(photos: ©2012 Photo by Brian J. Bulemore, ABACUS PHOTOGRAPHY)

Crux Fermentation Project (formerly, "yet to be named brewery" owned an operated by Larry Sidor, Paul Evers and Dave Wilson), located in the old AAMCO Transmission shop, appears to be coming along nicely.

The latest happenings are A) they now have a name (Crux Fermentation Project) and B) they recently raised the grain silos that will house their beer fixin's.

Check out this cool bird's-eye video of the grain silo installation. It'll also give you a better idea of where they're located. This is information you'll need if you want to make it to their grand opening, slated for June (three months!).

Indie, indie, indie! The Horned Hand presents ReVoLt ReVoLt and Jumping Sharks with River Whyless and Petoskey, four vastly different, but equally awesome bands.

Despite their suggestive name, Jumping Sharks are not involved in any Fonzy-style shenanigans, not that we're aware of anyway. They just play psychedelic-indie surf rock. Not big deal. ReVoLt ReVoLt are reviving the alt-rock revolution and embody the grungy, simplistic LOUD garage rock of the early 1990’s. 

River Whyless and Petosky bring powerful leading ladies and generous helpings of vocal harmonies.  Petoskey writes sweet and simple songs with refined lyrics and catchy melodies that have an effortless energy. All the way from Asheville, N.C., River Whyless boasts a lead singer who has a degree in music and a background in classical violin that lends a polished effect to their modern folk indie songs. The band is fresh off their gig at SXSW. Check out this video of them playing in Austin:

The executive director of the Human Dignity Coalition announced yesterday that he will leave the organization.

Bruce Morris, who has led the nonprofit devoted to equality for members of the LGBTQ community since January 2011, said he will leave his position in mid-April to return to his career in law with a firm where he was formerly employed.

“I have been deeply honored to serve this community as HDC’s Executive Director, and am grateful for all the support and encouragement our community showed me and the Human Dignity Coalition during my term,” wrote Morris in an email outlining his decision.

He cited the need "to seek other employment to better provide for my family's increasing needs" as his reason for leaving the position. He added that he will continue to volunteer for the organization.

The coalition is now accepting applications for the executive director position through April 2.

The Sammy Carlson Invitational is coming to Mt. Bachelor on May 19. This is big news in the ski world.

Here's why: Carlson was the first skier ever to land a switch triple flip, a move he stomped at Mt. Hood in July of 2010. And, as reported by ESPN yesterday, his invitational includes such big name slopestyle/freeskiers as Sean Pettit, Alex Schlopy, Kaya Turski, Dane Tudor and more.

We're pumped for this, despite Bachy's new and reduced spring hours—a move that has drawn the ire of skiers, snowboarders, snow-tubers, snowshoers, nordic nerds, dog mushers and most of the rest of Central Oregon's snow enthusiasts.

See Carlson getting rad below—actual footage of his switch triple rodeo 1260:

This last Saturday night, Bend favorites The Ascetic Junkies performed at Tower Theater for the first time... and they brought some friends with them. Opening the show was former Bend resident Sara Jackson-Holman and following her were The Bottlecap Boys. Below is a video of The Bottlecap Boys toward the end of their very fun Avett Brother's style set. They ended up pretty popular with the crowd (even getting a room and board invite from a woman in the audience) and if you watch their animated faces closely, you'll see a bit of why people loved them so much. After you watch the video, you can also check out a photo roll of the entire evening.

Here’s an interesting glimpse into Bend’s drinking habits. According to the Bend Police Department, most St. Patrick’s Day revelers who volunteered to take a breathalyzer test were, contrary to popular opinion, at or below the legal threshold for intoxication (or at least the standard developed by the state for enforcing DUI laws).

Of the nearly 90 party goers who offered to take a demonstration test, just under 20 people measure above .1 on the intoxilyzer (a press release from the Bend PD did not differentiate those who were at .08, the legal limit and those at .09 just above the legal limit for driving).  Nearly half of all voluntary participants tested at .06 or below, though a significant chunk of the population sample (23 people) turned up right in the gray zone, between .07 and .09

Police set up the demonstration booth at the corner of Wall and Oregon and the Wells Fargo parking lot and conducted the tests between 7 pm and 9:30pm.

As an aside, it would have been interesting to see how revelers fared on the test if it had been conducted between the hours of say 11pm and 1 am. We’re guessing maybe, not quite as well.

Boondocks is no mas, at least come the end of the month.

Everyone's favorite place to recreate MTV Spring Break will be closing March 31.

From the "Blackout Party" to the "Showgirls, no cover" events to the multiple spats of violence that culminated in a stabbing a last month, the excitement seems to have been too much for owner Howie Long, who has acknowledged the bar's shady reputation.

Check back soon for more details as we'll try to get Mr. Long on the phone for more info.

The Century Center has a new website (still under construction) so be sure to check the events calendar for upcoming goodness.

Since its opening the Century Center has quickly become a favorite concert venue in Bend. Who wouldn’t like a location with indoor and outdoor stages and a built in brewery? 

They have hosted acts like Everclear, Rubblebucket and were the new home of 2011's Bend Roots Revival Festival.

Yeah, they had that awesome song, "Harden my Heart." Remember? If you need help breaking down the video's complexities, see Mike's previous blog on the subject.

Rindy and Marv Ross, of Quarterflash fame (1980!), are playing tomorrow night, 7pm at The Sound Garden.

And we've got two tickets we want to give to YOU!

Here's how to win the two tickets:

When Redmond leaders announced roughly eight years ago that they landed T-Mobile’s call center and more than 300 jobs with it with a combination of tax breaks, cheap land and labor, it was an economic development coup on par with Prineville’s wooing of Facebook, or at least it seemed like it in the pre-social media age. I recall then-Governor Ted Kulongoski choppering into the Redmond airport for the ceremonial ribbing cutting.

Less than a decade later, and a sea change in the cell phone business, T-Mobile is pulling up stakes in Redmond and several other areas around the country as it seeks to regroup in the cutthroat cell phone world where it has been relegated to an also-ran in the line of U.S. carriers. Earlier this year, AT&T pulled the plug on a deal to merge the two companies after federal regulators scrutinized the deal.

In all T-Mobile is closing 7 of its 24 call centers nationwide and laying off roughly 3,300 full and part time employees, including 363 in Redmond. While T-Mobile assures that it will be hiring many of those associates back in coming months and years when it finishes “restructuring” they won’t be clocking in at Redmond. Those jobs will be added at the remaining call centers, and no doubt, at entry level wages.

Read the city of Redmond’s response here: