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 […]
Dispersed Camp Sites North of Bend Will Close in June 2027
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 […]
Posted inOpinion
Why Get in a Lather Over a Lil’ Ol’ County Map?
Right now, county residents are up in arms about a district mapping proposal that would divide Deschutes County into five districts. If you have been following the labyrinthine path that got us to this political point, then you know none of this had to be this way. Voters said yes to a referendum in the […]
Posted inBusiness News
Steep Canyon Rangers and Fruition Join the 2026 Big Ponderoo Lineup
SFF Presents has announced the final eight acts for the 2026 Big Ponderoo, rounding out a powerhouse lineup for the fourth annual summer festival. Big Ponderoo returns to Sisters on June 26 and 27, bringing two days of bluegrass and Americana to Village Green Park with music on two stages. Festival headliners Steep Canyon Rangers […]
Posted inBusiness News
Rimrock Trails Announces Availability of the 2026 Kiefer Leutschaft Memorial Scholarships
Four $2,500 scholarship opportunities are available to seniors from Redmond High and Crook County High Schools who are interested in pursuing higher education in psychology, behavioral health, addiction studies, psychiatry, social work, and related fields. Students are encouraged to apply for this scholarship. The topstudent applicants from Redmond High and Crook County High School will be selected. The application submission deadline is March 3, 2026. Students interested […]
Posted inBusiness News
Deschutes County Accepting Applications for Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program on Feb. 1
Deschutes County Natural Resources will begin accepting applications for its 2026 Sweat Equity Bin Rental Program on Sunday, Feb. 1. This program helps local communities remove fire fuels and improve defensible spaces around homes and other structures by covering the cost of trash bin rentals. Funds set aside for this year’s program will provide rental […]
Posted inUncategorized
Tickets on Sale Now for Reggae Rise Up Oregon
Reggae Rise Up Oregon returns for its second year from June 12–14, 2026 with three more sunny days of world-class reggae, roots, hip-hop and genre-blending sounds at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center in Redmond, Oregon. Following a hugely successful debut, the festival continues to grow and is a must-visit destination event that combines immersive live music with art, […]
Posted inBusiness News
Bestselling Author Benjamin Stevenson at Free Event in March
Roundabout Books and the Deschutes Public Library are collaborating to bring the Central Oregon reading community a FREE event with Benjamin Stevenson. Join us on March 27th at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon to celebrate his fourth book, Everyone in This Bank Is a Thief. This locked room mystery is a balm from the news and […]