News

Human remains have been found in what's left of a rural Creswell home destroyed by fire last Wednesday. Sergeant Carrie Carver is with the Lane County Sheriff's office.

Carver: "Since the fire we have been out there sifting through debris and it's taken a little bit of time but we were able to recover two bodies. The bodies have yet to be identified though. The missing persons report that we put out on the 16th (July) for Mr. Dennis Michael Kelley and Mr. Carl Rob McFarland still stands. We are still looking for those two individuals."

Dexter Lake was the site of Lane County's first ever Dragon Boat race on Saturday. The event was aimed at helping disabled veterans.

Standing under a gazebo by the western shore of Dexter Lake, teams of 15 to 20 people chant and pump each other up for the upcoming race. More than 200 people, or a dozen teams showed up to compete this weekend. Erin Zysett, the Board President of the Emerald City Dragon Boat Club, tries to manage the logistics of making sure which team is racing and when.

Zysett: "It's organized chaos but it's a lot of fun."

An overwhelming number of people attended the Eugene City Council's public comment hearing Monday night. Citizens packed Harris Hall to voice their concerns, support, or opposition to the proposed sick leave ordinance.

About 60 people commented on the proposed sick leave ordinance. Lindy Moore heads the Emerald Executive Association and opposes the ordinance.

REVIEW OF “WATER BY THE SPOONFUL”

by Dorothy Velasco

for broadcast on KLCC July 22, 2014

“Water by the Spoonful,” by Quiara Alegria Hudes, won a Pulitzer Prize in 2012. Now playing at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Thomas Theatre, it’s an excellent choice for the intimate space.

The number of unemployed people in Lane County increased by more than 650 between May and June.  The unemployment rate remained the same at 6.8%.

But that could change in July, after this month's mill fire in Springfield.

Oregon Regional Economist Brian Rooney says Lane County has been in a period of positive employment growth.  But he calls the unemployment numbers for June…

Rooney: "A little bit of a step back."

The Lane County Board of Commissioners has made the unprecedented move of barring cities in the county from passing laws that impact employment. The vote Monday morning is meant to pre-empt the City of Eugene's efforts to pass a sick leave ordinance.

Former Oregon Governor Vic Atiyeh has died. The 91-year-old passed away Sunday evening at Portland's Providence St. Vincent Medical Center of complications from renal failure. Atiyeh served two terms as governor from 1979 until 1987. He became one of Oregon's most respected Republican political figures and relished his role as an elder statesman. But he still kept a hand in politics.

January 10, 1983. Two months after winning re-election in one of the most lopsided gubernatorial races in Oregon history...

Meeting Date: July 18, 2014

Air Date: July 21, 2004

In 1969 in an apple orchard outside of Eugene, a handful of local people held a benefit for Children’s House, a community alternative school. That philanthropic event, billed as the Renaissance Faire, grew into the Oregon Country Fair (OCF). In the decades since, the Fair has been incorporated as a nonprofit organization with thousands of volunteers and six employees. Every July, hundreds of entertainers, performers, and handcraft artisans come together to co-create a lively festival.

People around Eugene or the University of Oregon in the next week may hear more foreign language speakers than usual.  There are thousands of athletes and coaches here for the World Junior Track and Field Championships. Helping orient those visitors is a group of U of O student ambassadors. 

("Welcome to Eugene" in Japanese) ("Welcome to Eugene" in Italian)

Residents of fire-ravaged central Washington say they're in a “state of shock.” Fires destroyed more houses over the weekend and prompted additional evacuation notices. Now, some people are sifting through the rubble of their former homes. Jessica Robinson has more from Okanogan County.

Kelsey Verbeck and her husband grabbed a few items before evacuating their home in Pateros, Wash. A diaper bag for their newborn. Work clothes for the next day.