LISTEN: Bend Don’t Break with Michelle Healy 🎧
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron Switzer speaks with Michelle Healy, Executive Director of Bend Park and Recreation District, about what makes Bend’s parks and trails some of the most cherished community assets. Michelle shares insights from her extensive background in parks and recreation, which spans from lifeguarding and supervising recreation facilities to…
City Program Produces First Streamlined ADU, Signaling Success
An Accessory Dwelling Unit using pre-approved plans from the City of Bend, the first of its kind, was just completed last week, demonstrating the benefits of a program aimed at simplifying the building process for homeowners. A City of Bend pilot effort, created in April 2023, offers homeowners interested in building an ADU on their…
Think Wild Hosting a Wild Chili Cook-Off
Think Wild, Bend’s nonprofit wildlife center, is excited to announce the Get Wild Chili Cook-Off, a delicious, family-friendly fundraising event. Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 16, 2024, and join us at Aspen Hall in Shevlin Park from 4:00 to 8:00 pm for an evening of delicious chili, live music, raffles, and more! Event highlights…
Street Preservation Work Wraps Up for 2024 and Winter Preparation Begins
The City of Bend’s 2024 Street Preservation Program has wrapped up after City street crews and contractors improved 59 lane miles (about 6%) of Bend’s approximately 936 lane miles of roads for about $4.7 million. With the City’s ‘keep good roads good’ philosophy, work focused on using the right treatment at the right time to…
New Exhibition Explores Regional History Through a Hardworking Fabric – “Blood, Sweat and Flannel” Opens November 2
What comes to mind when you hear the word “flannel?” Perhaps it’s your favorite plaid shirt, your trusty yardwork outfit, a rugged lumberjack or even a classic grunge band. A new, original High Desert Museum exhibition, Blood, Swe & Flannel, explores what flannel represents. Opening November 2, 2024, and running through June 15, 2025, this…
Pre-Season Checklist and Snow in the Forecast
With a fresh blanket of snow covering the mountains and more in the forecast, the countdown to ski and snowboard season is officially on. Our teams are deep in preparation mode for Opening Day, slated for November 29th. See below for a pre-season checklist so everyone is ready to hit the slopes as soon as…
Smith Rock’s Upcoming improvements Including Welcome Center Shared at Information Session
Smith Rock State Park is slated to break ground on a new welcome center, restroom, trail connections and improved day-use parking in late 2025 or early 2026. The public is invited to learn more at an online information session 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 22. Advance registration is required to attend the information meeting. Last year,…
Want to Volunteer on the Deschutes National Forest? Become a Forest Steward
Discover Your Forest, the non-profit partner of the Deschutes National Forest, is hosting the annual Winter Volunteer Information Night in late October for volunteers who are interested in supporting the Forest Stewards on the Deschutes National Forest. The event will be held on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Deschutes…
Bend Food Project Quilt Sale to Benefit Local Children
Quilters in Central Oregon are making a difference in childhood food insecurity by selling hundreds of beautifully crafted quilts. All proceeds from the quilt sale will go towards providing food for kids through the Bend Food Project and The Giving Plate. This year, the 3rd annual event will take place on November 2 from 9…
Record-Breaking Fire Season Ends October 25
The Oregon Department of Forestry announced October 25 the end of the 2024 fire season — a season that burned a record 1.9 million acres, three times the 10-year seasonal average, and destroyed 42 homes and 132 structures statewide. Earlier in the week, Governor Tina Kotek requested a federal major disaster declaration from President Joe…
Pilot Butte Gun Suspect Had List of Targets, Bend PD Says
After a school shooting threat in Bend this week, police discovered the suspect’s list of targets, and contacted each one to let them know. That’s just one of the revelations the Bend Police Department issued Thursday, following the arrest of a Pilot Butte Middle School student on Monday. The 12-year-old student told a teacher on…
NeighborImpact Reports Hundreds of New Child Care Slots
An update from local nonprofit NeighborImpact reported improvements within the local childcare industry. The nonprofit shared its accomplishments at an October 21 Deschutes County Board of Commissioners meeting, highlighting how funding helped it create 224 new childcare slots in the region. Deschutes County approved American Rescue Plan grant awards to NeighborImpact in 2021 and 2023…
Contentious Race For Sheriff Nears End
The year-long contest for who will be the next sheriff of Deschutes County is quickly coming to a close, but not without more allegation-slinging – a consistent activity since the race began. In the final weeks of the race, candidate William Bailey – a captain with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office — fielded criticism and…
The Current Deschutes County Sheriff Has Created a Culture of Retaliation That’s Cost Taxpayers Plenty
If there’s a prevailing sentiment that’s overcome us as we’ve gone through the details of the election for Deschutes County Sheriff, it’s this: Sheriffs, inside and outside Deschutes County, possess an enormous amount of unchecked power, and there’s very little that can presently be done about it. When the November election is over, outgoing Sheriff…
Improving Lives through Aerial Innovations
This year has been a hard-to-forget fire season for both its longevity and intensity. Nowhere has been immune to the wrath of these wildfires, from sagebrush grasslands to mountain forests. Fires have been ignited by lightning or human-caused, compounded by a hot and dry summer season. With firefighting resources at maximum capacity, it wasn’t surprising…
Los errores del DMV suscitan dudas sobre la integridad de las elecciones
El mes pasado, la División de Servicios de Conductores y Vehículos Motorizados de Oregón anunció un error que provocó que 1.561 personas se registraran indebidamente para votar sin demostrar su ciudadanía. Tras este descubrimiento, el Secretario de Estado de Oregón llevó a cabo una investigación más profunda sobre el error y tomó medidas para garantizar…
The Psychedelic Frontier
Mary Casanave Sheridan is a dedicated psychedelic coach based in Bend, OR, assisting individuals in delving into the depths of psychedelic realms for self-discovery, healing, and personal growth. With a fervent passion for advocacy and education in this field, she seeks to enrich the public’s knowledge by addressing inquiries and dispelling misconceptions surrounding psychedelic substances…
Rainbow Girls Reclaim Their Witchy Swagger
In this spooky season where the days get shorter and the nights get longer and colder comes an apropos album from Bay Area trio Rainbow Girls. “Haunting,” self-released on Oct. 13. It’s “thematically and musically darker and heavier” than the band’s 2023 record, “Welcome To Whatever,” which came out just under a year ago. “The…
Five in the Running for Three Redmond Council Seats
Ahead of the election, the Source Weekly sat down with three of the five Redmond locals running for three open seats on the City Council. With three openings on the council, the three candidates with the highest number of votes will win. Current Councilors Tobias Colvin, Clifford Evelyn and Shannon Wedding agreed to meet with…
The Third Act
I had the pleasure of attending a gala for the Friends of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge this month. A small but mighty nonprofit promoting “conservation and appreciation of natural and cultural resources…through education, outreach, advocacy, and on-the-ground stewardship,” its territory includes nearly 190,000 acres of critical wildlife habitat. The gathering coincided with the birthday of…
We Know Bend Like the Back of Mt. Bachelor
Mt. Bachelor, the youngest of the Cascade volcanoes, has a history that spans more than 10,000 years, and its modern legacy is one of transformation and adventure. Starting with just two rope tows, the mountain has grown into a world-class destination, now offering over 101 ski runs. Each run tells a story of its own.…
Butternut Squash Ravioli Recipe
If a famous chef hands you a caviar’d cracker, it doesn’t prove anything. Like, of course it tastes good. It’s freakin’ caviar. True culinary brilliance is revealed by the creation of extraordinary food from the most humble of building blocks. For example, the butternut squash ravioli that stole the show at the Whitefish Food and…
No Matter Where You Go
I think most of us know the feeling of either loving an alcoholic or being one. I’ve been in a relationship with someone struggling with alcoholism and will never forget the gut-churning fear of watching the person that put fire to my blood, subtly shift into an unrecognizable other that made being in public a nerve-wracking…
A Bewitching Halloween
Gather your costumes, get ready for the ghouls and gear up for a festive roundup of events this spooky season. Here is a full and fun list of Halloween events from family-friendly trick-or-treating events, to spooky shows, to dance parties and more to celebrate the magic of Halloween. Wednesday 10/23 Spooky Wine & Paint Night…
Source Warmup
County Commission Set to Continue Deliberations on Juniper Ridge Sanctioned Camp After Deschutes County and the City of Bend agreed to establish a semi-managed camp in Juniper Ridge, County Commissioners voted last week against a resolution authorizing the area as a “Temporary Safe Stay Area,” potentially stalling progress on the plan. At a Oct. 16…
Back to the Ballot Box: Election 2024
It’s time once again to vote. With Donald Trump back, and Kamala Harris moving from the VP to the presidential slot on your ballot, it might seem a bit like déjà vu. But synchronize your watches, voters! It’s 2024, and there’s much more to focus on besides just that top spot. Use the Source Weekly’s…
Witches Paddle Returns: A Bewitching Halloween Tradition in Bend
What began as a fundraiser for MountainStar Family Relief Nursery has transformed into a beloved Central Oregon tradition. The fifth annual Witches Paddle returns to Bend on Halloween Day from 4-6pm at Riverbend Park. During the whimsical event, community members dress up in their best witch and warlock attire and take to the river on…
American Authors Rise and Growth with Uplifting Anthems and Hope
Brooklyn-based indie-rock band American Authors is known its feel-good uplifting hits, including, “Best Day of My Life,” and “Go Big or Go Home.” On Sunday, Oct. 27, American Authors take the stage at Bend’s Tower Theatre, bringing its anthemic sound and positive energy to the high desert. I had the chance to chat with lead…
Horoscope Week of October 24, 2024
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): As a teenager, I loved the music of Jefferson Airplane. I recall sitting on the couch in my New Jersey home and listening to their albums over and over again. Years later, I was performing on stage at a San Francisco nightclub with my band, World Entertainment War. In the audience…
Letters to the Editor 10/24/2024
Bend City Council Pos. 4: The Source got it wrong In the many years that I have called Bend my home, I have witnessed a lot of changes to the City Council, as councilors came and departed. In my opinion, our most refreshing and appealing Councilor, that not only came, but has stayed for 10…
Cassity’s Opens in Former Cabin 22
A new establishment is now open in the former Cabin 22 space along Century Drive on Bend’s west side. Cassity’s Bar and Grill opened this month at 25 SW Century Drive. It’s billed as a “unique blend of local flavors, craft beverages, and a welcoming atmosphere that captures the essence of Central Oregon living.” The bar…
Bye, Bye, Chomp Chomp
Chomp Chomp, the Japan-inspired downtown Bend bar and restaurant that opened at the start of the pandemic, is now closed. Chomp Chomp made a splash in 2020 with its opening, when it brought Larry Thomas, the so-called “Soup Nazi” chef from “Seinfeld” fame, to its opening event. “It is with a heavy heart that we…
