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Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application A Memorial Service will be held on Tuesday John's Nepomuk Catholic Church in Lastrup with Father David Maciej officiating Visitation will be held from 4:00-7:00 P.M All visitation times will be held at Emblom Brenny Funeral Service in Pierz 1961 to the late Edward and Gertrude (Tretter) Medek Joseph’s Catholic Grade School and Pierz Healy High School he continued to work at the family saw mill In 1984 Larry started working at Performance Food Group in the warehouse driving forklift He was united in marriage to Nancy Froelich at St John’s Nepomuk Catholic Church in Lastrup on February 14 Larry was a sensational conversationalist and enjoyed visiting with everyone he met In his spare time he enjoyed creating woodworks and crafting cabinets He always had a small engine project that he was tinkering on while polka music played He loved sawing lumber at the family sawmill and visiting with his friends and family Larry took pride in the fact that he built his own house with lumber he cut down and sawed In his latter years he could be found outside on the swing listening to birds and enjoying his time He was a member of the Eastern Morrison County 4-Wheeler Club Larry always had a joke to tell and will forever be missed by his family and friends Hannah (Chris) Fisk of Little Falls; 3 grandchildren Tony Slipp and Collins and Cooper Medek; sister Emblom Brenny Funeral Service is Cherishing the Memory and Celebrating the Life of Larry Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors passed away peacefully at Mission Hospital in Asheville on April 30 Karla Roberts and Jennifer Roberts; several grandkids and great-grandkids; and several nieces Ricky lived his life as a fun-loving free-spirit and listening to good ol' country music Among those left to cherish Ricky's memory are his close life-long friends A celebration of Ricky's life will be held at a later date at his residence — Members of the Eugene Police Department have taken a man into custody after responding to reports of an armed man Friday afternoon in the 4700 block of Royal Avenue Police earlier had advised motorists to avoid the area while they searched for the man police were called after a man was reported to be holding a rifle and screaming that he was going to kill people in a parking lot at 4780 Royal Avenue but then he refused commands to move away from it," EPD said "Officers deployed 40mm less lethal when he got up and started walking toward the object." later identified as 47-year-old Jacob Don Daniels Residents in the 4900 block of Royal were advised to shelter in place Eugene Police Patrol and Drone Team resources responded "The Bearcat armored vehicle was brought the scene and Eugene Springfield Fire staged," the department said He is being charged with Disorderly Conduct "The object he was carrying turned out to be a bong in the shape of a semi-auto rifle," EPD's report states — Detectives with the Eugene Police Department (EPD) have linked a suspect to a slew of business and food cart burglaries EPD's Property Crimes Unit (PCU) detective had been investigating the thefts since September 2024 additional victims have come forward over the last six months; reporting that their business have also suffered from burglaries The investigation involved gathering evidence from the crimes and comparing images with assistance from EPD patrol PCU identified 55-year-old Raymond Joseph Janczyk as the suspect EPD arrested Janczyk on outstanding warrants for Theft in the Second Degree and Parole Violation and lodged him at the Lane County Jail for Menacing and Assault in the Fourth Degree The police department says additional charges are being evaluated — A man is in the hospital following a stabbing incident at a downtown Eugene convenience store early Monday morning The Eugene Police Department (EPD) responded to the Chevron gas station on W 7th Avenue around 4:00 a.m Emergency crews found a male victim with a stab wound to the lower back He was transported to the hospital with serious injuries Details surrounding the incident remain unclear and authorities are continuing to investigate the situation We will bring you more details as we receive them New restaurants are opening left and right in Eugene Eugenians will have plenty of new places to chow with Tiger Mama opening a new location on Willamette The Santa Clara Farm Stand opening for the season and a new food truck opening in Public House Whether you're looking to celebrate the warm weather with a Korean meal or a beer on the Public House patio this week's restaurant roundup details the new foodie spots Tiger Mama's new location is hard to miss The brightly colored exterior stands out from other restaurants on Willamette Street beckoning curious customers inside for tasty Chefs Preston Shin and Sunny Moon are getting into the swing of things The couple has always wanted to come to the South Hill area and finally made that dream a reality with Tiger Mama Cupbap Company so we couldn't do a full restaurant in here," Shin said "Cupbap was our solution for the size of the restaurant originating from markets in Korea where people needed to take the food to go." The menu at Tiger Mama Cupbap Company features customizable cupbap options where customers can choose between a base of rice noodles and japchae and a variety of Korean proteins for their toppings "There is a Chinese version of this called Panda Express but there is no version of that for Korean food," Preston said "We have all the same great recipes from Tiger Mama Whiteaker Moon and Shin have seen their regulars from Tiger Mama show up at their new project and heard them express their happiness at having their favorite food closer to home Their soft opening was at the end of April and the restaurant is holding regular hours as they move into May The kitchen at Tiger Mama Cupbap Company is almost as big as the dining area and Shin and Moon have used the new addition of space to their advantage something that they didn't have space to do before Chef Moon's famous kimchi is now available to purchase at both Tiger Mama Whitaker and Cupbap Company Though the setting of Tiger Mama Cupbap Company is more casual Shin and Moon want their customers to know they will get the same high-quality food they get at Tiger Mama Whiteaker but the food is not casual," Preston said with a laugh Tiger Mama Cupbap Company is located at 2564 Willamette St. Santa Clara Farm Stand opens for the seasonSome Eugene residents have been watching the clock count down to May 1st all winter The date brings the opening of the Santa Clara Farm Stand which supplies the neighborhood with fresh produce and Eugene-based products throughout spring often Northwestern-grown produce such as apples and even Santa Clara Farmstand Chips and Salsa The Santa Clara Farm Stand is located at 3825 River Rd Tiny's West Coast Kitchen is opening May 1st in the PublicHouse kitchen, bringing high-quality, fresh ingredients to Springfield. Chef Drew Nava is an LA native and will be showcasing his cooking skills at his new project. Tiny's West Coast Kitchen will be serving California-style classics like smashburgers, pastrami sandwiches, chili cheese fries, hot dogs and pizza. Tiny's is a true family business. Nava named his business after the nickname he gave his daughter, Siari. "I would always call her tiny, and she loved the idea when I told her the name," Nava said. "She's my partner in crime, we do everything together." Siari loves spending time in the kitchen with her dad, and Nava says she's great for business. "Sometimes customers tip her 100%," he said with a laugh. "I put all the tips for her and put them in a jar at the house... it's her college money." Nava's good friend, whom he refers to as his brother, Adrian Delacruz, will also be helping out at Tiny's. Nava is excited to be working with his family. "My brother went back home to LA, but I've convinced him to move back to Oregon with this project," Nava said. "We've just been brainstorming the project and talking about everything, he really has helped me form the restaurant." Tiny's will be open Monday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to close at PublicHouse at 418 A St. in Springfield. Samantha Pierotti is the food, drinks and "things to do" reporter for The Register-Guard. You can reach her via email at spierotti@gannett.com with tips on restaurants and local happenings. EUGENE, Ore. — Members of the Eugene Police Department have taken a man into custody after responding to reports of an armed man Friday afternoon in the 4700 block of Royal Avenue. Police earlier had advised motorists to avoid the area while they searched for the man. Eugene PD says around 12:21 p.m., police were called after a man was reported to be holding a rifle and screaming that he was going to kill people in a parking lot at 4780 Royal Avenue, then walking down Royal Avenue. "At one point, he sat on a curb and was cooperative, putting the object down, but then he refused commands to move away from it," EPD said. "Officers deployed 40mm less lethal when he got up and started walking toward the object." The man, later identified as 47-year-old Jacob Don Daniels, made statements about wanting to be shot, police said. Residents in the 4900 block of Royal were advised to shelter in place. Eugene Police Patrol and Drone Team resources responded. "The Bearcat armored vehicle was brought the scene and Eugene Springfield Fire staged," the department said. He is being charged with Disorderly Conduct. "The object he was carrying turned out to be a bong in the shape of a semi-auto rifle," EPD's report states. Armstrong Williams takes on the news of the week and asks the questions you want answered. Don’t miss our weekly town hall. Eugene Emeralds whale-y creative 'Exploding Whale' merch featured on 'Last Week Tonight'by KATU Staff EUGENE, Ore. — Both the Eugene Emeralds and KATU’s classic news footage of the “exploding whale” got a shout-out on the latest episode of “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver What does Oregon’s attempt to dispose of a beached whale with dynamite have to do with minor league baseball After a lengthy look at deportations Oliver and company shifted to covering the often quirky and creative ways that MiLB teams will re-brand to draw in fans In comes the Ems’ and their alternate identity referencing the pacific gray whale that blasted its way into Oregon’s history books a dead whale that had washed up on the beach near Florence three days earlier exploded into history "It had to be said the Oregon State Highway Department not only had a whale of a problem on its hands," Paul Linnman reported for KATU a half century ago "It had a stinking whale of a problem." the Emeralds announced their alternate identity of the Exploding Whales – something they worked closely on with the coastal City of Florence The merch featuring a whale holding a stick of dynamite like a baseball bat has brought in a steady stream of revenue for the team which can often be a game-changer for these MiLB franchises Oliver ended the segment with a pitch to any team out there looking for an opportunity to rebrand saying his show would offer their services to help them find their own alternate identity We have the address for the funeral home & the family on file If you're not happy with your card we'll send a replacement or refund your money Eugene Randall Harmon, aged 61, of Mooresville, North Carolina, passed away on Thursday, May 1, 2025, at Duke Health Lake Norman Hospital. Born on December 11, 1963, in Williamson, West Virginia, Eugene was the beloved son of the late Eugene... View Obituary & Service Information The family of Eugene Randall Harmon created this Life Tributes page to make it easy to share your memories © 2025 Cavin-Cook Funeral Home & Crematory Made with love by funeralOne Sheriff Eugene Brandley is hosting a free community barbecue Saturday at Diamond Lakes Park as part of his first 100 days in office initiative in the pavilion at the park located at 4335 Windsor Spring Rd. The sheriff and his deputies will be on hand to answer questions and give residents the opportunity to meet Richmond County's law enforcement officers Here are the heroes: Richmond County sheriff honors exceptional law officers "This event is part of Sheriff Brantley’s broader effort to redefine the relationship between law enforcement and the community starting with accessibility," according to a news release about the event It is "designed to bring the community and law enforcement together in a relaxed Brantley has increased visible law enforcement presence countywide secured competitive salary raises for deputies and nearly eliminated all job vacancies within the Richmond County Sheriff’s Office and living life to the fullest wherever possible His fun-loving nature had its start in Grand Junction and everything a Colorado kid could ever dream of He grew to love and seek out any experience that life offered a passion of his that continued through his entire life His love of motorcycles and life eventually took him to Arizona where his quick wit and friendly nature expanded his friend group even further It was in Arizona that he met and created a life with Cindy Kruh Terry and Cindy went on to have two daughters Terry constantly voiced to everyone who would listen how proud he was of his girls and how much he adored them He once again let his true colors shine in the Roseburg community and created a found family in this new town and a consistently hard worker and friend to all it wasn’t long before he had hundreds of friends in his new home all of which knew he was always having the best day of his life Taylor Kruh (Eric Scheer) and Riley Mason (JB Mason) and older sister Adellia Kleefeld (Tim Kleefeld) He was so excited to meet his first granddaughter from Taylor and Eric in July 2025 and first grandson from Riley and JB in August 2025 The family finds comfort knowing that he ended up being the first to meet and hold them Read the e-Edition here Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Would you like to receive our Daily Briefing? Signup today Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Eugene is planning deep cuts to a slew of major services end funding for CAHOOTS and close a city swimming pool and community center Eugene City Manager Sarah Medary posted a draft of the budget on April 25 calling it one of her most challenging and noting that it would come with “significant service impacts." The budget which would cover the 2025-27 fiscal period includes wide-reaching cuts to the downtown Library The city would employ fewer workers as well — a total of 34.63 "full-time equivalent" positions would be cut Medary had projected a $11.5 million annual gap totaling $23 million over the two-year general fund budget which is primarily funded by property taxes Medary proposed $17.8 million in “gap strategies,” mainly consisting of service cuts and reallocations Also in the budget are $1.6 million in canceled "investments," which were mostly programs previously funded with one-time money the city had hoped to make ongoing but canceled instead Also in the budget are “bridge strategies,” including using leftover health insurance funds Medary presented the budget to the Budget Committee comprising the Eugene City Council and eight volunteers Members of the committee did not vote on any changes at this first meeting thanking Medary and staff for their work but also expressing dismay at how steep the service cuts recommended to balance the budget were and the challenge ahead for the committee more than any I think I've been involved in my seven years on this committee is so much more difficult and so much more complex than a lot of what we've had to face in the past," committee Chair Tai Pruce-Zimmerman said What's cut in the recommended General Fund?Medary recommended cuts that would impact all six city departments. The biggest cuts hit the library, alternative response (CAHOOTS), the city's Equity & Community Engagement office and animal welfare It also proposes closing the Amazon Pool and the Sheldon Community Center Medary recommended closing the Downtown library on Sundays and Mondays and completely closing the Amazon Pool and Sheldon Community Center starting Oct Medary recommended pairing the Sunday and Monday downtown library closure with expanded Sunday hours at the Sheldon and Bethel branch libraries to meet the requirements of the library operations levy The library cuts would result in the layoffs of 4.7 FTE-equivalent of library assistants and a library manager and close vacant positions for 2.7 FTE of library assistants and 0.8 of a custodian "This strategy will reduce access at the downtown location by two days per week which will impact services for downtown library patrons and reduce access for community members that use the facility as a safe space and as a cooling/warming center in adverse weather events," Medary wrote Medary proposed reassigning full-time employees who work at the Amazon Pool and the Sheldon Community Center to other parts of the city's recreation program but eliminating the temporary employees who serve both: the lifeguards at Amazon Pool and the preschool and afterschool workers at the Sheldon Community Center "This will reduce local access to early learning "With the closure of Sheldon Community Center these programs would no longer be available to provide childcare." She also recommended "vacancy savings" (effectively a hiring freeze) for the department as well as a pair of funding realignments to allocate positions in Community and Cultural Affairs and the River House outdoor center with the Cultural Services Subfund instead of the main section of the General Fund This fund is paid for with Transient Lodging Tax paid for by hotel users Budget committee member Wendy Simmons voiced concern on the impact of library cuts "Multiple programs there serve people of all ages," she said giving them a welcoming and safe place to be Medary proposed reducing the General Fund budget for the Alternative Response Program by $1.55 million, reflecting the end of the city's contract for CAHOOTS She also proposed eliminating the alternative response planning chief position which supports the single-role ambulance transport alternative response and senior response programs The was the change that received the most feedback both during April 26's public comment period and at the budget committee meeting community members urged the City Council to restore CAHOOTS with funds from the Community Safety Payroll Tax "The money from the Community Safety Payroll Tax, we're expecting $67 million. I want some of that allocated, maybe $8 million, to CAHOOTS," Eugene resident Alex Chamberlin said. "In Section D of the ordinance it specifically mentions CAHOOTS as something the ordinance is going to increase funding for Budget committee members were divided on this line item with some saying restoring CAHOOTS was an urgent need "I'm very concerned about the loss of CAHOOTS in our community," said committee member Zach Mulholland "Every month that they are not in service it's harder to bring them back Other members of the committee said the challenges with CAHOOTS were related to White Bird Clinic and argued that restoring it would require more than a budget conversation "White Bird indicated they were no longer going to provide that service," Councilor Eliza Kashinsky said "I feel like at this point we need to talk about who what's the organizational structure surrounding this service we can come back to the funding conversation because there's a lot of unknowns." Medary proposed eliminating two management analyst positions and the senior program coordinator from the Office of Equity and Community Engagement This represents half of the positions in the office that support the city's equity efforts and providing city outreach and engagement and support for neighborhood associations; decrease capacity for equity and engagement consultation and policy analysis; reduce but not eliminate support for hate crimes and discrimination victims and human rights education; scale back support for the HRC to maintain the minimum work required by City code; and eliminate HRC grants for community events," Medary wrote Councilor Jennifer Yeh expressed concern about the Office of Equity and Community Engagement's cuts and requested more information from Medary on the program "I would appreciate more clarity around our Office of Equity and Community Engagement and how those reductions are going to affect our ability to provide those services in our community at a time where it seems ever presently important to be working on inclusion," she said Medary proposed eliminating the Eugene Police Department's Animal Welfare Unit a team that investigates criminal cases involving the abuse and neglect of animals and transports them to shelters eliminates its "animal services sheltering contract" with Greenhill Humane Society worth approximately $400,000 "This reduction also removes support for animal-related calls for service not requiring police response and funding for animal shelter services All mandatory work currently provided by this program will result in an increased workload for other staff in the organization," Medary wrote Medary also proposed eliminating EPD's Community Engagement Team which provides police community events and educational presentations; eliminating two administrative support positions for the EPD volunteer program; and eliminating currently vacant positions for a Community Safety Officer and a Records Specialist Most of the proposed changes to this department would impact parks Medary proposed reducing two employees and resources devoted to park maintenance Included in this line item are changes to reduce park lighting hours and irrigation frequency shut off some spray play features and scale down park custodial and landscape frequency The budget also proposes eliminating a vacant senior program coordinator position which would be responsible for supporting community gardens and volunteer programs leading to fewer events and reducing the seasonal staff that city parks typically hire in the summer Medary also proposed eliminating a vacant management analyst position that supports the Sustainability Program and shifting a fifth of the salary and benefits for the Public Works operations manager to the Stormwater Fund instead of the General Fund Medary proposed eliminating three city staffers who support homeless services and other support services." She proposed this reduction only for the 2026-27 half of the budget the city should encourage the state to allocate All-In funding to Lane County and nonprofits to take on these services The budget also proposed eliminating a vacant position that supports the city's business retention and economic development program Medary highlighted urban growth planning asone area that would be impacted by job growth This section includes areas Medary had one point planned to expand the General Fund to but ultimately did not in her final recommendation Some of these would have been new services but most would be areas previously funded with one-time money the city had hoped to make ongoing instead but in the recommended budget spends half of what was previously planned for the work.$40,000 in police vacancy savings (0 FTE)Last biennium the city used one-time money to shrink the level of the hiring freeze for Eugene police Medary recommended making half of that change permanent and removing part of the freeze from the General Fund but ultimately landed $40,000 less than previously planned.Approved General Fund investmentsBut some "investments" did make the cut They represent a mixture of one-time funded services shifting to ongoing and new or expanding services There is overlap with the last category as some services got funding the city saw mostly flat revenue or increases to its various special funds totaling $25.8 million and a 12.0 FTE increase over the 2023-25 biennium All three of the changes would be paid for out of the Cultural Services Subfund The Hult Center's programming reflects an increase in offerings, including "Hult Presents" and Broadway shows at the Hult Center Medary said the revenue from these shows would cover the expense The LRCS marketing shift is one of the "gap strategies" to close the budget shortfall by paying out of Cultural Services instead of the main General Fund The downtown events coordinator had the same shift last biennium and is made permanent here the city budget committee will discuss the budgets and potential changes to them The committee has four scheduled meetings and will then recommend a budget for voting by the City Council People can watch the meetings in person at Eugene City Hall (500 E Fourth Ave.) or online at bit.ly/Eugene-meetings; however public comment is available in person only for the first two meetings Alan Torres covers local government for the Register-Guard. He can be reached byemail at atorres@registerguard.com, on X @alanfryetorres or on Reddit at u/AlfrytRG — The intersection of Roosevelt Boulevard and Chambers Street is closed to turns starting May 5 The traffic control plan put into place does not allow turns onto or from Roosevelt Boulevard from Chambers either northbound or southbound then to Garfield Street and then north to Roosevelt Boulevard Detours for cyclists and pedestrians also are marked Bike riders are allowed to claim the vehicle travel lane if they feel safe doing so Construction on the seismic retrofit of the bridge has been delayed for some time for several reasons but is expected to get underway next week — The Eugene Police Department reports arrests were made during a Thursday protest there was a planned protest at the Park Blocks that began with a series of speeches Participants then proceeded to march to Kesey Square "Organizers were present in order to facilitate a peaceful environment and made several announcements for participants to stay on the sidewalk while marching," Eugene PD says several people began to disregard requests made by organizers and walked into the street while blocking police vehicles and other vehicular traffic." Organizers asked EPD’s Mobile Response Team (MRT) for help with the splinter group police say the splinter group took all lanes of travel around 6:30 p.m. "EPD MRT attempted to allow the group and organizers to maintain safety themselves," the department says when the splinter group blocked all lanes on E officers had to intervene to prevent a confrontation or collision with motorists." MRT used the public address systems on their vehicles to admonish the participants of disorderly conduct and order them out of the street "Many of the individuals did not comply and purposefully slowed down," EPD says "Some participants in the march could be seen leaving as this behavior worsened When the march passed by Willamette Street and 10th Avenue the marchers blocked a Lane Transit District bus from proceeding east through the light." Eugene PD says a plan was made to arrest six disorderly individuals Officers stopped 38-year-old Katherine Marcella Tromp-Van Holst at the southwest corner of E "Protesters observed the officers stopping Tromp-Van Holst and a crowd started to gravitate toward the stop," the report says "About 20 people approached while yelling and cursing at officers One subject pointed out there were many more of them than officers but protesters started to circle around officers." Tromp-Van Holst was ultimately arrested and transported to Lane County Jail and lodged on Disorderly Conduct charges the crowd continued to encroach on an MRT vehicle later identified as 25-year-old Justice Ty Martinez hit the driver’s window of an MRT vehicle as it went by," the report states Martinez was arrested and lodged at Lane County Jail on charges including Aggravated Harassment (felony) and Disorderly Conduct in the Second Degree Four other people were cited in lieu of custody for Disorderly Conduct: 37-year-old Conner Hoge Day the only therapist in this dystopian society Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author smiles while receiving the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters at the University of Michigan commencement at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor has worked at the Post since 1980 and been a columnist since 2005 winning a Pulitzer Prize for his work focused on the election of Barack Obama as the nation’s first Black president in 2008 In a memo to colleagues reported by The New York Times on Thursday Robinson said the “significant shift” in the opinion section’s mission had encouraged him that it was time to move on also resigned because of the shift in focus Robinson said that he was “retiring from my longtime journalistic home but not from journalism” and would keep followers informed of his next move Robinson appears regularly as a commentator on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” He began his journalism career at the San Francisco Chronicle in the 1970s was a correspondent in London and South America foreign editor and assistant managing editor the Washington Post offered congratulations to the “beloved” Robinson upon his retirement “Eugene’s strong perspective and impeccable integrity have regularly shaped our public discourse cementing his legacy as a leading voice in American journalism,” the Post said Our industry must reckon with how we’ve trivialised activism by turning it into comms strategy – only to abandon it Nobody likes to admit we need marketing but the discipline has always been necessary to match people with the products and services that fulfil their needs and desires with us focusing primarily on brands’ features and tangible benefits we moved on to symbolic benefits: identities we began selling values: an ideology that hit its zenith between 2015 and 2022 in the era of “brand purpose” It’s here we started to lose the plot. Brands no longer sought to be loved – they demanded to be supported, treated as movements rather than commercial entities. Do you stand with Nike against racial injustice? Do you support Hellmann’s in the fight against food waste By making purchasing decisions moral declarations, we sold the idea that we could self-correct through consumption. And brands were our champions at the centre of it all: our profitable agents of social reform And yet a decade on from the start of this period it seems we’re skirting closer and closer to the fascist ideology we claimed to have defeated in 1945 Every week, we’re met with news of brands adjusting to that new order, either scaling back their DEI or environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments or abandoning them all together It’s easy to blame the Trumps, the Tates, the podcasters, the broligarchy Less easy is to examine the conditions that created them – and our own complicity within the professional class The contradictions of the brand purpose era are most apparent when looked at from the view of the average person Social progress once came hand-in-hand with economic progress social progress has been offered as a substitute for economic progress They’ve seen messaging grow increasingly heavy-handed And they’ve asked the consumer to bear the cost of transition often charging more for objectively worse products (hello It’s this contradiction that’s been so effectively exploited by the far right it’s somehow become punk to champion the same power structures that have dominated society for centuries What is saddest about this turn of events is that it was entered with good intentions marketers trying to reconcile their roles such that they could feel they were effecting positive change even while playing the corporate game it became yet another cautionary tale in capitalism’s ability to absorb its critiques and repackage them as aesthetics to be sold on a supermarket shelf Through the rear window it’s easy to see that the backlash was inevitable: if progressive values could so easily be commodified as a tool for selling mayonnaise why shouldn’t those values be treated with the same fickleness as condiment preferences This piece isn’t intended as a call out to any individual To make a living means we are all in some way complicit we must reckon with how we’ve trivialised activism by turning it into comms strategy how we’ve co-opted movements only to abandon them when the winds changed The responsibility we bear now is undoing the lesson we inadvertently taught consumers over this era Structural reform can’t be achieved through consumption choices – unfortunately we’re all going to have to get dirt under our fingernails If this all sounds a bit doom and gloom, let me provide a reason to be optimistic. After two decades of misplaced optimism, we have entered a period the writer and “luxury memeologist” Edmond Lau has termed “the dark mode shift” everyone’s true intentions have come to light Your boss is back to looking like your boss not Adam Sandler on a coffee run; your office is back to looking like an office And brands are back to their true role: creating fiction and spectacle to grease the wheels of consumption. Done right, I believe that fiction can still produce moments of extraordinary clarity and beauty But there’s a line to be drawn between what we do and where meaningful progress really comes from: grassroots movements Brands’ swift exit grants oxygen for more authentic acts of resistance to return to centre stage And if we’re not prepared to sacrifice profit in support of those causes then perhaps our most radical act is one of humility – wielding our influence with greater care and consciousness than before Here’s to proclaiming: the revolution will not go better with Pepsi Eugene Healey is brand strategy consultant Pulitzer Prize-winning opinion columnist Eugene Robinson quit The Washington Post on Thursday over billionaire owner Jeff Bezos’ plan to have the section focus on “free markets and personal liberties”—traditionally conservative values that signal the paper’s rightward shift “I wish nothing but the very best for the paper and for all of you,” Robinson wrote. “I won’t be a stranger, and I’ll be reading your unparalleled work every single day.” In a statement, a Post spokesperson characterized the departure as a “retirement.” “For 45 years, his reporting and commentary spanned continents and beats, earning countless recognitions, including a Pulitzer Prize,“ the spokesperson said. ”Eugene’s strong perspective and impeccable integrity have regularly shaped our public discourse, cementing his legacy as a leading voice in American journalism.” Robinson joined the paper in 1980 and joined the opinion section in 2005, winning a Pulitzer Prize in commentary in 2009 for his columns on the 2008 presidential election. During a February MSNBC appearance, he criticized Bezos’ decision and signaled he may leave the paper over the issue. “For many of us, this is, to quote Elon Musk, a ‘fork-in-the-road moment’ because these kinds of strictures—whatever they turn out to be—are not what we thought we had signed up for,“ Robinson said on MSNBC’s Morning Joe in February. “This is not the way we have worked to produce what is, I believe, objectively the best opinion section in American journalism.” Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Corbin Bolies is a media reporter for The Daily Beast he previously served as a breaking news reporter for the Beast and worked as a reporter for Gainesville's local NPR affiliate WUFT You can reach him at corbin.bolies@thedailybeast.com Nothing says luxury comfort in Eugene like walking into a hotel lobby and being greeted by the smooth musicality of a jazz ensemble a smiling cast of employees and the University of Oregon’s mascot The event included towering balloon pillars a snack spread good enough to make your mouth water live music and tours of the brand new suites and amenities The opening of TownePlace Suites adds 101 extended-stay rooms to Eugene’s stock of hotels bolstering hosting abilities for hallmark events like the Eugene Marathon UO football games and university graduations said the construction of this hotel was a long time in the making He said the brand is excited to contribute to the market of TrackTown with comfortable stays and community connections “We’re really excited for the grand opening and really just enjoying the community and representing Eugene to the rest of the state which is coming right up and is a big part of Eugene and we’re excited to be a part of that.” director of membership for the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce said the chamber’s goal is to promote a thriving economy where people in business can succeed and the folks operating or patroning those businesses can lead healthy “We’re really excited to be here at TownePlace Suites over at Valley River Center,” Stoner said “They’re not only an integral part of hospitality but also driving tourism and part of that economic development.” said she’s worked in all different kinds of hotels but never an extended-stay style She said helping a hotel get started from the ground up with new facilities and staff has been a great way to get both positive and negative feedback and incorporate solutions actively into managing the space for customers and employees “I’ve been in hotels for so long now and I’ve worked in all different types “I couldn’t have asked for a better team to come into and I couldn’t have asked for a better hotel to manage with Erik These people are fantastic and I could never ask for a better team to come into.”  The hotel is fully operational for the needs of guests whether they need a place to stay for the night or a space to call a temporary home while traveling TownePlace Suites is located at 1020 Valley River Way Hannarose McGuinness is The Register-Guard’s growth and development reporter. You can reach her at hmcguinness@registerguard.com “I wish nothing but the very best for the paper and for all of you I won’t be a stranger,” the political columnist tells his colleagues after 45 years at WaPo Another Washington Post staffer is ditching the paper over owner Jeff Bezos’ recent changes to its coverage told staff on Thursday he is leaving WaPo after 45 years due to the “significant shift” Bezos recently implemented where the opinion section will focus on the “two pillars” of personal liberties and free markets “I wanted to let you know that I’ve decided to leave The Post. The announced ‘significant shift’ in our section’s mission has spurred me to decide that it’s time for my next chapter,” Robinson said in an email to staff that was obtained by The New York Times and I’ll be reading your unparalleled work every single day.” Robinson is the third WaPo staffer to leave the paper since Bezos made the change in late February. Ex-opinion editor David Shipley quit as soon as Bezos announced his revamp, and veteran WaPo columnist Ruth Marcus left in March after she said publisher Will Lewis “spiked” a column “expressing concern” over owner Bezos’ new direction for the opinion section “Our sincerest congratulations to beloved Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson on his retirement,” a Washington Post spokesperson told TheWrap his reporting and commentary spanned continents and beats including a Pulitzer Prize. Eugene’s strong perspective and impeccable integrity have regularly shaped our public discourse cementing his legacy as a leading voice in American journalism.” Beyond his work at WaPo, Robinson is routinely seen on NBC News and MSNBC, where he is a chief political analyst. Robinson joined The Post in 1980 and started writing for the Op-Ed section in 2005. He has been one of the paper’s most vocal critics of President Trump, calling him a “weak, narcissistic man” in 2017 and, more recently in February vandalizes the federal government and trashes our vital international alliances.” “It wasn’t going to influence the election either way.” Meanwhile, others have complimented Bezos for the changes at WaPo. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt last month said she would like to “commend” Bezos for revamping his newsroom and WaPo’s approach to opinion pieces is finally learning that having disdain for more than half of the country who supports this president does not help you sell newspapers It’s not a very good business model,” she said The University of Oregon Student Workers union's fourth day of striking coincided with May Day the international day recognizing labor movements and workers’ rights On April 28, UOSW, which represents close to 4,000 student workers, launched the university's first strike in 11 years. After voting to unionize in late 2023 the union began bargaining its first contract in May of 2024 Mediations were held on April 30 and May 1 first time doing real-life labor organizing work," said Robin Bailey media liaison for UOSW and journalism major at UO "May Day is a great way to show people you're not alone you're not the first what we're doing here is historic." UOSW picketers rallied on Agate Street in front of Unthank Hall The students then march through Unthank Hall where the dormitory's dining hall is located The students then made their way to the Ford Alumni Center, where they disrupted a scheduled presentation called "Conversation on Democracy's Future." "We have to cause such a disruption that they cannot continue to ignore us that they cannot continue to insist that we concede because we've already conceded by working for so long under what UO has forced us to work under." According to UO's human resources page the two parties moved slightly closer to the center on pay during mediations on April 30 UO raised its starting minimum from $15.44 to $15.58 and UOSW lowered its from $18.50 to $17.50 a rally and march organized by the UO Graduate Teaching Fellows Federation was held at the Park Blocks in Downtown Eugene Participating unions ranged from educators to healthcare workers including the Oregon School Employees Association the Oregon Nurses Association and the Bigfoot Teamsters Other groups present were CAHOOTS/HOOTS Teamsters the Party for Socialism and Liberation and Eugene Food Not Bombs The May Day celebration will continue into the weekend with Eugene May Day 2025 being held downtown at the Park Blocks from noon to 5 p.m "To honor the ongoing struggle for workers' rights worldwide and opportunities to connect for all of our working-class neighbors in Eugene and surrounding areas," the event website states Miranda Cyr reports on education for The Register-Guard. You can contact her at mcyr@registerguard.com or find her on Twitter @mirandabcyr Here are the Eugene-area high school track and field athletes in the top five in the state in their respective events and classifications as reported to athletic.net through Saturday Not all divisions are represented with Eugene-area athletes 13-6 (Kleinke’s 14-½ PR from 2024 is state all-classification all-time record)  Project: Replacement project for Eugene Water and Electric Board’s College Hill Reservoir EWEB’s College Hill Reservoir was decommissioned and demolition began in July of 2024 after serving the community with potable water for more than 80 years. EWEB organized and hosted a farewell party for the reservoir in its former state where smooth cement slabs covered the reservoir itself and provided a space long used for learning to ride bikes the old facilities have been demolished and a new phase of construction is beginning What is now a large pit in the ground will soon house upgraded water tanks and pipelines The old iteration of the reservoir housed 15-million-gallon water tanks below the concrete slabs that community members would utilize as open space The new and improved iteration of the College Hill Reservoir is replacing the former setup with two 7.5-million-gallon water tanks specifically engineered for earthquake resistance Next on the project list is the installation of underdrains grading completion and the installation of the new storage tanks tank and pipeline construction are anticipated to be completed in 2026 alongside landscaping efforts and site restoration EWEB plans to reopen the site for public use outside of the fenced-in water tank storage space EWEB is currently managing multiple projects to improve water quality, resiliency and redundancy, such as water transmission pipeline upgrades at 33rd Avenue and Hilyard Street and the development of a new Willamette River water treatment plant make up EWEB’s current water reliability and resiliency projects These updates ensure that Eugenians have reliable access to potable water even during majorly disruptive events like earthquakes Sources: EWEB College Hill Reservoir Replacement Project information page Is there something under construction that you’d like to learn more about? Contact growth and development reporter Hannarose McGuinness at hmcguinness@registerguard.com