Oregon Democrats eye evictions, foreclosures, homelessness in 2021
Legislators unveiled proposals to build more shelters, protect people who live in tents, and create paths to homeownership Before the COVID-19 pandemic upended our lives and before the wildfires devastated our state, Oregon was already in the midst of a housing crisis. Now, it s worse. For years, housing issues in the state legislature were considered more of an afterthought; issues to be tackled primarily at the local level. But in more recent history, the topic has taken center stage inside the state Capitol. In 2019, lawmakers passed ambitious proposals, such as a first-in-the-nation cap on rents and a move to end single-family zoning. But never before has the crisis in the state been so profound, making it one of the most pressing and urgent issues lawmakers will face this legislative session.
She climbs, she plays piano and She Moves Mountains Like many who grew up in the Pacific Northwest, Lizzy Van Patten was exposed to the outdoors through hiking and camping. While attending school in Washington state, she came across a book on hiking routes. I was a math and political science major, and thought it a cool idea to do 25 of the (recommended) routes by my 25th birthday, recalls Van Patten. On one such hike she saw Mt. Baker up close for the first time. I was immediately inspired by it, she said. After watching the movie, 180 South, about adventuring in Patagonia, she set her sights on climbing.
click to enlarge Michael Stevens
When Stevens opened the center in 1996, Bend was a one-brewery ski town. Today, there’s a yoga studio on every corner and a growing community of spiritual seekers that regularly gather to engage with Eastern religions and philosophy. With the rise of Zoom and social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Stevens now leads Sadhanas (or meditation groups) online for people in Central Oregon and those who live in other areas up and down the West Coast. Stevens told the
Source he was initially very resistant to the technology as the some of the energetic aspects of the group practice are lost, but Zoom has also helped grow the community.
Bend Community Fridge aims to fight food insecurity and food waste one fridge at a time Amid rising food insecurity due to the pandemic, one grassroots effort has gained momentum: free food refrigerators, or freedges. In public spaces from New York to Los Angeles to Portland, these community fridges have sprung up, and soon Bend will join the club. We re helping fight food waste along with food insecurity, explained Carolyn Abernethy, 22, who launched the Bend Community Fridge project in January. The fridges, which function much like a tiny free library, are run by the motto, Take what you need, give what you can.
Better days, inequities in our democracy, removing dams & focus on your health
Editor s note:
Last year, just days after Oregon got its first reported cases of COVID-19, I put an offer on a house in the Orchard District. As a first-time homebuyer, it felt crazy to do so at that time and people tried to talk me out of it but as we ve seen over this past year, 2020 did not bring a real estate crash like other calamities have wrought on Bend in recent memory. Now, seeing homes get snapped up sight unseen or for much more than they were a year ago, I feel like one of the lucky ones, to the extreme.