Judging Central Oregon’s Top Chef competition is a tough job, but someone’s got to do it. Fortunately, I was one of those someones last weekend at the Bite of Bend. In case you’ve been living under a rock, Top Chef pits two culinary masterminds against each other in a head-to-head cooking competition that features a […]
Bend Oregon News
Posted inCulture
Swimming in Place
“Finding Dory” packs a Pixar punch
It is difficult to go into a film released by Pixar Animation Studios without abnormally high expectations. While not every single one of their films is an outright classic, they have had only one full-blown misfire in their filmography with “Cars 2.” Even though these are basically categorized as animated films for children, Pixar has […]
Posted inCulture
Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony Honoring Literary Excellence and the Desert
On June 28, the High Desert Museum will host the Waterston Desert Writing Prize Ceremony, where the works of one winner and two finalists will be honored. The award recognizes excellence in writing as well as the role deserts play in the ecosystem and the human narrative. The Waterston Desert Writing Prize is inspired by […]
Posted inNews
Side Notes 6/15-6/22
Oregon State Treasurer Calls For More Diversity in Boardrooms Studies suggest that greater gender balance among corporate leaders contributes to higher stock values, productivity and profitability, but corporations have either failed to get the message or failed to act on it. According to a press release from Oregon State Treasurer Ted Wheeler, “White directors hold […]
Posted inNews
River Trash: Whose Mess Is It, Anyway?
The great debate of social responsibility vs. district duties continues
Trash. Garbage. Refuse. Waste. Litter goes by many names and comes in many forms, but whatever you call it, during the summer season in Bend, it is becoming more and more prevalent. As sun-seeking tourists and residents alike flood the river with inflatable fiestas, garbage is accumulating in their wake. The associated raft rentals, snow […]
Posted inOpinion
Letters 6/15-6/22
In response to “Somebody has to Pay,” (6/9) IP 28 money is intended only to assure that the unreasonable wage increases the governor negotiated with public employee unions and the overspending that has occurred during the last two legislative sessions controlled by a Democratic senate, house and governor have been approved absent any money to […]
Posted inNews
Sex, Lies & Snapchat
Locally-based novel focuses lens on sex trafficking in Central Oregon
La Pine junior Zoey James mustered her social energy and drove with her sister Camille through the snow to a party being thrown by a classmate. A stereotypical rural teen scene ensued: Cheap liquor. Hip-hop beats. Dizzying grinds on the dance floor. Only a few sips into a vodka drink, the room started to spin […]
Posted inNews
Senate Bill 1533 and Inclusionary Zoning
A reader named Krista recently wrote to the Source Weekly about Senate Bill 1533. She wondered whether the bill really accomplishes anything in terms of helping create affordable housing, and expressed concerns about the bill’s definition of affordable housing: “Affordable housing” means housing that is affordable to households with incomes equal to or higher than […]
Posted inOpinion
Taking Responsibility for River Trash
Local government and businesses have rolled out the red carpet for river runners. Parks and Rec launched the Ride the River shuttle long before we had a public bus system. Sun Country Tours rents float tubes to families at Riverbend Park Beach. Tumalo Creek Kayak and Canoe has helped create a veritable SUP armada on […]
Posted inMusic
All Stars
The return of Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth came on the scene in 1997 with the album “Fush Yu Mang,” which is the noise you make make while screaming expletives at the person that just smashed your mouth. With that album, the San Jose, Calif.-based band jumpstarted a resurging Ska craze almost single-handedly, becoming totemic to the idea of a “Summer […]
