Fifty weeks of The Bend Banner. That's kind of wild to type.

When we started this thing, we just wanted an excuse to talk to more people in town. Turns out that's exactly what happened. We've sat down with restaurant owners who poured their whole life into one menu. We've walked trails with people who know every bend in the river by name. We've heard stories about this town that made us fall in love with it all over again.

There are now 3,831 of you that we share stories with every Tuesday, and that still doesn't feel real. You've told us about your favorite hikes, sent us corrections when we got our history wrong (thank you, seriously), and shown up for the local businesses we've featured.

We started this to give Bend a little love letter every week. Turns out you all wrote us back.

Here's to the next fifty.

The Library My Kids Beg For

My 3 year old wakes up every morning and asks the same question before anything else. Is the library open today?

I did not grow up asking that question. My hometown library was dark, quiet in the wrong way, and the last place a kid wanted to spend an afternoon. I'm guessing yours was probably the same. So it still catches me off guard, watching my own son beg to go.

We've got two boys, a 3 year old and a 1 year old, and we've been at the new Central Library a few times a week since it opened. It has changed what "let's find something to do inside" means for our family. The 3 year old runs straight for the kids' area every time. The 1 year old just wants to be wherever his brother is. Somewhere in there, they're both learning something, and neither of them notices.

If you haven’t been, this video shows a bit of why this library is so special.

Walk in the front doors, and you'll understand why. There's a massive wooden sculpture called "Juniper" suspended over the main staircase, and it stops every single person who walks under it. I've spent time in a lot of libraries, college libraries included, and this is the most beautiful one I've ever been in. Not close. It feels like the kind of building a much bigger city would build, sitting right here in our town.

When I need to actually get work done, I head up to the third floor. There's co-working space up there, quiet and full of good light, and I get more done in thirty minutes there than an hour at home.

But the bigger thing is what this means down the road. There's storytime, a MakerSpace with 3D printers, activity boxes you can check out, and a steady lineup of classes and groups for adults too. Picture an entire town of kids who grow up asking to go to the library instead of dreading it. That's not a small thing. That's a town raising kids who like to learn.

We're lucky enough to live close, so even a 30 minute pop in works for us. If you're across town, it's still worth the drive. Grab a coffee from Thump in the lobby and let your kids loose in the discovery space. You'll see what I mean.

This Week’s Conditions
☀️ Sunrise: 6:12 am
🌅 Sunset: 8:04 pm
High Temp: 92°F
Best of Central Oregon Winners
Local Artist of the Week: Sheila Dunn Art

🐾Bend’s Best Good Boys & Good Girls 🐾

🐶 Angel – 4 years, Mix
She's blind from a congenital eye issue and may not hear well either, but she gets around by nose and has already picked up more than anyone expected. She needs a calm house where the couch stays put, and the routine doesn't change much.

🐕 Buddy – 4 Months - Mix
He's active and full of energy, so he does best with real daily exercise. He will need training and plenty of stimulation to keep him out of trouble in his puppy days.

🐶 Margot – 10 Months - Mix
Margot is an energetic pup that enjoys learning new tricks. She will get bigger and will need plenty of exercise.