The Register-Guard
Major recognition
For Nate Jackson, the accolades and awards meant a lot, but the biggest reward remains the impact in the classroom that comes with teaching his students. ● Jackson, a Willamette High School social studies teacher, won Oregon Teacher of the Year for...
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Loud sounds have hidden health risks
The human body is remarkably good at getting used to the environment around it. You’ve probably experienced this if you’ve ever gone to a matinee and emerged from the dark theater into sunshine. Your eyes sting, so you squint and shield your face until...
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Pumpkin patches, orchards and hayrides open near Eugene
Fall leaf lovers, apple cider fanatics and pumpkin carvers look no further. Eugene and the surrounding area hosts plenty of orchards and pumpkin patches to explore with family, friends or on your own. From pumpkin catapults to apple cider donuts, each...
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Power of the Pink at Autzen
The Power of Pink walk at Autzen Stadium on Oct. 4 was organized by Men Wear Pink of Lane County to raise funds for the American Cancer Society. The event brought together survivors, community partners, UO sports teams, the band and cheer squad. The...
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Lawmakers seek ban on plate readers
Standing near Flock cameras at the Clackamas County Town Center, Rep. Willy Chotzen, D-Portland, said he was optimistic that state lawmakers would pass legislation he and Rep. Alek Skarlatos, R-Winston, will introduce in January to implement a...
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‘MIGHTY DUCK’ NOT ‘SITTING DUCK’
Following five reported sexual assaults on or near the University of Oregon, nearly 100 students and community members marched through campus, calling for accountability and more protections. News of a lawsuit filed by a former Cornell University...
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‘IT COULD HAVE CHANGED EVERYTHING’
Editor’s note: The following story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of selfharm, help is available by calling or texting 988 or chatting at 988lifeline.org. Eva Wilnau first discovered her 19year-old son died...
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Roadblocks hindering plan for handling waste
In 2023, Lane County Commissioners voted to pursue a project that promised to revolutionize how the county handles waste. Now, a pair of roadblocks leave the county unable to move forward as planned and obligated to pick up millions in sunk costs and...
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HEAD TO HEAD
In a nearly full room at the University of Oregon, students, Eugene City Club members and other gathered to watch the first debate between Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek and Republican State Sen. Christine Drazan in Eugene Oct. 1. Members of the watch...
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Sen. Drazan speaks with business owners
EUGENE — Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, who also is chair of the Republican Governors Association, joined Oregon gubernatorial candidate Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, in Eugene Sept. 30 to meet with business owners and support her candidacy. Gianforte...
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Justifying spending
This story was originally published by ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing around the country, to receive stories in your inbox every week. Two Oregon...
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‘When we fight, we win’
In an all-day mediation session that went just past midnight on Sept. 28, the Service Employees International Union Local 503 and Oregon’s seven public universities came to a tentative agreement, narrowly avoiding a massive strike and winning...
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PUMPING THE BRAKES
Tech companies have built gigantic data centers in Oregon for over 20 years. Now, even the rumor of a new data center coming to a community leads to packed city council meetings, rallies against their construction and calls for moratoriums on new...
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Art for art’s sake
The streets of downtown Eugene shimmered and shined beyond the hourlong BRiGHT Parade on Sept. 26. Hours before the parade, glow sticks and battery-powered string lights began dotting the sidewalks as parade-viewing spots were scouted and last-minute...
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Oregon blocks scrutiny of subsidized spending
This story was originally published by ProPublica alongside Oregon Public Broadcasting and The Oregonian/OregonLive. ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for Dispatches, a newsletter that spotlights wrongdoing...
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Plenty to do downtown this weekend
Hannarose McGuinness Downtown Eugene is preparing for a jam-packed day of musical performances, market events, a walkable food and beverage tour and more culminating in the city’s fourth annual Bright Parade on Sept. 26. If $5 bites from almost 30...
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New programs, building
The University of Oregon will establish the Knight College of Engineering thanks to a record-breaking $1 billion commitment from Phil and Penny Knight. Although it’s still “early days,” UO Vice President and Executive Director of the Phil and Penny...
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Gourmet burger chefs are showcasing their best at new restaurant
Frothing up lemon foam and cutting drink menus were on the list of last-minute preparations before Seasoned opened to friends and family in early September. Owners Garrett and Felicia Kirsch flitted around the small dining and backroom spaces in their...
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Westmoreland Park shelter is closing
The shelter site by Westmoreland Park in Eugene is set to close by the end of October as its operator, Community Supported Shelters (CSS), consolidates its shelter operations. The closure of the 20-unit site has been underway for weeks, according to a...
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Dive right in!
The waters of the Oregon Coast may look turbid as waves crash into the rocky coastline, but Michael Hollingshead and Ron Vearrier have had remarkable experiences with wildlife while diving, and they’re eager to prepare others for similar underwater...
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DIGITAL DETOX
A trove of recent articles bemoan the collapse in recreational reading among younger Americans, with COVID-19 pandemic-related reading declines, artificial intelligence and social media often described as causes. But as the authors of “How Gen Z...
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Legacy celebrated with time capsule opening
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2026 | REGISTERGUARD.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Miranda Cyr COTTAGE GROVE — Rich history exists not just in the memories of former students and longtime staff members at Bohemia Elementary School, but it also manifests...
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Prescribed burns clear invasive vegetation
Lane County Parks officials intentionally set fire to 25 acres of land in the Howard Buford Recreation Area near Mt. Pisgah on Sept. 16. The prescribed burn is expected to restore native grasses and wildflowers in the North Bottomlands, a former...
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Poverty rate dips to lowest on record
WASHINGTON – The U.S. poverty rate edged down to the lowest on record in 2025, while median household income hit a record high, the Census Bureau said on Sept. 15. There were 34.5 million people in poverty in 2025, according to the agency. The...
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Residents oppose Eugene data centers
Hannarose McGuinness A replica of a guillotine stood outside City Hall Sept. 14 as Eugene residents showed up in droves to voice opposition to local data center development during a packed city council meeting. About 50 people made their disapproval...
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A LITTLE MORE
Owning the car of your dreams is more attainable than you think, thanks to a local vendor well stocked with Bentleys, Bugattis and BMWs. However, the vehicle will probably be 64 times smaller than the real deal. “Some guys, obviously, can’t afford a...
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Park upgrades almost complete at North Jetty
Fall on the Oregon Coast can be a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of back-to-school season and visitors to North Jetty Beach in Florence can soon enjoy updates that have been in progress since May. Parking lot upgrades have been underway at...
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Plenty of fish in the sea?
The smell of fish and squid bait cuts through the air as the four-man crew of the Michelle Ann hauls 50 pots on deck. Each pot hoisted from the roiling Pacific to the fishing boat brings up about a dozen black cod, totaling 3,000 to 5,000 pounds of...
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Springfield Block Party returns with music and fun
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2026 | REGISTERGUARD.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Haleigh Kochanski The community is expected to gather in downtown Springfield Sept. 12 for the city's seventh annual celebration. Springfield’s “The Block Party” will...
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Crisis counselor reflects on her work at Ground Zero
The first time Tina Morgan set foot in New York City was eight days after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. She remembered flying into John F. Kennedy Airport on what she imagined was one of the first flights following the nationwide “ground stop”...
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Floral Hill backlash
Leaders of a Eugene neighborhood association laid out their case against an affordable housing project planned in the east hills at a packed meeting Sept. 2. The planned Floral Hill Terrace development would subdivide a 3.9-acre lot off Floral Hill...
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All smiles on first day at Danebo Elementary
After a rainy weekend in Lane County, the sun peeked out Sept. 8 just in time for the first day of school. Parents at Danebo Elementary in the Bethel district walked their children into their classrooms, where students said they were excited to...
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UP FOR SALE
Cornucopia listed its downtown Eugene location for sale weeks after shutting the doors on its Springfield restaurant. Cornucopia will remain open on Fifth Avenue for the time being. Cornucopia, a small local chain of restaurants known for its artisan...
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Who’s that principal?
With a new school year comes new leadership on campuses throughout Eugene and Springfield. The start of the 2026-27 school year will see 25 principals, assistant principals and other district leadership step into new roles in the three...
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South Hills fines top $165K
One month after the disappearance and death of South Hills Rehabilitation Center resident Carol Clove Petitti, a resident with dementia who went missing after leaving the facility in her electric wheelchair July 6 and was found dead July 8, the...
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Crime Stoppers of Oregon calls it quits after decline in tips, rewards
An Oregon nonprofit known for bridging the gap between anonymous tip reporting for unsolved crimes and local law enforcement investigators, announced Sept. 1 it is dissolving after 43 years. Crime Stoppers of Oregon will conclude operations on Sept....
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‘Don’t call me Puddles’
The University of Oregon’s beloved Duck mascot has gone through many evolutions over its more than 100-year existence. Before he was The Duck, he was Webfoot. Along the way there were live ducks captured from the Millrace, a handshake deal with Walt...
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Room for more laughter
Lexis Shardé wants you to feel at home in Lexy’s Comedy Club. The space is still under construction, but with features like clings applied to exterior windows, the outline of what will be a full-service bar and kitchen and a single toilet installed in...
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Left in the dark
Bobbie Stevens was never unhoused until she came to Eugene at 50 years old and “got stuck.” During her 12 years living on the streets and in the parks of Eugene, Stevens has lost multiple mobility scooters and wheelchairs. She lived with an open wound...
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OREGON TIGHTENS ITS E-BIKE RULES
Electric bicycles have erupted in popularity, becoming a more affordable and energy efficient option for commuters. As e-bikes become more common, so have additional regulations, injuries and misunderstandings. People for Bikes, a bike advocacy...
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Lawsuit says landowner ‘owes more than silence’
Four Lincoln County residents are suing Weyerhaeuser, a timberland company, for negligence after a landslide from a clear-cut slope buried a 1,000foot stretch of Highway 229 between Kernville and Siletz and destroyed homes in the area on Dec. 12,...
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DOLLY’S TIES TO OREGON
Musician, actress and philanthropist Dolly Parton has died at age 80. ● With her larger-than-life personality and signature sparkling style, she was known as the “Queen of Country.” ● Parton’s death was announced in a video message from her family on...
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Specially Seasoned
Seasoned is elevating its offerings at the old Bo & Vine location. Since closing their burger joint, Northwest Burgers, last year to branch out their culinary offerings, Garrett and Felicia Kirsch have been hard at work to bring their fine-dining...
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Meta to pay Oregon $125M, limit kids’ screen time in settlement
Oregon will receive $125 million out of a “historic” settlement with Meta Platforms out of California federal trial. Meta agreed to pay up to $16.68 billion in a proposed resolution to a years-long, multistate case that claimed the company designed...
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Neighborhood loss
Randall and Pamela Fultz routinely walked around their Springfield neighborhood in the evenings, praying for each house and each neighbor around their block on Sixth Street. Randy volunteered his time to a local food coop and the couple sang together...
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New parking, trail work and more
The City of Eugene wants to add a parking lot to serve Cuthbert Amphitheater. According to bid documents, the city wants several changes to the venue. The popular outdoor concert venue sits in Alton Baker Park on Day Island Road. The City of Eugene...
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Homeless services funding cuts take hold
Eugene lost access to 20 transitional housing beds available to clients with special medical needs after the closure of the Tom Campbell at Chase Commons Safe Sleep Site on June 30. The site opened in March of 2023 at 175 Commons Drive with entry...
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‘It’s about delicious food made with love’
Fried catfish and chicken adobo live alongside each other on the menu for a small white food truck that sets up shop throughout Eugene. It’s where Lola’s Mahal co-owners Amara Anderson and Dominick Baker work side-by-side to bring steaming hot plates...
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Inside why Springfield parents are pulling kids from public schools
After years of frustrations, Courtney Steed made the difficult decision to pull her kids from Springfield Public Schools, quitting her six-figure tech job to start homeschooling this fall. Steed’s choice came from a number of factors, one of which was...
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Beyond Skinner Butte
A fire on Eugene’s Skinner Butte quickly spread to 2 acres Aug. 17, in a park which city officials have recognized as a fire risk in recent years. Following a series of brush fires in 2024, the city now closes the Skinner Butte summit parking lot...
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UO names two residence halls after native flora
Two previously unnamed dormitories at University of Oregon have been named Cedar Hall and Maple Hall after two tree genera native to Oregon. “The names Cedar Hall and Maple Hall reflect a connection to the natural environment and the sense of growth,...
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No clothes necessary
Tucked in the hills of the Willamette National Forest outside Springfield, nudists wear nothing other then handmade beaded necklaces that display their names, just in case they aren’t as recognizable after removing their clothing. The Willamettans, a...
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Hult Presents events to round out 2026
The Hult Center for the Performing Arts will host a science television sensation, an internationally recognized puppeteer and a show where patrons can choose their own admission price as part of its remaining 2026 offerings. The Hult Presents is the...
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Stay cool
Jackie Santiago builds trust within her community one cake pop at a time. The Springfield resident has run a small business off and on for four years and recently began selling her sweet treats out of a small cart she wheels outside her home a few days...
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‘The bus is going home’
For decades, a legendary symbol of 1960s counterculture sat buried beneath blackberry vines and overgrowth in a swampy portion of a Pleasant Hill farm property. More than 20 years after that emblem was heaved from the sludge, it will be given a new...
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From scrap to sculpture
Endless piles of what some might consider trash is stored in the back of the Pony Village Mall in Coos Bay. Not randomly, but methodically: sorted by color, material, size and thickness, these chunks of plastic populate room upon room, lying in wait to...
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Springfield’s Gateway has new welcome sign
Springfield put up a new welcome sign Aug. 11. The sign sits at the base of the Springfield Flame sculpture at the intersection of Gateway Street and Beltline Highway. The sign is a chrome-colored plaque 6.5 feet tall, 20 feet long that reads “Welcome...
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Your next thrift store find could be a house
St. Vinnie’s thrift stores are known for affordable finds that help shoppers turn houses into homes, including furniture, decor and appliances. But the newest items available at St. Vinnie’s are the homes themselves. Housing Options Production...
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A final farewell
On Aug. 11, The Chronicle announced it would publish its final edition after more than 100 years of informing the southern Willamette Valley. Founded in 1909, the publication served the Cottage Grove, Springfield, Creswell and Pleasant Hill...
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Hurdles hindering ambulance service
The Upper McKenzie Rural Fire Protection District wants to start offering ambulance service to its rural residents and visitors, but is running into regulatory hurdles. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, 40.8% of fire departments in Oregon are...
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Friends rally for cyclist struck in Springfield
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11, 2026 | REGISTERGUARD.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Alan Torres The cyclist injured in a recent Springfield hit-and-run is working toward recovery, physically, emotionally and financially. Christopher Walters is something of...
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‘We want everyone to have access to this work’
When Hells Hill Fire sparked four miles south of Marcola on July 22, a panoramic camera on Buck Mountain detected smoke weaving between distant trees within minutes. This enabled firefighting personnel to react quickly, ultimately containing the fire...
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Oregon plagued by abandoned RVs
Bob Kennedy purchased a camper trailer in 1998. He used it for fishing trips and coastal camping, but after a decade of use and outdoor storage, Kennedy realized it was time to dispose of his beloved vehicle. It was too old to sell and local junkyards...
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‘CREATING WINDOWS AND MIRRORS’
Smokey air drove Springfield’s Indigenous Culture Celebration inside, but the 4th annual event drew over 300 people into Springfield City Hall on Aug. 5 to learn about and engage with indigenous culture. The event featured dance performances from the...
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Collab Youth HUB to take over former Youth Era spot
can learn and grow and be in community and be safe. “(Youth HUB will) pull in resources under one roof. We want to be able to have mental health and overall wellness support available here.” Nelson said Youth HUB’s focus is prevention and life...
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Surf the sand dunes at Sand Master Park
Dramatic sand dunes sculpt Oregon’s coastline, creating an ecosystem of shifting hills and valleys that border the ocean. Oregon beachgoers and residents are familiar with these dunes, hiking over them and driving by them to get to their next coastal...
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Art center honors Maude Kerns
One and a half centuries ago, a pioneering woman in the local art landscape and the University of Oregon’s first head of art education was born. Seventy-six years ago, she helped to found a local art center that she later became the namesake of – the...
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LEFT IN THE LURCH
A medication-assisted treatment center in Eugene closed suddenly, leaving patients scrambling to continue their care in the trepidatious world of addiction medicine and recovery. Equinox Clinics, previously located at 160 E. 18th Ave., closed after a...
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‘Living like a U.S. citizen, but without any rights’
Surrounded by family members and public supporters, 25 Oregonians from 11 countries became U.S citizens July 30 at Eugene’s Wayne Lyman Morse Courthouse. Encompassing five continents, the countries included Mexico, New Zealand, Columbia, Czech...
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Path to HEALING
Cory Teich held Molly by the reins and led her through the dusty barn next to a sun-kissed field. ● Teich smiled slightly as they rested their face against Molly’s soft brown muzzle. ● Teich met Molly as a teenager 14 years ago. ● Their relationship...
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Oregon places 39th on best state rankings
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1, 2026 | REGISTERGUARD.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK A new study ranking all 50 states from best to worst placed Oregon toward the bottom. US News’s 2026 Overall Best State Rankings examined eight categories: Education, health...
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PeaceHealth outsourcing IT services in Nov.
FRIDAY, JULY 31, 2026 | REGISTERGUARD.COM Hannarose McGuinness PeaceHealth is outsourcing its information technology services and contracting with India-based provider Tech Mahindra and its U.S.-based healthcare subsidiary HCI Group, the company told...
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Firefighters make little progress on Sisters-area wildfire
THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2026 | REGISTERGUARD.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Bettina Wu Hot, dry conditions are contributing to the increased intensity of wildfires in Oregon, spurring fire activity not typically seen until much later in the season,...
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‘Double whammy’
Water managers with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shared a pessimistic outlook on the agency’s 13 Willamette Valley reservoirs July 23. According to the engineers, 2026 is the Willamette Valley’s sixth-driest year since 1980 and the second-driest...
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BLUE-RIBBON BEEF
Three pink pigs snuggle together against pens inside a Lane County Fairgrounds barn, their snouts and bodies covered in glitter as people in cowboy boots shuffle past. Three girls donned pink button-ups and glittered braids, proudly standing with their...
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Industry vs. nature
An Amazon contractor has seemingly begun work on the site where the online retailer wants to place its Eugene distribution center despite a pending appeal of the company’s wetland permit. Work trucks were visible from Highway 99W raking and watering...
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