EUGENE, Ore. — The Lane County deputy nearly killed while on vacation in Mexico is finally back home. Drew Wattier’s family posted a picture of him leaving a Portland hospital for a rehabilitation facility in Eugene Thursday evening. Drew and his wife Michelle were victims of a hit-and-run accident at the end of November. Michelle … Continue reading »
Public Safety Levy Ballot Vote Delayed
EUGENE, Ore. — Lane County Commissioners inched closer to putting a public safety tax levy on the May ballot. Commissioners once again listened to comments Tuesday night from the public on why they would or would not vote for more taxes. Last week commissioners asked staff to come up with ballot language for the levy. … Continue reading »
Sister Margaret Graziano Retires
EUGENE, Ore. — For more than four decades, Sister Margaret Graziano has touched the community. Now she’s retiring. As soon as Sister Margaret Graziano entered the parish hall at St. Mary Catholic Church, in Eugene she was met with opened arms. “She is that person with a heart to give and she does such a … Continue reading »
Commissioners Move Forward with Tax Levy
LANE COUNTY, Ore. — Lane County commissioners are moving forward with a plan to address the sheriff’s office financial crisis. For two days now, Lane County residents pleaded with the county board of commissioners to improve public safety. After hearing those public comments, the board unanimously agreed a tax levy is the only way out … Continue reading »
Judicial Foreclosures on the Rise
EUGENE, Ore. — The housing market looks promising for 2013 with home prices rising in Lane County, but a new way of approaching foreclosures has the potential to create a pretty big backlog. Sergeant Brian Smeltzer with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office is tasked with processing foreclosures. In the past few months, his workload has … Continue reading »
Sheriff Addresses State of County Safety
EUGENE, Ore. — The state of public safety was the topic at hand Thursday. Lane County Sheriff Tom Turner, joined by District Attorney Alex Garner, Commissioner Sid Leiken, and many other public safety heads, addressed the media and ultimately the public about the still very bleak state of public safety in Lane County, and the … Continue reading »
Criminals Target Rural Areas
NOTI, Ore. — The new year comes with a plea for at least one Lane County family–an increased presence by the Lane County Sheriff’s Office. A family in Noti says criminals are now intentionally targeting her property because they know the sheriff’s office is facing budget concerns and can’t respond. Heather Stahl says she first … Continue reading »
Local Deputy Wins Statewide Award
EUGENE, Ore. — A huge honor was announced for a Lane County sheriff’s deputy. Deputy Charles Douglass was named Oregon Marine Patrol Officer of the Year by the National Association of Boating Law Administrators. He beat out more than 100 county and state law enforcement officers who monitor Oregon’s waterways. Douglass has worked for the … Continue reading »
County Cuts Child Porn Investigations
EUGENE, Ore. — Another victim of Lane County budget cuts is child pornography investigations. Along with closing jail beds, which led to the release of all these inmates, the county cut a forensic analyst position and other positions that helped with those cases. That meant dumping at least 40 cases that detectives were working on. … Continue reading »
Commissioners React to Sheriff’s Release
EUGENE, Ore. — Lane County commissioners know about as much about a plan to put a public safety tax levy on November’s ballot as you do. They say they got blindsided by a press release sent out by the sheriff’s office on Monday. The board was supposed to address the press release at its meeting … Continue reading »
