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The family of a 75-year-old Benton County man just recently filed a $3.8 million wrongful death lawsuit that alleges injuries caused by a Benton County Sheriff’s deputy led to his death a few weeks later. The lawsuit has been filed almost 2 years after the incident occurred.

The suit, which was also reported this week by The Oregonian and KPTV, centers on an August 31, 2024, encounter between Dennis Sachet and Benton County sheriff’s Deputy James “David” Young.

According to the KPTV report, Oregon Department of Forestry crews went to Sachet’s property after receiving a report of illegal burning. An incident report alleged Sachet pushed a firefighter and threatened to shoot crew members if they returned.

Young later went to the property to speak with Sachet about the reported confrontation and burning complaint. Things escalated, and the lawsuit alleges Young wrongfully used force to restrain Sachet.

Sachet appears to have been an Albany resident, but the recent suit only describes the encounter as occurring on his property in Benton County and does not identify the community.

The suit says Sachet was medically fragile. Body-camera footage aired by KPTV shows Sachet telling the deputy he had a catheter in his chest and did not know whether it was bleeding.

(Photo: Benton County Deputy Body Camera Recording)

The officer then called paramedics, and they treated Sachet after the encounter. He went to a hospital the following day. He was found dead on his living-room floor on September 13th, 2024. About two weeks after the incident occurred.

The lawsuit states that “an autopsy determined that injuries inflicted during the encounter caused Sachet’s lung tissue to move inward and deflate.” Those claims have not yet been tested in court.

The suit documents refer to the official autopsy conducted through the Oregon State Medical Examiner’s Office, not an autopsy commissioned by his daughter. The lawsuit seems to be relying on that examination’s findings, although each side could retain experts to interpret or dispute them.

“Dennis was at home. He wasn’t out looking for trouble, and our case alleges that what should have been a de-escalated encounter ended with fatal injuries instead,” Austin Neff, an attorney representing the family, told KPTV.

“The biggest question is why,” Neff said. “Why did this happen? Why did the deputy feel the need to use force against this 75-year-old man who is medically fragile?”

The lawsuit presents the family’s allegations. Benton County and Young will have an opportunity to respond in court.

This article was written by Brian Lindensmith, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Twenty years after Benton County officials began discussing a bike path between Corvallis and Albany, the project has recently reached another decision point.

The Benton County Board of Commissioners will consider a recommended route on Tuesday, Sept. 15, for the unfinished section of the Corvallis-to-Albany Shared Use Path.

The proposed alignment would extend approximately 5.6 miles from NE Merloy Avenue in Corvallis to Rainwater Lane in North Albany. Its preliminary construction estimate is approximately $33 million.

(Photo: Highway 20 Bike Path)

It should be noted that commissioners are not being asked to spend that amount of money on Tuesday. Instead, they will decide whether planners should begin conceptual design, refine the route, and produce more reliable cost estimates.

With that price tag, it’s fair to assume construction funding has not yet been secured.

The proposed path would begin where an existing path ends near Merloy Avenue and follow the south side of Highway 20. Most of it would be 12 feet wide, with shoulders and a buffer separating it from vehicle traffic.

Planners are considering two different ways to cross Bowers Slough. Bowers Slough is a wetland along Highway 20 near Independence Highway and Bowers Rock State Park. It is part of the Willamette River floodplain and includes wetlands and habitat that will complicate construction.

(Photo: Bowers Slough Bridge/The Corvallis Inquirer)

One option would remain beside Highway 20 and require a new bicycle and pedestrian bridge. The estimated cost for that segment is approximately $10.5 million.

A less expensive alternative would use part of Old Highway 20 and its existing bridge, which was built in 1925. The problem is that Old Highway 20 is privately owned. Project officials have contacted the owners, but the report says, “to date, they have not been supportive.”

Boo. Does that remind you of another trail-connectivity issue, like the Corvallis-to-the-Sea Trail?

Even if using the old road becomes possible, it would still require purchasing it or obtaining easements. That option would cost around $7.6 million, compared with the $10.5 million estimate for the alternative that would not use the old bridge. It would still be a significant expense.

Longstanding reporting traces the path proposal to discussions by Benton County commissioners all the way back to 2003. The Benton County Planning Commission rejected the necessary permit in February 2015.

Public outreach restarted in 2016. Commissioners authorized another planning phase in January 2017 and selected a Highway 20 corridor that June.

The project was then placed on hold in 2018. Work resumed in 2020, when Benton County began coordinating with ODOT on sections running parallel to the highway.

The project team began its current alignment study in August 2025 and has contacted almost 100 property owners and businesses. During a May discussion, Commissioner Nancy Wyse emphasized minimizing effects on property owners and selecting a financially realistic alignment. Commissioner Pat Malone said the path could serve both recreation and commuting.

Albany Assistant City Engineer Robert Emmons also endorsed the connection. “The path would provide an important link between the two communities by encouraging alternative commuting options and expanding recreation opportunities,” Emmons wrote.

If commissioners approve the recommendation on Tuesday, planners will refine the route, investigate property and easement requirements, study environmental effects, and decide how to cross Bowers Slough.

They will also develop a construction phasing plan, update the cost estimates, and conduct another round of public engagement in early 2027.

Currently, it’s more about selecting a route. Finding $33 million to build it would become the project’s next significant detour. It could be enough to add another 20 years.

This article was written by Brian Lindensmith, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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The city just hired a new parks and recreation director named Andy Coleman.

Coleman earned a bachelor’s degree in recreation management from Eastern Washington University. He started his municipal career as a recreation specialist for the City of Pasco before joining Walla Walla’s parks and rec department in 1999.

(Photo: Walla Walla School District Arbor Day Tree Planting/Andy Coleman far right)

The Washington Recreation and Park Association named Coleman a Young Professional Award recipient in 2006. In 2022, the association’s members elected him to its board as Eastern Washington director.

Coleman is scheduled to begin working on September 16th. His hiring follows a nationwide recruitment conducted after former director Meredith Petit left the city in May for another leadership position in Washington.

Coleman worked for the City of Walla Walla for roughly 26 years. He began in the city’s Parks and Recreation Department and then moved up to the recreation supervisor, park maintenance supervisor, before eventually becoming the director.

According to the City of Corvallis, Coleman’s experience includes overseeing the construction of an $8.5 million aquatic facility, which might come in handy. He also developed programs supporting Walla Walla’s downtown district. Which also might come in handy.

There is almost always something that follows a person with a prior tenure as long as his. Coleman comes with a recent experience that involved navigating a public debate over how parks and recreation services should be funded.

In 2025, he helped present a proposal to create a Walla Walla Metropolitan Park District. The district would have been supported by a property-tax levy of 75 cents per $1,000 of assessed value, which would have generated roughly $3.4 million annually for parks and recreation.

The proposal also contemplated a $15 million loan that would allow Walla Walla to accelerate work on nine major projects. Turns out, Walla Walla voters rejected the proposal through a special election. 72.3% voted against creating and funding the district.

Following the special election results, Coleman said the city would review the lessons learned from the campaign and consider its next steps. He later presented those lessons to the Walla Walla City Council.

“Corvallis is a fantastic fit for me, both in terms of the community’s engagement with parks and recreation services, as well as the opportunity to lead a dynamic department full of dedicated staff,” Coleman said in the city’s announcement.

Coleman’s experience could prove relevant here. Outside of the budget shortfall, Parks and Recreation has also been managing the closure and reconstruction of the Osborn Aquatic Center.

“I’m excited to welcome Andy to Corvallis and support him as he steps into the leadership role for the Parks and Recreation Department,” City Manager Mark Shepard said. “We have an incredible team of staff, along with beloved facilities and natural resources, and I’m sure Andy will feel right at home working with the Corvallis community.”

This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Backstory first.

Contract negotiations between the City of Corvallis and AFSCME Local 2975 (the city employee union) have formally reached an impasse, which means the two sides have not reached an agreement through bargaining.

Both have now submitted their final offers to the state and have been published, beginning a state-required 30-day cooling-off period. However, negotiations and mediation can continue during that time.

It’s about 4 trillion pages of information to go through and compare. Not really, but it’s A LOT. While we believe our analysis is accurate and we double-checked, small errors are possible, though not probable. This was done with thought… because it’s important.

It’s also important to note timelines. If the dispute remains unresolved, the union would become eligible to declare a strike as early as October 9, according to the city.

The city has published its final contract offer to the union today. AFSCME Local 2975 represents around 246 city employees. The final offer provides the clearest comparison yet between the two sides as labor negotiations continue.

Both offers were submitted to the Oregon Employment Relations Board. And published. So now we can compare. And when we say compare, it’s basically just the larger issues at stake, where differences lie.

(Photo: https://afscme2975.org/)

Wage Increases

Both offers include a 2% wage or salary-schedule adjustment effective June 16, 2026, followed by a 4% cost-of-living adjustment. Together, those two increases amount to approximately 6.08% when compounded.

Under the union’s proposal, both increases would be retroactive to June 16. Under the city’s offer, the 2% salary-schedule adjustment would begin June 16, while the 4% cost-of-living increase would take effect during the pay period following contract ratification.

Opinion: A new contract represents new pay. The former and current contract does not. You both agreed to it. No retroactive pay.

Wage Increases - Part II

Both sides propose another 3% cost-of-living increase in June 2027. The larger difference in general wages arrives in June 2028, when the union is requesting a 5% increase and the city is offering 3%. If you like first-grade math, you can add 5% + 3% = 8%. Then divide by 2, which equals 4%… as a middle ground.

Opinion: Compromise. If everyone in the world found a middle ground… it’d be a better place.

Additional Compensation

The union is also seeking several forms of compensation that are not included in the city’s offer. The biggest is a $750 ratification bonus. What does that even mean? It is a one-time payment that city employees would receive if the union and city reach an agreement.

It’s kind of like getting a bonus for getting a raise… and a new contract. Form your own opinions on that one. But the city said no.

Opinion: I’ve never asked for one time bonus on top of getting a raise. Have you? Maybe I should have?

Salary step increases

The city currently has six salary steps, with employees receiving annual step increases of 5% until they reach the top of their range. The union’s proposal would add a seventh step effective June 16, 2027. Employees who had already reached Step 6 by June 16, 2026, would move to the next step, providing another 5% increase.

Opinion: Long-term employee retention can often save costs in terms of efficiency and new hire training. It also provides motivation for continued service. Agree with the Union.

Health insurance

Employees currently pay 7% of their medical and dental insurance premiums, while the city pays 93%. The union wants to retain that arrangement throughout the contract.

The city proposes changing the split to 90% paid by the city and 10% paid by employees beginning Jan. 1, 2029. According to the city, the change would cost a full-time employee approximately $26 more per month based on current premiums.

Opinon: It’s 26 bucks more a month. The city is going to pay 90% of your premiums. And they are broke. Take the 90%. Onwards.

City-declared emergency pay raise

The union is asking for a 10% pay differential for essential employees required to report to or remain at work in person during a city-declared emergency or weather-related closure. The city’s final offer does not include the hazard-pay provision.

Opinion: You choose to work for the city. For the people of this city. We’d protect them for free by volunteering our time. You want 10% more to keep us safe… and some of this is most likely overtime pay as well. This ask makes the union look bad.

There is more to the offers than discussed, but these are the larger fiscal issues.

The union’s cost summary estimates that its remaining proposals would increase costs by approximately $8.51 million over three years. The city estimates its final offer would increase costs around $7.83 million over three years.

The two totals are approximately $686,000 apart.

The two sides were scheduled to return to mediation with the state Employment Relations Board on Sept. 10.

A state-required 30-day cooling-off period follows publication of the final offers. According to the city, the union would become eligible to declare a strike as early as October 9th if the two sides do not reach an agreement.

Sorry for the rare opinions. Work together… not against each other… and this can easily be solved.

This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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It all started as an effort to help feed 25 local families each month. Now it has served more than 10,000 visitors in the last year.

South Corvallis Food Bank is going to celebrate its 25th anniversary from noon to 4 p.m. this Sunday, September 13, at Central Park. It’s a free community event that will include live music, food vendors, birthday treats, and planned activities for families.

The food bank traces its beginnings to Judy Hecht’s volunteer work with Stone Soup. Hecht noticed that most food services were located on the north side of Corvallis, making them difficult for some South Corvallis residents to access.

She was particularly concerned about families with young children who were underserved and going hungry.

In 2001, Hecht took action… she opened the Tunison Food Bank. 25 years ago, it served around 25 families per month. Over time, it evolved and grew into what you now know as the South Corvallis Food Bank.

(Photo: The South Corvallis Food Bank)

It has grown considerably. According to their annual figures from last year, more than 10,000 visits were made to the food bank. Its staff and volunteers distributed approximately 562,000 pounds of food and other necessities to more than 8,000 people.

400+ volunteers help keep the operation running by accepting and collecting donations, restocking shelves, writing grants, and supporting fundraising efforts.

The food bank operates as a low-barrier, shopping-style pantry, allowing households to select food based on their needs rather than receiving a prepacked box. The food comes from individual donations, local farms, gardens, grocery stores, restaurants, the Oregon Food Bank, and Linn-Benton Food Share.

As Hecht probably now knows, things can change over time… especially over a 25-year period.

Carly Fonk, the food bank’s executive director, said “demand for its services increased by 37.1% between 2023 and 2025. From January through August of this year, we served an average of 1,002 households, representing approximately 2,376 people, each month.”

The growth statistics don’t lie. During the same period last year, it served an average of about 750 households per month, an increase of more than 33%.

What gives? Other than the food bank.

Representatives say the rising cost of living, changes to SNAP benefits, and reductions in USDA food reaching regional food banks are all contributing to the growing need.

Many people are now affected by new requirements for SNAP, and their benefits may end after three months, but their hunger does not. The USDA reduction began in spring 2025, when they canceled supplemental food shipments. Those shipments represented about 18% of the food distributed by the Oregon Food Bank.

For local organizations like the South Corvallis Food Bank, that means less food arriving through regional suppliers at the same time that more households are seeking help.

It’s a small town, and when you hear about the South Corvallis Food Bank, or pass it while driving by, you might think they just put food on the table for people in need. But there is much more on its plate.

Twenty-five years of work should be celebrated and supported. Sunday’s event offers a chance to recognize that effort and support the food bank and its services.

They say they are going to have free birthday treats on Sunday. Maybe you can blow out a candle there… and wish for them to serve another 25 years.

This article was written by Brian Lindensmith, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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“I’m going to start by saying the current City Council has done a poor job in engaging with the public around the city’s financial condition,” Moorefield said during the August 13th City Council candidate forum. “And I have to take responsibility for that.”

It’s not all on him. He is just one member of the council.

Moorefield is a representative for Ward 3. He said the council recognizes the problem and is now trying to address it. It looks like they have made the first step.

(Photo: Corvallis City Hall/The Corvallis Inquirer)

The City Council announced today that they’ll hold four upcoming town hall meetings to discuss the projected $20 million annual budget gap and potential new taxes intended to cover the gap and preserve city services.

All four meetings will run from 6 to 7:30 p.m.:

• Wednesday, Sept. 23: Walnut Community Room, 4950 NW Fair Oaks Drive

• Tuesday, Sept. 29: Corvallis Community Center’s Chandler Ballroom, 2601 NW Tyler Ave.

• Tuesday, Oct. 6: Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Main Meeting Room, 645 NW Monroe Ave.

• Tuesday, Oct. 13: Tunison Community Room, 365 SW Tunison Ave.

All nine city councilors and Mayor Charles Maughan are expected to participate in the town halls. Residents will be able to learn about the city’s financial outlook, the factors contributing to the projected shortfall, and the potential revenue options under consideration.

The city estimates it needs approximately $20 million in additional annual revenue. That includes about $4 million a year for ongoing operating expenses, and another $16 million annually to address facility needs.

According to city sources, the financial problem could begin affecting core services as early as 2027. Without additional revenue, the council could face budget cuts beginning next year, these would be followed by more significant service reductions in 2029 and beyond.

After reviewing more than two dozen revenue options, the council seems ot have narrowed its current discussion to two possible taxes.

One option is a 1% payroll tax, divided equally between employers and employees working in Corvallis. The city estimates it could generate approximately $10 million annually. One version under discussion would exempt workers earning less than $32,000 per year.

The second option is a 0.68% income tax, which the city also estimates could raise approximately $10 million per year. The tax could potentially be structured so that higher-income residents pay a larger share.

If adopted together, the two taxes could generate enough money to cover the city’s projected operating shortfall and contribute toward facility investments.

This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Opening a food truck might come with a surprise city transportation charge approaching $16,000, according to Common Fields and Shalece Rains, the president of the food cart cooperative in Southtown.

Common Fields is now asking the Corvallis City Council to reconsider how the fee is applied.

(Photo: Common Fields)

We’ve been working on this story for a bit, but the local hangout raised the issue in an Instagram post today, saying the charge is preventing new food trucks from opening and that it could force changes at its pod. It seems that the food cart cooperative in Southtown concurs.

At the center of the dispute is something called a transportation system development charge, or SDC.

The name is a bit complicated, but the idea is simple. When a new development or business is expected to place additional demand on the city’s transportation system, the city calculates that new demand and charges the applicant a one-time fee.

It instantly makes you wonder how a mostly stationary food truck can add demand to the transportation system. The only thing really being transported is good-tasting, sometimes overpriced food.

For a more traditional development, such as a new apartment building, the SDC fee can make sense. A new building brings more residents, employees, customers, and vehicles, creating additional trips on the surrounding transportation infrastructure.

A food truck is mobile, but once it begins operating regularly at a location, the city can treat it as a new use of that property. The city then estimates how many additional trips the food truck may generate during the weekday afternoon peak travel period.

That estimate is converted into a dollar amount using the city’s adopted transportation SDC rate.

The calculation works like this:

Estimated additional trips generated by the business multiplied by the city’s charge per trip equals the transportation SDC.

The city’s 2025 fee schedule charged $403.78 for each calculated trip end. That rate included $360.55 for future transportation improvements and $43.23 to reimburse the city for existing infrastructure with capacity available for growth.

At that rate, a food truck determined to generate approximately 38 additional peak-hour trip ends would face a transportation SDC of about $15,300.

This example does not mean city employees are counting 38 actual vehicles arriving at a food truck. The number is a planning estimate based on the type and intensity of the proposed use. It is intended to represent the additional demand the business is expected to place on the transportation system during the busy part of the day.

The exact amount can also depend on how the city classifies the business, what activity previously occurred on the property, and whether the applicant receives credit for trips already attributed to an existing use. Aka, you were just going to Common Fields for a beer… your travel shouldn’t be counted twice if you order from the food truck as well.

Common Fields is bringing the issue forward. They say “it may have to remove some of the trucks at its existing pod or pay approximately $30,000 in fees.”

The argument is that the charges have already held up multiple food-truck projects planned for South Corvallis, contributed to the potential closure of a South Corvallis restaurant, and placed a group of 8-10 food trucks that received grant funding from the city on hold.

We talked to Shalece Rains, the president of the food cart cooperative in Southtown, last week. She backs up what Common Fields is serving.

Shalece said the group currently includes eight member businesses, with plans to add more. The cooperative is operating under the city’s 45-day “temporary market” allowance rather than through a permanent food-cart-pod permit.

Shalece said the cooperative “has identified several obstacles, including finding a suitable property partnership, completing improvements required for a master site permit, and paying the city’s development fees.” She went on to say that “the city’s development fees all present significant challenges” and that “solutions are in the works, but it will take time.”

The group wants the future food-cart pod to “reflect South Corvallis and showcase Latino culture from within the community. Each participating family brings its own perspective on what the project and the opportunity to operate a business mean to them.”

“Our deepest hope is to land in a space where neighbors come out and spend time together,” Shalece said. The cooperative envisions a gathering place where food and frequent community events help strengthen connections among South Corvallis residents.

There is some hypocrisy here if our research is right.

Las Doñas del Sur received a $250,000 grant administered by the City of Corvallis using federal American Rescue Plan Act funding. The grant was intended to help build a community of food-cart businesses. Although the city awarded the grant, it could also collect a portion of that funding back… through the SDC fees. Essentially awarding itself some of that grant money.

It’s all based on your preferred method of accounting.

What we can confirm right now is that the city substantially revised its mobile-food-unit regulations in early 2025.

On January 21st, the Corvallis City Council approved a package of regulations expanding where food trucks could operate. Before those changes, mobile food units were largely confined to downtown.

The updated rules opened additional commercial mixed-use areas to food trucks, allowed them on the Oregon State University campus, and established regulations for food-truck pods.

Corvallis says it has collected SDCs since 1973. The city currently imposes them for transportation, water, wastewater, stormwater, and parks.

There are a lot of issues here, but the issue is not that the council just passed a new $16,000 fee aimed at food trucks. The issue is how the city’s longstanding transportation SDC is being applied to food trucks operating under the updated permitting rules.

It’s fair to view these fees as cost prohibitive to small businesses. They can create a barrier for entrepreneurs.

Common Fields has launched a petition here, which asks the city to amend the fee structure.

The business said it believes “the treatment of food trucks was an oversight within a larger regulatory package rather than an intentional attempt to discourage mobile food businesses.”

Common Fields is asking supporters to sign the petition, contact the mayor and city councilors, and attend a City Council meeting scheduled for Tuesday, September 22, at 6:00 pm.

They are also coordinating people interested in speaking at the meeting. Potential speakers are being asked to contact Jacob@commonfieldscorvallis.com.

They are now asking the City Council to rewrite the rules before existing trucks leave and additional food-truck projects are abandoned.

This article was written by Jackson Hayes, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Journalists often use sensationalism in headlines because they attract clicks, which in turn makes money. There is no money here… but we do love a good sensationalist headline to attract the clicks. External affirmation. Guilty.

So guilty, in fact, that we should be thrown in the Benton County Jail. But there’s a problem…

During our arrest, the officer thought, “With the jail’s capacity issues, I might as well cite ’em and let them go, even after this offender wrote a sensationalist, semi-satire piece called Birds vs. Benton County.”

This would never happen. Police enforce the law, judges interpret and apply it. He arrests us, and we go before the judge.

The judge now has the same thought as the law enforcement end. It alters their decision… due to circumstance. Due to the systematic lack of capacity to hold us accountable.

This isn’t really about our poor writing choices… or sensationalist headlines. It’s more about the fact that we didn’t write one this time.

Jail Shortage Affected Judge’s Decisions. Law Enforcement said it changed arrest practices.

(Photo: Benton County Law Enforcement Building/The Corvallis Inquirer)

The report is titled “Jail and Justice System Assessment.” It was prepared for Benton County through the National Institute of Corrections.

The initial report has been covered before. But the new final Jail and Justice System Assessment was delivered on August 5. It is included in the packet for the Benton County Board of Commissioners’ September 8th meeting.

A large portion of the new, more detailed report was based on interviews with staff. The federal assessment states that the Benton County Jail’s limited capacity is influencing decisions made by local law enforcement officers and judges. Here is an exact excerpt from the report:

According to the report, the jail’s recorded population understates the true demand for incarceration because years of severe capacity constraints have influenced whom local authorities arrest, accept into custody, or continue to detain.

The report does not identify the judges or law-enforcement officials interviewed, nor does it provide examples involving individual cases. It is also plausible that some of those interviewed support building new facilities, and these statements could have been made with that agenda in mind.

The conclusions are presented as a summary of the interviews conducted by the assessment team with officials throughout Benton County’s criminal justice system.

The report also states that the jail frequently refuses to accept arrested individuals because of insufficient capacity. Consultants documented “frustration” among local criminal justice partners over those refusals, as well as the extensive use of citation and release.

Benton County’s jail opened in 1976 and has now been operating for 50 years. The assessment describes its physical design as outdated and says it lacks sufficient room to separate people by custody level or safely house those with heightened medical, mental-health, or security needs.

The County has partly compensated by renting jail beds elsewhere. The federal assessment says more than half of Benton County’s incarcerated population is housed in other jurisdictions, requiring deputies to transport people between counties and back to town for court proceedings.

The assessment does not recommend that Benton County construct a new jail. Instead, it calls for a detailed examination of arrests, bookings, releases, case-processing times, and alternatives to incarceration.

The consultants recommend exploring expanded pretrial programs, probation options, community supervision, and other alternatives that could reduce reliance on incarceration.

According to the assessment, new jail construction generally accounts for 10% of a jail’s lifetime cost. Staffing and other recurring operational expenses make up the remaining 90%.

That context is important from a public perspective, as are the consultant recommendations. Voters rejected funding measures for a new jail in 2015, and then again in 2023. Even if the County eventually identifies funding to construct a replacement facility, it would still need an ongoing source of revenue to operate it.

The report and its findings open a much larger can of worms than we can tackle here. It raises questions about incarceration versus rehabilitation, the equitable administration of justice, funding and county budget priorities, the sequencing of major public projects, systemic shortcomings, aging infrastructure, and a host of other social, financial, and policy considerations.

The Board of Commissioners is scheduled to accept the final assessment on September 8th and provide staff with direction on the next phase of planning.

Either way, we flew the nest. Birds vs. Benton County didn’t get us caged, even though they had probable caws to do it. We also learned a valuable lesson about using a play on words to create sensationalist headlines. The overt threat of consequence should stop us in mid-flight.

The full 65-page report can be found here in Benton County’s September 8th meeting portal.

This article was written by Brian Lindensmith, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Let’s spin the rumor wheel and ride in some circles around 135 NW Second St. in downtown. We checked it out, and based on our photography and investigative prowess… we think MAYBE, maybe, a new “b cycle” shop might be coming. One that has sales & repair.

(Photo: 135 NW Second St./The Corvallis Inquirer)

After some further research, we have a feeling it was supposed to open this summer, but it now looks more likely to open in the fall.

All jokes aside, we did do some research on this, and “Fernline” is the code word here.

The trail connects to a well-known local rider named Patrick Means, who also seems to be a brilliant photographer.

This is us trying to toss some compliments to a guy we don’t know, who might not be so happy about our sleuthing, revealing the new shop name, or him revealing we were wrong in the near future… then beating us in a race.

The timeline begins in July 2025, when Means formed Trailhouse Bikes LLC. Then, on June 16 of this year, he registered another company named Sow Good Cycles, using 135 NW Second St. as its principal address.

135 NW Second St was the Peak Sports Annex, which Peak Sports moved out of in May 2026 and consolidated its remaining business at 129 NW Second St.

Peak’s move left behind a storefront with decades of cycling history. The building had housed the Peak Sports bike shop beginning in 2003 and later became home to the company’s consignment-focused Annex.

Now another clue comes to life. On August 31st, Means registered a second assumed business name, “Fernline”, using the same downtown address.

Fernline would certainly make sense as a shop name, at least in our imagination. You know, a narrow trail cutting through a forest floor, the kind of place where ferns, mud, and mountain bikes meet. Plus, there is a new rumor going around that our local forests do, in fact, contain a plethora of ferns. We are calling this “inferned speculation.”

Either way, Patrick Means deserves his own write-up.

Oregon Bicycle Racing Association records list him as a Corvallis rider and a longtime member of Team S&M. He has competed in road racing, cyclocross, gravel, and elite mountain biking, with high-ranking results stretching back more than a decade.

His recent accomplishments include a second-place finish in the elite men’s long course at the 2026 Oregon Coast Gravel Epic and a sixth-place finish in the Open Pro division at the 2026 Bear Springs Trap mountain-bike race.

“Open Pro” means you aren’t riding your old Huffy with a banana seat, and you’re also not smoking a pack of Marlboro Reds outside Squirrels on a Saturday night.

Patrick also built a reputation as an outdoor and cycling photographer. His work has appeared through Kona, Pinkbike, 7mesh, Trans-Cascadia, and Team S&M.

Means is obviously preparing to open a cycling business downtown. Fernline or Sow Good Cycles could be the name of the shop. Peak Sports stepped away from new bike sales and repair services, so a new cycling business entering the former storefront, and right next door, would be a fun addition to downtown.

This article was written by Jackson Hayes, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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A proposed $8.6 million regional transit package would direct its largest share to Corvallis while providing part of the local match for a redesigned bus route between Corvallis and Eugene.

(Photo: Downtown Transit Center/VisitCorvallis)

The Benton County Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund Advisory Committee, whose name is longer than any current existing route, is scheduled to review the project rankings and funding recommendations on Thursday, Sept. 10.

In the funding recommendations, the Corvallis Transit System would receive around $3.89 million under the proposed plan. This funding builds in $2.58 million to preserve existing services, potentially expand service hours, and support transit planning and administration.

$810,000 would be designated for facilities and bus-stop improvements, which would also potentially include work at the Downtown Transit Center for a long-delayed bus-washing facility.

The Corvallis service proposal holds the top position on the committee’s current project rankings.

The larger regional package also proposes around $1.98 million for Benton Area Transit, $1.4 million for Albany Transit projects, and $304,781 for the Philomath Connection. All in, the plan totals roughly $8.63 million.

One interesting proposed service would produce a more impactful change for us.

Benton County is seeking a separate state grant to restore bus service between downtown Corvallis and Eugene. The route would provide four round-trips per day. It would also include operating seven days a week, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

This route is all based on the former 99Vine pilot route, which offered fare-free service between communities along Highway 99W before its grant funding recently expired on June 30th. The new proposed replacement would take a different path though. Buses would leave Corvallis on Highway 34 and travel south on Highway 99E through Tangent, Shedd, Halsey, Harrisburg, and Junction City before reaching Eugene.

The new alignment would bypass Monroe, which was served by the original 99Vine route.

The whole point of the County’s grant application is to provide access to communities with a larger population. If the grant is awarded, which is competitive, Benton County anticipates beginning service in September 2027. Pacific Crest would most likely be the lead potential contractor.

Nothing is final yet, but based on past proposals… we think the chances are good.

The committee will meet from 1 to 3 p.m. on September 10 at the Kalapuya Building, 4500 SW Research Way.

This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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It served as a residence, studio, and office of one of Oregon’s most pioneering architects. The Edith Yang house is now being considered for placement on the National Register of Historic Places.

Are we supposed to post the address for these types of things? You’ll Google it anyway. Maybe. “Arts & Culture” isn’t always a huge draw. Thank god for not worrying about clicks and ad revenue.

The house, located at 1020 NW 30th St., was designed by Yang herself in 1951 and constructed by her husband, Hoya Yang. It was the first completed independent design of a career that would leave its mark on local homes, public buildings, and the OSU campus.

(Photo: Edith Yang House/The Corvallis Inquirer)

We were expecting more from a visual perspective when we cruised by this morning as well. But there most definitely is more. A photo doesn’t always tell a thousand words. And the walls don’t have to speak.

The Corvallis Historic Resources Commission is scheduled to review the nomination on September 8th. Oregon’s State Advisory Committee on Historic Preservation is expected to consider it during an October 15th meeting here in town. A favorable state recommendation would allow the nomination to advance to the National Park Service for a final decision.

It’s important to understand that this is much more than just a house.

It’s not being nominated only as an example of midcentury architecture. Its larger significance is its connection to Yang, who became the first woman of color licensed as an architect in Oregon in 1954.

Yang was born in Portland in 1918, she studied at Reed College, Portland’s Museum Art School, the University of Oregon, Oregon State University, and Columbia University. During World War II, she worked as a draftsperson for the Kaiser Company’s Vancouver shipyards.

After earning her architecture license, Yang opened a private practice inside the home. She purposely designed the house with a dedicated studio and office where she drew plans, met with clients, and operated her practice until retiring in 2000.

The 2,130 sq ft house was obviously influenced by Frank Lloyd Wright’s ideas about organic architecture. It has a low profile, butterfly roof, redwood siding, recessed courtyards, and large windows that connect its interior to the surrounding garden.

(Photo: Edith Yang house/Corvallis)

Inside, the house includes radiant heating beneath its concrete floor, built-in cabinets and furniture, a kitchen skylight, and locally produced bricks used in its fireplace. Yang divided the home into public and private areas while placing the kitchen near the center of family life.

The house also incorporates passive solar heating through the placement of large south-facing windows, which, at the time, was an unusually forward-looking feature.

Several of Yang’s local designs remain standing. The National Register nomination identifies Spencer’s Seed Store at 144 NW Second St., now the OSU Folk Club Thrift Shop; the former Chintimini Park Fire Station at 2601 NW Tyler Ave., now the Corvallis Community Center; and Shupe Furniture at 1400 NW Ninth St., now the Elks Club, among her surviving works.

I drive by that Elks Club almost daily on my way to work. I never would have guessed. But now it fits, And there is a story to go along with the visual.

Yang also designed several homes around NW 30th Street and OSU facilities, but her influence on Corvallis extended beyond buildings. Yang helped initiate the City’s downtown street-tree program, chaired a riverfront environmental task force, and served with the Linn-Benton Housing Authority.

One of the most visible pieces of the Yang property is not the house itself, but the enormous Pacific madrone growing beside it.

Hoya Yang planted the tree around 1951 to complement the home his wife was designing. Since planting, it has grown to approximately 68 feet tall, with a crown spreading roughly 70 feet. The tree was officially dedicated as an Oregon Heritage Tree in 2018.

Hoya also had his own unusual place in Oregon history. As an Oregon State food scientist, he is credited with influencing the beginnings of Oregon’s wine industry and contributing to the development of the modern-day maraschino cherry.

Revenir, owned by Bluebird Hill Cellars in Monroe, recently opened in downtown. Wouldn’t it be awesome to make a cherry-influenced wine to honor these contributions from our city? Just an idea. Wink. Nudge.

Either way, more than a tree was planted at this location, and more than just a house was built. The family is an important piece of local history. Their branches extend throughout our entire town in more ways than one.

This article was written by K. Hewlitt at The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Corvallis Pride just acknowledged that they failed to adequately research Gia Gunn before booking her.

The public statement was made across their communication channels on Wednesday, September 2nd. The announcement also stated that she was removed from their upcoming Corvallis Pride Festival.

Gunn is a drag performer, musician, and television personality best known for competing on Season 6 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race”. That season originally aired on Logo TV, which is owned by Paramount.

She later returned to American television for Season 4 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” in 2018. “All Stars” aired on VH1 at the time. The original American “RuPaul’s Drag Race” series now airs on MTV.

“We failed to do our due diligence in researching Gia’s past,” the organization wrote in their statement.

Local community members alerted Corvallis Pride to a history of ableist and harmful statements made by Gunn. Corvallis Pride said, “the organization needed to hold itself accountable for making inclusive contracting and artist-selection decisions.”

Ableism is prejudice, discrimination, or harmful treatment directed at people with disabilities. It includes denying people access to places or services, assuming that disabled people are less capable, or using disability-related words as insults.

“We honor our disabled community members and acknowledge the harms our initial booking may have caused for folks,” the organization wrote.

Rather than defend its selection, minimize the criticism, or silently remove Gunn from the schedule without public notice, Corvallis Pride accepted responsibility and announced the mistake.

This is not Gunn’s first controversy.

In 2020, Gunn received substantial criticism after calling COVID-19 a “hoax” and objecting to mask requirements during a livestream. “I think the whole mask thing is ridiculous,” Gunn said during the broadcast. “I honestly think this whole COVID-19 thing is a hoax.”

Gunn later tested positive for COVID-19 in 2021.

The earlier episode generated mass criticism from fans. Studies showed COVID-19 was particularly dangerous for older adults, people with weakened immune systems, and people with underlying medical conditions.

Corvallis Pride traces its history to 2009 and was formerly known as PRIDE Corvallis. The organization hosts the Corvallis Pride Festival and describes its work as providing cultural enrichment, arts, education, and wellness opportunities.

(Photo: Pride Corvallis/Pride in the Park)

Dharma Krishna Mirza is Corvallis Pride’s director. Mirza earned a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s degree from Oregon State University, and was last known to be pursuing a PhD in Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

This year’s main Corvallis Pride Festival is scheduled for Saturday, October 31st, at the Benton County Fairgrounds. Details about Gunn’s replacement, or if there will be one, have not yet been announced.

This article was written by K. Hewlitt at The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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The former Flat Tail Brewing building may be gone, but memories can still live, not only inside, but also in the physical world.

The Gordon Hotel and Residences is under construction near SW First Street and Madison Avenue, on the property once occupied by Flat Tail Brewing. The mixed-use riverfront development will include a 75-room boutique hotel and 92 private residences.

We won’t bother Dave… he already gave so much, but maybe at an earlier point in time, it held 75 barrels and 92 patrons.

Obie Companies announced in a press release that wood and brick salvaged from the former building would be “incorporated” into the new project.

First of all, that’s nice of them to do. They didn’t have to do that. Secondly, we had to know more. A good story… and good memories, should never die. And it seems like they won’t, not even in the physical world.

A representative for the project told The Corvallis Inquirer that wood salvaged from the property is being repurposed for headboards in the hotel’s king guestrooms. Reclaimed brick will be used on the hotel’s reception desks, with additional brick planned for a standalone installation inside the entry vestibule.

It seems that parts of the old Flat Tail building… will be the first things guests encounter when they enter the completed hotel.

These things shouldn’t be just for guests. They most likely won’t understand them. Maybe they will give them a glance as they pass by, but for some of us, that glance will evoke a memory of an earlier time, a different place, and an ode to the changing landscape of downtown.

The material reuse might be small, but we all know the connection is large.

Brian Obie, president and CEO of Eugene-based Obie Companies, said the company looks to a community’s history and natural surroundings when planning its developments.

“History is important,” Obie told KLCC when the project was announced in 2024. “When developing a building project, we look back to the last 100 years of a community’s history and natural environment to plan and design something that will enrich and inspire for the next 100 years.”

Although the hotel itself is not expected to open until summer 2027, residents can still get a look inside now.

Obie Companies opened the Gordon Hotel and Residences Discovery Center in downtown Corvallis in August. The showroom, located at 231 SW 2nd Street, next door to Corvallis Consignment, offers a life-sized preview of the hotel.

(Photo: The Corvallis Inquirer)

Inside, visitors can walk through a fully furnished mock-up of a Gordon hotel guestroom. The other side of the center showcases the residential portion of the project, including furnished examples of a living room, dining area, and kitchen. Floor plans and information about available residences are also displayed throughout the center.

The showroom provides curious community members a chance to see the project’s planned furnishings, finishes, and room dimensions at full scale, rather than relying solely on architectural renderings.

Change is hard to accept. People often fear something new. Along with change comes questions and doubts.

Large-scale changes are coming, including a new courthouse and questions about what to do with the old one, a planned 14-story apartment building next to the Avery-Helm Historic District, and a development proposed by LV Collective near 10th and Western.

(Photo: “14 story” construction site/The Corvallis Inquirer)

Our city’s changes are not only structural but political and civic as well. Our inbox is being pummeled with opinions about them.

It’s probably safe to say Dave Marliave was pummeled with changes when Flat Tail was forced to shut down. Sometimes change is good, and sometimes it can be bad. You can embrace it, be angry about it, fight it, or accept it as a way of life.

I was biking down 8th last weekend, away from downtown, thinking about mapping every little library in Corvallis. The first one I saw, I stopped, looked inside, and found a book titled “Heart of a Buddha”.

In that book was a quote, “In our lives, change is unavoidable, loss is unavoidable. In the adaptability and ease with which we experience change, lies our happiness and freedom."

Take what you want from that. Just know it’s coming. It is unavoidable. We can always salvage things from the past. Not only in the physical world, but from the freedom within.

This article was written by Brian Lindensmith, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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A new, but also not sew new business plans to open in October at 300 SW Madison Ave. Combining retail, creative workspaces, and a sewing community all under one roof. The pieces of their story are finally being stitched together.

Sew Sisters Fabric Shoppe will carry fabric, trim, buttons, notions, craft kits, and other sewing supplies, but also has plans that go far beyond selling things by the yard.

The new business is a sister store to Seoul Sisters Boutique, the retro-inspired clothing, accessories, and gift shop at 138 SW Second St. Seoul Sisters is not closing… the boutique will celebrate its 13th anniversary in October, alongside the opening of Sew Sisters.

We started to draft up a reference to the show “Sister, Sister” that aired on the WB in the mid 90’s… that led to thinking about 7th Heaven… and then Dawson’s Creek… and no reference was ever created. Just nostalgia. Sigh.

Anyways, Sew Sisters wrote in their announcement, “We absolutely love business, entrepreneurs, creative collaborations, bringing people together, and want our downtown to thrive.”

Such a positive example of community, desire, and making it happen in real life.

Plans for the Madison Avenue location include studio and retail areas where alterationists, tailors, rework, and upcycle designers can create, meet with clients, and sell their work. Sew Sisters said sewing machines, including industrial machines and sergers, will be available, along with public cutting tables and a designated fabric-dyeing area.

The shop plans to carry a large variety of fabrics, notions, and crafting supplies, including specialty fabrics from South Korea and Japan. It will also house a reuse and repurposing area, giving old materials a chance to bloom into something new. No loose ends… at least not intentionally.

The Corvallis Sewing Collective Studio will move from its current location at 221 NW Second St. into Sew Sisters at the end of September. Its freelance alterationists will continue to operate independently while gaining future workspaces inside the new, larger shop.

The collective’s new workspace will offer tiered memberships and day passes. Staff members and volunteers are expected to be available to help visitors use the equipment and troubleshoot projects.

The goal is to create a place where people can sew, learn, and meet other local makers without getting too wound up when the bobbin inevitably does.

Sew Sisters has selected its first vendor, Furry Fashions, a business operated by a young sewist named Ash, who makes pet accessories. Betty, the shop dog, has already modeled one of its bandanas.

We helped get a cat named Bandit adopted, we made a VERY strong case to elect a cat for mayor, and we publicized the First Annual Corvallis Kitty Contest… and now this new store is forcing us to post a photo of a dog with a handmade bandana.

(Photo: Betty, the shop dog, aka… not a cat)

Sew Sisters is also seeking alterationists, sewists, designers, and makers interested in studio or vendor space. “We are building Sew Sisters Fabric Shoppe for you, by you, our community,” the shop wrote.

An exact opening date and regular business hours have not yet been announced. Updates will be posted at sewsistersfabric.com and through the shop’s social-media pages.

For local sewists, the wait is almost over. It seems downtown’s newest business has found the right pattern.

Sew Sisters: www.sewsistersfabric.com

Seoul Sisters: www.shopseoulsisters.com

This article was written by Jackson Hayes, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Benton County commissioners just adopted a resolution that opposes proposed laws that would shield fossil fuel companies from climate-related lawsuits.

County commissioners Gabe Shepherd and Pat Malone approved Resolution R2026-016 on a 2-0 vote on September 1st. Shepherd made the motion, and Malone seconded it.

(Photo: Benton County Commissioner Gabe Shepherd)

It’s a bit complicated, but not overly complicated, and ties into the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026.

The resolution states that Benton County supports the right of cities, counties, tribes, and states to sue fossil-fuel companies over deceptive conduct and the public costs associated with climate change. It also opposes federal or state legislation that would grant those companies immunity or force cases to be dismissed.

In short, the heart of the dispute is whether local governments should be allowed to seek compensation from energy companies for damage allegedly connected to their products or business practices.

“This resolution came to my attention as a way to address and push back on some federal bills that are being proposed that would essentially indemnify fossil fuel companies from the consequences of their long-held knowledge that their product is causing human-caused climate change,” Shepherd said during the meeting.

Shepherd described the resolution as part of a grassroots effort among local governments to draw the attention of members of Congress.

“There’s a grassroots movement to get local governments to push back, get their congressional delegation to highlight this and make sure that this doesn’t gain any traction in the federal delegation,” he said. This resolution specifically objects to legislation titled the “Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026.”

Opponents of the Stop Climate Shakedowns Act of 2026 believe the act would give fossil-fuel companies legal protection and prevent communities from seeking compensation for costs associated with their climate impacts.

The American Petroleum Institute obviously supports that federal legislation. In an April statement, API Senior Vice President and General Counsel Ryan Meyers characterized the cases as an attempt to impose retroactive penalties on companies that legally supplied energy.

“These efforts to retroactively penalize companies for lawfully meeting consumer demand are misguided and counterproductive,” Meyers said.

Benton County’s resolution takes the opposite position. It says governments should retain access to courts and other legal remedies when they believe companies have contributed to climate damage or have misled the public.

The issue is not theoretical here in Oregon. Multnomah County sued oil, coal, and industry organizations in 2023, alleging their historical pollution and deceptive conduct contributed to the deadly 2021 Pacific Northwest heat dome.

That case seeks $50 million for past damages, $1.5 billion for future damages, and an estimated $50 billion abatement fund for public-health and infrastructure measures. The case is currently in active litigation in Multnomah County Circuit Court under case number 23CV25164.

Photo: An outreach worker distributes water to a person experiencing homelessness during the June 2021 heat dome. Multnomah County’s ongoing lawsuit alleges fossil-fuel companies bear responsibility for costs associated with the deadly event. Photo courtesy of Multnomah County

Malone described Benton County’s resolution as largely a statement of principle, adding, “I think this resolution fits in with Benton County values.”

He pointed to County investments in energy-efficient buildings, alternative transportation, bicycle and pedestrian facilities, hybrid and electric vehicles, and efforts to track government fuel and electricity use.

Shepherd said County staff had added local language to the resolution explaining those priorities. “Staff helped me by plugging in some Benton County-specific values about why we in Benton County value sustainability,” he said.

The vote came a day after commissioners held a closed executive session with County Counsel under an Oregon law allowing private discussions about litigation. The County did not publicly identify the case discussed during that session.

The timing is interesting, but the available records do not establish any connection between the executive session and climate litigation.

This is a case of a county looking out for its people, starting to build a framework, and taking a stance.

This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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It’s a tour to explore what is normally behind a closed door. We came up with that rhyme ourselves.

Anyways, visitors to a museum normally just see a small portion of its collection. It’s often about space, rotating exhibitions, and what curators feel should be displayed to the public at that time. This fall, the Benton County Historical Society is offering a unique chance to explore some of what normally remains behind closed doors.

(Photo Benton County Museums)

Behind-the-scenes tours of the Johnson Collections Center will be offered on Saturday, September 19, and Saturday, November 7, at the Philomath Museum.

Led by Curator of Collections Patti Larkin, each tour will take visitors inside the climate-controlled facility where the Historical Society preserves more than 140,000 objects.

Yup. You read that right. The “little” museum in Philomath has 140,000 objects. Who would’ve thought? You learn something new every day. You’ll most likely learn something new on one of the two days you can take the tour.

Visitors will learn how museum collections are cataloged, researched, conserved, and safely stored, hence the whole “climate-controlled” facility. The tour also promises a closer look inside “the vault,” along with stories about objects connected to Benton County and the surrounding community.

The Historical Society’s collection includes local artifacts, artwork, photographs, and items from the former Horner Museum at Oregon State University. The Horner Museum began as the College Museum in 1925 and closed in 1995. Its wide-ranging collection was later transferred to the Benton County Historical Society.

The Johnson Collections Center was created with support from Peter and Rosalie Johnson. It provides a modern space for artifacts that are not currently displayed at the Historical Society’s two museums.

Tours of the Johnson Collections Center will begin at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. on both September 19 and November 7. Each tour will last a little over an hour.

The tours are intended for visitors ages 14 and older and require some walking. Attendance is limited to 10 people per tour. That means over the two days of scheduled tours, only about 60 people total will be able to see inside the vault.

Tickets are $20, with discounts available for Benton County Historical Society members. Reservations can be made through the Benton County Museums tour registration page. Additional information is available on the Benton County Museums website

This article was written by K. Hewlitt at The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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A strike by city workers is not imminent. It’s called “impasse.”

As we first reported on August 19, Local 2975 President Evan Newton warned the Corvallis City Council that workers were preparing to vote on authorizing a strike. “Earlier this month, our members overwhelmingly voiced support to move toward a strike authorization vote,” Newton told councilors.

(Photo: afscme2975.org)

City employees represented by AFSCME Local 2975 have now followed through and authorized a strike, an escalation to a long-running labor dispute over wages, benefits, and working conditions.

This authorization does not mean employees can immediately walk off the job. That is not authorized by Oregon State Law. Oregon State Law says that public employees… and their employer… must complete additional steps before a lawful strike can occur.

“Public employees” is the key term there.

These requirements are designed in part to balance public employees’ right to strike with the community’s reliance on government services. They are a form of protection for the people.

Newton, a land use planner and inspector with the City’s Development Services division, and a key member of the union bargaining team, made clear that authorization was not the outcome workers wanted. “Councilors, AFSCME workers do not wish to strike,” Newton said. “We want a fair contract.”

“We ask for your help in resolving these negotiations so the community does not face disruptions to essential city services,” he added.

Since members have now authorized a strike, the most important word to understand is “impasse.”

Under Oregon’s Public Employee Collective Bargaining Act, the parties must spend at least 15 calendar days in mediation before either side may declare impasse. The City and the union can remain in mediation and continue attempting to reach an agreement for as long as they choose.

If either side declares impasse, the process begins to move toward a potential strike. Within seven days, the City and Local 2975 would each be required to submit their final offer and a cost summary to the state mediator. Those documents are then made public.

(Photo: Corvallis City Council meeting on August 17)

For residents, those filings will be revealing. Final offers will provide documents showing what each side is actually proposing and how much those proposals are expected to cost.

Once those final offers are made public, Oregon law provides a 30-day cooling-off period. Negotiations can continue during that time, meaning declaring impasse still does not result in an immediate strike.

Once, or if, the cooling-off period ends without an agreement, strike-permitted employees can potentially walk off the job. The union must also provide the Employment Relations Board and the City with at least 10 days’ notice of its intent to strike.

It also should be mentioned that Oregon law treats some categories of public employees differently. Certain public safety employees are prohibited from striking and instead use binding arbitration to resolve bargaining disputes. This means a Local 2975 strike would not cease all City services.

Here is the kicker. The labor dispute negotiations are happening as we face a projected annual budget gap of roughly $8 million. A financial deficit the City has warned could require new revenue, reductions in services, or both.

We highly recommend reading what a “reduction” in services could mean:

New revenue, most likely means the discussed payroll and income tax.

This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Today marked the end of swimming at Osborn Aquatic Center for some time. August 30th was the final day the facility was open to the public before the start of a major construction project.

The City expects the entire aquatic center to remain closed until fall 2027. Construction on the indoor natatorium is scheduled to begin on September 14th.

There is still an interesting facet to the nearly two-year effort that many people still don’t know about. A funding gap for the construction cost.

(Photo via Visit Corvallis)

The upcoming project will repair the natatorium roof, replace the HVAC system, and replace the liner in the 50-meter pool. The Corvallis School District, which owns Osborn, approved a $5.212 million construction bid from Eagle Mountain Construction in July. The City of Corvallis operates the aquatic center and its programs.

While the construction contract is moving forward, not all of the money needed to complete the full project has been secured. In July, the City described the anticipated funding gap as approximately $1.2 million. The School District was still pursuing grants and a capital fundraising campaign to cover the gap.

Interestingly, the City’s newer construction page now has the current funding gap even higher… at $1.5 million.

According to the City, “a capital fundraising campaign is being launched to seek contributions from community members, organizations, businesses, and other potential supporters.”

So what happens if the additional funds are not raised?

The roof repairs would still move forward. The School District has already laid out a contingency plan for what happens if the remaining funding isn’t secured.

If the necessary funds are not secured by May, the District says it will scale back the project by removing the 50-meter pool liner and specific HVAC units from the current construction contract.

Those portions of the project would then be rebid at a later date, once additional funding is secured… if additional funding can be secured.

The District’s own description of the project says the roof, HVAC system, and 50-meter pool liner must be replaced before the indoor pools can reopen. Neither the City nor District currently says on its project pages exactly how activating that contingency plan would affect the reopening date.

That leaves open the possibility that the roof could be repaired, but if funding isn't secured for the pool liner or HVAC work, the center's indoor facilities would still remain closed.

This article was written by Jesse Grant, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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A Philomath shark researcher is behind a proposed Oregon license plate that could give drivers a new way to support science while displaying some of the predators living just off the state’s coastline.

Think of it as Shark Week for your car, except it lasts all year (as long as you renew your registration).

The “Vibrant Ocean” plate was conceived by Philomath resident Taylor Chapple, an Oregon State University researcher and founder of the Chapple Big Fish Lab. It features a salmon shark, two blue sharks, and a common thresher shark… not to be confused with “thrasher” sharks found at Eric Scott McKinley Skate Park.

The plate was designed by Natalie Donato, then an undergraduate marine biology and ecology student at Oregon State. Donato was conducting research in Chapple’s lab when he noticed her scientific artwork and asked whether she would design the plate.

Before the plate can begin circling Oregon roads, its supporters must sell 3,000 presale vouchers.

As of August 6, 1,684 vouchers had been sold, leaving another 1,316 to be sold before the Oregon DMV will begin producing the plates.

Chapple developed the idea as a way to raise money for shark research while encouraging Oregonians to think differently about the animals.

“Funding shark research is hard. Sharks are not delicious or cuddly, but they’re critically important,” Chapple said when the plate was announced. “Our hope is that with every plate, we get closer to appreciating that sharks aren’t the mindless killers of Hollywood, but dynamic and important actors in our vibrant oceans.”

Oregon’s waters are home to at least 15 shark species. Chapple’s research focuses on their movements, behavior, populations and importance to coastal ecosystems and economies.

Presale vouchers cost $40, with approximately $35 from each purchase going to the Big Fish Lab. The money will support shark research, fieldwork, community education, public outreach and training opportunities for students and future marine scientists.

The lab was established in 2019 as Oregon’s first research program dedicated specifically to sharks.

Vouchers can be purchased through the Vibrant Ocean license plate webpage. Once the 3,000-voucher threshold is reached and the plates are produced, buyers will receive instructions on how to redeem their vouchers through the DMV.

Oregon DMV currently issues 15 general passenger-plate backgrounds, including the standard tree plate and 14 alternative designs. Those alternatives include Crater Lake, Cultural Trust, Golf Oregon, Gray Whale, OSU Beaver, Oregon Zoo, Pacific Wonderland, Pollinator Paradise, Salmon, Smokey Bear, Portland Trail Blazers, UO Duck, Watch for Wildlife and Wine Country.

Personally, we think a bobcat plate should be next, there were a few sightings in town posted online last week. Until that day, cats will have to continue supporting Oregon causes in their traditional way: sitting on the registration paperwork.

This article was written by Jackson Hayes, a contributor to The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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Portland-based artist Jennifer Gillia Cutshall is using a residency at The Arts Center to explore the relationship between people, rivers, and a changing climate.

(Photos via Jennifer Gillia Cutshall)

Cutshall will open her studio to the public during a free event titled “Water as Self: River as Humanity” from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at The Arts Center, 700 SW Madison Ave.

The open studio will give attendees an opportunity to see what Cutshall has been creating. Guests will also be given the chance to ask questions about her process and participate in a hands-on art activity. Participants can create a small memento inspired by the interconnected life of rivers and forests.

During the residency, Cutshall has focused on the riparian zone, the area where land meets a river or stream. There is a lot of that here. “Rivers gather, collect, and carry signs of our changing climate,” The Arts Center said in announcing the event.

Cutshall is a painter, sculptor, muralist, and curator whose work often blends natural landscapes with memory, dreams, and environmental concerns. Most importantly, she is an artist, dedicating some of her time to Corvallis. She has created hundreds of large-scale murals and public art projects and founded Portland’s Verum Ultimum Art Gallery in 2013.

Her 2025 installation, “Ghost of the Flame: Hanging in the Balance,” used dead and fire-altered trees to create what Portland arts organization Building 5 described as a “transformative forest of inquiry.” The installation invited visitors to consider environmental destruction, home, and individual responsibility.

Cutshall has said that experimentation and the creative process are central to her work.

“The ideas and the process, rather than the outcome, hold the greatest rewards for me,” Cutshall said in a 2025 interview with VoyageRaleigh.

The residency is part of The Arts Center’s RIVER program, which stands for Residencies Inspiring Vitality, Engagement, and Renewal. The program provides artists with free studio space for sustained creative exploration while asking them to share part of that process with the town.

Participating artists may use the residency to develop a larger project, experiment with a new direction, or reconnect with central themes in their work. It’s also an opportunity for us to connect with an artist.

“Art isn’t just decorative, it changes the way we see the world and our potential for grace within the world,” Cutshall said in the 2025 interview.

The open studio will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 10, at The Arts Center, 700 SW Madison Ave. The event is free and open to the public. More information is available on the RIVER Residency Program webpage.

This article was written by K. Hewlitt at The Corvallis Inquirer. Feel free to send us your stories or articles to publish at: editor@corvallisnow.com

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