Last week, I got up at 4:30 am, to leave at 6:30 am, to arrive in Salem by 8 am. Was I super eager to get to Salem for, uh, whatever it is Salem is so well known to offer? No, friends. I was dressed in my finery to lobby my gubbermint elected officials on […]
Central Oregon
Posted inMusic
Classical Boom
Black Violin may just turn the Tower on its ear
With a definite departure from only classical or bluegrass music, these guys are not your grandparents’ string players. Heck, they’re not even your parents’ string players. The duo Black Violin whips up a high-energy hybrid of classical, hip-hop, rock and other musical genres that reaches out and grabs the listener by the ears. Head-bobbing is […]
Posted inOpinion
Letters 3/15-3/22
Readers heavily respond to the Gas Tax and Roads Editorial
Contributions of the Poor I appreciate and honor the poor among us because they walk, cycle and use public transportation, contributing very little to the carbon emissions polluting our air. They use very little water and do nothing to pollute our water resources with exploitative resource extraction and indiscriminate waste disposal. They do not destroy […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Beer Abounds in Boise
On a tour of U.S. beer (this time closer to home!), Payette Brewing leads a suddenly-crowded pack
The drive along US-20 between Central Oregon and Boise can be pretty boring: vast tracts of uninhabited, sagebrush-filled land with little to ease the monotony until the mountains past Burns. But Idaho’s capital is worth at least a weekend visit for any Bendite, thanks to its towering state capitol, its vast array of outdoor activities […]
Posted inOutside
Natural World: From Marsh Hawks to Northern Harriers
There was a time in the long-long-ago of “bird-watching” when today’s Northern Harrier was known as the Marsh Hawk, because the low-flying, small bird- and mammal-eating raptor could almost always be seen in western marshes, flitting along just a few inches above the foliage, always looking down and rarely where it was going. Those were […]
Posted inNews
Cover All Kids
Bills that would offer insurance for all Oregon children have passed through committees in the state House and Senate. But if passed, where will the money come from?
Health care coverage is a “hot topic” these days, and Oregon is no exception. The uncertainty created by discussions in Washington, D.C., only adds to the chaos in the health care arena—but a pair of bills currently making their way through the Oregon Legislature meets this head-on. Senate Bill 558 and House Bill 2726, commonly […]
Posted inOpinion
A Fish Ladder at Newport Dam: It’s Time for Collaboration
In a few weeks’ time, a new fish passage at the North Canal Dam, near the Riverhouse on the Deschutes in Bend, will be open. The effort is a collaboration between the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, the Upper Deschutes Watershed Council, (UDWC) and the North Unit, Swalley and Central Oregon Irrigation Districts, costing […]
Posted inOutside
Talkin’ Trail
It’s still too muddy to ride some of Central Oregon’s trails, but in the meantime, Bend becomes a gathering point for trail builders from all over
It’s a busy time of year for trail builders all over North America. Every year, more and more communities are seeing the impact on health, happiness, and economy that comes from creating access to good forest trails. Because of this, there’s an ever-expanding need for further education of the professionals within the industry. Last week, professionals […]
Posted inOutside
Spring is here, but snow sports endure.
Ready for your next feat of endurance and strength? Try running on a sea of snow.
For thousands of years, humans have been known for their inventive minds — crafting tools to perform tasks more efficiently, observing nature and finding inspiration. Watching a snowshoe hare, with its large hind legs, hopping around in deep snow, seemingly effortlessly. Our ancestors took notice by developing snowshoes—footwear that allows for greater floatation in snow […]
Posted inCulture
Picks 3/23-29
Bend Burlesque Show, Junior Culture & Soul Medic, Hella Big Air & More
Rose Cousins & Caitlin Canty Thursday 23 MUSIC — A Canadian native, folk singer Rose Cousins uses her songwriting talents to balance heartbreak and courage in her award-winning folk melodies. In perfect contrast, Nashville born Caitlin Canty represents the heart of American blues and folk rock. These two notorious collaborators bring their distinct voices together […]
