Cover Stories
Earth Heroes of Central Oregon
Preserving the earth is something that benefits us all and ensures future generations a certain quality of life. Some Central Oregonians are more dedicated and passionate on that subject, making it their career or serving as volunteers. In this week’s Earth Heroes issue, we reached out to local nonprofits for “hero” nominations. Read the…
Water Hero: Kevin Tanski
Kevin Tanski is a lifelong conservationist and environmentalist, but in the past three years his attention has been laser focused on beavers. As a volunteer with Think Wild’s Beaver Works Oregon, he’s traveled to remote areas of the state, putting in countless hours restoring beaver habitat. The significance of beavers caught his attention after he read two books, “Eager” and “Beaver Land” which explore the profound impact beavers have…
Climate Hero: Graham Zimmerman
Alpinist and climate activist Graham Zimmerman walked into the Source offices to discuss his winning of the Climate Hero award for the Green Issue this year. From his windblown bedhead hair and Bend finery, a reasonable person wouldn’t be able to tell he is a renowned alpinist who climbs some of the most extreme mountain faces. Zimmerman has been recognized as an activist against climate…
Teacher Hero: Joe Craig
Joe Craig can be described using many words, but if one were to pinpoint it to just three they would be humble, generous and inspired. These are some of the qualities that make Craig the teacher he is today and why he has been chosen for this year’s Teacher Hero. His passion for wildlife and outdoor stewardship, and his collaborative nature and generosity when it comes to sharing ideas and knowledge have…
Trailblazer Hero: Rick Martinson
Rick Martinson can summon the Latin name for almost any High Desert plant on a whim. Ask for the common name, and it may take him a few seconds to conjure up. That’s because, in the world of native plants, common names are far less important. Take genus Arcostaphylos, commonly known as manzanita. It’s the mid-sized tree or shrub with smooth, deep-red bark, brooked branches and…
Earth Hero: Sakari Farms
Sakari, a word meaning “sweet” in Inupiaq, represents a loving and warm personality, which exactly describes the vibe I felt when Spring and Sam Schreiner, along with Otis, their energetic canine, welcomed me to their farm on a bright, blue-sky day in Tumalo. Spring, an enrolled member of the Chugach Alaska Native Corporation and Valdez…
Two Restaurants Close, Two New Restaurants Are Opening in Their Place
Olive and MayThe Drake in downtown Bend is no longer. New owners are currently remodeling the space and plan to reopen it later this spring under the name, Olive and May. One of the owners, Peter Kost, who also is one of the owners of Ken’s Artisan Pizza, told the Source the food will be…
St. Charles Opens New $65 Million Cancer Treatment Center in Redmond
For patients in north Central Oregon, a new Redmond cancer center is making care closer to home. The St. Charles Health System this week is opening a new $65 million, two-story, 53,000-square-foot cancer center in Redmond, offering nine times the space of its current facility. The new cancer center will offer radiation, chemotherapy, surgery and other services, matching the capabilities of St. Charles’ cancer center in Bend 17 miles to the south. It’s a big step for…
Young Hero: Brennan Breen
It’s hard out there for climate justice advocate these days. Few know how quickly your eyes glaze over when the topic turns to, say, heating pumps, than this year’s Young Hero, Brennan Breen. Breen, the campaign coordinator of Energize Bend, a nonprofit coalition advocating for electrification, however, decidedly does not live in mamby-pamby land. At…
8am-Bend Breakfast Bliss is the latest Venture from the Owner of Dear Mom Cafe
Jattalee Chalernhinthong, who goes by JJ, is busy creating a new breakfast menu. After recently closing her first Bend restaurant, The Good Egg at The Grove, she’s working on her new plan for “8am-Bend Breakfast Bliss.” It’s an Asian-themed breakfast concept that she’ll open at her current restaurant, Dear Mom Cafe off SW Century Drive.…
A Momentous Year for Film on La Croisette
More than Sundance, more than Berlin, Venice or Toronto, the film festival I have unshakable faith in when it comes to programming of either future cinematic classics or wildly ambitious failures is the Cannes Film Festival. Since 1946, the festival has been held at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France, and…
Free Will Astrology, Week of April 16
ARIES (March 21-April 19): Anthropologist and author Clifford Geertz loved to use “thick description.” He wrote detailed reports that captured not just the surface level of what happened but the deeper levels of meaning. Here’s an example of thin description: “He winked.” Thick description: “He quickly closed and opened his right eyelid in a culturally…
A 100% Gluten-Free Bakery Opens in Redmond
A new organic, all gluten-free bakery and coffee shop has opened in Redmond. Good Friend operates with the mission that food is nourishment, space is belonging and business is a vehicle for community and regeneration. Owners Jerek Lovey and Beth Davies specialize in superseed breads which have about 60 grams of fiber and 60 grams…
Vote Morgan Schmidt for Deschutes County Commission, Pos. 5
Like a lot of the races for the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners this May, the one for Position 5 is a crowded field. Voters will see four names on their ballots for this seat — one of two seats that are being added after voters previously moved to expand the county commission. If…
The Green Team is a Leader in Sustainability
The morning after every concert at Hayden Homes Amphitheater, employees known as the Green Team, show up to sort through the trash. They dump each bag into a plastic kiddie pool, pull on rubber gloves and meticulously pick out recyclable and compostable materials achieving a 93.5% landfill diversion rate. That accomplishment involves a multi-prong effort…
Letters to the Editor, Week of April 16, 2026
250th Proclamation The Deschutes County Commission recently passed a resolution that proports to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, when in fact it is right out of the MAGA playbook, implying support for President Trump’s policies and actions, and filled with hypocrisy. The piece was written by a right-wing group called the Taxpayers Association of Oregon. It passed…
Six Candidates Vie to Replace Adair on Deschutes County Board of Commissioners
An action-packed primary race for Position 3 on the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners features six candidates and a diverse set of backgrounds, including a teacher, a tribal member and a former Marine. The seat is currently held by Commissioner Patti Adair, who announced last fall her bid for the U.S. House of Representatives, leaving her…
One-Hundred Years of Bend Commercial History, Captured in Abstraction
Imagine Bend 100 years ago and you might hear puttering Model Ts or glimpse the Deschutes Riverbanks, clogged with mill workers, humming with timber production. Yet, during that same period, over in Europe, abstract art was gaining prominence. Bend’s more-cosmopolitan residents no doubt discussed the merits of this rule-smashing genre, if not quite yet hanging…
Local Splitboarder was Passionate About Snow and the Environment
Stratton Matteson loved snow. As a child, he’d zip around his family’s Vermont neighborhood, on his bike, in the snow. He built miniature ski areas in his backyard complete with chairlifts, lodges and little Lego characters schussing his makeshift runs. Flash forward several years and you might have spotted him climbing Bend’s Century Drive, on…
Caring for an Aging Population
Caring for elderly parents who are no longer able to care for themselves is an experience that few are prepared for. Elderly people who live alone have compounding medical issues, and those suffering from dementia related cognitive decline, present a multifaceted set of concerns. Adult children and families who are going through this experience with…
Hot Dogs for Breakfast? Yes, Please!
There is a moment, about halfway up the stairs inside the Skyservice building at Bend Municipal Airport, when you’re wondering where you are. Then you turn the corner into a brighter than expected space, busier in spirit than in crowd, and just a little bit quirky in the best possible way. Welcome to Bend Airport…
Know Your Home Waters
In their book, “On the Loose,” Terry and Renny Russell write, “One of the best-paying professions is getting ahold of pieces of country in your mind, learning their smell and their moods, sorting out the pieces of a view, deciding what grows there and there and why, how many steps that hill will take, where…
Mastersingers Mark 20 Years with Landmark Concert at Tower Theatre
The Central Oregon Mastersingers will celebrate two decades of music, collaboration, and community with a special anniversary concert, “We Are the Music Makers,” on Saturday, April 25, at 7PM. at Bend’s Tower Theatre. The performance, under the direction of Artistic Director and Conductor Christian Clark, closes the ensemble’s 20th season with a program designed not…
Back to Reality: Bend Housing Market
It has been well documented just how wild the COVID era was for Central Oregon real estate, with unprecedented year-over-year price increases creating a market that has been working to correct itself since 2022. In my article from two issues ago, I highlighted how the national median home sale price has increased by 34% over…
Update: End of the Trail? BendTrails Goes Offline
The founders of one of Central Oregon’s richest resources for mountain biking trail intelligence are bookending their decade-long community give-back with a plea: Keep BendTrails alive by buying it. “It’s been a fun run for us,” says Robert Rekward, one of four friends who launched Bend Trails in 2016. “I think we’re just looking for…
OSU-Cascades Chief Ousted Amid Ongoing Investigation
The top administrator at Oregon State University-Cascades, Sherman Bloomer, was removed from his role as chancellor and dean by a top university official April 7 after new information surfaced from an ongoing investigation into an alleged policy or ethics violation. Roy Haggerty, provost and vice president with Oregon State University, informed students and staff across all campuses of the decision in an April 7 letter but did not release details of the investigation. The investigation stems from a March 18 complaint filed with the Office of Audit Risk and Compliance and…
