Today [Monday, Feb. 9], the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue advanced legislation to the Senate floor that cuts taxes for more than 200,000 low-to-moderate income Oregon households, spurs job growth in Oregon businesses, and protects $291 million in needed funding for education, health care, and public safety. Senate Bill 1507 achieves these benefits for working […]
State Democrats Advance Legislation to Lower Taxes
Posted inOutside Features
Oakridge Offers Miles of Picturesque, Quiet, Forest Trails for Mountain Biking and Hiking
In the time it takes to polish off a breakfast burrito and listen to an episode or two of your favorite podcast, Derrick Bell wants you to know that you could be enjoying the solitude of nearly 600 miles of biking and hiking through serene forest trails, reminiscent of Central Oregon a couple decades ago. […]
Posted inLocal News
What to Know About Fares on Cascades East Transit
This month, Cascades East Transit resumed fare collection, which had been suspended on non-recreational routes since the spring of 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Operating fare-free had been possible because of federal relief funding, CET stated, but that money has long been in the rearview mirror. CET is operated by the Central Oregon […]
Posted inBusiness News
Spring Into Action: Preparing Your Central Oregon Home for the Market
Have you been thinking about making 2026 the year you sell your home? Consider this. Your home is one of the assets you own (unlike your car) that increases over time. U.S. home prices experienced rapid growth from 2019 to 2024, with cumulative increases reaching approximately 55%, or a 9.2% average annual increase. Now price […]
Posted inFilm
The Politics of Insanity
For like five minutes, I thought it would be a funny idea to start this review pretending like I was doing a deep dive into the new “Melania” documentary, but then I had the (quite obvious) epiphany that giving money, publicity, or my words to propaganda directed by a hack filmmaker photographed cuddling women next […]
Posted inColumns
Why Your Partner Deserves Better Than Your Barista Gets
Dear Dr. Jane, My wife and I are trying to improve our relationship and we’re seeing a couples counselor to help with communication. The sessions are challenging—we fight a lot. Of course, our fighting isn’t just about everyday stuff. We fight about intimacy too, which means we almost never connect. There’s so much conflict. I […]
Posted inBusiness News
OperaBend Presents: Bend Singer Showcase
OperaBend proudly presents their BEND SINGER SHOWCASE, a vibrant afternoon dedicated to celebrating the incredible vocal talent of Central Oregon. Join us Sunday, February 15th, 2026 @ 3:00 pm in Wille Hall at Central Oregon Community College (COCC) for an inspiring performance that highlights the voices that make our region shine. This showcase brings together […]
Posted inChow
Small Kitchen, Big Taste
No snow in January means another opportunity to eat outside. No offense to good weather but Bend needs snow! This time of year, I’m usually taking my food “to go” back to my warm office or house and eating inside while the snow melts off the roof. Not this year! I’ve eaten outside more this […]
Posted inUncategorized
Letters to the Editor, Week of Feb. 12
Being Better Role Models I went to the ICE OUT demonstration in Bend on Jan. 31. It did my heart and soul good to see the amazing crowd that came out to voice their support of Minnesota and opposition to the latest ICE strategies occurring across our nation. There was joy, singing and chanting, drums […]
Posted inMusic
Blues, Soul and Rock ‘n’ Roll
While Covid created shockwaves still reverberating today, some good also came to fruition, made possible by happenstance. That’s the genesis of the band Bigfoot County, when two neighbors, Mike Szabo and Mitch Gadsby, hanging out at a neighborhood gathering during the pandemic discovered a shared passion for music. “We clicked right away. It just sounded […]