EUGENE, Ore. — A Eugene-based company is making it easier for military families to get special deals for Memorial Day weekend.

Usually to get a student or military discount, one has to show a form of physical identification to retailers. But the company SheerID verifies identification instantly during checkout when shopping online.

SheerID teamed up with about 50 companies so far from Costco to PGA Tours to offer its service. To get a special military discount or offer, all you have to do is enter your information. SheerID has access to federal databases with military records.

“The individual raises their hand and says check my military service and we come back with an instant answer that says yes, this person is an active duty, yes this person is the spouse of someone in the military or yes this person is a veteran,” said CEO Jake Weatherly.

It’s free for the customer and you don’t have to sign up for anything. The retailer pays to have SheerID on its site.

Also, six new companies jumped on board to add this service– just in time for the memorial day weekend.

SheerID doesn’t just service military customers but discounts for students, teachers, new or loyal customers and more.

Friday’s Weather Discussion from Chief Meteorologist Justin Stapleton 

Not a bad Friday overall with just a few showers and a lot more sun breaks and frankly, a darn nice looking sunset tonight! Overnight, the valley will see some low clouds fill in, with an occasional straggling shower or two but overall, very quiet going into Saturday morning. Lows for tonight will fall back into the mid to upper 40s.

Saturday starts off dry but the next, albeit weaker storm will move through by late afternoon and evening. Highs will climb back into the mid to upper 60s and snow lines (with the warmer air moving in) will jump back above 6000 feet. Sunday will see some leftover showers in the morning but will dry out enough to break out some sunshine by late afternoon. Highs again will hold in the mid 60s.

That’s the end of the dry weather as the next storm blasts into the region on Memorial Day. Here’s how the day will break down:

- Early AM will be dry but cloudy with temps start in the upper 40s and low 50s

- First wave of rain will hit the coast by 8-9am, inland by 9-10am with a steady rain through early afternoon

- Rain tapers off to showers by late afternoon and evening

Scattered showers look to continue Tuesday through Thursday with highs generally in the mid 60s. Peeking out into next weekend, there’s a chance that we finally start to dry out again for more than half a day by next Friday.

Have a great weekend!

- Chief Meteorologist Justin Stapleton

Come chat with me on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, do you have a question for the weather team? You can “Ask The Meteorologist”! I’ll be answering YOUR questions Wednesday night at 6. Click here to submit your question: Ask The Meteorologist 

Oregon State pitcher Matt Boyd:

Oregon State third baseman Kavin Keyes:

Courtesy: OSU Sports Information

CORVALLIS, Ore.– The fourth-ranked Oregon State baseball team dropped a 10-9 11-inning decision to Washington State Friday in the opening-game of a three-game series at Goss Stadium.

Jason Monda scored from second base on an infield error, snapping a 9-9 tie and giving the Cougars the come-from-behind victory. Oregon State had lead 7-0 after five innings and took a 9-5 lead into the ninth before four runs from WSU. Monda tied the game with a two-run, one-out home run in the ninth.

Max Engelbrekt took the loss to drop to 3-1 this season. He allowed two hits and one run in two innings. J.D. Leckenby earned the win for the Cougars (23-30 overall, 9-19 Pac-12 Conference), improving to 2-3. He allowed four hits in three innings.

The Beavers (43-10, 22-6) loaded the bases in the ninth off Leckenby. The right-hander, however, induced Jake Rodriguez into a 6-4-3 double play to end the game.

Andy Peterson and Kavin Keyes each had three hits for the Beavers, who tallied 14 to Washington State’s 13. Keyes hit a solo home run in the fifth.

Dylan Davis drove in three to pace Oregon State. He scored two with a single in the first, which helped the Beavers to an early 5-0 lead.

Matt Boyd started for the Beavers but did not figure in the decision after going seven innings. He struck out seven and allowed four hits and a run.

Sean Hartnett started for the Cougars and allowed eight hits and seven runs in 5 2/3 innings of work.

Oregon State and Washington State continue their series Saturday with a 1:05 p.m. PT first pitch at Goss Stadium.

EUGENE, Ore. — As most of our viewers know, Friday is KEZI 9 News Anchor Brandi Smith’s last day with KEZI 9 News.

She’s moving on and up, but we’ll still see her in town.

We thought we’d take a few minutes to look back at some great on-air moments and give her the best “see you later” non-goodbye possible.

Click on the video above to watch Brandi’s final farewell.

EUGENE, Ore. — A local marijuana dispensary is back open after a narcotics raid Thursday afternoon.

The team of local law enforcement agencies says it seized pounds of marijuana that was ready for distribution, as well as evidence of money laundering. But customers of the dispensary say it’s hard for them to believe the business owners were doing anything illegal.

An open sign hung in the window of The Greener Side Friday morning, less than a day after an interagency narcotics team raided the dispensary.

“I can see some circumstances where the business wouldn’t be up and running today, but you know there might be a circumstance where they could be,” said Sgt. Carrie Carver, Lane County Sheriff’s Office.

Both Chelsea Hopkins and Jill Tanner were taken to the Lane County Jail, but neither sit behind bars anymore.

“One was pre-trial release and one was a capacity based release,” Carver said.

For people who frequent the dispensary, this raid was a surprise because they say the women are compassionate about their patients.

“People that are doing things for profit don’t help those that can’t afford it that just doesn’t go together,” said Eugene resident Katherine Hayden.

Police also raided a home in the River Road Area. Down in Medford, it was a similar story Thursday.

“These search warrants were actually executed in conjunction with the Medford Narcotics Team as well,” Carver said.

On The Greener Side’s website, it says the company operates in strict accordance to all local and state laws. But local authorities say the arrests come after a local investigation regarding the sale of marijuana.

“I do know that our teams do a really good job of gathering information and making sure they have probable cause for the search warrants, for the arrests,” Carver said.

But one Greener Side customer describes the raid differently. “They were just in there snapping pictures and it looked very, very shady and illegal,” Hayden said.

And although the doors were open for customers today, those who entered the dispensary left empty handed.

The interagency narcotics team consists of officers from Eugene, Springfield, the Lane County Sheriffs Office and Oregon State Police.

EUGENE, Ore. – After a car struck a man in a motorized wheel chair last year, the city of Eugene is taking a close look at the safety of crossing 30th Avenue. Traffic engineers held a meeting to get public input Thursday night.

The victim of the crash, Robert Six, was there to speak out on what he believes needs to be done. Six has been in a hospital bed for five months and he’s just now back in his wheel chair. He had a broken back, shattered leg and other injuries included bleeding in the brain.

Six is much better but financially burdened and still seeking compensation. He hired an attorney who is looking into suing the city for not doing something about this dangerous intersection sooner. The December crash is still under investigation.

Thursday’s Weather Discussion from Chief Meteorologist Justin Stapleton 

Showers are back tonight as the next wave of rain is wrapping around the storm which has been on the move today, and will bring some steady rain overnight into Friday morning. Lows should hold a bit warmer, in the mid to upper 40s.

Friday starts wet but should see showers taper off by the late afternoon and evening. Highs tomorrow will be a bit warmer, back into the upper 50s and low 60s.  Driest day for the holiday weekend looks to be Saturday with highs back in the mid 60s. Both that day and Sunday may see some isolated afternoon showers, but overall, not a big impact on your outdoor plans.

That’s the end of the dry weather as the next storm swings across on Sunday afternoon and into Monday. So plan for some rain gear if you are headed to the Ducks Softball Super Regional games, or the Memorial Day parades.

Have a great Friday!

- Chief Meteorologist Justin Stapleton

Come chat with me on Facebook and Twitter.

Also, do you have a question for the weather team? You can “Ask The Meteorologist”! I’ll be answering YOUR questions Wednesday night at 6. Click here to submit your question: Ask The Meteorologist 

EUGENE, Ore. — Growing, there are kids who are good at every subject in school or some who can sing any note, and then there are the ones who can play any sport.

Akayla Devereaux is one of those multi-tasking athletes and was recently inspired to add a less conventional competition to her resume.

Akayla doesn’t just play multiple sports, she excels in them.

This 17-year-old is actually competing in the state track and field championships at Hayward Field this week, but it’s not just her talent, but her heart and a unique inspiration that motivates her in the ring.

On this particular spring Wednesday she has double-header softball games.

Right before this, she squeezed in a track practice–two sports she rotates in with the other three she plays at Lowell High School.

“I can’t multi-task. Obviously my daughter can,” said Jack Devereaux, Akayla’s dad.

Jack coaches the Red Devils, and after the games he drives both of them into Eugene for Akayla’s favorite work out of them all–boxing.

“She’ll come from a softball practice, or a track meet, come right to the gym, and outwork everybody at the gym,” said Coach Jake Wilson.

“Kid works so hard you have to tell her to stop on her days off. It’s incredible,” said Coach Ryan Hariss.

Her coaches Ryan Hariss and pro-boxer Jake Wilson, met Akayla through her older brother Garrett, who was the first fighter in the family, working toward a professional career in mixed martial arts.

“Garrett and I were friends. We trained together and stuff like that, and then later Jack told me his daughter was a boxer,” Wlson said.

“My brother Garrett really wanted me to fight, but I was always really busy,” Akayla said.

Akayla found time to take up the sport, but more as a hobby until one day this past February when Garrett’s influence became more important than ever.

“He passed away February 2nd. And after Garrett’s passing, Akayla decided to take it a step further,” Wilson said.

“He was like my best friend. He loved fighting,” Akayla said.

At the memorial, Wilson reconnected with the Devereauxs. And while reflecting on their memories of Garrett, they discussed a future with Akayla.

“When he told me his daughter boxed, I told him she could come over and train with me for free,” Wilson said.

Wilson says it didn’t take long for him to realize the kind athlete Akayla could be.

“I worked with her one time and I realized she just had a ton of potential. She was just an amazing athlete, really dedicated from the start. I could just see it in her eyes that she was the type of person who really wanted to be successful at this,” Wilson said.

Akayla surprised her coaches, parents–even herself.

“It was just very different for me, playing all these different sports and then this one came into my life and it was just the best thing ever,” Akayla said.

“It came really quick. I mean, within a month she had improved more than people improve in six months,” Wilson said.

‘She’s able to grab skills I can teach her in one day and apply them in live combat sparring that day. It’s incredible,” Hariss said.

They all got their first taste of those skills in Akayla’s first fight just a couple weeks ago.

“She went out there and she was so dominant, so aggressive,” Hariss said.

“I don’t think her opponent was ready for someone of her caliber to be honest, so it ended pretty quick,” said Wilson said.

But as fast as that fight ended, Akayla’s career took flight. Her talent the runway–Garret’s memory: her wings.

“I just know that he’d want me to do this. I know that it means a lot that I’m out fighting for him, because he’s the reason why I fight,” Akayla said.

“It inspires her. It pushes her, she an amazing athlete even more because of it and I think it pushes her further every day,” Hariss said.

“I feel like she’s dedicated to the sport, and it gives her a little extra drive. I can see it in her eyes that she has something to prove, and I think it’s really important for her to be successful at the sport, and I think she feels she’s doing garrett proud. I really do,” Wilson said.

“When I’m here, I just feel that he’s around again, and I’m so upset that I lost him, that we lost him. But I just know that he’d want me to do this and that he’s always around and that he’s proud of me,” Akayla said.

Akayla’s hope is to one day box in the Olympics, which her Coach Jake Wilson believes is entirely possible once she gets more practice in the ring. Akayla also plans to join the wrestling team at Lowell next year to diversify her training.

EUGENE, Ore. — Health care providers throughout Lane County are banding together in response to recent spikes in STD cases.

At the end of last year, Lane County saw an increase in the numbers of gonorrhea and syphilis cases.

Reps say the trend continues this year and with another disease–HIV. The numbers had health care providers from all over the area working together to stop the increase.

“We do know that the complications of STI’s can be very serious,” said Doug Harger, Oregon Public Health STD Program Manager.

That’s why representatives from throughout the county met up at the public health building Thursday morning.

“We had a number of providers here today. We had the University of Oregon, Lane Community College, the two local hospitals,” said Cindy Morgan, County Communicable Disease Supervisor.

Compared to this time last year, gonorrhea numbers are nearly double. And some believe this could just be the beginning of a huge problem if the issue isn’t addressed now.

“Having an STD can put you at greater risk for HIV. It’s something that we see going hand in hand as they said today, ‘STDs travel together,’” said Renee Yandel, HIV Alliance Executive Director.

While one doesn’t necessarily cause the other, health workers say there is a correlation, so they weren’t surprised when reported HIV cases shot up too.

There have been 40 so far this year–that’s more than half the total cases for 2012. Health providers think working together can bring those numbers down.

“It was an opportunity for us to bring them together and they are the ones at the front lines serving many of the patients, and it’s also an opportunity for us to have a consistent message throughout our community,” Morgan said.

“It’s an important message that we all know, that this is difficult sometimes to talk with your provider about your sexual history, but it’s an important part of our health. And it’s really important that people do that so that we can get people to do the testing and treatment we know needs to be done,” Yandel said.

Organizers said we often think to do things like get an annual lipid panel during our regular physicals. Getting an STD test should be no different and it’s up to providers to make sure those conversations take place if we want to stop this growing trend.

EUGENE, Ore. — Before your start planting your favorite veggies and flowers this season, you need to prepare a garden bed.

Caleb Johnson at Johnson Brothers Greenhouses shares his secrets for having the best soil for planting in the garden.

If you’d like extra help getting your vegetable garden started, you can attend a free workshop Saturday, May 25th. That starts at 11 a.m. at Johnson Brothers Greenhouses on Coburg Road.