the Source March 12, 2026

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On the Cover: Coyote, by Hilary Baker. Coyote, one of Baker's earliest Predators, depicts an urban animal standing in the Inglewood Oil field. Discovered in 1924, it has been in continuous production ever since. It underlies the Baldwin Hills, a range of low hills cut by numerous canyons. As development encroaches, habitats - even industrial landscapes - are rapidly disappearing for wildlife like this coyote. Baker's ongoing series, Predators, can be seen on her website: hilarybaker.com.

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Investigative reporter Peter Madsen looks at an ongoing and troubling water issue in southern Deschutes County. He interviewed a county commissioner and his challenger about the nitrate problem and potential solutions. In other news, Shredder Bend is about to open, offering year-round, indoor ski/snowboard lessons for children. Central Oregon Locavore is opening a second location. A new mushroom/plant-based apothecary has opened on NW Colorado Ave. In music, the grandson of legendary James Brown is coming to Bend to share his own unique blend as a DJ, and Cascades Theatrical Company is taking the stage with “The 39 Steps.” —Managing Editor Nic Moye

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Jessica Marcev sips on her drink by the Deschutes River at McKay Park while waiting for her friend to arrive. Soon they will take off to walk and talk around the park. We want to share your photo! Email info@bendsource.com or tag @sourceweekly on Instagram for a chance to be featured.

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OPINION

Locals Say They Want Tourists to Pay More of Their Fair Share for City Services. A Tweak to Room Tax Rules Could Do That.

Recent changes to Transient Lodging Tax allocations could give more money to the City of Bend — and also reduce tourism numbers

Every time a conversation about funding the streets or local cops comes up, some in the community will use it as an opportunity to ask, “How can we get tourists to pay more of their fair share?” In Bend, the City Council tried in 2016 to increase the local gas tax to make that happen. Voters voted it down. Not long ago, the City Council implemented a transportation fee, tacked onto residents’ Bend utility bills, to address what they said was a gap between income and expenses.

Currently, the way that tourists contribute to the coffers of local governments is through a Transient Lodging Tax tacked on to visitors’ bills when they stay at hotels or short-term rentals. The numbers are a bit confusing because of various changes that have been made over the years, but basically, right now in Bend, the City of Bend gets 68.8% of that TLT for its general fund, while the other 31.27% goes to Visit Bend to fund tourism promotion and tourism-related facilities. In Deschutes County, the split is 70/30, with the County getting 70% and the other 30% going to Visit Central Oregon. For fiscal year 2026, that split means an anticipated $4.97 million for Visit Bend, and $9.4 million for the City of Bend.

Bend and Deschutes County put their TLT programs in place before state-level changes to the allocations came into place in 2003. That year, the state put rules in place around how much should go toward general funds versus tourism promotion. Any local governments that had plans in place before that are grandfathered into seeing a different piece of the pie go toward their general funds, compared to cities that didn’t have things in place before that time. For example, the City of McMinnville, under the post-2003 rules, currently sends 70% of its TLT to tourism promotion, with 30% going toward the city’s general fund. You can imagine how that city would feel about a more even split.

Cities such as those have been asking for the state to amend the rules around the allocations, arguing that it makes no sense to entice tourists to come to places where the roads are crumbling and emergency services don’t have resources to respond.

Last week, the Oregon State Legislative Assembly passed HB 4148, which offers local governments more flexibility in the way they divide monies from

Transient Lodging Taxes. Added onto the bill is the opportunity for governments or destination marketing organizations to carve out some of those dollars for “business resiliency grants” that could go to struggling restaurant and lodging businesses.

In Bend, the passage of HB 4148 could mean that the City gets an estimated 4% or 5% more than it’s currently getting — amounting to between $575,092 to $718,865 more, based on 2026 anticipated room tax collections. It might sound like a drop in the bucket compared to Bend’s $1.48 billion twoyear budget, but it’s also not nothing.

Following the passage of HB 4148, cities, counties and destination marketing organizations around the state are going to enter negotiation mode. The bill doesn’t necessarily mandate any changes; rather, the entities involved will need to work it out. DMOs like Visit Bend will argue that reducing tourism promotion dollars has the very real effect of reducing the number of people who come to town. Cities like Bend, which stand to get a bigger piece of the pie, will continue to point out that essential services need to be up to snuff to serve residents and visitors alike. In a political landscape where reductions in federal contributions are trickling down to reductions in local budgets, cities and counties may see this as a way to fill the holes. But as Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler pointed out in a conversation with the Source, these are all patchwork fixes that shore up budget gaps that some legislators pointed out could be filled with property tax reform or a sales tax.

Right now, a big conversation is brewing in the state about how to increase economic prosperity, and how to attract industry into the state. Business folks in the state like to say that Oregon’s taxes are high compared to other states — but overall, our state ranks in the middle range for overall tax burden. Corporate taxes, on the other hand, are relatively high. Would a sales tax or property tax reform right that ship and allow us to lower burdens on business? We’re not going to hold our breath that either will happen anytime soon.

As for the notion of placing more TLT dollars into the general funds of cities, rather than with the entities that market those cities to tourists, the good news is, unlike the recent transportation fee in Bend, this is one that voters will get to directly vote on.

Letters

WHY I DIDN’T USE THE VA TO PAY FOR MY ROOT CANAL

A broken molar, and the resulting $2,000 repair, led to someone asking the question, why didn’t I go through the VA? As an eight-year veteran of the armed forces, I should be entitled. I would like to answer that question publicly, as it is an excellent question that impacts many.

Firstly, when googling VA options for dental in Central Oregon, absolutely nothing comes up. Only the local VA clinic, which I called, and they transferred me to Portland. That’s where the nearest dental clinic is. Then I was told that I don’t qualify for dental. To quote the employee, “almost nobody does.” In fact, when I mentioned I was calling about dental work, she literally went, “ooooohhh.”

There was no best-case scenario. After extensive questioning/digging, I was left with a path of endless calls, filing of paperwork and waiting for approvals, that, I was told, would likely never happen. It should be noted, that just to get that far, a veteran must first be registered with the VA. According to the National Institute of Health, approximately 16 million veterans are not enrolled. That’s about two-thirds of all eligible veterans. Nearly 2 million have no form of insurance at all.

Reasons abound why those numbers are so high, from a lack of information to veterans’ distrust of the government. That said, many don’t even have a choice. According to multiple sources, including the NIH, at least four of 10 veterans don’t have access to care due to location.

I’ve been attempting to work with the VA system for a while. Some have great experiences with it. Many also fall through the system’s numerous cracks. I’m still waiting on paperwork I ordered

HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY?

Send your thoughts to editor@bendsource.com. Letters must be received by noon Friday for inclusion in the following week’s paper. Please limit letters to 250 words. Submission does not guarantee publication. Opinions printed here do not constitute an editorial endorsement of said opinions. Letter of the week receives $5 to Palate!

back in October. I also had an experience with a local veteran support organization that left me very disheartened. Just to name a few of my own challenges.

My molar broke in half and I didn’t feel like dealing with the VA system. I was already in enough pain and I had the money, thankfully. That has often not been the case. Such as when I was homeless in Nevada and could barely help myself. A fellow homeless vet hung himself from a tree during that time. Another died with his brain full of dementia and his pants full of his own excrement, as he huddled around a campfire during his final days. Many, many fall through the cracks.

I am currently working with the VA to see what they can do for additional dental work. Let’s just say, after my most recent phone call, this morning, I’m not holding my breath.

—William Lopez

THANK YOU TO RUDY’S MARKETS!

A big shoutout of gratitude to Newport Avenue Market, and the entire family of Rudy’s Markets. Newport and Oliver Lemon’s (Terrebonne) raised nearly $50,000 from the community through their Food For February sponsorship of Family Kitchen, then added a $25,000 match. In honor of their 50th birthday, Rudy’s Markets has now set a goal of raising another $100,000 in donations from the community and will match every dollar to benefit Family Kitchen and the Council on Aging. This is a very powerful reminder of the strength that comes from community.

Founded in 1986 by a group of women at Trinity Episcopal Church, Family Kitchen emerged as lumber mills shuttered and logging declined. Volunteers helped families face uncertainty by serving hot and healthy meals with dignity. No judgment. Just community.

Forty years later, people still show up to eat, to serve, and to connect, every single day. The economy shifts and crises come and go, but Family Kitchen continues to show up, and so does Rudy’s. Two institutions built on the belief that a strong community is something we build together.

Last month, Family Kitchen announced our search for a permanent home. After four decades in the Trinity kitchen, our community has grown and so has the need. With the support of partners like Rudy’s, we are moving confidently into our next chapter in a new location. Come join us. Volunteer, donate, or share a meal.

—Jeannie D’Agostino

BEYOND GRATEFUL

This morning as I was attempting to load a hutch into my car by myself, the Cascade Disposal sanitation truck was driving through my alley. My thoughts were, ‘I’m blocking them and slowing them down, I should try and hurry.’ The sanitation worker immediately jumped out of his truck and said, “Wait don’t hurt your back!” He helped me load the hutch into my truck. This may seem like no big deal, but it was to me.

I was beyond grateful. Grateful that someone would notice a person struggling, not think of themselves and how it may be slowing them down, and jump into action with warmth and compassion. I’ve been doing the heavy lifting for 40 yrs. I cared for my paraplegic

husband for 24 years until he died, and since then have done it all on my own. This was a big deal to me. Sometimes we don’t realize how our actions can impact others.

What a wonderful example of humanity this man demonstrated and what a wonderful example of how we should treat others. The lesson learned for me today is to look past division, look past politics, look past religion, race and gender and look at everyone as a human being, deserving the same compassion, dignity and care as everybody else.

—Laura Aaland

Letter of the Week:

I always enjoy heartfelt, uplifting letters and this week we had a couple. Laura, as letter of the week, you can stop by the Source office for a gift card to Palate coffee.

—Managing Editor Nic Moye

New Rec & Health Center Planned

Oregon lawmakers approved $42 million in state-backed bonds to support construction of a student health and recreation center at Oregon State University-Cascades. The planned 40,000square-foot facility will be the first on-campus center dedicated to student health, wellness and recreation. Right now, students have access to a small fitness room in the residential hall. In addition to recreation, the building will have dedicated space for clinical and mental health services. There will also be two all-purpose outdoor recreation fields. Construction is expected to begin in 2028.

In 2017, students voted to increase student fees to support an on-campus recreation and health center, committing $20 million to the project. The overall funding will also support 24 acres of land remediation which will provide buildable land for future academic buildings and student housing.

New Battery Recycling Program

Under a new program, 95% of Oregon residents will have a battery collection site within 15 miles of their home. State lawmakers approved House Bill 4144 establishing the Battery Producer Responsibility Program to address the threat of lithium battery fires. Rep. Emerson Levy (D-53), who co-sponsored the bill, said in a news release that there were 54 fires in Deschutes County last year linked to improper battery disposal. The bill requires producers of certain batteries and battery-containing products participate in a program, overseen by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, that will fund and manage a statewide battery collection and recycling program. The legislation mandates at least one collection site in each city with a population of 4,000 and more locations in larger cities. As of March 10, the governor hadn’t yet signed the bill into law.

—Nic Moye

COTA Adds 11.4 miles of Trail Connecting Cline Buttes to Cascade Views

Central Oregon Trail Alliance completes a two-year-long trail expansion project

By Jesse Coronado

The Central Oregon Trail Alliance just added 11.41 miles of new cross-country trails to the Cline Buttes trail system located between Bend and Redmond.

—The number of productions Cascade Theatrical Company has done to date.

“When I perform and DJ, I feel like the spirit of my ancestors are with me.”

—Jason Brown, grandson of the legendary James Brown.

The new trails include six new miles of trails at Cline Buttes, with trails named Chainbreak, Positive Vibrations, Return Policy, DH3 re-route, Legal Eagle, Crossfire and Cover Charge. The 5.5 miles of new trail at Cascade View include new trails Whiptail, Rattler, Bull Snake and Hummingbird.

The expansion project began in October 2023 and was funded through the Central Oregon Future Fund and the Recreational Trails Program. Both sources share the goal of improving regional projects like expanding and developing motorized and non-motorized trails.

According to COTA Trails Program Director Alex Brieger, the project cost roughly $178,000 to complete.

The trail expansion was developed in partnership with the

Bureau of Land Management with the goal of improving trail sustainability, rider experience and accessibility while preserving “sensitive” golden eagle habitat, according to a March 3 press release.

“It has taken a ton of dedication from our volunteers with years of planning, collaboration and hard work,” COTA Trail Program Director Alex Brieger stated in the press release. “We’re incredibly proud of what was accomplished in the last two years and grateful to everyone who helped make these trails a reality.”

The project featured trail realignments, which involved moving sections of trail to different areas, added new climbing trails and connected the Cline Buttes area to the Cascade Views. DH1 and DH3 trails, also known as a downhill-only trail for more advanced riders, were rerouted successfully from private property in the surrounding areas and are now available for the public. The

acquisition of these new downhill trails would secure “long-term access” for riders.

The conservation of eagle habitat was a large determining factor in the reallocation of the trails.

According to COTA, golden eagles are sensitive to disturbances during nesting which typically occurs from January to August. A proliferation of human activity in close proximity to their nesting sites can increase stress and even lead to abandonment of their nests.

This project was aimed for a better balance between healthy outdoor activity and the conservation of endemic species important to Oregon ecosystems.

Over 3,985 hours were put in to complete the project, COTA estimated. Velo Solutions, led by Paul Thomasburg, supported COTA through building trails on the Butte and surrounding areas. COTA also erected new signage in the area to help riders navigate the new trails.

Mt. Bachelor, Central Oregon Avalanche Center Officials Discuss Avalanche Prevention Procedures

OIn the wake of a local man’s death in an avalanche in Canada, officials give insight into how they prevent tragic accidents.

By Jesse Coronado

fficials from Mt. Bachelor and the Central Oregon Avalanche Center are giving insight on avalanche mitigation efforts at the resort and the backcountry.

Because of the inherent fatality risk present in snow sports, the last known local and fatal accident being Feb. 2025 near Broken Top Mountain, COAC and Mt. Bachelor take extensive measures to prevent avalanche accidents.

“Avalanches are pretty common, even in Central Oregon. It’s definitely something that’s going to be happening frequently,” Bryce Kellogg, president of COAC, says.

The COAC stated in a recent post that there was a risk of avalanche near Tumalo Mountain and that visitors should proceed with caution.

Avalanche fatalities have been reported this year in mountainous areas like Lake Tahoe. In February, a Bend resident Stratton Matteson, 28, was killed in an avalanche in British Columbia, Canada.

According to the COAC, Central Oregon is no exception to that risk, with avalanches happening several times per year.

In recent years a number of people have died after getting caught in an avalanche. In February 2025, Bend couple, Terry and Renee Skjersaa, were found buried in snow from an avalanche on Broken Top Mountain. Also, local resident Chris Thomason, 42, was buried in an avalanche Jan. 5 near Lake Tahoe, California, and died of his injuries.

Before those casualties, most of the accidents happened with people driving snowmobiles, according to Kellogg.

When accidents do happen, it’s due to a combination of snow conditions and mistakes “self-guided” individuals make.

“It’s high-consequence, if you are wrong about something, but it is also very low-feedback,” Kellogg says. “And if there’s not an accident,it doesn’t mean that you made the right decision. You could have gotten lucky. You don’t always know if you were good or if you were lucky.”

Kellogg says COAC takes a preventative approach to mitigating the risk of avalanche. Forecasters perform in-person assessments of snow conditions, COAC staff give educational presentations, in some instances, remote weather stations monitor avalanche-prone areas.

COAC currently has three mountain weather stations that measure wind activity, snow depth and temperature, including stations at Moon Mountain, Newberry Crater National Monument and the ranger station near the monument.

“That’s our major focus, is having a forecaster go out in the field every day and assess the snowpack then write out that forecast,” Kellogg said.

When accidents and injuries happen, staff from COAC assess the cause of the avalanche.

According to Kellogg, avalanches are triggered by a number of factors.

Wind slabs may form when wind carries and deposits new snow, making those areas prime for avalanches to occur. When there is a weak layer of snow and another layer on top of that layer, a physical trigger like a skier can cause that snow to avalanche. If an object is sticking out of the snow, and a skier crashes into that object, that can cause an avalanche as well.

Once the snow compacts, the danger decreases.

A COAC forecaster goes out to areas like the Central Cascades and Paulina Peak and assesses whether slabs have formed. They may dig a snow pit to analyze the different layers.

The daily forecast can be viewed by anyone on the COAC website.

Much of this work is done in the backcountry where people are more likely to ski in the wild natural environment, as opposed to controlled environments like Mt. Bachelor.

Betsy Norsen, senior manager of Mountain Operations at Mt. Bachelor resort, says Ski Patrol on the mountain do much of the prevention.

Workers monitor snowpack closely, deploying explosives to trigger controlled avalanches with a force greater than that coming from a skier. This process ensures a compact slope suitable for riding.

“They are basically 2-pound charges that we deploy on the slope, and they have a 90-second fuse,” Norsen told the Source. “They can trigger an avalanche if the conditions are prone for avalanches.”

Norsen says that this has been a historically drier year with less snowfall. At this moment, the risk of avalanche accidents is higher in backcountry areas.

Controlled avalanches do not happen in the backcountry, according to Norsen.

Kellogg of COAC recommends skiers and people participating in snow activities come prepared with a solid education and hardware, in the event of an avalanche. Even those who consider themselves experienced in navigating snow can find themselves in danger.

Kellogg says snow lovers should come prepared with a partner, an avalanche beacon, a snow probe and a shovel.

Avalanche beacons function as a radio transceiver that helps locate victims, while collapsible probes are inserted into the snow to physically locate where a victim’s body lies.

Getting swallowed by an avalanche may seem to some as a situation you can navigate with the right strategy. Nevertheless, Kellogg says there is virtually nothing one can do in the moment.

As snow tumbles during an avalanche, the snow crystals break down and in turn the snowpack becomes more compact. Once the snow buries someone, it’s akin to being stuck in concrete. A person can do very little to resurface on their own.

Fatalities in tree-wells, the open space beneath a tree’s branches, have also caused a number of deaths locally. Loose snow coupled with movement from a trapped individual can make the situation worse and end in death.

At Mt. Bachelor, the Ski Patrol has a team of four avalanche rescue dogs trained to locate victims. The team consists of three golden retrievers and one border collie. They have not been deployed yet, according to Norsen, and are only used in training situations.

Kellogg says that there is an “inherent risk” to skiing in the backcountry, and utilizing COAC and other educational avenues like backcountry educational trips and workshops can help individuals prepare for future snow sport outings.

“It’s just trying to get people to the point where they’re aware that there is this danger out there and to help them look at the forecast and the kind of education they should get in order to be more confident in assessing that danger for potentially going out by themselves.” Kellogg says.

REDMOND NEWS

Redmond High Student Competes in Poetry Out Loud

Arianna Morris was one of 11 contestants who made it to the state finals

By Nic Moye

Redmond High School senior Arianna Morris just returned from the state finals for the 2026 Poetry Out Loud contest. She’s the only student from Central Oregon to make it that far. Eleven high schoolers from around the state competed on Saturday, March 7. Morris read two poems: “To My Dear and Loving Husband” by Anne Bradstreet and “O Captain! My Captain!” by Walt Whitman. She selected the first poem as a nod to her boyfriend. The second poem held a deeper meaning for her.

“I picked it because it had a lot of depictions about father and child relationships and that was something I really wanted to focus on, because it was something I could tap into really easily, and it had a lot of double meanings that I could also play into. It was overall a poem that connected to me personally,” she told the Source.

Poetry Out Loud helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence and learn about literary history. In recognition of America’s 250th anniversary, the program this year focused on poems that celebrate American history and culture. Since 2005, more than 4.5 million high school students nationwide

have participated in Poetry Out Loud made possible by the Oregon Arts Commission, National Endowment for the Arts and regional arts agencies.

“You were graded on how you recite the poem, your memorization, your understanding of the poem, and overall, how you make the audience understand your poem,” Morris explains. “It’s a very much performance-based type of competition. It’s very similar to theater competitions.”

She has entered the contest four times and made it to state finals the past three years in a row. “I’m always nervous when performing,” she says. “I am a theatre kid and choir kid so I’ve performed in front of people before, except its kind of a completely different playing field at Poetry Out Loud. It’s a lot more of showing your understanding instead of performing a poem, which is what I believe was my greatest downfall is that I performed the poem. I didn’t show a lot of meaning of understanding which is mainly what they are looking for.”

Emma Keen, a junior from Oregon School for the Deaf, won this year’s competition and will go onto the national finals on April 27 in Washington, DC.

PANGEA AFTER DARK

INTIMATE AND ADULTS ONLY

Pangea after dark is a night of immersive performance art featuring movement, live rope artistry, burlesque performances, belly dance, tarot readings, and interactive experiences throughout the Guild Hall. This is an adults-only event designed to celebrate artistic expression, confidence, and creativity in an intimate setting. 7-11pm at Pangea Guild Hall. 652 SW 6th St, Redmond. $25.

PAINT YOUR OWN GUINNESS FUNDRAISER FOR BRIGHTSIDE ANIMAL SHELTER

FURRY FRIENDS SUPPORT

This is a St. Patrick’s Day celebration that will benefit furry friends who need it the most! The event is organized by Basecamp Buzz with all proceeds benefitting Brightside Animal Shelter. Materials included! 5-7pm at Dry Canyon Club.1865, NW Hemlock Ave., Redmond. $33.65.

South Deschutes County Water has a Nitrate Problem. County Commissioner Candidates Offer Solutions

New powers granted by the passing of Senate Bill 1154 free up county officials to install sewer systems in unincorporated areas

By Peter Madsen

Southern Deschutes County has a lot going for it: postage-stamp lots tucked into expanses of Lodgepole pine, lesser-glimpsed views of the Cascades and backroads to many lakes and access points along the Deschutes River.

Its unincorporated areas, where about 18,000 people live, have also long suffered high levels of nitrate in the groundwater. The shallowness of the La Pine aquifer, along with antiquated and decaying septic systems dating to the 1970s, mean high levels of nitrates from human waste have been fouling the aquifer since at least 1982, when the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality first sampled the groundwater.

Deschutes County commissioners and other local elected officials have grappled with the issue for decades. La Pine, Sunriver and the Oregon Water Wonderland development all have respective sewer systems. Yet nearby unincorporated areas still rely on wells and septic systems for their water management needs.

The ongoing nitrate pollution in “South County” is a hot-button issue leading up to the county’s May 19 primary election. In the running for Position #1 is incumbent commissioner and computational scientist Tony DeBone, climate scientist Jamie Collins, and Brooke West, a construction operations manager who filed on March 4. As he wrote in a March 3 op-ed, Collins is vocal about what he describes as chronic inaction by current county commissioners to address nitrate pollution. DeBone, for his part, disagrees with that characterization.

What they both agree on is that nitrate in drinking water is bad. In some parts of the state, such as Umatilla County, nitrate has seeped into groundwater due to over-applications of fertilizer. In the instance of the La Pine aquifer, however, the nitrate comes from the human sewage that has leached from aging septic tanks.

Not just gross, too much nitrate in the blood stream makes it harder for red blood cells to carry oxygen, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Folks particularly vulnerable include pregnant women, infants under six months and others with specific health conditions. Prolonged exposure can increase risks of cancer and birth defects.

Addressing the nitrate pollution in southern Deschutes County (and northern Klamath County, which also shares the La Pine aquifer) is a multi-pronged approach that involves installing nitrate-mitigating filters, repairing or replacing antiquated septic tanks and, most costly, installing sewer systems that can serve this unincorporated, rural area. But until 2025, it was nearly impossible to get approval from the state to put a sewer system outside an urban growth boundary without expanding it first.

Collins contends that the current county commission hasn’t done enough to protect folks who draw well water from the aquifer. DeBone, who’s served in Position #1 for four terms since winning election in 2010, says he and fellow commissioners have attempted greatly on the macro level while achieving success on the micro. West’s position on the issue isn’t immediately known; she didn’t reply to several requests for comment, nor does she appear to have a campaign website.

‘A toxic legacy’

A climate scientist, Collins is also a 22-year veteran incident commander for the U.S. Coast Guard. He has directed toxic cleanup after disasters like Hurricane Harvey. As an on-scene coordinator for Oregon DEQ, he also directed a cleanup of 5,500 gallons of spilt biodiesel fuel in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area in February 2019. In this capacity, Collins also served as the principal official responsible for hazmat and oil-spill response in Central and Eastern Oregon, directing action on 300 sites.

Beyond new county leadership, Collins says, what southern Deschutes County needs is the implementation of a new legislative tool, provided by the passing of Senate Bill 1154, that lets officials side-step the red tape of the Goal 11 Exception requirement, which is a state law that lets a sewer get installed in an unincorporated area if pollution is demonstrably bad.

Senate Bill 1154, signed by Gov. Tina Kotek last July, adds muscle to the state’s Groundwater Quality Protection Act of 1989. If the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality or the Oregon Health Authority designates a spot as a Ground Water Quality Concern

Area, that empowers a team of relevant agencies and authorities (including DEQ or the State Department of Agriculture and Mineral Industries, for example) to appoint a groundwater management committee. Goal 11 Exception requirements, which are much more piecemeal in application (lot by lot, for example) would no longer apply, freeing a county to make a deal with a city, water or wastewater district to provide water or wastewater services for unincorporated residential dwellings.

It’s important to note that SB 1154 only allows services for existing dwellings and includes safeguards against additional growth outside UGBs, says Rory Isbell, the rural lands program director and staff attorney at Central Oregon LandWatch. Isbell says the bill strikes the right balance between public health for existing residents while preventing sprawl on rural farm and forest lands.

“I do think we have a real opportunity with Senate 1154,” Collins said. “The first thing that we have to do is provide every person whose drinking water may be at risk with the means to get the filtration to keep that water safe.”

That would need to happen at the same time as creating a sewer system to serve much of unincorporated South County, Collins says. But a sewer can’t accommodate the more remotely tucked lots, due to the lower density and lack of proximity to the necessary infrastructure. He sees it as a two-part fix.

“The current leadership on the County Commission has walked away from the table,” Collins said. “We still have an opportunity with this new designation to take the first step to not pass a toxic legacy onto our kids.”

Collins says all Deschutes County residents should chip in to cover the exorbitant price tag of connecting a home to a new sewer system — which can cost more than $10,000 — not just residents in South County, which has some of the highest poverty rates in Central Oregon.

“No single funding source is going to solve this — it is going to take a layered approach pulling together resources at every level,” Collins told the Source. “However we structure the financing, it needs to fairly distribute the cost so it doesn’t fall disproportionately on the people least able to pay.”

Rebates & incentives

Current Commissioner DeBone disagrees with Collins’ characterization that county commissioners have been indifferent to South County’s water pollution.

“My opponent is crying bloody murder, like we’re doing something wrong. But I’m really proud of the path that we’re taking,” DeBone told the Source by phone.

DeBone points to the Newberry Neighborhood Fund that allows for land sale proceeds and loan repayments for the La Pine Special Sewer District’s loan, assumed by the City of La Pine through annexation in 2012 to grow sewer services to the Newberry Neighborhood. That loan was paid off in 2022; money from future land sales will go into this fund, with distributions spilling into the Community Development Department’s Groundwater Partnership Fund for reinvestment in South County groundwater protection. That fund has about $150,000, according to the county.

Debone says the County can write checks for anybody who wants to move forward with a subsidized alternative treatment system. Additionally, down the road, if there’s a sewer implementation plan, residents would be able to tap into it.

are available. They measure nearly 20 and 18 acres, respectively. A developer signed a prospective purchaser agreement for the smaller lot; the closing date is October, according to the county. The combined sales would add $1.8 million to the Groundwater Partnership Fund.

‘Pushing a boulder uphill’

In February 2016, it looked like the Board of County Commissioners had scored a big victory for South County residents’ water quality.

DeBone was one of the three county commissioners who unanimously adopted Goal 11 Exception, allowing sewers in unincorporated areas. DeBone, who was serving his second term in Position #1, was jubilant.

“Thank you to the citizens’ committee and staff for sticking with it for so many years,” DeBone said from the dais. “This issue got me riled up back in the day and may even be why I wanted to become a county commissioner.”

“The fund lets us invest in prudent ways to protect groundwater outside the city,” he said.

Additionally in place is the Community Development Department’s rebate of up to $3,750 to property owners who retrofit an existing onsite system. That cash comes from land sales in the Newberry Neighborhood and is transferred to the Groundwater Partnership Fund. As of January, the CDD has given out 150 rebates, totaling about $611,000; 12 rebates were issued in 2025, according to the Southern Deschutes County Groundwater Protection Program Annual Report, published last January. In addition, the NeighborImpact Non-Conforming Loan Program lets folks who are disqualified from normal loans because of mortgage delinquency or lack of equity, retrofit or repair conventional septic systems. So far, 17 property owners have taken advantage of this program.

DeBone also points out that two quadrants of the Newberry Neighborhood Land Sales

However, Central Oregon LandWatch challenged that ordinance to the Land Use Board of Appeals, which concurred that the contamination levels did not meet the legal standard of an “imminent and significant threat to public health.” That was among other concerns, including a signaled greenlight toward rapid development of the 11,000 lots found in the 180 square miles that were designated within the sewer exception. LUBA remanded the decision back to Deschutes County.

“It’s like pushing a boulder uphill. Why would this community want to fight this fight if they’re going to be appealed in the state land-use system?” DeBone said, adding that residents voted in 2009 to overturn a 2008 rule passed by county commissioners that required homeowners to spring for spendy alternative treatment systems to mitigate nitrate leaching into the aquifer. Since then, the county has required nitrate-reducing systems on all new properties or new home additions, particularly bathrooms.

In 2024, Deschutes County applied for a grant that would have funneled $10 million to help eligible residents upgrade their onsite wastewater treatment systems to alternative treatment technologies. However, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency declined the application, according to the County’s report.

During the springs of 2023 and 2024, the Oregon DEQ conducted a study of South County wells. The agency found evidence of heightened nitrate levels in some areas and the necessity for nitrate-reducing onsite systems to safeguard the La Pine aquifer.

The study involved surveying 100 domestic wells between Sunriver and La Pine, a region also known at the Southern Deschutes Basin. A part of the statewide Groundwater Quality Monitoring Program, all well owners were told about their results and referred to local and state public health resources to talk about what to do about their situation, according to Oregon DEQ.

Of those 100 wells, 65 had detections of nitrate, although only two wells showed levels above the EPA drinking water standard. Sixty-eight wells showed arsenic. Although none exceeded the EPA’s health-based standard, the agency’s goal-level is zero, because arsenic is a carcinogen. Among other contaminates, manganese was found in 77 wells, with six above the EPA’s secondary recommendation and six above the agency’s health-based recommendation. Lead was also found in 38 wells, but only one had an elevated concentration. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is no safe level of lead exposure for children and pregnancies. Pharmaceuticals, such as a certain antibiotic, were found in 16 wells, and a medication for seizures or nerve pain was detected in three wells. As for bacteria, three wells tested positive, but not for E. coli.

The Oregon DEQ says a full report on this study will likely be published later this year. The agency will continue to track with the South County situation and collaborate with local officials on developing long-term solutions.

In the meantime, DeBone also views SB 1154 as a guidepost toward safe drinking water.

“At some point this will come around again and the County can have a policy discussion about what the next steps would be,” DeBone said. “Yes, I support the request [that southern Deschutes County] be designated as an area with groundwater quality concerns. I support protecting the great groundwater that we have.”

“No single funding source is going to solve this ... it is going to take a layered approach pulling together resources at every level”

— Jamie collins

SOURCE PICKS

WEDNESDAY

TRANSMISSION: 80S DARK WAVE SOCIAL CLUB

IT’S NOT A PHASE

Immerse yourself in the sounds of the ’80s underground. DJ Mark Brody spins Joy Division, Bauhaus, The Cure, Clan of Xymox, and more at Dogwood at The Pine Shed. A moody night of goth, post-punk, and darkwave. 7-10pm at Dogwood at Pine Shed. 821 NE 2nd St, Bend. Free.

DOM RUBEN LIVE

COUNTRY FOLK SERANADE

Bringing his raw, authentic, “cowboy” sound, Dom Ruben is a Pacific Northwest-based singer songwriter known for his unique voice and guitar skills. Demonstrating a unique blend of folk, country ballads, and acoustic Americana. Come check out this “one of a kind” authentic sound. 6-8pm at The Lot. 745 NW Columbia St, Bend. Free.

ST. PATRICK’S DAY DINNER & DANCE

IRISH TRADITIONS

The St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Dance will feature a traditional St. Patty’s Day buffet including corned beef and cabbage with all the fixings. After dinner, attendees will dance the night away to The Notables. Doors open at 4:30pm. Dinner served 5-6 pm. 5-8pm at Larkspur Community Center. 1600 SE Reed Market Rd, Bend. $15.

DR. BRADY SMITH

LAUGHS WITH A DENTIST

Dr. Brady Smith is a dentist and stand-up comedian who has made a name for himself through his unique blend of humor and dental expertise. 8pm at Volcanic Theatre Pub. 70 SW Century Dr, Bend. $26.77.

LIVE AT THE VINEYARD: THE SUBSTITUTES

MORE ROCK LESS TALK

These rock veterans have been defending your right to rock for over two decades. The Substitutes will provide a night of high-energy classic rock. They are known as Central Oregon’s “Rock and Roll Border Patrol” since 1996! 5-8pm, at Faith Hope and Charity Vineyards. NW Lower Valley Dr, Terrebonne. $20.

JEFF MILLER AND THE CONGREGATION

GENRE-BENDING LIVE MUSIC

Jeff Miller & The Congregation is a roots-driven Country-Americana band that blends elements of rock, blues, soul, and gospel into a sound uniquely their own. Formed in 2018, the band is fronted by Jeff Miller, a singer songwriter whose raw, heartfelt lyrics and commanding stage presence have made an undeniable impact. 8-11 pm at The Domino Room. 51 NW Greenwood Ave, Bend. $39.

SUNDAY

CASCADE CHORALE’S “CELEBRATING THE CLASSICSNATURE” CONCERT

AN ODE TO NATURE

The Cascade Chorale and Chamber Orchestra present Celebrating the Classics – Nature, an evocative choral and orchestral concert inspired by the natural world, lead by James W. Knox. The program features The Majestic Tapestry of Creation, a commissioned work by Robert S. Cohen. 4pm at Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon. 61980 Skyline Ranch Rd, Bend. $30-$35.

TUESDAY 03/17

ST. PATRICK’S DAY 2026 FESTIVITIES

GREEN MEAN IRISH BAGPIPE MACHINE

Irish music, bagpipes and dancers, food and drinks will be available for those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. May your troubles be less and your blessings be more! 4pm-midnight at Commonwealth Pub 30 SW Century Dr #100, Bend. Free. WEDNESDAY

ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMMING COMEDY

SEPTUMS AND BLUE HAIR

A stand-up comedy night for those of us who want a different kind of alternative programming. Audience members will leave wanting blue hair and a septum piercing.7:30-9pm at Silvermoon Brewing. 24 NW Greenwood Ave., Bend. $10.

GUNG HO

By Jesse Coronado

DJ Jason Brown, Grandson of ‘Godfather of Soul’ James Brown, Performs at Wildwood

Afro-house and tech-house artist DJ Jason Brown is bringing the funk to Bend

DJ Jason Brown, the grandson of the famous ‘60s funk and soul singer James Brown, is coming to perform at the Box Factory’s Wildwood.

Jason, whose niche fits in remixing Brown’s songs with electronic sounds, modern drums, and afro-house and tech-house influences, is on a small tour making a stop in Bend. The goal of his music artistry is to match classic songs like “Sex Machine” and “Say It Loud” with a style that can appeal to newer generations.

“My first project was geared around Black History Month,” Jason says. “It worked well to have it represent the same thing my grandfather represented: being Black and proud. The mission is for all people to be proud of who they are and to peacefully respect the pride in other people.”

and recalls spending time at his piano. Because Brown was “mostly travelling and booked everywhere,” Jason did not get a chance to record with him.

This event came together through Jason’s collaboration with the House of Sutiki, an art collective dedicated to promoting and celebrating primarily music-driven artists. HOS, with Danny Fry, who is also known as DJ Mr. Danimals, books and hosts music events weekly at a variety of venues

“Our goal is to create an experience for people here in Bend that feels like they could be on any dance floor in any part of the world at that moment,”

Jason says he felt an HOS collaboration would be a way he could bring his version of funk to the high desert scene.

His goal is to introduce a newer generation to his grandfather’s classics. He hopes to become internationally appealing like Brown, whom he frequently refers to as his “gramps.”

Through collaborations with techno and house artists like Carl Cox, Redux Saints and Laidback Luke, Jason has been gaining a lot of traction. He currently has over 45,277 listeners on Spotify and was recently backed and encouraged to release the tribute remixes by labels like Universal Music Group, which own Brown’s recorded masters.

Jason says he got to spend time with his gramps before he passed in 2006

The bringing-to-life of his gramps’ work allows him to connect with him musically now.

“When I perform and DJ, I feel like the spirit of my ancestors are with me. That’s in anything I do, but with the relationship I had with my gramps, in spirit, it’s like he’s on the road with me. Especially when I play his remixes,” Jason says.

Jason is only in town for a few days, but while he is here, he says he would like to make time to bar-hop and try some local brews in true Bend fashion. He says he is looking forward to his next stop on his tour which is a residency in Ibiza, Spain. He looks forward to learning more in Ibiza as it is an area with a big electronic music influence.

Regarding his upcoming performance at the Wildwood, Jason had just a few emphatic words to say.

“I can’t wait to rock the crowd and keep the people dancing. Get ready to move!” Jason says.

DJ Jason Brown Live Performance at the Wildwood

Mar. 20 8pm-Midnight Wildwood

550 Southwest Industrial Way #120

CALENDAR

11 Wednesday

The Astro Lounge Karaoke with Christina The Karafun catalog gives you thousands of songs to sing to.Drink specials during the event. Come sing your heart out. 9pm-1am. Free.

The Capitol Karaoke Drink specials! Air guitars! Come see for yourself. 8pm-1am. Free.

The Coyote Free Line Dance Lessons Free beginner-friendly line dance lessons with instructor Alex Reininger. Learn two fun dances in one hour—beginner-friendly! 7-8pm. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy

Open Mic Night Open mic comedy on Bend’s NE side. Eat good food, drink some drinks, and be prepared to laugh. 7:30-9pm. Free.

Dogwood At The Pine Shed Transmission: ‘80s Dark Wave Social Club Immerse yourself in the sounds of the ’80s underground.

DJ Mark Brody spins playing the tunes for a night of goth, post-punk, and darkwave. 7-10pm. Free.

Hosmer Bar Trivia Night Whether you’re a seasoned quiz champ or just in it for the laughs, gather your crew and test your knowledge! 7-9pm. Free.

JC’s Bar & Grill Wing-SKEY Wednesday + Trivia Enjoy $0.75 wings, cheap whiskey and drink deals. Trivia with a “physical” challenge (limbo, musical chairs and more). 7pm. Free.

Northside Bar & Grill Mellow Wednesday Open Mic Night This is an open mic hosted by Derek Michael Marc! Sign up at 5:30 to get a spot! 5:30-8pm. Free.

Portello Lounge Music Bingo Host Rachel Fishman keeps the crowd singing and laughing all night! It’s the perfect bonus to your night out enjoying good food, drinks! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Prost! - Bend WTF! Wednesday Trivia Fun! Genuine UKB Trivia is truly unique and entertaining trivia! Please bring something to write with and positive vibes, too. 7pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing $5 Comedy Night $5 can get you a ticket to the best laughs in Bend! Strong content expected. This show is committed to the work of providing entertainment that does not punch down. 7:30-9pm. $5

The Commonweath Pub David Miller Longtime local. Rock, blues, country, pop originals and covers. 7:30-9:30pm. Free.

12 Thursday

The Cellar Live Irish Trad Music with The Ballybogs! Live music featuring Bend’s Irish Trad band, The Ballybogs! Every Thursday at The Cellar. Seats fill up, so get there early! 6-8pm. Free.

The Coyote Free Hip-Hop Line Dance Lessons Free beginner-friendly hip-hop line dance lessons every Thursday, 7–8pm at The Coyote, with instructor Alex Reininger. Learn two fun dances in one hour—no experience needed! 7-8pm. Free. Hosmer Bar Bingo Night Your week just found its highlight—bingo! Drinks, good company and a little friendly competition. 7-9pm. Free.

The Lot Dom Ruben Bringing his raw, authentic, “cowboy” sound, Dom Ruben is a Pacific Northwest-based singer-songwriter known for his unique voice and guitar skills. Demonstrating a unique blend of folk, country ballads, and acoustic Americana. Come check out this “one of a kind” authentic sound. 6-8pm. Free.

night of drinks, good food and live music buy KC Flynn. 6-8pm. Free.

Ponch’s Place Trivia Thursdays With QuizHead Games. 6-8pm. Free.

River’s Place Amanda Wrenn & Patrick Leonard American Folk and Blues Roots mixed with traditional and contemporary Celtic tunes and songs 6-8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Kimberly June

Kimberly June is an indie-folk singer-songwriter with roots in Hawaii, Nashville and Oregon. Her music has been featured on major TV shows including ABC’s Nashville, Love Is Blind, The Rookie, and Degrassi High.7-10pm. $12.24

The Commonweath Pub Fluffalove They honed their craft among the best in the business. Fluffalove play “music for the soul” consisting of 70’s folk-rock gems. 7:30-9:30pm. Free.

The Suttle Lodge & Boathouse Suttle Lodge’s Fireside Concert Series: Kathy Marshall Most Thursdays from November through May, we have some fireside live music. RSVP required for overnight lodging guests to claim complimentary seats. 6-8pm. $12.24

13 Friday

Faith, Hope & Charity Vineyards

Live at the Vineyard: The Substitutes These rock veterans have been defending your right to rock for over two decades. The Substitutes will provide a night of high-energy classic rock. They are known as Central Oregon’s “Rock and Roll Border Patrol” since 1996! 5-8pm. $20.

Hardtails Bar & Grill Stage 28 Karaoke Come out for a night of Stage 28 Karaoke with the host Miss Min! Come to Hardtails for a fun Friday night and sing your heart out! 8pm-Midnight. Free.

Larkspur Community Center St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Dance Join us for our St. Patrick’s Day Dinner & Dance, featuring a traditional St. Patty’s Day buffet including corned beef and cabbage with all the fixings. After dinner, we’ll dance the night away to The Notables. Doors open at 4:30pm. Dinner served 5-6 pm. . 5-8pm. $15/$20 at door.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School T’l

The Wheels Fall Off The five piece band is playing the Celtic spirit with Americana roots. Their jam packed shows are full of driving rhythms, smiling faces and feel good energy and this time it aptly falls right before St. Patrick’s Day. 7-10pm. $11.

Ponch’s Place Brewery Bingo with Great Notion This bingo event allows one free card per game, and if players grab a pint of Great Notion beer, they will be hooked up with an extra bingo card. This is a family-friendly, all-ages, good vibes event! 6-8pm. Free.

Portello Lounge Tony Smiley: The Loop Ninja @ Portello Lounge! Tony Smiley's dynamic fusion of multi-instrumental talent create a thrilling, unforgettable experience. Reservations and walk-ins welcome! 7-9pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing The Pisces Party - Eric Leadbetter & Friends, Rusty Frets & Seed Ling The Pisces Party - Featuring an eclectic mix of fun local music. This is a show not to be missed! 6:30-7:30pm. $14.38

LIVE MUSIC & NIGHTLIFE

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Silver Moon Brewing Mari & The Dream EP Release show w/Mougli & The Blues & Vanderwalls Mari & The Dream celebrate the release of their brand new EP Release. With support from Mougli & The Blues & Vanderwalls. 7-10pm. $12.24

The Commonweath Pub Dry Canyon Stampede Dry Canyon Stampede (DCS) is a Central Oregon favorite of Country Western dance fans. DCS covers a wide wariety of country tunes. 8-10pm. $12.24

The Oxford Hotel John Lloyd Young Jazz at the Oxford Presents John Lloyd Young: The Definitive Voice of Frankie Valli. 6-8pm. $87. Unity Spiritual Community of Central Oregon Alice Di Micele in Bend Alice is described as "like Joni Mitchell turned up to 11.” This is the perfect way to end the night! 7-9pm. $20-$50.

Volcanic Theatre Pub Dr. Brady Smith Dr. Brady Smith is a dentist and stand-up comedian who has made a name for himself through his unique blend of humor and dental expertise. 8pm. $26.77

14 Saturday

The Belfry Five Pint Mary and The Riverstones Join Five Pint Mary and The Riverstones for a festive St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at The Belfry in Sisters! A fun evening of Irish music to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day! 7-10pm. $25.

Bridge 99 Brewery Family-Friendly Karaoke Night Family-friendly karaoke is hosted by DJ Jackie J and A Fine Note Karaoke Too. Adults, kids and good dogs are welcome. 6-9pm. Free.

Craft Kitchen and Brewery Comedy at Craft Kitchen This is the perfect event for a date night out or to unwind to after a long day full of stress. This event is for 21+. 8-9:30pm. $15 online/ $20 at door.

The Domino Room Jeff Miller & The Congregation Jeff Miller & The Congregation is a roots-driven Country-Americana band that blends elements of rock, blues, soul, and gospel into a sound uniquely their own. 8-11pm. $39.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School Old St. Francis School St. Patrick’s Celebration The leprechauns are on our side, bringing multiple days of food & drink specials, McMenamins Irish Stout, live music, and plenty of hijinks. 1-11pm. Free. Pangaea Guild Hall Pangaea After Dark Pangea after dark is a night of immersive performance art featuring movement, live rope artistry, burlesque performances, belly dance, tarot readings, and interactive experiences throughout the Guild Hall. This is an adults-only event designed to celebrate artistic expression, confidence, and creativity in an intimate setting. 7-11pm. $25.

Pine Forest Grange Bend Contra Dance March Dance The next dance features the High Strung Trio and caller Stacy Rose from Coos Bay.This event is sure to be a night to remember! 7-9:30pm. $15.

Portello Lounge Bella Emry - Current American Idol Top 30 @ Portello Lounge This event is free for customers. Bella Emry, currently a Top 30 contestant on American Idol, brings her soulful indie-folk sounds to an intimate hometown performance. Book a reservation at www.portellobend.com 7-9pm. Free.

River’s Place Saturday Jazz Sessions Blue Soul Jazz—inspired by the bluesy jazz of the mid 1960’s and guitarists like Wes Montgomery, Kenny Burrell, and Grant Green—is a groovy new trio fronted by guitarist Dillon Schneider. 6-8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Paper Flowers: Remebering Fleetwood Mac Paper Flowers is composed of four rock musicians They put their own spin on some of Fleetwood Mac’s most memorable hits. 7-10pm. $17.59

Silver Moon Brewing Comedy Night at The Moon with Anthony Poponi! Anthony Poponi is a producer, promoter, performer and happiness expert. He will definitely deliver a night full of laughs and fun! 7:30-9pm. $19.73

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon CASCADE CHORALE’S “CELEBRATING THE CLASSICS - NATURE” CONCERT The Cascade Chorale and Chamber Orchestra present Celebrating the Classics – Nature, an evocative choral and orchestral concert inspired by the natural world, lead by James W. Knox. The program features The Majestic Tapestry of Creation, a commissioned work by Robert S. Cohen. 7pm. Free; suggested donation of $20 at the door.

15 Sunday

Dogwood At The Pine Shed Okay Karaoke Sing your favorite songs with friends, enjoy professional sound and lighting, and let the spotlight shine on you. Hosted by the dynamic Tammy Larsen, it’s the perfect night out for music lovers and party people alike. Noon-11pm. Free.

The Domino Room An Evening with Possibly Irish Possibly Irish is a dynamic west coast Irish band from the Willamette Valley known for high energy, entertaining shows with their own touch of humor and rich vocal harmonies. Expect to hear traditional foot stomping Irish/Celtic pub songs, modern Irish songs, and originals. 7-10pm. $25.

Initiative Brewing - The Hub Trivia Sunday with UKB Trivia at Initiative Brewing/ The Hub in Redmond Sundays 4 to 6pm. Join us for this highly entertaining live trivia event. It’s Useless Knowledge Bowl! Team up to win great prizes. It’s FREE to play! Enjoy great food, brews and more at Initiative Brewing/The Hub 424 NW 5th in Redmond. Bring good vibes and a pen. 4-6pm. Free.

River’s Place Trivia Gather your team and join us for this friendly battle of the minds hosted by Useless Knowledge Bowl. Free to play & prizes to win! Check out our Mimosa menu! Noon-2pm. Free.

River’s Place Beverly Anderson A unique blend of soulful R&B and indie-pop. 5-7pm. Free.

The Commonweath Pub St. Patrick’s Day 2026 Festivities Irish music, bagpipes and dancers, food and drinks will be available for those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. May your troubles be less and your blessings be more! 12pm-Midnight. Free.

The Commonweath Pub Double Trouble Trivia at The Commonwealth Pub Come enjoy trivia with Double Trouble Trivia! 5 rounds per night- sometimes themed, sometimes a variety of themes… always fun. Features the “Double Trouble” final round that allows teams who are behind a chance to catch up. Also features game show interludes during breaks! Free to Play, Prizes to Win. 6:30-9pm. Free

Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Central Oregon CASCADE CHORALE’S “CELEBRATING THE CLASSICS - NATURE” CONCERT The Cascade Chorale and Chamber Orchestra present Celebrating the Classics – Nature, an evocative choral and orchestral concert inspired by the natural world, lead by James W. Knox. The program features The Majestic Tapestry of Creation, a commissioned work by Robert S. Cohen. 4pm. Free; suggested donation of $20 at the door.

Volcanic Theatre Pub Lespecial Mix of prog-rock, metal, funk, hip-hop, dub and electronic music. 7pm. $33.

16 Monday

Bevel Craft Brewing Bingo with Bren Supporting Kids Center Join us for Bingo with Bren on Monday nights! This month, we’re proud to support KIDS Center. Cards are $2 each or 6 for $10 (cash only), with cash prizes awarded every round. Bring the whole family for an evening of fun, community, and friendly competition! 6-8pm. $2.

M&J Tavern Vinyl Night Monday Night just got better!!! 9pm to Midnight. SupaFly will be your Dj. Bring your own vinyl and sign up to add it to the Playlist or pick from hers. Free.

On Tap Locals’ Day Plus Live Music Cheaper drinks all day and live music at night, get down to On Tap. 11am-9pm. Free.

Silvermoon Brewing Bluegrass Collective Mondays The Bluegrass collective is an event for intermediate to advanced players to perform their favorite bluegrass songs. Experienced players encouraged to join and share the stage. 6-8pm. Free.

The Commonweath Pub St. Patrick’s Day 2026 Festivities Irish music, bagpipes and dancers, food and drinks will be available for those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. May your troubles be less and your blessings be more! 4pm-Midnight. Free

The Commonweath Pub Musician’s Open Showcase Hosted by The Session Calling all musicians! Join us Monday nights, for a special opportunity to share your talent, connect with other artists, and perform in a welcoming and collaborative, music-loving atmosphere. Backline provided, just bring instruments and chords! 5-9pm. Free.

17 Tuesday

The Astro Lounge Tuesdays trivia and karaoke The longest running trivia show in Central Oregon. Matt and Mark bring the buzz. This is a bring your own food event. We have a small fryer menu but supporting other restaurants is encouraged. We will follow with karaoke with Christina at 9pm till close. 7:30-9pm. Free.

Beach Hut Deli Tip of the Tongue Trivia Come out and play Tip of the Tongue trivia for a chance to win some great prizes and show off your trivia skills! 6-8pm. Free.

The Capitol Karaoke Drink specials! Air guitars! Come see for yourself. 8pm-1am. Free.

The Cellar Open Mic Open Mic hosted by Mari of the band, Mari & The Dream! Enjoy an intimate night of sharing music in a welcoming environment and supportive community. 6-8pm. Free.

The Commons Cafe & Taproom Open Mic Mason James is the host. Poetry, comedy and spoken word are welcome, but this is mainly a musical open mic. Performance slots are a quick 10 minutes each, so being warmed up and ready is ideal. If you wish to perform sign-ups start at 5pm in the cafe. 6pm. Free.

Elements Public House Trivia (&Taco) Tuesdays Quiz fans of Redmond: bring your crew this week for UKB live trivia & more! Delicious menu favorites, brews, cocktails, plus Taco Tuesday menu! Play for gift card prizes or just for fun. Bring good vibes and a pen. 6:30pm. Free.

The Lot Trivia Tuesdays Stop scrolling and streaming, get out of the house and flex your brain. Your friends will be excited for the invite, so put it out there and make memories on Tuesday nights. A local host challenges you with six questions in six categories. The heated benches are calling your name. 6-7:30pm. Free.

McMenamins Old St. Francis School Old St. Francis School St. Patrick’s Celebration The leprechauns are on our side, bringing us rainbows and merriment for St. Patrick’s Day. Join us for multiple days of food & drink specials, McMenamins Irish Stout, live music, and plenty of hijinks. 1-11pm. Free.

Mountain Burger Trivia Tuesdays Trivia Tuesday at Mountain Burger! Free to play! Prizes & fun every Tuesday! 7:30-9pm. Free.

Pinky G’s Pizzeria TRIVIA NIGHT Test your knowledge in a casual/laid-back atmosphere. Pizza, beer and trivia. Free to play and prizes for 1st and 2nd place. 6-8pm. Free.

Ponch’s Place St. Patrick’s Day at Ponch’s with Jordan Wolfe This is a St. Patrick’s Day celebration featuring live, dance-ready music performed by Jordan Wolfe! Enjoy an all-day happy hour with $4 green beer and $1 off all drafts, plus Taco Tuesday specials. 6-8pm. Free.

River’s Place Bend Boarding Babes St. Paddy’s Shenanigans “You belong here,” says the Bend Boarding Babes. Come enjoy a night of community and friendship-building! 6pm. Free.

River’s Place St. Paddy’s Day Celebration Live music by Celtic jam band, Til the Wheels Fall Off, playing traditional Irish folk songs with an American accent. Smoked Corned Beef Reubens, Irish Themed Beer, Irish Whiskey & Cocktails. Let’s see your green! 6-8pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing St. Patty’s day party w/Jesse Roper Based in Victoria, BC, Jesse Roper is a blues/Americana artist with a penchant for writing modern indie-infused blues music and delivering bombastic live performances buoyed by his virtuosic guitar playing. His innate and impressive musical talent has served him well, giving him the flexibility to play with soul icon Booker T. Jones, rock veteran Colin James, blues belter Beth Hart, and Canadian legend Burton Cummings. Adventuresome doesn’t properly describe Roper as an artist, because when the guitar-wielding dynamo sets out to accomplish something, there’s no telling where his mind will wander, or when his energy will go. 6:30-9pm. $12.24

The Commonweath Pub St. Patrick’s Day 2026 Festivities Irish music, bagpipes and dancers, food and drinks will be available for those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. May your troubles be less and your blessings be more! 4pm-Midnight. Free.

Volcanic Theatre Pub Karaoke Karaoke in the pub of VTP! Every Tuesday, 7pm - late 7pm. Free.

18 Wednesday

Silver Moon Brewing Alternative Programming Comedy A Stand-Up Comedy night for those of us who want a different kind of Alternative Programming. Audience members will leave wanting blue hair and a septum piercing. 7:30-9pm. $10.

Hosmer Bar Trivia Night Brainy banter and cold drinks! Whether you’re a seasoned quiz champ or just in it for the laughs, gather your crew and test your knowledge! 7-9pm. Free.

JC’s Bar & Grill Wing-SKEY Wednesday + Trivia Enjoy $0.75 wings, cheap whiskey and drink deals. Trivia with the infamous “physical” challenge (think musical chairs, limbo, paper airplanes, etc.) kicks off at 7pm. 7pm. Free.

Northside Bar & Grill Mellow Wednesday Open Mic Night Test out those vocal chords at a night hosted by Derek Michael Marc! Sign up at 530pm to get a spot to play. 5:30-8pm. Free.

Portello Lounge Music Bingo This is a night hosted by the entertaining Rachel Fishman, who keeps the crowd singing and laughing all night! 6:30-8:30pm. Free.

Silver Moon Brewing Samantha Henson & Anderson Knight of Billy and the Boxkid + Jared McCombs Samantha Henson & Anderson Knight of Billy and the Boxkid + Jared McCombs share heartfelt music in a special songwriters night. 7-10pm. $12.24

St Paddy’s Day - Paint your Guinness Fundraiser for Brightside Animal Shelter This is a fundraiser with all proceeds benefitting Brightside Animal Shelter! This is the perfect opportunity for community-members to show up, have fun while supporting animals who need it the most. Materials will be provided! March 17, 5-7pm. Dry Canyon Club, 1865 NW Hemlock Ave, Redmond. Contact: 5417600723. $30.

PRESENTATIONS + EXHIBITS

Are You Ready to Remodel Workshop

Visit your local Neil Kelly Design Center for the information and inspiration you need to get your home remodeling project started. Remodeling isn’t just about finishes, it’s about readiness. Join us for an insightful workshop designed to help you think beyond Pinterest boards. March 12, 5:30-7:30pm. Neil Kelly, 190 NE Irving Ave, Bend. Contact: (541) 382-7580. selah.ewert@neilkelly. com. Free.

Snowshoe & Tracking Tour with Think Wild Throughout the trip, guides from Wanderlust and Think Wild will teach guests about track identification, animal movement patterns, natural history, and more! This educational adventure is truly one of a kind! March 15, 8am1pm. Wanderlust Tours, 61535 S Hwy 97, Bend. Contact: 541-389-8359. info@wanderlusttours. com.$120/$85 for children

GROUPS + MEETUPS

High Desert Chapter Meeting: Firewise Landscaping The presentation will include the basics of the home ignition zone, what makes some plants fire-resistant (and others not), and how smart design and regular maintenance can make a big difference. The event will also include a local case study and share plant picks that work well in a fire-wise landscape. March 17, 5-6pm. The Breakroom, 1055 “B Northwest Newport Avenue, Bend. Contact: hdceventscoordinator@gmail.com. Free.

The Commonweath Pub Karyn Ann Portland-based singer-songwriter Karyn Ann has been charming audiences for over a decade with her brand of Soulful Americana. 7:30-9:30pm. Free

MUSIC

The Selena Experience The Selena Experience is the closest one you can get to live a Selena concert. March 14, 7pm. Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend. Contact: 541-317-0700. info@towertheatre.org. Tickets: $29 - $49 (plus $8 Historic Preservation fee).

Irish Rambling House The Irish Rambling House warms the heart by recreating a night of music, dance & storytelling in old rural Ireland. March 17, 7:30pm. Tower Theatre, 835 NW Wall St., Bend. Contact: 541-317-0700. info@ towertheatre.org. $39 - $59 (plus $8 Historic Preservation fee).

FILM EVENTS

Free screening of Oscar nominated film, “The Voice of Hind Rajab” This is a screening of the Oscar nominated film, “The Voice of Hind Rajab”. Followed by a livestream Q&A. March 13, 6-8pm. COCC Hitchcock Auditorium, 2600 NW College Way, Bend. Contact: no phone. jvpbend@jewishvoiceforpeace.org. Free.

ARTS + CRAFTS

Art Sparks: Connections New and Familiar The night will kick off with a fun, speed-dating–style activity then participants can feel free to have a mocktail, mingle and expand their community. March 13, 6-7:30pm. Pine Meadow Ranch Center for Arts & Agriculture, 68467 Three Creek Rd., Sisters. Contact: 5419040700. moriah@roundhousefoundation. org. Free.

A Tribal Family History of the Wadatika’a Band of Northern Paiutes The final event of Oregon Natural Desert Association’s High Desert Speaker Series features Dr. Diane Teeman, archaeologist, scholar, and tribal elder of the Wadatika’a Band of Northern Paiutes. Dr. Teeman will share her family’s history, cultural traditions, and anthropological work, highlighting the Tribe’s deep connection between culture and environmental conservation. March 11, 7-8pm. Contact: 5413302638. onda@onda.org. Free.

THEATER

“Something’s Rotten” Part 1: Introduction to “Hamlet” Get to know the most famous play in the English language with local teacher and poet, Matthew Friday . We’ll start with an overview of the world of the play, then the audience will be led through an exploration of the story using a condensed plot. March 14, 3-4pm. Larkspur Community Center, 1600 SE Reed Market Rd., Bend. Contact: 5413121029. laurelh@deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

WORDS

Mystery Book Club The group will discuss A Gift Before Dying by Malcolm Kempt. March 18, 6-7pm. Roundabout Books, 900 NW Mount Washington Dr., #110, Bend. Contact: 5413066564. events@roundaboutbookshop.com. Free.

OUTDOOR EVENTS

Hoodoo’s Winter Carnival The premiere event of the season and a day full of free activities. Winter Carnival has been a tradition at Hoodoo for 40+ years and includes a number of free events: ax throwing booth, frisbee golf, musical chairs and more. March 14, 9am-9pm. Hoodoo Ski Area, 27400 Big Lake Road, Sisters. Contact: 541.822.3799. eventsbreakingfree@gmail.com. Prices vary.

FUNDRAISING

Bingo for Senior Dogs Play bingo while supporting senior and disabled rescue dogs at RylieMay Rescue Ranch. Spider City will also donate $1 from all beverage purchases. ryliemayrescueranch.com. Every other Thursday, 6-8pm. Spider City Brewing - Brewery Tap Room, 1177 SE Ninth St., Bend. Contact: ryliemayrescueranch@gmail.com. $1-$3 per game.

BEER + DRINK

Irish Whiskey Dinner The event will feature a five-course Irish Whiskey Dinner, where the Currents culinary team flexes its creative muscles with a one-night-only tasting experience. Each thoughtfully crafted course—including dessert—is paired with Irish whiskey selections chosen to surprise, delight, and spark conversation. March 14, 6-9pm. Currents at the Riverhouse, 3075 N. Hwy 97, Bend. Contact: 541-323-0964. $135.30

HEALTH

+ WELLNESS

Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act Get an overview of Oregon’s Death with Dignity Act, including how and when the law was enacted, discuss who is - and who is not - eligible, review the process and timelines for utilizing the law, and provide information on available resources with non-profit, End of Life Choices Oregon. March 16, 1-2pm. Redmond Public Library, 827 SW Deschutes Ave., Redmond. Contact: 5413121029. laurelh@deschuteslibrary.org. Free.

Reiki Infused Transformational Breathwork An immersive session blending reiki energy healing and trauma-informed breathwork to support the winter-to-spring transition. Through somatic movement, meditation, breath, and reflection, participants gently awaken and balance body, mind, and spirit, release old patterns, reconnect with inner wisdom, and cultivate renewal, resilience, and compassionate self-healing during times of seasonal change. March 14, 7-8:30pm. Bend Yoga Center, 1230 NE 3rd Street, Suite A230, Bend. Contact: yoga@bendyoga.center. $15-$30.

CHOW: LITTLE BITES C

The Loving Fungi

A mushroom-based apothecary to suit every need

By Nic Moye

About 10 years ago Willis Mitchell was invited to forage for mushrooms. “I was just fascinated. Oh my God! This is food? This tastes amazing! And then I found out they’re highly medicinal and I could not stop educating myself about them!”

His passion eventually led to the recent opening of an apothecary, The Loving Fungi, on NW Colorado Avenue in Bend. Willis has created a variety of mushroom or plant-based products that he says have medicinal qualities. Products include tea, powdered chocolate, a coffee alternative as well as tinctures, oils and minerals. Willis says each product provides a different boost to things like energy, mood, cognition, immunity, or addresses a specific ailment.

Standing in front of shelves filled with dozens of bottles, Willis explains what a few of them are. “We have three wild harvested mushroom seasonings that are very popular. These have elements like porcini, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms that have a delightful umami flavor. We have many beneficial blends to choose from - a popular one for cognitive and mood boost is our Brain Bliss blend. We have supportive medicinals for hormonal balance like our Chariot and Chalice capsules for men and women, as well as our Full Send tincture to help with the building blocks of testosterone. The thing we’re finding is that most people could benefit from using is our Shilajit Resin and Ormus mineral drops to remineralize depleted or deficient stores, as well as to boost well being. Our foods don’t have them in high enough concentrations anymore due to modern farming practices and we need them daily for most bodily functions”

Many of the products generally start around $30, but Willis says a small jar will last several months because the mixtures are potent. He stresses that customers should ask

questions and educate themselves to make sure a product doesn’t conflict with any medication.

“One of the original blends that we have been making for years that is very popular is our Zen Mind tincture. Reducing daytime anxiety, calming and soothing the nervous system - It consists of four plants and a mushroom ally that help to slow down the electrical currents of the nervous system. I think most people could benefit from that nowadays,” he says.

The products he makes are sold under The Loving Fungi label, but he does sell other products in his store from companies that match his ethos such as Premier Research Labs, Global Healing, Remedy Link and Analemma structured water. He also sells a variety of crystals and Orgonite.

In the evenings, Willis is hosting monthly classes. The first one is about astrology. Each month focuses on a different planet and its correlating essence medicines. Each session is $100, which includes a bottle of the essence and a printout of your personal natal chart with information about that planet’s influence on your life. The next class, which features Jupiter, is March 26 at 6:30pm.

The store also has an Electromagnetic-free treatment room where different practioners will give massages and other services.

While The Loving Fungi is now open, Willis is planning a grand opening celebration on March 21 that will include music, drinks, a raffle, practitioners and vendors. The party will start at the store, then move to Palate coffee in the evening.

The Loving Fungi

Wed-Fri Noon-6pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm Grand Opening Celebration Sat. March 21 519 NW Colorado Ave., Bend thelovingfungi.com/

Central Oregon Locavore is Expanding

The indoor farmers market is opening a new location on the west side of Bend

By Nic Moye

Central Oregon Locavore is getting ready to open a new location on the west side of Bend. Founder Nicolle Timm-Branch says it’s in direct response to surveys and listening sessions the nonprofit conducted in 2025. It wasn’t water rights, labor costs or weather that were top of mind. Timm-Branch says they heard from “farmers, ranchers and producers who said, ‘We don’t need more passion. We don’t need more promotion. We need more sales.’ And simultaneously we interviewed a bunch of customers, members and stakeholders who said, ‘We need more access. We need it to be easier to get to local food.’” Those messages will shape Locavore’s strategy for the next decade. Farmers want more places to sell their products that’s easily accessible year-round. Timm-Branch says the public demand is there and the farmers have the capacity to grow more. What’s lacking is infrastructure to bring both sides together.

The new satellite Locavore will be located in the Discovery West neighborhood. More details will be announced at the nonprofit’s fundraising gala on April 24. Timm-Branch says it’s the first step in a multi-year expansion plan. “We’ll be planting little satellites in growing neighborhoods throughout Central Oregon to meet both of those requests.”

Central Oregon Locavore, located on NE Third Street near Revere Avenue, works with more than 150 farms, ranches and producers locally. Founded in 2009, its mission is to educate the community about the benefits of fresh, nutritious food produced by local farmers and ranchers.

“Our model is that we return 65 cents of every dollar directly to the farmers, which is basically the opposite of the conventional grocery system.” TimmBranch believes it’s the only nonprofit in the country with this model.

The April gala promises to be more than a fundraising event. With a theme of “Rooted in 17 years of trust. Rising into the next chapter,” Locavore will officially launch phase one of its expansion plans. The fundraising goal for the gala this year is $150,000. Central Oregon Locavore is also launching a capital campaign of $200,000. The evening includes a farm-to-table dinner featuring Central Oregon ingredients, a silent auction, a live paddle-raise fundraising activity for Phase One and a dessert dash. Farmers will be seated among the guests.

Locavore Spring Gala 2026 Friday, April 24 5:30-9pm Tetherow Resort

61240 Skyline Ranch Rd, Bend centraloregonlocavore.org/happenings/gala/ $175

C CULTURE

The Comedic Side of Espionage

Cascade Theatrical Company has fun with Hitchcock adaptation

By Stephanie Gregory

For over 40 years, Cascade Theatrical Company has been bringing the stage to life in Central Oregon through community theatre, having put on over 350 productions. Its latest venture is sure to leave guests rolling in the aisles. “The 39 Steps,” a play described by director Desi Thrower as a “hilarious and multi-faceted piece of theatre parody…The show mixes the mystery of a Hitchcock film with the outrageous humor of Monty Python.” Adding, “Four actors play over 25 characters, so it is full of quick changes, many accents, and a lot of hats.” “The 39 Steps” was originally published in 1915 by John Buchan. In 1935 Alfred Hitchcock directed the film version and in 2009 it was adapted for the stage by Patrick Barlow.

The Source recently dropped in on the troupe’s first dress rehearsal to get a behind-the-scenes view. Thrower became involved with Cascade Theatrical as an actor, joining the cast of shows like “The Importance of Being Earnest,” “Murder On the Orient Express,” “Sylvia,” and “God’s Favorite Lunch” before making the transition to director with

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest in 2024. When asked what inspired her to take on the adaptation of The 39 Steps, Thrower replied, “This play is right in my wheelhouse. First, I am always attracted to comedies, especially comedies that have Monty Python-Esque humor. I am also a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan, which this play parodies. Even though Hitchcock films are suspense thrillers, he always infused a bit of humor into each one, so I believe he would have enjoyed this adaptation.”

The 1935 film version, which the play closely follows, is a dark story of murder and espionage. Thrower credits the playwright Partick Barlow for giving the story a comedic twist, saying, “He gives us license to use exaggerated physical comedy, heightened melodrama, and rapid pacing, which transforms that tone of the original film into fastpaced comedy through theatrical style rather than changing the core story. The play leans into the idea that this is theater, not film — and that self-awareness adds to the comedy.” Another challenge to the physicality of transforming

film to stage, drama to comedy, is action scenes. The Hitchcock film has a fastpaced chase scene on a moving train. “Oh yes, the train chase is in the play. Staging the train-chase from “The 39 Steps” in the play version isn’t about copying the film literally — it’s about using theatrical creativity to suggest speed, danger, and movement with limited resources. Our stage version leans into theatrical illusion rather than realism. Through the blocking, the physicality of the actors, deliberate theatrical “cheapness” — obvious prop changes, visible costume swaps, and exaggerated mime, the audience enjoys seeing how the illusion is made. It is an especially funny scene,” says Thrower.

The world of performing arts, like many other industries, saw its audience dwindle with the onset of the pandemic in 2020, but it is seeing a resurgence as people make their way back to the theatre.

“Bend is a community that embraces the arts. CTC has received grants that have allowed them to replace old theater seats and make other improvements. We’ve had a great audience of all ages who have supported the shows, and many volunteers who help with concessions, logistics, and other aspects of entertainment.” It has also seen an evolution of inclusivity. Thrower notes the change, seeing theater “become so much more diverse and inclusive. There is greater representation of different cultures, identities, and social issues on stage.” Adding, “Playwrights from varied

backgrounds now have more opportunities to tell their stories, and audiences expect broader perspectives.” Expanding cultural impact and amplifying the importance of diversity while fueling creativity.

Cascade Theatrical Company is an organization that is nearly entirely run with this assistance of volunteers, and

it’s always looking for more people to help out. If you are interested in auditioning for future productions, building sets or running concessions, you can find more information on positions that need filled by visiting the company’s website or emailing volunteer@cascadestheatrical.org.

“The 39 Steps” March 19-April 5 2pm or 7:30pm Cascades Theatrical Co 148 NW Greenwood Ave, Bend cascadestheatrical.org/ Adults $45/Seniors & Students $39

SC SCREEN Animal Avatars

Hoppers doesn’t approach Pixar’s Best

By Jared Rasic

What do you need from an animated film that’s aimed primarily at children? Is it just something for you to throw on in front of the kiddos for a few hours while you get something else done? Do you want the film to teach vital lessons to your kids while sparking nostalgia for your own childhood? Some cute talking animals with a side of emotional devastation?

Since Pixar released “Toy Story” in 1995, cinema lovers have been spoiled with a nearly unbroken run of some of the finest animated films since the golden age of Disney. What makes so many of their films remarkable is that Pixar knows exactly how to tell stories that kids find wildly entertaining and transporting, while packing so much thematic resonance into their movies that moms and dads might have to explain why they’re ugly crying.

Look at how beautifully multilayered some of these films are. The “Toy Story” pictures are warm-hearted adventures where toys come to life the moment you’re not looking at them, while thematically focusing on the pains of growing up and feeling disposable. “Inside Out” is an action-packed and nostalgic road trip through a young girl’s imagination, while also providing children with the emotional vocabulary to articulate and process emotions they previously couldn’t express. “Coco” is a coming-ofage musical intoxicated on the beauty of Latin culture, yet also offers a touching look at accepting death and loss while cherishing our time on Earth. The mad scientists at Pixar, even at their laziest

(“Cars 2”), are still master storytellers and animators.

All of this is to say, I think I might have unreasonable expectations for each new Pixar film that comes out. I want to be emotionally wrecked like I was at the end of “Toy Story 3” or heartbroken like I was at the fate of Bing Bong in “Inside Out.” I want the full body goosebumps I got from the opening minutes of “Up,” the haunting and unforgettable beauty of “WALL-E,” the childlike wonder I felt watching “The Incredibles” for the first time, or the faith in humanity I felt at the end of “Soul.”

I didn’t really get any of that from Pixar’s newest animated adventure, “Hoppers,” and I’m not necessarily sure it’s the film’s fault. “Hoppers” follows Mabel Tanaka (voiced by Piper Curda), a young woman whose grandmother inspired in her a deep love and respect for the natural world. When the greedy mayor (voiced by a delightfully smarmy Jon Hamm) wants to destroy Mabel’s beloved forest glade to put in a freeway, she will stop at

nothing to protect her favorite place. Long story short, that turns out to be putting her mind into the body of a robotic beaver so she can convince the animals to return to the glade and save it from destruction. What follows is an intermittently charming adventure filled with adorable talking animals, some madcap chases, goofy jokes and a timely message about wildlife preservation and the delicate balance between human expansion and the natural world.

It’s a stellar concept that feels like one part “Avatar,” one part “The Wild Robot,” but still distinctly Pixar. My screening was packed with kids howling at the jokes and adorable animals (including a turtle that we must protect at all costs), so it should be a return to form after the lukewarm reception of “Elio,” “Lightyear” and “Elemental.” However, as entertaining as “Hoppers” can be in moments and as much as I appreciated the film’s environmental messages and big, beautiful tree-hugging

heart, I was disappointed in the relative lack of nuance and narrative subtlety that define Pixar’s greatest hits.

The true strength of “Hoppers” lies in its protagonist, Mabel Tanaka, who fearlessly protects the natural world. Mabel is fascinating because her selflessness is balanced with rage issues, impulsiveness and daily struggles to maintain healthy relationships. Her flaws feel real in a way we don’t get from heroes much anymore and keep Mabel grounded around the robotic beavers and talking sharks.

While “Hoppers” is unlikely to join the ranks of the lasting classics of Pixar, it’s still ultimately an entertaining ride, even with some generic character designs (the bear in this looks like every animated bear ever), inconsistent animation, obvious messaging and a predictable conclusion. If Dreamworks Animation or Illumination put this out, I’d probably be more lenient, but I know Pixar as a brand has a pedigree that has elevated animated films to incredible heights. They can do better because we’ve all seen them do better. Still, even though younger audiences will love this, it’s hard not to think this is just a brief diversion until “Toy Story 5,” “Cars 4,” “Incredibles 3,” and “Coco 2” are unleashed on us all.

“Hoppers”

Dir. Daniel Chong Grade: BRegal Old Mill, Redmond Cinema, Madras Cinema

O OUTSIDE Bend Into Balance

An interview with Cornelius Edison, former NFL athlete and owner of Lift Fitness Studio

By Adriana Marino

Perhaps drawn to the sheer natural beauty surrounding Bend and its endless trails and terrains for hiking, biking, running, rock climbing, kayaking, skiing and snowboarding (and so much more), the city has attracted many individuals who get out, play, compete and thrive in this vibrant outdoor playground. And along with them, so have a great number of health professionals who cater to this active community. Not surprisingly, Bend is uniquely rich in the energy, resources, and innovation within this ever-growing health, wellness, and fitness space.

As an award—winning documentary filmmaker and current board-certified health and wellness coach, I’m excited to merge my interviewing experience with my work in the health realm to create a dynamic new fitness and health podcast, “Bend into Balance.” The space will explore the many paths to well-being — physical, mental, and spiritual — through the voices of Bend’s diverse and rapidly growing wellness community.

The podcast’s first interviewee is Cornelius Edison, a former NFL athlete turned entrepreneur and community wellness advocate based in Bend. As the owner of Lift Fitness Studio, he has helped shape a performance-driven fitness community centered on discipline, connection, and long-term health.

Through his work in health and wellness, Cornelius partners with local leaders, schools, and families to create spaces where people can grow stronger — physically and mentally. A husband, father of three, and active member of the Bend business community, Cornelius is passionate about building environments that elevate people beyond the gym. Whether speaking, coaching, or hosting conversations around leadership and wellness, his mission remains the same: “strengthen individuals so they can strengthen the city.”

Excerpts from the Q&A with Cornelius Edison (quotes have been abridged for print version).

Adriana Marino: How does being the co-owner of The Lift serve you on your health and wellness path?

Cornelius Edison: That is a very tricky question, obviously. So it’s kind of thinking, like, who’s going to teach a teacher, right? I’ve struggled, I’m not gonna lie. Like post sports, weight loss, three young kids at home, business growth, Covid, all those things have challenged my personal author on this, to be completely transparent, and you know, I really had to rewire how my brain worked when it came to performance.

From an athlete perspective, you have an offseason that you focus in training and then you have in-season performance. You execute that training and then you rest and you train the offseason performance level and rest. Life does not work like that. You have to do it. It’s

a marathon, not a sprint compared to the athlete’s journey. So once I recognize that aspect, probably a couple years after retirement, I was able to configure a system in my life of performance and rest. Personally speaking, I’m in a season where I’m taking a little rest from the gym, from training and coaching and teaching, because I acknowledge that I need to put more focus on my body. And give it a little bit more TLC because I’m having signs of burnout. So I need to acknowledge that, call it what it is, and then come up with a game plan, refill my cup so I can then help other people.

AM: It sounds like The Lift is much more than just a gym.

CE: Oh, for sure. It’s fitness, it’s classes, it’s personal training, it’s open gym. But I guarantee it’s nothing like it is. And that’s no disrespect to anybody else’s product. But you know, I poured my heart into this. My wife and our team, they pour their heart into this place and people show up and they care and the people who have been coming here. I’ve been working over 15-plus years, and that’s for a reason. // The fabric of that place is love. And you can’t fake that. That’s not something that you can build overnight and that trust that runs deep and the synergy is different. And it’s unlike anything ever seen before. And so with that in mind is why I’m challenging myself to see how we can break that outside the walls to reach more people and to help our community become, again, more connected and more united. Because why not? Like people move here for nature, but they stay for community. And so that’s something that has been very apparent. And the drive to make this a more people-focus place, to me, is health and wellness.

AM: Having been so athletic yourself during your youth, why do you think being in the body is so essential

for that growing youth in Bend, and in any other community? Why is it important to get away from screens and get into the gym?

CE: Emotional intelligence, emotional intelligence and learning how to feel. Two things that are required to find any kind of success. And I say success in a way that’s, like, understanding yourself so you can withstand pressure in bad situations and you can recognize good versus bad, right? Like, I’m not talking about success where I’m making a lot of money and I’m all the things, but to me, success is understanding yourself. So knowing how you need to navigate in order to stay healthy, safe and to lead yourself well, that’s success to me. So by being in the gym and being in sports, you’re able to communicate with teammates, right? You’re able to talk to coaches when you disagree. Right? There’s a safe space to feel on. I think that, you know, I look back in my career, I learned way more when I failed them, than when I won.

“Bend into Balance” will feature local athletes, experts and practitioners across a wide spectrum: sports and performance; traditional, functional and naturopathic medicine; nutrition; yoga philosophy and practice; meditation and mindfulness; chiropractic care; plant-based medicine; spirituality; mental health therapy, and more. The interviews seek to engage, inform and inspire the audience to rethink the value and role of health and wellness and how they too can embody their ideal vision.

—Adriana Mariño is a documentary filmmaker, a board-certified functional medicine health & wellness coach, and part-time teacher at Cascades Academy. She is completing her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Namaspa and loves to swim, ski, hike, bike, and travel. She can be reached at adrimarino@hotmail.com.

By Nic Moye

Shredder Bend

A year-round, indoor ski school for children opens March 18

Getting youngsters excited about skiing for the first time can be a challenge. It’s cold, and for some, intimidating. Morgan Schaening and his wife, Natalie, are opening Shredder Bend, an indoor, year-round ski and snowboard school for children ages one to 10.

“We get them in real skis, real boots, real snowboards and we help them progress really gradually in a very welcoming and play-based environment,” Schaening explains.

Shredder is a national franchise with nine locations. The Bend school, in the new Midway industrial complex off SE 9th and Wilson, is the first Shredder in Oregon. The space has two indoor slopes — the tallest one is 12-feet high with a 65-foot run.

The school, which opens March 18, will offer classes in small groups of three to five children which begin on a flat surface, focusing on strength, balance and coordination, before moving to the smaller slope, then graduating to the tallest one. Students will also learn practical skills such as how to put on and take off equipment as well as how to carry skis safely. “Getting kids to the chair lift is in many ways more challenging than actually skiing with them on the snow,” Schaening chuckles. “It’s not just getting kids to ski and snowboard down the hill, it’s about teaching them independence and confidence.”

There are three types of classes: Yeti, which is a parent-child class for toddlers ages one to three; Little Shredders, for ages four and five; and Ski/ Snowboard School for more advanced skill building for ages five to 10.

Classes are 40 minutes long. “Our program focuses on a multi-week progression,” Schaening explains. “Our curriculum was designed using PSIA and AASI industry standards. PSIA-AASI ( Professional Ski Instructor Association and American Association of Snowboard Instructor) partners with snow sports schools like Shredder to advance world-class instruction and development.”

Prices vary but generally cost $50 a class, which includes all equipment needed. To kick off its grand opening, Shredder Bend will offer two weeks of special showcase classes at a reduced rate of $30 with space limited to five children per class.

Shredder Bend will also offer a summer camp with three-hour morning or afternoon sessions, as well as private lessons, community events and the ability to host birthday parties.

Schaening has a background in leading high school students on international expeditions to develop life skills and participate in community projects. Natalie has a background in gymnastics. They have a 2 ½-year-old daughter. “I’m very excited to introduce her to Shredder and get her through our program so that I can go up and have some fun with her on the mountain,” Schaening says.

Shredder Bend

Introductory showcase: March 18-20 & 27-29 575 SE 9th St, Unit 130, Bend shredderski.com/bend-register/ Prices vary

By Josh Jardine

Cannabis Edibles and Children

Kids and Kush don’t mix

Oregon is considering legislation to address an issue no parent should ever have to contend with - non fatal pediatric cannabis overdoses. While childless, I have been enlisted by friends with children who have eaten cannabis edibles, and had adverse reactions. Thankfully, the worst of it was their offspring being, well, really high, then sleeping for a solid stretch, then waking up with the dreaded edibles hangover.

packaging, clear potency and serving size information, restrictions on youth appealing imagery and consistent enforcement…”

Not every parent is so lucky, especially those with tender aged children. Rob Hendrickson, the Oregon Poison Cen ter Medical Director at Oregon Health Sciences University, recounted to KATU the experiences of one family whose toddler consumed a muffin with 50 mg of THC.

After being taken to the ER by the child’s mother with “severe symptoms, including seizures and lack of oxygen. She lost consciousness and had to be placed on a ventilator for 36 hours.”

“The Oregon Poison Control Center consults with ER and ICU doctors on over 120 cases of young children with cannabis toxicity in Oregon every year,” Hendrickson said.

Stories such as these helped motivate Senate Bill 1548, which as of this writing, is headed to the Senate floor. Currently, the OLCC requires each package of cannabis edibles to have no more than 100 mg of THC, with each serving limited to 10 mg of THC. SB 1548 would require that each serving be individually wrapped.

The bill’s sponsor, Portland Democratic State Sen. Lisa Reynolds, told KATU “...the goal was to prevent young children from accidentally ingesting large quantities of THC.”

“My particular concern is the toddler toxicity. Because whoever decided to make THC gummies look exactly like candy bars, cookies, and gummies, I think that we need to reckon with this a little bit,” she said.

Oregon’s cannabis edibles industry points out that the bill’s passage would result in higher packaging costs for producers, that cannabis is already extremely regulated, and as Tucker Holland, co-founder and CFO of Entourage testified, “...”The OLCC reports show that Oregon’s regulated cannabis industry reflects these principles through child-resistant

While we can all agree that no one is actively advocating for children eating THC edibles, let’s unpack a few factors not given much attention. Starting with poor parenting skills. Be assured that absolutely none of the aforementioned 120 children treated “cannabis toxicity” acquired those edibles by purchasing them at a dispensary. Rather, those edibles were purchased by a grown ass adult without the basic common sense to secure and lock away the edibles from underage users. We aren’t talking about a gun safe level investment, just simply putting the edibles in a place inaccessible to little hands. (This goes for pet parents as well.) Want the definition of FAFO? Here you go.

I’m not in favor of jailing parents and guardians who don’t do as much, but nowhere in any of the press coverage of SB 1548 did I find any discussion about parental responsibility from the bill’s supporters. (It came up overwhelmingly in the comments section, however.)

It’s questionable if individually wrapped pieces would keep every child from ingesting THC in concerning doses. If you’ve never met a child, they have little to no impulse control, want sugary things, always, and have the feral animal-like ability to consume things quickly, silently, and in horrifying amounts. And despite it being a painful truth, they are dumb, in regard to certain things. Which is why, as the adult with the fully formed frontal cortex, and we assume a good decision making skill set, it’s on you to SECURE THE DAMN EDIBLES.

Regarding Sen. Miller’s concerns over a “needed reckoning” with edibles looking “exactly” like candy bars, cookies and gummies, I assume she has not visited the adult beverage aisle recently. Prepare to clutch your pearls senator, as there are alcoholic beverages sweetened with sugar into a taste some might say would be enjoyed by children.

In 2023, the largest share of the $16 billion U.S. confectionary markets were adults 35 to 44, so it stands to reason cannabis edible consumers are going to seek out similar products. There’s a reason Liver, Onions and Broccoli Cannabis Dumplings aren’t a thing.

UNDERSTANDING INTIMACY A COLUMN THAT FOSTERS DEEPER LOVE BETWEEN COUPLES

By Dr. Jane Guyn

You Haven’t Lost It. You’ve Just Stopped Looking.

My wife and I have been married for close to 10 years, together for 15. In general, we get along really well, but sex is almost non-existent at this point. I can count on one hand the number of times we were intimate in 2025. When we first met, we were both incredibly passionate — always looking for an opportunity. My feelings for her haven’t changed, but I’m starting to wonder if she sees me as just a roommate now. I’m lost without the closeness we used to share. What can I do?

— In Love but Unlucky in Bend

What you’re experiencing — mismatched desire — is the single most common concern couples bring to intimacy counselors. You are far from alone, and the fact that you’re still asking, still reaching out, means you care deeply.

You mentioned the passion you shared early on. That intensity has a name: New Relationship Energy (NRE). When we first fall for someone, our brains flood with dopamine and serotonin, making us feel alive, open, and deeply tuned in to our partner. NRE is real, powerful — and temporary. But when you understand what it was doing for your relationship, you have a clear path forward. NRE created four powerful experiences between you. You can recreate them intentionally.

1. Curiosity

In the early days, you were endlessly curious about her — her thoughts, her moods, her inner world. Over time, most couples stop asking. They assume they already know. But people change in ways we don’t always notice. What she needed five years ago may be very different from what she needs today.

Ask genuine questions with no agenda — not “why don’t you want sex anymore?” but “How have you really been feeling lately?” or “Is there anything you’ve been carrying that we haven’t talked about?” When she feels truly known rather than assumed, connection follows naturally.

2. Heightened Attention

Curiosity asks questions. Attention acts on the answers.

Once you understand what’s going on in her world, let that understanding show up in small, specific ways — fresh flowers on the counter, a quiet evening watching her favorite show, a long bath drawn with candles and epsom salts, or a weekend away somewhere you can simply be together. The details matter less than the message they send: I see you. You matter to me. Feeling genuinely seen is one of the most powerful intimacy builders there is.

3. Novelty

Desire tends to thrive in the unfamiliar. This doesn’t have to mean anything dramatic — exploring a new hike together, taking an art class where you’re both beginners, or simply approaching physical affection a little differently.

It’s also worth understanding how desire works for your wife. Sex educator Emily Nagoski explains that some people have spontaneous desire — arousal that arrives out of nowhere — while others have responsive desire, which emerges in response to touch, mood, and emotional connection. If your wife has responsive desire, she may need the right conditions before she feels open to intimacy. That’s not rejection — it’s simply how her desire works. Knowing this can change everything about how you approach closeness together.

4. Presence

Finally, consider how you’re showing up day to day. NRE made both of you your most alive, engaged selves. Over time, the weight of stress, worry, and routine can quietly dull that aliveness. If you’ve been carrying anxiety or low mood, your wife feels it — even when nothing is said aloud.

Taking care of your own mental and emotional wellbeing isn’t separate from your marriage — it is central to it. When you feel good in yourself — present, grounded, engaged — you become someone she naturally wants to draw closer to.

The thread running through all four is simple: be as genuinely interested in her now as you were when you first met. Not as a strategy — as a daily, conscious practice of love.

The passion you once shared wasn’t a fluke. It grew between two people who were fully paying attention to each other — and with care and intention, you can absolutely find your way back to that.

— Dr. Jane

—Understanding Intimacy is a reader-supported advice column. Write to us at [jane@drjaneguyn.com].

TAKE ME HOME

By Kenzie Carlstrom, Broker REMAX Key Properties

The Quiet Value of Maintenance

Homeownership is often talked about in emotional terms. It’s the place where holidays happen, where dogs scratch at the back door, where friends gather around a kitchen island long after dinner is finished. A home is where life unfolds.

But financially speaking, a home is something else entirely. For most people, it is the single largest asset they will ever own.

What’s interesting is how differently we tend to treat that asset compared with others. People carefully monitor their investment accounts, rebalance their portfolios, and pay close attention to interest rates. Yet when it comes to the house that often represents the largest portion of their net worth, maintenance is frequently treated as an afterthought.

In real estate, I have the unusual privilege of seeing homes at every stage of their life cycle. I walk through properties that have been meticulously cared for over decades, and others where small issues have quietly compounded into large repairs.

More often than not, the difference between the two isn’t a massive renovation or a large budget. It’s consistency.

Most major home repairs begin as something small. A gutter that hasn’t been cleared for a few seasons allows water to sit longer than it should. Debris collects along a roofline and slowly redirects moisture toward the fascia. Windows go years without cleaning or resealing, leaving frames exposed to sun and weather.

None of these things feel urgent in the moment. They are easy to postpone, especially when life is busy. Homes experience the elements yearround here in Central Oregon. Snow, wind, pine needles, and intense sun all quietly do their work.

Over time, the homes that hold their value best tend to share one common

trait: they’ve been cared for consistently.

You can feel it the moment you walk inside. The windows are clear. The rooflines are clean. The exterior has been looked after with the same attention someone might give a garden. Buyers often can’t quite articulate why a home feels different, but they sense when it has been maintained thoughtfully.

And that care has real consequences. Homes that have been consistently maintained typically show better, sell faster, and command stronger offers. Maintenance, while rarely glamorous, is one of the quiet forces that protects long-term property value.

It also changes the way homeowners experience their homes. Instead of reacting to problems as they appear, maintenance becomes part of a rhythm. A seasonal check in the spring. A quick look before winter. Small tasks that prevent larger ones later. That mindset (treating a home as something to steward over time) has become increasingly important as more people recognize the role real estate plays in their longterm financial picture.

In fact, that idea is what recently inspired a small local company I started called Bentley’s Windows & Gutters (You’ve probably seen the van parked on Newport). The goal wasn’t simply to clean windows or clear gutters, but to help homeowners stay ahead of the small maintenance items that quietly protect the larger investment.

Because most of the time, protecting a home’s value doesn’t require dramatic upgrades or expensive remodels. It requires attention, consistency, and the understanding that the small things matter.

A home is where life happens. But for many people, it’s also the foundation of their financial future. And like any meaningful investment, it tends to reward those who take care of it along the way.

ASTROLOGY

By Rob Brezsny

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Can you compel acts of grace to intervene in your destiny? Can bursts of divine favor be summoned through the power of your will? Some spiritual scholars say, “Absolutely not.” They claim life’s wild benevolence arrives only through the mysterious tides of fate—impossible to solicit and impossible to predict. But other observers, more open-minded, speculate that your intelligent goodness might indeed attract the vivid generosity of cosmic energies. I bring this up because I suspect you Pisceans are either receiving or will soon receive blessings that feel like divine favor. Did you earn them, or are you just lucky—or some of both? It doesn’t matter. Enjoy the gift.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): In theater, "breaking the fourth wall" means acknowledging the audience. An actor steps out of the pretense that what's happening on stage is real. It's a disruptive moment of truth that can deepen the experience. I would love you to break the fourth wall in your own life, Aries. It’s a favorable time to slip free of any roles you’ve been performing by rote and just blurt out the more interesting truths. Tell someone, "This isn't working for me." Or say, "I need to be my pure self with greater authenticity." Breaking the fourth wall won’t ruin the show; it will be more fun and real and entertaining.

TAURUS (April 20May 20): English speakers like me use the terms "destiny" and “fate” interchangeably. But a scholar of ancient Sumer claims they had different meanings in that culture. Nam, the word for "destiny," was fixed and immutable. Namtar, meaning "fate," could be manipulated, adjusted, and even cheated. I bring this to your attention, Taurus, because I believe you now have a golden chance to veer off a path that leads to an uninteresting or unproductive destiny and start gliding along a fateful detour.

to “think with their limbs.” Let’s make them your spirit creature for now, Virgo. Your body’s intuitions are offering you guidance that might even be as helpful as your fine mind. This enhanced somatic brilliance can serve you in practical ways: a creative breakthrough while doing housework, a challenging transition handled with aplomb, a fresh alignment between your feelings and ideas. I hope you will listen to your body as if it were a beloved mentor. Trust your movements and physical sensations to reveal what you need to know.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): I love your diplomatic genius: the capacity to understand all sides, to hold space for contradictions, to find the middle ground. But right now it’s in danger of curdling into a kind of self-erasure where your own desires become the one thing you can't quite locate. Another way to understand this: You are so skilled at seeing everyone's perspective that you sometimes lose track of your own. Here’s the antidote I recommend: Practice the revolutionary act of having strong opinions, of preferring one thing over another without immediately undercutting your preference with a counter-argument. I guarantee that your relationships will survive your decisiveness. In fact, they will deepen as people locate the real you beneath your exquisite balance.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): The coming months will be a favorable time for you to shed the fairytale story of success that once inspired you when you were younger and more idealistic. A riper vision is emerging, calling you toward a more realistic and satisfying version of your life’s purpose. The transformation may at first feel unsettling, but I believe it will ultimately awaken even deeper zeal and greater creativity than your original dream. Bonus: Your revised, more mature goals will lead you to the very rewards your youthful hopes imagined but never quite delivered.

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Even if you're not actually far from home, Cancerian, I bet you're on a pilgrimage or odyssey of some kind. The astrological omens tell me that you're being drawn away from familiar ideas and feelings and are en route to an unknown country. You're transforming, but you're not sure how yet. During this phase of exploration, I suggest that you adopt a nickname that celebrates being on a quest. This will be a playful alias that helps you focus on the pregnant potential of this interlude. A few you might want to consider: Journey Seed, Threshold Traveler, Holy Rambler, Map-Edge Maverick, or Wanderlust Wonderer. Others? Choose one that tickles you with the sense that you are being born again while you travel.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Love is more than a gentle glow in your heart or a pleasurable spark in your body. When fully awakened and activated, it becomes a revolutionary way of being in the world that invites you to challenge and rethink all you’ve been taught about reality. It’s a bold magic that alters everything it encounters. You can certainly choose a milder, tamer version of love if you wish. But if you’d like to evolve into a love maestro—as you very well could during the next 12 months—I suggest you give yourself to the deeper, wilder form. Do you dare?

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Octopuses have neuron clusters in their arms that enable them

SCORPIO (Oct. 23Nov. 21): New love cravings have been welling up inside you, Scorpio. These cries of the heart may confuse you even as they delight you and invigorate you. One of your main tasks is to listen closely to what they’re telling you, but to wait a while before expressing their messages to other people. You need to study them in detail before spilling them out. Another prime task is to feel patient awe and reverence for the immensity and intensity of these deep, wild desires.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): If you are fulfilling your birthright as a Sagittarius, you are a philosopher-adventurer with a yearning for deep meaning. As you seek out interesting truths, your restless curiosity is a spiritual necessity. You understand that wisdom comes from collecting diverse, sometimes contradictory experiences and weaving them into a coherent worldview. You have a fundamental need to keep expanding and reinventing what freedom means to you. All these qualities may make some people nervous, but they really are among your primary assignments now and forever. They are especially important to cultivate these days.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): In traditional navigation, "dead reckoning" means finding your position by tracking your previous movements. Where you have been tells you where you are. But it only works if you've been honest about your course. If you've been misleading yourself about the direction you have been traveling, dead reckoning will get you lost. I bring this to your attention, Capricorn, because I really want you to rededicate yourself to telling yourself the deepest, strongest, clearest truths. Where have you actually been going? Not where you told yourself you were going or where other people imagined you were going, but where your choices have actually been taking you. Look at the pattern of your real movements, not your stated intentions. Once you know your true position, you can chart a true course for the future.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You’re entering a rambling zigzag phase. Each plot twist will branch into two more, and every supposed finale will reveal itself as the opening act of another surprise. Fortunately, your gift for quick thinking and innovative adaptation is sharper than ever, which means you will flourish where others might freeze. My suggestion? Forget the script. Approach the unpredictable adventures like an improv exercise: spontaneous, playful, and open to the fertile mysteries.

Summer hrs. for RI

29.  Horse straps

30.  No longer fresh

33.  Thanksgiving centerpiece

34.  Good teacher?

37.  “Behind the Music” episode about the “Nobody’s Fool” band?

41.  Squirrel’s stash

42.  Aegean region

43.  Denebola’s constellation

44.  Apple leftovers

45.  Plays at a wedding

48.  Two things you notice at a “Rock and Roll All Nite” band’s concert?

53.  Bronco bump

54.  Like a 50/50 question

55.  Quit the band that did “Seventeen”?

61.  2012 Oscar winner

62.  China setting

63.  Sparkly coronet

64.  Blab

65.  Simon of “Hot Fuzz”

66.  Cartoon impact sound

67.  ___ Candies

Pearl’s Puzzle

By Brendan Emmett Quigley

DOWN 1.  Cover

2.  Achieved excellence

3.  Lose fizz

4.  Like some headphones

5.  Drain

6.  With 12-Down, tied up after four games

7.  Friend in France

8.  Hair removers

9.  Big name in soup

10.  Quaking ___ (Utah’s state tree)

11.  Necklace that says “aloha”

12.  See 6-Down

13.  Org. with nine out of of the ten mostwatched telecasts of 2025

19.  Actress Peeples

21.  ___ time (smartphone usage)

24.  Takes testimony from

25.  Very smart

26.  Doodlebug, by another name

27.  “Africa” band

31.  On behalf of

32.  Cook on a skillet

33.  New Deal pres.

34.  “The Hunger Games” country

35.  “My philosophy is”

36.  Short stop?

37.  Mariners catcher Raleigh with the nickname “Big Dumper”

38.  Cover cakes

39.  What you might read on and where you might read it

40.  Topic for 34-Across

44.  Feline attractor

45.  “You Gotta Be” R&B singer

46.  Vine land?

47.  Cylinders for thread

49.  Pet collar dangler

50.  Darn

51.  Bad moods

52.  “Hyperion” poet

55.  Run around?

56.  Wind dir.

57.  Mediterranean fruit

58.  Miss

59.  Year after year after year?

60.  Turncoat

Puzzle for the week of March 09, 2026

Difficulty Level:

Fill in every row, column, and 3x3 box with each of the letters C A M P H I K E S exactly once.

The highlighted letters read left to right and top to bottom will complete the quote: “Every St. Patrick’s Day every Irishman goes out to find another Irishman to to.” - Shane Leslie

Answer for the week of March 02, 2026

ANSWER TO LAST WEEK'S PUZZLES

C E K

L B C E A T R

“Yes! It’s Daylight Saving Time. The clock in my car will finally be correct!” — Author unknown

“Yes! It’s Daylight Saving Time. The clock in my car will finally be correct!” - Author unknown © Pearl Stark