Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Observer. (La Grande, Or.) 1968-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2021)
2B — THE OBSERVER & BAKER CITY HERALD BUSINESS & AG LIFE THURSDAY, APRIL 1, 2021 Bend Blockbuster booming after Netfl ix documentary goes viral By KYLE SPURR The Bulletin BEND — The Block- buster video rental store in Bend already was pop- ular when it became the last location on Earth. It drew visitors from across the United States and as far as Taiwan and London. But in the past two weeks, the store off North- east Third Street has been fl ooded with even more vis- itors and online orders after Netfl ix boosted its visibility. It was featured in “The Last Blockbuster,” a documen- tary about the store that started trending in the top 10 most watched movies on Netfl ix. People have sent fl owers and called the store just to say thank you for staying open. Those visiting the store wear masks and keep their distance due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but are not deterred from fi nding a movie to rent. In the backroom, staff members have been busy packaging thousands of online orders for Block- buster T-shirts, hats and face masks, which are all made by Bend businesses. “It’s a little bit crazy, but it’s a very good thing,” said Bend Blockbuster Manager Sandi Harding. “We’ll take a little crazy if it means keeping the store open.” Harding is the star of the movie, which peaked as high as the No. 4 movie Dean Guernsey/Bend Bulletin Milt McConnell of Bend takes a picture of Mark Style of Philadelphia and Ilene Style of Bend in front of the Bend Blockbuster on Monday, March 29, 2021. Dean Guernsey/Bend Bulletin Lynne Zuckerman (left) and Carolyn Costa of Redmond shop for movies at the Bend Blockbuster on Monday, March 29, 2021. in the United States since it appeared March 15 on Netfl ix. People have stopped Harding in the grocery store to take pictures with her and one boy visited the Bend Blockbuster and was in awe of seeing Harding, she said. “It’s good for the store. It’s good for the commu- nity,” Harding said. “And I can learn to live with my newfound fame as long as it doesn’t mess with what we are doing every day.” The two Bend fi lm- makers behind the docu- mentary, Taylor Morden and Zeke Kamm, had no idea if the store would stay open when they started fi lming in 2017. The movie focuses on Harding’s day- to-day eff ort to run the store, which became the last in the world when the Blockbuster in Perth, Aus- tralia, closed in March 2019. Morden said he’s heard from people who call Harding a national trea- sure and say the store must remain open at all costs. He’s pleased to know the fi lm’s attention on Net- fl ix may be what keeps the store open. “For us to have some small part in helping the store stay open is amazing,” Morden said. “Not a lot of documentaries actually accomplish the goal of their story.” The Bend Blockbuster has no plans to close. It has a steady lease agreement with the building’s prop- erty owner. The owners of the local Blockbuster, Ken and Debbie Tisher, have leased the property since 1992, when it was a Pacifi c Video store. The store was franchised in 2000 and became a Blockbuster. In its heyday, Block- buster had 9,000 stores. The documentary reminds people about those years when Blockbuster was the leader in home entertainment. Morden said many viewers enjoy the irony of watching the documentary on Netfl ix, the streaming service credited with changing the way people watch movies at home and leading to the demise of Blockbuster. The fi lm has also brought viewers to tears, especially those who have fond memories of working at a Blockbuster in their childhood, Morden said. “The best part is the people who message us and say they worked at Blockbuster and were crying watching the movie,” Morden said. “It brought back so many great memories.” Morden and Kamm are still amazed their movie has gone viral on Netfl ix, staying in the top 10 for two weeks. Kamm said he’s heard from old high school classmates and a childhood crush, who all enjoyed the fi lm. “It’s aff ected people emotionally,” Kamm said. “I think it reminded people that we had this thing that was such an important part of our lives. Hopefully it reminds people to appre- ciate the things they have now.” Both fi lmmakers feel connected with the Bend Blockbuster, even though they are done fi lming their movie. They con- tact Harding regularly to fi nd out if she needs more DVDs of their movies or movie posters to sell at the store. “I’m sure I’ll be involved with the folks at the last Blockbuster until they ever close,” Morden said. “There is no way we are not going to be connected.” State fi nes Bend President Biden boosts off shore wind energy, wants to power 10 million homes coff ee shop $27K for COVID-19 violations By MATTHEW DALY Associated Press WASHINGTON — The Biden administration is moving to sharply increase off shore wind energy along the East Coast, saying Monday, March 29, it is taking initial steps toward approving a huge wind farm off the New Jersey coast as part of an eff ort to generate electricity for more than 10 million homes nationwide by 2030. Meeting the target could mean jobs for more than 44,000 workers and for 33,000 others in related employment, the White House said. The eff ort also would help avoid 78 mil- lion metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year, a key step in the admin- istration’s fi ght to slow global warming. President Joe Biden “believes we have an enormous opportunity in front of us to not only address the threats of cli- mate change, but use it as a chance to create millions of good-paying, union jobs that will fuel Ameri- ca’s economic recovery,’’ said White House climate adviser Gina McCarthy. “Nowhere is the scale of that opportunity clearer than for off shore wind.’’ The administration’s commitment to the still untapped industry “will create pathways to the middle class for people from all backgrounds and communities,” she added. “We are ready to rock-and-roll.” The administration said it intends to pre- pare a formal environ- mental analysis for the Ocean Wind project off New Jersey. That would move Ocean Wind toward becoming the third com- mercial-scale off shore wind project in the U.S. The Interior Depart- ment’s Bureau of Ocean Michael Dwye/Associated Press, File Three of Deepwater Wind’s turbines stand in the water off Block Island, Block Island, Rhode Island, on Aug. 15, 2016. Though this is only one of two operational U.S. off shore wind farms in 2021, members of the wind power industry and clean energy advocates are hoping President Joe Biden’s administration can transform the country into a leader in off shore wind power. Energy Management said it is targeting off shore wind projects in shallow waters between Long Island and the New Jersey coast. A recent study shows the area can support up to 25,000 development and construc- tion jobs by 2030, Interior said. The ocean energy bureau said it will push to sell commercial leases in the area in late 2021 or early 2022. The administration also pledged to invest $230 mil- lion to upgrade U.S. ports and provide up to $3 bil- lion in loan guarantees for off shore wind proj- ects through the Energy Department’s recently revived clean-energy loan program. “It is going to be a full- force gale of good-paying, union jobs that lift people up,’’ said Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm. Ocean Wind, 15 miles off the coast of southern New Jersey, is projected to produce about 1,100 megawatts a year, enough to power 500,000 homes, once it becomes opera- tional in 2024. The Interior Depart- ment has previously announced environ- mental reviews for Vine- yard Wind in Massachu- setts and South Fork wind farm about 35 miles east of Montauk Point in Long Island, N.Y. Vineyard Wind is expected to pro- duce about 800 megawatts of power and South Fork about 132 megawatts. Biden has vowed to double off shore wind pro- duction by 2030 as part of his eff ort to slow cli- mate change. The likely approval of the Atlantic Coast projects — the leading edge of at least 16 off shore wind proj- ects along the East Coast — marks a sharp turn- around from the Trump administration. As president, Donald Trump frequently derided wind power as an expen- sive, bird-slaughtering way to make electricity, and his administration resisted or opposed wind projects nationwide. FAMILY OWNED BEND — Oregon Occupational Safety and Health has fi ned a Bend coff ee shop more than $27,000 for violating three standards meant to protect employees from the coronavirus disease. State offi cials said in a news release Tuesday, March 29, that Kev- ista willfully con- tinued to potentially expose workers to the virus, despite a public health order limiting the capacity of indoor dining to zero. The citation resulted from an inspection after multiple complaints. The inspection documented the company began allowing indoor dining on Dec. 3 and there- after. During that time, Deschutes County was designated an “extreme risk” for transmission of the disease. During the inspection, owners Krista and Kevin Lauinger said they chose to reopen even though they were aware it went against workplace health requirements, state offi - cials said. The coff ee shop plans to appeal the fi ne, KTVZ-TV reported. The fi ne is three times the minimum penalty for such a violation and the decision refl ects the need to ensure a more appro- priate deterrent eff ect where employers insist on disregarding health and safety standards, according to Oregon OSHA Administrator Michael Wood. Such behavior puts employees at risk and enables the employer to achieve a competi- tive advantage over busi- nesses that comply with the requirements, offi cials said. Last July, OSHA issued an $8,900 citation to Kev- ista for failing to imple- ment face coverings in line with guidance for restaurants and bars. Kev- ista’s appeal of that fi ne is pending, the agency said. — Associated Press Mobile Service Outstanding Computer Repair Dale Bogardus 541-297-5831 Call or Text 24/7 Now fixing cell phones and tablets Helping you live Also recycling small your dream this electrics Holiday Season! Phones, tablets, laptops, towers 215 Elm Street La Grande (541) 963-5440 northwestfurnitureandmattress.com www.outstandingcomputerrepair.com Refurbished Desktop & Laptops For Sale House calls (let me come to you!) Drop Offs & Remote Services are Available All credit cards accepted www.gossmotors.com 1415 Adams Ave, La Grande 541-963-4161
