Lilli Worona has lived in Central Oregon long enough to consider it home. And she’s been a player in the local music scene long enough to be a fixture. Her sophomore album, “Maritime Siren,” is set to drop on July 25. In a press release, it is described as “a vulnerable storytelling album with themes […]
Redmond Musician Puts Out Second Album
Posted inCulture
2020 Vision
Ari Aster’s new film, “Eddington,” is a lot of things. It’s a period piece set in May 2020, right as the COVID lockdown and mask mandates were being implemented. It’s a Neo-noir revisionist western hung across the backdrop of a dying town in New Mexico (Noir Mexico?). It’s a doomscroll into the heart of America. […]
Posted inCulture
The Psychedelic Frontier
Q: “I have my first intentional mushroom session coming up and I have found conflicting information in my research into hope to properly prepare for such an experience. What can someone best prepare for the most effective experience?” A: Preparing for an intentional, deep psychedelic experience is an intimate act of self-care, expansion and connection. […]
Posted inOpinion
Klamath River Run was Great TV, but the Lasting Effect is Hope
If the national TV and newspaper crews were any indication, the “first run” of the Klamath River by a group of young indigenous paddlers this past month was a very big deal. Supporters and news crews galore descended on the mouth of the Klamath this month, as the group of paddlers, who’d spent years training […]
Posted inOutside
Helping Birds Keep Their Cool
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 […]
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 […]