Starting a new school year brings more changes than just the transition from summer into fall. Whether it is the stress of a new teacher, or returning after an awkward summertime growth spurt, or with eyeglasses or braces, the first day can bring butterflies to the stomach of even the most well-adjusted child. But for […]
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Posted inSpecial Issues & Guides
Fall Fashion 2014
Dapper day and elegant evening looks
N Spekktor (a pseudonym, she requested we don’t run her real name in case she gets famous someday) is a local painter and fashion designer with a penchant for electronic music. As a testament to her passion for fashion, she wears a tattoo of a needle and thread shaping an infinity symbol on her forearm […]
Posted inNews
Modern-day Disciples?
Cult survivor alerts Bendites to the Brethren
Anna Flowers was driving down Third Street in mid-July when a cyclist caught her eye. At first glance, she subconsciously categorized the scruffy looking man as “homeless.” But then she did a double take. She recognized something that took her breath away. The man, with his full beard and long, tunic-style shirt, was not homeless. […]
Posted inNews
Putting Together the Pieces
How is the big picture for Bend’s economy shaping up?
Five years ago, Bend’s economy—largely based on tourism and a housing boom—fell apart. What had been a blessing—a giant leap forward in housing prices—suddenly seemed like a curse as residents fell behind on mortgage payments, and the region’s biggest economic driver was more of an economic anvil than advantage. And, with people across the country […]
Posted inNews
Hotel, Motel, Neighborhood Inn?
Westside residents push back against vacation rentals
“That’s a vacation rental,” Stephen Junkins says, pointing to a modest but well-maintained mill house as he rides his bike slowly through the River West neighborhood where he lives. “And that’s a vacation rental,” he adds, gesturing toward another house across the street. He also points out owner-occupied homes, and those with long-term renters, and […]
Posted inNews
Can A Mormon and Republican De-Throne Governor Kitzhaber?
Rep. Dennis Richardson stops in for an interview
With Oregon’s general elections about 100 days away, gubernatorial candidate Rep. Dennis Richardson recently stopped by our offices to talk about his reasons for running for governor, economic development and his stand on social issues. A graduate of Brigham Young University’s law school and a trial lawyer for more than 30 years, Richardson also has […]
Posted inCulture
Alley-oop
Public art collection in downtown grows
With its exposed brick walls and bustling off-the-beaten pathway commerce, Tin Pan Alley could easily stand in as a double for a charming mid-century Bronx scene in a Scorsese film. And, last summer a handful of 8×4 foot canvases, each decorated by a local artist, were draped alongside the thin roadway—and the space’s aesthetic was […]
Posted inNews
Greater Than the Great Lakes
A Tour of Central Oregon’s lakes
Lake Michigan is pretty awesome. But you know what, it is cold. Like jump in, jump out, polar bear frigid. Lake Superior? Yeah sure, lives up to its name. But it is BFE, near absolutely nowhere, and not a good microbrewery within a three hour drive. Lake Erie is polluted and Lake Huron forgettable. I […]
Posted inNews
Trouble on the Rez
Warm Springs searches for path to economic security
Warm Springs is in trouble. The signs are easy enough to miss. From the curving canyon road hugging the twists and turns of the Deschutes to the desolately dramatic outcroppings flanking either side, the barren beauty provides a welcome distraction from creeping realities. Even the human-built structures there evoke majestic natural and historical elements—Indian Head […]
Posted inMusic
Spitting Image of California
No worries, Be Calm Honcho
As important to producing cranked up, soulful indie rock, San Francisco’s Be Calm Honcho places their focus on the aesthetic pleasures of music—album art, fashion and sunshine. And for good reason. Vocalist Shannon Harney, the fresh-faced and sassy lead singer, has figured out that people eat with their eyes first, even when it comes to […]
