We’re Paige and Mason. The Bend Banner is our way of keeping tabs on this wild, beautiful place we call home. To the mornings that start with coffee and mountain air, the trails that somehow always lead to a brewery, and the kind of small-town stories that remind you why you chose to live here in the first place.

Today's Edition is In Partnership with Daze Printing

Crewnecks Are Here

Alright, real quick, before we get into it.

We finally made something.

The Bend Banner Crewneck is live. It’s the sweatshirt I kept wishing I owned. Soft. Simple. The kind you grab on cold mornings, wear to the store, then somehow still have on at night by the fire.

Nothing flashy. No big logo energy. Just a clean design and a solid fit that feels right around here.

We designed and printed these with our friends at Daze Printing right here in Bend. Local hands, local ink, done the right way.

If you’ve ever thought, “yeah, I’d actually wear that,” this one’s for you.

See What We Made

We just made a few in each size, and this is just the beginning. We’ll be adding more stuff soon.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for supporting this thing. And seriously, thanks for helping keep this little local project going.

Our Olympic Local

Bend has an Olympian.

This winter, Hunter Hess, born and raised in Bend, is headed to the Winter Olympics. Not “lived here for a year once” Bend. Actual Bend. Learned to ski here. Grew up lapping Bachelor. Did the long, cold mornings and windy days like everyone else.

If you’ve spent any time around Mt. Bachelor, this won’t surprise you. Hunter came up through MBSEF, putting in years of quiet work before anyone outside the freeski world knew his name. No shortcuts. No viral moment. Just consistent progress, bigger tricks, cleaner runs, and showing up when it mattered.

He locked in his Olympic spot after a huge finish at the U.S. Grand Prix in Aspen, earning his place on Team USA in freeski halfpipe. The same halfpipe he’s been training for most of his life. The same style that looks effortless but absolutely isn’t.

There’s something especially satisfying about this one. Bend talks a lot about being a ski town, but moments like this are the proof. This is what happens when kids grow up with snow, community programs, and a mountain that keeps calling you back.

So when the Olympics roll around, and you see Hunter drop in, just know this. That run started a long time ago. Probably on a cold morning at Bachelor, with a few friends, bad visibility, and one more lap before lunch.

We’ll be watching. And yeah, we’ll be claiming him.

— # (#)

🐾Bend’s Best Good Boys & Good Girls 🐾

🐶 Gopher – 1 year, Australian Shepherd Mix
He’s been an outside dog his whole life, so if you’ve got space outdoors, Gopher could be a great companion.

🐱 Sailor – 2 years - Terrier/Pit
Social and friendly with the dogs he’s met, this boy loves to play. He will be a great companion to anyone.

🐶 Stella- 7 years- American Bulldog
This adorable older girl is the best snuggler and so easy to spend time with.

The Bend Banner is as local as it gets — written here, for the people who actually call this place home.

No big media machine, no out-of-town editor guessing what Bend cares about. Just a weekly letter built from real conversations, real places, and real curiosity.

If you choose to support it, every bit helps me bring you more of the good stuff. The stories, the characters, the weird corners of this town that deserve a spotlight.

Appreciate you, friends. Thanks for being part of this.

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