Central Oregon is on track to break temperature records this summer (again), reminding us that the High Desert sun is no joke. High temperatures can lead to dehydration, heatstroke, and even death for our feathered neighbors. The good news? There are simple, affordable steps everyone can take to create a life-saving oasis for our visiting […]
Helping Birds Keep Their Cool
Posted inFood & Drink
Two New Neighborhood Hangouts
Sparrow Bakery is opening a second Bend location called Sparrow Mercado. Located in the newly developed Discovery Corner Plaza on the westside of Bend, Mercado, which is the Spanish word for market, is just that. It’s an upscale bodega with grab-and-go lunches, after-school snacks, dinner components, picnic items, Sparrow pastries, breads, cookies, crackers, pizza dough […]
Posted inOpinion
Letters to the Editor 07/23/2025
Build a Shelter The county should prioritize building a high-barrier shelter that provides comprehensive services, including access to medical care, mental health support, and pathways to stability. It’s deeply concerning that, in our community and society, we are allowing people to live in such unsafe and unsanitary conditions; referred to as dirt world. This situation […]
Posted inCulture
Horoscope Week of July 23, 2025
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): I predict that your imminent future will be a ticklish and tricky but ultimately uplifting masterpiece. It will feature guest appearances by members of your private hall of fame, including one future luminary you have not yet fully appreciated. This epic series of adventures may begin when you are nudged to […]
Posted inMusic
Two Necks Are Better Than One
Mark Kroos is one of those guitarists who makes playing the guitar look so much easier than it actually is, and the way he plays the double neck guitar is more than a little mind blowing. He can play a piece like Scott Joplin’s “The Entertainer” in a pianistic style, with one hand on one […]
Posted inOutside
Creative Connections
The 10,000-square-foot building at 175 NE Greenwood Ave. in Bend that once housed City Thrift will be transformed into The Open Arts Center. The nonprofit is the vision of local artists Maija Kellner-Rode and Claire Brislin who’ve been planning it for two years. The unique concept will operate as a free creative community center for […]
Posted inNews
Urgent Bottled Water Donations Needed Amid Summer Heat
With Central Oregon in the thick of summer and daytime temperatures consistently in the 90s, individuals experiencing homelessness are at heightened risk of dehydration and heat-related illness. To address this challenge, Shepherd’s House Ministries is calling on the community to donate bottled water and support its effort to combat hunger and homelessness. A Place at the […]
Posted inNews
It’s Time for Bend Real Estate Roundup!
Welcome fans to an exciting make-believe game show — Bend Real Estate Roundup, where buyers navigate Bend’s housing market in hopes of the ultimate prize: somewhere to live! Time and time again, you’ve seen people win a three-bedroom golf community home — paid with cash in hand! You’ve also seen people buy their first starter […]
Posted inCulture
Aren’t There Any Books for Teen Boys?
“My son doesn’t read anymore.” “My middle schooler needs more mature books, but I don’t know what to get him.” “Do you have anything that’s not a romance?” The challenge I encounter most often as a bookseller is recommendations for teen boys. As they age out of middle-grade (ages 9-12), it feels like all they […]
Posted inFood & Drink
New Mexico, Old Bend
Central Oregon (and Bend in particular) has such an embarrassment of riches when it comes to the restaurant scene that it’s easy to take for granted the places that have been around for what feels like forever. So many new concepts and spaces open up every month that it feels like we’re always looking ahead […]