Mona Mensing, an English teacher at Redmond High School, was named one of Oregon’s 16 regional Teachers of the Year for 2025-26 during a surprise all-school assembly Sept. 16. “I feel seen and heard, just like my students, and it’s truly amazing,” Mensing said after receiving the honor. “This is a shout-out to all English […]
Teacher Surprised at Assembly with Top Honor
Posted inOpinion
Will More Cameras Make Bend Safer for Drivers and Pedestrians?
This week, the Bend City Council approved a vendor for its new red light camera system, giving authorities another way to enforce speeding violations and other infractions in the city. With Bend growing and pedestrian deaths continuing to climb in the United States, it seems like a helpful tool for law enforcement — but that […]
Posted inLocal News
From 1925 to Today: Bend Education Center Celebrates Milestone Century
A century ago, downtown Bend celebrated as the city’s new high school — a grand earth-toned brick building nestled among towering ponderosa pines — welcomed its first students. Today, that same structure — now the Bend-La Pine Education Center — sits in the heart of downtown Bend as the district’s administrative hub and a living […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor Week of Sept. 25
Are We Willing to Change? In the 2004 movie, “The Village,” the monsters outside of the village are referred to as “those we do not speak of.” The monsters are in fact people in costumes with intent to keep people, based on fear, motivated to never leave the village. In the wake of the assassination of […]
Posted inCulture
Fall Preview of Books
As many of the most anticipated books of the year start to fill our shelves, I’d like to share a Fall Preview of all the great reading this season. With more than 800 books to talk about, I’m compelled to offer you a highly selective list. The good news is local booksellers can give more […]
Posted inBusiness News
A Reunion of NICU Families and Caregivers
St. Charles’ Neonatal Intensive Care Unit will host a reunion for current and former patients and their families alongside caregivers on Saturday, Sept. 27 from 1 to 4 p.m. at St. Charles Bend. This free family-friendly event will include interactive games, a bouncy house, face painting, AirLink tours, a visit from a fire truck and […]
Posted inLocal News
Bipartisan Unity Takes Center Stage at City Club of Central Oregon
In a display of bipartisan unity, lawmakers from Central Oregon gathered in Bend on Sept. 18 for a City Caucus meeting hosted by the City Club of Central Oregon. The event brought together Sen. Anthony Broadman, Sen. Mike McLane, Rep. Emerson Levy and Rep. Jason Kropf to review the outcomes of the 2025 legislative session and […]
Posted inPodcasts, Video
LISTEN: Bend Don’t Break: Lace Thornberg 🎧
This week on Bend Don’t Break, host Aaron Switzer sits down with Lace Thornberg, Communications Director at Central Oregon LandWatch. Lace shares how her journey through conservation organizations across the West eventually led her to Bend, where she now channels her passion for land use, public lands, and ensuring equitable access to nature. Their conversation […]
Posted inColumns
The Psychedelic Frontier: What are the Risks?
Q: “I have been hearing a lot about psychedelic therapy lately and its benefits, and I’ve watched a couple of documentaries on the topic and everything seems so positive or at worst mildly disappointing. But from anecdotal evidence and what seems to be common knowledge, there are risks and downsides to the experience and its […]
Posted inLocal News
Red Light Cameras to be Installed at Three Bend Intersections
The City of Bend has given the green light for a vendor to install red light cameras at three intersections. At their meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 17, the Bend City Council approved a three-year contract with American Traffic Solutions for $2.3 million with the ability to extend the contract two additional years for $780,000. During […]