In 2010, the historic Rademacher House—home to Bend’s first mayor—was the site of Arts Central’s educational programming. That year, the organization opted to close down classes in the space, after “a vile act was committed in full view on the porch.” Inside, a group of young children were gathered for an arts class when the […]
Exclusion Zone
Letters 6/30-7/7
IN REPLY TO “THIS USED TO BE MY PLAYGROUND” (7/1) To call Troy Park “iconic” is just hubris. It’s a patch of grass barely the size of a football field (if that). As the article states, public entities had plenty of opportunity to purchase this land. They didn’t. Iconic would more aptly describe Drake Park. […]
Interview: Bend Police Chief Jim Porter on the expansion of the civil exclusion zone
The Bend City Council recently approved an ordinance expanding the civil exclusion zone to cover downtown. We talked to Bend Police Chief Jim Porter to get the inside scoop on how the ordinance came about and how police plan to execute it. Source Weekly: Where and how did the conversation about expanding the civil exclusion […]
Freedom Is Nothing Left To Lose
This weekend, revelers will flock to downtown Bend to celebrate Independence Day. Whether they realize it or not, they will also be crossing an invisible line into the City’s newly expanded civil exclusion zone, where an offense as minor as littering or underage drinking could get them 86’ed from the City’s core by police—all without […]
Exclude The Exclusion Zone
At City Council last Wednesday, an ordinance to expand the so-called “civil exclusion zone” was essentially re-introduced. Currently, the City allows police to “exclude” for 90 days persons accused of certain criminal and civil violations from specific areas downtown; the alleged violations can be as innocuous as littering, graffiti, or underage drinking. Based on recommendations […]
Persona Non Grata
As the weather heats up, so too does crime. And this summer, the Bend Police Department is hoping to nip bad behavior in the bud with an expansion of the city’s civil exclusion zone. But the move, which would allow police to ban individuals cited or arrested for certain crimes from the downtown area, is […]

