The Register-Guard
Green Island is home to 150 species of birds
Agravel road in Coburg leads into 1,100 acres of land where the McKenzie and Willamette rivers meet. ● Here on Green Island, the two waterways constantly redirect their currents and mold the land over the course of decades. ● Colorfully painted...
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City installs traffic cameras downtown
The City of Eugene has installed four traffic cameras at downtown intersections to gather information for a streetscaping project. The city installed the cameras at the intersections where Sixth and Seventh avenues meet Oak and Pearl...
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Sam Bond’s Garage owners look to update building
Since Sam Bond’s Garage closed in late 2025, its windows have been covered with butcher paper and the community gathering spot has sat empty. Whiteaker regulars sorely felt the loss of the bar, which was a beloved live music venue and generally cool...
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University of Oregon Board chair calls ASUO president speech ‘selfish’
Amid a flurry of emerging lawsuits over free speech repression on university campuses, the University of Oregon Board of Trustees chair publicly criticized the student body president’s graduation speech. UO Board of Trustees Chair Steve Holwerda...
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Bat tests positive for rabies in Lane County
A bat found in Lane County tested positive for rabies, and it’s the third one so far this year, Lane County Public Health warned July 13. In the announcement, county and state officials urged members of the public to vaccinate their dogs and cats...
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UNDER ONE ROOF
The bright yellow building overlooking Amazon Parkway is now St. Vincent de Paul’s Murnane Family Resource Center. Dozens gathered in the parking lot outside July 8 to watch SVdP’s executive director Bethany Cartledge cut a green ribbon with gigantic...
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‘We’re doing what we can with the funds we have’
After Lane Fire Authority’s levy failed and various positions were cut, the organization also did not receive an Oregon wildfire season staffing grant, which aids labor costs during long, hot summer days. In a Facebook post, LFA stated “summer wildfire...
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State opens investigation
The Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC) opened a case into Springfield Public Schools board members regarding how they went about selecting an acting superintendent. ● Now-former SPS board member Nicole De Graff levied a complaint against board...
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Lawmakers promise to pursue airport funding
Elected officials representing the Eugene area said they will push for state and federal funding to expand the Eugene Airport at an airport-hosted showcase on July 7. Officials with the airport, the city, state and federal governments and both...
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Coyote Rising creates fair magic with giant puppets
Veneta, OR — On the Wednesday before Oregon Country Fair, Jill Talise and Steve Areen are dressing their puppets, like they do every year at the fair. Longtime fairgoers will recognize older staples of the troupe, some of which were built before the...
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‘The next big accomplishment’
The distance from the Canada border to the Mexico border of the United States along the Pacific Coast is around 1,650 miles. The route features an elevation gain and loss of nearly 80,000 feet. ● Lifelong cyclist and Eugene middle school teacher Tanner...
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Uneasy breathing
Eugene has been ranked one of Oregon’s most livable cities, but residents of Lane County must weigh the region’s natural wonders and outdoor access with its poor air quality, according to the American Lung Association’s 2026 State of the Air...
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SEEKING KENNY
When jogging the one-mile loop in Amazon Park, it’s easy to run right past a bench at the top of the course dedicated to Eugene wrestling legend Kenny Cox. Born in 1978, he attended Churchill High School and, in 1997 during his senior year, was named...
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Creswell turns out for Fourth of July parade
Engines revved, music blared and candy skittered across streets in Creswell as eager children murmured in excitement, filling the air with a jubilant buzz on the Fourth of July. The city and members of neighboring communities gathered early to watch a...
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SWEET LAND OF LIBERTY
The 56 steps, cut from pink granite, ascend to a neoclassical temple that seems plucked from ancient Greece and deposited on a Kentucky hilltop. One for each year of President Abraham Lincoln’s life. ● If the first eight steps, rising amid the site’s...
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ROCKETS’ RED GLARE
What comes to mind when you think of celebrating the Fourth of July in Eugene? Visions of hot dogs, cold drinks, and afternoons spent in the sun swim run through mine. After spending a day relaxing with friends and family, fireworks are a classic way...
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Why Oakridge was recently named in top 10 for mountain biking
“Trails are the common thread that bring us all together,” said Matt McPharlin, president and cofounder of Oakridge Trail Alliance (OTA), a nonprofit organization conducting trail maintenance and expansion since 2018. “If it wasn’t for a little brown...
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‘Actionable steps’
After years of effort, students have succeeded in pushing the University of Oregon to take “actionable steps” toward transitioning its heating system from natural gas to electric. The Board of Trustees took that step when it unanimously voted to...
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Fire transforming West’s public lands
Colorado’s two largest fires on record, the Cameron Peak and East Troublesome fires, burned hundreds of thousands of acres across some of the state’s most visited landscapes in 2020. ● The fires scorched trails, campgrounds and beloved ecosystems in...
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Empowering decision
Eugene City Council advanced a measure that would require people selling homes in Eugene to disclose the home’s Home Energy Score to prospective buyers. City staff, recommending councilors pursue the requirement, said in surveying Eugene residents,...
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Banana Ball takes over Autzen
The Oregon Duck rode into Autzen Stadium on a motorcycle and fans sang the University of Oregon’s fight song and “Shout.” But instead of a raucous game of football, the crack of a baseball bat and the pandemonium of Banana Ball followed. The stands at...
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‘MY ACTIVISM IS EXTREME’
In a time when food delivery apps are a billion dollar industry and grocery prices are rising, one environmental activist is going to extreme lengths to prove the Earth provides all a human’s sustenance needs. ● Robin Greenfield is in the midst of a...
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Don’t sleep on this recycling program
Over the course of one year, Oregon recycled enough mattresses to stack 10 Mount Hoods on top of one another. Laid end to end lengthwise, they could stretch from Eugene to Medford. St. Vincent de Paul processes 250 mattresses each day, harvesting...
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Moss, a new cafe, opens in Poppi’s Anatolia’s old location
Katie Moss and Cody MacFadyen have been busy for the last four months. In February, their plan to turn Poppi’s Anatolia’s old location into a comfortable cafe was already underway. Now, the couple has recently soft-opened their space to customers,...
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Convicted based on ‘junk evidence’
On June 8, Robert Wallace Lyons, 61, became the first Oregonian to have a murder conviction vacated under a new law discrediting bitemark analysis. Lyons has been in prison for 35 years. “Mr. Lyons conviction was based on flawed and now-discredited...
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Eugene 4J is leasing to Bridgeway House
Eugene School District 4J is leasing one of its former elementary schools to a local nonprofit. Bridgeway House, formed by a group of parents, has been supporting youth on the autism spectrum since 2000. It achieved nonprofit status in 2002 and...
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BUILDING A BETTER GRID
Eugene Water and Electric Board staff have plans to “harden” the utility’s Monroe substation and surrounding electrical infrastructure to make the area more natural-disaster resilient. EWEB will primarily use grant money to replace equipment at its...
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Custard comes to Eugene at new yellow food truck
Maya Hamanishi and Ryan Rounkles’ new food trailer, Canary Custard, is a do-it-yourself triumph. Hamanishi hand painted the yellow and blue truck with dots and squares. Hamanishi also decorated the inside with blue polka-dot wallpaper. She wanted the...
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Whatever happened to RiverBend’s first babies?
Almost 18 years ago, PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend in Springfield opened its doors. Some of the first babies served there had unexpected starts. ● The mother of the first baby born at RiverBend was scheduled to work a nursing...
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25 million people lost Medicaid after pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of people covered by Medicaid rose month after month – an unusual pattern for the government’s insurance program for people with low incomes and disabilities. Why? A policy of continuous coverage during the...
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Costco in talks to build more parking, gas pumps
Costco wants to expand both its parking and its gas station pumps at its Eugene store, and has two ideas for how it could do so, both of which involve tearing down the closed Office Depot across the street. In a “Project Consultation” between Costco...
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New CEO appointed at McKenzieWillamette Medical Center
Mark Robinson will take over as chief executive officer for McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center effective July 20. The change replaces interim CEO Greg Brentano, who has filled the leadership role since McKenzieWillamette’s CEO and Chief Nursing...
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Miniature moves
One of Eugene’s tiniest hidden gems is growing through word of mouth. Coined through a Google Maps pin as “The (Unofficial) World’s Smallest Skate Park,” Riverside DIY is a skate park built just for fingerboarders. According to Spencer Hovland,...
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FIRE SEASON BEGINS
Do you live in an area where the risk of wildfire is high? Officials with the Eugene Springfield Fire department have identified the parts of Eugene and Springfield they believe are the most vulnerable to wildfire in the next five years. The...
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Neighbors fight for county to take on local roads
Ninety-two public roads in Eugene with hundreds of homes, are not owned or maintained by any government, and the people who live on them are trying to change that. Local Access Roads are defined in a 1981 Oregon law. They are public in the sense that...
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Protecting species
Both sides of the debate over whether to kill hundreds of thousands of barred owls to save spotted owls presented arguments to a federal judge June 3. The debate started two years ago, after the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued its “Final Barred...
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Big water problems need big solutions
When a drought turns into an urban water crisis, a city’s first step is often to limit lawn watering and launch a campaign to encourage everyone to conserve. It might raise water-use rates or offer incentives for installing lowflow devices. ● While...
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Exclusive: ‘American Flake’ to premiere later this month
When the lights dim at a movie theater, viewers are transported somewhere else — oftentimes far away. Something we’re not accustomed to seeing is landmarks and scenes from our daily life. But in “American Flake,” familiar skylines and businesses float...
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FEELING THE PINCH
Eugene-area small business and labor leaders told U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Oregon, they are being squeezed by high costs at the senator’s round table in Eugene on June 5. Ibrahim Hamid, owner of Cafe Soriah, said he knows of at least three Eugene...
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‘He really cares about learning’
Theo Shields took an irregular path to his graduation from Thurston High School, but his academic achievements led to him becoming the first Springfield finalist in years for the prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. Born in England,...
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COASTAL EXPLORATIONS
At 8 a.m., a morning fog lies low over the beach at Face Rock View Point in Bandon. Those standing in the parking lot on the cliff have a bird’s-eye view of a small group gathered on the sand, etching shapes into the beach. Eventually, the group’s work...
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SUMMER CONCERTS AT THE CUTHBERT
Ever-present rain and mist most of the year ensure Oregonians make the best of warm summer weather, and what better way to celebrate the season than to post up on a grassy spot and listen to some music? Eugene is home to a wealth of outdoor music...
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New restaurant coming to north Eugene
Curious pedestrians or drivers might have noticed construction happening at Crescent Village in northeast Eugene. Rumblings and rumors about a new restaurant have been circulating on social media, and now it’s evident what is coming to the...
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Enrollment deficits
University of Oregon is planning to shutter two dormitories next year as it expects lower enrollment. Associate Vice President for Student Services and Enrollment Management Michael Griffel sent an email to University Housing employees on June 2 to...
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FAA grant to aid airport baggage claim updates
The Eugene Airport will use a $2 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration to upgrade its baggage claim area. The project, currently in design, is part of a planned overhaul intended to make Oregon’s second busiest airport ready to...
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A NEW WAY TO RIDE THE RAILS
The first in the newest fleet of Amtrak trains has arrived in Seattle, and could be use in Eugene as soon as this fall. The Airo train arrived in Seattle for the third and final phase of testing, which will include staff training, route testing and...
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Small improvements, ‘great roots,’ big impact
Situated on the corner of 13th and High Street, Moke’s Coffee and Kitchen is in the perfect location for a neighborhood coffee shop. It has all of the aspects for being a good place to grab a cup of joe: large windows, outside seating for warmer...
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‘Legendary’ IOP hit by budget cuts
The Eugene School District 4J board’s unanimous approval of the 2026-27 budget marked the final nail in the coffin for several hopeful program leaders, staff members, parents and students. ● South Eugene High School’s Integrated Outdoor Program is one...
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Fast EV chargers being built at Winco
Wondering what's happening in the Winco parking lot on Chad Drive? Part of the lot between Winco and PetSmart has chainlink fencing, heavy machinery and workers on duty making progress on a project intended to serve owners of electric vehicles...
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‘Eugene Weekly’ embezzler sentenced to 3 years
A former bookkeeper was sentenced to prison on May 27 for embezzling over $130,000 from local alt-weekly newspaper “Eugene Weekly.” Elisha Joe Young, 39, pleaded guilty March 24 to two counts of first-degree theft and three counts of first-degree...
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FINAL GOODBYES
Community members said their final goodbyes to Shasta Middle School, which is closing to prevent a severe budget deficit amid declining enrollment in Bethel School District. Hundreds gathered at the school on May 21 for a closing celebration filled...
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Majestic maple
On Third Avenue in Eugene’s Whiteaker neighborhood, a bigleaf maple stretches upward and outward. Its boughs reach over the street and the apartment complex that it grows next to, gnarled yet strong, with emerald green leaves glistening in the May sun....
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‘THE TRADITION OF REMEMBRANCE’
The morning gloom was starting to break on May 25, and a crowd of close to 100 gathered in Willamalane Park to remember friends, family and former colleagues who served in the US military at Springfield’s Memorial Day Ceremony. Some attendees have...
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Kotek vs. Drazan: Governor’s race starts in earnest
Oregonians will have familiar candidates to choose between in the November election when Gov. Tina Kotek and Sen. Christine Drazan, R-Canby, face off again to be Oregon’s governor. Kotek, who swept her nine challengers and declared victory minutes...
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Mom seeks DNA testing in 1983 murder case
A used piece of chewing gum, beer cans and a rock panel. These are the 43year-old pieces of evidence Elizabeth Diane Downs, 70, is looking to have DNA tested to prove her innocence. On May 19, 1983, Downs shot her three children late at night along a...
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Memorial Day events in Eugene and Springfield
Community members in Lane County will gather Monday, May 25, to honor fallen service members with ceremonies, music and moments of reflection for Memorial Day. Observed each year on the last Monday in May, Memorial Day is a federal holiday dedicated...
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Smith declares victory in Eugene Council race
FRIDAY, MAY 22, 2026 | REGISTERGUARD.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK Alan Torres Eugene City Council candidate Jennifer Smith claimed victory over John Barofsky after the third round of Lane County primary election returns dropped May 20, but...
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Too close to call
Two of the three races on May 19 ballots for Lane County’s five-member board of commissioners were too close to call after initial returns were counted and could result in a runoff in November. Three incumbent commissioners ran for re-election, and...
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Oregon State unveils blue whale skeleton
More than a decade ago, the body of a 70-foot blue whale washed ashore near Gold Beach, Oregon. It’s not uncommon for a gray whale to turn up on Oregon’s beaches. But a blue whale is different. They live primarily in the deep ocean and when they die,...
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Peace Pole erected in Alton Baker Park
Fifty people, including 26 Rotary Youth Exchange students from around the world, gathered at Alton Baker Park’s Nobel Peace Park Saturday evening to commemorate the installation of a Peace Pole, a project brought to Eugene through the Nobel Peace...
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‘A huge labor of love’
Sparkling sidewalks, vibrant flower baskets and fresh-painted storefronts. Cottage Grove’s Downtown Historic District officially has a new look. Several dozen people gathered in the new event plaza during the city’s grand re-opening of Main Street on...
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Judge halts timber harvest
A federal judge on May 14 ordered a halt to logging near Yoncalla in Douglas County, about 50 miles south of Eugene, after a group of Oregon conservation groups alleged old growth trees were cut down there. Conservation groups Cascadia Wildlands,...
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Augusta Sportswear closing Coburg facility
Georgia-based Augusta Sportswear, Inc., is laying off 83 workers and shuttering its Coburg facility, where Pacific Headwear manufactures hats, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) issued May 13. The closure of the...
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Paul McCartney’s ‘Liverpool Oratorio’ comes to Eugene
On Aug. 12, 1966, Eugene Concert Choir Director Diane Retallack saw The Beatles in concert. It was absolutely manic. Luckily, she was near a speaker; she doesn’t know if she would have been able to hear the music otherwise. Shortly after, The Beatles...
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NEW TENANTS
Major anchor spaces in Echo Hollow Plaza in west Eugene have been vacant for some time, leaving the large complex across from Winco with just a few tenants. ● The spaces where a Big Lots store and a Rite Aid pharmacy once set up shop are empty, the...
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Skinner speaks out against officer
Eugene Police Chief Chris Skinner identified the Eugene police officer who resigned after body-worn camera footage surfaced of him making racist remarks about Black people. Skinner described Martin Siller as an “equal opportunity racist,” stating that...
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‘WE’RE LIVING ON A TINDERBOX’
State, federal and county officials shared a troubling wildfire forecast for Oregon this summer. “We’re living on a tinderbox and we have to prepare and prevent wildfire as much as possible,” U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle, D-Oregon, warned at a press conference...
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Proposed budget passes for Springfield schools
Springfield Public Schools will cut another 33.5 full-time equivalent positions following the mid-year educator layoffs in January. That’s if the board takes SPS’s Budget Committee recommendation, which approved the district administration’s budget as...
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WHO’S RUNNING?
Eight people are running for three seats on Lane County’s Board of Commissioners in the May 19 primary election. ● Voters in the West Lane, Springfield and East Lane districts will pick who they want representing them. ● In interviews with the...
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Eugene School District 4J laying off 176 employees
Eugene School District 4J sent layoff notices to 176 employees May 1 as part of the strategy to combat a $46.4 million deficit. Director of Communications Kelly McIver said all but 12 of those 176 employees are full-time. Eugene 4J planned to cut 265...
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In order to read, these Eugene elementary schoolers walk the walk
Eliana Villanueva and Houston Mills were beaming about their “graduation” in the new literacy program at McCornack Elementary. The second graders recently advanced to a higher-level reading group after they spent a couple of months leaving their...
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Challenging fire season ahead, officials warn
Officials on May 5 warned of a potentially severe and difficult wildfire season ahead, as Oregon faces drought, a warm winter, low snowpack and El Niño conditions, and urged Oregonians to take steps to prevent human-caused fires in the months...
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Inside a Lane County restaurant inspection
Every week, The Register-Guard publishes the most recently scored restaurants in Lane County Health’s semi-annual restaurant inspections. These scores help readers make informed choices about where they eat and shine a light on a restaurant’s...
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COMPLETELY ‘DUCKED OUT’
Sad restaurant news came to Eugene at the end of April. Izakaya Meiji and The Davis, two Eugene food scene staples, announced their closure. Both spots fostered community and served great food to the city for over 15 years, solidifying them as some of...
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‘It’s time for me to have my own life again’
Tiny hands held giant scissors to cut the ribbon at Ollie Court’s grand opening in Eugene April 30. The event signaled the merging of two of Oregon’s top priorities — affordable housing and childcare — in the same building for the first time. The...
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University of Oregon’s top-paid administrators
The University of Oregon is the second-largest employer in Lane County and generates billions of dollars every year across the state’s economy. But who’s paid the most at UO? ● Eight employees made over $1 million in fiscal year 2025, all of whom work...
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