The last weekend of September is upon us, which means that it's time to party. No, not party in the summer sense of the word, because it's now officially and sadly the fall season.
Frequently Asked Questions: What you should know about Bend Roots
Posted inMusic
Ryan Costello: After the Fire
In stores October 20
With a melodic depth that catches the ear, Ryan Costello remains true to his roots as a member of indie rock band, the Oaks. Costello's use of 12 different instruments creates a soulful arrangement that sounds similar to that of Sufjan Stevens, who is a clear influence on Costello's most personal album yet.
Posted inMusic
The Yard Dogs Road Show's Hobo Delight
Yard Dogs Road Show has a new EP, entitled September Summer, but that really doesn't especially matter because this is a band that almost certainly won't make any sense to you merely on record. And that's not to say YDRS, a San-Francisco-based traveling variety show (of sorts), isn't a collectively talented musical troupe, because it certainly is.
Posted inCulture
Our Picks for 9/23 – 10/1: DJ Barisone, Pepper, Bend Roots Revival
Finn Riggins, Church
thursday 24
This was in the Picks last week, but since we got our hands on Finn Riggins' new album, Vs. Wilderness, we have to write more about this Boise, Idaho trio given that said album is incredibly awesome.
Posted inNews
Off Target: Conservationists' opposition to hunting wolves is wrongheaded
I never thought I'd say this, but wolf recovery in the West has been the most successful program ever accomplished under the Endangered Species Act. Thanks to the efforts of the U.
Posted inNews
In Each Other We Trust: Bend tries its hand setting the dollar aside for local currency
The end of the world is nigh. We're just polishing the brass on the Titanic. This is all going down. That got your attention, right? Apocalypse sells. FOX News feeds a diet of disaster – the swine flu epidemic, nuclear arms in North Korea – into our living rooms. The Apocalypse used to be so far off, now it's always just around the next corner.
The economic crash has ushered in more doom and gloom with massive numbers of unemployed and homeless. Bend boomed big and the bust hit hard. A dire situation as this either brings communities closer together or pushes people further apart, getting us to hole-up-alone-in-a-bunker mentality. Locally there are a few folks who want to take a practical approach to problems we're facing and make a step towards getting Bend back on track.
Posted inOpinion
The Wrong Way to Protect River Access Rights
Many areas of law are murky, but the law governing access to Oregon rivers and their banks is a veritable Okefenokee Swamp. We can't blame state legislators for wanting to clear the waters a little, but the approach they're taking could end up seriously limiting recreational users' rights – while leaving the legal situation as muddy as it is now.
Posted inOpinion
My Local Paper
Imagine a world where the only network television news came via FOX, or the New York Post was the only national newspaper. Kind of frightening.
Posted inOpinion
Let's Review: Obama hits the circuit, Afghanistan smolders and Romo runs for his life
The author has been sent on the road to discover a lost country formerly known as America. He is reporting from where your relatives and America started – Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown, Virginia – on assignment for Or-Bust.
Posted inOpinion
Government can be counterproductive
I write this letter in response to Wayne Bredtze's letter “Government Can Be Good” in last week's issue. At first glance federal loans and grants indeed do seem like an essential part of higher education, though upon closer inspection they are quite counter productive.