Bend Votes

Parents oppose cuts to services for disabled children in Central Oregon A group of parents, caregivers and teachers of special needs children asked the board to reconsider budget cuts Tuesday night that would decrease services their children rely on while attending Centra...

Parents oppose cuts to services for disabled children in Central Oregon

Read more at: bendbulletin.com/2025/06/19/p...

In Bend visit, Kotek says Medicaid cuts would hurt Oregon’s economy - The Bulletin Rural Oregon medical professionals told Gov. Tina Kotek on Wednesday that cuts to food and Medicaid programs would hurt more than just those that use the service. Hospitals might have to cut programs ...

In Bend visit, Kotek says Medicaid cuts would hurt Oregon’s economy

Read more at: bendbulletin.com/2025/06/18/i...

Trump cuts to halt overnight weather forecasts for Central Oregon - The Bulletin The National Weather Service Office in Pendleton is set to no longer staff meteorologists overnight because of recent cuts made by the Trump administration, potentially resulting in fewer emergency we...

It's ok, nothing happens at night.

Mild corrective to the headline: "Republicans cut..." Trump barely knows what day it is.

In Deschutes County, 79 races for elected positions are being decided today.

Only 11 of those races are contested.

13 have no candidate filed at all.

Turnout at the first ballot drop is 13%. Unlikely to break 20% in final count.

Opinion: We’re rural Oregon doctors. Medicaid cuts will disproportionately hurt rural Oregonians - The Bulletin Any reduction in federal support for critical health care access, benefits or the health care workforce in Oregon, especially in our rural communities, is unacceptable The U.S. House Committee on Ener...

We’re rural Oregon doctors. Medicaid cuts will disproportionately hurt rural Oregonians

Intentionally and knowingly taking away weather coverage just in time for fire season #inBend

Loss of a federal grant program will limit Oregon’s disaster readiness, emergency management officials say Oregon’s Department of Emergency Management says the Trump administration’s decision to abruptly cancel a hazard mitigation grant program will “significantly impact communities” across the state.

"Oregon’s Department of Emergency Management says the Trump administration’s decision to abruptly cancel a hazard mitigation grant program will “significantly impact communities” across the state.

"OEM said this loss will seriously impede Oregon’s ability to prepare for disasters."

Federal spending cuts could idle Central Oregon trail maintenance Each summer the Deschutes Trails Coalition dispatches a small crew into the forest around Bend to improve trail conditions for myriad hikers.

Federal spending cuts could idle Central Oregon trail maintenance
bendbulletin.com/2025/04/26/f...

"An inquiry to the U.S. Forest Service from the Bulletin related to the disappearance of funding for trail maintenance went unanswered."

'It's very disheartening': NeighborImpact feeling the impacts of federal cuts BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- President Trump's commitment to dramatically cut spending has had significant effects here at home, including on local food banks that rely heavily on federal funding. The U.S. De...

‘It’s very disheartening’: NeighborImpact feeling the impacts of federal cuts
ktvz.com/news/local-n...

"For Central Oregon's NeighborImpact, this means a 17% reduction in its food supply, amounting to more than half a million pounds of food, with the largest cuts in milk, cheese and meat."

Loss of federal funding could devastate rural schools and counties The federal program provides financial support for rural county services, like schools and roads. But this year, the legislation still hasn’t passed Congress. That could devastate rural school distric...

Loss of federal funding could devastate rural schools and counties
www.opb.org/article/2025...

“We’re going to let a bus get a little bit older. We’re going to patch roofs instead of redoing them,” he said. “But that type of planning doesn’t last forever.”

Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz defends cutting federal spending, discusses Medicaid cuts U.S. Rep. Cliff Bentz, R-Oregon, said Wednesday that the nation’s spending on Medicaid programs is unsustainable, and he urged patience as Republicans in Congress formulate their plan to dramatically ...

Oregon Rep. Cliff Bentz defends cutting federal spending, discusses Medicaid cuts
www.opb.org/article/2025...

"if Oregonians are kicked off the plan, it’s because they don’t deserve to be on it."

Storms tore up Pacific Crest Trail. Federal cuts have disrupted repairs Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail that runs through three western states is already challenging. Now the grueling journey may become even tougher this year due to federal cuts.

Storms tore up Pacific Crest Trail. Federal cuts have disrupted repairs
www.centraloregondaily.com/news/regiona...

"Following cuts by the Trump administration, plans to clear downed trees and rebuild storm-battered stretches in 2025 have been scrapped."

Editorial: A cut to the Heart of Oregon - Redmond Spokesman The cuts at the federal level are being felt here. You may agree with the cuts. You may disagree. It’s important to know what they are. Heart of Oregon Corps lost $1 million it had been expecting. The...

Editorial: A cut to the Heart of Oregon
redmondspokesman.com/2025/04/15/e...

"Then came... a change in Washington DC. A $1 million contribution it thought it was getting from the federal government is now not coming. The $1.5 million that it needed to raise is now $2.5 million."

Oregon sues over threats to library, museum services | Rogue Valley Times Oregon is one of 20 states suing the Trump administration, hoping to stop a plan that threatens services at libraries and museums across the state. On March 31, President Donald Trump signed an execut...

"Oregon State Librarian Wendy Cornelisen said the Trump plan would cripple library services across the state."

Bend officials call for protections of federal lands Hundreds of elected officials from 11 western states have signed a letter urging Congress to protect public lands and take a “balanced approach” to federal land management.

"The letter comes in the wake of an announcement last month that the Department of the Interior and the Housing and Urban Development will coordinate a joint plan to use “underutilized” federal land to build housing. Tens of thousands of acres could be developed."

Editorial: Fear is siphoning away joy and celebration - The Bulletin The cancellation of so many events is draining some of the heart from Central Oregon. Central Oregon Community College canceled its Latinx Fiesta Celebración. The Latino Community Association canceled...

Editorial: Fear is siphoning away joy and celebration
bendbulletin.com/2025/04/18/e...

"The freedom of assembly guaranteed by the Constitution has been usurped by fear."

Editorial: Federal government hurts disaster recovery and clean water - The Bulletin The Oregon Department of Emergency Management says $169 million that should be coming to Oregon from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is frozen. “When disasters happen and assessments have been...

Editorial: Federal government hurts disaster recovery and clean water
bendbulletin.com/2025/04/18/e...

"The Oregon Department of Emergency Management says $169 million that should be coming to Oregon from the Federal Emergency Management Agency is frozen."

Commentary: DOGE and Trump quash a Klamath River basin comeback - The Bulletin The Trump administration ruined what should have been a good spring in the Klamath River basin. By abruptly laying off federal personnel and freezing payments for already authorized programs and proje...

Commentary: DOGE and Trump quash a Klamath River basin comeback
bendbulletin.com/2025/04/18/c...

"I have probably in excess of $250,000 in invoices for work that is already done that I can’t pay."

Wyden readies anti-tariff push, hears woes of local businesses - The Bulletin In March, one of Sinotech’s customers paid $87,000 to bring products into the country. After recent tariff hikes, the customer will pay $311,000, said Richard Hurwitz, Sinotech’s director of sales and...

Wyden readies anti-tariff push, hears woes of local businesses
bendbulletin.com/2025/04/23/w...

“Not only are we paying tariffs coming in, but we’re losing our ability to sell outside the United States,” said the CEO of Bob's Red Mill.

Local food pantries rely on community donations as hunger rises Demand for food by families experiencing hunger in Central Oregon reached record levels in the first part of 2025, even as cuts to federal programs providing nutrition are underway. But local food pan...

Starting a thread on the impacts to Bend and Central Oregon resulting from Trump administration actions.

Buckle up, this will be a long one....

Local food pantries rely on community donations as impact of federal food cuts hovers
bendbulletin.com/2025/04/24/l...

National politics are beyond worrisome right now, but most of us can't do much.

Local politics? That's where we can often make a real difference.

This looks like a great series of events here in Bend

A Google Earth view of Bend, Oregon's downtown. It shows the downtown limits in a red outline. All of the infrastructure for cars, parking/roads, is highlighted in a light purple color.

A Google Earth view of Old Mill in Bend, Oregon. It shows the shopping center limits in a red outline. All of the infrastructure for cars, parking/roads, is highlighted in a light purple color.

The downtown core spans ~936,000 sq ft, with 37% (346,000 sq ft) dedicated solely to cars. Meanwhile, Old Mill covers ~2,612,000 sq ft, with 43% (1,117,000 sq ft) used for cars—enough to fit all of downtown. Imagine the homes, shops, and public spaces we could have instead.

The completed version of this sheet might help show how legislators engage in the changing media landscape.

Already we see more Republicans flocking to Twitter, Dems dispersing elsewhere.

The tracking sheet above only logs accounts openly representing the legislator. No "Pierre Delecto" here.

It counts accounts that used to be active but no longer are as "migrated", though some may have just been active during campaign season.

Many blanks remain to be filled in.

A Bluesky list has been started to follow Oregon state legislators.

Tag this account as you find new legislators joining Bluesky!

Note, this list does not follow other state officials, nor journalists covering #orleg and #orpol. Follow the hashtags for more there.

Social Media Roll Call - Oregon Legislature 2025

There's an appetite for local engagement right now. In Oregon, the state legislature - #orleg - begins a six month session Tuesday.

How can you follow and engage your state legislators?

It's not easy. Only four out of 89 are on Bluesky.

A work in progress:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets... #orleg