Yes, "late edition" since it's late Friday night so I've already missed listing one-third of the stuff going on this weekend. And, remember I posted a big Halloween Happenings list the other day, so I won't be reiterating that stuff here, just the non-Halloween stuff.

(As an addendum to the Halloween Happenings, The Source's calendar has a bunch of Halloween things on it that I didn't list.)

Saturday

• Goodbye Dyna and Warm Gadget are playing at Silver Moon Brewing at 9pm. Rock music, cover is $5.
• The Moon Mountain Ramblers are playing across the street at the Domino Room at 9pm also. Tickets are $7.
• Necktie Killer, Tuck and Roll, and Danger Death Ray are playing a free show at the Black Horse Saloon at 9pm.

Sunday

• There's a Dia de los Muertos Festival at the Domino Room, starting at 4pm. "Admission and dinner on sliding scale starting at $5. Celebrate the holiday and support a great cause with traditional food, fellowship, mole cook-off, raffle and more. Call Greg at 617-3879 for info." (via The Source)

Looking for something to do on Halloween? There's a ton going on, both on the 31st and the days before as well. Here's the list:

General

• The Deschutes County Fairgrounds is hosting their "ScareGrounds" featuring "The Haunt at Juniper Hollow" and "Dark Intentions" running on a number of days this month, including the 28th through the 31st. You'll need to buy tickets and they recommend children to be ages 12 and up (though not required).
• Don't forget you can catch a showing of Evil Dead: The Musical at the 2nd Street Theater right up until the 31st—when they will present a midnight show, "Rocky Horror" style.

Thursday

• Bouncing off the Wall is having a Halloween party Thursday (the 29th). Unfortunately I don't have any other details but you can always call them at 306-6587.

Friday

• There's a Family Halloween Party at the Athletic Club of Bend Friday night (the 30th), from 6 until 8:30pm. It's taking place at the basketball court, and you'll need to RSVP at the front desk. (Thanks, Jen!)
• Person People is playing at the Domino Room Friday night; while not explicitly a Halloween event, it's "Mischief Night" and people are encouraged to wear costumes. The show starts at 8pm and costs $10.
• Deschutes Brewery is having their Halloween Fresh Hop Beer Tasting on Friday the 30th. They will be pouring at least six fresh hop beers and costumes are encouraged. $40 per person, starting at 6pm at the Mountain Room. Call 385-8606 to get in.
  
• The Monster Ball is taking place at the Old Stone Church Friday night (the 30th), starting at 8pm and lasting until whenever. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door; with lots of live music and a costume contest with prizes for the funniest, scariest, and naughtiest costumes, this is sure to be a wild party.

Saturday

• The Old Mill District is hosting a Halloween Party from 2-6p. There will be trick-or-treat for candy, healthy snacks and toys in each of the Old Mill District stores. Crafts will be hosted in Central Plaza (by the footbridge) by Arts Central and will include treat bag decorating, pumpkin painting, spooky sensory boxes and more. There will also be wagon rides as well as a special one-day reopening of Working Wonders Children's Museum. (Thanks, Cassondra!)
• CAT6 is having their party from noon on the 31st until 2am: "Spend this Halloween with your friends at CAT6. We’ll be running contests and mini-tournaments for prizes. Wear a video-game related costume and get a free candy! Best costume wins a 1-Year Family Membership to the lounge!!"
• Halloween is Carnivore Day at the High Desert Museum: "See our meat-eating animals enjoy special treats and other activities throughout the day."
• The Bend Factory Stores (AKA the Factory Outlets) are having their First Annual Halloween Festival from 10am until 4pm, with Trick-or-Treating among 21 of the Mall's stores from 4 to 8pm: "The Halloween Festival will feature Bouncy Houses, Face Painting, Balloon Creations, & Delicious Food! Entrance to the event is FREE and includes a Treasure Hunt for the first 100 kids with Prizes and Goody Bags. Make sure to arrive in the morning if you want to participate in the Treasure Hunt."
• The Tower Theatre is presenting a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show Halloween night. $10, all ages, doors open at 9pm, costume judging (of course!) is at 9:30, and the film starts at 10.
• The Run Like Hell! Half Marathon starts in the morning at 8:30pm. It's a fundraiser and for Halloween is featuring a costume contest and an afterparty at Deschutes Brewery.
• The (new) Maragas Tap Room is featuring a Halloween Beatnik Bash from 3pm until 10, featuring live music with no cover charge. Beer on tap is $2.50, and wine on tap is $4, $5, and $6.
• Cascade Village (the shopping center at the north end of Bend) is featuring Trick-or-Treating from 5 to 7pm Halloween night.
• Kids can Trick-or-Treat at the Bend Police Department and get a Halloween goodie bag between 5 and 8pm.
• McMenamins Old St. Francis School is having their Halloween Party in the Theater, featuring the Empty Space Orchestra and MC Mosley Wotta. It starts at 9pm and is 21 and over.
• McMenamins is also having a DJ'd Costume Dance Party in Father Luke's Room, starting at 9pm—also 21 and over.
• Seven Nightclub is celebrating their first birthday with "Flesh for Fantasy: A Halloween Experience." It starts at 6:30pm, and yes, I'm guessing it will be exactly as the name sounds...

Have I missed anything?

Halloween is this Saturday (already!) and I'm putting together a list of Halloween events going on around town to be posted later in the week. You know, if you need something to do.

But! If there's something going on I (possibly/probably) don't know about, you need to tell me. Let me know here in the comments or via the contact form, and it'll make the list.

Couple of email dispatches from the Deschutes County offices:

First, the County has a new draft of the "Comprehensive Plan" that they're offering open houses over the next couple of months for residents to offer feedback on. What is it?

The Comprehensive Plan is a blueprint of how and where growth and development occur and natural resources are protected in the unincorporated areas of the County for the next 20 years. The draft Plan is based on public input received over the past year, changes to state law, coordination with other agencies and organizations and analysis of current conditions and trends.

It's the first time a new draft has been prepared since 1979. This type of thing sounds like it could be rife with controversy.

Here's their schedule of public meetings:

• 10-27-09 Brothers - Brothers School 6-8 p.m.
• 10-28-09 Redmond - Redmond Fire Station 6-8 p.m.
• 11-10-09 La Pine - Mid-State Electric Building 6-8 p.m.
• 11-30-09 Sunriver - Three Rivers School 6-8 p.m.
• 12-7-09 Bend - Deschutes County Services Center  6-8 p.m.
• 12-9-09 Sisters - Sisters Library 6-8 p.m.

Next, the Cascade Lakes Highway is being closed tomorrow, the 27th, at 9am. The weather's moving in, folks. They're talking about snow in the weather reports.

Let's see what's going on around town this weekend.

Friday

• Matt Hopper and Eric Tollefson are playing at Silver Moon Brewing tonight, starting at 9pm. Folk/rock music with a $5 cover.

Saturday

• The High Desert Museum is featuring Civil War in the High Desert: "Experience life in the 1860s through Living History with military drills, authentic cooking, and when they aren’t gambling, they will try to recruit you. Dutch oven cooking demonstrations and churning butter as well!" It runs from 11 until 3.
• The Blacksmith is hosting another Mixology class, with bartender/mixologist Columbine Quillen. It starts at 2pm. Cost is $25, 21 and older (obviously). You'll need to reserve a space: call 318-0588.
• Larry and His Flask is playing at Silver Moon Brewing at 9pm. Acoustic punk enjoyment for a $3 to $4 cover.
• Poor Mans Whiskey is hitting the Domino Room at 9pm and performing their "Dark Side of the Moonshine"—their own interpretation of the Pink Floyd "Dark Side of the Moon" album. Pick up tickets at Ranch Records in advance for $15, or $20 at the door.

Sunday

• The Civil War in the High Desert continues at the High Desert Museum, 11 to 3.
• Silver Moon Brewing has a special show Sunday night starting at 7pm (not 9 like usual): Jail Weddings, a 10 piece soul/retro group. Cover is $5.

Over on his Source Weekly blog, Bob Woodward (who should rightly be Bend's official historian) posts an interesting piece of Bend history: a summary of the life of George Putnam, an early Bulletin publisher and mayor of Bend, who married Amelia Earnhart.

As Mayor he approved the laying of Bend's first sewer lines. As majority owner of The Bulletin, he turned it from a weekly into a daily paper.

Putnam's marriage to Earhart was a much publicized event, and according to books on her life was, a very modern "open" marriage. Open or not, Putnam was a big supporter of Earhart’s career and a major financial backer of her various flights leading up to her final flight in 1937.

As to their life in Bend, Putnam and Earhart set up residence at 606 NW Congress Street. The house still stands.

Neat. I'd love to see more interesting history from Woodward.

On the Go-Go has a nice writeup on Bend's growing "street food" scene—AKA food carts like hot dog stands and the like. King Weenie gets a mention, and Soupçon and Spork get several paragraphs. I had no idea street food could be so gourmet.

Soupçon’s daily lunch offerings change with the season. Current selections include curried pumpkin soup with coconut, chickpeas, and fresh basil, exotic mushroom and pearl barley with dried tomato gremolata, and Creamy Red Potato/Bacon/Corn Chowder with scallions and smoked paprika.

Spork’s offerings include Vietnamese caramel chicken served with a mint-sprout salad and extra fine jasmine rice, Korean BBQ pork belly tacos topped with house kimchi slaw, Thai style grilled Vegetable coconut green curry with fresh herbs, a bit of heat, and rice and crispy egg-leek salad with a lemon garlic thyme vinaigrette.

There's also a mention of Blacksmith's Gavin McMichael's latest plan, "The Street": a "centralized location for vendors in collaboration with several other food vendors in and around town". Located next to the Blacksmith, of course.

(Doesn't the whole street food vendor concept work best when it's decentralized? You know, spread out? Isn't that more convenient to people over a wider area?)

Good news for you beer lovers out there: Deschutes Brewery is having their Abyss release party on Tuesday, November 3rd, starting at 5:30pm. They posted on their Facebook fan page:

The wait is almost over. The Abyss 2009 release party at the Bend pub will be on Tuesday, November 3rd, at 5:30 PM. This will be your chance to purchase the first bottle of the season, try a three year vertical tasting and purchase the new t-shirt.

If you're wondering, a "vertical tasting" is where they take several different vintages of the same beer and taste them side-by-side. Most likely they will be doing the tastings based on the 2007, 2008, and 2009 (this year's) vintages of The Abyss.

We've got a slower weekend this time around, with only a few things going on (and nothing on Sunday)—at least, going off the calendar. And of course if you're stretched for things to do, there's always the Free Fall Guide to give you ideas.

Anything else going on this weekend? Tell us about it in the comments!

Friday

• Tracorum and Shayna and the Bulldog are playing live at Silver Moon Brewery at 9pm. This is Americana/rock music for a $5 cover.

Saturday

• From 12 noon until 4pm, it's the Northwest Crossing Harvest Fest: lots of kids' activities including a scavenger hunt and a free bouncy house; live music; and the "Produce Patch Harvest Bounty Booth."
• From 7pm until 10 at the Decoy Bar and Grill downtown, they will be hosting free live jazz. This is their first foray into live music, and free is a tough price to beat.
• Eric Tollefson and James Orr are bringing acoustic and blues music to Silver Moon at 9pm. Cover is $5.

I've been hearing apocryphal accounts lately of how rampant swine flu is here in Central Oregon, and while not disbelieving them, it's hard to point out any hard figures—'til now. The Source has a blog post today on this very topic.

The swine flu situation in Deschutes County is more serious than the local news media so far have reported, judging by an e-mail County Communicable Disease Manager Shannon Dames sent to health care professionals today.

Under the subject line “H1N1 Cases are way up!” Dames’s e-mail states:

“I am sure this is not news to you, given what you are seeing in your own clinics, but to be sure we are all in the loop:

• Schools are seeing higher absentee rates - some up to 25%
• The Bend and Redmond emergency rooms are packed - 44 ILI [influenza-like illness] admissions in two days early this week, and 22 positive results [for H1N1 flu] from the State lab.
• We are getting reports that staffing [has] become a concern at some of our medical locations with people having to leave due to onset of ILI.”

There's also not much vaccine to be had: there's "some out there" but right now it's a waiting game.

However, so as not to inflame any fears needlessly, let's review this post I made back in April:

Illness caused by this new strain of flu has the same symptoms as other strains of flu including fever, lack of energy and appetite, coughing, runny nose, sore throat, and can include nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Those who have had swine flu in the United States have experienced mild illness, and have recovered. US hospitals have not reported an increase in serious respiratory illness. All cases were detected through routine surveillance for seasonal influenza.

I highlighted the "recovered" portion there, but obviously there have been some swine flu-related deaths that are owed more to extra circumstances than just getting the flu. From all accounts, H1N1 is a milder form of the "regular" influenza outbreaks that happen every year. So if you get swine flu, you'll be sick for a few days and (most likely) be just fine.

The number one thing you can do to prevent catching it? Wash your hands regularly.

Bend Memorial Clinic (BMC) will be relocating their existing Redmond services currently located at 1541 NE Canal Blvd to a new expanded location projected to open in March 2010. The new building is located at 865 SW Veterans Way approximately four blocks west of Highway 97 near Fred Meyer in Redmond.

Read full press release

Looks like there's been a very recent Streetview update for Bend in Google Maps—and I mean very recent, as in within the past week or two at most. Previously they only had the blue "Streetview routes" (in blue) on Highways 97 and 20. Take a look now:

And when you look at the Streetview pictures, it's obvious they were taken in the Fall—leaves on the trees are turned and the weather looks like, well, like it has been lately. And, you can view the schedule on the Tower Theatre's sign to see October events highlighted—notably BendFilm. So it's fairly obvious the Google Car has been through Bend and that Google does fast updates to their system.

Two questions: is the Google Car still driving around Bend, getting Streetview pictures? And, did anyone see it?

Update: Apparently I'm wrong and these images are from last year; the anonymous comment below and over on Jake's post point out the correct dates and better research. Still, it's nice to see more coverage coming to Central Oregon and hopefully there will be more updates soon.

Don't forget, the third Ignite Bend is coming up this Wednesday, the 14th! It's at the Tower Theatre, starting at 7pm (doors open at 6:30), and admission as always is free. However, seating can be limited so it's a good idea to get advance tickets if you're going. And a $3 donation would be greatly appreciated.

Doors will open at 6:30pm. Anyone holding advance tickets will be admitted immediately. We’re requesting a $3 donation – anyone that donates any amount will receive a raffle ticket. Kousefly will be warming up the crowd with some tunes. Twist Cocktail Catering will be selling adult beverages. After some brief announcements at 7pm the first round of presentations will begin.

Volcano Vineyards posted on their blog today that their new Tasting Lounge is open:

Right this second Scott is at the OLCC office picking up our new license, so we should be open today at 126 NW Minnesota (between Wall and Bond) by 3 pm! Woohoo! The next two weeks we will be in “soft opening” mode, meaning we won’t have the full food menu (if any food at all) just yet, and the hours will be erratic, as we complete the move and iron out the new set up.

No Grand Opening announced as yet, and one other bit of news: no minors allowed anymore. (Minors used to be allowed into their tasting room on Brooks.)

Another weekend is upon us already and there's a few things going on. The biggest and most obvious is the BendFilm Festival, which started yesterday, and packs a ton of movies, short films, parties and more into four busy days (concluding on Sunday).

Other stuff going on:

Friday

• Silver Moon Brewing has Tom Catmull and the Clerics playing tonight at 9pm, bringing Americana music to the brewpub. Cover is $5.

Saturday

• The Central Oregon Trail Alliance is having their Biketoberfest Trail Work Party, from 9 to 2pm, with an after party from 2 until 6 at the Wanoga Complex parking lot. Additional info:

  We will meet at the Park and ride(Colorado & Simpson) by 9 a.m.,then divide into work parties. Food and beverage will be provided to all volunteers at the BBQ.
  
  Remember to bring plenty of water, safety glasses, gloves, sturdy shoes, sunscreen and lots of friends.

• The Original Central Oregon Pumpkin Festival kicks off from 10 until 4 out at Tillicum Ranch (off Couch Market road west of Bend towards Sisters). Pumpkins to pick, hay rides, live entertainment, a haunted barn, lots of kids activities, food. (No dogs allowed.) Kids activities cost money (not much), adults are free.
• At two o'clock there is a Mixology Class with Columbine Quillen at The Blacksmith. The cost is $25 and you'll need to call 318-0588 for reservations.
• Silver Moon hosts Planet Loop and Thumbrprint Collective at 9pm. World/jazz/electronica music for a $5 cover.

Sunday

• The Janks and AM Interstate are playing at Silver Moon at 9pm. Indie rock music for a $7 cover.

It's not very glamorous, but next month from October 31st until November 15th, all yard debris disposal fees at Knott Landfill are half off, part of the FireFree awareness to create/maintain a wildfire-defensible space around homes and businesses. Since it's fall cleanup time (dead leaves, pine needles, branches, etc.) it makes sense to take advantage of the reduced fees.

The hours of the Recycling Center out at Knott Landfill are 7am to 4:30pm, seven days a week.

There's been something of a "local economy" movement floating around lately ("make local habit" is the prominent phrase I keep seeing) and now there's a local coupon book that is embracing that philosophy. It's called Living Local: A Community Coupon Book for Central Oregon, and has been out since May of this year.

It's a $20 purchase, and funds partially benefit the Waldorf School of Bend. Here's what they say about it:

2000 copies of LIVING LOCAL were printed Spring 2009, with a distribution premiere at the Waldorf School of Bend’s May Fair Festival, May 2, 2009. Books will be available for purchase ($20, tax deductible) from many local outlets; check www.livinglocalbook.org for all locations including Camalli Book Company, VisitBend, and Tower Theatre Box Office. Participating businesses were charged NO FEES to participate in this project so that more local businesses could participate in this community-building project. Also, current LL Book vendors are not receiving any book profits. Thus, all of the project's proceeds come directly from book sales and support the local non-profit school and support the community!

For this first edition, coupons will not expire until November 2010 so that participants may use and enjoy its offers for a full 1½ years. Printed locally on FSC paper. Future editions in coming years are expected to surpass 5000 copies. We plan to publish annually in Fall after 2010 as a perpetual income source for the school and community at large.

They've assembled an impressive list of local participants but to be fair, I don't know what kind of savings the coupon book represents; some sort of preview would be nice.

Has anyone seen this book around town?

I keep seeing updates on Twitter but it finally sunk in that BendFilm is just around the corner—as in, two days around the corner. (Maybe because it's been less hyped this year?)

From the 8th through the 11th (Thursday through Sunday), this independent film festival grips Bend with a ton of feature length and short films, documentaries and special events that will leave any movie buff satisfied. (Or so I understand.) Movies will be showing at the Tower Theatre, McMenamins Old St. Francis School, two "Regal" screens (at the Old Mill), and the Sisters Movie House.

Of course, the parties are what it's all about. Should make for an interesting few days.

So there's now a Hack Bend Facebook group set up and I'll be honest, my Facebook knowledge is limited so I don't entirely know what I'm doing with it (like, is the group page better, or would a fan page be the way to go? What's the difference exactly?). But since I've been using other services it was time for Facebook integration.

Events would be a nice thing to include on the page—ideally I'd like to be able to import events from the Google Calender rather than having to re-create them manually on Facebook (duplicating the work).

If I need to create a fan page instead of (or along with) the group, let me know.

Monday, October 5th (tomorrow... or "today" if you reading this Monday morning) is "ODS Free Seniors Day at the High Desert Museum": People aged 60 and older will have free admission all day. (Actually, the website says 65, but the email I received says 60—call first.)

In addition to the free admission, they are offering "special wildlife encounters, Living History performances and animal keeper talks", which sounds like business as usual—though I suspect these will be stepped up for the day.

And it's not entirely related, an additional note was attached to the email as well:

Also, the High Desert Museum will honor Working Wonders Children's Museum Golden Tickets through their expiration date and punchcards through March 2010 for free admission to the High Desert Museum.

The first weekend of October, and the cold weather is on us; I think I even heard some forecast mention snow, though I very much have my doubts about that.

Friday

• It's First Friday, which means the art galleries and shops downtown, in the Old Mill District, and in Northwest Crossing are all open later hours (5pm until 9pm), often offering up refreshments and live music as well. But wait! It's also the twice-a-year Art Hop! It's basically more of the same, only amped up.
• There's also a shuttle service going on during First Friday/Art Hop:

  Catch the free shuttle driven by Bend's own John Flannery of Green Energy Transport to take you from downtown Bend to the Old Mill District and Northwest Crossing to celebrate wine, art & music all over Bend. The shuttle runs from 5:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. and leaves from 900 Wall St. beginning at 5 p.m. The loop is about an hour and is free for riders.

  (Picked that tidbit up from Visit Bend.)

Saturday

• The Bend Fall Festival starts today. Like the other seasonal 'fests, downtown streets will be closed and there will be artists and vendors set up and selling their wares, free live music across several stages, food, beer, and wine, and more.
• The Deschutes Public Library is having their quarterly Friends of the Library Book Sale, in the Administration building from 10am until 4pm. You know I always recommend this—I loves me some cheap books!
• At Silver Moon Brewing starting at 9pm, Longbottom Leaf is bringing their acoustic music to Bend from Ashland, and the cover is only $3.

Sunday

• The Bend Fall Festival continues.

The topic of chili came up at work today (why not? It's perfect chili weather), and it was mentioned that Pilot Butte Drive-in has good chili and cornbread on their menu. Which naturally got me to wondering, what restaurant in Bend has the best chili?

For that matter, what restaurants have chili regularly on their menu? Besides Pilot Butte, I see that Black Bear Diner has chili on their lunch menu (along with a chili burger). A quick search online also reveals:

• The D&D Bar and Grill: Ah yes, of course the D would have chili.
• Baldy's BBQ
• ...and Wendy's of course, if you want to count them.

Who else in town is serving up chili? I want to hear about them, and I want to know who's the best. Sound off in the comments!