Are We Ready?
It’s been four years since the Oregon heat dome killed more than 100 Oregonians, including some of our neighbors in Lane County. If it happens again this June, would we be ready?
Saving lives needs to be our lawmakers’ top priority. Yet many cost-saving, life-saving bills are stuck in the pile of pending legislation in the statehouse, with just days left before session ends. As utility bills spike and heat waves, wildfires and extreme weather grow more intense, Oregonians need action.
Some simple fixes are ready to go. Lawmakers can pass an additional $10 million in resilience hubs and networks funding that will help Oregon communities prepare for extreme weather (House Bill 3170). They can reinvest funding to programs like heat pump assistance for renters and homeowners that can save Oregonians from deadly weather, but are out of money.
Oregon Just Transition Alliance represents communities that face climate change first and worst. Our members, like Beyond Toxics here in Eugene and others across Oregon, are calling on lawmakers to pass the Energy Affordability and Resilience Package to lower costs, improve energy efficiency and make our communities safer.
Another hot, dry summer is at our doorstep. We have a responsibility to protect the place we call home now.
Joel Iboa
Executive Director, Oregon Just Transition Alliance
Eugene
Hold ICE Accountable
The growing use of masks by ICE agents during enforcement actions is deeply troubling and undermines public accountability. When law enforcement officers conceal their identities, they are empowered to act without fear of consequences, even when their actions are traumatic, violent or unlawful. This secrecy makes it nearly impossible for the public to identify and hold individuals accountable for misconduct. That is incompatible with the principles of transparency and justice that define a free society.
When ICE agents hide their faces, they also hide from accountability. Victims of abuse, witnesses and legal advocates are left without a way to identify those responsible. This anonymity fosters a culture of impunity and erodes public trust, especially in immigrant communities already vulnerable to state overreach.
Oregon should act to restore transparency. The legislature should pass a law prohibiting law enforcement officers, including ICE agents, from wearing masks while performing official duties within the state. If an officer conceals their identity while exercising state power, the Attorney General should be empowered to publish their name, photograph and agency affiliation on a public website. This information is essential to ensure that victims and their attorneys can pursue civil remedies and that officers are not shielded from accountability by anonymity.
We cannot allow government agents to operate in secrecy while exercising the power to detain, deport, or harm. Accountability begins with visibility. Oregon must lead by example.
Chris Wig
Springfield
The Homeless Need Help Now
I am a student of Eugene International High School. Many of the students at my school are dispirited by the conditions of the homeless in our town.
As the housing gap widens, many people cannot access basic services necessary to get a job. This really distresses us. So that is why a couple of students and I created ISSUE (International Students Supporting Unhoused in Eugene), a student activism committee dedicated to helping the homeless in Eugene. We are hoping to do several volunteer events during the summer, primarily by raising funds for shelter groups like Community Supported Shelters.
If you are interested in supporting our group, you can email us at IssuEugene@proton.me, follow us at i.s.s.u.eugene on Instagram, and join us for a trivia night in August (date TBD). We will also post on our website, IssuEugene.wordpress.com, for information and volunteer opportunities.
I wholeheartedly enjoy the effort it takes to raise awareness and raise money. I know that my work goes to a good cause. As a message to the entire Eugene community, if you have extra time on your hands, help the homeless.
Every little bit of aid can help people get housed, and the more time one spends on the street, the more likely it is to be permanent. This issue is one of the most important problems facing our city.
Emmett Coughlan
Eugene
Editor’s Note: Thank you to all the Eugene International High School and South Eugene High School letter writers! Any letter we could not fit into our print edition is online at EugeneWeekly.com!
The Party’s Over, Turn Out the Lights
We at Lane County Audubon were pleased to see the “Turn Out the Lights” viewpoint in your May 29 issue. In the fall of 2023, LCAS launched a “Lights Out Eugene!” program to educate people about the effects of light pollution on pollinators, migratory birds, other wildlife and human health. Many community members have told us that they are disappointed by the lack of enforcement of our city’s light ordinance.
As Misty Bowman mentioned, there are simple things we can do: turn off unnecessary lighting, be sure that lights point downward and are shielded above, use motion sensors and timers, avoid bright lighting and use warm-colored bulbs. Our website lists many sources where people can learn more about this issue, including evidence that light reduction programs do not make communities less safe. Sign our pledge at LaneAudubon.org and receive a free window cling to help spread the word.
Debbie Schlenoff
Eugene
ONLINE EXTRA LETTERS
What is Happening?
About six weeks ago there was a major disruption on the Chambers/Roosevelt overpass. Some sort of construction project seemed to be underway. Lanes were closed, access was limited. The situation became chaotic and stressful. Many people I am sure avoid it altogether. During these many weeks nothing seems to be happening. I heard on KLCC that this is a seismic retrofit. This is the first information I have heard in almost two months. Can we find out from the city what is going on?
Elisa Grey
Eugene
Editor’s note: The city of Eugene says, “The project is under a Stop Work Order and is not performing any work besides maintaining/adjusting traffic control and pedestrian accessible routes, as necessary. This project will continue to be under a Stop Work Order until the contractor can receive authorization from the railroad to perform work within the railroad right-of-way. They are currently working to execute a contract with railroad flaggers, a key step in moving towards resuming work. Work may resume later in the summer once authorization from the railroad is obtained.”
Shorter Class Hours, Please
As your kids have (hopefully!) told you, the 4J high school schedule is not ideal, making kids wake up early and sit through long classes. There is tons of research backing up student claims.
According to the National Library of Medicine, “87 percent of high school students in the United States were getting less than the recommended 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep on school nights.” Studies comparing high schools with start times as little as 30 minutes earlier versus those with later start times demonstrate adverse consequences such as shorter sleep duration, increased sleepiness, difficulty concentrating, behavior problems, and absenteeism.
Being a high school student myself, it’s also very hard to stay focused and on task for 90 minutes with no breaks. A survey at our school shows 84 percent of students who answered want a significant schedule change. Only 30.2 percent of responses liked our 90 minute classes, the rest of the responses wanted much shorter classes. We can’t pass legislation with high school surveys, though, we need the community’s help. You can go to city hall meetings, communicate with school officials and anyone else you can think of that can help.
Sam Farley
Eugene
A Sensible Approach
I am 15 years old, and I’m concerned about Oregon’s ongoing housing crisis, which is driving up rents and home prices, making it harder for working families, students, and seniors to find affordable homes.
I propose a balanced, market-friendly approach to increase housing supply while protecting farmland and natural resources:
Encourage infill and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) within existing neighborhoods to add affordable housing without expanding urban boundaries.
Streamline permitting processes to reduce delays and construction costs.
Support modular and prefabricated homes to address labor shortages and lower building time.
Allow flexible urban growth boundaries with smart planning to increase supply without significant farmland loss.
Implement market-based vacancy fees to discourage empty homes and improve rental availability.
Use tax incentives to encourage private investment in affordable housing.
This approach leverages private investment, reduces government overhead, and aims to be fiscally responsible while addressing Eugene’s housing needs. Lowering barriers will help the free market respond effectively, providing more affordable homes and supporting our community’s growth.
Thank you for considering these ideas to help make Eugene a more affordable and vibrant place to live.
Kaden Brown
Marcola
On Wildfire Prevention
We are students at South Eugene High School and Eugene International High School. We are currently creating an action project for our civics class on wildfire risk prevention. This issue is very important to us because of where we live. Growing up in Eugene the smoke gets really bad, and there have been times when we can barely leave our houses. Additionally, as Eugeneans we recognize how harmful the fires have been in directly surrounding areas, with people losing their homes, becoming displaced and getting injured.
Our proposed policy uses a combination of forest thinning and controlled burns in order to lower the risk of wildfires naturally igniting, as well as to make the fires that do occur more manageable for firefighters. In order to carry this out, our policy also touches on increased funding and firefighter numbers, which is necessary for the execution of this plan being safe and effective. This funding could also go to hiring more firefighters, which would also help make controlling fires far easier, and to make Oregon less dependent on firefighters from other areas.
The aspects of this policy are things that are already happening and are proven to work. We’re asking people to be mindful of these issues moving through life, when electing officials and having campfires, and to vocally support these solutions, and consider donating to local fire stations, especially in heavily affected areas.
Rosie Redmon, Cora Ludwig, Rumi Paskolev and Jerome Stecher
Eugene
Parents Can Help
Nationally, teen mental health is at an all-time low, and Eugene is not the exception. As a community, we are morally obligated to protect our youth.
How can parents help? Here’s what teenagers think: Sleep is very important. In a recent survey of 4J high school students, 74.2 percent of people reported that a lack of sleep damages their mental health. Ensuring that teens get enough sleep every night is one way to help them improve their well-being.
Also in the survey, 48.5 percent of students reported that family situations damage their mental health. It is a parent’s responsibility to ensure their children are safe at home. Offering a supportive and open relationship for teens is crucial.
Lastly, 47 percent of those surveyed claimed that social media harms their mental health. A chronically online generation sometimes needs a reality check and a parent can provide that.
None of these things are the magical solution to the teen mental health crisis but they are a start. Parents, please talk to your teens. Ask them how they’re doing and what you can do to help. One small conversation can go a long way.
You can make this change.