Candidate List for Five-Seat Deschutes County Commission Growing
The 2026 primary race for an expanded Deschutes County Commission from three to five seats continues growing. Four of the five seats are up for election. Two of those are held by incumbents Tony DeBone and Patti Adair. The two new seats are at-large. Commissioner Phil Chang’s seat in Position 2 is not up for…
Two Candidates Announce Intent to Run for Deschutes County Commissioner
Two people have announced their intention to run for a seat on Deschutes County’s Board of County Commissioners next spring. The current three-person commission is in the process of outlining districts for a five-person commission, after voters approved increasing the size of the commission in 2024. One of the people who led the effort for…
Swift Water & K-9 Teams Lead Search at Dillon Falls
Search and recovery efforts at Dillon Falls continued this week for a man swept over Dillon Falls on July 19. Two women died in the same incident. The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office says swift water experts worked in and around Class 5 rapids, tethered to safety systems while navigating hazardous conditions near the waterfalls. Professional…
Ty Rupert, Long-Serving Captain,Tapped for Deschutes County Interim Sheriff
The Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners appointed veteran Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Captain Ty Rupert to the role of Interim Sheriff on July 29. All five candidates for the position, which will run 18 months through the 2026 Election Cycle, were present for Tuesday’s vote of the Board, including James McLaughlin, Paul Kansky, Deron…
Woman Arrested After Setting Two Small Fires
Bend Police arrested a 45-year old Bend woman in connection with two brush fires near Sawyer Park. Shortly after 11pm on Saturday, July 26, multiple callers reported a fire on the west side of the Deschutes River. Bend Fire & Rescue quickly contained the fire, then requested law enforcement assistance for a second fire that…
Running Out of Fresh Air
Central Oregon’s summer recreation season now comes with an unwelcome, routine companion: thick, choking smoke. What was once an occasional annoyance has become a regular threat, forcing everyone from weekend hikers to competitive athletes to rethink their outdoor plans. Smoke threatens vulnerable groups and athletes alike Those with sensitive immune systems, like pregnant women, children…
Brewing Up Expansions
Three Redmond-based brewpubs have expanded throughout Central Oregon in the last several years. Wild Ride Brewing expanded to Prineville in 2022, with Initiative Brewing and Sunriver Brewing Company expanding more recently. Brian Mitchell, co-founder of Wild Ride Brewing, agrees that production and taprooms have felt economic challenges but says, “In general, both of our Taprooms…
Governor Kotek Signs Bills that Break Down Barriers to Housing Construction
Hillsboro, OR – Today, Governor Tina Kotek commemorated the signing of House Bill 2138, House Bill 3031, House Bill 2258, Senate Bill 684, and House Bill 3145, bipartisan bills aimed at building the housing that Oregonians need with the urgency they deserve. These bills are an essential component of the Governor’s work to break down…
County Residents Now Able To Recycle New Items
Oregon’s Plastic Pollution and Recycling Modernization Act (RMA), passed by the Legislature in 2021, officially took effect on July 1, 2025. With this new change, residents can now recycle food and beverage cartons, pizza boxes and small scrap metal (less than 10 pounds) in their curbside carts. The RMA makes recycling simpler by creating one…
Governor Kotek Signs Historic Clean Drinking Water Legislation
Salem, OR — Last week, Governor Tina Kotek signed Senate Bill 1154 and House Bill 3525 into law, two pieces of legislation which take essential steps forward to address water quality and transparency concerns, while protecting the health of all Oregonians. “There is no more essential public resource than water,” Governor Kotek said. “Oregonians are…
Rare Orphaned Flying Squirrel Rescued by Think Wild
Bend, Oregon — Think Wild, Central Oregon’s wildlife hospital and conservation center, has admitted an orphaned Northern flying squirrel for rehabilitation. The young female squirrel was found on July 20, 2025, in the middle of a trail at Virginia Meissner Sno-Park near Bend. The finder initially thought the squirrel was deceased, but she began to…
Special Blend Gravel Announces Inclusion Scholarship, Powered By She Sends Foundation
Special Blend Gravel announces that in partnership with the She Sends Foundation, will offer four scholarships to BIPOC women, women-identifying and non-binary cyclists to attend our Fall 2025 gravel cycling camp in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon. The deadline for submissions is August 10, 2025 and notifications to applicants will occur on August 15, 2025. The scholarship…
Grounds for Action
On July 24, authorities arrested a 39-year-old man in an east Redmond homeless camp, accusing him of firing gunshots at a passing motorcycle. Deschutes County officials have identified safety concerns as a top issue at homeless encampments. On July 21, the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners voted to add two hours of daily security…
Budweiser Clydesdales To Visit Downtown Redmond
The world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales will be making a special appearance in Downtown Redmond, on Thursday, July 31, from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m., courtesy of the Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo. The public is invited to come to Centennial Park to meet and take pictures with the Clydesdales, and then cheer them on as they travel…
New Law Supports Small Businesses
Governor Tina Kotek signed House Bill 2337 into law, which establishes a procurement program to prioritize small businesses in Oregon. House Bill 2337 will incentivize state spending within Oregon communities, circulating local dollars directly back into the community. “House Bill 2337 weaves our values into the fabric of government,” Governor Kotek said. “We know that small…
Mt. Bachelor’s Expert Jump Trail Opens July 26
Mt. Bachelor is thrilled to announce that Redline, the Bike Park’s flagship expert jump trail is expected to open tomorrow (Saturday, July 26) at noon, conditions permitting. With sunny, warm weather in the forecast this weekend and Pine Marten scheduled to spin from 10:00am – 7:00pm, riders can enjoy lap after lap on a variety…
Sheriff Kent van der Kamp Appeals Lifetime Revocation of Police Certifications
Deschutes County Sheriff Kent van der Kamp has had his police certifications revoked for life by the state’s police agency in Salem. But those certs have remained valid since the embattled sheriff filed an appeal on June 27. That contested case process may stretch a full year, said Sam Tenney, the communications coordinator at the…
Unpacking Real Estate Agent Misconceptions:
The world of real estate often conjures images of fast-talking agents, perfectly staged homes, and rapid-fire sales. Let’s peel back the layers and address three pervasive myths: the purpose of open houses, the alleged price inflation, and the true beginning of an agent’s heavy lifting. Perhaps the most enduring misconception is that open houses are…
The Third Act: A Column on Ageism and Ageing
July is a time to get away from it all—exploring America’s rivers, coastlines and national parks or just holing up at a cabin on the shore of a nearby lake. Any one of those sounds wonderful. But in a recent podcast on “The Journal,” travel guru Rick Steves proposes a different idea. Instead of heading…
Source Warmup
Adaptive Paddling Program Gets a Boost This summer, Travel Oregon awarded $6.2 million in grants to 65 projects across the state through their 2024-25 Competitive Grants Program. It’s not your typical tourism upgrades. The funding is going toward projects that help people who have often been left out of the travel experience, because of mobility…
New Mexico, Old Bend
Central Oregon (and Bend in particular) has such an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the restaurant scene that it’s easy to take for granted the places that have been around for what feels like forever. So many new concepts and spaces open up every month that it feels like we’re always looking ahead…
Bend Police Department invites the community to National Night Out
The Bend Police Department looks forward to welcoming the Bend community at National Night Out from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 5 at Bear Creek Elementary School. The event, Bend’s community night out, is part of a nationwide program designed to foster strong relationships between the community and law enforcement. This…
Aren’t There Any Books for Teen Boys?
“My son doesn’t read anymore.” “My middle schooler needs more mature books, but I don’t know what to get him.” “Do you have anything that’s not a romance?” The challenge I encounter most often as a bookseller is recommendations for teen boys. As they age out of middle-grade (ages 9-12), it feels like all they…
Investigators Say Brush Fire in La Pine Was Human Caused
For the second time in recent weeks, a brush fire broke out near the transient camp on BLM land off Darlene Way and Rosland Road in La Pine. The Jolene Fire started around 2:40pm Wednesday, July 23rd. It was quickly contained thanks to the rapid response of Lt. Josh Spano, DCSO deputies, La Pine Fire…
It’s Time for Bend Real Estate Roundup!
Welcome fans to an exciting make-believe game show — Bend Real Estate Roundup, where buyers navigate Bend’s housing market in hopes of the ultimate prize: somewhere to live! Time and time again, you’ve seen people win a three-bedroom golf community home — paid with cash in hand! You’ve also seen people buy their first starter…
Budweiser Clydesdales Arrival Delayed for Opening Day of the Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo, Visit to Downtown Redmond July 31st Canceled
The Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center has been informed that the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales have experienced an unexpected travel delay and will not arrive in time for the Grand Opening Day of the 2025 Deschutes County Fair & Rodeo. While the Budweiser Clydesdales will not be with us on Opening Day, we’re still working…
Urgent Bottled Water Donations Needed Amid Summer Heat
With Central Oregon in the thick of summer and daytime temperatures consistently in the 90s, individuals experiencing homelessness are at heightened risk of dehydration and heat-related illness. To address this challenge, Shepherd’s House Ministries is calling on the community to donate bottled water and support its effort to combat hunger and homelessness. A Place at the…
Creative Connections
The 10,000-square-foot building at 175 NE Greenwood Ave. in Bend that once housed City Thrift will be transformed into The Open Arts Center. The nonprofit is the vision of local artists Maija Kellner-Rode and Claire Brislin who’ve been planning it for two years. The unique concept will operate as a free creative community center for…
Two Necks Are Better Than One
Mark Kroos is one of those guitarists who makes playing the guitar look so much easier than it actually is, and the way he plays the double neck guitar is more than a little mind blowing. He can play a piece like Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” in a pianistic style, with one hand on one…
Horoscope Week of July 23, 2025
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I predict that your imminent future will be a ticklish and tricky but ultimately uplifting masterpiece. It will feature guest appearances by members of your private hall of fame, including one future luminary you have not yet fully appreciated. This epic series of adventures may begin when you are nudged to…
Letters to the Editor 07/23/2025
Build a Shelter The county should prioritize building a high-barrier shelter that provides comprehensive services, including access to medical care, mental health support, and pathways to stability. It’s deeply concerning that, in our community and society, we are allowing people to live in such unsafe and unsanitary conditions; referred to as dirt world. This situation…
Two New Neighborhood Hangouts
Sparrow Bakery is opening a second Bend location called Sparrow Mercado. Located in the newly developed Discovery Corner Plaza on the westside of Bend, Mercado, which is the Spanish word for market, is just that. It’s an upscale bodega with grab-and-go lunches, after-school snacks, dinner components, picnic items, Sparrow pastries, breads, cookies, crackers, pizza dough…
Helping Birds Keep Their Cool
Central Oregon is on track to break temperature records this summer (again), reminding us that the High Desert sun is no joke. High temperatures can lead to dehydration, heatstroke, and even death for our feathered neighbors. The good news? There are simple, affordable steps everyone can take to create a life-saving oasis for our visiting…
Klamath River Run was Great TV, but the Lasting Effect is Hope
If the national TV and newspaper crews were any indication, the “first run” of the Klamath River by a group of young indigenous paddlers this past month was a very big deal. Supporters and news crews galore descended on the mouth of the Klamath this month, as the group of paddlers, who’d spent years training…
The Psychedelic Frontier
Q: “I have my first intentional mushroom session coming up and I have found conflicting information in my research into hope to properly prepare for such an experience. What can someone best prepare for the most effective experience?” A: Preparing for an intentional, deep psychedelic experience is an intimate act of self-care, expansion and connection.…
2020 Vision
Ari Aster’s new film, “Eddington,” is a lot of things. It’s a period piece set in May 2020, right as the COVID lockdown and mask mandates were being implemented. It’s a Neo-noir revisionist western hung across the backdrop of a dying town in New Mexico (Noir Mexico?). It’s a doomscroll into the heart of America.…
Redmond Musician Puts Out Second Album
Lilli Worona has lived in Central Oregon long enough to consider it home. And she’s been a player in the local music scene long enough to be a fixture. Her sophomore album, “Maritime Siren,” is set to drop on July 25. In a press release, it is described as “a vulnerable storytelling album with themes…
