Support the Wildlife Bill I value living in Oregon for the breathtaking array of wildlife –from whales, puffins and oystercatchers on the coast to the elusive Sierra Nevada red foxes of the Cascades, and the great gray owls I’ve witnessed in forests near Sunriver. HB 4134–the 1.25% for wildlife bill — is critical to pass […]
Letters to the Editor, Week of Feb. 26
Posted inPolitics
Oregon Senate Democrats Vote to Keep Moving on Transportation Solutions
Oregon voters will weigh in on transportation funding at the earliest possible juncture, allowing lawmakers to hammer out road maintenance and repair solutions sooner, under a bill passed in the state Senate today (Monday, Feb. 23). “Oregon voters have made it clear that they want a voice in how we fund transportation in our state. […]
Posted inPolitics
Wyden, Merkley Announce Nearly $49 Million in Retroactive Secure Rural Schools Funds for Oregon Counties
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley today announced that nearly $49 million in retroactive federal funding from the U.S. Forest Service for fiscal year 2024 will be coming to Oregon counties following the passage of their bipartisan bill late last year to reauthorize the Secure Rural Schools (SRS) program, with more to come when […]
Posted inBusiness News
Why Staging Is One of the Smartest Investments You Can Make Before Selling
I am reaching my one-year anniversary in real estate, and I can confidently say that staging is not optional if you want top dollar for your home. And surprisingly, sellers have felt uneasy and uncomfortable when the word “staging” comes out of my mouth. It means getting rid of their perfectly acceptable furniture. And for […]
Posted inLocal News
City of Bend to Prohibit Concealed Carry in Some City Buildings
The Bend City Council is moving forward with an ordinance that would ban all firearms in at least three city-owned buildings, removing an exemption for concealed carry license holders. In June 2025, an Oregon state law, Senate Bill 243, was passed, banning gun modifications that allow rifles and handguns to be fired at a much […]
Posted inLocal News
Understanding Homelessness in Central Oregon
“The goal is really to help the larger community to become more aware and educated about what it means to be homeless, what’s being done to help with the problem of homelessness, and so it’s primarily an educational goal,” says Barbara Belzer with the Central Oregon Homelessness Alliance, explaining why the nonprofit is hosting its […]
Posted inChow
The Luck of the Bendite
Every once in a while, a food truck comes out of nowhere with a concept so pristine and perfect that it immediately feels like it has always been part of a town’s culinary landscape. Places that open with such effortless attention to detail and handmade craft that the diner realizes they were missing something they […]
Posted inColumns
The Psychedelic Frontier
Q: I used mushrooms, LSD, and ecstasy recreationally through my 20s and 30s for parties and deeper connections. After taking a break to focus on family, I’ve recently returned to mushrooms through guided journeys and microdosing; experiences that have been profoundly healing and nothing like my past use. I’m curious about reintroducing psychedelics into my […]
Posted inColumns
What the World Needs Now
I’m on the Baja where I lead an annual writing retreat. I started this column before I headed out of town and am now picking up where I left off, or trying to. It’s not easy. Instead of the wall of my office, from where I’m sitting I have an uninterrupted view of the Pacific. […]
Posted inCulture Features
Women’s Issues Are Everyone’s Issues
Here’s a woman’s issue for you: RAGE. Does the phrase, “woman’s issue,” irritate you? Good. It should. The anger of being told you’re too much and not enough, sometimes in the same breath. Of watching autonomy slip away in real time. Of staying calm on the surface while everything tightens around you. Because issues that […]