Willamette Valley News, Monday 2/6 – Lane Transit District Makes Changes to Route Schedules, University Of Oregon Museum’s Exhibit Profiles History Of Eugene’s Lesbian Community

The latest news stories and stories of interest in the Willamette Valley from the digital home of Southern Oregon, from Wynne Broadcasting’s WillametteValleyMagazine.com

Monday, February 6, 2023

Willamette Valley Weather

Lane Transit District Makes Changes to Route Schedules

Lane Transit District will operate under a new schedule starting today, with reductions to eight routes, additions to one route, and scheduling shifts to three routes. LTD plans to prolong the suspension of three routes.

LTD attributed the cutbacks to a combination of reduced ridership and a shortage of drivers. The press release said ridership is at 70% of what it was pre-pandemic. LTD Chief Marketing Officer Pat Walsh said LTD is actively recruiting and that LTD can only provide the level of service it is staffed to deliver until positions are filled.

Schedule changes to EMX and the continued suspension of routes 27, 73 and 79 might affect University of Oregon students.

EMX – Full EMX trips will now occur every 15 minutes instead of every 10 minutes between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays. 

In between those, additional weekday trips have been added so that between 1:44 p.m. and 4:50 p.m. there is service along the route from Eugene Station to Springfield Station every 7 and a half minutes. The same is true for the trip from Springfield to Eugene between 2:43 p.m. and 5:50 p.m.

Routes 27, 73 and 78 – In the press release LTD announced there would be “no service until further notice” on these routes. These were three of seven routes suspended when LTD cut back services at the start of the pandemic. The other four have since returned.

Route 27 Fairmount ran from downtown through the West University, South University, Fairmount and Laurel Hill Valley Neighborhoods. Route 73 UO/Willamette ran from UO Station south through the Southeast Neighborhood along Willamette St. Route 78 UO/Seneca/Warren ran west from UO station through the Churchill Neighborhood.

Other changes can be found on LTD’s website.

University Of Oregon Museum’s Exhibit Profiles History Of Eugene’s Lesbian Community

The latest exhibit at the University of Oregon’s Museum of Natural and Cultural History celebrates Eugene’s lesbian legacy.

In partnership with the UO’s Eugene Lesbian History Project, the museum presents a comprehensive history of the city’s lesbian community through the years. The oral history portion alone has 83 different narrators.

The exhibit will run through 2023. For those unable to make it in person, there’s also a digital exhibit available online, alongside an archive and documentary.

Linn County Sheriff’s Detectives seek public’s help with a suspicious death investigation

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On December 9, 2022, Linn County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a body located in northern Millersburg. With assistance of the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office the body was confirmed to be Richard Champion, who was reported missing to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office in September. Detectives are continuing to investigate the death of Mr. Champion as suspicious. 

If you have any information regarding Richard Champion, contact Det. Van Horn @ (503) 584-6211 / n@co.marion.or.us“>jvanhorn@co.marion.or.us. You can also submit information to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office by texting your tip to TIPMCSO(847411). 

Oregon Governor and other distinguished officials host over 120 Oregon Army Guard Soldiers during demobilization ceremony

Clackamas, Ore.–Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek and other distinguished officials address more than 120 Soldiers in Charlie Company, 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, Oregon Army National Guard, during a demobilization ceremony at the 41st Infantry Division, Armed Forces Readiness Center, Camp Withycombe, Clackamas, Ore., Feb. 4.

U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon, and Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, also served as official hosts for the event. The event was held to acknowledge the Soldiers’ efforts to support United States NATO Allies, while building readiness and enhancing bonds with partner nations as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Poland.

The Soldiers first mobilized for this nearly yearlong deployment in early January 2022, and supported efforts to deter Russian aggression after the initial invasion into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. This deployment was one of the largest mobilizations of Oregon National Guard Citizen-Soldiers since Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006. The event was live-streamed and may be viewed at this link.

For more information on Atlantic Resolve, click here

Image 7616862: Soldiers in Charlie Company, 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, Oregon Army National Guard, shake hands with distinguished guests and elected officials during a demobilization ceremony at the 41st Infantry Division, Armed Forces Readiness Center, Camp Withycombe, Clackamas, Ore., Feb. 4. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon, and Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, served as official hosts for the event. The event was held to acknowledge the Soldiers’ efforts to support United States NATO Allies, while building readiness and enhancing bonds with partner nations as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Poland. The Soldiers first mobilized for this nearly yearlong deployment in early January 2022, and supported efforts to deter Russian aggression after the initial invasion into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. This deployment was one of the largest mobilizations of Oregon National Guard Citizen-Soldiers since Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Hunter Bomar)

Image 7616863: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek poses with Soldiers in Charlie Company, 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, Oregon Army National Guard, after their demobilization ceremony at the 41st Infantry Division Armed Forces Readiness Center, Camp Withycombe, Clackamas, Ore., Feb. 4. Kotek, along with U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon, and Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, served as official hosts for the event. The event was held to acknowledge the Soldiers’ efforts to support United States NATO Allies, while building readiness and enhancing bonds with partner nations as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Poland. The Soldiers first mobilized for this nearly yearlong deployment in early January 2022, and supported efforts to deter Russian aggression after the initial invasion into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. This deployment was one of the largest mobilizations of Oregon National Guard Citizen-Soldiers since Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Hunter Bomar)

Image 7616866: Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek addresses more than 120 Soldiers in Charlie Company, 1st Squadron, 82nd Cavalry Regiment, Oregon Army National Guard, during a demobilization ceremony at the 41st Infantry Division, Armed Forces Readiness Center, Camp Withycombe, Clackamas, Ore., Feb. 4. U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, Oregon, and Maj. Gen. Michael E. Stencel, Adjutant General, Oregon, also served as official hosts for the event. The event was held to acknowledge the Soldiers’ efforts to support United States NATO Allies, while building readiness and enhancing bonds with partner nations as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve in Poland. The Soldiers first mobilized for this nearly yearlong deployment in early January 2022, and supported efforts to deter Russian aggression after the initial invasion into Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. This deployment was one of the largest mobilizations of Oregon National Guard Citizen-Soldiers since Operation Enduring Freedom in 2006. (U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Hunter Bomar)

Governor Kotek Proposes $13.5 Billion For Education

Governor Kotek wants to invest more money in education for the state’s youngest learners, ensure ninth graders are on-track to graduate, and address racial inequities for students and educators over the next two years. She also wants to improve literacy rates and lower childcare costs.

She’s proposing a budget that represents a historic high in school funding during a time of historic need. But some K-12 and higher education experts argue it isn’t enough.

“Every child deserves a safe place to learn. And every family needs access to affordable child care,” Kotek said in a press conference after releasing her 2023-25 budget. “After years of pandemic disruptions, we have a lot of work to do to build toward that vision.”

Education accounts for $13.5 billion, more than 40% of her proposed $32.1 billion in spending of the state’s general and lottery funds.

Highlights include $100 million for preschools, elementary schools, community-based organizations and tribes to teach children to read and $20 million for summer school programs focused on literacy. Her budget also calls for more than $200 million for early childhood education and care.

But most of the money – an historic $9.9 billion – is devoted to the State School Fund, which pays for educating Oregon’s 550,000 K-12 students and for district operating expenses, transportation costs and other needs.

Every child deserves a safe place to learn. And every family needs access to affordable child care.

The $9.9 billion marks an overall $600 million increase in K-12 spending for the biennium and would average out to about $9,682 per student in 2023-24 and roughly $10,000 per student in 2024-25, according to preliminary estimates from the Oregon Department of Education.

The state is paying $9,468 per student in the current 2022-23 school year.

“Today, our state invests more to provide for the needs of children than at any other time in our state’s history,” the budget reads. “The value we place on early childhood services and K-12 education continues to be a marker of who we are as Oregonians.”

Kotek said last week that her budget is “realistic” and focuses on core services that Republican and Democratic leaders agree should be prioritized. She also said her proposal for the State School Fund is a starting point.

Kotek expects to reach a higher number in working with legislators, who are responsible for approving state spending. Lawmakers have to agree on a budget over the next five months.

Leaders with the Oregon Education Association, Oregon School Boards Association and other groups say the budget marks a move “in the right direction” but is still not enough to correct a history of underfunding.

Oregon’s public university presidents said last week that the proposed public university funding and financial aid levels in Kotek’s budget would result in lost opportunities for Oregon’s students and workforce.

Oregon ranks 45th in the nation in per-student state funding of public universities, spending $5,580 per student in 2021 compared to the U.S. average of $8,859. Oregon also invests $475 per student per year in financial aid – less than half the national average of $1,138, according to the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association.

University leaders say more money needs to be invested by the state for financial aid, academic support and career development. Underfunding, and relying on rising tuition costs, especially hurts historically underserved students, they said.

Kotek’s budget would allocate $933.2 million to the Public University Support Fund. This money goes to seven state universities – including Eastern Oregon, Portland State, Oregon State, University of Oregon and Western Oregon – for instruction, research, public services and operations. Altogether, these schools serve about 96,590 graduate and undergraduate students.

That allocation represents a 1.4% increase from about $920.2 million in 2021-2023, but university leaders with the Oregon Council of Presidents are pushing for $1.05 billion, a 14% increase.

Dana Richardson, executive director of the council, said that with rising costs and inflation, the universities will need $972 million just to retain the status quo – nearly $40 million more than Kotek’s proposal.

“We are asking that the state stop forcing students and their families to pay more tuition to make up for the shortfall in state funding,” Richardson said.

According to the state’s Higher Education Coordinating Commission, full-time, undergraduate students at Oregon colleges and universities currently spend between $6,169 and $32,095 every year on tuition and fees. The amount depends on whether they are paying in- or out-of-state tuition at a community college or university, with nonresident students at universities spending the most.

That’s nearly doubled in the last decade, with the range between $3,720 and $19,194 in 2010-11.

What’s more, the percentage that students cover has increased dramatically. In 1990, the state paid for more than 61% of public universities’ educational and general operations; students paid for 28.7%. By 2021, the roles were reversed, with students paying 65.3% and the state covering 26.1%.

Under Kotek’s proposed budget, students’ portion would climb to 68.5%, and the state’s would decrease to 23.4%.

Oregon education leaders also want more funding for the state’s 17 community colleges, major renovation projects and the Oregon Opportunity Grant.

The opportunity grant , established in 1971, is the largest and oldest state-funded, need-based grant program. According to budget documents, the program each year helps about 40,000 Oregon students pay for tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board and other school needs. The money is meant for undergraduate students from low-income households who attend an Oregon community college or university.

Kotek’s budget proposes a $100 million investment in the grant and would ensure the Oregon Tribal Student Grant program continues with a $40.2 million investment, funding the cost of attendance for all eligible members of Oregon’s nine federally recognized tribes. Leaders like Richardson want to see at least this amount allocated.

Nagi Naganathan, president of the Oregon Institute of Technology and chairman of the Oregon Council of Presidents, said institutions require more support today as they serve an increasingly diverse student body.

“It is important that our legislative leaders deliver investments that will make higher education attainable for every aspiring student,” he said.

Victim Information and Notification Everyday App (VINE) is Available in Oregon Now

VINE – Victim Information and Notification Everyday is the nation’s leading automated victim notification solution and is available in Oregon.

VINE allows crime victims across the country to obtain timely, reliable information about criminal cases and the custody status of offenders.

Victims often wish to know the status of an offender that is in the system. Until VINE, it was difficult for officers to provide accurate information to victims.

VINE makes information about the booking and release of inmates housed in county jails and state prisons available to victims at no cost either by telephone or the web. Offender information is collected automatically in near real-time from jail and prison booking systems.

Crime victims can access offender information, any time of the day or night simply by making a telephone call at 1-877-OR-4-VINE (1-877-674-8463) or by accessing the web at http://www.vinelink.com . Victims can call to inquire whether an offender is held in jail as well as the facility’s location.

Users also can register to be notified immediately of a change in the inmate’s status, such as a release or escape. When a notification is triggered, VINE automatically calls the number or numbers the victim has provided. Calls continue until the victim acknowledges the call by entering a PIN.

VINE supports multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Mandarin Chinese, and others, so victims from many ethnicities have access to the system.

A free smartphone app is available to iPhone and Droid users called MobilePatrol. One of the features of this app is access to the VINE service so you can be notified on your smart device (tablet or phone). The app is available from the Droid Play Store and Apple App Store. http://www.vinelink.com

Naked Man Arrested After Attempting to Gain Control of Deputy’s Firearm Near Sutherlin

SUTHERLIN, OR– A Salem man was arrested and charged with attempted assault on a public safety officer Saturday afternoon. 

On Saturday, February 4, 2023, shortly before 5:00 p.m., dispatchers received multiple calls of a male who had stripped his clothing and was wondering around nude on the side of the road in the 4000-block of Nonpareil Road. Deputies, along with officers from the Sutherlin Police Department, responded to the area and located the man. 

The male was identified as 36-year-old Keith Daniel Donald of Salem, Oregon. Deputies attempted to communicate with Donald without success. While the deputy was attempting to assist by determining if there was someone they could call for Donald, he lunged at the deputy and attempted to gain control of the firearm on their duty belt. Donald then turned his attention to another officer on scene and attempted to gain control of that officer’s firearm. Donald was subdued by law enforcement officers and taken into custody after a brief struggle. 

Donald was lodged at the Douglas County Jail and lodged on the following charges: 

  • Attempted Assault on Public Safety Officer x2
  • Disorderly Conduct II

Man Suspected Of Stealing Watercraft Is Rescued By Coast Guard

Mobile Aviation Training Center Coast Guardsmen participated in an unusual rescue in Oregon. A guy who was pulled from the sinking vessel is now under suspicion of theft. On Friday morning, officials believe the guy stole the boat off the Oregon coast and sent a mayday signal, leading to his recovery.

The Sandpiper, a damaged watercraft of 35 feet, was then capsized by a breaking wave, and the crew was rescued by a combined effort of many units.

To save him, the Coast Guard dispatched ATC air personnel. Because he was standing on the edge of the boat, it tipped over. His alleged theft of the boat wasn’t discovered until after he was released from the hospital where he was detained. Shortly thereafter, he was taken into custody.

Launched from Station Cape Disappointment were a 47-foot Motor Lifeboat crew and an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter aircrew from the Advanced Rescue Helicopter School. Several training crews from the National Motor Lifeboat School were also diverted to assist. At approximately 10:40 in the morning, Coast Guard teams arrived.

Rescuers on the site were able to establish radio contact with the stranded sailor and learn that his ship was taking on water. There were 20-foot waves and hurricane-force gusts, according to reports from the area.

A student from the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School was winched into the ocean and then swam toward the ship. A wave washed over the boat just as the swimmer was about to board. The mariner was thrown from the ship and bruised and scratched himself in the process.

The swimmer then went ahead and retrieved the mariner from the sea, and the two were winched up to the chopper. The survivor was moved from Coast Guard care to the steady hands of emergency medical professionals at Air Station Astoria.

The suspect is also said to have posted a video showing himself putting a dead fish on the front porch of a house from the 1985 film “The Goonies.” Officials in the area have reported the mariner’s possible theft of the vessel to the Coast Guard after he was discharged to the hands of emergency medical services .In his capacity as a rescue swimmer, John “Branch” Walton rescued his first human life. A few hours later, he and his classmates all received their diplomas from the Advanced Rescue Helicopter School.

BLM waives day use fees in observance of Washington’s Birthday

— In honor of George Washington’s birthday and to increase recreational access to public land, the Bureau of Land Management is waiving recreation standard amenity and day-use fees for visitors on Feb. 20, 2023. The BLM invites the public to visit the unique and diverse natural landscapes and visitor facilities on BLM-managed lands to celebrate the life of the first U.S. President George Washington.

This marks the second of the BLM’s fee-free days of 2023. Fee-free days refer to the waiver of standard amenity fees and day-use fees, such as visitor centers, picnic/day use areas, and National Conservation Lands units where fees are charged. Expanded amenity fees and other fees, like group day use, overnight camping, cabin rentals, and individual special recreation permits, will remain in effect unless the authorized officer determines it is appropriate to waive them.

BLM’s public lands offer spectacular beauty in the colder months. Find a map of BLM’s top recreation locations in the snow, rain, or ice here:
https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/766c58075f574db2b52f3d2e13b75bb8


Winter recreation on public lands

Be prepared:

  • Know before you go. Check with local offices for current conditions, including closures and travel restrictions.
  • Make sure tires have adequate traction for road conditions.
  • Ensure that a friend or family member is aware of your adventure plans.
  • Ensure you have the 10 essentials before venturing out: navigation tools (map, GPS, personal locator beacon), headlampsun protection (sunglasses and sunscreen, especially against snow glare!), first aid kitknife/gear repair kitfire essentials (fire starter, matches, lighter, etc.), shelter (i.e., an emergency blanket that folds up extremely small), extra foodextra water (beyond the minimum expectation), and extra clothes (layer up!).


Recommendations on where to go with snow (NOTE: these locations may or may not have fees): 

  • Burns: Steens Mountain offers an array of winter recreation opportunities, including snowmobiling, snowshoeing, and skiing. Individual permits must be obtained through the Burns District Office.
  • Lakeview: Gerber Recreation Site is popular for ice fishing and open year-round for camping. The paved roads are not plowed but remain clear of snow most winters. Wood River Wetland offers hiking, dog walking, bird watching, hunting, and (when there’s enough snow) snowshoeing. Be aware that the parking area is not plowed in the winter, so parking is not always available.
  • Medford: Cross country skiing and snowshoeing are available at the Cascade Siskiyou National Monument and Table Mountain Winter Play Area.
  • Washington State: Split Rock Recreation Site at Palmer Lake offers ice fishing (or regular fishing if there is no ice). Visitors can also hike on the Similkameen Rail Trail from Oroville to the Enloe Dam or on the Cowiche Canyon Trail (where there is usually little to no snow). The Yakima River Canyon Recreation Site is a great location for winter camping. If winter is mild, the Juniper Dunes Off-Highway Vehicle Area is a good option for recreation, and if the winter is cold, the Fishtrap Recreation Area offers ice fishing and cross-country skiing.

Recommendations on where to go with little to no snow (NOTE: these locations may or may not have fees):  

  • Northwest Oregon: The West Eugene Wetlands offer disc golf, the Sandy Ridge Trail System offers mountain biking, Shotgun Creek Recreation Site is open to off-highway vehicles, and the Wildwood Recreation Site has an underwater salmon viewing chamber.
  • Medford: Sites such as the Upper and Lower Table Rocks, Cathedral Hills, and Mountain of the Rogue offer winter hiking and tend to be free of snow.

In 2023, BLM will waive recreation standard amenity and day use fees for visitors on: 

  • January 16 (Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.)
  • February 20 (Washington’s Birthday)
  • June 19 (Juneteenth National Independence Day)
  • August 4 (Great American Outdoors Day)
  • September 23 (National Public Lands Day)
  • November 11 (Veterans Day)

For more information about the BLM’s recreation fee program, please visit https: //www.blm.gov/programs/recreation/permits-and-fees.


-BLM-

The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1109674113319848

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