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2 days ago

Changing attitudes, rising city costs and the experience of a neighboring city have brought marijuana back into the conversation in Sutherlin. Ten years after city leaders prohibited marijuana businesses, voters will decide whether it’s time to lift the ban.

In 2016, the Sutherlin City Council prohibited medical and recreational marijuana businesses within city limits. This November, Measure 10-217 asks voters to repeal that prohibition.

A companion measure, 10-218, would authorize a 3% local tax on recreational marijuana sales. The tax would take effect only if the prohibition is repealed and retail marijuana sales are subsequently allowed.

City Manager Kurt Sorenson said the measures grew out of conversations with residents who brought the issue before the council.

“During our city council meetings, you’d kind of be surprised at some of the people who talked in favor of having a marijuana dispensary in town,” Sorenson said. “So, times change and people’s views of marijuana sometimes change too.”

Find the full article and more listener-supported news at KLCC.org.

🎙️🖊️: Tiffany Eckert, KLCC News
📸: Courtesy of the City of Sutherlin by @klccoregon

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3 days ago

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and state Sen. Christine Drazan spent much of their first debate Thursday night in Eugene trying to discredit one another.

The two candidates, who also faced each other in the 2022 race for governor, fielded questions from a panel of journalists on a wide range of topics from affordability, data centers and education funding to the economy and wildfire mitigation.

Throughout it all, they stuck to largely familiar themes. The governor repeatedly tried to tie Drazan to the Trump administration and unpopular federal policies. And Drazan continued to paint Kotek as a candidate who is afraid to run on her own record and whose main solution to the state’s myriad crises is to raise taxes.

Find the full article and more listener-supported news at KLCC.org.

🎙️: Rebecca Hansen-White, KLCC News
🖊️: Lauren Dake, OPB
📸: Will Yurman, Lookout Eugene-Springfield by @klccoregon

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3 days ago

Lane County Commissioners altered a previous vote this week after learning that it could put the county at odds with federal flood rules.

The vote heeded county staff warnings that could have had dire consequences for the county’s ability to receive federal emergency assistance.

On July 7, Commissioners voted 3-1 to override staff and waive part of Lane Code 16.244 for a property owned by Kathleen Jones-McCann. The waiver came at the request of Jones-McCann’s attorney, Mike Reeder, and was motioned by Commissioner Pat Farr.

“The motion that was made last time and the waiver of 16.244 was last-minute, wasn’t noticed and it wasn’t thoroughly discussed, vetted, nor did the maker of the motion–which happened to be me–discuss with our land use department or counsel regarding the waiver,” Farr said at the Sept. 29 meeting before introducing the alterations to the motion to correct the issue.

Jones-McCann’s property had several unpermitted structures and violated county building codes.

County staff told commissioners at the Sept. 29 meeting that they were contacted by Federal Emergency Management Agency officials after that vote and said it may put the county out of compliance with National Flood Insurance Program rules.

Staff told commissioners that allowing a waiver of the rules that govern floodplain regulations and development standards would possibly result in FEMA placing Lane County on a one-year probation.

“If action isn’t taken to resolve within that one year, the county could be ejected from the NFIP, and that would result in loss of the ability of individuals to purchase federally-subsidized flood insurance, and it’d be much more expensive on the private market,” Lane County Land Management Division Manager Keir Miller told commissioners.

Miller also said it could end the county’s eligibility for FEMA disaster relief in the event of a disaster.

Find the full story at KLCC.org

🖊️📷: Zac Ziegler, KLCC News by @klccoregon

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3 days ago

Note: This story discusses sexual assault.

If you or someone you know may be a victim of sexual violence, confidential support, information and advice are available at the National Sexual Assault Hotline by calling 800-656-4673. Text chat is also available online.

Students began the fall term at the University of Oregon in Eugene on Monday. But by midday on Wednesday, university officials sent out a community safety warning about five reported sexual assault attacks on or near campus in the past week.

According to the safety alert, officials said four of the incidents involved university students, and the fifth occurred near the Alton Baker Dog Park, adjacent to campus. They said police arrested someone in the fifth case and that all students affected have been offered university support resources.

“These assaults are not believed to be related, but several alleged perpetrators may have taken advantage of the fact that the victims were intoxicated at social events,” officials wrote.

UO enrolls roughly 24,000 undergraduate and graduate students. The university reported a total of seven on-campus rapes and 20 incidents of fondling in 2024, according to the latest data shared by the U.S. Department of Education.

Officials said they’re not sharing details of the recent assaults because the University of Oregon Police and Eugene Police departments are actively investigating.

The sexual assault allegations in Oregon were reported amid growing national outrage over Cornell University’s handling of an alleged rape by seven men of a female student in 2024.

According to RAINN, which describes itself as the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization and operator of the National Sexual Assault Hotline, sexual violence is not a rare or isolated problem on college campuses.

Across colleges in the U.S., RAINN’s statistics show roughly one in every four female undergraduate students and roughly one in every 16 male students is raped or sexually assaulted over their college careers.

Find the full story at KLCC.org

🖊️: Natalie Pate, Oregon Public Broadcasting
📷: Courtesy of Elizabeth Gabriel by @klccoregon

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3 days ago

On this episode of Oregon on the Record, host Michael Dunne speaks with Robin Mayall, an IT professional at the City of Eugene who recently attempted one of the marque distance challenges in the world - attempting to swim the icy waters of the English Channel.

Find this episode and listener-supported news at KLCC.org.

📸: Courtesy of Robin Mayall by @klccoregon

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3 days ago

A Eugene 4J elementary school teacher has been honored as teacher of the year from local veterans organizations.

Mary Riggs is a second grade teacher at Twin Oaks Elementary, and was named teacher of the year Wednesday by the American Legion and Forty & Eight veterans organizations.

Riggs was given this award for her work educating students about the American flag and honoring veterans.

Riggs comes from a family of veterans, and said it’s important to share how to honor veterans with her students.

“They come back and share the things that they've done with their flags and how they've honored the flag in their family,” said Riggs. “ And that's really touching.”

Riggs also helped write presentations that the American Legion and Forty and Eight will use to educate students about veterans. These presentations are currently being shown in Oregon, and will be soon used throughout the rest of the country.

Riggs said she was very surprised and honored to get this award, and she hopes it will inspire other teachers.

“I hope that people will find inspiration in bringing more veteran recognition, flag recognition and how to honor that into their classrooms.” said Riggs.

Find this article at KLCC.org

🖊️🎙️📷: Macy Moore, KLCC News by @klccoregon

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4 days ago

Oakshire Brewing Company is the latest Oregon craft beer stalwart to announce it is ceasing operations.

The brewery announced the pending closure in a social media post, citing rising costs, the financial damage done by the COVID pandemic, and a changing and more competitive market for beverages and dining.

Its northeast Portland location is set to close Sept. 30, while its troubled downtown Springfield location shuttered–for the second time this year–on Sept. 27.

The Springfield Commons taproom, as it was known, had struggled in recent months. Oakshire originally announced on social media that its last day would be Aug. 30. But that closure was short-lived as the brewery announced a re-opening of the space Sept. 4 with changes including adding televisions and coffee service.

Oakshire’s brewing facility and taproom in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood does not yet have a closing date, and the company is committed to staying open through its 20th anniversary party, which is scheduled for Oct. 3.

Craft beer sales have dropped nationwide since the pandemic, with industry experts blaming a variety of factors such as market saturation, the increase in popularity of other canned alcoholic beverages such as seltzers and pre-mixed cocktails, and the increase in prevalence of cannabis-based beverages.

Oakshire is the latest Oregon brewery to close its doors. Among the more notable closures was Newport’s Rogue Ales and Spirits, which abruptly shut down in late 2025.

Several smaller Eugene-area breweries have closed in the years after the pandemic, including Arable, Elkhorn, Steelhead and Manifest.

Other breweries have closed taprooms or made other business changes, including Ninkasi, AleSong, and McKenzie River.

Find this article at KLCC.org

🖊️🎙️: Zac Ziegler, KLCC News
📷: Courtesy of Oakshire Brewing's Instagram by @klccoregon

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4 days ago

Oakridge voters will be tasked this November with a decision to replace the city’s $17 monthly ambulance service fee with a five-year property tax.

City Administrator James Cleavenger said the city has not relied on the county for its ambulance service, in order to prevent extensive wait times.

The proposed local option tax would charge $1.64 per $1,000 of assessed property value beginning in July 2027. The city estimates it would raise about $350,000 a year for ambulance operations.

The measure would replace the $17 monthly fee currently charged to water bills. If voters reject the tax, the city says the fee would remain and ambulance service would continue.

Cleavenger said the city’s ambulance service racks up an annual deficit of around $500,000. He said public insurance reimbursements, including Medicare, Medicaid and the Oregon Health Plan, cover only about one-third of the actual cost of ambulance transport.

The city said it has made about $150,000 in cuts to help address the ambulance fund deficit, but still needs to generate additional revenue.

The proposed tax may affect property owners differently depending on their assessed value. The city estimates a median assessed-value Oakridge home would pay about $184 a year, or $15.31 a month, which sits at less than the current $17 fee.

The city’s election materials cite that assessed value is used to calculate property taxes and is different from a property’s market value.

The measure has brought questions to the surface about who would bear the cost. The current utility fee applies to water customers, including renters whose landlords may pass the cost along. A property tax would shift the tax responsibility directly to property owners.

The measure would take effect July 1, 2027 and run for 5 years, if approved. The ambulance utility fee would be discontinued.

Officials said the city will continue to provide ambulance service regardless of the outcome.

Find the full story at KLCC.org.

🖊🎙: Ellie Graham
📸: City of Oakridge by @klccoregon

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4 days ago

The city workers union in Corvallis has declared its intent to go on strike next month if it can’t reach a deal on a new contract.

The announcement came Wednesday, weeks after the union held a successful strike authorization vote and declared an impasse in negotiations with the city.

Union president Evan Newton said workers could hit the picket line starting Oct. 14. He said the city hasn’t yet budged on the union's key demands.

“We’re ready to do what's necessary to secure a strong contract for our coworkers,” he said.

Newton said workers are concerned about the city's current proposal to have workers pay more for healthcare.

Under the city’s proposal, in the last year of the upcoming contract, employees would have to pay for 10% of their medical and dental insurance rather than the current rate of 7%.

Newton said the union also wants the city to allow for more raises for long-serving employees who have already reached the top of existing step increases.

“We are losing employees at an alarming rate, and we are trying to figure out ways to mitigate that,” said Newton. “We're looking to try to retain some institutional knowledge that our longtime employees have, and to attract good new talent to come here and work in the city.”

The union represents more than 240 employees. Newton said the impact of the strike would be widespread, affecting wastewater treatment, parks clean-up and library services, and more.

“The city is going to feel very different compared to business as usual,” said Newton. “That's something that we're trying to mitigate by getting creative with management at the bargaining table. But it seems like the pattern that management is wanting us to go down is to see if we'll actually do a strike.”

In an emailed statement Wednesday, city spokesperson Patrick Rollens said the city is continuing to meet with the union in mediation. The next session between the parties is scheduled for Oct. 8.

“We remain committed to negotiating in good faith for as long as it takes to reach an agreement on a new contract,” wrote Rollens.

🖊 : Nathan Wilk
📸: Macy Moore by @klccoregon

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4 days ago

Today we are kicking off KLCC's Fall Membership Drive! 🍂 And we have a special prize drawing for today only: everyone who donates today will be automatically entered to win a four-pack of tickets to the *sold out* Billy Strings concert at Matt Knight Arena on October 6th.

Plus - you'll be helping us unlock an extra $2,000 challenge gift for KLCC, which we'll earn when we receive 100 donations today. You can get us there and make sure we start our membership drive strong.

Donate today at KLCC.org. Thank you! by @klccoregon

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5 days ago

Throughout 2025, more than 50 local artists made small circular pieces of art that fit into the empty coin vaults of downtown Eugene parking meters. The Parking Meter Art Repair Project was started by Jud Turner and Robert Bolman.

The city is now beginning to install new meters with a different design, and the existing art pieces won’t fit anymore. Turner decided to open up his gallery to display as many of the works as possible.

Turner said he always knew the project would be temporary. When he got wind that the new meters were going up, he and the other artists wanted to preserve as many of the pieces as possible.

Turner and Bolman decided early in the process that they would not seek permission from the city. They specifically installed the artworks by screwing them into holes already present for the coin vaults. This made the artworks removable and didn’t cause any damage to the parking meters.

When giving artists the blank discs to create artwork on, Turner told them to keep the works from protruding into the pedestrian space on the sidewalks. He said the city removed works they deemed unsafe but left the majority of the artwork up for the community to enjoy.

“In my mind, this project is the largest illegal group art show in the history of Eugene,” said Turner. “It's really cool in that way, and it brought a lot of people into the fold of making public art.”

Now, all of the works are coming together into a formal exhibit at The Oblivion Gallery.

Turner said he’s excited to host a group exhibition bringing these pieces together after they were spread across downtown.

“This is the first chance for people to see them all together, as many as we were able to recover, over 200 of them, all in one place,” said Turner.

Find the full article at KLCC.org

🖊️🎙️📷: Macy Moore, KLCC News by @klccoregon

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5 days ago