Remember when education got a whopping 4% of the federal budget? Well, those days are officially over. The U.S. Department of Education’s budget fell by $73 billion this year, from $268.4 billion in 2024 to $194.7 billion in 2025, bringing the DOE’s spending to a 1.3% trickle. Oregon’s COVID relief funds are also now exhausted, […]
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Posted inCulture
Marvel Goes Retro
The Fantastic Four looks to the future
I don’t know if I’ve ever admitted this to myself, but sometimes I think I was born into the wrong time. Don’t get it twisted: being there for the birth of the internet, social media, AI, virtual reality and all kinds of other tech breakthroughs has been cool, but as a child of the ’80s, I […]
Posted inOutside
“Rock of Ages”
Drama in Drake Park
There’s not much you can’t do outdoors in Bend, including going to the theater. This year’s Theater in the Park features the musical, “Rock of Ages.” The play is set in the 1980s with music from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi and more. The story is about aspiring musician Drew and dreamer Sherri who fight to […]
Posted inNews
Weed News Roundup
Raids, rescheduling and undisclosed potency
GLASSHOUSE RAID – California’s cannabis producer Glasshouse found itself in the national spotlight when federal law enforcement agencies raided a production facility. On July 10, Drug Enforcement and ICE raided grow warehouses in Camarillo and Carpinteria, located in California’s Central Valley. Agents served immigration and naturalization warrants, resulting in 360 arrests, 14 children taken into […]
Posted inOutside
“The Lightning Thief”
A musical to warm your heart
In Redmond, “The Lightning Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical” opens Aug. 14 with performances on six dates at High Desert Music Hall. The story is adapted from the first book of author Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson series. Jackson has a troubled childhood until he discovers that he is a child of a Greek god. […]
Posted inMusic
Composer Chris Thomas Does It All
The Bend resident now writes for movies, network TV, symphony orchestras… and Fortnight, too
Chris Thomas is a composer, cellist, conductor, professor, Comic-Con sound designer, film scorer… and I could keep going on and on. He is a musical treasure in both of his two home bases: Los Angeles and Bend. A native Oregonian, from Pendleton in fact, Chris realized as a child that he had original musical ideas […]
Posted inMusic
Reggae Rise Up Oregon
Big vibes coming to Deschutes County Fair
& Expo Center
For years, the Reggae Rise Up music festival has taken the rhythm and culture of reggae music to fans across the country, and this year, it is finally making its Oregon debut this August at the Deschutes County Fair & Expo Center. Some of this year’s headliners include Stephen Marley, Iration, Rebelution, Slightly Stoopid and […]
Posted inNews
Before the Moving Trucks Arrive:
Smart projects for your new home
The ink is dry, the keys are in hand, and the excitement is palpable — you’ve officially bought a new home! While the urge to immediately fill every room with furniture and boxes is strong, taking a breath and tackling a few key projects before moving day can save you significant time, stress, and money […]
Posted inCulture
Horoscope Week of August 6, 2025
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): In the Arctic, the sun shines for 24 hours a day during midsummer. There is no night, only the surreal glow of prolonged gold. The human body, confused by the unending day, may be confused about when to sleep. For some, this creates disorientation, and for others, a strange euphoria. In […]
Posted inLetters to the Editor
Letters to the Editor 08/06/2025
A Letter to Bend City Council and Deschutes County Commissioners I am again writing to demand the immediate removal of the Confederate flag currently displayed on the east side of Highway 97, between the access road to Dirt World (where the dumpsters are currently located) and the highway’s southbound-to-northbound turnaround point. This flag is especially […]