State of the City Addresses Homelessness, Housing Crisis, and Public Safety

The  City  Council  of  Eugene  Oregon  gathered  almost  a  hundred  residents  for  the  city  address  on  Jan.  4.   Mayor Lucy Vinis spoke about the accomplishments of 2022, including anecdotes of people who were helped because of the new safe sleeping sites the city provided. Homelessness is an ongoing issue in this state and the city…

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Several Locations Available in Eugene for Relief From Poor Air Quality

According to AirNow.gov the Air Quality Index in Eugene is currently 130 which is described as unhealthy to sensitive groups. In southern Lane County near Cottage Grove the AQI is over 160 which is considered dangerous. The Cedar Creek fire near Oakridge has burned almost 123,000 acres and Eugene is in the line of smoke….

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District 4 Candidates Answer Questions About Roe V Wade, the Housing Crisis and More

Elections are fast approaching and Oregonians in House District 4 have questions to consider when choosing their representative. On Oct. 6, the City Club of Eugene and the League of Women Voters of Lane County hosted an online candidate forum for candidates where questions about reproductive healthcare, the housing crisis, child care, and more were…

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The Torch sits down with Dr. Robert Bullard, the “Father of Environmental Justice”

The Torch had an opportunity to interview via Zoom Dr. Robert Bullard. Bullard has been at the forefront of environmental justice for over 40 years.  Where did you grow up?  I grew up in South Alabama, in a small-town named Elba. It’s right on the bottom of the state, close to Florida. So what led…

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Major setback for Keystone XL Pipeline

Keystone XL is a 1,179-mile pipeline intended to transfer 830,000 barrels of oil from Alberta, Canada to Nebraska. Approved in 2010 by Canada’s National Energy Board, pipeline production was halted in 2015 by President Obama in response to public opposition from Native Americans, First Nations and environmental groups.  Just days after his inauguration, President Trump…

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