Handel’s Ice Cream Coming to Redmond
An ice cream chain that set up shop in Bend in 2023 now appears to be coming to Redmond, too. A sign announcing that a Handel’s Homemade Ice Cream will soon be coming to the Hub City has been placed inside the commercial building at SW 5th and Forest Avenue in downtown Redmond. Handel’s, first…
Bend Tea and Art Lounge Hosts a Grand Opening
It’s been open since the spring, but this September, Bend Tea and Art Lounge, offering people a place to sip tea and make art, is finally “opening” in grand style. The space, known as TEAL for short, is hosting its grand-opening ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 9am to 9pm — the six-month anniversary…
Community Asks for More Clarity as Bend-La Pine Schools Tweaks Its New Fundraising Policy
The 2026-27 school year is close at hand, and fundraising is shaping up to be a critical issue. On Sept. 8, the Bend-La Pine Schools board of directors will present updates to a hotly debated fundraising policy, first released in June for community review. Parents objected to several policy pieces, including those pertaining to gift reporting, what level on involvement students can have in fundraising activities and discussion…
There But for the Grace of Dolly, Go I
I am a devoted disciple of the Holy House of Dolly Parton. I have been a member of this congregation for a long time. I consider wildflowers, eagles and butterflies, rhinestones, long nails and big hair all sacred. I dress so my outside matches my inside. I walk to the beat of my own banjo.…
Free Will Astrology Sep. 3, 2026
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): You’ve been extra reasonable lately. How do you manage to be so responsible, measured, and composed? I’m not complaining. I admire your integrity. But now the cosmic omens are clear that’s it’s time to address your soul’s needs for more wonder and awe and reverence. So I will slip you a…
Locals Get Ready to Rock at PorchFest
Locals will have a place to roam and rock out as the second-annual Discovery West PorchFest returns to the Northwest Bend neighborhood on Saturday, Sept. 12. The afternoon includes live music and food and drinks from Central Oregon vendors. From 4-9pm, six live acts will entertain across three stages at the roving neighborhood music festival. People can explore the neighborhood, touring through open homes and check out Discovery…
Art vs. Commerce
So far, our fall movie season has delivered a few genuine surprises in terms of quality, with even more promising releases looming on the horizon. Usually at this point in the year, theatrical releases are a hodgepodge of quality, as studios continue to prove they rarely know how to market their own movies, let alone…
Vote No on Deschutes County Measure 9-185
It’s that time again — time for our editorial board to weigh in on important issues facing local people in the coming November election. The calendar has just rolled over to September, and while it feels early to start sharing our endorsements for races in early November, the autumn goes fast, and before you know…
Redmond to Raise Rates for High Water Users
The City of Redmond plans to make some water more expensive in hopes residents will use less of it. Under a new tiered rate structure set to kick in next year, water used in excess of a certain threshold will cost more per gallon than it did before. Based on current water use, most cost…
Hunger Action Month Shines a Light on Food Insecurity in Central Oregon
As food costs continue to rise, hunger cannot be solved by any single person or organization acting alone. Many families face difficult choices each month: paying for groceries or filling a prescription; repairing a vehicle or covering utility bills; buying food or paying rent. September is Hunger Action Month, a nationwide campaign raising awareness about…
Welcoming Week Celebrates Immigrants, Refugees and Undocumented Central Oregonians
For those who complain that Bend is too vanilla, the City of Bend’s Welcoming Week offers a window into its diverse communities. Now in its ninth year, Welcoming Week showcases the many stripes of Central Oregonians, particularly those who are immigrants, refugees and undocumented residents. Beginning Sept. 10 through Sept. 19, Welcoming Week’s theme is…
What Does $500,000 Buy You in Central Oregon
If you have $500,000 to spend on a home in Central Oregon, the biggest question may not be whether you can afford to live here. It may be where you want to live. The same $500,000 budget can buy dramatically different properties—and lifestyles—depending on which community you choose. Using year-to-date data from local FlexMLS, including…
Bend City Council Races See Scarce Competition
Nic Tartar makes a living planting landscapes of native vegetation, but he knew the field of sagebrush and empty sidewalk outside the new Bend Central Library was no place to gain support for his bid for Position 6 on the Bend City Council. That’s where he found himself after he learned of the library’s policy…
Letters to the Editor, Week of Sep. 3, 2026
Protect the Roadless Rule According to a recent Source Weekly article, over 200,000 acres of public lands in central Oregon are threatened by the Roadless Rule repeal. We should keep these places protected for future generations. On a recent visit to Jack Creek and Canyon Creek near Sisters, I couldn’t help but admire all of…
You, Me, Lizards and Mosquitoes are All Important
I imagine that after reading the title, you might predict that this month’s Inner Heroes message is all about how we are ALL important. That is obviously the point of today’s message. You are important. I am important. So are lizards and mosquitos. Let’s start with the dictionary definition of important. Important means: of high…
Coorie: Tetherow’s New Fine Dining Destination
There’s something fitting about a restaurant called Coorie, a Scottish word that means to nestle in or take shelter. Tetherow Resort’s new signature restaurant invites diners to do exactly that — settling into a warm, refined space with calming views of the golf course and the Cascades while enjoying a menu that takes fine dining…
Return of the 10 mg THC Gummy
Oregon State Sen. Lisa Reynolds (D-Portland/Washington County) has announced plans to reintroduce her failed 2026 legislation next year that would have reduced the amount of THC in cannabis edibles. While portions of what she proposes are ideas worthy of support, it has elements of personal bias and drug war hysteria. Per the Oregon Capital Chronicle,…
Local Teen Raises Money for Single Parents
Starlyn Webb has a children’s book she’s trying to get published and is in the process of applying for sidewalk cart-vendor license for her lemonade and hot cocoa stand. On top of all that, she just launched a GoFundMe campaign, raising money so single moms can have a night out while she provides childcare. And the real kicker? She’s only 14. “I’ve raised about $140, but it’s only been two days,” said Webb, a rising freshman at…
Four People Walk into a Bike Shop
What bike shop personality type — or, better put, types — are you? I was a little embarrassed when I learned mine. After chatting with former bike shop employee and local business consult Jody Bagno-Dill, I realized that I’m a Performer with — mercifully — a good dose of Producer traits. Let me explain. I’ve…
High Desert Metal Festival Brings International Thrash and Local Talent to Bend
On Saturday, Sept. 26, Silver Moon Brewing will trade its usual taproom atmosphere for a day of thunderous riffs, soaring vocals, and pounding drums as the inaugural High Desert Metal Festival arrives in Bend. Presented by ThrashSquatch Productions in partnership with DNA Entertainment, TOUR DE THRASH Productions and additional supporters, the event is designed to…
Fireworks Permanently Banned in Redmond
Fireworks are officially banned in Redmond, as the City Council approved a permanent prohibition on fireworks at its Tuesday, Aug. 25 meeting, voting 6-1 in favor of ordinance 2026-11. The Council conducted the first reading of the ordinance, which prohibits the sale, use or possession of fireworks in the city, on Aug. 11. However, because the Council vote wasn’t unanimous…
Eight Candidates Vie for Redmond City Council, Mayor
The races for Redmond Mayor and City Council are set as the deadline to file as a candidate in the Nov. 3 general election passed Tuesday afternoon. The field features eight candidates, including three for mayor, and five candidates vying for three City Council seats. Incumbent Mayor Ed Fitch will have two challengers looking to…
