While blackberries, salmon and hazelnuts are overtly Pacific Northwest, they’re not as uniquely PNW as hops, given that over 99 percent are grown in the region. What’s more, several hop farms in Washington’s Yakima Valley and Oregon’s Willamette Valley are in the soil-scented hands of fifth generation farmers. And now, yes, right now, is the only […]
Not Fresh Pow… Fresh Hops
Posted inFood & Drink
New Pizza Cart is a Labor of Love
The message at the top of the menu of a new pizza cart in Bend reads, “Our goal: to make the best possible pizza…topped with the finest ingredients we can source locally.” Wildfired, located behind GoodLife Brewing Company off SW Century Drive, was born out of a need and a passion. Owner Scott Oliphant saw […]
Posted inLocal News
Bend couple wrestle with homelessness, addiction amid treatment shortage
At first glance, Christine Greene would appear to be living a version of the American Dream. She lives in a camper trailer with her partner, a dog, a pair of kittens and a toad. A white picket fence marks the boundary between their yard and the desert that surrounds it. Greene is friendly with her […]
Posted inLocal News
Bend Mayor Joins Statewide Opposition to Federal Troop Deployment in Oregon
On Monday, Sept. 29, Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield filed for a restraining order to block President Donald Trump from federalizing 200 Oregon National Guard troops, calling the deployment unjustified and warning it could provoke unrest. Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler joined the chorus of opposition, arguing that Oregon cities need federal support for basic needs […]
Posted inEditorial
The Performing Arts Have Value. Can Central Oregon Find Creative Solutions to Fund a Center?
In tumultuous political times such as we are seeing right now, nonprofits tend to be among the first entities to see the impact. When federal funds run short, as they are now, basic needs begin to go unmet. Kids go to school hungry. People of all ages skip out on necessary health care, and on […]
Posted inSmoke Signals
Ten years of high, but who’s counting?
This year marks my 10th year of writing this column on cannabis and cannabis adjacent issues first for the Portland Mercury and Seattle Stranger, then for the Source Weekly. However, like many other creatives, I’ve been bombarded with numerous dire predictions, opinion pieces and alarming analysis that my job may soon be a thing of […]
Posted inOutside
Time to Get New (or Gently Loved) Winter Gear
It’s hard to predict when that first snowfall will arrive. For many, winter is the best season with an abundance of winter sports. Don’t worry about digging out those mittens, gloves and puffy coats or trying to repair those bindings, get new ones (or new to you)! The Skyliners Ski Swap is right around the […]
Posted inPodcasts
LISTEN: Grand Craft Bend: Matt Katakura 🎧
In this episode, we meet head brewer Matt “Kat” Katakura from Wild Ride Brewing in both Redmond and Prineville. We discuss some keys to experimental R&D brewing from working with delicate ingredients like tea to indelicate ones like chili peppers, as well as what it takes to brew the tried and true classics. LISTEN NOW:
Posted inLocal News
New Mental Health Facility Rising in Redmond as Youth Center Awaits Federal Funding
Redmond is set to significantly expand mental health services with two new treatment facilities under construction and ongoing community wellness programs for seniors, marking a major investment in Central Oregon’s behavioral health infrastructure. Youth facility timeline shifts Deschutes County is also moving forward with a 15-bed youth mental health facility, though construction has been pushed […]
Posted inLocal News
What Went Wrong with Hawthorne Bridge?
The cost of Bend’s planned Hawthorne Overcrossing bridge has jumped by $5 million, throwing a wrench into the City of Bend’s timeline and design plans for the project. The City reports that the Oregon Department of Transportation recently informed them of the cost hike. ODOT is managing the design and construction due to federal funding […]