When setting up an appointment to talk with 92-year-old Virgil Brunson, he made two things clear: One, our meeting cannot interfere with his firewood gathering, and two, it absolutely cannot be during a Portland Trail Blazers game. If he and his partners are delivering a cord of firewood, they make sure to be done and […]
Source Spotlight
Posted inCulture
Meg Chun
Lifestyle meets lifestyle brand for this local business owner
For Meg Chun, being near or on the water is a non-negotiable. As an Aquarius who grew up in Wisconsin, near the Great Lakes, her fascination with water was amplified when she began her teaching career in Hawaii and began participating in outrigger canoeing. The sport introduced her to her husband, Dave, and together they […]
Posted inCulture
Name It; He’s Probably Done It
From riding trains to reading lines to writing books, new Central Oregonian Jared McVay’s done a lot
Jared McVay says a few weeks ago, his publisher told him that among Amazon’s book sales worldwide, Stephen King is rated at number 19. McVay asked what that had to do with him. His publisher responded, “You’re number 20.” But through 12 books and counting, it’s doubtful that any of the fictional characters McVay dreamed […]
Posted inCulture
Patrol Deputy brings experience, gratitude and a female je ne sais quoi to county service
Ruby Shaffer
Twenty-four years has passed since I was last in a police station. After a short lifetime of 911 calls and sirens, at age 10, law enforcement forcibly removed my sister and me from our mom’s custody. We sat in the cold plastic chairs at the station and waited to be released to our father. Many […]
Posted inCulture
Teaching Kids Emotional Intelligence
Molly Carroll, Flourish
A young girl walked into Molly Carroll’s classroom, crying after recess. Carroll was getting ready to give a math test and found herself in a quandary. “Do I deal with the emotional needs of this child or the academic needs of the whole room?” said Carroll. “I saw a gap in our education system. How do […]
Posted inCulture
Skeptical Activism: Removing the Spin
Brian Dunning, The Skeptoid Podcast
With so much information available today, it can be hard to find the truth. If you want to believe something badly enough, you’ll find someone out there supporting your belief—true or not. Brian Dunning, the science writer behind the award-winning podcast “Skeptoid: Critical Analysis of Pop Phenomena,” puts it like this: “Production companies call me […]
Posted inCulture
Laird Hamilton
From super athlete to superfood
Call him Creamer Guy. His real name is Laird Hamilton. He’s a big-wave surfer—maybe the best, ever. He’s also an inventor, SUP godfather (remember the Blame Laird campaign?), fitness guru, waterman… and now, he’s working on creating the second coming of Newman’s Own. On July 16, Hamilton came to Sisters to christen the opening of […]
Posted inCulture
Old School Religion
Ancient faith takes root in Central Oregon with the help of Father Damian Kuolt
Some Central Oregonians might be surprised to learn that a 2,000-year-old religion is celebrated in a cozy chapel, tucked away in a retail mall on Northeast Division Street in Bend. The Saint Jacob Orthodox Christian Church of Central Oregon can be found in the Whistlestop Business Center between the Orchid Thai Restaurant and Plantd. Leading […]
Posted inCulture
When Western Medicine Fails, Vet Looks East
Dr. Scott Shaw, Westside Pet Hospital
“I‘m a very scientific person. You have to prove something to me to believe,” Veterinarian Dr. Scott Shaw said as he described his first exposure to holistic medicine. “I had to take a leap of faith at first.” Shaw had a few veterinary cases in which traditional Western medicine didn’t provide a cure. “I tried […]
Posted inCulture
Helping People and Gaining Experience
A spotlight on two volunteers in the local Notre Dame Americorps program
Hundreds of employees keep Central Oregon’s nonprofits and support organizations running. But many also rely on volunteers. AmeriCorps fills a gap in between—providing opportunities for those looking to gain experience and help an organization in need. Sierra Mayer and Taylor Smith are two members of the Notre Dame AmeriCorps in Bend. Mayer is serving with […]