Joni Auden Land
Joni Auden Land reports on Bend and Central Oregon. They cover several different beats, all tied together by an obsession for accountability and government transparency. They previously reported for the Idaho Statesman and the Albuquerque Journal. Joni grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and graduated from the University of New Mexico. Send your tips, questions and neighborly greetings to jal@opb.org.
Latest Stories
Oregon housing package leaves existing shelters at risk of closure
Gov. Kotek's new housing package will only apply to new shelter spaces. Cities say they can't singlehandedly foot the bill.
Central Oregon governments butt heads, with fate of shelter projects in the balance
The animosity between the Bend City Council and Deschutes County Commission reached a boiling point last week. Caught in the middle are hundreds of unhoused people seeking shelter.
What Bend’s anti-camping code means for people experiencing homelessness
For the first time, Bend will impose restrictions on where, when and for how long people can camp on city property.
Deschutes commissioner urges Bend officials to delay camp sweep
Commissioner Phil Chang said there isn't a new site ready for the almost 100 people living on Hunnell Road.
Anti-LGBTQ activism goes unchallenged at the top of Crook County schools
Emails obtained through a public records request show how Crook County Schools Superintendent Sara Johnson spent months talking with a conservative activist last year. Their back-and-forth raises questions about how religious and political ideologies can influence decision-makers in a largely conservative, rural school district.
Bend City Council sends fire levy to May ballot
The Bend Fire Chief said calls for service have increased by 60% in the past eight years, a sign of the city's rapid population growth.
Tribes seek input as Central Oregon development promises to use less water
The proposed Thornburgh resort, located just southwest of Redmond, has been tied up in litigation for nearly two decades, with opponents arguing it could negatively affect water supplies and wildlife in the surrounding area.
As a Central Oregon county struggles with extreme drought conditions, officials declare an emergency
Crook County is the only one in Oregon still experiencing "exceptional drought" conditions.
Bend City Council appoints new councilor with real estate connections
Megan Norris is the third councilor appointed to the body in seven months
‘This joyful time of light’: Oregon’s Orthodox Christians celebrate Theophany
During the celebration, priests will sprinkle congregants with holy water using long branches.