The day after being elected mayor of Bend by fellow councilors, Casey Roats sat down with the Source Weekly to talk about the future of the city and his new role. “I’m looking forward to serving as mayor. It’s a real honor. It’s not something I campaigned for and I wasn’t seeking it out.” But […]
Source Weekly
Another Report Ranking Bend-Redmond #1
Bend has once again caught national attention. According to the Milken Institute 2016 Best Performing Cities Report, the Bend-Redmond area was ranked first in the U.S. Best-Performing Small Cities index, up from last year’s ranking at eighth place. The report bases its rankings on nine different indicators, and Bend-Redmond posted gains on seven of the […]
Classic Reggae
Often home to rising talents, Bend will soon be hosting one of reggae’s longest running stars. Mykal Rose, the leading voice of Black Uhuru, emerged onto the global stage when the group’s album “Anthem” won a Grammy for Best Reggae Album—the first time that award was given out. After a few more years with Black […]
Shining Bright
Ron Rupprecht isn’t thrilled at what he sees 250 feet from his house in east Bend. His property borders a major development with nearly 150 acres of solar panels, now beginning to produce electricity and send power to a Pacific Power substation. Tucked just off Neff Road, Rupprecht purchased his small acreage in 2000 as […]
Reunion Time
What the hell is “Americana” and why is it something we use to describe things? Does it mean that something is intrinsically “American?” I know when the word is used to describe music it means a hodgepodge of folk, country, blues, bluegrass, rock and R&B, but isn’t that just spouting off different genres of music […]
Gung Ho for Shows 1/11-1/18
Book these shows now so you don’t miss out. January 25 "The Price is Right" Live GAME SHOW—Just in case you have never spent a day sick on the couch watching this classic game show—"The Price is Right" first began in 1956 and features contestants pulled from the crowd to compete to win cash and […]
Mapping Cannabis Use
Every year, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health asks Americans about their use of cannabis and other drugs. The results of the 2015 survey, released recently, show that 8.3 percent of Americans aged 12 and up said they had used cannabis at least once in the past month. Meanwhile, 13.5 percent said they […]
Side Notes 1/11-1/18
State Attorney General Takes Over Investigation of Police Shooting Case Oregon State Police have released the names of the two Bend police officers involved in the officer-involved shooting that happened Dec 23 in downtown Bend. OSP say Officer Scott Schaier fired his handgun during the incident, and that one or both of the officers, which […]
I’m Friends With the Monster
The story behind the book version of “A Monster Calls” is a tragic one. Siobhan Dowd was an activist and a writer in the UK. She was diagnosed with breast cancer and, during her terminal illness, came up with the story of a young boy fighting to come to terms with his mother’s fate. She […]
Space Racism
The trailers for “Hidden Figures” have been omnipresent for at least six months. I've seen the trailer for “Hidden Figures” at least 50 times over the last few months and it made me feel like I’d already seen the film. Luckily, the film is such a warmhearted crowd pleaser that it’s hard to hold its […]

