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 […]
New Mental Health Facility Rising in Redmond as Youth Center Awaits Federal Funding
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 […]
Posted inLocal News
Deschutes County Board Weighs Redistricting Plan
On Monday, Sept. 29, the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners discussed using Missoula County, Montana’s model approach for drawing up a new commissioner district map and possibly changing how commissioners get elected. The Deschutes County District Mapping Advisory Committee is also meeting weekly to work on map proposal ideas. The map proposals, developed by […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor Week of Oct. 2
Red Light Cameras While safety is an important goal, spending $2.3 million on just four red light cameras for three locations is not a wise use of public funds. The data cited is national in scope, not Bend specific, and does not prove that these cameras will meaningfully improve safety in our community.The city itself […]
Posted inLocal News
Oregon’s Early Child Care Crisis Impacts All but Two of the State’s 36 Counties
When Courtney Eggleston gave birth to her son, she knew she would have to rely on friends and family to help care for him when she went back to work. That’s because Hines, the Eastern Oregon town in Harney County where Eggleston lives, has few licensed child care providers. In fact, there is no licensed […]
Posted inPodcasts, Video
LISTEN: Bend Don’t Break: Cyrus Mooney 🎧
In this episode of Bend Don’t Break, Aaron sits down with Cyrus Mooney, Business Development Manager for the City of Bend, whose path from student affairs to civic leadership reflects a deep commitment to service and connection. With roots in Sherwood and a decade in Corvallis, Cyrus brings a rare blend of empathy, adaptability, and […]
Posted inNatural World
Keeping Alive Crosscut Saws
Most old-time logging photos show two loggers standing on either end of some massive redwood, ponderosa pine, or Douglas-fir with a huge notch they’ve sawn into the base of the tree, before continuing the job of felling the old-growth monster. What they rarely show, is the guy back in the shop with a 12- or […]
Posted inCulture
Book Censorship Is So 1984
In 1949, George Orwell published a little book called “1984,” a dystopian novel about a totalitarian state under the constant watch of Big Brother. It proceeded to become the most banned book of all time. Why? The most commonly challenged reasons include inappropriate sexual content and controversial social and political themes. This year, Banned Books […]
Posted inLocal News
City Council at a Crossroads on Greenwood Redesign
One year into the City of Bend’s “quick build” of Greenwood Avenue, data shows safer streets and a surge in biking and walking. City survey results, meanwhile, tell a different story. Nearly 80% of respondents to a recent survey said they “hate” the new layout, while only 10% rated it “good” or “great.” At a […]
Posted inCulture
Fall Arts & Style: Music
Blind Boys of Alabama with Cory Henry Recognized world-wide as living legends of gospel music, the Blind Boys of Alabama are celebrated for their soul-stirring harmonies and remarkable blend of traditional and contemporary sounds. With a career spanning over seven decades, they’ve won multiple Grammy Awards, been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame […]