A work crew member safely disposes of needles left behind in September 2024 at a homeless camp at Deer Creek Park in Roseburg where the majority of camps previously existed Two recent hearings at Roseburg City Hall focused on needle exchange in relation to managing the city’s unhoused population The topic was first raised in an April 21 city council work study session then discussed further at the homeless commission meeting the following Monday The subject brought a major stakeholder to the table as the HIV Alliance shared its mission and procedures with the homeless commission The HIV Alliance spoke at the meeting and submitted a written proposal which may prevent the city council’s need to address the issue with amendments to the city’s ordinances City officials cite syringe risks in homeless camp sweeps The public discussion began in the work study session April 21 when Chief Gary Klopfenstein and his homeless liaison officer gave a presentation to the council in the form of an update on the statistics and ongoing challenges of enforcing the ordinance against prohibited camping Klopfenstein described the city’s requirement to temporarily seize and safeguard campsites when their owners do not comply with a posted moving date and how that procedure is endangered by the presence of syringes in the camps Klopfenstein has created a new policy by preventing the cleaners from having to crawl into the tents being inventoried for seizure: if there are syringes visible personnel are no longer required to rummage through an inventory and instead are bundling the tent or bedroll as one large package for disposal the Roseburg Police Department’s public information officer said those bundled camps with syringes are taken by a county work crew to the landfill where the department believes there is a specific location or procedure The police presentation confirmed that the scheduled clean-ups after camps have been posted with at least three days notice require teams of at least one police officer the city’s public works department and a work crew assigned from community corrections has arisen with the criminalization of the third offense of the prohibited camping ordinance: If a person is arrested their camp needs to be seized for safekeeping which requires multiple police officers at each scene officers often have to issue criminal citations in lieu of making arrests the Community Delopment Director Stuart Cowie announced that the city was drafting an ordinance which would prohibit syringe exchange from occurring on public property City Manager Nikki Messenger clarified that such an amendment would be at the direction of the council which did not take a vote but generally communicated in agreement with a universal nodding of their heads “There’s more going out than they’re getting back,” Messenger said in regards to syringe exchange programs Klopfenstein generally agreed with such an amendment stating The presentation led to questions from the council about providing syringe containers in the field (the police will if asked) and whether an ordinance could require a return of used syringes in exchange for distribution of new syringes Messenger said it is possible but is difficult to enforce The HIV Alliance spoke at the commission meeting and provided the commission with a written proposal in addition to their service statistics and mission parameters The alliance also confirmed it’s the sole entity providing syringe services locally and listed additional services they are providing in their outreach to the unsheltered community “Last year we identified 750 unsheltered people with the majority being here in Roseburg,” said Dane Zahner “I am here today because some of the comments last week in the council meeting broke my heart,” he continued They pinpointed specific services that are proven strategies to reduce HIV Zahner concluded his testimony with a written proposal he provided the commission and said he didn’t think an ordinance was necessary in light of the HIV Alliance’s willingness to cooperate with the city “We’d really like our proposal to be looked at,” he said The News-Review obtained a copy of the written proposal from the HIV Alliance and confirmed it contains an agreement to discontinue syringe exchange in the park The document contains additional commitments such as collecting used syringes while conducting outreach in the park working with community partners on options and counseling their clients on proper disposal of used syringes describing how many of their unhoused clients have difficulty getting to the alliance’s office both in transportation and in leaving their unsecured belongings behind Carlson also described the difficulty in getting their clients into housing due to a lack of availability Carlson described their outreach programs and said the alliance is only providing packs of 10 syringes and are only out in the field a few hours at a time over 1,200 people access our syringe exchange yearly,” she concluded I can’t imagine a better place than the bike path,” said Blair Bailey a citizen who signed up to speak and claimed the city was not addressing a major drug problem the drug-sniffing dog go through that campsite and start checking those tents out because we need to quit rewarding people for doing drugs,” said Bailey “I can’t believe there’s 700 diabetics out there Captain Jeremy Sanders represented the Roseburg Police Department before the homeless commission we’ve had three needle-sticks,” said Sanders of the incidents of people getting punctured by syringes while cleaning or seizing campsites “The volume of needles has really risen,” he said and added that the law allows for the authorities to inventory items of utility versus unsanitary property that can be discarded who works in public health but was speaking to the commission as an individual “The risk of a needle-stick in the field is much lower at spreading those diseases than it is in a hospital setting,” he said because in a medical setting the syringe contains fresh blood while the pathogens die in syringes left outside although he recognized the risk of a topical infection “Needle exchange helps prevent disease in a community,” said Gandy “I understand it’s icky to see a needle on the ground,” he conceded but added “I think we need more needle exchange.” and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe in addition to at-large members signalled a willingness to work through the alliance’s proposal brought up the exorbitant costs in treating HIV and Hepatitis C said he learned that it can require three police officers to make an arrest in a homeless camp because of the need to secure the property while the police department is approximately eight or nine officers understaffed the city doesn’t need changes to to ordinances so much as they need more police Tatone concluded with questioning the need for an ordinance about exchanging syringes in public spaces since the HIV Alliance is the only entity providing the service and is agreeing not to conduct the program in the parks a commission member from Aviva Health and former member of the city council mentioned the existence of syringe receptacles Part of the HIV Alliance’s proposal was a commitment to continue servicing the syringe receptacles at five listed locations there is still a syringe receptacle in Micelli Park where a majority of unhoused camping occurred before the migration to Deer Creek Park and the Umpqua Greenway particularly during the COVID-19 period and the gap between court decisions on prohibited camping ordinances the number of tents hovered between 50 and 60 proximate to the average of the past few months No syringes were visible in the common areas between the tents perhaps unsurprisingly since the campsites had just recently been posted again with advanced warning for removal has been cited for prohibited camping in the area I follow along behind them every morning before the kids show up.” There is no syringe receptacle in that portion of the park which is bracketed on both sides by drop-boxes in Gaddis Park and outside the Roseburg Library The next homeless commission meeting will not occur until June and at which time it will discuss the possibility of meeting quarterly Patrick Moore is a reporter for The News-Review Email notifications are only sent once a day 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 Emily Brandt and Mandy Elder browse trees on Saturday at the Plant and Garden Expo in Roseburg People line up to checkout boxes of gardening materials on Saturday at the Plant and Garden Expo in Roseburg Coastal Creations owner Tony Hixson displays planter boxes and garden decor for sale on Saturday at the Plant and Garden Expo in Roseburg The Ware family pushes a wagon full of plants on Saturday at the Plant and Garden Expo in Roseburg display a selection of wooden garden gnomes for sale on Saturday at the Plant and Garden Expo in Roseburg Douglas County Master Gardener Association publicity chair Tracy Grubbs shows off a decorative floral hat on Saturday at the Plant and Garden Expo in Roseburg A Lem’s Fluorescent Pink Rhododendron from MTL nursery sits displayed on Saturday at the Plant and Garden Expo in Roseburg J&K Terrariums gardener Jeff Wictorski trims a succulent on Saturday at the Plant and Garden Expo in Roseburg horticulture enthusiasts came out in droves to the Douglas County Fairgrounds to purchase gardening goods at the Douglas County Master Gardener Association’s (DCMGA) Plant and Garden Expo The event drew in hundreds of attendees to view and purchase from a selection of over 1,000 plants grown by providers both local and from afar “It is a community-expected event every year and so the master gardener’s spend all year long preparing for this,” DCMGA publicity chair Tracy Grubbs said “The variety of plants here is just amazing.” The main sight to see was the master gardener’s plant room which contained rows upon rows of tables covered in plants of every size and variety flowers both perennial and annual and more were all up for grabs the supply thinning out as the afternoon progressed Landscape designer Emily Brandt said the event helped to feed her insatiable interest in all things botanical “This expo definitely feeds the addiction that I have to plants and I really appreciate all the volunteers being here,” Brandt said The expo served not only as a way for gardeners to treat themselves but for the growers selling plants to network with the community and demonstrate their skills and product Several independent nursery’s and plant providers had vendor booths set up with all manner of flowers MTL Nursery gardener Amanda Ewing said she enjoys coming back to the annual event because of how it allows her to connect with others who share her love for the craft “This master gardener show is always a great way to meet lots of people who love plants,” Ewing said “It’s always exciting to be here and be a part of it.” J&K Terrariums gardener Jeff Wictorski said he enjoyed coming to the expo year after year because of the crowd that consistently enjoys purchasing from and supporting local businesses like his I just love coming to Roseburg,” Wictorski said Plants weren’t the only goods being sold by vendors gardening gear and local culinary goods were also present for attendees to browse River Ranch Oregon Olive Oil owner Elaine Smith said the expo helps give her a chance to educate the community on the potential for growing plants foreign to Douglas County within the area “It brings more awareness that olives can grow in Oregon We’re doing it very successfully,” Smith said but this event is one of our biggest of the year It brings awareness of what is available in Douglas County.” More information: douglascountymg.org Andrew Griffin is a reporter for The News-Review. He can be reached at agriffin@nrtoday.com Local journalism needs your support. Please subscribe at nrtoday.com/subscribe Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription An amethyst geode provided by Crystal Scapes sits on the Rockhound Roundup raffle table waiting to be taken by a lucky winner on Saturday at the Douglas County Fairgrounds Amanda Woods views strings of polished stone beads from U.S Bead Warehouse owner Jennifer Brandenberger on Saturday during the Rockhound Roundup the Douglas County Fairgrounds A selection of fluorescent rocks and minerals glows under blacklight on Saturday during the Rockhound Roundup the Douglas County Fairgrounds A table of mock food made from rocks and minerals on Saturday during the Rockhound Roundup the Douglas County Fairgrounds A table of fossils from Rock Pile Lapidary Arts stands displayed on Saturday during the Rockhound Roundup the Douglas County Fairgrounds Douglas County Prospector’s Association member Donald Munson demonstrates to a family how to pan for gold on Saturday during the Rockhound Roundup the Douglas County Fairgrounds awaits purchase on Saturday during the Rockhound Roundup the Douglas County Fairgrounds Crystal Scapes owner Pandara Snyder displays tables of carved rock and gem decorations on Saturday during the Rockhound Roundup the Douglas County Fairgrounds Roseburg was the place to be on Saturday as the Umpqua Gem And Mineral Club (UGMC) held their Rockhound Roundup expo at the Douglas County Fairgrounds gem sellers and more together to buy and sell goods According to UGMC vice president Jason Thomas an estimated 100,000 or more rocks were available for viewing and purchase at the expo The condition of the stones ranged from raw and unpolished for collecting to highly polished and cut for jewelry use the lapidary aspects of rockhounding are what he enjoys the most in the hobby “You can see the product of your own handiwork,” Thomas said “I like the fact that when I have a finished stone that started out as just a lump of rock and now it’s made into a cabachon or a gemstone that can be set into jewelry Regardless of what a rockhound’s preference may be radioactive elements were just some of what was on display event organizer and dealer with Rough Rock and Lapidary said he appreciated the event for both the opportunity for connection it provides as well as an opportunity for compensation “We pretty much love to put this show on for the community,” Jakubos said so to recoup some of your costs and still be able to do what you love to do is a big part of it as well.” Buying and selling weren’t the only things to do as the show had several educational displays and demonstrations to show people the process that goes into producing fine works from stone materials who performed live copper jewelry making demonstrations for her business Sawicki Jewelry said she enjoyed performing demonstrations as a way to both advertise her business and connect herself with others new opportunities with people,” Sawicki said “I’m demonstrating so it gets people interested in my classes Another organization providing demonstrations included the Douglas County Prospectors Association (DCPA) DCPA President Walt Evens said he enjoyed being a demonstrator because it allowed him to inspire an interest for prospecting in a new generation “It’s just the look on a kid’s face when they first see that glint of gold in the bottom of their pan,” Evens said “If they’re anything like me when I found my first two specks More information: facebook.com/Umpquagem/ Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription Eastwood Elementary School librarian Tamie Averett receives a mug for 10 years of employment with Roseburg Public Schools on Wednesday at Roseburg High School Roseburg Public Schools transportation supervisor Denny Austin holds up a gift for being employeed for 15 years with Roseburg on Wednesday at Roseburg High School Green Elementary School's title instructional assistant Lori Pedersen talks to assistant superintendent Michelle Knee on Wednesday at Roseburg High School Roseburg Public Schools Superintendent Jared Cordon speaks to staff gathered Wednesday in the student center at Roseburg High School Superintendent Jared Cordon gives Fir Grove Elementary School's office assistant Carol Whitehead a gift for celebrating 20 years of service at the district Wednesday at Roseburg High School Mugs were presented to Roseburg Public Schools teachers and staff to mark five years of employment with the district Wednesday at Roseburg High School Lori Pedersen said she always wanted to be a teacher “I didn’t ever think about anything else,” Pedersen explained Wednesday and then I got a job at the district office for one year.” She said layoffs affected her job at the district so she moved to Rose Elementary School as a special education assistant she was moved again to Green Elementary School where she has stayed for the past 43 years “I was a special ed assistant for 32 years and I’ve been a title instructional assistant for the last eight After 45 years of employment at the Roseburg Public Schools district Pedersen plans to retire at the end of the year and I will miss the children and the hugs and the loves and all the ones that really need the loves I just like working with the kids,” Pedersen said Roseburg Public Schools held its annual event to celebrate employees for hitting longevity milestones of employment Wednesday The district recognized about 110 employees who are hitting milestones of five “Thank you for understanding the work of each student we serve the value,” Superintendent Jared Cordon said “What we’re going to celebrate today are individual accomplishments but the collective accomplishment of this group represents 1,540 years of service for our community and students.” Cordon said he is thankful to live in a community that values education and to work with people that value the students and understand the impact that education can cause is this: that the impact you have on individuals “10s of 1000s of students and families have been impacted by your coaching the way you’ve taken care of feeding children making sure our facilities are ready for learning.” The district said 38 employees are celebrating the five-year mark two celebrating 35 years and Pedersen celebrating 45 Gloria Coleman is a reporter for The News-Review. She can be reached at gcoleman@nrtoday.com or 541-672-3321 ext Local journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber at nrtoday.com/subscribe Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription MEDFORD — The Roseburg softball team rebounded from a 6-0 loss in the first game winning the nightcap 11-2 to earn a split with North Medford in a Southwest Conference doubleheader on Friday 10-2 SWC) remained a half-game ahead of the Indians (16-5 North Medford won two of three games in the series The Tornado rallied to a 4-3 victory at Roseburg on April 8 "The girls were really flat in the first game today," Roseburg coach Dave Blevins said "But I was really happy about the second game The girls came out and played like they're capable of." North Medford's Julia Edwards tossed a three-hitter in the opener Roseburg was shut out for the first time this season Maili Hamlin went 4-for-4 with two runs for the Tornado Becca Tuivana was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs Ella Martinez and Masyn Tabor had singles for the Tribe Roseburg got 14 hits off Edwards and Malia Baker in the second game taking the lead for good with four runs in the top of the second inning giving up four hits and no earned runs with three strikeouts and four walks over seven innings "We found a few pitches that were working for Jas and stuck with them," Blevins said Terra Singleton finished with four hits in five at-bats for the Indians Ciera Singleton was 3-for-4 with three runs Danika Opp was 3-for-4 and Cambria Bachmeier went 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs Maleyah Thoele went 2-for-2 for North Medford Roseburg is scheduled to travel to Eugene Saturday to face Sheldon in a doubleheader Tom Eggers is the sports editor for The News-Review. He can be reached at teggers@nrtoday.com or 541-957-4220 Local journalism needs your support. Please become a subscriber at nrtoday.com/subscribe. Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription MEDFORD — He’s been a weekend starter in the past but it hasn’t been typical to see senior Jake Johnson take the mound for a Saturday start this season Roseburg’s pitching ace has been the anchor on Tuesdays but was eligible to throw on Saturday against North Medford in Game 1 of a Southwest Conference doubleheader at Jim McAbee Field “I was hoping to stay under pitch count on Tuesday (against South Medford) so I could throw in this doubleheader,” Johnson said after he threw a complete-game 1-0 shutout victory against the Black Tornado We just got to keep the momentum going and keep winning league games,” Johnson added Johnson had a career-high 12 strikeouts and outdueled North Medford ace Dominic Daffron for a second time this season Johnson also earned a win over Daffron and North Medford in a 3-1 victory on April 8 The Indians took the season series against North and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker in a tight race for the SWC title North Medford got a 10-3 victory in Game 2 for it’s only win against Roseburg this season Johnson was grooving early against North Medford (13-6 The right-hander had five punchouts through three innings He struck out Austin Warren to end the second inning with a man at third and struck out the side in the fourth after giving up a leadoff double to Brady Patterson “I went in there a little pissed off today and wanted to get that win,” Johnson said It’s a little more competitive when we play a Medford school.” 9-4) scored its only run of the game in the third inning but then gave up three consecutive singles to Paxton Burke and allowed five hits with one walk and four strikeouts The Black Tornado found the offense in the nightcap collecting 10 hits off of Roseburg’s Danner Wertz and Rylee Cheney Wertz gave up three runs on five hits over three innings with one walk and two strikeouts Cheney was touched up for six runs (four earned) on five hits with two walks and three strikeouts North Medford grabbed the lead for good in the third inning and scored at least one run in every inning except the first Colton Miller and Cade Petterson were both 3-for-4 “That’s a really solid squad from 1-9 in the lineup They can definitely hit the ball when they want to “So getting the series win is big for sure because I think they’re definitely the most competitive team we have in the league.” Roseburg’s offense was led by Burke and Fletcher Coleman who both had a hit in each game of the twin bill The Indians have a half-game lead over North Medford for first place in the Southwest Conference with five league games left to go for RHS The conference standings are very tight from first to sixth place Roseburg has a two-game lead on Willamette South Medford is just 2 1/2 games behind the Indians Roseburg will visit West Salem for a nonleague game at 5 p.m Cheney (4) and Bowers; Baker and Patterson Joey Keeran is the Sports Director for KSKR The Score and the voice of Roseburg sports Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription Would you like to receive our Daily Briefing? Signup today! Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in. 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. Roseburg Police jailed a man for a reported theft from a business on Saturday officers contacted 35-year-old Coco Bernhardt after a caller said the man had stolen a large propane tank worth $4,000 from a store in the 2200 block of Northeast Diamond Lake Boulevard Bernhardt admitted to taking the cage and was taken into custody without incident He was charged with two counts of first-degree theft and second-degree criminal trespass and was detained without bail Online Notice for K230CG – Public Files – EEO – © Brooke Communications officers contacted 35-year-old Coco Bernhardt after a caller said the man had stolen a large propane tank cage worth $4,000 from a store in the 2200 block of Northeast Diamond Lake Boulevard Roseburg Police jailed a California woman for an alleged disorderly conduct incident on Saturday officers contacted the 50-year-old after she was called in for an incident at Holiday Inn The woman was a guest at the motel but refused to leave the business after being asked to by employees Dispatch also received multiple calls regarding the woman’s alleged threatening behavior from other motel guests She was charged with second-degree disorderly conduct Roseburg Police jailed a man for an alleged store theft and trespass incident on Friday afternoon officers contacted the 50-year-old after an employee of the business in the 2600 block of Northeast Diamond Lake Boulevard said the suspect had stolen a beer after being previously trespassed The man admitted to the theft and was taken into custody The man was charged with first-degree criminal trespass and third-degree theft Roseburg Police jailed a man for an alleged strangulation and assault incident on Friday officers responded to a disturbance at an apartment complex in the 100 block of Sunshine Road after numerous residents said there was a loud fight Officers contacted the female victim and learned that 24-year-old Devionte Simpson had allegedly assaulted her over the course of several hours and dragged her back into her residence when she tried to flee A juvenile was reported present during the assault they learned that Simpson had jumped off the balcony and fled from the scene K9 Sherman started a track and located Simpson hiding on a nearby property after an approximate three-quarters of a mile track Deputies from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene and assisted on the track Simpson gave up when challenged by officers and was detained without further issue Simpson was charged with 4th-degree felony assault menacing and violation of a no contact order Roseburg Police jailed a woman for reported disorderly conduct on Friday morning officers responded to the 900 block of Northwest Garden Valley Boulevard after multiple callers said a woman was standing in the road Officers found the 63-year-old still in the roadway She was taken into custody and charged with second-degree disorderly conduct The Umpqua Public Transit District will hold a Town Hall on Wednesday night at 6:30 p.m A release from the agency said the event is being held to discuss the future of public transit in the area Attendees will learn about recent progress and share their input about how Umpqua Public Transit can better serve the community The 90-minute event will begin with a talk between Board Chairwoman Michaela Hammerson and CEO Ben Edtl. A question-and-answer time with the board will begin at 7:00 p.m. For details, go to: www.umpquatransit.org or call 671-9070 A Roseburg man was charged with first-degree attempted invasion of personal privacy on Saturday A Douglas County Sheriff’s Office report said at 3:30 p.m a minor known to the 31-year-old allegedly located a cellphone that was recording in the bedroom as she changed her clothes in the 500 block of Northwest Plateau Drive on the edge of Roseburg A subsequent investigation led to the arrest of the suspect who admitted to placing the phone in the bedroom while it was in record mode An official website of the United States government The .gov means it’s official.Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil make sure you're on a federal government site The https:// ensures that you're connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and sent securely Patrick Hull has been in the health care industry for over 32 years He is the executive director of the Roseburg VA Health Care System Hull began his career in pathology and laboratory service as a phlebotomist he was promoted to senior medical technologist and managed a multiple-facility laboratory system in Columbus and Chillicothe including VISN10 regional health care planning manager executive assistant to the hospital executive director and activation/outfitting project manager for a health care replacement facility Hull led a team to combine the North Chicago VA Medical Center and Navy Hospital to form the Lovell Federal Health Care Center which resulted in the first VA and DoD consolidated hospital system he served as the VHA activations program manager overseeing and managing the annual budget ranging from $600 million-$1.2 billion and activation process improvement initiatives Hull was appointed interim medical center director for the Western Colorado Health Care System for nine months and leading the hospital COVID-19 pandemic response Hull has over 20 years of project management experience activation/outfitting projects to replace or expand existing facilities and extensive experience leading health care operations Hull is an Ohio native with a master's in business administration and two bachelor of science degrees in finance and marketing he has a degree in medical laboratory technology and is certified by the American Society of Clinical Pathology He was previously certified as a senior project manager and proudly served in the U.S The secretary, on a stop to tour the Eugene Health Care Center for veterans, has been visiting VA locations across the country to discuss the impact of the department, answer questions, and award exceptional staff for their work with local veterans. The coins, which are delivered through a covert handshake, celebrate achievements and successful missions of service members and emphasize their camaraderie. Thursday's awardees took the honor for various contributions at the Roseburg facility. Shawn Tyson, supervisory decision support manager in Roseburg, says his team is now seeing the benefits of investing a year to address process improvements, increasing access, and reducing wait times for veterans. "We've opened up almost 3,000 appointments without adding any additional staff or additional resources to the clinic, and we've also got a new patient wait times for Roseburg down to zero days. So for the first time in over five years, we have open panels for new patients, and again, that extremely short wait time for mental health is only four days in Roseburg," Tyson said. "We're very proud of that increase." Dan Neal, acting deputy chief of staff; Rocky Phillips, office of community care director; Jamie Dunn, program analyst; Susan Taylor, systems redesign coordinator; and Paul Beiring, health system specialist are also among Roseburg's staff to receive challenge coins from Collins. "I got my coin today because I have been instrumental in finding inefficiencies and working towards improvements with the new medical records system," said Dunn. "I don't do my job for myself; I do my job for the veterans, so it's really nice to be appreciated." The employees all share in common their high level of effort to serve veterans which is what Collins says is their sole purpose. "Is making the VA into the organization that it's supposed to be, and that's taking care of the veterans first period...number one in stock; veterans are the only reason we exist. The VA does not exist in and of itself; it exists for one reason, and that's taking care of veterans," said Collins. Roseburg Police arrested a man following an alleged disturbance on Saturday officers responded to the 1000 block of Southeast Stephens Street after a Douglas County Sheriff’s deputy found a man that had just been in a fight the deputy learned that the other half of the fight was in the garage and had a gun with him Officers learned that the 18-year-old suspect had hit the victim and chased him outside when the victim tried to flee from the fight the victim produced a BB gun and told the other man to stop chasing him and to leave the residence The suspect allegedly continued to charge at the victim and took him to the ground and reportedly hit him several times The victim reportedly rolled on top of the suspect and hit him with the gun three times before the fight was broken up by officers The suspect was taken into custody without issue He was cited and released from corrections due to a medical issue authorities responded to a reported shooting in the1200 block of NW Highland in Roseburg The investigation revealed the incident stemmed from a conflict between two males "There is no known ongoing threat to the public," Roseburg PD stated The involved victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds Involved agencies included the Roseburg Police Department Sutherlin Police Department and Parole and Probation — The public can provide input and learn about the City of Roseburg’s proposed new annual operating budget when the Roseburg Budget Committee meets next week The 15-person committee -- comprised of eight City Councilors and seven Roseburg residents -- will meet at 6 p.m The Budget Committee will discuss the proposed budget and may meet Wednesday Residents can watch the meeting in person or via Facebook Live The public can provide comments in person or via Zoom or email on agenda items such as the proposed $113,968,821 budget for fiscal year 2025/2026 or during a public hearing on possible uses of about $235,300 in state Local Government Shared Revenue funds City officials such as City Manager Nikki Messenger Finance Director Ron Harker and other department heads will give a PowerPoint presentation overview of the proposed budget and answer questions “Public engagement and participation are always welcomed and wanted,” said Harker the public can inspect or get a copy of the budget document at City Hall on weekdays from 8 a.m The Roseburg Urban Renewal Agency Budget Committee – comprised of the same 15 members – will meet directly after the City budget is approved That meeting also will be open to the public and livestreamed via Facebook phone number and the agenda item on which they’d like to speak For more information, contact City Administration at info@roseburgor.gov or 541-492-6866 Baker Brandon Ekman pipes chocolate frosting onto cookies at B’s Sweet Treats on Tuesday in Roseburg Brandon Ekman poses for a portrait inside his bakery B’s Sweet Treats on Tuesday in Roseburg A vanilla cupcake filled with raspberry and topped with a pistachio almond buttercream from B’s Sweet Treats on Tuesday in Roseburg The exterior of B’s Sweet Treats on Tuesday in Roseburg A chocolate cookie topped with a marshmallow and Hershey’s frosting from B’s Sweet Treats on Tuesday in Roseburg The interior of B’s Sweet Treats on Tuesday in Roseburg Baker Raven Sedani mixes melted chocolate into a mixing bowl of frosting B’s Sweet Treats on Tuesday in Roseburg becoming the owner of a bakery isn’t just a way to turn his passion into a job but a way for him to carry on his family’s legacy support new members in it going forward and offer homemade sweets to the community of Roseburg Instead of going to a restaurant that just gets Costco pies and cakes and stuff I want to provide something that’s homemade and made with love That’s what makes it taste just a little bit better.” he celebrated the soft opening of his new business B’s Sweet Treats a bakery offering gourmet desserts located at 1350 NE Stephens St. The bakery offers a variety of sweets such as cupcakes cookies and custom-made cakes for special occasions The rotating menu will consist of a variety of gourmet flavors with at least 15 different flavors being offered at a time along with a special flavor each week Tuesday’s offerings included blackberry lavender and raspberry lemon cupcakes and chocolate cookies topped with Hershey’s chocolate frosting and marshmallow Classic cupcake flavors such as red velvet and carrot cake were also available Customer Mindy Fredlund said her entire office was a fan of the baked goods even before the bakery had an opening of any kind “We actually were able to order cupcakes from him before he even opened and everybody in the office mowed on them customer Heather Watson said she was pleased to see another dessert shop opening in town “It’s nice to have another place to go for delicious cookies.” While B’s Sweet Treats is the first bakery Ekman has owned he would help his mother Joy Harrison bake donuts from her business Golden Delight Bakery in Sutherlin he would be working right alongside her at a cupcakery in Texas It was in that time that he first discovered his passion for and creativity in making sweets “I love trying new flavors and inventing different types of cupcakes.” he would meet and marry his husband Ethan Ekman and become the general manager of the McDonalds located on Northeast Garden Valley Boulevard in Roseburg the couple would go on to apply to adopt a child of their own Plans changed quickly when circumstances surrounding the adoption became rocky and the Ekman’s found themselves with fees left to pay after the adoption fell through the situation presented an opportunity to reconnect with his old passion of baking “Our foster kiddo asked me to bake something and I just forgot how much I actually enjoyed it,” Brandon Ekman said “I decided to bake for donations towards an adoption fund to try to get back what we have lost.” along with a desire to pick to work in a position that gave him more time to spend with foster children motivated him to expand his baking from a small scale fundraiser to full blown business he is preparing for the store’s official grand opening this Saturday Ekman says the store will be active with charity organizations as well as community events in the local area “We’re going to get in a lot of community events,” Brandon Ekman said “The community is what’s going to keep the business alive so I need to pay it forward More information: tinyurl.com/3dwbfbxk Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription Roseburg Police jailed a man Sunday for a reported prior theft incident An RPD report said officers contacted 33-year-old Michael Thompson at a business in the 700 block of Northeast Garden Valley Boulevard after he was allegedly observed stealing a power tool from the business on April 27th Thompson admitted to stealing the tool and selling it over Facebook Marketplace He was charged with first and second-degree theft and for a probation violation ROSEBURG, Ore. — A Roseburg woman arrived home Wednesday after the March 16 flooding event knocked her house off its foundation and her granddaughter had to evacuate their home due to a landslide lives with her husband in a trailer on the property and worked to find temporary housing for her daughter and mother while they worked on repairing the home "My mom had to get a loan out of the bank because times are hard and I heard that some people were not approved for their loans," Jones said Dunston had to take out approximately $20,000 in loans in order to get her house fixed "We're just thankful that we had the resources and could get the loans to do it the property was unlivable until it was taken care of," she said Jones said she did reach out to emergency services like Red Cross but decided some of the temporary housing vouchers offered would not work for her mother Despite challenges finding temporary housing Jones said she was able to work with local businesses to coordinate repairs RELATED STORY | Roseburg family looking for answers, battling mounting bills, in flood recovery effort Dunston expressed relief after being away for more than six weeks It's the little things that you miss when you're not home," Dunston said "It's home and it's comfortable you're always on edge when you're someplace else Walking outside is very dangerous for me because of my eyesight problems I know what to expect and I feel comfortable here." the house was placed back onto its foundation and remodeled to fix the flooring and cracks in the walls she said she hopes to receive federal support from all the costs she put into getting her house back "I'm hoping I get some reimbursement from the state because it would be nice to be able to pay back some of those loans that I have but I'm not sure how that's going," she said Douglas County still has resources available for residents who seek help from the flooding: https://www.douglascountyor.gov/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=291 You can also stay updated with FEMA regarding any future resources for victims of the flooding event here: https://www.fema.gov/ — A Roseburg man was located deceased on Thursday the Douglas County Sheriff's office reports A search effort had been initiated after he was reported missing when he left for a motorcycle ride on his 2004 yellow Harley Davidson When he failed to meet friends as planned and could not be reached by phone a friend entered his residence the following morning and discovered he had not returned—his motorcycle and riding gear were missing DCSO says a search was initiated at which point a cell phone ping indicated his phone was stationary in a very large area encompassing the Green/Winston/Dillard/Lookingglass area While searchers were checking roadways in the vicinity a friend located Kruh and his motorcycle crashed in the 6600 block of Roberts Creek Road Emergency medical personnel responded to the scene and confirmed Kruh was deceased "Preliminary investigation indicates Kruh was traveling westbound on Roberts Creek Road when he failed to negotiate a sharp corner," DCSO stated "His motorcycle left the roadway and came to rest approximately 20 feet down a steep embankment along a fence line in dense blackberry bushes." Anyone with information which may aid in the crash investigation is asked to contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office at (541) 440-4471 referring to case #25-1206 — While the City of Roseburg considers prohibiting the distribution of needles on public property due to safety concerns HIV Alliance hopes to find an alternative solution as it pushes to prevent diseases and overdoses The city clean-up crews consist of RPD officers and other city departments such as Parks and Public Works staff Douglas County work crews also join in for some of the camp cleanups across the city The nonprofit said it has already made changes to its distribution program by adding more containers around public areas for people to dispose of their syringes safely and no longer distributing needles at public parks we will pull the syringe exchange out of it see if that helps deter people," said HIV Alliance Prevention Manager Dane Zahner "We will still communicate collection and come up with some ideas on HIV Alliance is the only organization with a needle exchange program that is available for people who inject drugs and provides new needles by accepting used syringes for safe disposal The nonprofit said it has collected approximately 313,000 syringes since 2023 In order to maintain HIV Alliance's goal of decreasing disease transmission and overdose deaths Zahner proposed the following changes to the Homeless Commission instead of the full prohibition: Zahner also hopes to improve safety education with everyone involved with camp cleanups to ensure every precaution is taken when going through someone's belongings "Now that it's been brought to light we really fine-tuned to make sure people do not get a stick and we want to make sure our staff is safeguarded We want to make sure community members are safeguarded We can offer that same education to law enforcement or any agency going out there," he said Our newsroom reached out to the City of Roseburg and the Roseburg Police Department for comment regarding the potential prohibition but they were not immediately available for comment The Roseburg City Council and Homeless Commission will discuss the proposed prohibition on needle distribution in future meetings The next Homeless Commission meeting is set for June 23 — Access to women's health in Roseburg is expanding Aviva Health's women's health and reproductive clinic is relocating and bringing on more staff Aviva is taking over the former site of the Accent on Women's Health clinic on NW Stewart parkway this June The move coincides with the addition of Dr who are joining Aviva Health’s Women’s and Reproductive Health team Both providers previously practiced at Accent on Women’s Health Aviva says the move lets former Accent patients continue to see their providers and gives its clients a larger location for care “This transition allows us to expand access to care while maintaining continuity for patients familiar with this location,” said Brittany Shaver director of Specialty Services at Aviva Health Aviva Health patients will continue to see the providers they know and trust The same is true for Accent patients who choose to transfer their care to Aviva Health – they’ll be cared for by the same providers with whom they have established relationships.” Patients wishing to continue care with Dr. Wonderly or Thompson must complete a transfer of care form, available at www.aviva.health or by contacting Aviva Health at (541) 672-9596 Appointments can be made by calling the same number — Elmer’s Restaurant is returning to Roseburg in a new location as Elmer’s Kitchen Breakfast Brunch Mimosas later this year according to a media release Wednesday from Elmer's Restaurants Incorporated Elmer’s Kitchen Breakfast Brunch Mimosas is set to open in Roseburg in late Spring/early Summer and will be open daily from 6:30 a.m Elmer’s previously operated in Roseburg for 24 years before closing due to the franchise operator’s retirement and the redevelopment of the original property The new restaurant is a few miles north of Elmer's previous location “We heard from so many guests who missed having Elmer’s in Roseburg and we’re thrilled to bring it back,” said Jerry Scott “This new location allows us to continue serving the community with the same genuine hospitality and freshly prepared entrees The company says Elmer’s menu will feature an emphasis "on fresh premium ingredients and traditional flavors," including 100% real Northwest Dungeness Crab that is featured on the Crabacado Omelet Dungeness Crab Benedict and Dungeness Crab BLT salad “It’s truly the absolute best fresh crab available,” stated Scott “Everything we do at Elmer’s is done to support our three-word mission statement - Delight Our Guests,” said Scott Find more information about Elmer’s Restaurants at www.eatatelmers.com The Roseburg Public Library is among more than a dozen rural libraries in Oregon that’s received a grant to help better serve people with disabilities Roseburg Library Director Kris Wiley said the yearlong grant of $10,000 will help them develop accessibility resources She told KLCC people with disabilities visit the library every day “We want to engage even more with them and give them the material that they want to use and the formats that they want to use,” she said “We want to give them programming that excites them and makes them want to come back to the library and develop these relationships with libraries and librarians that are so important.” Wiley said they’ll have community conversations to gather input for how to use the grant money “I ask folks to bring their enthusiasm and ideas And this will be a guided conversation with people with disabilities.” but she’d like the conversations to be with the folks they’re intending to serve Wiley said she would like this year-long grant project to have long-term impacts “My hope is that the programs will be so popular that they’ll be able to continue on a smaller scale,” she said When asked how federal program cuts may affect Roseburg's ability to provide services they're keeping an eye on what's happening at the various levels of government She said the accessibility grant they received is privately funded by the American Library Association in collaboration with the Association of Rural and Small Libraries and Oakland Public Libraries were among other Oregon libraries to receive grants under the program with Saturday’s demonstration in the background in Roseburg An anonymous veteran says “We The People” is not a slogan or sound-bite but the introduction of a document too few have read in its entirety Saturday’s Hands-Off demonstration stretched nearly half a mile Sign represent the Center for Biological Diversity on Saturday in Roseburg Saturday’s demonstration warned against adverse impacts on multiple programs Michele Avanti's dog helped advertise the local chapter of an international organization Roseburg’s version of the national “Hands-Off!” day of protest stretched from the freeway ramps on Garden Valley Boulevard to NW Goetz Street and at one point numbering over 750 demonstrators with little in the way of counter-protesting A couple vehicles circled past the crowd repeatedly and a small group across the street delivered a spiritual message by loudspeaker a retired teacher from the Oakland School District wielded a sign opining that former presidents Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt would disagree with the current direction of their former political party co-founded the Progressive or “Bull-Moose” party as a response to his former party’s extremism “I wish people would think not just about party When asked what brought him out to demonstrate Palmer spoke about public servants being disrespected particularly the bodies of soldiers returning from Lithuania “Trump’s playing golf instead of honoring them,” he said Army veteran Michele Avanti represented Veterans for Peace an international organization with a subchapter specific to Vietnam veterans “It was the government; it wasn’t us,” she said “That’s what we need to say to Canada now.” Avanti said she is the former president of Chapter 181 of Veterans for Peace the meetings and membership of which dissipated during the COVID-19 era An anonymous demonstrator held a “Hands Off The Wild” sign a product of the Center for Biological Diversity The demonstrator told The News-Review the govermnent seems to “Do away with legislation protecting wildlife and we’re going to defund that right in the middle of the program?” Other concerns were funding for research on science Another person who wished to remain anonymous was a woman who identified herself as retired military it’s gray,” she said regarding her decision to protest extremism particularly discrimination of homosexual service members She said she served with women who were homosexual “Because of the fascism; if you’ve studied World War II you can see the parallels,” said Harold Cluver of his reason for demonstrating “Nationalize the media: when the oligarchs purchase the media He explained he is anxious to see the reaction of the military “How are honest generals going to react to the fascism A final veteran wished to be unnamed out of concern for his military benefits and told The News-Review he resigned from the military “because of Cheney and the Halliburtons of the world.” He’s concerned about cutbacks to funding: “Virtually everything because it doesn’t serve the needs of the Elon Musks It all comes down to the corporations.” He’s also protesting the co-opting of “We The People” as a sound-bite “They won’t read it all,” he said about the Constitution and instead used the first three words as a slogan Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription which the Douglas County Sheriff's Office says is at the highest risk of re-offending has been released from custody and allowed to return to Roseburg Uriah Shawn Strauss was released Wednesday DCSO described him as a Level III sex offender with convictions of sex abuse and attempted rape The agency sent out a notification to the public about his release and some residents were caught off guard by Strauss' return to the area – and they are worried about their safety "He's just getting let out after doing crimes like he has and it's just a smack on the wrist and let go that's all,” says JT Geisler of Roseburg “I hope everybody comes together as a community and look out for each other and our kids because it's everybody's future." We've covered Strauss in the past; in January of 2024, he was arrested for writing a letter to a minor outlining his desire to start a relationship with her DCSO says that Strauss has repeatedly targeted women he does not know He has been released on special conditions where he is not allowed to communicate with people under the age of 18 or be near schools DCSO is asking the public to report any misconduct by Strauss to them immediately Our newsroom reached out to law enforcement but no one was available for an on-camera interview The Roseburg High School boys and girls golf teams hosted teams from Southern Oregon and Eugene for the Roseburg Invitational at the Roseburg Country Club on Monday The Roseburg girls finished second out of five teams behind another individual title for freshman Lana Silvestri The Indians were two strokes behind team champion Grants Pass while Silvestri led the pack with a 2-under-par 70 Silvestri had seven birdies and was the only golfer to finish under par in the girls’ competition Grants Pass senior Chloe Daywitt finished 15 strokes behind Silvestri with a round of 85 Apollonia Heap (109) and Alexis Williams (114) also finished in the Top 10 for Roseburg The RHS boys finished fifth as a team on their home course Sheldon was at the top of the leaderboard with a score of 327 Junior Harrison Scott led the Indians with a score of 77 Scott placed third in the individual standings four strokes behind champion Cooper Beban of Sheldon The Roseburg boys and girls will compete in the Southwest Conference district tournament on Monday and Tuesday at Running Y Golf Course in Klamath Falls INDIVIDUAL SCORES (Top 5) — Lana Silvestri Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription Sunday was the wettest day in March ever for Roseburg Forecasters at the National Weather Service in Medford told News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN that the Roseburg Regional Airport measured 3.47 inches of precipitation The previous record rain for a day in March was 2.29 inches It was also the wettest March 16th in history The previous record was 0.87 inches of rain which was measured in 1932 the airport has measured 6.92 inches of rain for the month That makes it the third wettest March in history The record for one-day precipitation in Roseburg was 4.35 inches recorded on November 19th in 1996 — The City of Roseburg is responding to safety concerns related to needles in homeless camps and weighing the possibility of cracking down on their distribution The Roseburg Homeless Commission met Monday morning a week after the city said a member of the clean-up crew - which responds to local homeless camps - was pricked by a hypodermic needle According to the Roseburg Police Department and the city's Public Works Department the number of needles found at homeless camps during these clean-ups can be in the hundreds Or the worst one was about 700 needles and we're talking in camp areas but it is one of the single biggest things that we hear from our citizens as it relates to the unhoused - the fear of needles being where they're not supposed to be," said Roseburg City Manager Nikki Messenger saying it would increase the risk of disease Their proposal is to spend more time picking up needles and changing where needle distribution happens "It's not just in the parks where people are finding them,” explained Prevention Specialist Karlee Carlson with HIV Alliance “They're finding them behind businesses and tracks and things like that so the goal is just to really help mitigate that and pick up the syringes that are in the parks and the community." HIV Alliance agrees to not distribute any more needles in public parks or campsites while the new rule is being considered The city says a final decision will be made at a future city council meeting after more research is conducted on the impacts of the proposal Bank building located at 619 Southeast Main St. which has now been purchased by Abraham Inc. located in the 800 block of Southeast Stephens St. Changes are underway for two choice properties in downtown Roseburg: one is on the market and the other has been bought out after nearly a year of vacancy Main Street with the former up for sale and the latter now under the ownership of another group of business owners in downtown Roseburg the building also houses two ground-floor retail spaces currently belonging to the bar Wild Rose Lounge and the artist’s space Frogleg Studio According to Neighborworks Umpqua CEO Erica Mills the affordable housing nonprofit purchased the property in 2018 and ran it as a low-cost housing option for Roseburg residents for about 7 years things became difficult for the company after they were unable to secure Oregon Housing and Community services funding necessary to keep the operation running “We’ve applied several times for multiple different funding opportunities through OHCS and have not been successful in getting an award,” Mills said now we have to make the unpleasant decision of having to sell the property.” The sale of The Rose Apartments comes as the latest sign of economic instability for Neighborworks Umpqua The company has seen a consistent downward trend in its net assets and fund balances in recent years Mills said Neighborworks Umpqua is not alone in the financial struggle when it comes to their industry with rural nonprofits being particularly vulnerable “It’s no secret that nonprofit affordable housing organizations throughout Oregon and the entire county are under threat right now that funding is very challenging from state sources and federal sources,” Mills said “The cost of real estate development and operation including cash flow from receiving tenant rent current residents and businesses in The Rose Apartments are unlikely to be impacted by the sale process The property is being sold through the Portland-based organization HFO Investment Real Estate affordable component properties like The Rose Apartments are difficult to operate for anyone right now are very difficult from an operational standpoint right now Insurance costs on just about any multifamily property built pre-1995 has doubled but you’re capped at where you can move rents.” the property does still have several upsides that would make it a appealing to owners with HFO’s offering memorandum for it listing its proximity to downtown restaurants and businesses the scenery of the Umpqua River and the convenience of I-5 as benefits Marton said the property has been generating interest among potential buyers other business developments are taking place in Downtown Roseburg a corporation consisting of the Abrahime family who also own the restaurant and bar Brix Grill at 527 Southeast Jackson St According to a quitclaim deed from Douglas County Clerk Daniel Loomis Property listings from Pacific Properties show the location was valued at around $650,000 but was purchased for only $500,000 It is unclear what is planned for the property The Abrahime family owns Brix Grill in downtown Roseburg The News-Review reached out to the Abrahimes for comment but did not receive one at the time of publication Roseburg city councilor Zack Weiss said he was excited to see business developing in the downtown area “I don’t know much more than (the Abrahimes) bought it,” Weiss said “I’m always excited for people looking into opening new businesses downtown,” Weiss said “This is the heart of the city so I think it’s important for that.” To learn more about The Rose Apartments visit: tinyurl.com/292ztdpr Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription Elmer’s Restaurant has announced it is returning to the Roseburg community in a new location and will be known as Elmer’s Kitchen Breakfast – Brunch – Mimosas A company release said the new site will be at 3030 Northwest Aviation Drive and was formerly home to Shari’s Café and Pies The 4,950 square foot restaurant will be open for breakfast and lunch daily from 6:30 a.m The new location will be company owned and just a short distance north of the former site Elmer’s Restaurants President/CEO Jerry Scott said The release said Elmer’s menu features an emphasis on fresh premium ingredients and traditional flavors Guest favorites include the German Pancake Bacon & Tillamook Cheddar Potato Pancakes and Classic Mimosa “Everything we do at Elmer’s is done to support our three-word mission statement Elmer’s Vice President Jill Ramos told News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN that the company will hire between 30 and 40 staff, with the process beginning about a month prior to the restaurant opening. This spring there will be the opportunity to apply for positions through the company’s website: www.eatatelmers.com/careers/ Elmer’s Kitchen Breakfast – Brunch – Mimosas should begin operations late this spring or early this summer There are now 25 Elmer’s locations throughout Oregon Demonstrators rally outside the VAMC on Garden Valley Blvd Potential cuts to VA staffing brought out the signs on Wednesday outside of the Roseburg VA Medical Center in Roseburg A demonstrator’s sign protests the planned cuts to the V.A The marker outside of the north gate of Roseburg’s Veterans Affairs Medical Center is subtitled “Proudly Serving Veterans.” Just as poignantly emblazoned are the nearby DAV vans transporting disabled american veterans to and from their appointments while alternately announcing “Keeping Our Promise” and “Fulfilling Our Promises,” mottos mirrored by local veteran Rafael Madrigal during a demonstration Wednesday a former crew chief in the United States Air Force was one of several citizens demonstrating outside the VAMC in the wake of a leaked memorandum regarding potential cuts to department staffing “They’re (already) talking about taxing our benefits and disabilities,” said Madrigal and now “...about reducing the staff at the VA.” Melinda and Joel Diehl were among the demonstrators and told a compelling story Her father was a veteran of the United States Navy and received veteran’s benefits He also volunteered with the Veteran’s Administration in Iowa her brother is suffering from service-connected post-traumatic stress disorder Joel Diehl’s grandfather fought in World War II and his father fought in Vietnam Joel carried on the family tradition by serving in the United States Air Force he was severaly injured in a traffic accident that was not service-related but the Veteran’s Administration still helped the family while he was unable to work for a long while it would be a shame to see them go away,” Joel Diehl said Asked how they heard of the proposed cuts to the Veteran’s Administration Melinda Diehl said she learned of it through the Associated Press which she follows because it seems factual and neutral compared to news outlets he said he heard of the proposed cuts via the Department of Government Efficiency there needs to be more people out here,” said Melinda Diehl “Gwen,” did not wish to give her last name due to her family’s fear of reprisal for demonstrating Gwen said her domestic postings with the U.S and her overseas assignments included the Philippines She was moved to demonstrate after listening to the president’s speech the night before “What this administration is doing is not good for the country,” she said Gwen said she does not receive medical benefits from the Veteran’s Administration other than an annual wellness check and was demonstrating because she sees a parallel to the threats against social security each of which she referred to as “Talking points” that are influencing policy Demonstrators on Wednesday said they have heard of the potential staffing cuts to the Veteran’s Administration as being between 70,000 and 80,000 employees The News-Review had already reached out to the American Federation of Government Employees with questions about potential cuts at the Roseburg VAMC “I fought for people’s rights to have free speech and demonstrate even when I don’t like what they’re doing,” he said “This is not about Trump or Democrats; this is what we were promised.” Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription A variety of chocolates to be offered by the new business Serendipity located in Roseburg There is a new business called Serendipity coming soon to downtown Roseburg which is bringing more than just chocolate but coffee brings a lifetime of chocolate making knowledge to the business She said in her childhood she used to peak through the kitchen doors of her family’s kitchen and watch her dad make candy The tradition of candy making began with her grandfather Nelson was a Navy pilot and flew with the Blue Angels in Florida His candy making was a hobby and whenever he made a batch he would share it with his fellow soldiers “He would go and make chocolate and candy on the side,” Van Horn said he decided he was just going to open a candy store.” Van Horn learned all her techniques for candy making in this time she has developed her own style as time went on Van Horn’s father helped her build the foundation for her own recipes “I just started experimenting with recipes and making chocolates I was in caregiving for many years and also a (long-term caregiver) I would take chocolates to work and I would take chocolates to the seniors in caregiving,” Van Horn said She said the business was immensely successful but decided to move to Roseburg in 2017 Those in Roseburg may already know her chocolate as she sold it at Classy Sassy encouraged me to go bigger like I was before,” Van Horn said “I met her by being a next door neighbor,” said Serendipity co-owner Shawn Garrett “I would encourage other people to go over there and the feedback constantly was ‘I am so glad I went over there The trio are creating a space the provides variety to Roseburg and a place that does not compete with other business a business which fills the gaps in what downtown has to offer they are going to say either that it was the best chocolate they’ve ever had or it is in the top three and they’ll come back,” Garrett said From truffles and fudge to salted caramel and chocolate covered marshmallows Serendipity brings various sweet treats to downtown All their candy and chocolate will be made with natural ingredients Although candy and chocolates will be the flagship product for Serendipity the business is pushing for a café style feel with jewelry and other items for sale wine and beer to drink with small food items Serendipity plans on bringing entertainment as well from open mic nights to karaoke and more “This is going to be something fun for Roseburg,” Van Horn said Serendipity is located at 632 SE Jackson St The business is accepting orders via Facebook or email For more information: tinyurl.com/ycxk65bm Drew Winkelmaier is a reporter for The News-Review. He can be reached at dwinkelmaier@nrtoday.com Please disable your ad blocker, whitelist our site, or purchase a subscription Roseburg Parks and Recreation has revealed the upcoming “Movies in the Park” lineup A city release said the annual series of free family friendly entertainment will return to the Nichols Band Shell in Stewart Park every Friday evening in June Roseburg Parks and Recreation cosponsors the free series with Rogue Credit Union pre-movie entertainment will begin at 7:30 p.m Past entertainment has varied from music and kids’ crafts to wild animal meet-and-greets Attendees can bring their own food and drinks All movies and activities are weather-permitting and subject to change Children under age 13 must be accompanied by an adult Tobacco use is not allowed in Roseburg city parks Pets are not permitted at Movies in the Park For more information about the Movies in the Park call 492-6730 or visit the Roseburg Parks and Recreation Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/roseburgparks ROSEBURG, Ore. — Roseburg Disposal is continuing its tradition of collecting Christmas trees for free. "[We] are happy to offer this service as our gift to the community," the company said. "Special thanks to the Douglas County Landfill for offering free disposal of them." The trees can be dropped off at the following locations between Dec. 26 and Jan. 6: "Please help us continue offering this free service by not putting garbage in these boxes," the company urged. Not allowed are ornaments, flocking, lights, plastic bags, stands, doggy doo-doo bags, or other refuse. There will be a $15 charge for trees that are picked up at your home or office. The trees must be cut to 4 feet or shorter for pick-up. Trees from your home or office are not recycled. It is time for the spring musical at Roseburg High School, this years production is set to be "Mamma Mia!" The smash hit musical is based on the songs of ABBA. According to the Roseburg High School theatre department, students have been working hard on the show and want to see everyone singing and dancing with them in the aisles! The show runs from February 28th – March 9th, performances take place in the Rose Theater. Tickets are available for purchase at the door, $10 for adults, $5 for kids 13 and under, and $5 for all students with a school ID. It is time for the spring musical at Roseburg High School The RHS Theatre and Film Department will present “Mamma Mia!” on stage The smash hit musical is based on the songs of ABBA Drama instructor Troy Pennington said about 60 students are involved including actors Pennington said it’s a combined effort with the band program and choir program involved as well The plot unfolds on a small Greek island where the lead Sophie dreams of a perfect wedding – one which includes her father giving her away The problem is she doesn’t know who her father is Since her mother refuses to talk about her past Sneaking a peek into her mother’s old diaries She secretly invites all three to the wedding “Mamma Mia!” has become a worldwide sensation playing Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 p.m Students that are age 13 and under get in for $5 All students with school identification are admitted for $5 For more information on RHS Theatre, go to: https://rhs.roseburg.k12.or.us/ Officials in Roseburg are advising property owners to get flood insurance It comes after the city received nearly 3 1/2 inches of rain on Sunday which set a record for the most rain on a single day in March in Roseburg Homes and other buildings with mortgages located in “high risk” flooding areas are required to have flood insurance which is usually not covered by most standard policies City officials also note that residents not located in flood zones should still apply because Roseburg’s hills and slopes can often lead to groundwater gathering during large rain events explained that it is important to be prepared since this was the city’s first major flooding event since 1997 “It's been about 30 years and very few people in Roseburg in the floodplain have their flood insurance in place,” said Moffett only 12% of “high risk” buildings in Roseburg have flood insurance Residents can check for their building’s flood zones and receive additional floodplain information from the Community Development Department’s Interactive Floodplain Information Map. ROSEBURG, Ore. — The Roseburg Fire Department has announced the death of a retired Lieutenant. "It is with deep sadness that the Roseburg Fire Department announces the passing of retired Lieutenant Richard Helms," the department said Monday on social media. "Lieutenant Helms dedicated many years of service to the Roseburg Fire Department and the Roseburg community," RFD said. Lieutenant Helms worked several years out of the Harvard Avenue fire station before deciding to retire, the department said. "Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and his fire service family during this difficult time. He will be truly missed." Roseburg Mayor Larry Rich has signed a proclamation celebrating National Bike Month and recognizing Roseburg’s honor as a Bike Friendly Community An Umpqua Velo Club release said every year the national organization advocating for a more bike friendly America for everyone During this celebration of bikes and the people who ride them Roseburg and cities across the nation are called upon to get as many people riding as possible The annual observance has been taking place for 69 years After an extensive application which required collaboration across city agencies and with local advocates and other partners a report card is issued with feedback from the League’s reviewers Roseburg has been honored as one of 91 communities nationwide to be designated as a Bicycle Friendly Community by the national organization The proclamation states that the bicycle is a viable and environmentally sound form of transportation and an excellent form of recreation and notes that many Oregonians will experience the joys of bicycling during the month of May through a variety of special events The proclamation from Mayor Rich also noted that May 4th is National Ride a Bike Day For more information on bicycling in Roseburg, go to the Umpqua Velo Club website at: https://www.umpquavelo.org/ — A 79-year-old Roseburg resident and her family have found themselves displaced following a landslide caused by the March 16th flooding that pushed their house 6 feet closer to a cliffside Sharon Dunston and her granddaughter had to evacuate the home they have lived in for six years after the floods knocked the house right off its' foundation and onto the ground removing utility hookups and the flooring off the building; leaving Sharon to find temporary housing at an airbnb while her family attempts to find longer term alternatives "My daughter has several contacts that are trying to look for a place for me I'm just anxious to get back into my own home," Dunston said it's hard to get [into] new patterns when you're in a set pattern and that's very difficult to do anything else." With difficulty getting around and poor vision Dunston's daughter Sandra and her husband were living on the property to assist in Dunston's day-to-day life Sandra says the property was in complete disarray from the heavy mudslide and her only thought was how her mother was doing inside the house at the time."It was such a shock to wake up Monday morning to him just yelling that my mother's house was coming down I didn't even know what to think," said Sandra "All I could imagine of course was the house falling in on itself and my mother and my daughter trapped inside." emergency services arrived to remove as much mud as possible away from the structure Sandra is dealing with finding someone who can move the house back on the foundation and put the utilities back together the house will remain unhabitable for her mother and daughter Dunston has insurance with State Farm but she was unaware that the coverage would not help in a flooding scenario "It was never mentioned when we first got homeowners insurance," Sandra said "I don't know if anybody came out and inspected our land and thought that she may need those types of insurance but it was never mentioned and we did not know that we would not be covered until now." The insurance claim states that no payments will be made for loss of property caused by earth movement Despite the denial from the insurance claim Sandra is still trying to find some way to not only pay to get the house fixed but to remove the mud that has claimed the entire property making it near impossible for Sharon to make it back to the house "We're supposed to be taking care of her and it just kills me that I can't take care of my mom right now." Sandra is working with friends and family to clear the mud and make it possible to fix the house properly back onto the foundation The Dunston family also has a Gofundme coordinated to help them handle the costs of recovering, you find the link here.