historical precedent to be able to understand what happens next. What we are witnessing, in its current form, may never happen again. During this recent lockdown, society has been in a collective pause; a holding pattern that has meant we’ve been able…
Gravel Bike Adventures in the Ochoco National Forest
The Ochoco National Forest has a million roads with so few cars that I always give out a big HOWDY wave when they go by. It’s the perfect place for gravel cycling; a recreational paradise. Late spring through mid-summer is my favorite riding time, with loads of wildflowers. We often run into mustangs, deer and…
Weigh in on the use of e-bikes on BLM lands
It’s a controversial—and confusing—topic: Should e-bikes be allowed on the same remote trails now populated by the people-powered varieties of bikes? And if they’re not allowed everywhere, where should e-bikes be allowed to roam? Advocates of expanding access say allowing e-bikes on public lands gets more people out on the lands and improves health and…
Filmmaking with Your Quaranteam
Taylor Morden never slows down. He’s a multi-instrumentalist musician with a band focused on Weezer covers, a seemingly tireless filmmaker hoping to premiere his latest documentary, “The Last Blockbuster,” at the Tower Theater in July, and a devoted cinephile who consumes movies like water. Even during quarantine Morden has managed to keep multiple projects juggling,…
The Times, They Did Change
As Central Oregon begins to reemerge slowly and safely from quarantine, many are anxious to get back to normal and accomplish the real estate goals put on hold due to the pandemic. A large number of buyers and sellers are ready to make their move but everyone is still asking themselves, what is this market…
A New Way to Beer Fest
Is the virtual beer festival a way of the future, or a way of right now? Who knows, but the Portland Beer Fest Virtual Edition was way more fun than I was expecting. For $30, they ship 10 beers to your house. I really wasn’t expecting much—maybe some type of virtual meeting with other festival…
How to Waste Less Food in the Kitchen (and Eat Better, Too)
When people think about zero-waste living or eating more sustainably, the following usually come to mind: buying food in bulk and bringing your own containers, supporting local farms or composting at home. But what if I told you to compost less as a way to waste less food? It sounds counterintuitive, but the best way…
Free Will Astrology—Week of May 21
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for,” writes author Barbara Kingsolver. “And the most you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it, under its roof.” According to my analysis of…
