LISTEN: Bend Don’t Break with Dr. Sarah Hellman 🎧
On this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron sits down with Dr. Sarah Hellmann, a board-certified OB-GYN at St. Charles Health System and co-host of the podcast Wine with Your Gyn. From her journey from social work to women’s health, to creating a podcast that blends humor and honesty around often-taboo topics, Dr. Hellmann shares…
LISTEN: Grand Craft Bend: Brett Thomas
We sit down with Sunriver Brewing’s director, Brett Thomas, to discuss Sunriver’s impressive tenure of quality and consistency that’s led to numerous awards locally (Oregon Beer Awards), nationally (Great American Beer Festival including being the reigning Brewery of the Year) and even globally (World Beer Cup). As Sunriver prepares to open its fifth tasting room…
900 Wall Abruptly Closes
A day after announcing its sudden closure, employees at 900 Wall were clearing out the restaurant. A social media post on Monday, May 5 said “We did all we could to continue to provide a living for our employees, a sense of community for our guests and a platform for all of the local farmers and…
Skyliners Lodge Finds Stewards in NatureConnect Central Oregon
Skyliners Lodge, the historic log cabin near Tumalo Falls, will soon reopen under the new stewardship of educational nonprofit NatureConnect Central Oregon. NatureConnect will oversee Skyliners Lodge operations and resume renting out the lodge for private events, such as weddings, company retreats and parties. Profits from the rentals will go toward school field trips and…
Dismal Financial Results Threaten Oregon Hospitals
In the 18 years of hospital profitability data the Oregon Health Authority has collected, only one year—2022, a COVID hangover—yielded lower profits than 2024. “We are at a tipping point in this state,” Becky Hultberg, CEO of the Hospital Association of Oregon, said in an interview. “Hospitals are on the brink of closure.” A report…
The 13th Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show is taking place again on Saturday, May 10, 2025.
Rooted in a love of fashion, an appreciation of art and a passion for the planet, the Rubbish Renewed Eco Fashion Show is an annual fundraising event for Realms Schools (Realms Middle School and Realms High School; two public schools in Bend-LaPine Schools). Started in 2010, by two teachers, this fundraiser features an eclectic, wearable…
OSU-Cascades to honor Mark Kralj posthumously with special recognition at commencement
Oregon State University – Cascades will posthumously honor Mark Kralj, a former member of the OSU-Cascades Advocacy and Advisory Board, during its 24th annual commencement ceremony on Sunday, June 15. Emily Kralj, Kralj’s daughter, will accept the Distinguished Service Award on behalf of the Kralj family. Mark died on Oct. 1, 2024. The annual award…
Deschutes River Cleanup opens on May 1st
We are excited to announce that our 29th annual Deschutes River Cleanup will take place on Saturday, June 28th. You are invited to join us to help protect the river you love! River stewardship activities will be coordinated at six different sites on the Deschutes River. Volunteers are invited to help pull invasive weeds and…
Raise the Baton Fundraising Party on June 21
Sunriver Music Festival’s annual fundraising party, Raise the Baton is Saturday, June 21 at 5:00 PM in Bend at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon. Reserve your table today at sunrivermusic.org for a delicious night of music and dining. Hosted by Maestro Brett Mitchell, the event features performances by Central Oregon’s finest young musicians.…
Rimrock Trails and Wild Ride Brewing Partner to Raise Over $50,000 For Mental Health Initiatives and Student Scholarships
Hundreds of community members recently turned out to celebrate the Fourth Annual “Kiefer’s Magical Birthday Bash” at Wild Ride Brewing in Prineville and Redmond. This two-day, family-friendly event was hosted by Rimrock Trails in partnership with Wild Ride Brewing. Attendees danced to lively music, savored delicious food, participated in raffle drawings and auctions for special…
Cascade Cycling Classic Downtown Criterium p/b Worthy Brewing Needs Housing Hosts
The Horner Cycling Foundation is excited to announce that the Cascade Cycling Classic Criterium is back in downtown Bend on June 14th, 2025. Elite level racers will be coming from all over the country to race the iconic downtown criterium course. The prize purse for the Pro Men and Women’s field is the biggest purse…
Walk + Roll To School Day is May 7th!
Join students across the State for May Walk to School Day on Wednesday May 7th! There will be in person events held at Bear Creek, Pine Ridge, Ponderosa, Lava Ridge and Buckingham Elementary schools. Walk to School day is an excellent opportunity to practice using alternative modes of transportation to get to schools. Walking to…
Longtime Native Feast Returns
The 25th annual Salmon Bake offers more than a feast. The event, held at Central Oregon Community College’s athletic field, includes music, dance, vendors and a silent auction. The college’s Native American program and its First Nations Student Union Club are hosting the feast. It’s a free family friendly event on Saturday, May 17 from 11am-3pm. All…
Oregon State Parks Will Further Welcome (Certain) E-Bikes
E-bike enthusiasts celebrated a landmark victory on April 23: Certain varieties of their pedal-assist bikes will be allowed greater access in Oregon State Parks beginning July 1. It’s an important precedent, as e-bikes are still not allowed on singletrack trails in the Deschutes and Ochoco National Forests. There, e-bikers have to stick to trails and…
Forest Closure Takes Effect as Houseless People Attempt to Relocate
People living on U.S. Forest Service land south of Bend have been forced to relocate following a May 1 closure of the area. A collection of lived-in vehicles lined the streets of China Hat Road on Thursday morning, just outside of the now-restricted area that hundreds of houseless residents called home. The closure, in effect…
Tariff Trouble for Tokers
The unprecedented increases in tariffs between the U.S. and, well, everyone, is already beginning to result in higher prices on a wide range of goods. Since no one is (legally) importing cannabis, that means those who consume it will be spared, right? For the domestically produced, regulated cannabis itself, expect to keep paying the same…
Awakening Your Inner Hero: I AM RIGHT—YOU ARE NOT!
Synopsis There is a ton of “I am right, you are not” energy going on in our world these days. Sometimes it may be necessary. Most times there are more peaceful and respectful ways to hold different opinions. Agreeing and/or being right is not as important as peace. It is hard work worthy of our…
Biker Band Rolls onto Tower Stage
It will be a homecoming of sorts when the Jenner Fox Band plays its album release show at the Tower Theatre on Saturday, May 10, for its full album, “Anything,” which drops the day before. Jenner Fox and the other band members are excited to preview the new album in front of their adopted hometown…
Celebrate Mom with Eggs & Bubbles!
A frittata is an easy, one-skillet egg dish. Think of it as a crustless quiche. I know, I know the “price of eggs” but still, a dozen eggs costs less than a whole chicken or a pound of ribeye. Plus a frittata can be made with just about any leftovers you have on hand. It’s delicious…
Zoning and Why it Matters
Here in Bend, the way our city grows and takes shape is largely determined by zoning, a rulebook for land use. It’s not just about whether you can build a house or a business; it also covers things like how big buildings can be, how far they need to be from property lines, and even…
Around the Bend Farms:
Growing food, educating and innovating, building community. These are the core values of Braided Roots Urban Farm, an area tucked away in the eclectic neighborhood of Deschutes River Woods where something pretty amazing is happening on only an acre of land. The farmers are not just cultivating locally grown produce, they are also transforming what…
Source Warmup
Hayden Homes Announces Amphitheater Giveaways Hayden Homes is celebrating the 5th anniversary of the Hayden Homes Amphitheater’s naming rights partnership with a giveaway for five individuals. The giveaways will offer concert packages, including two VIP Deschutes Deck tickets to a concert of your choice, with two drinks and one food item per person. Winners will…
May 2025 Electoral Endorsements: Zone 6
Voters have two quality candidates in this race. Theo Wilhelm is a K-12 classroom teacher with 25 years of experience; Ross Tomlin, the incumbent who was appointed by the board last year, is a career educator with administrative experience at the community college and education service district level. Both would serve the students, teachers, support…
May 2025 Electoral Endorsements: Zone 7
In this race, the incumbent, Kina Chadwick, is most prepared to serve. From their years on the school board, Chadwick has a clear vision of the challenges ahead: funding cutbacks, a need for more early childhood literacy, engaging students and chronic absenteeism among them. They should have a chance to continue their work. Chadwick’s opponent,…
Cascade Cycling Classic Criterium
There’s something indelible about the Cascade Cycling Classic Criterium, held in downtown Bend. The closed-course, high-octane bicycle race has been held most summers since 1980. It’s an “Old Bend” event that has ushered local cycling through the sport’s various booms and busts — and certainly through the myriad transformations that make up “New Bend.” Local…
Rollin’ with the Homies
Springtime in Central Oregon is a great time to roll around on two wheels. Obviously. But what if you’re new in town? Or new-ish to riding all together? Listen, take it from me: I was new in Bend — and to group riding — back in 2016. Now I’m newly back in town after squandering…
Bend Woman Pursues Gold on U.S. Women’s Kayak Polo Team
Anyone looking for outdoor adventure is sure to find it on a kayak polo team. Al Kolenda is on the U.S. Women’s National Kayak Polo Team — a squad of eight elite athletes from across the country gearing up for the Pan American Championships in Edmonton, Canada, this August. Kolenda says to qualify for the…
Tiny Beautiful Things
A new play, touring Central Oregon, will immerse the audience in an emotional journey. Ellipse Theatre Community (ETC) is presenting “Tiny Beautiful Things” starting May 9. Actress Nia Vardalos from “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” adapted the play from Cheryl Strayed’s advice column and memoir “Wild.” It’s based on Strayed’s experiences as an advice columnist. The…
Horoscope Week of May 1, 2025
TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Taurus author Nellie Bly (1864–1922) was a daring trailblazer. It was almost impossible for a woman to be a journalist in the 19th century, but she did it anyway. One of her sensational groundbreaking stories came when she did an undercover assignment in New York’s Women’s Lunatic Asylum. Her reporting on…
Letters to the Editor 05/01/2025
Battle of the Burgers Having spent the past seven decades compulsively grading and ranking every item I have experienced in every category of everything — 45’s, movies, albums, album covers, breads, beers, salads, breakfasts, and muffins, to name just a few — I must add my voice to those who have chosen Bend’s best burger.…
Boss Rambler Beer Club Celebrates Its Last Summer
Boss Rambler announced on April 22 that this will be its last summer operating The Beer Club on Galveston Avenue. In anticipation of a planned Galveston road project, and as the company shifts toward growing its Stokes Cold Ones brand, Boss Rambler made the decision to close its west side beer club, according to owner,…
Mother’s Day Brunches & Events
There are plenty of ways to celebrate Mom, but if you’re not inclined to serve her breakfast in bed, then perhaps taking her out to brunch is just the thing! Several restaurants in Central Oregon are serving up a special feast. There are also some fun events to round out the day. Mother’s Day Buffet…
Local Leaders Outline Plans for Temporary Managed Camp in Juniper Ridge
Deschutes County Commissioners held a joint meeting with the Bend City Council on April 29 to discuss the plans for an upcoming partial closure of land in Juniper Ridge, a sprawling area north of Bend with a large population of unhoused individuals. Last fall, the City and County agreed on a temporary solution, allowing people…
Superheroes, Impossible Missions and Dinosaurs…It Must Be a Summer Movie Preview!!
With the release last week of the Michael B. Jordan/Ryan Coogler instant classic “Sinners,” we have officially entered the 2025 summer season of movies. Just like every year, May through July, we’re going to get a few fun but stupid ones, some awkwardly terrible ones, then hopefully one or two that stand the test of…
