Zoo plate

Want a trunk on your trunk? A new license plate, sponsored by the Oregon Zoo Foundation, will be available on November 3. It’s design is a nod to the Oregon Zoo’s endangered Asian elephant population and Portland’s nickname of the Rose City. Artist Jeremy Nichols, whose mural work can be seen around Oregon and beyond, designed the plate to encourage the preservation of the natural world around us.

Oregon Zoo plates cost an additional $40 to buy for the first time and with each renewal or replacement, in addition to regular registration renewal fees or replacement plate fees.

The Oregon Zoo license plate will be available through Oregon DMV by mail, at DMV field offices or through a licensed dealer. DMV does not accept early applications. While you can apply for an Oregon Zoo plate at DMV2U for renewal or as a stand-alone replacement plate, you cannot redeem pre-paid vouchers online.

Marriage Tour

“Marriage on the McKenzie” Open House Tour will return on November 2. The free, self-guided tour invites prospective brides and grooms to explore a stunning array of wedding and event venues at ten participating locations, with each one offering a unique setting for a special day.

Designed to showcase venues and vendors that suit every style and budget, this event is one of the “Marriage on the McKenzie” destination marketing campaign strategies aimed at boosting local bookings and sales. The McKenzie River Chamber of Commerce has provided resources for wayfinding and promotion in support of the community-led campaign effort. During the tour, as couples can collect free raffle tickets at each stop, giving them a chance to win fabulous prizes sponsored by local businesses.

Blood Drive

McKenzie area residents will have a chance to help save lives when Bloodworks Northwesthosts hosts a community blood drive at McKenzie Fire & Rescue’s Safety Room at the Training Center in Leaburg, on Friday, Nov. 7, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bloodworks Northwest, an independent, nonprofit organization, supplies lifesaving blood to 95 percent of hospitals across the Pacific Northwest. The group has served as a cornerstone of regional healthcare for more than 70 years-originally known as the Puget Sound Blood Center-and continues to advance blood and medical services through research, innovation, and education.

Blood donations help support patients in need of transfusions, those with bleeding disorders, and people undergoing organ and tissue transplants.

Donors must bring photo ID, eat a healthy meal, and stay well hydrated before giving blood.

To schedule a one-hour appointment, visit donate.bloodworksnw.org or call 800-398-7888.

And yes-there will be cookies.