Sometimes you just want to hang out with your gal pals, sip a beverage of your choice and share a fun activity together. Wine & Paint nights are popping up all over town. It doesn’t matter if you can’t paint, that’s not the point. It’s a monthly event at the Winery at Manzanita in Bend. […]
Paint & Sip
Posted inCulture
Free Will Astrology, Week of Jan 29
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): In ecology, there’s a concept called “keystone species.” This refers to organisms that have a huge effect on their environment relative to their abundance. Remove them, and the whole ecosystem shifts. I bring this up, Aquarius, because I believe you are currently functioning as a keystone species in your social ecosystem. […]
Posted inMusic
From Punk to Grindcore—Heavy Metal Hitting Silver Moon
Crashing beats. Roaring vocals. Rushing melodies. People often group heavy metal music into a mixed heap of fast, thundering music. But if you listen to the five bands playing on Feb. 6 at Silver Moon Brewing, you will hear distinct styles and sub-genres, blending inspirations from hip-hop to death metal. Spina, Nerve Damage, Weapon World, […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Where to Watch Your Favorite Teams in Action
So where’s the best bar/brewery/food cart lot in Central Oregon to watch your favorite televised sporting events? There are so many that it’s like asking where’s the best place to go for a hike, bike ride, float, swim, ski, snowshoe, well, you get the idea. It’s no secret that Central Oregon has a plethora of […]
Posted inFilm
Snubs, Marketing Budgets and Future Classics
Here’s how I know my brain is a giant old warehouse full of contradictions, out-of-print VHS tapes and Drew Struzan movie posters: I hold space for the two competing thoughts that the Oscars are an out-of-touch racket that only celebrates films with marketing budgets in the tens of millions, while also obsessively theorizing for weeks […]
Posted inLocal News
New Year, New Look: City of Bend’s Website Gets a Redesign
On Jan. 26, the City of Bend unveiled its new website to the public. With big, bubbly visuals, a prominent search bar atop the homepage, and revamped menu organization across the board, the new bendoregon.gov is quite a departure from the previous iteration. The redesign project began in the summer of 2024 when the City issued […]
Posted inLocal News
Dispersed Camp Sites North of Bend Will Close in June 2027
In a joint meeting on Jan. 20, leaders from Deschutes County and the City of Bend agreed to extend the date of permanently closing the Temporary Safe Stay Area to June 30, 2027. That’s 170 acres in the Juniper Ridge area east of Highway 97, north of Bend, comprised of 50 acres of county land and 120 acres of city land. In 2024, county and city officials agreed to jointly manage the TSSA […]
Posted inLocal News
Oregon’s Crashing Pot Prices Put Drug Treatment at Risk
Correction: A previous version of this article misstated the percentage decline in marijuana tax revenues since 2021. Since 2022, the state’s cannabis taxes have paid for free behavioral health and addiction treatment for more than 35,000 Oregonians all across the state, a first-of-its-kind program. “But plummeting pot prices have resulted in a significant decline in marijuana tax […]
Posted inBusiness News
Courtside for CASA Pickleball Classic Returns for 2026
CASA of Central Oregon is excited to announce the 2026 Courtside for CASA Pickleball Classic, presented by Lithia Motors, a four-day indoor round robin tournament held at The Premier Pickleball Club in Redmond, OR. This tournament, set for February 26-March 1, 2026, will benefit CASA of Central Oregon, a nonprofit that trains and supports volunteers […]
Posted inBusiness News
Ponderosa Players Present “Spring Awakening”
Dash (he/they) and Kisky (she/her) Holwerda have been eager to do SPRING AWAKENING since Ponderosa Players was founded in May of 2023 but have been waiting for the right time to add it to their season. “We felt strongly that when we did this show, we wanted to do it justice,” Dash explains, “it was […]