Thirty Full Minutes
Six months after pairing down its staff and trimming nightly newscasts from a full half- hour down to less than 10 minutes, KOHD has brought back its full weekday newscasts at both 6pm and 11pm. Previously, the newscast was a fast-paced data distribution of local news stories and weather, but we can now expect the newscast - which hit the air in 2007 - to return to something more similar to their original format.
"We've all seen the impact of this economy, but we're coming back stronger than before," said KOHD marketing manager Dottie Ashley in a press release circulated last week.
The first newscast aired on Monday night - just after Dancing With the Stars... whoops I mean, Dancing With the Stars and the Daughter of a Former Governor - finally adding some significant diversity to the local television news market. Finally, we'll have some balanced coverage of the great goose debate. (MB)
Hella Snow, Bro!
You probably think we're going to jinx what could otherwise be a perfectly snowy winter by writing this, but weather experts (well, actually just a weather expert, but he seems really smart) says that that this winter could bring a whole lot of snow to the Cascades. Why? Because of a La Nina weather pattern, of course. It means wetter systems, which apparently means more snow in the mountains and east of the Cascades.
"Certainly for the Cascades in Washington and Oregon and the mountains in Northern California, the Shasta Range and such, this could be a boon for the ski industry," said Accuweather.com expert senior meteorologist, Clark, who doesn't give his last name because he's so smart about the weather that some loonies might accuse him of witchcraft.
This is good news for Mt. Bachelor and the other resorts, especially the ones up in Washington and Canada that got royally screwed by Mother Nature (what a bitch) last year. Remember the rainy Olympics? Yeah, what a drag. Here's hoping for puke loads of snow and that these 175 prophetic words didn't jinx it. (MB)
Feel Like A Number
It seems like every few months another article or study comes out naming Bend as one of the top ten places to do this or that, usually involving mountain biking or general living. Last week, we added a ranking of number seven in Forbes Magazine's list of America's Best Small Cities for Business and Careers to our city's resume. The twelve factors considered when ranking the small metropolitan areas under 245,000 in population include cost of both living and business, job and income growth, education, projected economic growth and a few quality of life issues as well. Apparently they haven't talked with the nearly 70 percent of Bend Chamber members who said earlier this year in a survey that Bend is hostile toward new and expanding companies. Chamber chief Tim Casey later clarified in a news story that the businesses actually felt that the city was more indifferent than hostile. In other words, the city is more like the hottie girl from the last Friday who won't answer your text, versus the ex who keyed your car. (AP)
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That's My Parking Spot
Last Friday, you may have noticed two women and a dog sitting in lawn chairs on a patch of Astroturf on the corner of Franklin and Bond. These ladies weren't just trying to catch some rays and elicit honks from drivers looking for a prime parking spot, or waging a protest over the bike parking program. As it turns out, Friday was National Park(ing) Day, a worldwide movement to turn metered parking spots into temporary public parks. From Australia to Japan and across the U.S., eco-minded hipsters turned parking spots into makeshift knitting circles, jam sessions and, in Bend, dog parks (OK there was one dog, but c'mon - Bend would). While relaxing in her chair, local organizer Chelsea Schneider said, "Hopefully, it will challenge people's perceptions of what can be done with public space. This is space for everybody, so why not make it green instead of gray?" Memo to city councilor Oran Teater: It appers someone is finally ready to take up your idea to Astroturf those pesky medians. (SR)
Land Trust Celebrates
15 Years
If you've ever driven north of Sisters, there is a good chance that you've crossed paths with the Deschutes Land Trust, even if you didn't realize it. The grassy ranch country on the edge of the Cascades is an area where the Land Trust, working with local property owners, has conserved several hundred acres of high-value stream habitat that will be integral to the success of one the country's most ambitious habitat and species restoration projects, the reintroduction of endangered salmon and steelhead in the upper Deschutes basin. It's a place where these majestic and iconic fish haven't swum for half a century, but could be returning soon, thanks in large part to efforts of folks like the Land Trust. Earlier this week The Land Trust recently celebrated its 15-year anniversary the same way that it was conceived a decade and a half ago, over a pint of beer at the Deschutes Brewery where founder and Executive Director Brad Chalfant toasted the Land Trust's work. The meeting was a chance to reflect on the last 15 years' success (more than 7,000 acres of high-value lands conserved) while charting a course for the next decade and a half. The Land Trust hopes to begin the next era with a bang or more appropriately, a splash, by raising the remaining needed funds to acquire the Whychus Canyon Preserve, a 440-acre property along Whychus Creek that includes prime steelhead and salmon spawning habitat. It also happens to be a damn beautiful piece of ground. (For pics, go to deschuteslandtrust.org.)
So far, the Land Trust has secured commitments for $2.5 million to lock up the purchase. It's now turning to the community to help raise the remaining $400,000 before a Dec. 31 deadline. You don't have to be a steelhead fisherman to know that it would be a shame if this one got away.
