The Parking Fee Plan

Posted inOpinion

The Parking Fee Plan

Eric Flowers

Bend pioneers - i.e., anybody who was here before 1990 or thereabouts - can remember when downtown had no parking problem at all. About half the storefronts were boarded up, and you could park pretty much anywhere you wanted at any time of day.
 
Those days, fortunately, are long gone, and downtown Bend now suffers from the more pleasant problem of too many cars and not enough parking spaces. It's tried various solutions, most notably the creation of a 571-space multi-story parking garage.
Incomprehensibly, even as the city built the parking garage it was eliminating city-owned parking lots in the downtown core. The one on Bond Street next to the D&D Lounge and another at Wall Street and Greenwood Avenue have been sold to developers.

Posted inOpinion

Off Into the Sunset, With a Bang: A porn queen calls it quits and Gonzo can’t get started

Joseph Oguiza

A big T.S. Eliot fan – honest. In news that will bring sorrow to the hearts of porn aficionados everywhere, Upfront has been informed that Sunset Thomas has shot her last XXX-rated feature.
A news release from Vavoom Films (we are not making this up) informed us that Thomas, the self-styled "Princess of Porn," has completed her final sex scene in what will be her final adult film, Into the Sunset. (We suspect the title is a pun.)
"Into the Sunset marks the end of quite an amazing career for this renowned adult superstar," the news release stated. Amazing indeed: The 36-year-old Sunset has starred in more than 100 porn movies going back to the early '90s, including such classics as Red Beaver Bonanza, Lesbians in Tight Shorts, Muffy the Vampire Layer and, most recently, Misty Beethoven, the first porno musical.

Posted inOpinion

Pregnant Man Is Profile in Courage

Eric Flowers

Letter of the Week 
In reaction now to the news about Thomas Beatie, the pregnant man in Bend, I offer some thoughts that have come out of conversations I've had over the last few weeks.
It doesn't matter how you feel about the issues of gender, sexuality and fertility, but I respect the Beaties' courage to stand up and put themselves and their lives in the spotlight. People have wondered why they are doing it. Why? Because! Because nothing will ever change, wrongs will not be righted, until someone has the courage to be out there in the open and help clear the way for others.

Posted inOpinion

Singing the Praises of Joe

Eric Flowers

In response to your article about Trader Joe's: No – people in Bend or Portland or California are not crazy … they just LOVE their Trader Joe's!!!
Maybe it's a little bit of nostalgia on the part of California ex-pats (of which I am one), but it's also the fact that the company has been able to offer – on a consistent basis – the most diverse, interesting and healthy foods around – at incredibly low prices!

Posted inOpinion

ODOT’s Got a Lot of ‘Splainin’ to Do

Eric Flowers

Way to go Source! You really scooped the "other Bend publication" with your story about Ray Perry, the ODOT employee who was fired for coming forward with the misdeeds of ODOT.
I'd like to let Sen. Ben Westlund know he earned my vote for his bid as state treasurer. I am so happy to see that there is an elected official out there who will stand up for the little guy.
And what is up with ODOT's spokesman, Peter Murphy? He referred to Sen. Westlund as "just another person"! I don't ever recall Sen. Westlund implying that he is any better than the rest of us, but I do believe he was elected by a majority of us taxpayers - twice - to represent and look out for our best interest. I think his testifying at Mr. Perry's hearing is proof he is living up the taxpayers' expectations.

Posted inOpinion

The Epitome of Hypocrisy

Eric Flowers

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all" – except homosexuals! Hypocrisy epit-omized.
Article I, Section 1, Oregon Constitution: "Natural rights inherent in people. We declare that all men, when they form a social compact are equal in right" – except homosexuals! Hypocrisy and prejudice epitomized.

Posted inNews

Rockin’ Out for Novick

H. Bruce Miller

Jeff Merkley has racked up some impressive endorsements in his race for the Oregon Democratic Senate nomination - a governor and a former governor, a passel of mayors, state senators and state representatives, and a slew of labor organizations. But when it comes to the music scene, his rival Steve Novick leaves him in the dust.

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