Cover Story
Kickin’ Up Dust with the Prineville Review
“Did you call the sheriff’s office on me?” The public had just been let into the Alfalfa Fire District special meeting on May 22 when Justin Alderman, the co-founder and managing editor of the Prineville Review, fired off questions. They came rat-a-tat-style at AFD board member Mark Laucks. “Mr. Laucks, is it true you contacted the sheriff?” Laucks shuffled freshly printed meeting agendas to pass out to the…
A New Stop for Japanese Comfort Food on Third Street
The former Sweetheart Donuts building on Southeast Third Street has undergone quite a transformation. These days, instead of maple bars and bear claws, the little storefront is serving steaming bowls of ramen, colorful bento boxes, fresh sushi and a menu packed with Japanese comfort food. PAN Japanese Kitchen, opened a few months ago by the…
The Source’s News Boxes — an Impromptu Canvas for Bend’s Wild Styles
Do you like graffiti? Asked in polite company, the simple question prompts reactions as colorful as an art store’s spray paint section. “I love it!” someone suspiciously prideful of his New York City years might declare. “It’s a shame that subway cars, long coated with a graffiti-proof glaze, don’t roll with the Wild Styles of…
Juneteenth Celebration Returns to Bend This Year
It goes by many names: Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Emancipation Day, but Juneteenth, a portmanteau of June 19, is its best-known name. A celebrated date since 1865, which initially marked the liberation for those still enslaved. The Confederacy surrendered to the Union in the spring of that year, ending the Civil War, but they still controlled…
20th Century Kids
Going to the movies this weekend made me feel like I was living through a cultural event horizon of the late 20th century, where Hollywood desperately picks up and shakes my inner child just to see if any more loose change falls out. This week, the box office gave us two diametrically opposed flavors of…
Free Will Astrology, Week of June 11
GEMINI (May 21-June 20): “Dear Oracle: Why do we always have to start at the beginning? I’d much prefer just jumping into the middle of things. Right now, I would love to bypass all the tedious baby steps I’m being forced to take as I try to get some momentum going. Please slip me a…
Bend’s Roundabouts Can Be Roadblocks for Blind People. 3D-Printed Models Could Help.
Sharlene Wills ran her fingers over the small arrow on the crosswalk button for her first hint. She squared up to the crosswalk, stepping out slowly until she felt the bumpy surface under her feet. She heard the cars to her left roll to a stop and the chime of a robotic voice in the air. “Walk sign is on to cross Division Street.” “Forward,” Wills told her yellow lab guide…
Should Bendites Have to Pay to Pollute?
This month, the Bend City Council opted to move forward with its plan to charge a fee to developers putting natural gas systems into new homes — a move aimed at meeting the city’s carbon emissions goals and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. There was no good timing for this. As a whole, Oregonians’ economic…
A Musical Tribute to the Greatest Generation
As the nation celebrates its 250th anniversary of independence, a new musical at the Tower Theatre honors the women who served the country during World War II. The production, “Rosie the Riveter,” pays tribute to the estimated 6 million women who entered the workforce in the 1940s, taking over industrial jobs. Today, there are believed…
The Season of Selling
Summer is more than a season of sunshine and outdoor recreation in Central Oregon — it’s also one of the busiest times of year for real estate. While homes sell throughout the year, summer has long been considered one of the strongest seasons for homeowners looking to maximize their property’s appeal and attract motivated buyers.…
Homeless Service “Hub” Proposed for East Redmond
A proposal to create a new service “hub” in east Redmond for homeless people to connect with housing resources, mental health programs, food and other services is gaining support from the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners. The service center would be part of a burgeoning campus of homeless assistance projects in east Redmond, close to where hundreds of people are living in RVs, tents and trailers on government-owned lands slated for future industrial development. Deschutes County commissioners on June 3 approved a letter…
Letters to the Editor, Week of June 11
Rodeo season in Central Oregon We’re coming up on my least favorite season in Central Oregon: rodeo season. What I find so disturbing is the contradiction. Local news outlets like KTVZ and Central Oregon Daily regularly promote animal welfare — helping pets find homes, celebrating kindness toward animals — then turn around and promote or…
MidCity SmashedBurger Bounces Outta Bend
MidCity SmashedBurger is permanently closed in Bend. Owner Mike Aldridge posted on Facebook that the food truck is moving to Troutdale. The burger joint had been located at Waypoint Hotel and there had been talk about it moving to the new food cart lot, Base Camp, opening at Powder House sometime this summer. In an…
James McLaughlin, Candidate for Deschutes County Sheriff, Says He’s Been ‘Politically Targeted’
James “Mac” McLaughlin outed himself as one of three Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office employees Interim Sheriff Ty Rupert placed on paid administrative on June 5, stemming from allegations of misconduct. He calls it “political theatre.” A DCSO Lieutenant and the SWAT commander, McLaughlin published a social media post on the subsequent evening of June 6,…
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Investigates Three Employees for Alleged Misconduct
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office has placed three employees on paid administrative, stemming from allegations of misconduct, as of June 5. According to a press release similar to the email Interim Sheriff Ty Rupert sent to DCSO staffers earlier in the day, the allegations stem from two formal citizen complaints related to the same incident.…
Bend into Balance: The Power of Water
As I was getting out of the Juniper pool after my regular swim, I couldn’t help noticing the lively masters team getting ready to start their “Fast Friday” session. While Coach Bob was writing the workout on the dry board, swimmers ranging from early thirties to mid-eighties were stretching on land, putting their swim googles…
How to Raise Kids and Stay Lovers
Dear Dr. Jane, I’m a married mom of three great kids. My husband and I love each other and we’re working hard to keep intimacy alive in our marriage — but it’s been a real challenge. We both work incredibly hard, at our jobs and at home. We appreciate each other, but somehow we end…
Parker McCollum is Just Being Himself
In June 2025, Parker McCollum released his fifth album, a self-titled effort that’s finished raw and real, leaning into personal songs and a straightforward delivery that moves him into the realm of his songwriting heroes. “Parker McCollum” is also, in his opinion and that of many critics, the best record he’s made in a fast-moving career…
Bend Passes Fees on Gas Appliances in New Homes
Bend — one of Oregon’s fastest-growing cities — became the second in the state to pass fees on natural gas appliances in new home construction, a controversial policy meant to curb greenhouse emissions in buildings to meet the City’s climate goals and help combat the effects of climate change. The Bend City Council during a June 3 meeting voted 5-1 in favor of the natural gas fees, named the Climate Pollution Fee. A second vote…
Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Says No to Automated License Plate Readers
Deschutes County commissioners unanimously granted the Sheriff’s Office a $2.4-million, five-year contract with Axon, a surveillance technology company, on June 3. The inventory will include 100 in-vehicle cameras, 105 body cameras and 90 smart tasers. But not included in the department’s wish list for surveillance tech is automated license plate reader capabilities, owing to public…
Source Gets Nod for Opinion Coverage; Moves Up in Size in Regional Journalism Awards
The Source gained recognition in a Pacific Northwest journalism contest announced this week, winning third place in the Editorial & Commentary category among medium-sized newspapers in the region. To win the award in the Society of Professional Journalists’ Northwest Excellence in Journalism 2025 contest, the Source submitted Opinion stories tackling supportive housing, e-bikes and home…
