When Josh Dirksen first started the Dirksen Derby, it wasn’t intended to be a world-class event; it really was just meant to be a low-key community gathering, something to raise some funds for Tyler Eklund, who sustained a spinal chord injury while snowboarding. But over the past eight years, the two-day event has boomed—attracting top […]
Section Feature
Posted inCulture
‘Tis The Season To Shop Local
Fa La La La La, La La La Craft Faire
It is a tale of two craft fairs, and a true holiday tale of joining forces together, and with a moral that would make Jimmy Stewart’s heart swell two times its size, Central Oregon Locavore and The Old Ironworks are joining forces to promote their same-day local, holiday craft and food events. The two events […]
Posted inCulture
Sex, Drugs, and Rocks
Cheryl Strayed’s Wild: Now with 100 percent more Reese Witherspoon!
“The last thing we need is a bunch of ill-prepared people who aren’t thinking clearly and are trying to find themselves,” huffed Donna Saufley, a former board member of the Pacific Crest Trail Association, to the New York Times in 2013. She was talking to Christopher Solomon, whose story “The Call of the Wild on […]
Posted inMusic
How to Steel Your Record Collection
Smokey Brights picked up influence and more from old-school tastes
Ryan Devlin is a record bandit, though not a malicious one. All of his admitted record thievery happened when he was a kid, discovering musical tastes from his parents’ and others’ dusty record bins. “I took Joe Jackson Look Sharp when I was in forth or fifth grade and was learning how to play bass […]
Posted inMusic
Daughters of the Sound of the Beast
The ways of all-lady tribute band, Zepparella
Drummer Clementine, founding member of the female Led Zeppelin tribute band Zepparella, discovered something magical when she first was exposed to the groundbreaking music of Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Paul Jones and John Bonham. It has remained mystical to her since that first time she heard Plant’s signature howling vocals and the cascading drums […]
Posted inNews
Let it Flow
Federal judge pulls the plug on Bridge Creek pipeline lawsuit
For the past year and a half, the now $30-$34 million Bridge Creek pipeline project has lain in wait, its completion stalled by persistent legal challenges. But last Friday, a federal judge turned the tap back on, permitting the project to move forward. “I was pleased but not surprised,” says Councilor Victor Chudowsky. “The most […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Similar But Eastside Different
Three weeks old and eastside Jackson’s Corner already has regulars
At first glance, Jackson’s Corner Eastside closely resembles its westside counterpart: it’s a bright space filled with large wooden tables, an open kitchen with a brick oven, and a counter with affable staff standing next to a glass case filled with eye-catching pastries and slices of pie. There are two counters, one for quick access […]
Posted inNews
The Rocky Road to City Council
Casey Roats knocks down major election hurdle, but a lawsuit still looms
Casey Roats’ path to City Council reached another milestone Monday evening. After about three hours of often-tense deliberations on the letter and spirit of the City Charter’s residency requirements, councilors voted 5-2 to find Roats qualified to serve. TThe majority aligned in support of the notion that “intent” carries more weight than the common understanding […]
Posted inCulture
A Christmas Carole
Humbug gives Scrooge a gender twist
Christmas plays can be tricky. For starters, not everyone celebrates Christmas, which potentially alienates part of the theater-going crowd. Also, most Christmas plays are often shoddily written, more about sentiment than substance, and a means to distract children with pageantry instead of quality. Oh, and finally, if the play decides to approach Christmas from a […]
Posted inCulture
European Vacation
Force Majeure: Not-so-fun for the whole family!
Life is pain, even in the gorgeous French Alps. What starts as a perfect family vacation—one spent skiing pristine mountains, chatting in restaurants, laughing with friends—goes hideously awry in Force Majeure, Ruben Östlund’s darkly hilarious and/or darkly horrifying tale of a marriage on the rocks. Or maybe that should be “on the slopes”? I don’t […]
