On Feb. 12, the Oregon Senate passed Senate Bill 608—also known as the statewide rent control bill—17 votes to 11. All but one of the no votes was Republican, including Sen. Tim Knopp (R-Bend). Betsy Johnson (D-Scappoose) also voted against the bill. Two Republican members of the Senate didn’t vote. If SB 608 passes the […]
kate brown
Posted inNews
A New Representative for Bend
Cheri Helt sits down with the Source as she begins her first term in the Oregon House
The pomp and circumstance of the 80th Oregon Legislature began Monday with both the Senate and the House convening to swear in members-elect for each chamber, and then convening a joint session for the inauguration of Gov. Kate Brown. Central Oregon has two new legislators in the Oregon House beginning this legislative session. Cheri Helt, […]
Posted inNews
A New Report Highlights a Vision For Wildfire Planning
1000 Friends of Oregon releases a report on land use and wildfires
California just witnessed the worst fire in the state’s recorded history: 86 confirmed deaths and nearly 14,000 homes destroyed in the Camp Fire in November. Last year in Oregon, the Columbia River Gorge burned as the result of a careless firework. Now, 1000 Friends of Oregon is trying to do something about catastrophic wildfires. Gov. […]
Posted inOpinion
Gratitude Should be an Everyday Thing
“With Native Americans you do not separate the spiritual from the rest of your life. You’re very involved with who you are, where you came from, and where you are going. We have special holidays or festivals, but every day is a day of thanksgiving.” —Gladys Widdiss, elder of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head […]
Posted inNews
2018 Midterm Election Results
Find up-to-date results for the 2018 midterm races and measures below. (Editor’s note: Page last updated 10:38 pm Tuesday). Some takeaways thus far from election night: -All state measures defeated, except Measure 102.– Democrat incumbent Kate Brown wins the governor’s race against Republican Knute Buehler– Republican Cheri Helt set to win the Bend’s Oregon House […]
Posted inOpinion
No Voting System is Perfect
On Tuesday, the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office reported the discovery of a batch of stolen mail on Bureau of Land Management land, including a number of unopened election ballots. For those not in support of vote-by-mail systems, this might seem like ammunition to help their cause. In this case, none of the ballots were opened, […]
Posted inNews
A Second Chance
State initiative encourages employers to hire workers with criminal records
Driving down any main thoroughfare in Bend, it’s hard not to notice “Help Wanted” signs lingering on the marquees of a variety of businesses, sometimes for months at a time. As of July 2017, Bend’s unemployment rate was a mere 3.7 percent, down from a 10-year high of 17.2 percent in March 2009, during the […]
Posted inNews
La Bell Pulls Out of HD54 Race
The candidate notified the Oregon Working Families Party Sept. 19
Tthe Oregon Working Families candidate for House District 54 has decided to end her run for the seat. According to a press release from the Oregon Working Families party, the party fully supports Amanda La Bell’s decision to end her campaign. “As a party, we believe that when a candidate no longer has the trust […]
Posted inNews
Amanda La Bell Loses Support
After an alleged false claim in the voters’ pamphlet, Brown and Merkley pull support
Amanda La Bell, who just last month threw her hat in the ring for Oregon House District 54 on the Working Families Party ticket, reportedly made a false statement in the Oregon Voters’ Pamphlet—potentially a class C felony. Willamette Week reported Tuesday that La Bell’s voter’s pamphlet statement, under “educational background” stated, “BA, Valdosta State […]
Posted inOpinion
Party-line voting is never ideal—but this year, that’s even more apparent
As the 2018 election season begins to elevate to fever pitch, voters are being challenged, perhaps more than in other years, to truly think for themselves as they cast their votes. We’d like to say that voters should always be compelled to go beyond party-line voting and to choose candidates based on merit and position—but […]