CHEERS for Kalapuyan land, because that’s where we all live. Oregon State University has been examining Kalapuya heritage with panel discussions, and fortunately, you haven’t missed them all, so check it out. But, then, should we really have cheered… probably not, because… TWO JEERS that we live on Kalapuyan land, which we just keep on doing, knowing full well, it’s NOT our land.
WHOOPDEE DOO for democracy! We get to exercise the heck out of it on May 17, and The Advocate has got you covered. We did the debate thing – twice! [first for County Commish then for Dems-hoping-to-replace-DeFazio] Go take a look at them and you may [or may not] agree with our endorsements [which you’ll see this weekend]. Anyway you do the math, we all get one vote and someone is going to be facing off again in November… while everyone else will just go home… [aw, now we’re sad]
Sam – Please link in the debate video to story above
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT, OSU hosted the incomparable Mary Karr on April 13… and you can still see her speak! Why is it available? Because the Provost’s Lecture Series is recorded, and it’ll be available until June 13 [that’s two whole and complete months]. Why should you want to watch? Because Mary Karr is an American treasure in writer form [her poetry and prose will wreak havoc with your tear ducts]. Why do you want to cry? Because how else can you assure the people that you’re real and not a Terminator sent back from the future to take us down.
TAKE A BOW, Corvallis, for being an influencer. A little south of here, Eugene is looking at our e-bike mentality and they like it… they especially like our rebate program. Let’s see if they get one of their own. [Oh, right… yeah, yeah, you hate Eugene, yadda, yadda, yadda]
Speaking of bikes…
CLICK CLICK AND A YAY for Corvallisite Scott Moss. This LBCC teacher, writer, and photog extraordinaire has been taking photos of folks with their bikes. These are “art for the sake of art” – or rather “photos for the sake of art” – which are pretty danged cool. Check out what he has to say about it…
TUM TUM ROAD… need we say more? [The editor says we need to say more, so…] If you live in or drive near Blodgett, then expect delays between May 9 and May 14 on Tum Tum Road [a name we highly approve of because it reminds us of our childhood]. Seems that there’s a curve around Milepost 2.7 on the tummy road that is failing and needs to be repaired… meaning a blocked tum-tum and machinery shaped-like-but-larger-than Tonka trucks. [Also, we want to register our surprise at a Milepost that is not a whole number… jussayin’]
CHEERS AND A COOKIE for Melinda Torres. This Coos Bay student liaison has received the Education Support Professional of the Year award. Torres does her thing helping unhoused and foster care kids by managing the Keeping At-Risk Kids Afloat Project (ARK). Her drop-in center is open to all of Coos County, providing basics as well as help during a crisis and offering educational support. She kinda sounds amazing [so how do we blackmail her into moving to Benton County??]
SAD SIGHS for the folks in Eugene [we get it, you hate Eugene, but this affects all of the Mid-valley]. Eugene has seen seven overdoses in seven days due to powdered fentanyl – meaning, if we thought that was a Portland problem, we were wrong. The powdered variety of this drug is being used as is as well as being mixed with other drugs, and yeah-yeah, we know that using drugs is a very bad and naughty thing to do, so shame shame shame on you, but people shouldn’t have to die from it. Eugene Police say if you’re buying a party drug right now, assume you’re getting fentanyl as well.
And speaking of medical things…
SERIOUS JEERS for Oregon health care. Our beautiful state has terrible health care costs – like, they are growing faster than wages around here. The Oregon Health Authority issued its first annual report from their Sustainable Health Care Cost Growth Target Program [the OHASHCCGTP?]. The OHASHCCGTP report basically sums up that health care is jeopardizing financial stability for Oregonians. Our spending on insurance et.al. increased by 34% between 2013 and 2019 – that’s more than five-and-a-half percent a year… and that’s BEFORE the pandemic began [perhaps the government should spend less time adding words to program names and more time on making things better.]
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