Return of the Snow Dragon at Virginia Meissner Sno-Park
What originated as construction on a quinzhee (a snow shelter made by hardened show and hollowed out) at Meissner Sno-Park and evolved into an annual tradition, artist Joshua Cook and a team of volunteers are once again inviting participants to experience the “Snow Dragon” art installation on one of the most magical nights on the…
Deschutes National Forest Approves Class 1 E-Bikes
It’s a new dawn in the Deschutes National Forest. After months of analysis and public comment, the Forest Service finalized its approval of Class 1 e-bikes along approximately 160 miles of system trails and paved paths throughout Phil’s Trail Complex, Peterson Ridge Trail, Wanoga and Sunriver locations. These soft-surface or paved trails, of which there…
Three Sisters Backcountry is Making Cascades Magic
Put down that beat-up Harry Potter paperback. With the right guidance, the forests of Central Oregon can put a spell on you, no wands or wizard hats required. Just ask Three Sisters Backcountry about the “magic that exists” at their two mountain yurts. They’re located at the base of what the outdoor recreation company calls…
Feds Kill Buzz: Hemp THC Goes Up In Smoke
The reopening of the Federal Government last month was a good thing, but the spending bill that allowed it to do so? Not so much, especially for those who produce, sell and consume hemp derived THC. Thanks to an effort to “close the Hemp loophole,” in just under a year, it’s going to be illegal.…
Gingerbread Houses Support Affordable Housing
One of the sweetest holiday celebrations involves constructing Gingerbread Houses. Building a dream house out of cookies with icing cement and candy accents takes creativity, patience and will power to keep from gobbling up the lumber! Gingerbread Junction at Sunriver Resort is in its 30th year. The free event is a tour of wild imaginations…
Claw and Order
It’s been a LONG nine years since Disney’s “Zootopia” was released to near universal praise and over a billion dollars at the box office. In my review of the film, I said, “‘Zootopia’ is an important movie for parents, kids and anyone who appreciates animated films. Asking people to be less prejudiced and more open-minded…
All Wags at Wanoga Sno-Park
Jeff Johnston has a ritual during Central Oregon’s winter months. Several times a week, he finds himself, along with Kundi, his Australian Shepherd, standing in the pre-dawn light at Wanoga Sno-Park. As he unlocks a shipping container that houses a utilitarian Ski-Doo Skandic snowmobile, Kundi tears around in the snow, marking his favorite spots. After…
Shooting for the Snow Zone
Pete Alport arrived at the young snowboarder’s home at 11pm on a winter’s night in late 2022. The pair bid a cheerful goodbye to Kai Huggin’s parents and drove south from Bend into the night. Where Highway 138 intersects the north access for Crater Lake, they ditched the truck and fired up the snowmobiles. During…
New Asian-Inspired Brunch in Bend
A new brunch spot in Bend offers unique food with artistic flair. Sen Thai Hot Pot and Noodle House on NW Newport Avenue is serving brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 9am-2pm starting Saturday, Dec. 13. Asian-inspired dishes include satay & egg, which is beef steak, peanut sauce, pickled carrot and daikon radish. The Thai curry…
Free Will Astrology, Week of Dec. 11
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Leonardo da Vinci painted his iconic *Mona Lisa* on a thin panel of poplar wood, which naturally expands and contracts with changes in humidity. Over the centuries, this movement has caused a crack and measurable warping. One side of the classic opus is bending a bit more than the other. Let’s…
Planning Underway for a Reusable Takeout Food Container Program in Bend
Nearly 1 trillion disposable food service products are used each year in the U.S., weighing nearly 9 million tons, according to Upstream, a reuse advocacy organization. Based on conversations with local food cart lots, The Environmental Center in Bend says one lot can produce 9 cubic yards of waste per week. To take a bite…
Party for a Good Cause!
As you do the holiday party hop around town, put the Holiday Benefit Jam on your list. It’s the fourth year for the event which has raised nearly $20,000 for local nonprofits. This year, the Family Kitchen is the beneficiary of money raised. The Jam is organized by Jarrod Donatelli and his wife, Holly McClintock,…
Creative Options for Reducing Parking, Traffic Welcome
If you recall last year’s snow-riding season, you might remember it as a time of icy roads and traffic headaches. During the pandemic, more people began to recreate in the area west of Bend. The pace continued long after the quarantine period ended. That’s good for people’s well-being, but it’s been not so great for…
Bend Police and Mayor Respond to Concerns Over Flock Surveillance Cameras
On Dec. 6, Bend resident Jonathan Westmoreland started a petition on Change.org, titling it “Ban the use of Flock cameras in Bend, Oregon.” His idea sprung from social media clamor. Users on r/Bend, the Reddit community dedicated to Bend and its surrounding area, had been arguing amongst themselves for days about the City’s Flock surveillance…
Why Foreplay Doesn’t Work — And What Does
Dear Dr. Jane, My wife and I are having trouble with intimacy. I use foreplay, but she’s still distant and even rejecting. What am I doing wrong? I thought that this stuff was supposed to work. From, Foreplay Failure in Bend Dear Foreplay Failure, Everywhere you look there’s another article or tik tok about how…
Pursuing the World One Sketch at a Time
On a quiet, overcast morning, five women sit at a table at the Bend Pavilion with art supplies and sketchbooks laid before them. They’re members of Urban Sketchers Bend who meet every Wednesday at a different location to draw, chat and share artistic techniques. They began meeting after artist Lee Kellogg taught a class at…
Letters to the Editor, Week of Dec. 11
Bend’s green energy policy Recently, the Source printed a letter arguing that Bend City Council’s measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are not worthwhile because “the world has seen the realities and moved on” from combating climate change. To support its thesis, the letter observed that China is building new coal plants. However, China has…
Setting the Standard: Redmond Honors its ‘Outstanding’ Only Paralegal
At an upcoming City Council meeting, the City of Redmond will announce its “Employee Spotlight” for December. Taking home the honor this month – drumroll please – is paralegal Joyce Mumia-Stubbs. A member of Redmond’s Department of HR, Payroll and Risk Management, Mumia-Stubbs was hired in late 2022 as a legal assistant. The position was…
Market Trends Across Central Oregon
As we brace for snow and winter settles into Central Oregon, it’s the perfect time to take a broader look at how each of our local markets performed in November. Real estate across the U.S. has been widely described as challenging for sellers. Higher interest rates, longer days on market, and lower percentages of list…
Phase II of Santiam Pass Ski Lodge Restoration
When Susan and Dwight Sheets toured the defunct Santiam Pass Ski Lodge on a rainy October day in 2016 with Willamette National Forest Ranger Terry Baker, they were saddened with the condition of the historic lodge that had been unoccupied since 1986. “The archaeologist wouldn’t come in because it was horrible,” said Dwight. “We were…
Songwriters Gather in the Round
Local musician Joel Chadd is getting back to his roots and sharing a creative space in a new monthly music series, “The Commons Sessions,” every second Thursday, December through March at The Commons Cafe and Taproom in downtown Bend. Chadd will be joined each month by various artists from the area to create a relaxing…
Tensions Rise as County Commission Receives District Map Proposal
On the morning of Dec. 3, the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners had quite a few things on its meeting agenda, as per usual. But this particular day, the meeting room filled up with citizens holding signs for only one reason — the 11am agenda item: “Recommendations from the District Mapping Advisory Committee to the…
