Make the McKenzie Connection!
Make the McKenzie Connection!
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I didn’t recognize the name or return address on an envelope before opening it recently. The note I read was a total surprise. “About forty years ago I pulled my uninsured vehicle out onto Hilyard St. in Eugne right in front of your oncoming small Honda. Your car had been ready to sell but was significantly damaged. My recollection is that you mentioned a big deductible on your insurance coverage and requested I send money if my fortunes ever improved. I felt bad about the situation. I have been steadily employed at a good job for over a doz...
For two years now, Oregon’s wage floor has been stuck in place. It’s run aground at a place well short of what families need to make ends meet. That may seem strange to say given that Oregon’s minimum hourly wage went up 50 cents on July 1, but that increase only keeps pace with inflation. It’s just enough to not fall behind the rising cost of living, but not enough to make progress. Progress on wages is essential to remedy the widespread economic insecurity afflicting Oregonians, and there are...
You can’t understand the scope of 122,000 names until you see them on a wall. Stand at the foot of the National Monument to Freedom, recently dedicated by the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, and you’ll see all of them, soaring three or four stories above your head. Each name, taken from the 1870 Census, belonged to a former enslaved person. These are surnames. Family names. Combined, they represent about 4 million people who emerged from bondage. Each one stands for an American once tre...
It seems as if every community, big or small, has been impacted by the problems associated with substance use and drug overdose. Within these communities, these problems extend into the family unit, with people becoming addicted and dying because of drugs. However, community drug education and prevention programs can be a first line of defense. There is hope for the younger generations as they have more access to online prevention and education resources to help them make informed decisions. In...
Two big slices of news about Oregon newspapers fell shortly after Memorial Day, sending shock waves across the state. One was the sale of one of the largest Oregon newspaper groups, Portland-based Pamplin Media, and the other was the announcement of major cutbacks in another, EOMedia, which owns the Bend Bulletin and other newspapers. Both show the immediate urgency for finding a way to rescue community news in Oregon – sooner, not later. Among other things, the Oregon Legislature urgently n...
It is a truly sad state of affairs here in the Beaver State: Our salmon stocks are struggling mightily, biodiversity is crashing under the weight of human activities, climate change is accelerating, drought is greatly affecting regional agriculture and wildfires threaten our communities every summer. But there is a nature-based solution that could help. Protecting our state animals could greatly assist human and wildlife communities adapt to the many challenges we face. The wetlands and...
7 is being called the “Year of Universal Education Choice,” and for good reason. According to the nonprofit organization EdChoice, policymakers in 40 states debated 111 bills to expand education options for K-12 students. Lawmakers in seven states enacted new choice programs, and ten states expanded already-existing ones. As of March 2024, eleven states now have universal or near-universal school choice laws. Approximately 20 million American children are eligible to participate in a private choice program. Oregon parents should be able to...
Every year, USACE publishes updated statistics for water safety (or lack thereof) at its project locations throughout the country. In the eight years I’ve been working for USACE, the statistics on drownings have not significantly changed (that I can recall), regardless of the amount of focus and messaging the enterprise has published. Again, it’s no surprise that USACE data from 2023 shows that drowning victims at our locations are 88 percent male and 89 percent who weren’t wearing life jackets. This is an important topic for many of our staff...
Why did PETA supporters steal the show at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show with a sign urging everyone to “Boycott Breeders”? Because “Best in Show” is the worst for dogs. As a licensed veterinary technician, I have seen firsthand the harms of selective breeding, which causes most, if not all, purebreds to suffer from debilitating health issues—and even shortened lifespans. Breathing-impaired breeds including shih tzus and bulldogs have intentionally flattened faces and distorted airways that leave them struggling for every breath; d...
Summer officially begins this weekend and most of us love summer. Millions of Americans will enjoy having a weekend free from work next weekend. However, not everyone will be vacationing. Keep in mind that many Americans will keep convenience stores, grocery stores, restaurants, and many retail stores open for your shopping pleasure. Many of these hard-working people will have a day off but it may not be Monday or even during the weekend. They are a hard-working group in our country who will make it possible for you to be out and about having...
On behalf of McKenzie Community Track and Field I (Cliff Richardson), I would like to extend a heartfelt Thank You to all the volunteers who worked the two Track meets this past week. Your commitment to our youth and those from other communities helped put a cap on the 2024 Track Season at our beautiful Aaron and Marie Jones Community Track. Many of the visiting teams, their fans, and coaches thanked and appreciated the work you all accomplished. Our 2024 Track Season at the Aaron and Marie Jones Community Track has been declared a success,...
On April 24, 2024, President Biden signed as part of a foreign aid package passed by Congress a law that could ban the video app TikTok. But can the federal government ban an entire social media platform or other form of communication? Or does that violate the First Amendment? Because it’s almost certain that one or more lawsuits will be filed, we explore whether banning TikTok violates the First Amendment. What does the TikTok law do? The law was originally proposed as HR 7521, the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled A...
The League of Women Voters of Lane County (LWVLC) wants to help you prepare for the primary election coming soon on May 21st. The League of Women Voters is a nonpartisan political organization that is dedicated to helping voters become informed about and actively participate in government. The League does not support or oppose any political party or candidate. However, the League does advocate for important social policy issues but only after rigorous study and a consensus building review by members. The League of Women Voters produces a...
Now there’s a movie, “Civil War,” that projects the trumpian breakdown of America, with breakaway regionsband malignant militias. I didn’t go see “Civil War,” even though it’s an easy walk down to our charming old neighborhood theater, where they sell good beer that you can take to your seat along with a bag of decent popcorn. The $5 Tuesday tickets are a bargain, but I still didn’t go. I’d been reading quite a bit about “Civil War,” but by the time I worked up the determination to walk...
Carol’s and my families have lived on the McKenzie River since 1954. We believe McKenzie Fire & Rescue is a major benefit to our community. Next week each home will receive a 20-356 Operation Levy Fact Sheet in the mail. We encourage you to read these one-and-a-half pages. It briefly discusses all the benefits of supporting the upcoming Levy in the May 21, 2024 Election. Voter support enables McKenzie Fire & Rescue to maintain current staffing levels, response-ready apparatus, and equipment, continue Student Fire Fighter Programs, and allows f...
They said it couldn’t be done, They said it couldn’t be done, but Oregon will finally more closely resemble most other states in how it regulates campaign finance. Thanks to a bill passed during the just-wrapped legislative session, contributions to state candidates will no longer be able to stretch to infinity. House Bill 4024, which Gov. Tina Kotek signed, takes effect in 2027. That is cause for celebration. But Oregonians should keep their expectations in line and take personal responsibility...
McKenzie Fire & Rescue is asking us to maintain current emergency responses by approving a levy of $1.05 per $1,000 assessed property value for five years starting in 2025. This would replace - not add on to the current levy of 60 cents per $1,000 which our community approved in 2018. There were 804 emergent calls to the stations during 2023! Fires, vehicle accidents, and medical assistance were responded to by skilled personnel- in all kinds of weather, day and night. These calls for help have more than doubled during the past ten years! Our...
As the Harbick green signs appear again for the third year along the McKenzie River, it felt like a good time to do some research online to give me some tools in my attempt to be a responsible voter. The first thing I did was to pull up Mr. Harbick’s submission to the Oregon Voters Overseas/Military Pamphlet (https://oregonvotes.gov/voters-guide-military/votersguide.html). The second thing and I humbly admit my complete lack of knowledge he even existed, I saw Charlie Conrad’s name also listed for State House District #12, so I pulled that one...
The Walterville Grange invites you to an Open House at the Walterville Community Center on Sunday, April 21 from 2 to 4 PM. Please stop in for refreshments and conversation as we recognize April as Grange Month. Joining us will be other community groups providing information on Plant Care, Emergency Radios, EWEB, The Discovery Center, Representative Charlie Conrad, and others. We would love to see you there and bring your friends and neighbors. The Walterville Community Center is located at 39259 Camp Creek Road in Walterville. Thank you,...
Does your newspaper talk to you? McKenzie River Reflections does now, thanks to a project I’ve been working on for the past month. I’m not talking about a text replacement. Instead, the plan was about complementing written words and giving readers something I’ve been hearing they wanted: content on the go, when looking at a screen is not an option. Some said they’d like the convenience of being informed when “too busy to read but want to know what’s going on.” Other people have been accessing mckenzie river reflections newspaper.com on cell pho...
Easter was a pretty big deal, growing up in Hood River, Ore. We’d dress up especially nice for Mass at Saint Mary’s, of course, and I remember frowning to myself because you’d see people at church on Easter that you never saw any other time of the year. We went to mass every damn Sunday but here were these people, strolling in all holy and high and mighty a couple times a year. We always had a big meal afterward. Ham, usually, I think, and Mom’s famous cinnamon rolls. Many years we went to our...
There are undoubtedly good times had by all who take part in St. Patrick’s Day. It’s known for lively parties, green beer, and brutal hangovers. Yet, if you want to stay sober and avoid alcohol, it can pose a challenge. Suppose someone is in recovery from alcoholism, choosing a healthy lifestyle, or recently decided to give up alcohol for whatever reason. Celebrating St. Paddy’s Day without a plan may lead to disaster. While it is only one day a year, it can quickly derail any progress on sobriety. Fortunately, there are practical appro...
My first column about The Whip appeared in the Eugene Register-Guard in Oregon in December 1994. She called the newspaper because the DMV wanted to yank her license. I don’t know if those people still call or write to media outlets. I hope they do. Some of them from my newspaper days became legendary figures, such as the “Rain Lady” who badgered reporters at The Oregonian for years. During her, yes, reign of terror, any reporter who dared write cheerfully of sunny weather or who dispa...
February is American Heart Month, a time to recognize that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, especially in the African American community. African Americans are 30% more likely to die from heart disease than non-Hispanic whites. However, African Americans can successfully prevent and beat these diseases by understanding the risks and taking steps to address them. Being physically active, eating healthy, not smoking, and finding healthy ways to deal with stress are all ways we can improve our heart health now and...
The last segment of Oregon’s Interstate Highway system opened in 1982. One would think that since Oregon has a nationally prominent planning system, there would be efforts underway to plan for the next generation of great roads. But that is not the case. Planners almost universally hate highways, so they have made sure that the Interstate system remains stagnant. Even where changes are being contemplated, such as a new I-5 bridge over the Columbia River, they are not designed to address growth. The Interstate Bridge Replacement Project, now i...
