With a handful of people in the race for Position 3 on the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners, chances are weโll see a rematch between some of these candidates during the November go-round. That might be a good thing, because we admit that this race involves some tough choices. Amy Sabbadini is a beloved […]
Deschutes County Commission
Vote Morgan Schmidt for Deschutes County Commission, Pos. 5
Like a lot of the races for the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners this May, the one for Position 5 is a crowded field. Voters will see four names on their ballots for this seat โ one of two seats that are being added after voters previously moved to expand the county commission. If […]
Vote Jamie Collins for Deschutes County Commission, Pos. 1
In a May primary that might have otherwise been ho-hum, voters are selecting candidates in a raft of positions for the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners, after voting previously to expand the commission from three members to five. Each race has a fairly large slate of candidates โ except for Position 1, in which […]
Longtime Incumbent, Credentialedย Challenger Clash inย Deschutes County Commissioner Position 1 Raceย
Tony DeBone was first elected to the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners in 2010. He won again in 2014, and again in 2018 and 2022. Now, as he seeks a fifth term, he faces an aggressive and well-funded challenge. Jamie Collins, a U.S. Coast Guard veteran and founder of a climate consulting firm, has more than doubled DeBoneโs campaign donations, […]
Politicalย Hopefuls,ย Sistersย Mayorย Faceย Off in Deschutes County Commission Position 5ย Race
Four candidates are running for Deschutes County Commission Position 5, a brand-new seat added by a 2024 ballot measure expanding the county commission from three to five members. The late addition of Sisters Mayor Jennifer Letz added another layer of complexity to the May 19 primary, likely shrinking the chances that any candidate will receive the 50% of the vote needed to […]
As the Battles Over Public Funds Commence, We Need an Equitable Process
With the end of the federal government shutdown, the roughly 757,000 people in Oregon who receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits could breathe a sigh of relief. Food would be on the table as winter sets in. There might even be enough to give thanks at Thanksgiving. But that relief is temporary. The federal government […]
Plans for Managed Camp in Redmond Move Forward
Plans for a managed camp for the unhoused in Redmond moved forward this week, when the Redmond City Council, as well as the Deschutes County Board of County Commissioners, voted to allocate additional dollars to the effort. A plan to offer a sanctioned camping area for the townโs unhoused population has been in the works […]
Sign the Petition to Make the Deschutes County Commission Non-Partisan
Right now, a group of locals is spearheading an effort to try to move the races for the Deschutes County Board of Commissioners from partisan to non-partisan. This has been a topic of conversation since at least last year, when then-Democratic candidate Phil Changโnow a county commissionerโsaid he was in favor of the switch. While […]
My View: Phil Chang, Deschutes County Commission Democratic candidate โถ [with video]
Phil Chang, Democratic candidate for Deschutes County Commission, joins Editor Nicole Vulcan of the Source Weekly for “My View,” a video series inviting local candidates to share their views on a host of topics ahead of the 2020 election, while sitting in front of a view they enjoy. Chang chose to meet at Bend’s Pilot […]
LUBA Fires First Shots Across Deschutes County Bow
For the first time since marijuana production has been legal in Deschutes County, the Board of County Commissioners received some feedback from the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals about how their interpretations of marijuana land-use rules square with state law. The feedback was pretty simple: Try again. In a unanimous opinion filed Oct. 17, […]

