The city of Rochester, NY, just as an example, one of the snowiest "big" cities in the country, clears all city sidewalks (878mi) using private contractors after every snowfall of 4"+ using a property tax embellishment fee based on property frontage. It is possible for cities to do this.

Well this is a great way to start the week!

Increasing electric costs? Thank a Big Tech data center.

Another “Kavanaugh Stop”

It was so good to get together with people of all ages for a community tour of new bike infrastructure #inBend on Friday afternoon. We have 60 days to go until Dec 4, 2025 when it will be a full 12 months since the last fatal crash on a public roadway in Bend.

Motion granted. Guard blocked from activation in Portland. Story to come @oregoncapitalchronicle.com

My mother said I had to post this and tag #bikesky and @thewaroncars.bsky.social and @amendez.bsky.social The price we pay to accommodate cars is huge. Literally.

Thought this was going to end with “is a perfect illustration of the need for streets designed for slower speeds.”

This refinery provides 20% of motor fuel in Southern California. And 40% of jet fuel. This one is going to hurt.

"the undersigned U.S. District Judge hereby recuses himself." Recusing yourself because you are married to a Democratic officeholder is dumb and a bad precedent. Will judges next be expected to recuse because they were appointed by someone other than Trump? www.lawdork.com/p/dojs-recus...

nice to remember sometimes Minneapolis just builds really nice bike infrastructure that goes totally under the radar because we've normalized it. say hello to the new E. 24th Street through Phillips.

This is the kind of stuff we need to be building locally. We need a sea of green, not gray!

Jane Goodall made me want to quit my job in my 20s and pursue a career in conservation. May her legacy live on in how we care for the environment and each other.

“Once the hearings officer makes a decision, it can be appealed to the Portland City Council by any interested party.” Would love to see how ICE fares in front of the Portland City Council if it gets that far. www.portland.gov/mayor/keith-...

Took me until this post to realize that @oregondot.bsky.social is a parody account of the Oregon Department of Transportation. Maybe someday the agency will make it harder to tell!

Trump asking soldiers to illegally attack civilians: “…and she starts spitting on his face, and he’s not allowed to do anything. If it’s OK with you, generals and admirals, I’ve taken that off. I say, they spit, we hit. Is that OK? They spit… it’s the new thing. They spit, we hit.” 1/2

There was applause for Gen. Dan Caine, and silence for Secretary Hegseth and President Trump. So much silence that Trump admonished them to just be loose and have a good time. Want to guess how long military leaders had to sit there listening? 2.5 HOURS.

It's odd that public comment period for Deschutes County is called "citizen input." Are they verifying citizenship status? Do you have to bring a passport or a birth certificate to give public comment? Are non-citizens allowed to speak? Or is that a separate comment process? So many questions.

ICE Nazis in Chicago tried to kidnap a food delivery worker but my man was too fast for those slow bastards

Nobody wants to see troops used this way (and I'd wager the troops don't want it, either!). Nice to see this signatory list isn't 100% Democrats, but more Republicans are welcome to join!

Mom (reading a card at the breakfast table): "What is something you are especially good at?" 11 y.o.: "Gaslighting." Mom: "What?? Gaslighting???!" 11 y.o.: "I didn't say that."

Listen to Molly

Love to see businesses adding more bike parking. Thank you Newport Market!

I am once again asking @zohrankmamdani.bsky.social to come on The War on Cars podcast to talk about his transportation, public space, and climate policies.

Starting Wednesday, Oregon cities can legalize the one on the right 😃 But it'll be a walk-up! 🙁 U.S. elevators are oversized & overpriced, so developers avoid them. To get age-friendly cities, the state should allow: • the one on the left • 5'x5' "wheelchair+1" elevators 🛗

Check out that Car Free bingo card! 👀 #CarFreeChallenge

People changing parties does not happen very often. What does change is whether people decide to vote or stay home. If you know someone from the other party and you want to keep your relationship going that’s great. But elections are won on turnout.

Great read on the challenges—and opportunities—facing transit right now. Everywhere is different, but the issues are all familiar.

In public meetings on transport I ask how many people have parents and/or grandparents who should not be driving but are still driving and it is almost always a majority of people.

If you've ever had to care for an aging family member (or watch family members do so), it's pretty crazy to see how true this is & how engrained it is that part of getting old is losing virtually all of your independence.

"An 83-year-old Bend man was cited for reckless driving Friday morning after crossing the double-yellow line..." People don't want to give up driving because we've made driving a prerequisite to participating in society. This is why investing in transit, walking, biking and rolling are important.

Some people have incorrectly explained what is happening as a symptom of capitalism and corporate drive for profit. But that’s not new! What is new is the erosion of the rule of law and how that changes the profit calculation.

Went to cancel Disney+ for giving in to authoritarianism and found it was already canceled! My wife is often ahead of the game ❤️

If there's one piece of research that came out in the last year that I think all housers should read, it is probably this brief. *Affordable AND available* and the need for more income-restricted *deeply* affordable housing for those most vulnerable to housing instability, eviction, & homelessness.

City Council heard from a crossing guard at Bear Creek Elementary that in 2020 he saw an 15 kids on avg walking or biking to school. Today they are up to 75 and talking about needing a bigger bike rack. Every one of those kids arrives more ready to learn. This is what progress looks like!

The problem with Klein's take here is that his conception of the "right way" to practice politics is so thin that it is basically just "Kirk wasn't personally practicing political violence." No, that's the bare minimum!

If you want to know where a candidate or officeholder’s values truly lie, ask them, “What are you willing to lose an election over?” Sunset Dunes is a tremendous accomplishment.

Not a single Republican will support a bill that was slimmed down in response to Republican input? Do they really think people in their districts want unplowed roads, crumbling bridges, and worse transit?

"...this is about trying to meet people’s needs... whether it’s trying to park, or businesses concerned about their customers accessing them. This is a creative way to try to meet those needs.” Parking districts are a good idea. bendbulletin.com/2025/09/15/b...

I also recommend these monthly recaps by City Council that are equally as important and brief. This one featuring everyone's favorite @amendez.bsky.social youtu.be/NAZfZRayvOY

We take our clean water very seriously here in Bend. That includes our responsibility to discharge wastewater that meets high cleanliness standards. I think we should continue to meet those high standards that we set locally, and I hope a post-Trump EPA comes back with high standards that match.

Welcome Week Culture Jam capped off with a fashion show showcasing traditional and contemporary attire from around the world, some made by themself or a family member. So great. Thank you to all the organizers and participants! More events coming up! www.bendoregon.gov/events/welco...

Maybe it depends on whether you like freedom, wealth, and having a say in your government.

This sort of hateful rhetoric is a prelude to violence: *Kirk died at a university-organized event, part of a tour of campuses, addressing thousands of students. *Shooter was not a student, and not radicalized during his one semester of engineering courses donmoynihan.substack.com/p/the-worst-...

New #cargobike spotted at Caldera HS from Trek. Looks nice!

Asana Yoga with Jessica this morning was a great way to kick off to City of Bend's Welcoming Week! Learn more here. So many great events to choose from! www.bendoregon.gov/events/welco...

Sure hope that @jerusalem.bsky.social changes her mind about why it is worth staying on X (insisting on calling it "Twitter" doesn't change anything). You help this stuff by staying. Simple as that.

"Right now, we’re in the muddy middle where our community can’t yet see and feel these benefits." Nailed it. It's a risky time and a lot is riding on the success of these transportation projects.

Today on the 24th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, I'm thinking about the people who ran towards the danger to help anyone they could. Actions like that make you heroes not because you weighed risks, but because you didn't.

Some people seem fine with building as many of these in Bend as possible. But the problem isn’t “too many bottlenecks,” it’s too many cars. We will never fix congestion with bigger roundabouts. This is why everything that reduces those peak hour solo driving trips is good!