Month: March 2015

Homesteader

Moonshine Rooftop Parties at Reid School

Tor Hanson

Published in the Deschutes Historical Society Newsletter “Homesteader” Juvenile delinquency was running rampant in the winter and spring months of 1923. The Bend Bulletin was reporting rooftop parties at Reid School, bootleggers selling moonshine to high school students, kids taking joy rides at the rail yard, and underage patrons getting caught at the local pool halls. In the early 1920’s, Bend’s youth were hard pressed to find an outlet for entertainment beyond school-sanctioned activities. “One of the reasons for the continuing and growing number of juvenile activities that verge on or actually are infractions of law is the utter lack … Continue reading Moonshine Rooftop Parties at Reid School

Homesteader

Excuse Us While We’re Playing Through: The Golf Tourney Up Pilot Butte

Tor Hanson

Published in the Deschutes Historical Society Newsletter “Homesteader” – July 2010 Today Pilot Butte is a beloved place for Bend’s many “butte walkers.” And every Fourth of July, spectators wager how much of the butte will catch on fire from fireworks gone astray. But in April 1927, Pilot Butte was the setting for serious game of golf. The backdrop for the Pilot Butte golf challenge was a bet between Frank R. Prince, the editor of Brooks-Scanlon’s company newspaper, “Deschutes Pine Echoes” and Carl A. Johnson, the manager of the Bend-Silver Lake Stage Company. The wager: Play from where the pavement … Continue reading Excuse Us While We’re Playing Through: The Golf Tourney Up Pilot Butte

Ignite Bend 12

How Pickled Herring Conquered the World – Skål!

Tor Hanson

Ignite Bend 12 – Bend, Oregon October 23, 2014 If you had five minutes on stage what would you say? What if you only got 20 PowerPoint slides and they rotated automatically every 15 seconds? In October 2014, I was one of twelve speakers at “Ignite Bend 12.” My five minute presentation was on a subject near and dear to my heart: Pickled herring. After all, I am born and raised in Malmo, Sweden and I grew up eating lots of pickled herring. Here’s a short introduction to the presentation (you can check out the video below): Eating pickled herring … Continue reading How Pickled Herring Conquered the World – Skål!

Blog Articles

Game Day with Mike Ficher and Andy Satterfield

Tor Hanson

Originally published on November 3, 2014 COTV commentators Mike Ficher and Andy Satterfield are visibly excited. Mountain View’s quarterback snags the football and rushes down the field from the 40-yard line. “And… it’s a touchdown,” says Ficher. The crowd comes to its feet in front of the announcer booth. As in any small town in America, Friday night high school football is a big event. The bleachers at Mountain View high school in Bend are packed with students, parents and grandparents that have braved the chilly evening to root for the home team. And when it comes to local high school … Continue reading Game Day with Mike Ficher and Andy Satterfield

Boys Life Magazine

The Air Boss

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Boys’ Life – November 1997 Navy jet pilots get all the glory on an aircraft carrier. But without guys like Dick McCrillis, they would be lost at sea. An F/A-18 Hornet is on its way back from a mission enforcing a “No Fly Zone” over hostile territory. An aircraft carrier awaits somewhere in the ocean, ready for the pilot’s return. Suddenly a cockpit warning light flares, and a signal pings in the pilot’s helmet speaker. The airplane is low on fuel. The pilot pushes the switch to the microphone: “This is 110 on approach for landing. I … Continue reading The Air Boss

Bend Living Magazine

International Arrivals

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Bend Life Magazine, January/February 2007 An infusion of residents from abroad has long enriched the culture of Central Oregon and helps shape its future. During its transformation from sleepy mill town to cosmopolitan hub, Bend has become home to people across the country. A better-kept secret is that Bend is also home to thousands of foreign-born residents. Central Oregon’s international community is growing by leaps and bounds, and from the perspective of this writer, that is just fine. You see, I am one of those foreign residents, a native of Sweden who discovered Bend nearly three decades … Continue reading International Arrivals

Oregon Business Magazine

A Community Bailout

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Oregon Business Magazine, March 2001 DESCHUTES COUNTY – The Central Oregon business community had high hopes for the Deschutes County Fairgrounds and Expo Center when it was first proposed in 1996. Civic and business leaders lobbied aggressively for passage of a 20-year bond measure to fund the $31 million facility, arguing it would be a profitable venture bringing in thousands of visitors each year. So when word spread that the Fairground and Expo Center was awash in red ink, the business community was concerned. The Fairground Association, which managed the facility and bookings, was $462,000 in the … Continue reading A Community Bailout