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U of O listening session at Oakridge library this Thursday
By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor/The Herald -- A team from The University of Oregon will be hosting an event at the Oakridge library this Thursday....
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Flying in 2025? Here’s what you need to know to be REAL ID ready starting May 7.
Click on image to play "Why I Got My REAL ID" video. This time, it's for real. After a series of delays, the federal REAL ID deadline of May 7,...
Viewpoint
The Sloth: Partisan politics
By PAUL SCOTT/for The Herald -- While our local city government members are not supposed to be partisan, (tied to any political party), their behavior in the six years I’ve observed them would make most people think otherwise. Voting has followed a clear,...
Recent News
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New Flexible Transportation Funds Available for Lane County Families
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U of O listening session at Oakridge library this Thursday
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Flying in 2025? Here’s what you need to know to be REAL ID ready starting May 7.
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ODOT to perform Seismic Landslide Mitigation on OR 58 at Salt Creek tunnel
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Oakridge Bets on Mountain Biking
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Oregon spent millions to grow manufacturing, tech workforces. Educators say it’s their turn.
Remembering Our Community
Charlotte Rehwalt; February 17, 1929 – January 8, 2025
Charlotte was born in Beaverton, Oregon on Feb 17, 1929, joining 7 older siblings. Charlotte was a...
William Jerome DuMont; November 8, 1933 – January 1, 2025
William Jerome DuMont, known to his family and friends as Bill, passed away on January 1, 2025, at...
Patty Gewalt; March 27, 1934 – December 4, 2024
Born as Patricia Mae Cobb on March 27, 1934, to her loving parents Thomas & Beatrice Cobb. She...
Illa Kay Fine; February 19, 1940 – July 10, 2024
Illa passed away Wednesday, July 10, 2024, in Eugene, Oregon. She was 84 years old. Illa...
Cecilia A Gamez; November 4, 1929 – June 8, 2024
Cecilia A Gamez passed away peacefully on June 8, 2024, in the presence of family in her home. Up...
Current Weather
Road Conditions
Hwy97 @ Chemault
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Hwy 58 – Willamette Pass
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Salt Creek Tunnel
Oakridge @ Crestview
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HWY 58 @ I5
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Dexter/Pleasant Hill
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Willamette Complex South Update, Thursday, August 15, 2024
Willamette Complex South Update Chalk, Coffeepot, McKinley, Moss Mountain, Tire Mountain, 208 Fire, and 217 Fire Thursday, August 15, 2024 Total Willamette Complex South Personnel: 767 Total Willamette Complex South Acres: 12,737 Resources: 27 Type 2 Crews, 12...
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Lane County Board of Commissioners accept $900,000 state grant to improve communications technology for rural first response services, replace radio tower.
By ANDREW GRIFFIN/for The Herald -- The Lane County Board of Commissioners decided in a July 16 meeting to approve a grant from the state of Oregon worth $900,000 to help improve emergency communications technology in Lane County. Funding secured by a joint...
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LCSO CASE #24-3390 – MALE ARRESTED IN PLEASANT HILL AFTER ASSAULTING FEMALE AND DEPUTIES
News Release from Lane Co. Sheriff's Office Posted on FlashAlert: June 28th, 2024, 8:39 PM On June 27th at about 5 p.m., Lane County Sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State...
Lowell/Jasper/Fall Creek
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LCSO CASE #24-6449 – MISSING ENDANGERED PERSON FROM BEND LAST KNOWN TO BE IN LOWELL AREA
News Release from Lane Co. Sheriff's Office Posted on FlashAlert: December 4th, 2024 10:08 PM The Lane County Sheriff’s Office is looking for 76-year-old Cheryl Leigh...
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11/25/24 – LCSO CASE #24-6152 – LANE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE ARRESTS ARMED SUSPECT DURING INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN (ICAC) INVESTIGATION
News Release from Lane Co. Sheriff's Office Posted on FlashAlert: November 26th, 2024 3:29 PM On November 25th at about 9:00 a.m., Lane County Sheriff’s detectives served a search warrant at a residence in the 500 block of N. Moss St. in Lowell. The search warrant...
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In-house city manager candidate to test water after Caudle leaves Lowell for new challenge
By DEAN REA/for The Herald -- A new city manager will move into City Hall next month in Lowell, a picturesque rural city of 1,200 people overlooking Dexter Reservoir on Highway 58. Jeremy Caudle is moving to Dayton, a growing community of 2,600 southwest of Portland...
Oakridge/Westfir
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Oakridge School District Board meeting 2/10: Enrollment up on the year, federal funding questionable
By JOSHUA BURK/for The Herald -- The Feb. 10 school board meeting opened with a discussion on federal and state funding. State funding for the districts in coming years is expected to either remain the same or see an increase. Gov. Tina Kotek’s proposed budget of...
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Helping neighbors one deal at a time: the story of Frugal Family Thrift
From garage sales to a community store, Frugal Family Thrift helps curb cost of living By ELLIE GRAHAM/ for The Herald -- In a town where shopping options can be limited, Deeana Walters recognized an opportunity to provide something essential – wallet friendly...
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Oakridge wrestling team earns SBLive Sports Oregon team of the week
By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor/The Herald -- Congratulations to the Oakridge wrestling team for being voted High School on SI Oregon Team of the Week for the week ending 1/26 our Warriors received 79.63% of the vote, beating out the Sherwood boys basketball team, which...
Cascade Summit/Crescent
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Willamette Complex South Update, Thursday, August 15, 2024
Willamette Complex South Update Chalk, Coffeepot, McKinley, Moss Mountain, Tire Mountain, 208 Fire, and 217 Fire Thursday, August 15, 2024 Total Willamette Complex South Personnel: 767 Total Willamette Complex South Acres: 12,737 Resources: 27 Type 2 Crews, 12...
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Outdoor Report: The changing of the seasons is a great time to savor the nearby splendors of Oregon
By ROB DeHARPPORT/For The Herald -- Saturday, September 23, was the first day of fall, marking the official end of summer. Typical fall-like weather has arrived as well. This should be a welcome relief to firefighters and communities near a few fires in Oregon....
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Odell and Crescent lakes make top 12 best fishing lakes in Oregon per A-Z Animals
By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor -- It's nothing that we probably didn't already know. Maybe you saw the article. The article was written by Kaleigh Moore for A-Z Animals. The article has Odell Lake as the seventh and Crescent Lake as the eleventh best fishing lakes in...
click the header for more outdoors
The Great Outdoors
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Oakridge Bets on Mountain Biking
Bike enthusiasts are hopeful that Oakridge’s scenic trails can help breathe new life into the local economy By MATHIAS LEHMAN-WINTERS/For The Herald -- For roughly 30 years Oakridge has been a town struggling to reinvent itself ever since the logging industry...
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ODFW Recreation Report Feb. 12, 2025
Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming, and wildlife viewing (Tillamook, Clatsop and Harney counties) Visit ODFW at the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show Free admission for Pioneer License holders and youth 17 and under ODFW is excited to see you at...
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ODFW Recreation Report Feb. 5, 2025
Feb. 5, 2025 Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming, and wildlife viewing (Tillamook, Clatsop and Harney counties) Visit ODFW at the Pacific Northwest Sportsmen's Show Free admission for Pioneer License holders and youth 17 and under ODFW is excited...
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Outdoor Report: Cold temperatures are maintaining a healthy snowpack for recreators and summer water levels
By ROB DEHARPPORT/for The Herald -- As the first month of 2025 winds down, we can be thankful for the clear blue sky and a solid snowpack so far this winter. Clear and cold weather have been the two key words for January. I looked back at the official Snotel snow...
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For those who remember the flood of ’64
By ROB DEHARPORT/for The Herald -- It's hard for this "old" Oakridge boy to believe that it's been sixty years since the devastating Christmas Flood of 1964. Our weather this December has been somewhat similar. A hard freeze here where I now live at Crescent Lake of...
The Arts/Food/Wine/Life
Ben Olson’s contribution to local music comes from both sides of the music sheet - By GEORGE CUSTER/Editor — Stop by the 3 Legged Crane most any Thursday evening and you’ll more than likely see Ben Olson entertaining a rapt crowd. These include his regular […]
From the Oakride Museum: Remembering Kitson Springs Resort
Sometime before Oregon became a state (1859), the local Indians showed David Kitson a place containing “medicine water” and they directed him there. Always an opportunist, he soon got a land grant and later developed a summer resort. He had a hotel for the guests, a...
Snackin’ on Nachos
Snackin' on Nachos My sister said, 'Nachos are the easiest way to sneak veggies into my kids.' Working at Chili's was one of my many restaurant jobs. I worked in the night kitchen, my section was 'salad/nachos.' I swear I made a million orders of nachos. I still love...
Offbeat Oregon History No. 684 Frederic Balch’s dreamy mythology came to define wilderness Oregon
By Finn J.D. John January 12, 2025 HERE IS A pop quiz for Oregon history enthusiasts, and yes, it’s a trick question! But, humor me: What comes to your mind when I mention the name “Balch”? For most of us, it’s the sordid, nasty tale of Danford Balch, the first...
From the Oakridge Pioneer Museum: Jessie Brock
There’s a little bit of Jessie Brock that lives in all of us who choose to call Oakridge home. And for some, a whole lot.
Rice Dishes Make Nice Dinners
Rice Dishes Make Nice Dinners By SU STELLA/for The Herald -- Rice is great because it is a blank canvas for so many foods. There are so many varieties of rice it can be confusing. Almost all rice starts brown because the bran is intact. Removing it exposes the...
Oregon needs to build 29,500 more homes each year, chief economist says
By: Julia Shumway - January 28, 2025 || OREGON CAPITAL CHRONICLE Oregon needs to build about 29,500 more homes each year, mostly in the Portland region and Willamette Valley, to emerge from a housing shortage years in the making, the state’s chief economist told...
Tailgaters Love Clam Dip
By SU STELLA/for The Herald -- I grew up in Massachusetts. My grandparents had a summer house near the beach. At low tide, we would dig clams. You would stamp your foot on the moist sand, and the clam would squirt. Then you would dig that clam up and put it in your...
Sweet Dips for Tailgating
The difference between a kid and an adult party deals with sweet versus savory. Kids thrive on candy, cookies, cake, and ice cream. Most adults prefer savory dishes, but we are unleashing our inner child today. Mama's Tricky Brownie Batter This is the kind of recipe...
History of the area: The “Mad” Doctor
By SHEILA CHITWOOD/for The Herald -- It was the 1850’s and Dr. William H. Hanchett served all of Lane County. He weighed 380 pounds and was very careless about how he dressed. People either loved him or hated him, but he was needed. He was too heavy to ride a horse,...
Tailgating Fun with ‘Chopped Salads’
By SU STELLA/ fore The Herald -- We all love parties, events, and tailgating, but a large number of 'festival foods' are greasy, fatty, and not healthy. There is no reason to lose all elements of sanity for party snacks; instead, let's make a few salads. We all know...
Charlie Tufti: first Indian to homestead in the Oakridge area
By SHEILA CHITWOOD/for The Herald -- Charlie Tufti was the first Indian to homestead in the Oakridge area. This is his story. In 1853, when Fred and Elizabeth Warner came across the plains and settled near Fall Creek, the Molalla Indians were already inhabiting the...
New business spotlight: Mighty Oak Tattoo sets its roots in Oakridge
By CHAELA CARLSON/for The Herald -- Mighty Oak Tattoo has been in business for 6 months and has had no trouble keeping its doors open and busy since Day One. “Mild Bill", as he's known in the Tattooing community, and partner Leigh, as they'd prefer to go by, have...