▶️ Destination Oregon: Chetco Brewing Company

Oregon is known for it’s craft breweries, but sometimes it’s not just all about the beer. In this week’s Destination Oregon, Dave Jones takes us to Chetco Brewing Company, a brewery on the southern Oregon coast that pairs it’s craft brews with a sense of community and family … for locals and visitors alike.

Join us on Thursdays for new editions of Destination Oregon where Dave Jones takes you to some of the most interesting and beautiful places across our state.

Neighbors Concerned About Future of Platypus Pub Site

The Platypus Pub has been a part of the Bend community for years.

But it soon will be torn down – and residents are concerned about what is being put in its place.

Neighbors have heard that a building with a drive thru will be replacing the Platypus Pub, and they are far from pleased.

Bill Caram from the Orchard District Neighborhood Association says the concern is not about the building coming down…but how a drive thru could be holding back Bend.

“The Orchard District has really bought in on the vision of the Bend Central District, and that’s a vibrant mixed use community with better bike and pedestrian connectivity,” Caram said. “The city adopted a code to bring that vision to life and we believe that by making an exception to that code, by allowing a drive thru, sets a terrible precedent for this area that has so much potential.”

The vision of the Bend Central District is to encourage walkability and make the area surrounding the pub more of a destination, rather than a pass through. And a drive thru may not fit that mold.

According to Donna Burklo of the Bend Central District, “This is one of the last spots we have, if not the last spot, for us to expand the downtown look and feel of Bend. It’s an opportunity that with each of these choices we really need to consider that.”

Other residents are troubled by the historical loss of the Platypus Pub building, which used to be a church and a popular Italian restaurant.

Although it is not on the registry of historic places…many have a strong emotional attachment to the property.

“It is about emotion, it is about your connection to the community,” said Kelly Cannon-Miller from the Deschutes Historical Museum. “You know a building of this kind of character pulls that emotion out of a community and they don’t want to lose that.”

What is being put in place of the Platypus Pub has yet to be confirmed.

Destination Oregon: The Prodigal Son Brewery

Pendleton is probably best-known as the Round-Up cowboy town and some might also call it a “Bud Light” town when it comes to quenching an eastern Oregon thirst, but the times are changing.

For this week’s Destination Oregon, Dave Jones takes us to a brew pub in Pendleton that proves you can go home again.

Thanks to the folks at The Prodigal Son for showing us around and a special thanks to our brand new Destination Oregon sponsor, Bi-Mart, for giving us the time and resources to take you to some of the tastiest and most interesting destinations across our state every Thursday night on Central Oregon Daily.

Destination Oregon: Pelican Brewing Company

Everyone has their favorite place to visit on the Oregon Coast. In this week’s edition of Destination Oregon, Dave Jones takes us to a business on the coast that does it’s best to out-do beauty of it’s location.

Thanks to the folks at Pelican Brewing Company for showing us around and join us every Thursday night for another new edition of Destination Oregon.

Destination Oregon: Immersion Brewing

They say Bend has more microbreweries per-capita than any city in America. One of those craft breweries not only makes beer, but they invite you to come and make your own beer.

That’s all it took for our Dave Jones to grab the Destination Oregon crew and head down to Immersion Brewing, where you can “brew-it-yourself.”

Thanks to the folks at Immersion Brewing for showing us around. Join us every Thursday night for another new edition of Destination Oregon where we take you to some of the most beautiful and interesting locations around our state.

City of Madras Calls for Very Own Craft Brewery

At last count, Central Oregon has 28 craft breweries from Bend to Prineville, but one community has yet to cash-in on one of the fastest growing industries in the region. Now, city leaders of Madras are trying to change that.

Central Oregon Daily’s Austin Reed looks at the efforts of Madras officials to bring a brewery to their city.