Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
Sorted by date Results 1 - 23 of 23
WALTERVILLE: A downriver man was arrested Tuesday evening after Lane County Sheriff's deputies responded to a reported assault and located the suspect with the assistance of K-9 Tito. Deputies were dispatched at approximately 6:45 p.m. August 4 to the 42700 block of McKenzie Highway near Walterville after receiving a report of an assault. According to the Lane County Sheriff's Office, the victim reported being choked, struck in the face multiple times and losing consciousness during the...
The projected cost of work associated with the Eugene Water & Electric Board’s Carmen-Smith Hydroelectric Project on the upper McKenzie River has climbed to approximately $300 million, more than double the project’s original $139 million budget. EWEB commissioners received an update on the facility during their August 4 meeting, where officials attributed the increase to expanded regulatory requirements, site conditions and inflation. The Carmen-Smith project is one of EWEB’s major locally owned sources of electricity and includes elect...
A new study from the Action Network ranks Oregon among the top 10 states to catch one of nature's most awe-inspiring sights: meteor showers. The state boasts large areas without city lights, especially in the east, as well as plenty of clear days to make for optimal viewing. Robert Lunsford, contributor to the American Meteor Society, said most meteors are the size of a pea and they are not very bright but sometimes, meteors can be the size of a tennis ball, known as a fireball, which will make...
Sequins, slime and a distinctly Eugene brand of pageantry will take center stage on Friday, August 14, when contestants compete for one of the city's most unusual crowns - the title of SLUG Queen. The 2026 SLUG Queen Competition & Coronation begins at 6 p.m. at the Eugene Saturday Market Stage, where hopefuls will rely on elaborate costumes, performances, humor and even good-natured bribery of the judges in their quest for the crown. During the yearlong "rain," the Queen makes appearances at...
Community newspapers are more than the articles that appear weekly. They’re part of the civic backbone of the communities they serve. For nearly fifty years, McKenzie River Reflections has filled that role in the McKenzie River Valley - covering schools and fire districts, county government and utilities, elections and public meetings, wildfires and rebuilding, businesses, volunteers and neighbors. If I, or someone else, catches a mistake, the next issue will include a correction. Reporting aims to preserve our community’s history. Years from n...
Since its 2001 implementation, The Roadless Area Conservation Rule has protected over 45 million acres of national forest land from having new roads bulldozed into their remote wildlands. This includes nearly two million acres in Oregon cherished for their outdoor recreation opportunities ranging from hiking and mountain biking to fishing and hunting. These inventoried roadless areas provide crucial contiguous habitat that benefit wildlife including deer and elk herds and threatened and endangered species such as bull trout. They are also the a...
Aug 4: 8:54 a.m: Civil Service - 92100 blk, Marcola Rd. 1:08 p.m: Towed Vehicle - 90700 blk, Hill Rd. 2:44 p.m: Citizen Contact - 39100 blk, Camp Creek Rd. 6:06 p.m: Disturbance, Dispute - 55600 blk, McK. River Dr. 6:45 p.m: Strangulation - 42700 blk, McK. Hwy. 8:02 p.m: Burglary - 93200 blk, Paschelke Rd. Aug. 5: 10:08 a.m: Water Rescue - McK. River. 2:09 p.m: Suspicious Conditions - 43300 blk, McK. Hwy. Aug. 6: 2:11 p.m:. Gunshot Wound – BLM Rd. 16 & McGowen Creek. 2:46 p.m: Disturbance, Dispute - 58500 blk, McK. Hwy. 5:46 p.m: D...
Aug. 3: 7:01: Goodpasture Rd./ McK. Hwy. Medical, Trauma. Patient Assessed, Refusal Obtained. 9:39: 41900 blk, Holden Creek Ln. Medical, General. Patient Assessed, 1 Transported. Aug. 4: 18:51: 42700 blk, McK. Hwy. Police Assist, No Medical Need. 19:00: 88900 blk, Bridge St. Medical, General. Patient Assessed, 1 Transported. 19:18: 42700 blk, McK. Hwy. Police Assist, Patient Refusal. 20:30: 45700 blk, McK. Hwy. Brush Fire. Informed Homeowner, Homeowner will Extinguish. 21:48: 51100 blk, Blue River Dr. Mutual Aid. False Alarm. Aug. 5: 8:40:...
Aug. 4: 20:07: Medical – 56000 block, McK. Hwy. Male, Conscious, Breathing. 21:48: Fire Alarm – 51000 blk, Blue River Dr. Smoke alarm, no specific area. Aug. 5: 10:56: Medical - 55000 blk, McK. River Dr. Male, Conscious, Breathing. Aug. 6: 20:09: Assist Police Dept. - 91000 blk, Mill Creek Rd. Male, Conscious, Breathing. Aug. 7: 14:50: Medical - 59000 blk, McK. Hwy. Mountain biker on trail with possible broken hip. Aug. 8: 21:13: Illegal Burn - 58000 blk, Old McK. Hwy. Caller advises 2 – 3 ft. contained bonfire is attended. 09:48: Medic...
The Oregon Trail has been called the world's longest graveyard. It's a 2,000-mile road that averages one buried body every 80 yards. Out of the 350,000 emigrants that traveled along it, one out of every 10 died along the way. Most likely, if you're a young-ish Oregonian, you already knew that. The legendary Oregon Trail video game made the deadliness of the Trail common knowledge, and "You have died of dysentery" has become a well-known pop-culture reference. But there were lots of ways to kick...
Himalayan blackberry has become one of the Pacific Northwest's most invasive weeds, spreading rapidly from Northern California to British Columbia. A single plant can grow into a six-square-yard thicket in less than two years, crowding out native vegetation and desirable landscape plants. "Blackberries keep popping up because of their tremendous and effective dispersal potential," said Brooke Edmunds, horticulturist with the Oregon State University Extension Service. "Blackberry canes can...
For the first four years, I attended a one-room schoolhouse about a half a mile from home. For my siblings and me, those one-room school years were formative ones. Then our small school became part of a larger district, expanding our experiences and horizons. The school I attended in Poughquag, NY consisted of six grades with 25 - 30 students. One teacher prepared lessons, taught and disciplined these students without aides, parent volunteers, or principal. The district superintendent visited...
I have a middle-aged American friend, divorced for many years, who ended a long relationship a few months ago. Recently he became fascinated with the culture and women of a country where marriages are arranged. He found himself a couple of pen pals and is planning to go over soon and interview potential brides. He's not one of those creepy, bitter, chauvinistic, mail-order bride seekers. He genuinely believes in gender equality. He likes the idea of a relationship based on shared values with a f...
The countdown continues! With August underway, the first day of the 2026–2027 school year is beginning to feel much closer. This week marks an important milestone in our preparations as we welcome families back for student registration on Tuesday, August 11, and Wednesday, August 12. Registration may seem like one more item on the back-to-school checklist, but for our staff, it is an important part of preparing to welcome students on August 31. Knowing which students will be joining us allows us to finalize class rosters, transportation routes,...
I bought tickets to a Rick Springfield concert through StubHub. The event was originally scheduled 11 months ago but was postponed to three months ago. StubHub did not update this rescheduling correctly within its internal system. On the new date of the concert, I contacted StubHub because I still hadn't received my tickets. A representative assured me that the system showed the event as still "postponed." I told them the concert was happening that day, but they couldn't override the system to...
I recently rented a Mercedes SUV through Turo for a friend’s birthday trip to New Hampshire. While driving in the mountains at about 40 mph, the front right tire blew out. I called Turo immediately. A representative told me I could use their tow service for $199. Since I have been a AAA member since I was 16, it made no sense to pay extra for a tow, so I used AAA instead. AAA towed the vehicle to our vacation rental. The tow driver asked us to look underneath the vehicle. Both front tires w...
New data shows that over 7,000 more students in grades K–12 regularly attended classes in Oregon this past school year, an Oregon Journalism Project analysis shows. That bumps up the state's regular attendance rate by 1.3 percentage points to 64.5%, according to the data, which shows attendance figures at each school in Oregon through May 1. Oregon schools lag far behind the national average for regular attendance, which was 78% for the 2024–25 school year. In Oregon, more than 1 in 3 stu...
More than 2 million acres have burned in Oregon so far this year and with the increased risk of wildfire damage to homes and businesses, experts said now is the time for people to make sure their wildfire insurance is set up to work for them. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has issued an emergency order stopping insurers from canceling policies in the next 30 days and giving anyone in wildfire evacuation zones more time to file claims. Michelle Luedtke, communications and engagement director for the...
ACROSS 1. Eye affliction 5. Mowgli to Raksha in "The Jungle Book" 8. Cured pork product, pl. 12. *Every lap you run in gym class completes one 13. Ripped 14. Throw up 15. Mythological ship 16. Agitate 17. Like worthless promise 18. *"Go to the ____'s office" 20. Hatchling's home 21. Wasted on the young? 22. "Amazing!" 23. *____ Core, academic standards 26. *"Rock N'Roll High School" band 30. Be obliged 31. Orange ____ tea, pl. 34. Of low density 35. Earthenware pots 37. Farm layer 38. Bagpipes...
