Anyone who skis or snowboards at Mt. Bachelor Resort sooner or later asks an existential question: Why isn’t there a lodge or village at the mountain? Other big ski resorts around the continent offer such amenities and convenience. From the big ones like Whistler in British Columbia to smaller ones like Snowshoe in West Virginia, […]
Bend News
Kicked It in the Sun
If you’re looking for impartiality, you won’t find it in this article, because Built to Spill is one of my favorite bands of all time. I’m biased. I was 20 the first time I heard “Perfect From Now On,” the band’s 1997 album. It helped me through many dark days, exposed me to what a […]
Bend Pride and Troy Field: Two Big Winners
Bend Pride We visited the Pride celebration this past weekend in Drake Park, and Bend sure has changed since 2005 when the Human Dignity Coalition and a few dozen brave folks threw the first public Pride celebration in McKay Park. Back in those days, many locals were hesitant to join the party, out of concern […]
Ladies Night
What happens when three of the most incredibly talented women in songwriting combine goals and dreams to create an album together? A self-titled album called “Case/Lang/Veirs.” It all started with an email sent years ago from k.d. lang to Neko Case and Laura Veirs, suggesting that the three make an album together. The successful, soulful […]
The Sweet Sounds of Spring
Thanks to hearing device technology from Central Oregon Audiology, I am acutely aware of the cacophony of hundreds of male Pacific tree frogs in Central Oregon’s irrigation ponds, decorative water features, and drainage ditches that are making their presence known to one and all. They are gleefully summoning their lady-friend partners to come join them […]
Union Helps Win Cannabis Case
One of the strangest situations created by cannabis legalization in Oregon and elsewhere in the US is the effect, or lack thereof, of legalization on state employment law. Oregonians can get a doctor’s prescription for cannabis to treat a variety of illnesses in the state’s medical marijuana program, and Oregonians 21 and older can now […]
Letters 6/29-7/6
Bend, Not Ready for Prime Time Coming to your neighborhood soon: higher density, Bend style Have you heard? Bend will continue to expand at its current, incredible pace, growing another 40 percent within a decade. While I’m sure that developers, realtors, and those who actually benefit from more people and tourism are jumping for joy, the other […]
Troy Field Community Potluck/Picnic
Come down to Troy Field for a community picnic/potluck Wednesday, July 6th from 4-9 p.m. This truly is a bring your own everything (food, chair or blanket). A sound system will be provided so people can share their Troy Stories. There will also be a large canvas where folks can sign their name and leave […]
Sides Notes 6/22-6/29
Popular personal-finance website WalletHub recently released its 2016 Car Insurance & Credit Scores Report, shining a light on a controversial pricing policy among the automotive insurance industry: the direct use of an individual’s credit score in determining policy costs. In Oregon, WalletHub found a 68 percent fluctuation in premiums based on credit. Data also show […]
Damaged Sidewalk Nearly Sidelines Home Sale
This week’s article is about an actual real estate experience recently encountered with a sidewalk in need of repair. Both buyers and sellers should take note. As most Bendites know, there are a lot of sidewalks uprooted by tree roots in Bend. Replacing the damaged section with a new sidewalk is only a temporary fix, […]

