Thanks to hearing device technology from Central Oregon Audiology, I am acutely aware of the cacophony of hundreds of male Pacific tree frogs in Central Oregon’s irrigation ponds, decorative water features, and drainage ditches that are making their presence known to one and all. They are gleefully summoning their lady-friend partners to come join them […]
Source Bend
Union Helps Win Cannabis Case
One of the strangest situations created by cannabis legalization in Oregon and elsewhere in the US is the effect, or lack thereof, of legalization on state employment law. Oregonians can get a doctor’s prescription for cannabis to treat a variety of illnesses in the state’s medical marijuana program, and Oregonians 21 and older can now […]
Letters 6/29-7/6
Bend, Not Ready for Prime Time Coming to your neighborhood soon: higher density, Bend style Have you heard? Bend will continue to expand at its current, incredible pace, growing another 40 percent within a decade. While I’m sure that developers, realtors, and those who actually benefit from more people and tourism are jumping for joy, the other […]
Side Notes 6/29-7/6
Everyone Gets a Raise! Thanks to the passage of Senate Bill 1532, minimum wage workers in Deschutes County will get a raise on July 1, when Oregon’s minimum wage increases from the current $9.25 hourly rate to $9.50. Minimum wage workers in Portland will see an increase of 50-cents an hour. The new “wage law” […]
Incarcerated Adults Address Chronic Illness
A four-year-old program is saving taxpayers more than $10,000 per prisoner, per year, and making life better for people with chronic illnesses living behind bars. Since adopting the Living Well with Chronic Conditions program (LWCC) in 2012, more than 1,000 incarcerated adults in Oregon have improved their health and well-being by completing the course. According […]
Lively Up Yourself
Saying that “The Shallows” is the best shark movie since “Jaws” isn’t saying much. Mainly because there aren’t that many good shark movies, but also because it’s not. It is definitely better than the “Sharknado” movies, but “Deep Blue Sea,” “Open Water,” and maybe even the goofy-as-all-hell “Shark Night” are more fun. “The Shallows” follows […]
Supermarket Sweep
At 5:30pm on opening day, the parking lot at Market of Choice on Colorado Avenue was overflowing. I parked a block away and made my way inside the 42,000-square-foot shopping Mecca, along with everyone else in Bend, it seemed. Market of Choice boasts more than 10 different departments, ranging from fresh produce, seafood and meat […]
Aliens vs. Teenagers
When “Independence Day” was released in 1996, there was something refreshing about a movie that chose to blow up most of the world before saving it. The heroics of Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum mattered little because millions of people were already dead. While there were plenty of disaster flicks before “ID4,” the novelty of […]
Summer Film & Theater Events
June 21- August 17 Summer Movie Express 2016 KIDS MOVIES—All summer long on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Old Mill Stadium 16 & IMAX will be screening newer and classic family films for $1. Films include “The Lego Movie,” “The Iron Giant,” “Minions,” “Goosebumps” and more. This is a great chance to catch several kid-friendly movies on […]
Summer Outside Events
June-August Bend Elks Baseball BASEBALL—With over 17 years of baseball history, the Bend Elks are more than ready to represent their hometown this season. Games at the Vince Genna Stadium started early in June, and run through the end of August. Catch your tickets for as low as $6 or go big with a season […]

