Month: March 2017

Bend Chamber of Commerce

What’s Brewing – Bend’s UGB Moving Forward

Tor Hanson

Originally published in the Bend Chamber Business Edition – March 17, 2017 The expansion of the urban growth boundary was the easy part. Now comes the hard work, figuring out how to build and pay for the expansion. Bend Chamber’s What’s Brewing delved into the many challenges ahead of the city, developers and Bend citizens when it comes to living up to the promises made in the UGB planning document. Moderated by Bend Chamber EVP of Community Affairs, Jamie Christman, the topic of the evening was Bend’s UGB – Moving Forward. The expert panel included City Planning Manager, Brian Rankin, … Continue reading What’s Brewing – Bend’s UGB Moving Forward

Bend Chamber of Commerce

Local Liquids: Bend’s Beer Scene

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Bend Business and Lifestyle Magazine – 2017 Craft brew has been flowing in Bend and Central Oregon since 1988 when Gary Fish’s Deschutes Brewery started production in a small brewpub on Wall Street. Twenty-nine years later, Bend holds the title for the most breweries per capita in Oregon. There are 22 in town, another eight outside the city limits, and more are on tap. Bend’s beer craze started with the establishment of Deschutes Brewing in 1988 and Bend Brewing Company in 1995. Also worth mentioning is Cascade Lakes Brewing in Redmond that premiered in 1994. The fledgling … Continue reading Local Liquids: Bend’s Beer Scene

Bend Chamber of Commerce

Sheriff L. Shane Nelson – A Bend Story

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Bend Business and Lifestyle Magazine – 2017 L. Shane Nelson is the new sheriff in town. Elected in November 2016, he and his 229 employees – of whom 174 are sworn deputies – provide safety and security for one of Oregon’s largest and most diversified regions. As Bend and its surroundings approach new population highs, the Sheriff’s Office is accepting the challenges head on. Deschutes County recently celebrated its 100-year anniversary. The Sheriff’s Office is equally old. Nelson is the county’s ninth sheriff, with Sheriff Samuel E. Roberts the first to hold office in Bend. The position … Continue reading Sheriff L. Shane Nelson – A Bend Story

Bend Chamber of Commerce

Cannabis Industry: Vertically Integrated

Tor Hanson

Originally published in Bend Business and Lifestyle Magazine – 2017 Central Oregon’s marijuana industry is in full bloom. The measure to legalize pot in Oregon three years ago has made pot shops a part of the retail landscape in downtown Bend and surrounding cities. And Oregrown is the first retail marijuana outlet on Bend’s storied Wall Street. Chicago transplants and childhood friends Aviv Hadar and Hunter Neubauer are co-owners of Oregrown. In keeping with Oregon’s craft ethos, the two founders proudly highlight the company’s adherence to the farm-to-table movement. Their organic products are grown locally only miles from the downtown … Continue reading Cannabis Industry: Vertically Integrated

Bend Chamber of Commerce

The Price of Expansion

Tor Hanson

Originally published in the Bend Business Journal – February 2017 The City of Bend’s latest Urban Growth Boundary (UGB) expansion, with the addition of 2,380 acres into the city boundary has at last been approved. Now we have to tackle how we will implement this expansion. After all, Bend is expected to accommodate 116,000 citizens by 2028. The logistic and financial realities of constructing the infrastructure that allows development to occur are significant, and fast becoming a challenge. Bend’s new UGB additions are divided into two general categories, expansion and opportunity. “Expansion areas are for the most part located in … Continue reading The Price of Expansion