As anticipated, the Federal Reserve voted Dec. 14 to raise the federal funds rate by a quarter point. I thought it would be “fun” to show the effects of interest rate hikes on a $300,000 mortgage with a 30-year term: As you can see, a quarter point difference is not that significant, but a half […]
Pacific Northwest
Posted inNews
Stay Lit, Central Oregon!
Energy Challenge program extends into Redmond and Tumalo for 2017
Over the past two years, you may have wondered at the crew of people in Americorps gear, riding around Bend on bikes laden with boxes of LED bulbs. Whether in snow or in sleet, the crew has been working to get the word out about the incredible energy savings you can get by replacing your […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Ditch the Kitchen this Christmas
Festive feasts and where to find them
The dog doesn’t have to “accidentally” eat the turkey for you to feel justified in taking your loved ones out to a restaurant to eat this holiday. If the idea of planning, preparing, serving, and then cleaning up after feeding family and friends sounds more like a work day than a holiday, then we have […]
Posted inCulture
Beware the Christmas Goat
The odd, absurd and sometimes downright freaky side of Christmas traditions
Let’s get weird for a second. Imagine you were trying to explain Western holiday traditions to someone not raised in our culture. For one, there’s this bearded guy, totally not connected to Jesus or his birthday, who climbs down the chimneys of people with children and leaves presents under a tree propped in a corner […]
Posted inOutside
Natural World: Why Coyotes like it in Town
(Hint: There are cats there)
A recent television report about coyotes living in Bend surprised some people. It shouldn’t, since there are coyotes living all over North America today, eating mule deer fawns, chickens and cats—thanks to the actions of the government trappers that started killing coyotes over 100 years ago. They thought they could kill coyotes as easily as […]
Posted inNews
Lessons from the Ghost Ship Fire
Safety in public spaces is a priority for local officials—but artists say the deadly Oakland fire is a testament to the financial squeeze put on creatives
Earlier this month, 36 people died in the fire inside the Ghost Ship, a multipurpose artist’s space and sometimes-venue in Oakland, Calif. According to reports from survivors, escaping the second-floor gathering space required navigating through a confusing maze of smoke and turning staircases. Officials in Oakland have ruled out arson, according to Oakland’s “East Bay […]
Posted inCulture
Picks 12/14-12/21
Thursday 15 – Friday 16 “The Night Before the Night Before Christmas” CHRISTMAS SHOW—This show puts the “fun” back in dysfunctional as we follow an older man on his mission to cancel Christmas. From local playwright Cricket Daniel, “The Night Before the Night Before Christmas” is a reprise of the run that sold out 2nd […]
Posted inCulture
Deck the Hall with Booze and Cocaine
“Office Christmas Party” brings the laughs
Writing reviews of comedies is always a fickle mistress, because it basically comes down to describing very relative crap that makes you laugh. Another interesting aspect to think about is whether to hold comedies to the same standard as other movies in more serious genres. If a comedy succeeds in making you laugh then hasn’t […]
Posted inOpinion
What’s Next, Legislature?
Governor’s budget works to protect seniors and students, but it can only go so far
Early this month, Gov. Kate Brown released her recommended budget for the 2017-19 biennium. The budget’s title: “Strategic Investments for Challenging Times.” “Sustaining hard fought gains is nearly impossible with a tax system that is unstable, inadequate to meet our essential needs, and fundamentally out of balance,” said Gov. Brown. In November, voters approved Measure […]
Posted inNews
The Battle to Smoke in a Public Space
As Smoke Signals noted a few weeks ago, Denver took a big leap forward last month by becoming the first major city to legalize “social” use of cannabis. After Colorado legalized cannabis in 2014, Denverites began exploring the limits of the new law. Like other nearby towns, entrepreneurs in Colorado’s largest city sought to open […]