The software company is among other Growth Stage finalists at the Bend Venture Conference. From October 15 to 16, startups and investors will gather in Bend to recognize entrepreneurship and innovation in the region.
Early Stage Finalists competed for $15,000 Bend Business prize:
AirFit: Creating spaces in airports after the security lines that include gyms and showers so that passengers can stay active and healthy while traveling.
Outdoor Logic – Solutions: Creates products that help make outdoor activities easier to participate in.
QuakeWarn: Sets up early warning detection for earthquakes. When one is detected, QuakeWarn sends SMS and push notification alerts.
Radventure: An online marketplace used to connect outdoor adventure travelers with expert locals.
SnoPlanks: Handmade in Bend, SnoPlanks constructs bamboo snowboards that are made for powder days on the mountain.
Growth Stage Finalists competed for larger investments:
HoneyComb: Uses data and drones to transform agriculture and forestry.
NemaMetrix: A platform that reduces the cost of drug discovery and increases the success of drug identification.
Odysys: Builds software for boutique hotels to make booking easier.
Perfect Company: Makes cooking and baking easier by combining software and products.
Scratch-it: Using “reveal,” the software and marketing solution company increases customer engagement.
You’ve likely heard stories about entrepreneurs who got their start with a lemonade stand or newspaper route. Kent Schnepp is that guy, though with a distinctly Oregon narrative. A Portland native, Schnepp put himself through the University of Oregon by building bikes and websites, both skills he taught himself.
“I’ve only ever worked for a handful of companies,” Schnepp said. He started his own web design firm two years out of college. He then joined forces with a mountain biking buddy in 2006. Together they transformed Schnepp’s design business into a data-driven internet marketing company called EngineWorks. As organic search began to dominate, demand for search engine optimization and marketing business in Portland exploded. They sold the successful company six years later. Schnepp relocated to Bend in 2014 with his newest startup, Odysys, a company that combines his knowledge of digital marketing with a software platform to help independent and boutique hotels boost their bookings.
Escaping Expedia
While building EngineWorks, Schnepp had taken a vacation to Thailand and came back with a new target market. “We kind of stumbled into the hospitality vertical,” Schneppsaid. “I thought it would be a great excuse to travel more.” The whim turned into a solid business after EngineWorks reached out to web development agencies specializing in destination resorts. “We ended up running all the digital strategy and SEO for Vail Resorts, and we had clients around the world,” he said.
When Schnepp founded Odysys last year, he returned to that travel market. He saw that boutique hotels much smaller than his previous clients were becoming dependent on online travel agencies (OTAs) such as Priceline and Expedia to acquire customers. These OTAs, however, command a steep commission of up to 20 percent per booking.
Schnepp saw an opportunity. “Our goal is to drive customers to book on the hotel’s direct website instead of through the OTAs,” he said. Odysys offers clients a platform that houses their website, search, content marketing and reservations system all in one place.
Same fundamentals, smaller place
With interior brick walls and an open floor plan, Odysys’ office in downtown Bend has the appearance of a startup in any major city. City life, though, is the last thing Schnepp wants for himself or his burgeoning business. “I want to have a balanced life, and I want my employees to have balanced lives,” he said. “It’s a fallacy that everyone at a startup has to work fourteen hours a day and give up every hour of their life for the cause.”
He’s hired nearly a dozen people, all of them local, with an eye toward more growth. “It feels like we can have a positive impact on the community,” he said. “I’ve done that in Portland, but it’s more tangible here.”
Over the past fifty years, Bend has grown in short, intense bursts. This time, it means growing up or growing out. Are we ready?
Graphics by Brendan Loscar | Chalk art by Katey Dutton
On July 15, a dozen people packed the Bend City Council meeting. Determination radiated from their florescent yellow shirts whose bold capitals proclaimed, “Save Pilot Butte.”
There was no insidious plan to close the butte, or strip it of its junipers or pave it over with a new road. What Pilot Butte needed saving from was growth in the form of an apartment complex planned for a nearby neighborhood. This proposed 205-unit apartment complex would add to the scarce inventory of available rental housing and likely offer affordable homes to some of those families in Bend’s growing population.
At this council meeting, there was little solidarity from a renter in another nearby apartment complex. “I don’t believe that the four-story apartment complex is the best, efficient use of that land,” said Hope Dalryample. “[Our street] already has parking problems as it is. Our lease is month-to-month, and if they do the construction, our plan is to move because it is just going to be unrealistic to get out of that parking area.”
Dalryample’s voice, shaky with nerves at times but determined nonetheless is increasingly the voice of many Bendites who weathered the recent recession and now see a city ready to explode with growth once again.
Urbanization, in-fill, and density are all themes in play as Bend contemplates its larger self. No matter what moniker it goes by, change—significant change—is on the cusp. Central Oregon, and Bend in particular, will look very different in the coming years.
Multi-storied buildings and other housing density projects will soon be planned for neighborhoods in the southeast, the northeast, the downtown core and every other section of the community as Bend seeks to accommodate a projected 54 percent increase in population over the next twenty years while balancing a state mandate to keep the city’s urban growth boundary tight around the waist.
“It’s in the cards, and it’s not going to be easy,” said Nan Loveland, one of the founders of Old Farm Neighborhood Association in southeast Bend who, at times, has closely scrutinized developments near Pilot Butte and sees the “Save the Butte” group as an inevitable harbinger of growing conflict. “[This apartment building] is going to add more people, it’s going to change the nature of how the area looks,” Loveland said. “Residents have had open spaces for a long time. People just don’t like change. Very few people embrace it.”
POPULATION
“We just wanted to live here. We felt the draw for so many years and to have the door open up for us, we just couldn’t say no.”
– Rachel Scott
Loveland, who moved to Bend in 2000 after retiring from a teaching career, was part of an earlier wave of Bend’s population growth—a boom that increased Bend’s population nearly 70 percent between 1995 and 2000.
Trevor Scott, 28, is part of a new influx that is being driven by recreation and new industries, particularly high-tech. Trevor and his wife, Rachel, 26, moved from California to Bend in June for his new tech job with Five Talent, an app and software development company. She left a steady job as a risk analyst with Ventura County, where she had just earned a promotion. The couple packed up their studio apartment in a desirable neighborhood just a mile from Ventura Beach and headed for Bend, even before finding housing.
“We just wanted to live here,” said Rachel. “We felt the draw for so many years and to have the door open up for us, we just couldn’t say no.”
They came for the love of the outdoors, skiing at Mt. Bachelor and to be closer to family, who live in Northern California. The young couple knew it would be difficult for Rachel to find another job, and that affordable housing in Bend was scarce, yet they believed it was the right thing for their family and first child.
“The conversation basically came down to, ‘Do we want to be semi-comfortable in Ventura or live somewhere where we actually want to live and risk being slightly less comfortable?’” said Trevor.
This quality-of-life debate, chiefly among millennials and seniors, is expected to result in an additional 46,500 people migrating to Bend by 2035, increasing the population to 132,200. This growth is expected to outpace the rest of Oregon, the West Coast and most areas across the nation.
“Boomers and the millennials are the dominant market in Bend to the mid-2030s,” Arthur C. Nelson, a professor of urban planning at the University of Utah and a nationally recognized demographer, told the Bend City Council and the City Club of Central Oregon in July. “What these two groups want will help spur the coming changes in how people live and get around in Bend.”
Fewer millennials, now 20 to 35, are opting for the quintessential single-family home on a suburban lot. Likewise, seniors are, increasingly, looking to downsize to smaller homes, condominiums or apartments. Both groups favor walking, biking and public transit.
“This will lead to a decline in home ownership,” said Nelson. “Basically forty percent of all new demand will be for rental housing. A much higher share of all new housing going forward to 2040 is going to have to be different. And these groups will be looking for more opportunity for walking and biking.”
HOUSING
In an attempt to slow urban sprawl and maintain farmland and forests, Governor Tom McCall, in 1973, signed a progressive land-use bill that mandated a twenty-year supply of land for housing and economic development for every city in Oregon. McCall, in a passionate speech, decried, “sagebrush subdivisions, coastal condomania and the ravenous rampages of suburbia.”
The relationship between the state-regulated UGB and the City of Bend has been that of teacher and student. In 2010, the city submitted a plan to the state Land Conservation and Development Commission to expand its boundary by 8,400 acres—the first proposed expansion since 1981. The state rejected the application for its failure to first show how it would use existing space within the city efficiently.
The overriding message from the State of Oregon to the build-first predisposition of Bend was that density must precede sprawl. Now the city is planning for an expansion of around 2,000 acres with a focus on using land currently inside the UGB differently. It’s likely that this philosophy, more than anything else, will shape Bend’s cityscape over the next fifteen years.
Behind this prescription is the notion that the largest tracts of undeveloped land, such as those in southeast Bend where Loveland lives, will be rezoned and subdivided to usher in a greater density of residences. At the same time, the city will look to create incentives for new development on small infill lots inside existing neighborhoods throughout town. For example, the Bend City Council recently eliminated the need for expensive conditional use permits for new duplexes on corner lots.
That single change immediately triggered a fuss in Bend’s West Hills, where a developer began building a multi-family home in an area surrounded by single-family houses. Homeowners took to an online forum called Nextdoor to vent their frustrations with the new project.
“I need some space around me but still be within walking distance of amenities and be able to meditate while looking at the mountains,” wrote one West Hills resident in the thread relating to the new duplex. “I have lived down in the flats, and it was a lot noisier.”
“Although I enjoy the convenience of living in town, the thought of leaving the city, or buying a larger parcel within, crosses my mind every day,” wrote another resident. “ … The unfortunate fact of the matter is that there are too many people who want to live in Bend, to build every residence a typical single story with a quarter-acre or more.”
This frustration over new development in the city isn’t a new problem. From her single-family home off of Ferguson in southeast Bend, Loveland looked out of her sliding glass door on a recent afternoon and described how she and a dozen other residents were able to persuade the city to reduce the number of lots that a nearby tract was subdivided into about a decade ago.
“That subdivision was going to go in with sixty-eight homes—it was going to be high residential,” she said. “That left (some neighbors) with five new homes along their lot line. So a bunch of us got together and hired Paul Dewey as a lawyer,” Loveland said, referring to the executive director of Central Oregon Landwatch, a group that encourages smart growth. “We got it down to thirty-eight.”
Despite Loveland’s earlier success in shaping development, she isn’t sure how new rules currently being drafted by the city’s planning commission will affect new higher-density residential projects abutting existing neighborhoods.
“My concern is that the new language will have protections for RL, the lowest density zoning, but what happens when you put these big lot residential single-family lots up against residential medium density lots or residential high density lots?” Loveland asked, speaking in the vernacular of developers gleaned from her involvement in civic committees and land use. “How do we preserve the character of these old neighborhoods?”
As the UGB expansion marches forward, the key to achieving this will be community input. “Involvement is a big key—it’s a huge key,” Loveland said. “You have to spend the time to learn what the problems are, who the players are, and how you can influence things, what you can bring to the table that might be helpful.”
TRANSPORTATION
Crumbling streets, an incomplete sidewalk grid, dangerous bike and pedestrian routes and a fledgling transit system that runs just six days a week and stops at 6:15 p.m.—this is the current state of Bend’s transportation system.
Now picture another 25,000 cars here by 2030 with virtually no new roads, the addition of a university, and the realization of denser residential housing.
A tally of the cost of projects for improvements to transportation run more than $100 million, plus ongoing annual funding of $5 million or more to operate the public transit facilities.
What sounds like a system doomed to failure could actually be the seed of a solution to Bend’s transportation issues, said Robin Lewis, transportation engineer with the City of Bend. The more congested the streets, the more people are willing to consider alternative modes of transportation. For investments in key multimodal infrastructure such as public transit to pencil out, more people have to be willing to regularly take the bus.
In the coming months, as part of the UGB process, the city will begin changing zoning and development rules to create incentives for developers and residents to embrace supporting alternative modes of transportation.
In fact, earlier this spring, the city reduced parking space requirements for residential developments near a transit line, in the hopes of encouraging more development near transit lines and to coax future residents to take public transit.
Moves like this could encourage people to live along “transit corridors,” which will become the skeletal structure for higher density areas throughout the city. Greenwood Avenue, Third Street, Reed Market Road, and other major streets will eventually offer the multimodal transit, bike and pedestrian facilities that will allow the city to better accommodate growth with fewer cars.
These changes, however, imply a change of culture and a substantial influx of funds. A tally of the cost of projects for improvements to transportation run more than $100 million, plus ongoing annual funding of $5 million or more to operate the public transit facilities.
Earlier this year, David Abbas, the street maintenance director for the City of Bend, said that city streets have declined to a “D” level and the city is facing $80 million in deferred maintenance. Compare that to Deschutes County and Redmond, which have maintained streets at a “B” level.
The deferred maintenance is the result of at least a decade of political and administrative instability, said Bend City Manager Eric King. From 2000 to 2007, Bend had four city managers and a great deal of turnover on the city council. To tackle large infrastructure issues during that time was very challenging, he said, and earlier attempts to fund roads were voted down by the city council.
“These are not easy things,” said King. “There have been efforts to educate the council on these issues, and sometimes there is political will for it and sometimes there’s not.”
Loveland watched it happen from her position on the city’s infrastructure advisory board, where she served for years. “The hard thing for Bend is that we are playing catch up,” said Loveland. “The decisions were not made thirty years ago when they should have been made.”
Because of the constraints of Oregon’s Measure 50, the funding mechanisms to catch up are few and local. Twenty-three cities across the state have navigated this issue with a local fuel tax, another thirty-one have passed transportation utility fees—which are frequently tacked onto water and sewer bills.
In August, Bend City Councilors, in a four-to-three vote, agreed to open up the debate of a local fuel tax to Bend residents by putting the issue on the March 2016 ballot. Passing it will be tough, with formidable opposition likely from a group of local petroleum dealers, which has hired Bend’s former mayor, Jeff Eager, to lobby against the tax on their behalf.
But the city has other options for raising transportation money. It could ask the public to pass a food and beverage tax that would seek to capture more tourism revenues from the roughly 2 to 3 million Bend visitors each year. The city also has plans to lobby the Oregon Legislature to pass a studded tire fee or new vehicle registration fee.
While funding roads in Bend is challenging, the real question is whether the city has strong enough political leadership to address the issue and adequately frame what’s at stake for its residents.
FOR Trevor and Rachel Scott, Bend’s future looks promising, but they are concerned whether the city they chose will be a good long-term bet. They wonder if voters will continue to fund schools with new levies. Will there be local employment opportunities for their daughter to stay in Bend when she is of working age? Can the small-town charm be preserved in the face of growth?
“It does seem like it’s on the cusp of something,” said Trevor. “I couldn’t tell if it would be negative—it seems like it would be positive.”
Meanwhile, many longtime residents resent the influx of newbies and change.
“Everybody has lived in rental housing at one point or another in their lives, but they don’t see the individuals for the whole,” Loveland said. “They don’t see the individual college student coming in, they just see the hordes.”
We asked local trail runners what some of their favorites are.
Amanda Bowers
What is your favorite trail run in Central Oregon?
As a trail runner with a dog who also loves to run, I try to find trails where we both can run free. And as a busy mother of three, I try to stick to the trails closest to Bend while still getting away from the more populated areas.
One of the best places to run with dogs is the Deschutes River Trail up by Meadow Camp. You can park at gravel turnout before Meadow Camp off Century Drive (on the left, 2.5 miles after Reed Market/Mt. Washington Drive/Century Drive roundabout). After one mile of running, you can be running along the river. This portion of trail is so diverse in beauty and terrain. It’s like running through different movie sets if you go upriver.
I’ve run as far as Benham Falls and close to Sunriver and back for my long runs (20-24 miles). And I’ve also enjoyed many shorter runs of around 5-6 miles (just turn around when you’ve gone half the total time/distance you want to run).
My favorite trails near Bend to run short runs between 3-8 miles are the Shevlin Park trails, which are a mix of paved and unpaved (good for long runs, too), and the Deschutes River trail near the Old Mill area. Shevlin Park offers some of the most lush forestscape in Central Oregon. You can stay low along Tumalo Creek. You can also head up higher on the Shevlin Loop trail or Mrazek trails and enjoy elevation climbs and mountain views. The Deschutes River Trail near Old Mill is convenient because it is closest to town. The drawback is that it can be highly populated and is definitely not off-leash friendly. This can be a perfect three-mile-or-so loop. Park near the pedestrian bridge at Farewell Bend Park, just before the Bill Heely Bridge and run down to the Colorado bridge, cross the river (you’ll have to go up and over until construction is completed) and run back to the park on the other side.
Angela Shatting
How do you stay energized on your trail runs? What does that mean to you?
Energized to me means feeling good and more than happy to put one foot in front of the other and keep on moving. I do this in a few ways. 1. Stay hydrated with water and fueled with Picky Bars. That may seem like a cheap plug but Picky Bars has actually been the main food I eat on the trails for years now. I mix it up with trail mix, nut butter with pretzels and beef jerky. 2. Keep a positive attitude. If I tell myself I’m tired, dragging and don’t want to be out there, then that’s how I feel. When I tell myself I’m strong, happy and enjoying the time on the trail, that comes through in my run. I’ve mentally destroyed runs and also made them way better than they should have been with my attitude. The mind is a powerful tool in running. Thinking positively about being out there keeps me energized and moving happily. 3. Good gear. Getting fit for the proper shoe makes a huge difference. I’m excited to run when I’m comfortable and my feet feel good. 4. Sleep and good nutrition. The days leading up to a long run make a huge difference. I try to stay hydrated, eat well, get rest and limit those delicious Central Oregon IPA’s leading up to a long run. Knowing that a cold beer is in town waiting for me after my run offers a healthy dose of positive energy and motivation as well.
Jack Strang
What are your favorite trail runs in Central Oregon?
A short run is anything under four miles. My favorites are the Deschutes River trail because of its “off road cross country” (rock scrambling, free running, mini adventures) built-in, or Smith Rock’s shorter routes, or Tumalo Mountain.
How do you stay energized on your trail runs? What does energy mean to you?
Being out in nature and on trail keeps me energized. I love just being out there. I feel clear and in touch with nature, connected to it all. I use water, gel (chocolate Gu), and sometimes Shot Blocks to keep me fueled.
Jeff Browning
Do you listen to music on your trail runs? What favorites are on your playlist(s)?
I don’t listen to music when running, except during the second half of a 100-mile race. I prefer to just be alone with my thoughts in the woods. It’s my non-technology time. Being a graphic designer, I’m surrounded by technology and listen to music five to eight hours a day while working at my computer. So, when I head to the mountains, I prefer the silence and turn off the technology static.
My ipod 100-miler playlist consists primarily of fast-paced bluegrass music with harder rock/alternative tracks mixed in here and there for motivation—such as Rage Against the Machine, Pixies, Soundgarden, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Jack White.
Ryan Kaiser
What is your favorite short trail run? How do you define a “short” run?
I consider any run that can be completed at a comfortable pace in less than 1.5 hours to be a “short” run. One of my favorite runs is a 10.5-mile loop route at Tumalo Falls. You begin at the Tumalo Falls parking lot and take a nice climb up the Farewell trail about 3 miles to Mrazk. Once you reach Mrazk, take a left and follow the single track several miles to Happy Valley (aptly named). Once in Happy Valley, follow the soft and fast single track of North Fork back down to Tumalo Falls. This run will give you a decent dose of climbing and unforgettable views.
What is your favorite long trail run? How do you define a “long” run?
Long runs for me are typically at least 2 hours while running at a comfortable pace. One of my favorite long runs is the circumnavigation of Three Fingered Jack. This route is about 21 miles and offers breathtaking views of the Cascades and very distinct landscapes as you circle this jagged mountain. Make sure to bring ample water in the summer!
How do you stay energized on your trail runs? What does energy mean to you?
Staying energized on the trails from a physical standpoint is all about keeping calories coming into the body. I try to consume 200-300 calories per hour during a workout, and typically use gels and a product called TailWind, which is a carbohydrate powder that dissolves in water (available at Fleet Feet). Feeling mentally energized requires physical energy of course (no bonking), but being on the trails and in nature invokes a sense of freedom and appreciation that stimulates my mind and stirs my soul.
Ian Sharman
Do you listen to music on your runs? What favorites are on your playlist(s)?
Yes, often on solo runs I listen to my iPod Shuffle. The music varies a lot but usually focuses on more upbeat stuff. Recently David Guetta and Calvin Harris’s new albums, in particular.
How do you stay energized on your trail runs?
The scenery keeps it interesting, plus I eat Clif Bar gels and their other race food, especially if it’s a long run.
Working from home sounds great in theory, but for many people the reality can be lonely and uninspiring.
Fortunately, there’s a new wave of co-working spaces that cater to everyone from artists and writers to developers and makers.
Kelly Thiel, Wallis Levin, Karen Ruane
Consider The Wilds, a hybrid co-working art studio space in the Century Center in Bend. The workspaces were full before the space opened, with more hopefuls on a wait-list. Co-founders Wallis Levin (middle), a Bend entrepreneur who builds sets for photo shoots; Karen Ruane (right), a painter; and Kelly Thiel (left), an artist who works primarily in clay, created the space “for fearless creators who need a place to focus on their work, while enjoying the atmosphere of other entrepreneurial artists.” The trio launched a Kickstarter in June, raising $7,400 to renovate the facility with skylights, exposed wood beams and glass garage doors.
The region’s other co-working spaces include BendTECH and SistersTECH (both targeting technology workers), the High Desert Maker Mill, and The Bridge—which includes a mix of light industrial facilities and office space.
Brooks Resources chairman, Mike Hollern, decided to stay in Bend for a while to see what happened. That was fifty years ago. Today, the creative developer’s influence is everywhere, and he’s not done yet.
By many metrics, Mike Hollern leads a conventional life. He works in an office that was once, in fact, a convent for a quiet order of nuns from the St. Francis Parish. He wears knit sweaters, collared shirts and khakis to work. He has chosen not to accessorize his life through decorous eyewear, as many people do these days. He has not gone completely mobile. He has an office phone and answers it instead of hiding behind layers of staff or technology, as is today’s emergent protocol.
“We’ve got to do something about the roads. The road situation is deteriorating,” Hollern told me from a small conference room. There’s no alarm in his voice but the tone of someone who has navigated similar problems before.
I ask him how we’ll fund it. “I support a gas tax. It borders on a no-brainer,” he said. Inside I smiled, remembering that Hollern was never someone who is afraid to call for a tax in the face of a local anti-tax sentiment. No matter how the city ends up funding what appears to be a massive deferred-road-maintenance bill, the man who has had a creative hand in shaping Bend over the past fifty years will be a part of the process.
His profession as a developer is almost never mentioned in the same paragraph with the term “creativity” unless prequalified by its absence. Nonetheless, it’s Hollern, chairman of real estate development firm Brooks Resources, who has quietly led an artful revolution of transforming a lumber town of chokes and chainsaws into one of recreation and roundabouts, of higher-use and higher-ed, of artworks and aesthetics.
Hollern, of course, disavows any moniker beyond his professional designation as a developer. “We’re just developers with a long-term planning horizon, who care about our community,” Hollern said. He politely deflects attention to some of the area’s iconic community builders: Sister Catherine Hellmann, the first CEO of St. Charles Medical Center, the Bulletin editor Bob Chandler, Mt. Bachelor booster Bill Healy and Old Mill District developer Bill Smith.
When we talk about growth in Central Oregon, Mike Hollern’s contribution is both obvious (Black Butte Ranch, Awbrey Butte) and subtle (the High Desert Museum and roundabouts). His influence is ubiquitous today, but his story is one that began one hundred years ago. Going back to the early days, Brooks Resources was Brooks-Scanlon, a logging company based in Minnesota. Bend was a dot on a map surrounded by green. Some of the nation’s largest timber barons operated in Minnesota, where they were quickly running out of timber as World War I was in the works.
Brooks-Scanlon Lumber Company—of which Hollern’s mother’s family, Pauline Brooks, was an owner—looked west and to Bend, where trees were abundant. In 1911, the golden spike was driven into the Oregon Trunk-Des Chutes Railroad tracks that would begin transporting logs and lumber from Bend to bigger markets north and east. What is now the Old Mill District was once the venue of Brooks-Scanlon and Shevlin-Hixon, two Minnesota-based sawmills on opposite sides of the Deschutes River.
There in Minnesota, Hollern grew up. The Land of 10,000 Lakes was known more for its water than its lumber. Many of these lakes froze in winter, creating the playing surface for Minnesotans’ pastime of hockey. It was this sport that sent a young Hollern to join other Minnesotans at Dartmouth College for his undergraduate years. In his junior and senior years there, Hollern was one of the top scorers for a team that would win the Ivy League in 1959 and 1960. For good luck, number 21 would call his fiancé, Sue Ungar, at Skidmore College before every game.
After Dartmouth, Hollern and his new wife, Sue Ungar Hollern, eventually moved to Palo Alto, California where he pursued an MBA at Stanford University while continuing his hockey career with the semi-pro San Francisco Shamrocks in Berkeley. “That consisted of practicing for half an hour on Sundays at 5:30 before a 6:30 game,” Hollern said. “I think the team provided the uniforms and the beat-up rented arena. We needed gloves, skates and medical insurance.”
Hollern had worked a couple of summers in Bend for Brooks- Scanlon, but the couple’s move here in 1965 was more exploratory. “We made a promise to each other—we give it two years,” Hollern recalled with a laugh. “If either of us wanted to leave, we’d go. I didn’t have great visionary thoughts at that point. I just thought it was a great place to be. Bend was a marvelous opportunity.”
In 1965, Bend’s population was approximately 10,000. Because many mill workers were Scandinavian, winter sports and skiing were important to Bend’s residents. Lumber workers Nels Skjersaa and Emil Nordeen are just two prominent names in Bend’s early ski legacy. There were skiing competitions on Pilot Butte and Bachelor Butte. Frank Cammack, a lumber broker for Brooks- Scanlon coached the Skyliners ski team.
By 1970, Hollern had become president of Brooks-Scanlon. The logging company owned vast tracks of timber in Central Oregon. “We were in the real estate business whether we wanted to believe it or not,” said Hollern. Brooks Resources, the real estate development arm of Brooks-Scanlon, formed in 1969 with Hollern at its helm. Bend was changing.
Black Butte Resort was Hollern’s freshman project. Brooks Resources owned most of the land that would become Black Butte Ranch but needed the state’s regulatory blessing and a crucial road frontage easement to make it work. He recalls sealing the deal on the land from a meeting in a bar behind Portland’s airport. That day, the Minnesota Vikings were playing a Kansas City Chiefs team led by quarterback Len Dawson in Super Bowl IV. Hollern lost a $5 bet on his beloved Vikings but came home with the final piece of land that would become Black Butte Ranch.
From 1970 to 1980, Brooks-Scanlon went from being a $10 million company to a $100 million enterprise, Hollern said. Brooks Resources spun off from Brooks-Scanlon in 1979, with Hollern as its chairman. This new entity was, indeed, in the real estate business and soon began shaping Central Oregon’s landscape. There was Awbrey Butte, River Wild at Mt. Bachelor Village Resort, Tollgate in Sisters, Yarrow in Madras, NorthWest Crossing in Bend and roundabouts.
Maybe he saw the first American incarnation of a roundabout in Berkeley as he drove to the Shamrocks arena in the early ’60s, but Hollern clearly recalled the traffic-calming devices in Europe after a vacation abroad. Traffic was the main roadblock for the City of Bend to allow further development on the west side. Hollern devised a plan through which developers would build them with their own money and gradually get paid back by the City of Bend.
Soon roundabouts were everywhere with art pieces set in the middle, including the so-called Flaming Chicken. In its typical curiosity-about-the-Western-cousins-style, The New York Times took an editorial interest in Bend’s roundabouts in a piece in December 2002.
That same year, sociologist Richard Florida published a book— The Rise of the Creative Class—whose premise Hollern quickly embraced. The author best summarizes his thesis as, “Access to talented and creative people is to modern business what access to coal and iron ore was to steel-making. It determines where companies will choose to locate and grow …”
While Hollern doesn’t think of himself as “particularly creative,” the notion behind The Rise of the Creative Class resonated with him. “I just thought it made a lot of sense to think about economic development in a different way than just developing shovel-ready industrial sites and providing tax subsidies to lure employers,” he said. Projects such as the mixed-use NorthWest Crossing, Prineville’s IronHorse, marketed as desert dens for creative pursuits, and others fit easily into this philosophy.
As integral as he has been to the growth of Central Oregon, the Brooks Resources chairman rarely emerges from his professional role. Hollern, nonetheless, has sometimes stepped up in support of art, culture and human equality, but always with a forward-looking perspective. For the Basic Rights Oregon campaign that helped bring about legal equality regardless of sexual orientation in Oregon, Hollern’s voice becomes one with Creative Class. “We know that young, bright people gravitate toward areas that are perceived as tolerant and open,” he wrote in support of 50 Voices for Equality, an equal rights advocacy group. “So if our communities do not adopt principles and legislation demonstrating our tolerance of all sexualities, we’ll be losing that influx of people.”
One high-profile project that combines many of Hollern’s passions for community building is that of the OSU-Cascades campus. The Brooks Resources chairman is on the site-planning advisory committee of the new four-year university. Its location, on Bend’s west side, has become a source of public controversy, with one group calling for its removal to a tract of land on Bend’s outskirts.
OSU-Cascades president Becky Johnson worked with the site planning committee of five developers, including Hollern, to choose the final site for the campus. “When Mike looks at the campus, he looks at it from a community-building perspective,” she said. “He always has a bigger picture of how you can do business but make your community a better place to live.”
Despite owning no piece of these parcels, Hollern argued for an integrated campus on Bend’s west side, where non-motorized transportation would prevail. Central Oregon’s greatest opportunity going forward, he said, is helping Oregon State University-Cascades grow to provide opportunities, stability and a culture increasingly built around education.
“I’m inclined to think that we’re on the brink of greater growth,” he said. “I think the economy will continue to diversify. I still worry about the lack of racial diversity and the lack of affordable housing.”
Late July or early August, when warmth has folded itself into Central Oregon’s evening air, beer gardens reemerge as the scene for beer lovers.
This beer garden scene ranges from chill to carnival, casual to canine-friendly. Here are our top five picks for soaking up sun and libations this summer at local breweries’ beer gardens.
Worthy Brewing Company
Address: 495 NE Bellevue Drive, Bend Summer Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. on weekdays, 11:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. on weekends Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed only Minors: Allowed all hours
The outdoor area at Worthy Brewing Company on Bend’s eastside is ideally located for viewing sunsets around Pilot Butte.
If you don’t mind waiting for a table on a Saturday night, Worthy is a lively place to gather with friends for grub, beer and music on Bend’s east side. Worthy’s take is a well thought-out and cleanly landscaped space surrounded by a wood-framed fence. Amid the small trees, shrubs and hanging flower baskets are several wooden picnic tables beneath a canopy of strung lights. On either sides of the seating areas are plots of grass for kids and adults to play lawn games. To alleviate the crowd at the indoor bar, Worthy has a small outdoor station that pours four of their best-selling beers. There’s also a small stage with live music on the weekend.
Garden games, lighting, fire pit, and misters above shaded picnic tables makeup some of the outdoor seating options at Crux.
Address: 50 SW Division Street, Bend Summer Hours: 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m. every day, except Monday from 4:00 p.m. -9 p.m. Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed only Minors: Allowed all hours
Crux Fermentation Project in Bend has risen to one of the best locations for gathering in the closing rays of sun.
Crux’s outdoor seating area feels a lot like your fun friend’s backyard. With a spacious field and equipment for the game cornhole, it’s the perfect place to bring the kids and the dogs. There is a beer style on tap for any beer lover. Saison and barrel-aged fans, in particular, will be thrilled. Notable is the happy hour, beginning a half-hour before sunset and ending a half-hour afterward, with a dollar off draft beers and two dollars off appetizers. Gather by the fire pit with a glass of discounted beer and watch the sun set over Crux’s gorgeous view of the Cascades. Crux has a menu of soups, salads and sandwiches, and provides service to part of its outdoor seating area. However, the local favorites are the Broken Top BBQ truck and El Sancho Taco Shack out back. At least one of these is open every day, usually mid-afternoon through nine or ten at night. El Sancho’s tacos have a cult-like following, but check their Facebook to make sure they are not at a festival.
10 Barrell Brewery, a Bend westside staple, features multiple outdoor gathering areas.
Address: 1135 Northwest Galveston Avenue, Bend SummerHours: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. on Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Friday and Saturday Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed only Minors: Allowed all hours
10 Barrell Brewery, a Bend westside staple, features multiple outdoor gathering areas.
10 Barrel’s Bend pub, more a restaurant than a brewery, sets the standard for beer patios in Bend with a cozy courtyard with wooden tables enclosed by a rustic wooden fence. The centerpiece is a large stone fireplace with benches surrounding it. While you’ll almost certainly be waiting to get a table here, there is an open seating area with a few tables near the outdoor bar for those over 21. 10 Barrel’s location is ideal for the 20-something crowd traipsing through a neighborhood on Northwest Galveston where doughnuts, Mexican food and other bars are just a short stroll away.
GoodLife Brewery has a garden-like outdoor seating complete with games and a fine venue for music performers.
Address: 70 Southwest Century Drive #100-464, Bend Summer Hours: 12 p.m. -10 p.m. every day Dog-friendly: Yes, leashed only Minors: Allowed all hours
Side-by-side bocci ball courts are some of the garden-style games and environment at Bend’s GoodLife Brewing.
The Biergarten at GoodLife Brewing is nearly its own park. The extensive grass lawn is partly fenced in, with the dark red, barn-like brewery bordering one side. As you enter the space, you’ll find a bar to your right that has a handful of GoodLife’s staple beers on tap. There is a smattering of picnic tables and lawn chairs scattered throughout, still leaving open space to roam. A family-friendly space, the Biergarten is complete with a round stone fire pit, room for two cornhole competitions and two sand courts for bocce ball. One food cart, Big Ski’s Pierogi, is always available onsite, in addition to the classic pub food offered by GoodLife inside the Bierhall, featuring soft pretzels with beer cheese sauce and beer-battered doughnut holes.
Wild Ride Brew Company is centrally located in downtown Redmond.
Address: 332 Southwest 5th Street, Redmond Summer Hours: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. every day Dog-friendly: Yes, off-leash allowed (but not recommended) Minors: Allowed all hours
The tall tables and bright red stools of Wild Ride’s al fresco-focused brewery are essentially in the parking lot. And yet, it works. It’s a basic, no-frills kind of spot that lets the beer speak for itself. Wild Ride sticks to the beer and leaves the food to its two food cart vendors onsite that rotate every three to six months, according to bartender Shane Sturza. The current rotation includes Food Fellas, McBain’s Fish and Chips and The Jerk Kings. “We both do what we do best,” said Sturza. The service at this Redmond brewery is impressive. While outside patrons are left to their own devices at many establishments, they are attended to often by Wild Ride’s staff, making sure you’re never left without something to quench your thirst.
Among other accolades, Central Oregon is a trail runner’s paradise with hundreds of miles of trails from the ultra runner to the weekend warrior. Here’s the beta on a few favorites.
Smith Rock
RUNNER’S NOTEBOOK
Connecting the River Trail and Misery Ridge Trail is about four miles, spanning 1,400 feet of elevation changes. The Burma Road-Summit Trail Loop is about 7.5 miles, with 1,500 feet of elevation change. From the top of Burma-Summit, head east and north on the single track toward Gray Butte for a 10- to 14-mile loop and a 1,800-foot elevation gain.
During the last half-million years, the Crooked River has carved a canyon through ancient compressed volcanic ash and basalt flow. Today, textured rock formations climb to 3,200 feet, creating a stunning outdoor playground that’s a high desert wildlife oasis and a geological wonderland. For rock climbers, Smith Rock is known as the birthplace of American sport climbing. With more than 1,800 climbing routes, it remains an international climbing destination. For trail runners, Smith offers grueling hills balanced with panoramas of the Cascade Mountains, sweeping views of the high desert and river canyon below, and no shortage of adventure. The park is open year-round, and the only time that’s not ideal for running is during the heat of summer.
The trail running options at Smith Rock extend as far as a runner’s imagination and sense of adventure. The classic trails go up Misery Ridge, Burma Road and Summit Trail. Misery Ridge can be accessed from the base of the footbridge by going straight up or by taking the River Trail to the left and going around to the west side of the rock spires. You can also jump on Summit Trail to the left via the River Trail or by taking a right from the footbridge and ascending Burma Road. Any of these trails can be combined for a four- to eight- mile loop from the welcome center. For seasoned runners, continuing east and north at the top of Burma Road-Summit Trail toward Gray Butte offers grassy meadows, sage, more juniper and a network of trails throughout BLM land.
TRAIL REPORT
The trail surface consists of hard packed clay, loose rocks and scree, so watch footing, especially on steep slopes or in wet weather. Bring water, wear layers and watch for rattlesnakes in warm weather. Don’t forget to glance up now and then to catch a glimpse of bald eagles, golden eagles, hawks, great blue herons and other wildlife.
Peterson Ridge
Drew Jones, 29, enjoys a run on PRT West, Sisters, Oregon
RUNNER’S NOTEBOOK
From the campground area on the southeast end of Sisters, follow the trail system to Peterson Ridge Trail East, which climbs 6.5 miles and about 400 feet to Peterson Ridge, a rock outcropping with views of the national forest and the Cascades to the north and west. From the ridge, head back downhill via Peterson Ridge Trail West for about the same distance to complete the loop.
Thirty miles to the west of Smith Rock is the small town of Sisters and the Peterson Ridge Trail System. Beginning on the southeastern edge of town and ascending into national forest, the Peterson Ridge system gradually climbs toward Three Creeks Lake and the Three Sisters Wilderness, revealing views of Black Butte and the Cascade Range with each mile. Peterson Ridge trails are runnable throughout the year though they can get muddy after rainstorms or during periods of significant snowmelt.
TRAIL REPORT
The trails in the Peterson Ridge Network are not always clearly marked. Bringing a map is advised. The trail surface varies between dust, dirt and mud, depending on the time of year. Watch for rocks and be on the lookout for deer, elk and other wildlife.
Shevlin Park
Jeff Browning, 44, in hat, red, and Ryan Ness, 40, enjoy a Sunday morning run on the trails in Bend’s Shevlin Park.
RUNNER’S NOTEBOOK
From the lower parking lot to the south end of the canyon is about 2.2 miles on any trail. Add about a mile round-trip from the upper parking lot. Linking the canyon perimeter trails is a nice 4.5-mile loop from the lower lot or about 5.5 miles from the upper lot (up to 350-foot elevation gain). Run to the back of the canyon and up Mrazek Trail, looping back via the fire road for a 6 – 8-mile option.
Within Bend, a small canyon burrows into the western edge of town and hosts a network of trails as well as access to the national forest beyond. Called Shevlin Park, the canyon is home to Tumalo Creek, which provides refreshment and wildlife habitat as the creek flows through—merging with the Deschutes River just north of the park. A great running option year-round, Shevlin’s towering ponderosa pines shade the canyon and help hold in cool air coming off the creek in the summer. Shevlin’s perimeter trails above the canyon stay snow-free through most of the winter. There’s a four-and-a-half-mile loop of rolling hills, and it’s easy to tack on three to four extra miles by looping up to the fire road on the south end of the park. From there, runners looking for a challenge can hop on Mrazek Trail and go another thirteen miles uphill to Tumalo Falls.
TRAIL REPORT
Keep an eye (and ear) out for great horned owls and bald eagles, especially at dusk. Aspen Groves turn the canyon gold in the fall. Watch out for rocks and roots that may try to snag your toes and beware of icy trails within the canyon during winter.
When it comes to growth in Central Oregon, Mike Riley knows what’s at stake.
“Squeak loudly, but nicely and with a smile. If we really want to keep that small-town, friendly feel, it’s up to each of us.”
Riley is the executive director of The Environmental Center and has lived in Bend for eighteen years. Debates about OSU-Cascades expanding on Bend’s Westside and tense talks about the urban growth boundary have raised questions regarding how Central Oregon can grow sustainably. Riley, who’s also the co-chair of the City of Bend’s UGB – Boundary and Growth Scenarios Technical Advisory Committee, gave us his take on what changes are in the works and how residents can get their voices heard.
Some people still think of Bend as a small town. Is it?
Size matters. We’re growing fast again— predictions are that we’ll have 115,000 residents by 2028. That’s not even a large town—it’s a small city. With that come the same problems seen in most cities, including congestion and what we do about it. Big changes can be jarring to long-time Bend residents.
What was your reaction to crews breaking ground on the OSU-Cascades campus? I knew they had started the construction while I was out of town, so I did a drive-by and I gasped—audibly. It was nicely spaced, mature trees; now it’s ugly, bare dirt. I hate that. I also know that even older-timers than me had the same reaction when my new neighborhood was built in 1996-97. Kids used to ride their bikes on trails where I now live. My neighborhood is once again full of kids, has mature trees and is a desirable place to live close to downtown. A decade from now, OSU-Cascades will be a thriving educational and cultural center of our community.
What timeline should people expect for a decision on the urban growth boundary?
The plan is for the city council to choose a final boundary scenario by late fall of this year. Then the city staff will turn that into a formal document to send to the State of Oregon for review and approval in April of 2016. Frankly, I have no idea how long it will take the state to bless it. There’s always the possibility of legal challenges and then all bets are off. I am hopeful we are doing it right this time to minimize delays and challenges.
How can Bend residents be an active part of how our community changes? Get out of your car, bike, walk, take a ride on the bus—to school, to work, for an outing on the weekend. If those options are not convenient or safe where you live, then call the City of Bend and complain. Tell them to add a sidewalk or bike lane or bus stop. Squeak loudly, but nicely and with a smile. If we really want to keep that small-town, friendly feel, it’s up to each of us.
Near waterfalls, around lakes and over lava beds, these trails offer an alluring combination of elements in Central Oregon. Lace up your hiking boots, load your pack and hit the trails.
Whether you’re a burly backpacker mapping your next multi-day trek, or a weekend wanderer looking for an easy, accessible trail with a view, you’ll find this list handy for exploring the best hikes for every level.
Lava Cast Forest in Newberry Volcano National Monument
Drive about twenty minutes south of Bend and nine miles off the beaten path of Highway 97 to explore where forest fuses with lava. This one-mile paved loop winds through a Martian landscape strewn with jagged, melon-sized chunks of porous lava that flowed through these old-growth woodlands 7,000 years ago. During late spring and summer, the vibrant hues of red, purple, and yellow wildflowers pop against the backdrop of the black volcanic rock. A gentle 100-foot elevation gain and the path’s smooth surface make it a great trail for wheelchairs or strollers to access most of the trail (parts may be too steep or narrow). The back stretch reveals awesome views of the Cascades.
Difficulty: Easy Distance: 1 mile roundtrip Dogs: No leash law Other: $5/vehicle/day recreation pass required May 1- September 30, but visitors have access to the entire national monument with purchase. Mountain bikes prohibited. Hike is short and close enough to get to most of the other sites within Newberry Volcano National Monument in one day.
Benham, Dillon, Lava Island Falls in Deschutes National Forest
Follow the Deschutes River Trail into the woods to hit three of Central Oregon’s most visited waterfalls in one journey. From Bend, head south on Highway 97 about eleven miles and turn right at the Lava Lands Visitor Center exit. Benham Falls is a quick half- mile walk from the trailhead. Continue on the trail and you’ll pass Dillon and Lava Island Falls. See the river in its many phases on this path, with vistas overlooking fierce rapids and calm flumes. Don’t forget to bring your camera on this expedition.
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate Distance: ½ mile to Benham, additional 2.5 miles from Benham to Dillon, 8 miles from Benham to Lava Island Dogs: Must be on leash May 15 – September 15 Other: $5 day pass required in all day-use parking areas within Deschutes National Forest
Green Lakes-Soda Creek Loop in Three Sisters Wilderness
Navigate through a forest dotted with creeks, waterfalls and wildflower-speckled meadows along one of the state’s most popular high alpine hiking trails. At the Green Lakes trailhead parking lot, start on the Soda Creek Trail or head out on the Green Lakes Trail—either way you’re making the right decision. When you reach Green Lakes (taking Route B), you’ll be rewarded with front row views of Broken Top and the 10,358- foot, glacier-coated South Sister. It’s the perfect trail for a tough half-day jog or a weekend backpacking adventure. Camp at Green Lakes and head back, or use it as a basecamp for more hiking at higher elevations. Bring bug spray if you visit in the early summer and pack plenty of water or a purifier.
Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 9 miles roundtrip (to first lake and back) Dogs: Must be on a leash July 15 – September 15 Other: Free wilderness permit required for both day and night use. $5 Recreation Pass required for parking May 1 – September 30. Snow covers the trail from early fall to late June. There is a 2000-foot elevation gain.
Tam McArthur Rim to Broken Top in Three Sisters Wilderness
Beginning at Three Creek Lake, seventeen miles south of Sisters, the pine-bordered trail eventually snakes up to the fringe of timberline at Tam McArthur Rim. From there, you’ll have unobstructed views of Broken Top towering above and the valley below. The main trail continues climbing toward the peak of Broken Top and Broken Hand, but we recommend keeping it simple and tackling this hike as an eight-mile out-and-back. When you return to the trailhead, dip your legs in the chilly Three Creek Lake to rejuvenate.
Difficulty: Moderate Distance: 8 miles roundtrip Dogs: Must be on a leash July 15 – September 15 Other: $5 day-pass required for parking. Snow-free from mid-summer to early fall. There is an 1,800-foot elevation gain.
Summit Trail at Smith Rock State Park
Ascend higher than the resident golden eagles on your way to the best vantage point in Smith Rock State Park. Host to more than a half-million climbers every year, it’s tough to avoid crowds at Smith Rock, but the Summit Trail’s relative infancy (it opened in the Spring of 2013) makes this path a bit more secluded than other trails in the park. Along this fairly strenuous eight-mile looping trail, you’ll encounter stunning views of Monkey Face and the Crooked River meandering through the high desert grassland thousands of feet below. Consider approaching the hike counter-clockwise to knock out the incline along Burma Road early.
Difficulty: Difficult Distance: 8 miles roundtrip Dogs: Must be on a leash year-round Other: $5 day-pass required for parking. There is a 1,200-foot elevation gain.
3 Easy Summer Day Hikes for Families
While are endless trails to, hike in the summer in Central Oregon, not all are great for kids. These shorter day hikes are perfect for families with small kids, so hiking is less of a chore and all fun.
Photo by Richard Bacon
Tumalo Creek at the top of Skyliner Road
The beauty of Tumalo Creek is its proximity to town, its multiple cascades along the creek, the wildflower meadow at the top, and the fact that you can hike a little bit of the trail or a lot. Most visitors only reach as far as Tumalo Falls, an eight-nine-foot falls viewable from the parking lot. Set forth from the trailhead at the falls to view roughly eight smaller tiered falls and turn around when you’re tired.
Driving time: 30 minutes Distance: Approximately 7-mile loop or turn around when tired Parking: $5 day pass or NW Forest Pass at Tumalo Falls trailhead Open: May to October
Six Lakes Trail to Doris Lake off Cascade Lakes Highway
Ditch the crowds at the popular hiking trails and head to Six Lakes Trail which offers access to six different lakes. Just past Elk Lake Resort, the trail to Doris Lake makes a nice day hike at less than six miles round trip. The trail also passes by Blow Lake one mile in and offers great views of Broken Top, South Sister and Mount Bachelor.
Driving time: 45 minutes Distance: Approximately 6 miles round trip Parking: $5 day pass or NW Forest Pass at Six Lakes Trailhead Open: May to September
Canyon Creek Meadows in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness
This easy, spectacular hike features wildflowers and ends with Three Fingered Jack right over your head. Jack Lake Road off of Santiam Pass leads you to this 4.5-mile loop. This short hike is ideal for family, as it is one of the easiest routes into Central Oregon’s wildflower meadows. For a more strenuous climb, continue up the steep terrain to an ice-filled lake and a breathtaking viewpoint of Three Fingered Jack’s pinnacles.
Driving time: 1 hour 30 minutes Distance: 4.5-mile easy loop, 7.5-mile moderate loop Parking: $5 day pass or NW Forest Pass at the trailhead at Jack Lake Open: Mid-July to October
Editors note: This story was originally published in June, 2018.
North of Madras on Highway 97, the town of Shaniko was once the largest inland wool shipping center in the world. It was formed in 1900 when the Columbia Southern Railway was built for Central Oregon, and the terminus was planned for the high plateau in Shaniko, surrounded by grassland. People began pouring into Shaniko, living in tents until lumber was delivered for buildings. With priorities in mind, residents built a saloon first. Freight wagons came from as far away as Northern California to ship their goods north on the railroad. The town set a record of $3 million in wool sales in 1903, and at its peak, the town reached a population of about 600 in 1910.
Photo by Talia Galvin
The Columbia Southern Railway couldn’t continue past Shaniko because of Cow Canyon to the south, and once the Des Chutes Railroad was built along the Deschutes River to Bend in 1911, traders from the south stopped making the trek to Shaniko. Now an inhabited ghost town, population 32, it’s a roadside testament to its history. Walking along the wood-plank sidewalks makes you feel like you should have a six-shooter in your holster, but it’s a perfect place to wander, find souvenirs or storied antiques, and enjoy an ice cream cone at End of the Trail Ice Cream shop. The town’s setting and historic buildings make for a photographer’s playground worth more than just a glance from the car window while passing through.
Don’t leave without stopping by the Imperial Stock Ranch but call ahead and schedule a tour. Imperial produces hand-crafted meats, yarn, wool and apparel. For the 2014 Winter Olympics, Ralph Lauren selected its Imperial Yarn for Team USA’s opening ceremony sweaters.
Imagine paying into Medicare for decades and then getting penalized when you apply for benefits because you weren’t aware of all the rules associated with signing up. It’s a reality for seniors and is the reason for the Central Oregon Council On Aging (COCOA), which supports the national organization Seniors Health Insurance Benefit Assistance (SHIBA) with a dozen local volunteers. Through seminars, phone calls and sometimes house calls, local SHIBA counselors help people understand the complicated processes involved with applying for Medicare insurance. Volunteers also act as watchdogs for elder abuse, fraud and sometimes simply lend an ear when clients just need to talk to someone. Volunteers support Meals on Wheels, SHIBA, TECH (Teen Elder Computer Help) and Gatekeeper Programs.
VOLUNTEER EXTRAORDINAIRE: JAN SMITH
She’s been a travel agent to celebrities, a medical assistant and an art gallery owner, but Jan Smith’s favorite job doesn’t pay. Smith, 68, volunteers as a certified counselor for SHIBA, sometimes for more than forty hours per week. She jokes that she dreams in acronyms now, but she wasn’t always such a whiz when it came to Medicare. After having trouble signing herself up, she became obsessed with learning all she could and sharing that knowledge. Now, she’s the only local volunteer who gives clients her home phone number.
BY THE NUMBERS
COCOA: Approximately 230 local volunteers served 74,620 Meals on Wheels in 2014.
SHIBA: 12 active local volunteers served 1,983 Medicare beneficiaries in Central Oregon in the past year.
MAIN EVENT: Seniors in Central Oregon can learn how to protect themselves from Medicare fraud, identity theft and other schemes at the Senior Medicare Patrol Scam Jam. The event will be held September 30 at the Riverhouse.
GET INVOLVED: For more information on this event, or to learn how to volunteer for other programs supported by COCOA, contact the COCOA Central Office in Bend at 541.678.5483. Drop-ins at the office (373 NE Greenwood Avenue) are always welcome. Business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. People interested in volunteering for SHIBA should go to the state’s website: oregon.gov.
1. Is it a towel? Is it a sponge? It’s a little bit of both, and it’s from Sweden. Made of cellulose and cotton, the dishcloths absorb fifteen times their weight in water, can be laundered in the washing machine and can even be composted when it’s time to move on to another pattern. Find the import at Lone Crow Bungalow. $8 | 937 NW Wall St., Bend | lonecrowbungalow.com
Antique Bowls
2. Add vintage patina to a new home with yellow ware mixing bowls. Popular from the mid-1800s until the advent of plastic in the 1940s, the bowls were once a staple in every kitchen. Available in a range of sizes and patterns at the Redmond Antique Mall. Starting at $45 | 502 SW Evergreen Ave., Redmond redmondantiquemall.com
Carved Servers
3. Master craftsman Will Nash carves one-of-a-kind coffee scoops, spatulas, spoons, ladles and other serving implements from hardwoods such as cherry, claro walnut, California orange wood and Oregon pear wood. Available through Red Chair Gallery. Starting at $18 | 103 NW Oregon Ave., Bend | 541.306.3176
Decanters
4. Serve spirits stylishly in these Oregon-made, apothecary-style liquor decanters. Sold with their own wood serving tray, the three-bottle sets are available in clear or red glass. Each decanter holds 500 ml. From Bourbon Moth Woodworking and available through Be Oregon (previously 541 Threads). $60 | 126 NW Minnesota Ave., Bend | 541.350.2856
Design Advice
Certified master kitchen and bath designer Kathleen Donohue has worked with remodeling and construction firm Neil Kelly Co. for the past twenty-six years, with the last eight of those in Bend.
What is the starting point for a great kitchen?
People think about what they want but rarely consider what they don’t want and, in the case of a remodel, what they want to keep.
What happens at a first meeting?
I learn about clients’ style and how they want their space to function. I also begin gauging the professional help they may need. Some people want to be very involved and are ready to take on a lot of the work while others want to rely heavily on professionals.
Is there a Central Oregon style of kitchen?
People want clean lines and low maintenance, and the kitchen to be open to other rooms.
What advice would you give to anyone considering a redesign?
Don’t skimp on lighting; stay away from soffits and lowered ceilings; use drawers rather than cabinets for functionality; incorporate a separate pantry to separate foodstuffs from glasses and dishes; and plan for a family command center.
What is fundamental to a successful project?
In the end, it’s all about teamwork. The clients and the professionals are all on the same side working toward the same goal. Respect for each other and everyone’s areas of expertise is crucial.
Two kitchens become the gathering places of their homeowners’ dreams. One keeps tradition as it gets a facelift, while the other starts new and goes modern.
“The design is all about the river,” said Ronda Sondermeier of the home she and her husband built along the Deschutes River. “We wanted the kitchen to look across the great room and out onto the water, and the design needed to flow out of the kitchen and into the rest of the house.”
As the project evolved, the couple brought in interior architect Kirsti Wolfe to fine-tune the plan. There were immediate challenges such as creating enough storage space in a kitchen that had lost one wall to the river view, choosing surfaces and finishes that would work with the darker tones the couple had selected, and providing it all in a comfortable, sleek and modern room that would relate to the rest of the home.
Wolfe added vertically opening glass doors to wall cabinets and then realigned the cabinets below the upper windows that had been chosen for light, ventilation and privacy. She installed ergonomically designed hardware, added a stainless steel hood above the range and rearranged the appliances to make them more accessible. Sondermeier is most appreciative of the kitchen island that houses the sinks and dishwasher, provides hidden storage, serves as a gathering spot for guests and recreates the shape of the river. The island’s black recycled glass top has a curved edge that’s cut to the bends of the river. Extensive storage in the base is hidden behind a waterfall veneer of bubinga wood that mimics light playing on the dappled surface of the river. The bubinga veneer is repeated in a bar situated between the island and great room and, just as the Sondermeiers requested, the common themes in the cabinets, island and bar help the design flow out of the kitchen, across the great room and down to the Deschutes.
Contractor: Pinehurst Homes (Ryan Langhaim)
Kitchen Designer: Kirsti Wolfe, NKBA, Kirsti Wolfe Designs, Inc.
Cabinetry: Dansky Cabinetry, Kayha Veneer stained, Waterfall Bubinga veneer lower island
Appliances: Wolfe range, hood, microwave, and oven; Kitchen Aid dishwasher, Subzero refrigerator and freezer (integrated column design); Miele coffee machine
Lighting: Tech Lighting monorail
Faucets and other fixtures: Hansgrohe
Concrete counters: Cement Elegance
Recycled glass countertop (raised area at island): Glass2 from Pental in Portland and fabricated by Classique Marble and Granite in Salem
Backsplashes: United Tile, Lunada Bay Tile glass
Stools: Cantoni Toto Stools
Sinks: Kohler Stainless steel
For designer Martha Murray, the biggest challenge to a Mirror Pond-area remodel was keeping the new kitchen within the footprint of the old one. “The homeowners really wanted to honor the history of the house,” said Murray, “and they did not want to remove or push out any walls. It’s challenging, because older homes were not built the way people want to live now.” To visually open the room, Murray removed a false acoustical-tile ceiling and used a neutral color scheme. They installed Shaker-style cabinetry to provide needed storage. The placement helped to define zones between adjoining rooms to accommodate the homeowners’ extended family and frequent visitors. A window seat serves as a spot to gather or to plan the day. A beverage center with refrigerator drawers is easily accessible from the dining room, and a landing spot for backpacks, coats and other gear is located between the kitchen and garage. To connect the house with the nearby river, they brought the outside in with soapstone counters and a walnut butcher-block island. Blue fabric on the window seat nods to the blue water, and a wavy-textured glass backsplash are a nice complement to the new kitchen’s clean and classic lines.
Designer: Martha Murray, Martha Murray
Design Contractor: Young Construction Company
Soapstone counters: Shadleys Soapstone
Walnut butcher block: Brilliant
Cabinetry: Highland Cabinets
Cabinet, wall and ceiling paint: Benjamin Moore Revere
Pewter Island paint: Benjamin Moore gray stone
Window seat fabric: Kravet
Window seat table: Walnut top was built by homeowner
Lighting: Tech through Globe Lighting
Hardware: Emteck
Faucet: Moen (hands free) through The Fixture Gallery/Consolidated Supply
Appliances: Jenn Air, Johnson Brothers
Backsplash and floor tile: Baptista through United Tile
FireWhat uses GIS technology to map natural disasters, and track responders and assets in and out of the field. In June FireWhat merged with Geo-Spatial Solutions to become a premier geo-development shop in the Pacific Northwest. FireWhat CEO Sam Lanier breaks it down for BEND Magazine.
Photo Credit: FIREWHAT INC. | Sam Lanier, CEO (left) and Rusty Merritt, COO
How do people on the ground use your software?
Most everything we do is web-based, so at a fire command post, they’ll use laptops and mobile devices. Then to get the information from there, it just goes to the cloud and it’s digested on a smartphone. Rather than create the technologies, we use the technologies that already exist. Being able to track firefighters through the use of an iPhone happens on a daily basis, so why don’t we take that cell phone and make it a sensor?
Who uses your technology?
Primarily government agencies for wildfire management. We’re working on a big partnership with AccuWeather, and AccuWeather is using our information to disseminate to all of their industry clients.
What are you doing to advance your technology?
We’re working on UAV technology—Unmanned Aerial Vehicles. Rather than having satellite imagery that we collect once a day, we can actually have live imagery up over an incident to see where a fire is actually headed right now.
You recently merged with Geo-Spatial Solutions, what does that mean for FireWhatInc.?
We’re a company with GIS as an emphasis, and management in wild- land fire administration. Geospatial Solutions is a geo-development company that focuses specifically on location-based analytics and understanding movements and patterns and analyzing geographic information on earth. Bringing the two together gives us an opportunity to grow as a company.
How are UAVs especially useful in wildland fire?
What we’re working on is high-level elevation UAVs that are completely out of the TFR (temporary flight restriction), so we would be in commercial airspace and then remaining in rotation over the incident with high- level censors. It really advances wildland firefighting because you have a constant live picture of what’s going on, and that can be broadcast down to the chiefs on the ground. If there’s a fire on this side of Bend that’s burned all through Bend, and the commanders are on the other side of Bend, they can’t see this side of Bend. Being able to broadcast that information down to the chiefs, they have that information in the palm of their hand, and then they can start making more tactical decisions to push resources over to this side, or they can notify the Sheriff’s department to bring resources or to help with emergency evacuations and start notifying schools. With UAVs you can start doing more pre-notification a lot sooner and quicker than ever before.
How many states does your technology operate in?
We purchased wildlandfire.com in 2013. It had been around since 1997, and it was built basically with a California- emphasis, so we’ve been working hard to get it out and about. Right now, we have a pretty good reach in the three Western states—California, Washington and Oregon—and through our relationship with ESRI (Environmental Systems Research Institute), we can tackle basically the entire nation. But because there are primarily only wildfires in nine Western states, that’s where our major focus of information is.
With all the information you’re able to gather, are you able to use it as reference for future fires?
For the Boles Fire in Weed (Calif.) last year, we’ve created a story map that just got an international award, and one of the slides in there is about historical fires dating back to 1911. It’s really interesting because you can see the wind patterns, and fires in that area since 1911 have burned in the exact same pattern. It’s kind of scary. This was the first one to burn right through town, but we were able to take that and analyze it. Forty-mile-per-hour winds have been very typical, just pushing the fire in the northeast direction dating back to 1911. It’s really neat being able to take that perimeter information and look at trends and why they burn in this fashion.
Do you have mobile apps?
We have the Wildland Fire Map that’s on the iPhone, and what the agencies are starting to use is an app called ArchGIS Collector. That’s a platform developed by ESRI that we use and deploy on incidents. We have a couple of different apps through the information side of things and the data collection side of things.
Central Oregon is often described as being one of the best areas in the country for mountain bikers to explore. Bend, alone, has an estimated 300 miles of mountain biking trails, and another 700 miles of trails in the surrounding areas.
The trails are well-kept by local organizations such as the Central Oregon Trail Alliance, dedicated to preserving the integrity of these recreational areas. In addition to sheer abundance, Central Oregon trails are friendly and come with rewarding views of rivers and the Cascade Range.
Ochoco Mountains
This rough-and-tumble trail system in Prineville has an untamed wilderness feel. Isolated from urban life, you’ll encounter sheets of wild flowers (when in season) and, with luck, wild horses that inhabit the forest. The two cardinal trails are Round Mountain and Lookout Mountain, which can be ridden together for a full day of thirty-five miles. If you’re looking for a shorter time commitment, Lookout Mountain will be the shorter of the two routes. Whichever trail you choose, you’ll be rewarded with some hard-earned views.
Newberry Crater Rim Trail
La Pine’s seventeen-mile Newberry Crater Rim Trail has photo-ops galore and challenging hills of rugged terrain. A loop trail, it begins at the Paulina Lake Campground with three miles of gravel road riding. The trek will lead you to views of the crater and East Lake. Relax after your ride by soaking in Paulina or East Lake Hot Springs—a regenerative treat for aching muscles. Take the lakeside trail on the right side of the Paulina day-use parking lot to access the hot spots (on the east side of the lake). While you’re in the area, take a drive up to Paulina Peak for a breathtaking look at the Newberry Caldera and Volcano, as well as the Cascades and Fort Rock Basin.
Wanoga Trail Complex
The vast network of trails at Wanoga Snow Park, along the Cascade Lakes Highway, is easily accessed from Bend and has substantial options for beginners and experienced bikers. Many of the trails here are relatively new and continuously being improved. Or favorites include Funner and Tiddly Winks. For even more adventure, take the connecting trail up to Kiwa Butte or hop on the Storm King Trail. The trails are maintained to ride nearly year-round. For competitive riders, be sure to check with the Deschutes National Forest for races within this network.
Peterson Ridge/Sisters Mountain Bike Trail
The terrain throughout this network is perfect for beginning mountain bikers—fairly smooth and easy with minimal climbs. A popular mountain biking destination, it can also be a great place to bring dogs as there aren’t many hikers on these trails. Further perks include views of the Cascades and free parking. We recommend GPS or a map at this site because the trails aren’t always clearly marked.
Gray Butte and Smith Rock State Park Trails
For a grueling but gorgeous expedition, try your hand at the Gray Butte Trail near Smith Rock State Park. There are many routes in this scenic destination. For a real kick-in-the-pants, attempt the intensely steep Burma Road on the west side of Gray Butte (and prepare to sweat). Fall and spring are the recommended seasons to ride in this arid, desert-like area. High temperatures during summer can make the ride very difficult. A haven for rock climbers and hikers, Smith Rock can get crowded, so shoot for a weekday.
In 2014, the federal government spent more than $1.5 billion on wildfire suppression in the United States with two of the largest wildfires happening here in the Pacific Northwest. The Carleton Complex Fire, the largest Washington has ever seen, burned 256,000 acres in the Methow Valley over two weeks in July. At nearly the same time, the Chelaslie River fire in British Columbia took out 330,000 acres.
Putting out wildfires takes expensive equipment and high wages to pay high-risk firefighters. Further, the frequency and the size of wildfires are oblivious to budget constraints. In Central Oregon, surrounded by national forests, the federal government owns about 55 percent of all land and the vast majority of forestland in Central Oregon. Being on the dry side of the state and surrounded by trees, Central Oregon has made up most of the state’s overall wildfire suppression expenses in the past. However, with increasing temperatures throughout the state, many areas like Grants Pass, Douglas and Klamath Falls are seeing more wildfires than ever before.
This past summer was a standout fire season with costs reaching higher than normal, according to Central Oregon assistant district forester Tracy Wrolson. The Waterman Complex fire, near Mitchell, burned through more than 12,500 acres over two weeks, involved 373 personnel that included nine crews, fifteen fire engines, four bulldozers and one helicopter. This fire alone cost $6.5 million and accounted for nearly a third of Oregon’s total firefighting cost of $22.5 million. The year 2014 was Central Oregon’s second-most expensive year for wildfires within the last fifteen years, close behind 2013.
An August report by the U.S. Forest Service warns that climate change is forcing the agency into uncomfortable areas. “The U.S. burns twice as many acres as three decades ago and Forest Service scientists believe the acreage burned may double again by mid-century.”
photo by Tom McKinley
More acreage is burning, but an entirely new problem skyrockets costs even further: the wildland-urban interface. In the 1990s, Central Oregon and many similar areas around the country saw a construction boom with houses being built in or near forests at high risk for wildfire. “Fighting a wildfire in the wildland-urban interface is much more complex than in a pure forest setting,” said Rod Nichols, public information officer for the Oregon Department of Forestry. “This requires more fire suppression resources, which runs up the cost considerably.”
The History of Oregon Firefighting
Twenty years ago, fire suppression accounted for 16 percent of the Forest Service’s annual appropriated budget. This year, for the first time, more than 50 percent of the Forest Service’s annual budget will be dedicated to wildfire,” the U.S. Forest Service report noted. Last year, the Forest Service’s ten largest fires cost more than $320 million dollars. The cost of fire suppression is predicted to increase to nearly $1.8 billion by 2025.
photo by Kyle Reed
In a cost breakdown of any given fire, aircraft and firefighters are the most costly. An air tanker costs more than $14,000 per hour. The largest helicopters come in at around $150,000 per day. A single firefighter’s wage averages forty dollars an hour, often working twelve to fifteen-hour days, and working in crews of twenty. A department can spend $1.3 million on manpower in just a week. Other costs include catering, fire engines and water tenders, and personnel who manage crews of firefighters.
The general cost of fighting wildfires is on an upward trend, but the Oregon Department of Forestry says it’s doing everything it can to reign in cost on its side.
“This agency has historically been very frugal,” said Rick Gibson, former fire prevention manager at the Oregon Department of Forestry. “We’re always looking for new opportunities to keep costs down.” The department’s strategy is to swarm a fire quickly as possible with as many resources as feasible. While this may cost more on the front end, it has proven to decrease costs in the long run. “Keeping it small” is the goal around here, according to Gibson.
Modern Advancements
From watchtowers staffed with people with binoculars to today’s thermal detecting drones, fighting wildfires has evolved into a deeply researched, complex technological operation.
Thousands of innovations have been developed over the past century with the intent of making wildfire fighting more safe and predictable and fires more preventable. Wildfire fighting is quickly becoming high-tech up and down the West Coast.
The discussion around new firefighting technologies is overwhelmingly dominated by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), more commonly referred to as drones. The Southwest Oregon District of the Department of Forestry, in Central Point near Medford, has two UAVs and a trained pilot to fly them, with plans to deploy them this summer. “As far as a fire department owning its own unmanned aircraft, I believe we are one of the first in the nation,” said Matt Krunglevich, prevention planner for the southwest Oregon district.
Drones offer a few advantages to wildfire fighting agencies — they’re more cost-effective, timely, and, in some cases, safer. Putting a person in a helicopter to survey an area of a forest can run up to $3,000 an hour, while buying one aircraft can be a one-time purchase of $5,000. Further, drones could potentially provide live and continuous data through the use of cameras so that firefighters wouldn’t have to rely on data that was collected several hours ago. And, as opposed to a manned helicopter, if a UAV crashes, there are no people in it, said Krunglevich.
One tech company, FireWhat, Inc. is using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to help wildfire fighters respond faster and more efficiently to emergencies. Recently merging with Geo-Spatial Solutions and opening an office in Bend, FireWhat has revolutionized wildfire response with its highly interactive, wireless mapping. The company designs custom programs for individual fire agencies, but it also has a public website, WildlandFire.com, where anyone can find details of wildfires in their area. According to CEO Sam Lanier, FireWhat is also testing drones as another tool in data collecting, partnering with Aerovel based in White Salmon, Washington.
Douglas County is paving the way for different kinds of technology that are quickly spreading to other parts of Oregon. The ForestWatch fire detection system is a series of cameras strategically placed in high-risk areas, detecting the earliest signs of smoke. A control center receives these alerts and the exact coordinates of the threat, enabling a speedy dispatch for a response. Developed by EnviroVision Solutions in Roseburg, the detection system has made its way to The Dalles and will be installed in the John Day area within the next year.
In the Oregonian tradition of “going green,” Central Oregon will use an environmentally safe retardant called FireIce for the first time this year. This fire retardant gel replaces the commonly used chemical foam that can be toxic to wildlife when used in large amounts. “Normally, you have to be careful where you drop fire retardant,” said Tracy Wrolson, assistant district forester of Central Oregon. “This [new retardant] does the same job and can be used in sensitive areas.”
Though more technologies are being developed to help make quicker, better decisions about wildfires, the man-powered physical nature of firefighting remains. “The reality is that the way of putting out a fire is the same,” said Dennis Lee, protection unit forester of the Klamath-Lake District. “We still have some of the same tools from 1908.”
When Karen Eland is not sipping her espresso, she’s dipping her paintbrush in it.
This fascination began in 1998, when she sat inside a coffee shop in her hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, painting portraits of people with watercolors. For the first time, she gazed into her tiny cup of espresso, admiring its color and wondered what it would look like on paper. “Why don’t you just try it?” her friend, the barista urged. Eland’s career as a “coffee painter”began.
Today, the artist lives in Bend and spends her days in her small studio inside The Workhouse, a community of art studios in the historic Bend Iron Works building. In Eland’s nook of the Workhouse, her numerous coffee and beer paintings are displayed for sale—a framed “Birth of Venus,” eight-by-ten-inch prints of vintage bicycles and botanical greeting cards. In the middle of it all, she works at her desk that’s sprawled with watercolor paper, brushes and bowls of drying espresso.
Eland draws inspiration from the renowned masters of painting. Many of her works are renditions of classics, painted with espresso and a coffee cup inserted into the scene. For example, one of her first coffee paintings was the Mona Lisa holding a cup of espresso, fancifully swirled with latte art.
Even though Eland is limited to shades of brown, she is able to capture minute levels of detail. “You would think that beautiful, colorful paintings like “Starry Night” or the “Café Terrance” wouldn’t translate well without color, but they look cool in just brown,” Eland said. “I’m surprised after all these years that I’m not sick of brown, but somehow it’s just soothing.”
After moving to Bend in 2008, Eland’s natural progression found her painting with craft beer. “I’ve experimented with a lot of different beers, but I almost exclusively have to use porters and stouts,” she said of the thicker, darker libations. With porters and stouts, she moved into live painting at Bend’s Brewfest and events held by Deschutes Brewery. Eland was even commissioned last year by Worthy Brewing to create four large beer paintings to hang in its restaurant. Each of her paintings for Worthy depicts one of the four elements of beer —water, hops, yeast and barley— painted in Worthy’s own Lights Out Stout.
The next challenge for Eland is red wine. While in Paris in 2012, she perched her easel in front of the Eiffel Tower to paint it using only le vin. The video on her blog shows curious tourists gathered around to watch as she successfully paints with the magenta-toned liquor. She’s hoping to further experiment with wine as well as with chocolate.
“In the winter, I’d like to do a hot chocolate and chocolate painting class,” Eland said. “That’d be cozy.”
From watchtowers staffed with people with binoculars to today’s thermal detecting drones, fighting wildfires has evolved into a deeply researched, complex technological operation.
Thousands of innovations have been developed over the past century with the intent of making wildfire fighting more safe and predictable and fires more preventable. Wildfire fighting is quickly becoming high-tech up and down the West Coast.
The discussion around new firefighting technologies is overwhelmingly dominated by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), more commonly referred to as drones. The Southwest Oregon District of the Department of Forestry, in Central Point near Medford, has two UAVs and a trained pilot to fly them, with plans to deploy them this summer. “As far as a fire department owning its own unmanned aircrafts, I believe we are one of the first in the nation,” said Matt Krunglevich, prevention planner for the southwest Oregon district.
Drones offer a few advantages to wildfire fighting agencies — they’re more cost-effective, timely and, in some cases, safer. Putting a person in a helicopter to survey an area of a forest can run up to $3,000 an hour, while buying one aircraft can be a one-time purchase of $5,000. Further, drones could potentially provide live and continuous data through the use of cameras so that firefighters wouldn’t have to rely on data that was collected several hours ago. And, as opposed to a manned helicopter, if a UAV crashes, there are no people in it, said Krunglevich.
One tech company, FireWhat, Inc. is using Geographic Information System (GIS) technology to help wildfire fighters respond faster and more efficiently to emergencies. Recently merging with Geo-Spatial Solutions and opening an office in Bend, FireWhat has revolutionized wildfire response with its highly interactive, wireless mapping. The company designs custom programs for individual fire agencies, but it also has a public website, WildlandFire.com, where anyone can find details of wildfires in their area. According to CEO Sam Lanier, FireWhat is also testing drones as another tool in data collecting, partnering with Aerovel based in White Salmon, Washington.
Douglas County is paving the way for different kind of technology that’s quickly spreading to other parts of Oregon. The ForestWatch fire detection system is a series of cameras strategically placed in high-risk areas, detecting the earliest signs of smoke. A control center receives these alerts and the exact coordinates of the threat, enabling a speedy dispatch for response. Developed by EnviroVision Solutions in Roseburg, the detection system has made its way to The Dalles and will be installed in the John Day area within the next year.
In the Oregonian tradition of “going green,” Central Oregon will use an environmentally safe retardant called FireIce for the first time this year. This fire retardant gel replaces the commonly used chemical foam that can be toxic to wildlife when used in large amounts. “Normally, you have to be careful where you drop fire retardant,” said Tracy Wrolson, assistant district forester of Central Oregon. “This [new retardant] does the same job and can be used in sensitive areas.”
Though more technologies are being developed to help make quicker, better decisions about wildfires, the man-powered physical nature of firefighting remains. “The reality is that the way of putting out a fire is the same,” said Dennis Lee, protection unit forester of the Klamath-Lake District. “We still have some of the same tools from 1908.”
When blue skies turn hazy with smoke and the forest floor starts to crackle, Redmond’s smokejumpers are often already in the sky parachuting into the problem.
For Chris Hinnenkamp, squad leader at the Redmond Air Center (RAC), containing fires isn’t the most dangerous part of his job. It’s getting to the blazes that presents the greater risk. “Fighting fire is the easy part,” he said. “You can get stuck in a hundred-foot tree. You could break your leg on the jump. We just travel to the fire a different way than any other firefighter.”
Hinnenkamp, 35, an eight-year veteran with the Redmond Smokejumpers, is one of about 400 men and women across the United States who leaps into veils of smoke for a living, tackling the hardest-to-reach fires before they combust into headline news. “We catch a lot of fires that nobody has any clue even happened,” said Hinnenkamp. “That’s pretty much our bread and butter, those fires in the middle of nowhere that are almost impossible to get to by foot.”
Every morning at the base begins with a frenzied rush to fill the jump list’s top slot. At RAC, the first one through the door is the first one out of the plane and in charge of the fire. The rule is meant to instill leadership within the team, naturally though, it sparks friendly competition. Ten members load up for each dispatch, but not everyone gets to jump each blaze. In the back of their minds is the “Jump Hog” trophy. The member with the most jumps each season gets his or her name carved into the venerable wooden pig-shaped award.
A Typical Day for a Redmond Smokejumper
With dry lightning in the forecast on this August day, Hinnenkamp suspects he is in for a busy week. Still, his plans are up in the air not knowing when or where he’ll be soaring next. “I hear the bell and I’m wondering where we’re going. It’s always a surprise,” he said. “Then it’s a race to get that suit on and get in the plane.”
Less than six minutes after an alert bell is sounded, Hinnenkamp and his crew are fully-suited and in the air. “We get there ten times faster than anybody else,” he noted, “We could fly somewhere 200 miles away and be on that fire in a half hour.”
Because so much of being a smokejumper revolves around the unpredictable, but impending clanging of the bell, Hinnenkamp embraces fluidity and flexibility. “You never know where you’re going to be at any time,” he said. “We could be in Nevada, going down to California, or we could hop on a plane and be at the Canada border.”
Stepping out of an airplane 1,500 feet above the ground with eighty pounds of gear strapped to him, Hinnenkamp is unfazed. After all, the North Dakota native came to the Pacific Northwest seeking adventure. He said that he always feels at peace just before he dives into harm’s way. “When you’re in the door getting ready … you’re focused,” he said. “This is your time.”
One firm smack on the leg signals it’s time to jump. Hinnenkamp takes a deep breath then falls through the doorway with no hesitation. “It’s like a vacuum sucking you up,” he said. “The second you go out the door, it’s this big whoosh and then it gets quiet. There you are with your parachute. It’s so quiet that you can’t hear a thing.”
When jumping into a fire, these elite members of the United States Forest Service can be gone for two days to two weeks, depending on the size, severity and location of the fire. Once they’ve mopped up the blaze, they’ll cram about 130 pounds of equipment into a bulging pack-out bag and carry it on their backs, usually for many miles, to the nearest road for extraction.
The Life of a Smokejumper
In their downtime, smokejumpers stitch together every piece of their custom-made suits and patch holes in their chutes, “We make everything,” said Hinnnenkamp. “That’s part of the job that probably nobody thinks we do. We probably spend more time on those sewing machines than anything else if we’re not fighting a fire.”
The rest of the year, Redmond’s jumpers migrate south to assist with prescribed burns and lend their expertise in states such as Alabama, Louisiana, and Florida.
Smokejumping may be one of the riskiest professions in the country, but it’s also one of the most competitive. This year, nearly 500 men and women applied to join the Redmond Smokejumpers. Ten were selected.
Hinnenkamp has about sixty fire jumps under his belt, but has many to go before seeing his name near the top of the base’s all-time jump list. After six years on a hot shot and structure crew, he couldn’t see himself arriving to fires any other way. “When you see the old guys out here who have been jumping for twenty-five years, I think that’s amazing,” he said. “Hopefully I can stay healthy, so I can keep doing this. I could never do a desk job. That’s not me.”
Getaways around Central Oregon are easily found. Deciding which of the many options to pursue is the real Central Oregon dilemma. Nonetheless, you neither have to look nor go very far to embark on a vacation near at hand. The trick is choosing an adventure to suit your mood.
We asked four people to share their cool local getaways in hopes that they would inspire your own. Their favorites range from intimate music venues to adrenaline-doused downhill biking to solitary wilderness retreats. Adventure begins as a stirring, a yearning. Let these ideas be your spark.
Camping Getaways Around Central Oregon
LOCAL GUIDE: Pam Stevenson, entrepreneur coach and outdoor adventurer
Every fall, Pam Stevenson takes a backpacking trip into the postcard beauty of the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness. “The views of Mt. Jefferson are fantastic, and the foliage is all red,” she said. There are five or six routes to access the wilderness area by foot. Stevenson usually opts for the Whitewater Trailhead, which is about a six-mile hike. Once there, she has many options. Jefferson Park is home to Scout, Bays and Russell lakes, all of which have several designated campsites. “I make a full weekend trip of it,” she said. “It’s a bit chilly come October, but the upside is that there are no mosquitoes.” A Bend resident for sixteen years, Stevenson is a committed outdoor adventurer. That spirit led her to a 1968 vintage Shasta compact trailer that she bought this summer to extend her camping season. Her favorite trailer camping destination in the Cascades is Crescent Lake. “I love the sandy beaches, warm water, and views of Diamond Peak,” she said. “It’s my go-to.” The former director of marketing for Kialoa Paddles appreciates the water recreation at Crescent Lake. There are several campgrounds around Crescent Lake, some of which are open year-round and include yurts for rent.
Photo by Tyler Roemer
Fly Fishing Getaways Around Central Oregon
LOCAL GUIDE: Becky Johnson, President, OSU-Cascades
Becky Johnson has been fly-fishing Hosmer Lake since the 1980s. “It was a lot less crowded then, just some hard-core canoeists and fishers.” Bird watchers and others soon discovered this gorgeous alpine lake tucked behind Elk Lake off of Cascade Lakes Highway. Despite its increase in popularity, it’s still Johnson’s favorite place to fish. “You turn one way, there’s Mt. Bachelor, turn the other way, there’s South Sister, you look down, you see the fish, you look up, you see the reeds along the banks,” she said. Johnson, who has led the direction and growth of Central Oregon’s first four-year college campus, has caught both Atlantic salmon and brook trout on the lake. “I usually use a transparent line and a wooly bugger with two droppers,” she shared. From her pontoon boat, Johnson likes to ply the canal that connects the two main portions of the lake. Another favorite is the Upper Deschutes River between Crane Prairie and Lava Lakes, but Hosmer Lake still has her heart. “I always think, if I’m going to go, let’s make it here. Just let the lightning strike me now.”
More Great Fishing Spots
LOWER DESCHUTES RIVER
Legendary fishing for trout and steelhead plays out along this ribbon of cold, clean water running through a rimrock basalt canyon in northern Central Oregon. Expect crowds during the high season. MCKENZIE AND METOLIUS RIVERS
For the experienced fly-fisher only, these two rivers will test your mettle with clear water and savvy fish. Bring your smallest flies and your biggest dose of patience. PINE NURSERY PARK POND
Within this 159-acre park in northeast Bend is a fishing pond, open to all ages and well stocked with rainbow trout, bluegills and bass. CROOKED RIVER
Trout love swimming the Crooked River between Bowman Dam and Prineville, making this a great classroom for the aspiring fly-fisher. The river is particularly accessible—no bushwhacking required.
Photo by Brent McGregor
See Live Music in Sisters
LOCAL GUIDE: Brad Tisdel, Creative Director, Sisters Folk Festival
As a twenty-year resident of Sisters and the creative director of the Sisters Folk Festival, Brad Tisdel has witnessed the small city’s gradual evolution into a regional music mecca. Tisdel points to a number of creative stages around Sisters as his favorite places to see music acts. As the annual folk festival grew over the years, it spawned many small intimate venues, he noted. Many of these stages are active outside of festival season, offering music lovers diversity and opportunity. “Each has a unique community feeling and provides a special experience,” said Tisdel. A few of Tisdel’s favorites include The Belfry, The Open Door, The Depot Café, FivePine Lodge and the backyard of Angeline’s Bakery. “Angeline’s started hosting ‘festive Fridays’ maybe fifteen years ago in a sweet space in their backyard that quickly became a welcoming community gathering place. It’s kid-friendly with exceptional performances and a feel-good vibe.” Others followed suit, often adding a stage to an existing business. The Depot is a café; FivePine is a resort; and Open Door is an alter ego of Clearwater Gallery. “Open Door is an intimate, art-focused space with great food and an Italian café atmosphere,” Tisdel offered. The Belfry is a larger newcomer that Angeline Rhett of Angeline’s Bakery converted from an old church to a hip music venue that hosts acts such as Iris Dement and Brothers Comatose. “It contributes greatly to the mellow, talented, welcoming local music scene,” observed Tisdel.
Places in Bend for Live Music
HAYDEN HOMES AMPHITHEATER
Bend’s biggest venue, Hayden Homes Amphitheater accommodates 8,000 people for concerts and other events on the banks of the Deschutes River in the Old Mill District. It hosts a growing list of big-name acts beneath pastel sunsets. MCMENAMINS OLD ST. FRANCIS SCHOOL
The McMenamins brothers have a relentless passion for renovating old buildings into fun, psychedelic, and creative hotels, movie houses and taverns. This former Catholic school is a great place to catch live music in Bend. CENTURY CENTER
Live music acts and festivals pop up here at Bend’s Volcanic Theater Pub, the spacious garden at GoodLife Brewing, and other indoor and outdoor venues on this mixed-use property. SILVER MOON BREWING
This oldie-but-goody local brewery features live music on Friday and Saturday nights year-round in its industrial space in downtown Bend.
Photo by Tyler Roemer
Ride Downhill at Mt. Bachelor
LOCAL GUIDE: Arlie Connolly, Miller Elementary third-grade student
Arlie Connolly started mountain biking before he started school. These days, he takes on trails that would strike fear in most adults. Some of those are at his favorite destination— the Mt. Bachelor Bike Park. At the new bike park, ski lifts hoist mountain bikers and their bikes up the hill, leaving them to plummet down developed trails on their own. The park now has thirteen miles of developed trails with more to come. Connolly counts himself as one of the first to try the park in 2014 and has participated in Mt. Bachelor’s weeklong Gravity Bike Camp for two summers. The elevation change is what sets the bike park apart, said Connolly. “It’s really different than riding down a regular trail.” He admitted that it took him some time to get used to the idea. “It’s kind of scary when you haven’t done real downhill mountain biking.” He started with FTL, or First Timer Line, on the Sunshine lift. “It’s a beginner trail with no rocks and nice flowy turns,” he said. His current favorite, Hanger, off of the Pine Marten lift, is a bit more challenging. “There are a couple of ditches, and when I come down that one hill on Hanger, I’m never confident.” The young rider became such a familiar face in the park that park managers featured him in a promotional video called “The Kids of Gravity Bike Camps.” When he’s not in camp, he screams down the mountain with his dad, Nate, and sometimes with his mom, Trish. The Connolly family often makes a day of it with a tailgate picnic in the parking lot after a day of riding. “It’s fun to have lift access and not have to climb,” said the youngest Connolly. Open seasonally.
More Trails to Ride
MASTON TRAILS
Between Tumalo and Redmond is a network of terrific trails on gently rolling terrain with incredible views of the Cascades. Sheltered by old-growth juniper trees, these trails are popular for winter riding. PETERSON RIDGE TRAIL At the south edge of Sisters across Whychus Creek is a twenty-five-mile trail system composed of playful, flowing singletrack through a pine forest. Good for varying abilities. PRINEVILLE GRAVEL
Crook County is home to hundreds of miles of gravel and dirt roads, perfectly suited to off-road riding and touring. Get off the grid and into the stunning forests of the Ochoco Mountains. MCKENZIE RIVER TRAIL
An epic twenty-five-mile descent through a green forest and along a spring-fed river, the first eight miles are technical. The rest are more manageable and terminate at Belknap Hot Springs, where you can soak your aches away.
In Bend, kombucha, the fermented tea with a distinct taste, has grown from being a beverage with a cult following to rivaling craft beer in popularity. Now, new kombucha breweries are popping up around Bend. Like beer, kombucha can easily be brewed at home. Here, we show you how.
Good to know: Because kombucha is made with bacteria, it is important to make sure that all the brewing pots and storing jars are very clean, and that your hands are clean, too. Avoid contamination by rinsing your pots, jars and hands with vinegar.
1 Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil, then remove the pot from heat and add 1 cup of sugar. Once the sugar has dissolved, add 2 tablespoons loose leaf black tea, or about 8 tea bags. Steep the tea in the pot until the water has cooled, which could take a few hours, then remove the tea bags or strain out the leaves.
2 Pour the mixture into a 1-gallon glass jar along with two cups of a neutral flavored store-bought kombucha (this functions as a substitute for a tea starter). Add what’s called a “scoby,” which is the bacteria that ferments the kombucha. The unsightly bacteria product can be purchased online or at local grocery stores. Cover the lid of the jar with a clean cloth or paper towel and secure with a rubber band.
3 Keep the jar at room temperature and out of direct sunlight. On the seventh day, taste the kombucha to determine its sweetness. At this time, you can add flavoring if you wish. If it tastes too sweet, let the jar sit for another day and taste again. The kombucha should be ready by the tenth day, at the latest.
4 When the kombucha tastes right to you, remove the scoby (store it in a plastic bag and place in the fridge to reuse) and pour the mixture into jars along with any additional flavors you want to try. Store the covered bottles at room temperature again for the next one to three days to allow the kombucha to carbonate. After that point, keep the kombucha in the fridge and drink within a month.
Flavoring Your Kombucha
Use fresh fruits, dicing them or smashing them for even stronger flavor. Then, add spices or herbs for complexity. You can either add fruits and herbs to your glass right before you enjoy it or add flavors after the initial fermentation period and store them in airtight bottles for a couple of days.
NEED SOME IDEAS? Try blueberry mint, blackberry thyme, lemon ginger or apple cinnamon.
NEED A KICK? The latest trend is to use kombucha as a mixer in your favorite local cocktail.
Chris Cole’s kinetic art transforms discarded metal and bike parts into wondrous moving creatures.
Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and the luxury department store, Barneys New York, wouldn’t seem to have much in common. Yet, they share an aesthetic that converges on a quiet back street of Bend, where sculptor Chris Cole transforms new and salvaged metal scraps and discarded objects into fantastic works of kinetic art.
Thousands of New Yorkers and holiday shoppers this past December got to see “Patterson,” a mechanized and metallic owl sculpture nestled in a holiday window display at Barneys’ f lagship store on Madison Avenue. The six-and-a-half- foot, 500-pound bird rotated its head, ruffled its feathers, told tales and peered back at the crowd through its motorcycle headlight eyes. Cole isn’t sure how the iconic department store found him, but he was honored to receive the commission. At the opening, Cole said he loved watching New York bike messengers screech to a stop and take pictures of the owl.
Photo by Talia Galvin
When the gig was over, Barneys returned ownership of the sculpture to Cole, who found an eager buyer among an existing collector, Ripley’s. The owl will eventually entertain visitors at the San Francisco Ripley’s on Fisherman’s Wharf.
“Basically, Ripley’s buys funky art and interactive pieces,” he said, adding that the owl is the tenth motorized sculpture the international franchise has bought from him. His kinetic sculptures run by electric motor or hand crank; the owl, his largest piece yet, has five motors running its parts.
As a former bike mechanic and self-described tinkerer, Cole started drilling, tapping and welding leftover bike parts and other objects into sculptures in the late ’90s—“just for the fun of it,” he said. Today he works from an old school bus parked in his backyard. The bus is lined with bins of bicycle gears, chains, spokes, hubs, motorcycle parts, even artificial human limbs.
Cole draws inspiration from the convergence of the natural and industrial worlds. “I’m an outdoorsy person, which contrasts with my work—machines, motors, electronics and all these recycled objects,” he said. His portfolio of paintings, sketches, and kinetic sculptures features many different creatures, but fish are his favorite. “I love the body shape of fish,” he said. He evokes Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings of flying machines as an influence on his bird sculptures and drawings.
Photo by Talia Galvin
Appreciation for his art is growing among collectors and museums. He currently exhibits at RiverSea Gallery in Astoria and R E Welch Gallery in Seattle. His kinetic sculptures sell for an average $10,000, with some going for as much as $22,000, giving the 45-year-old Bend resident the opportunity to spend most of his time pursuing his passions— tinkering in his studio and camping on the Oregon Coast.
Sunriver Resort underwent an overhaul, and the culinary delights at Carson’s American Kitchen are on trend and authentic thanks to head chef Travis Taylor.
When legendary mountain man Kit Carson guided explorers westward nearly 200 years ago, he camped below a meadow that today is the panorama from Sunriver Resort’s revamped signature restaurant. At Carson’s American Kitchen, chef Travis Taylor is leading a culinary corps of discovery. He brought the resort’s dining scene into vogue, deftly walking a fine ridgeline between trendy and authentic.
“What’s going to tell our story?” asked Taylor, who has crafted a compelling narrative based on the area’s local bounty. “Whether it’s local fish and what’s running, or farmers’ markets or going to [Bend’s] Windflower Farm … with produce, I’m like a kid in a candy store.”
Carson’s menu focuses on Oregon flavors in dishes that are “unintimidating,” said Taylor. Dinner may begin with a flatbread with Rogue Creamery blue cheese, roasted apples, roasted garlic, candied walnuts and arugula or Oregon-raised charcuterie served with local honey, dried fruits, pickled vegetables, marionberry mustard and cherry chutney.
One of the best entrées served anywhere in Central Oregon is Carson’s perfectly prepared herb-and-butter poached salmon with “American mole” dark-chocolate barbeque sauce, lobster mashed potatoes, spiced shrimp and garlic wilted spinach. You will count the days until you can return to have it again.
Taylor, who took his first cooking class at age 16, began his career as an apprentice at the Jacksonville Inn and then Jacksonville’s McCully House Inn, where he discovered the possibilities that come with preparing dishes with produce grown on-site. He began cooking at Sunriver’s The Grille at Crosswater in 2002, and last year was named resort executive chef, overseeing the destination’s eleven dining outlets.
Editors Note: Although he left Sunriver in 2019, you can still find Travis Taylor Chef in Central Oregon. As of 2023, find him at Riverhouse on the Deschutes.
Bend–La Pine Schools roll out the iPad experiment, beginning with third-graders.
Not long ago, Karissa Sams walked up to her fourth-grade teacher at Jewell Elementary School and asked a simple question: “May I please have paper homework?”
She was struggling to use her school-issued iPad to complete her assignments, said Misti Sams, Karissa’s mom. The device had become a point of contention for the family and a cause of stress in Karissa’s life.
“There are five different programs they have to access to do their homework,” Misti Sams explained. “She’s never been behind in homework. She has spent so much time stressing over making the iPad work that she is behind now. It has been more of a stressor than anything.”
Since the culmination of Bend-La Pine School District’s roll-out of its digital conversion program this year, all students in grades 3 to 12 have their own iPad for use at school and at home. The idea behind the program is to give every child access to digital tools that will prepare them to succeed in the workplace.
It is the largest digital conversion of its kind in the Pacific Northwest, said Skip Offenhauser, executive director of curriculum and instructional technology for Bend-La Pine Schools, with more than 16,000 devices distributed to teachers and students to-date.
“What we have done and what we are doing is groundbreaking,” Offenhauser said.
Yet many parents throughout the district are frustrated with the devices and are questioning if use of the iPad is actually improving education—or if it is nothing more than an experiment with their kids cast in the role of lab rats.
Parental Advisory
Sally Maskill and Cortney Runco each have four children in the Bend-La Pine School District.
The friends have spent a lot of time discussing the district’s digital conversion and the iPads their children now bring home each day. Their concerns range from health issues associated with too much screen time to worries that their kids are missing out on the fundamental building blocks of education.
They also wonder if the effort isn’t more about cost-savings for the school district than it is about innovation.
“This is replacing books and paper with iPads. This is not technology,” Maskill said. “I don’t appreciate our kids being the guinea pigs.”
“Our little ones are going to start in third grade and go all the way through,” Runco added. “It feels like an experiment with no plan.”
Depending on the class, their kids can end up without a paper textbook to reference. Texts are available online, but the students need to switch in and out of applications to look at their book and then answer their homework questions—a problem that school officials say is improving with newer devices.
“You can’t look at your textbook and your question at the same time,” Maskill said. Her kids have often used their phones to take a photo of their text so they can refer to it when working out homework assignments as they flip in and out of different interfaces.
In some cases, the homework is just a scanned paper document turned into a pdf. The school-issued iPads do not come with keyboards, which can be challenging when assignments require a lot of typing.
Because the digital conversion is still underway, Offenhauser said that teachers and schools are at different places in the transition. Those using scanned pdfs are at the beginning of the process—the substitution phase, where the technology directly replaces the paper and pencil tool with no real change in function.
It’s an eighteen-month process to go from substitution to augmentation to modification and finally to redefinition in what’s known as the SAMR model, an acronym representing each part of the process.
“Many of our teachers right now are still in that [substitution] area,” Offenhauser said. “When you see kids who are just filling out a pdf, that’s in the [substitution] range. Could they have done it with a pencil? They could have. Where the teacher is and where the kid is, it’s establishing habits and comfort level in the technology.”
The goal of the digital conversion has never been to replace all textbooks and papers with the iPads, but to make the program cost-neutral for the school district, some cost savings have come from moving to digital texts, he said.
Maskill and Runco have both resorted to buying textbooks for their kids for certain classes—at a cost of roughly $60 per book. Maskill has been willing to purchase some of the advanced placement books for her high school kids, but drew the line at one of the more expensive texts for her middle school-aged daughter.
When her son’s geography book arrived in the mail, she said the whole family flipped through the pages in awe of its beauty. “There is so much research out there that says if you want to read deeply and understand the context, you have to have the book in hand,” she said. “The screen time is a huge concern.”
Until recently, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended no more than two hours a day of screen time for kids older than 2, other than use of a computer for school work. In October, the organization backed away from setting specific time limits, but still advises parents to be mindful of how their children are using screens and the importance of time spent away from devices.
Bend-La Pine School District does not have specific guidelines for teachers on how much time students should spend using the devices each day, said Scott Mc- Donald, an information technology coach for the district. The iPad, he said, is meant as one of many tools.
“I want a teacher to be able to use a device when it helps their curriculum and put a device away when it doesn’t,” McDonald said. “We don’t celebrate teachers that use the iPad all day long. We want them out when they enhance learning.”
Digital Conversion
In his role, as a technology coach for schools, McDonald hears the frustrations of parents, students and teachers every day.
But he also hears stories that inspire him and make him believe that his job is worthwhile. McDonald works with teachers, training them to use the technology in their classrooms and researching ways to make the programs more innovative.
“If you walk into a building and you want to find a frustrated student or teacher or parent, you will. If you do the same thing and want to find someone who is psyched, you’ll find that, too,” McDonald said. “My job is to make it so that every year we have less frustration and more success. I take it very seriously.”
On a recent Wednesday, McDonald was on his way to REALMS, or Rimrock Expeditionary Alternative Learning Middle School, to gauge how students are integrating technology with more standard pencil-and-paper learning.
While studying Edgar Allan Poe’s, “The Raven,” the kids made poster storyboards with stanzas from the poem on each page. They then used an iPad app called Aurasma to create an augmented reality experience for other students in the halls.
“When the kids point their iPad at the poster they have written the stanza on, they hear “The Raven,” read out loud to them in the student’s voice,” McDonald explained. “That’s transformative. They get excited about it. They have a genuine audience of their peers. So many more people will benefit from their work because of the iPad.”
Across town at Bear Creek Elementary, McDonald said that same morning he watched a teacher leading students in two languages—English and Spanish—using an app called Notability. On a screen in front of the room, the teacher guided students as they edited a standard worksheet from one language into another.
“He’s comfortable with it, and the kids are all engaged. One kid in the room is semi-off task,” McDonald said. “If you did that same project with paper, you wouldn’t see the results up on the screen. You would have kids not engaged.”
Risks and Rewards
Maskill is part of a small group of parents at Miller Elementary School who provide feedback on their experience with the digital conversion. The group is made up of parents with different backgrounds; Maskill herself is a former educator and others in the group have medical experience.
Each person brings different concerns to the table.
Maskill’s biggest fear is that her children aren’t developing the strong connections in their brains they’ll need throughout their lives and truly learning the material. Others question the health risks associated with screen time ranging from eye damage to musculoskeletal issues.
“The real consequence (of too much screen time) is missing out on what is essential—time in real life with people learning how to talk and react, and time doing things essential for health: falling asleep, playing and moving outside in the sunlight, and the opportunity to focus for long periods of time on one thing,” said Dr. Wendy Sue Swanson, a pediatrician at Seattle Children’s Hospital. “Everything in life is a balance, and one that we have to think of as a series of opportunities for delight, learning, mindfulness and exploration— we have to balance distraction.”
Swanson, who writes the blog Seattle Mama Doc about a wide range of children’s health issues, believes in the power of technology, but also focuses on the need for restrictions. With kids having access to more screen time at school, she advises parents to set limits at home.
“With schoolwork and learning transitioning in large part to screens, we can optimize time out of school,” Swanson said. “We can work hard to restrict time in front of screens and time with devices in our hands.”
She encourages families to set “tech-free” zones in their homes that include the dining room table and the bedroom for at least one hour before bedtime until morning. For these reasons and more, every weekday Runco asks her son, who is in the fourth grade at Miller Elementary School, to hand over his iPad when they walk in the door to their house so she can lock it in her closet to charge for the night.
But for her two older kids who attend Summit High School, the situation is different. They need the device to do their homework. She can’t take it away from them.
Maskill said she feels the same way.
“We’ve all been told, ‘No computers in the bedroom,’” Maskill said. “Will starts out his homework at the dining room table, then says, ‘I’m going to my room where it is quiet.’”
Pretty soon he’s watching ESPN.
At the Sams household, Misti Sams has faced similar struggles. She ends up taking the iPad away from her daughter most days, but resents the battle the device has created for her family.
“I’ll ask her if she’s doing her homework and she says, ‘Yep, Mom, I’m doing my homework,’” Sams said. “And you go over there and she has taken forty pictures of the dog.”
Digital Distraction
Cortney Runco is not surprised that her fourth-grade son gets his iPad taken away at school frequently for playing games when he shouldn’t.
“I try. I tell him he can’t do that,” she said. “What did you think was going to happen? You are giving a fourth-grade boy an iPad. Of course they are going to play games.”
She has also heard parents yell to their children to stop looking at their iPads while walking through the school parking lot at pick-up time.
Her high school kids admit that some students watch movies during class instead of listening to their teachers. While the devices are locked down with security so kids can’t access inappropriate sites, they can still listen to music, watch YouTube videos and generally surf the internet.
“As a teacher, how do you police it? They are in the hands of every kid in the room,” Runco said. “I think it’s rude as a high-schooler to watch a movie when your teacher is up there talking.”
Sams said she feels her high-school age son has had fewer challenges with the iPad in terms of setting limits than her daughter. She questions why the school district decided to start the program in third grade and wonders if the younger kids have the maturity to be responsible for the device and to handle putting it away when the time is right.
Some of the reasons for starting the digital conversion in third grade have to do with the curriculum, McDonald explained. The entire third grade curriculum is now digital. But he agrees that asking whether the devices need to go home each night for elementary school kids is an important question.
“When you talk to families, their frustration with the iPad in the classroom is a frustration that any modern family feels with devices of any kind,” McDonald said, explaining the problems come from gaming, social media use and cyber bullying. “We are all in this place in this world where we are sick to death of hearing about technology’s role in these problems. Now it is in the classroom. My answer to almost every issue is this: If we can have students see this as a productivity tool and something that moves into their learning rather than something we are entertained with, we will all benefit.”
McDonald said he doesn’t really set screen limits for his kids, but parents can restrict internet access on iPads.
Offenhauser, who served as principal of Buckingham Elementary School when the digital conversion began, said that many students already had their own smart phones and other devices at school before the schools started providing them, meaning the distraction was already in place.
“We need to begin teaching our students how to be good digital citizens and begin teaching them future-ready skills,” he said. “I believe that needs to start early.”
Going Slow
When Karissa Sams asked to receive her homework on paper, her teacher was understanding and she now takes her worksheets home rather than trying to complete the scanned documents on the iPad, her mom said.
But when Maskill emailed her son’s chemistry teacher with a similar request— asking if she could print out the pdfs to send home for him to study—she got a different response.
“She was awesome and receptive and wrote, ‘We no longer have a budget for printing,’” Maskill said.
Some of the underlying frustrations for parents seem to come from the inconsistencies at schools throughout the district. Runco and Maskill said having one standard tool for their kids to use to turn in their homework, for example, would help.
At the district level, Offenhauser and McDonald said they want to give teachers a chance to experiment with different apps before making any standard decisions in order to ensure what is being selected is the best possible option. The three apps used for turning in homework—Google Classroom, iTunes U and CanaryFlow— have different capabilities. Having options, Offenhauser said, is important.
But parents feel that options for their children are important as well. If kids want books instead of iPads, they should have a choice.
“The teachers were told to go slow at Miller. They are doing it slowly, stepby- step,” said Maskill. “In their reading groups they read off the iPad. Paul doesn’t like it. You can’t mark your page or your favorite part.”
It’s this kind of feedback that Offenhauser said is useful to the schools, many of which are creating parent groups to address questions and concerns.
“We are not throwing everything away,” he said. “Our world has changed whether you like it or not. There is no way we are holding back this tidal wave. The ship has sailed. We can either embrace it or let it roll us over. I intend on embracing it and using it for good.”
I tend to know what I like in a beer. Something not too hoppy that isn’t balanced out with a strong malt profile. In other words (GASP!) not IPA. Other than that, I’m up for just about anything. Porters and stouts are pretty much always a good bet, but I also like ales, sours, and Belgians.
When I go out for a beer, this makes for some tough decisions when I look at the taps. Lucky for me, most taphouses and pubs offer sampler trays or flights. This means that I can try a little of this and a little of that – a variety of 2 ounce pours that differ in style (or not) and might even come from different breweries. If I’ve never been to a brewery before, it’s a great way to try several of their mainstay beers without breaking the bank (or my liver).
The Pour House Grill is one of my favorite places to order a sampler tray. They offer a wide variety of beers from Central Oregon and beyond – and they have GREAT food. If I’m heading to a brewery for a sampler tray, I like the variety of offerings at Deschutes and CRUX. Both of those places always have to seem enough new beers rotating through that I can find six or so new beers to try.
This time of year, the best sampler is a flight. At the Deschutes Brewery tasting room (not the pub), you can sample the three most recent years of their Black Butte Porter anniversary beer (XXV, XXVI, XXVII). The recipe for the beer stays pretty consistent, but the flavors change a little each year. The flight is a great opportunity to try all three at once, side by side… for FREE. You can visit the tasting room as part of their brewery tour, or just head in to sample the beer.
The changing season also means that The Little Woody Festival is just around the corner. The event hosts breweries from Central Oregon and outside the region, featuring beers aged in barrels (think wine, whiskey or rum). It’s a sample fan’s wonderland and if you are there you’ll find me meandering from tent to tent, in search of my new favorite “tiny beer”.
