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For nearly six years, some of the most recognizable residents in town weren’t professors, politicians, or business owners. They were Starship’s small autonomous delivery robots.

Personally, we thought they were kind of cute. They always had plans, minded their own business, and never asked for tips.

They had no face, no name, and no opinion on local politics. They just rolled around carrying food, obeying traffic laws better than most, and somehow managed to become part of the scenery.

Like most college students, they did their thing, they learned, and now they have graduated. After years of roaming the sidewalks, the little guys are preparing to leave Corvallis and head off into the real world. Bigger opportunities. New experiences.

Starship Technologies recently announced it is ending service on U.S. university campuses, including Oregon State University. The robot delivery program will conclude on June 11, bringing an end to a partnership that began in 2020.

According to OSU, Starship informed the university that it is “exiting U.S. university campuses for other markets.” The little guys have finished their education and accepted positions in the private sector. We are proud of them, even if it hurts to see them go.

When they first arrived during the pandemic, they attracted crowds of onlookers. Students stopped to watch them. Visitors took photos. We occasionally found ourselves stepping aside on a sidewalk to let a cooler-sized machine (that actually looked like a cooler) carrying somebody else’s lunch pass by.

What began as a novelty kind of became normal. Kind of.

They were everywhere. Waiting patiently at crosswalks. Forming tiny robot traffic jams with their friends. Getting confused by curbs. Occasionally appearing in places that made you wonder if they had developed independent thoughts and simply chosen not to tell anyone.

They kept their heads down, worked hard… and they studied. They never complained. They never asked for tips. And they learned.

Sure, they weren’t perfect. None of us are. Especially in college. Occasionally people complained about sidewalk congestion. Some got stuck. Some got lost. Rumor has it one even got squished by a train. But didn’t we all get a little lost in college?

That’s how communities work. The things that become familiar aren’t always the things everyone loves. They were still a part of our life, and a part of our town. Earlier this year, several were even wrapped with artwork celebrating Oregon State’s cultural resource centers, turning the fleet into rolling displays of campus pride.

The company says it is shifting its focus toward grocery and food-retail delivery, pursuing larger commercial opportunities beyond the university campus. Just like a student pursuing larger opportunities outside of their college jobs.

As the final deliveries are made this week, we are losing something small, strange, and uniquely its own. No, the robots weren’t alive (we don’t think). They didn’t know us. They weren’t members of the community in any literal sense. But they became part of it anyway.

Whether you loved them, hated them, ignored them, or laughed when they got stuck, they added something to the town. They didn’t operate in Portland, or in Bend, or at the other school in Eugene. They operated here in Corvallis.

That’s usually how you know something mattered, because when it’s gone, the place feels just a little bit different without it.

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The city has received an upgrade to its bond rating from Moody’s Ratings, one of the world’s largest credit-rating agencies. Moody’s recently raised the city’s rating from Aa2 to Aa1, citing Corvallis’ “robust financial position and growing local economy.”

The upgrade marks the first increase in our bond rating in nearly a decade. Look we have a “moody” photo of the courthouse:

The higher rating reflects relatively low debt levels, diversified revenue sources, and a history of keeping fees and revenues aligned with costs. It’s kind of like your credit score. The agency noted that property tax revenue has continued to grow as both Oregon State University and the local economy attract students, residents, and businesses.

This improved rating could have a meaningful impact on future projects. Higher-rated bonds generally qualify for lower interest rates, reducing borrowing costs when cities finance major infrastructure and capital improvements (think the new civic campus).

City officials say the upgrade could save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars over the life of future bond issuances while also attracting a larger pool of investors.

“This bond ratings increase is a huge vote of confidence in the direction that Corvallis is headed as a government organization,” said Finance Director James Inglis.

“Moody’s has recognized our thoughtful, future-focused financial decisions and policies, and the result is a rating improvement that will save Corvallis taxpayers money for years to come.”

The City Council continues discussions about funding new municipal facilities and prepares for budget challenges anticipated in the coming biennium. The upgraded rating applies to bonds expected to be issued for the new Park Maintenance Facility, which is scheduled to break ground in Avery Park this month.

No… the upgrade does not immediately change taxes or utility bills, like your water bill. It can reduce the cost of borrowing for major public projects like the newly proposed civic campus, lowering long-term expenses that would be passed on to taxpayers.

City officials say the new Aa1 rating is an acknowledgment of years of financial planning and prudent budget management.

It should be noted that while Moody's upgrade is a positive change… credit ratings are not infallible. Remember the movie “The Big Short,” when Moody's assigned AAA ratings to Mortgage-Backed Securities. Those investments collapsed when homeowners defaulted on their loans, contributing to a global financial crisis.

Ratings agencies face conflicts of interest because the organizations issuing bonds often pay for the ratings themselves. Corvallis Aa1 rating means a strong financial position today, but ratings should be viewed as only one indicator of financial health… not a guarantee of future performance.

That will be more up to the city and future financial planning.

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RE: The Night the Forest Wars Came to Corvallis

Original article here

“Thanks for bringing this up. My wife and I remember this well, but have a somewhat different picture than the one presented in the article.

The event in question occurred near Clatskanie, and the connection to Oregon State University was primarily through one College of Forestry professor, Dr. Steven Strauss.

My wife worked at the USDA Agricultural Research Service Horticultural Research Laboratory on the edge of the OSU campus. While her lab was only peripherally involved, it conducted research on horticultural pathogens and some crop genetic modification efforts. Following the attack—which focused on hybrid poplars grown elsewhere, not in Corvallis—the laboratory immediately began taking threats against researchers much more seriously.

At the time, I had just finished a tree-climbing research project in the lower Columbia River Basin studying heron and eagle nesting success. We found reproduction rates there were significantly lower than in other parts of Oregon. Environmental contaminants were identified as a cause, but the potential escape of hybrid poplar genetic material was also, and remains, a concern. These bird species sometimes nest in native black cottonwoods, including those found in Willamette River bottomlands.

Dr. Strauss strongly disagreed with concerns about genetic escape while conducting experiments in the field. In my view, one need only look at management practices within the MacDonald-Dunn Research Forest to see that the College of Forestry often conducts experiments with limited controls and minimal monitoring of non-tree impacts. That has long seemed to be part of the college’s operating culture.

I have never endorsed violence. However, I believe it is important not to automatically conflate unlawful or destructive actions with “domestic terrorism,” particularly in journalism. Our country is already witnessing acts that threaten or take human lives becoming normalized, and too often those actions are not described as terrorism when they should be.”

— J.F.

RE: Forest Wars and Data Centers

Original article here

“A sobering reminder: every generation is told some version of the same story. The future is coming, resistance is futile, and the changes ahead are inevitable.

Sometimes that story is true, at least in the sense that the machinery has already been set in motion before the public has had much chance to reckon with it. People living inside that future eventually come to regard it as normal. They inherit its benefits, its conveniences, its new powers, and also its losses. What once would have inspired both wonder and alarm becomes part of everyday life.

That doesn’t mean every consequence should be accepted with a shrug.

The problem, as always, is that we are seduced by the technology and driven by profit while remaining only dimly aware of the unknown unknowns. New inventions arrive with promises, efficiencies, and opportunities. The risks often reveal themselves later.

Who benefits? Who pays? What improves? What disappears along the way?

Progress has a long history of presenting us with benefits up front and invoices later.”

— C.K.

RE: Good Samaritan… A Daughter’s Search for Answers After Her Father’s Death

Original article here

“I am writing because I believe there is a serious patient safety issue within Samaritan Health Services.

My father died on May 23, 2023. I have medical records, documentation, and a detailed timeline of his care. On the anniversary of his death, I plan to publicly share his story.

My father was transferred to Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis for urgent surgery after developing gangrene and infection. According to our family’s understanding of the events, his surgery was repeatedly delayed. During his hospitalization, he was prescribed cefepime despite having Chronic Kidney Disease. We believe he developed antibiotic-related neurotoxicity that was not properly monitored or recognized.

When he became unresponsive, our family repeatedly raised concerns. We were told he was frustrated because his surgery had been delayed. During this period, he was experiencing frequent seizure activity that, in our view, was not recognized or treated quickly enough. An EEG later confirmed seizures, and we were eventually told the antibiotic may have been responsible.

One of the most alarming moments came when a surgeon arrived to take him to surgery without realizing he had been unresponsive and actively seizing. Had I not been present, I believe he could have been taken into surgery in that condition.

As his condition worsened, our family requested additional testing after his oxygen levels dropped. Those requests were denied. Hours later, he went into respiratory distress, and imaging reportedly showed his lungs were filled with fluid. He later aspirated, required intubation, and was Life Flighted to Portland. As his medical power of attorney, I was not notified before the transfer. He died shortly afterward.

Since my father’s death, I have become aware of other families who describe similar experiences involving delayed surgeries, delayed escalation of care, and poor communication. Some stories involve relatives who allegedly waited days for procedures while their conditions deteriorated. Others involve patients whose families believe earlier intervention may have changed the outcome.

I am still working to verify many of these accounts, and I understand that every medical case is different. However, the similarities have raised concerns that I cannot ignore.

I am sharing my family’s story because I believe these experiences deserve scrutiny and discussion. If others have experienced delayed surgeries, medical neglect, or serious breakdowns in care within the regional healthcare system, I encourage them to come forward.”

— M.D.

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Eric Fruits is an economist based in Oregon and has spent much of his career working on state and local public policy issues in Oregon. Over the years, he has written and testified on issues ranging from taxation and education to pensions, regulation, and the regional economy.

Eric writes for The International Center for Law & Economics and publishes his own work on his substack: ericfruits.substack.com

Oregon’s Changing Economy: Three Months, Two Forecasts, One War

Lawmakers may be excited that Oregon state revenues are up. But, take out the legislature’s tax increases, and the economy went backward.

Oregon’s Office of Economic Analysis puts out four economic forecasts a year. Usually, the changes from one quarter to the next are modest—updated tracking numbers, minor revisions, the kind of thing only budget watchers and weirdos like me pay any attention to.

Three months isn’t very long. So, quarter-to-quarter forecast changes are fairly ho-hum affairs. Looking for changes is a bit like those “spot the difference” cartoons that used to be in the Sunday paper’s comics section.

But this time—from the February forecast to the May forecast—it is different. Quite a bit different. And the biggest reason is a war in the Middle East that nobody in Oregon has much control over, but should remind us we live in a great big world where events abroad can affect us in our tiny northwest corner of the country.

Back in February, the mood was cautious but improving

The March forecast—actually released in early February—carried something the state’s economists hadn’t had much of lately: a degree of optimism. And by “degree,” I really mean “a tiny bit.”

Oregon had been losing jobs throughout most of 2025. Year-over-year job losses outside a recession are unusual in this state. The March forecast said the losses should start turning around. The baseline projected employment would grow about 0.6% in 2026, and unemployment would hover around 5.3%. The recession odds were 20%.

The General Fund was tracking toward a projected ending balance of just under $200 million. Sure, that’s a positive number, but darn close to zero, considering the size of the General Fund—$35.7 billion in revenues for the 2025-27 biennium.

The big question heading into 2026 was whether the national economy—which had grown at surprisingly strong rates through the middle of 2025—would carry that momentum into Oregon’s labor market. That was the question the March forecast was sitting with, noting “open questions remain” regarding “labor market malaise” and inflation.

Then Iran

About three weeks after the March forecast was released (remember, it was released in February), the United States and Israel commenced military operations against Iran. Traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—which handles a large share of global oil shipping—was severely curtailed. Oil prices spiked.

Crude oil, which had averaged around $69 a barrel through 2025, is now more than $100. Gasoline at the pump—which had actually been below year-earlier levels in January, around $2.80 a gallon—crossed $4.50 by early May.

Lower- and middle-income households feel that most. Fuel spending takes a bigger share of their budgets. They can’t easily cut back on gas. So they cut back on other things. And the businesses that serve them start to feel it.

S&P Global, which provides the national economic modeling that feeds into Oregon’s forecast, cut its projected 2026 GDP growth from 2.2% to 1.6% between January and May. That’s a meaningful revision.

Is Oregon heading into a recession?

OEA doesn’t think so. The office estimates we’d need nationwide gasoline prices to stay above about $5.50 a gallon—a dollar above current prices—before recession risks become genuinely serious. The May recession probability ticked up to 22% from 20% in the March forecast. That’s an uptick, but not a red alert.

But here’s what it means for Oregon: that anticipated labor market turnaround has been pushed further off. The 2026 employment forecast flipped from a 0.6% annual gain to a 0.6% decline. That’s a swing of roughly 30,000 fewer jobs through the year than March had projected—and we’ve already lost more than 10,000 jobs since the end of last year. OEA forecasts the unemployment rate will reach 5.4% by year-end.

The revenue headline, and what’s inside it

Here’s where things get a little counterintuitive. Stay with me, folks.

The May General Fund forecast is up $345 million from the March forecast. The projected biennium ending balance improved from about $198 million to about $345 million. If you stop at the headline, it sounds like Oregon’s fiscal situation got materially better, but policymakers need to understand how much of this is due to legislative actions versus economic conditions.

It got somewhat better. But not primarily because of the economy.

Of that $345 million improvement, $368 million came from the 2026 short legislative session. Oregon disconnected from a couple of federal tax provisions in H.R. 1, also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill. This disconnect includes rules around business depreciation and a jobs tax credit, which will boost anticipated corporate income tax receipts. Changes to personal income tax treatment added more. A pair of fund sweeps rounded it out. Put simply, the legislature improved the state’s fiscal situation through tax increases rather than economic growth.

Strip out the legislative changes, and the underlying picture is actually slightly worse than March projected—about $23 million below that forecast. Revenues from February through April also came in $308 million short of first quarter expectations.

OEA says most of that is timing: companies delayed estimated tax payments while waiting on a state program that wasn’t renewed until late March, and the usual distortion that comes from a large kicker credit affecting when people file. Most of those dollars are expected to show up later in the biennium.

One more thing: the legislature also increased spending by $198 million for the biennium. So while the ending balance improved, it improved by less than half of what the headline revenue gain suggests.

A shift in where the money is coming from

The April income tax filing deadline gave OEA its first real look at 2025 income—and there was a notable shift in the pattern. Wage income grew more slowly than expected. Capital gains, dividends, and retirement distributions came in much stronger.

That matters for two reasons. Capital income is concentrated at the top of the income distribution, which means a higher effective tax rate under Oregon’s graduated structure, so it’s a modest revenue positive. But it’s also less stable than wages. Capital income can shrink quickly when markets turn, introducing greater uncertainty into forecasts and highlighting potential vulnerabilities in Oregon’s revenue stability.

Oregon’s semiconductor and electronics manufacturing sector—centered in Washington County—is projected to lose roughly 12-13% of its jobs in 2026, on top of a similar decline in 2025. Oregon manufacturing employment is down 9.8% from pre-COVID levels. In contrast, U.S. manufacturing is down only 1.2%.

What to watch

The May forecast assumes oil prices ease over the coming year. If the Iran conflict winds down and energy costs fall back, Oregon’s employment picture improves faster. If it doesn’t, the 22% recession probability will tick up, and Oregon may be one of the first states to face it. Remember, Oregon does not have a good track record of dealing with recessions.

The Federal Reserve, widely expected to resume cutting rates in 2026, is now on hold through at least mid-2027—and a rate increase by year-end is being discussed. Long-term interest rates are near their highest levels since 2007. For Oregon’s housing market, already under pressure before any of this happened, that means the wait for relief continues.

The next forecast is scheduled for September. By then, the outstanding questions about 2025 income will be largely resolved, second-quarter GDP data for Oregon will be available, and the oil market will have either calmed down or gotten worse.

The March forecast asked whether Oregon’s growth story was about to improve. The May forecast answered: not yet, and maybe not.

You might want to build up that rainy day fund, because the clouds are still in the sky.

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As a reader, you probably aren’t going to make it through this one. Our analytics say you average just 2 minutes and 23 seconds on an article before moving on to something more interesting. Honestly, we do the same. But we love you, and we will write anyway.

In an attempt to entice you further, our squirrel brains have somehow tied the Earth Liberation Front (ELF) to Corvallis, to the hacker group Anonymous, to Oregon State University, and to data centers. No, it’s not an investigative piece (we wish), but more of a “then and now” comparison. Here goes nothing?

Before most residents here had ever heard the term “eco-terrorism,” Oregon State University was already at the crossroads of one of the most heated environmental battles in America.

To understand how, you have to go back to the Oregon of the 1980s and 1990s.

The timber wars were raging across the Pacific Northwest. Environmental activists chained themselves to trees. Loggers feared for their livelihoods. Courtrooms became battlegrounds. Protest camps appeared deep in the forests. Everywhere, people seemed to be arguing over the same question.

Who speaks for the trees? Corvallis occupied a unique place in that conflict.

Home to Oregon State University, the city was, and still is today, a center of environmental science and forestry research. OSU’s scientists studied forests, genetics, wildlife, and ecosystem management. To many, that research represented hope… a way to better understand and protect the natural world.

To others… it represented something darker.

As biotech advanced during the 1990s, a small number of activists became convinced that genetic research itself posed a threat to nature. They worried about genetically modified plants, industrial forestry, and the growing relationship between universities and private industry. From their view, scientists were no longer studying forests. They were changing them.

Most environmental activists responded through protests, lawsuits, and public campaigns. We all know those avenues raise public awareness… but rarely make a difference. A much smaller, bolder, more actionable group chose a different path. They called themselves the Earth Liberation Front (ELF).

The ELF operated without leaders, membership rolls, or headquarters. Think of them like a more antiquated version of “Anonymous” the decentralized collective of hackers and activists, who operate without formal leadership. Anonymous fights against entities they accuse of internet censorship, oppression, and corruption… targeting governments, corporations, and extremist organizations.

The Earth Liberation Front, decades ago, targeted corporations, government agencies, and research institutions that they accused of environmental destruction and ecological harm. Oregon State University was one of those targets.

The goal was economic damage. And to send a message. And they did just that.

Across the country, fires appeared at ski resorts, logging companies, research facilities, and construction sites. Millions of dollars in property were destroyed. By the early 2000s, the FBI labeled the movement one of the nation’s most serious domestic terrorism threats.

Then, in May 2001, the conflict arrived.

Before dawn, a fire erupted at Jefferson Poplar Farms, a tree research facility that Oregon State University scientists used for poplar tree genetics research. Buildings burned to the ground. Investigators discovered graffiti referencing the Earth Liberation Front. Damage climbed into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

The ELF even left a message.

This particular attack targeted OSU researchers who were involved in tree genetics and biotechnology research. This research still happens today at OSU. Oregon State University plays a vital role in massive hybrid tree farming, most notably on hybrid poplars… mainly to study biomass yields for renewable aviation and diesel fuels.

For the ELF, these facilities represented a future they feared… a world where humans engineered forests instead of simply managing them. For our local college researchers, the attacks represented an assault on science itself.

The fires sent shockwaves throughout academic communities in the Pacific Northwest. OSU’s College of Forestry had spent generations studying the forests surrounding our city. Researchers investigated everything from tree genetics to sustainable harvesting practices. Many of the scientists saw their work as essential to protecting future forests.

The result was a collision of values… or ideology.

One side believed science offered solutions. The other feared science was becoming part of the problem.

The Earth Liberation Front would eventually unravel. Informants, arrests, plea agreements, and a sweeping federal investigation dismantled much of the movement. Operation Backfire resulted in numerous convictions connected to arson’s, and acts of sabotage across Oregon.

Today, more than two decades later, the burned buildings are gone, and the headlines have faded, right? Wrong. They haven’t faded. They are still there. Every single day. They are on every news website you visit. Even our own. And once again, Oregon State University, here in Corvallis, is playing a part. And once again, there is a collision of values… and ideology.

It is tempting to dismiss the ELF as a relic of a different era… a movement born from the timber wars, genetic engineering debates, and environmental fears of the late twentieth century.

The fear now… has found a new target. We aren’t debating genetically engineered poplar trees. Or those micro clover seeds you might plant in your lawn, that only grow two inches, produce no flowers, and sell on Amazon.com. The conversation has shifted towards AI, data centers, and the infrastructure required to power a new type of scientific revolution.

Supporters argue the technology could transform medicine, education, scientific research, manufacturing, and countless other fields. And it will. It already has. It has solved genomes, imaging diagnostics, and has produced new drug discoveries. It has balanced smart grids and combated deforestation through analytics.

Critics point to growing electricity demands, water consumption, land use, and the environmental footprint required to support that growth… ways that will hurt us, and contribute to deforestation. And it has. It has consumed power, water, and produced carbon emissions that won’t be fully understood for years.

Directly across the street from American Dream Pizza, Oregon State University is building a dedicated data center to support one of the nation's most powerful university AI supercomputers.

Every generation inherits a technology that promises to reshape society. Railroads transformed the landscape. Dams altered rivers. Highways changed cities. Science changed Poplar tree genetics. The internet rewired communication. AI data centers are the next chapter in that story.

More than twenty years after “eco-saboteurs” targeted research connected to Oregon’s forests, we once again find ourselves, and our city, living amongst debates about science, technology, and the future. The headlines have changed, but all the questions the Earth Liberation Front posed remain the same.

How do we build tomorrow without losing sight of what we are trying to protect today?

Either way, our city finds itself part of the debate. Again. Part of the revolution. Again.

Don’t think for a second that petitions, protests, or public campaigns can stop it. Yes, they can raise awareness, but the AI supercomputer and its supporting data center are already being built. By a company that is worth $5 trillion. A company that could buy all of Corvallis a thousand times over. They will use our water, our power, and our resources. They will help us in some ways and hurt us in others. Only time will tell.

“Welcome to the struggle of all species to be free. There is no compromise in defense of Mother Earth." - The Earth Liberation Front

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The city is in the planning and design phase of a proposed new Civic Campus and Police Station that would replace the 101-year-old downtown City Hall. The project, planned for the Madison Avenue corridor between 5th and 6th streets, is intended to address “aging infrastructure, seismic concerns, accessibility issues, and the growing space needs of city government.”

With an estimated cost approaching $200 million, the project is now entering a key financing stage. City officials recently released a funding feasibility study exploring potential options to pay for what could become one of the largest public infrastructure investments in our town’s history.

Former Corvallis City Councilor Mark O’Brien added his two cents recently to a public forum. His take is below.

“As a former Corvallis City Councilor, I’ve watched the City wrestle with budget challenges for years. What strikes me about the Civic Campus debate isn’t whether City Hall and the police station need attention. Buildings age. Facilities eventually need to be replaced. That’s not the real question.

The real question is whether Corvallis is willing to have an honest conversation about priorities before asking taxpayers for more money.

For decades, City government has largely operated on the assumption that services, staffing, programs, and facilities move in one direction: bigger. When revenues fall short, the discussion almost always turns to new fees, new taxes, or new funding sources. What we rarely do is ask whether every service we provide today is affordable, sustainable, or even essential.

Now we’re being asked to consider a Civic Campus and police facility project while simultaneously discussing new taxes and ongoing operational funding needs. The city itself has acknowledged significant budget pressures beyond the cost of the buildings.

That creates a difficult question for voters: Are we funding a building project, or are we being asked to permanently expand the cost of government? And to be fair, the City Council doesn’t intend to ask for a vote on the proposal but to just enact it unilaterally.

Reasonable people can disagree about the Civic Campus. Some see it as a necessary investment. Others see it as poorly timed given housing costs, inflation, and economic uncertainty. But before Corvallis adopts new taxes, I believe residents deserve a clear answer to a simple question:

What has the City already been willing to stop doing?

Government should be willing to make the same difficult choices that households and businesses make every day. Until that conversation happens, many residents will continue to view every request for additional revenue with understandable skepticism.

The issue isn’t whether Corvallis needs better buildings. The issue is whether we’ve exhausted every other option before reaching deeper into taxpayers’ pockets.”

-Mark O’Brien

The proposed Civic Campus and Police Station project has drawn some scrutiny because of its estimated $200 million cost and questions about how it would be funded. The debate comes as the city faces budget challenges, and has led residents to question whether such a large capital project should be prioritized.

Supporters have argued the investment is needed to replace aging facilities and improve public services, while other people are concerned about the long-term impact on taxpayers and how we are going to pay for such a large expense.

More info on the project can be found on the city website here. A Vimeo worksession video has been posted here.

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Several local and downtown stores have recently taken to social media to publicly share surveillance footage of suspected shoplifters, hoping community awareness can help deter future incidents and identify suspects.

Recently, downtown clothing retailer Runway Fashion Exchange warned other businesses on an Instagram post after a woman allegedly left the store with what employees described as “hundreds of dollars in stolen merchandise.”

“Stealing from small businesses is peak LOSER behavior,” the store wrote. According to the post, the suspect spent roughly two hours inside the store interacting with employees before allegedly leaving with merchandise. Runway stated that “it’s the principle of the matter and holding criminals accountable more than the lost money at this point.”

(photo left: Runway Fashion Exchange theft, photo right: Lady Luck theft)

The store even offered a $50 gift card reward for information that could help identify the suspect and assist with their police report. Pictured above is the person presumed to be involved in the alleged theft from Runway Fashion Exchange this week, as captured by surveillance cameras from a neighboring business.

Another downtown store, Lady Luck Vintage, reported a similar experience. Following a theft at the store, the owners posted surveillance images and later thanked the community for helping identify the suspect.

“There has been a REAL increase in theft lately,” the store wrote in an update posted to Instagram. “I know times are hard, I know we’re entering a recession, I know gas is expensive, utilities are expensive, everything is expensive.”

The post struck a sympathetic tone despite the theft, adding, “I’d literally rather just ask if you can have a pair of pants instead of you stealing them. I’d probably say yes and throw in a t-shirt too.”

While these incidents can feel isolated, Corvallis police logs from May show theft-related calls occurring throughout the city.

On May 23 alone, officers arrested two men in separate theft cases on Northwest Kings Boulevard and arrested a Eugene man accused of using counterfeit money to make a purchase. Earlier in the month, police responded to several other theft-related incidents, including repeat shoplifting offenses, a case involving more than $200 in stolen merchandise, a suspect accused of assaulting an employee after being confronted, and a shoplifting incident that escalated into a robbery when a loss-prevention officer was allegedly pushed while trying to stop a suspect.

The incidents range from petty thefts to more serious confrontations with police involvement.

Unlike large national chains that can absorb losses more easily, small independent businesses often feel the impact immediately. For downtown retailers like Runway Fashion Exchange and Lady Luck Vintage, theft is happening, will be caught on camera, and local businesses are asking people to pay attention through their social media channels.

As one store owner put it, “We’ve gotta step up in real, tangible ways for each other when times get hard.”

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Ask most residents who runs the city, and they’ll probably answer the mayor.

Mayor Charles Maughan is the most visible elected official in Corvallis (or at least is supposed to be), and voters will have the opportunity to decide who occupies that role next. The filing period for the November 3, 2026 municipal election opens June 3, and every seat on the city council, along with the mayor’s office, will be on the ballot this fall.

Maughan took office in January 2023 after winning one of the most unusual elections in city history. It was the first mayoral election here decided using ranked-choice voting, a system that allowed voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than selecting just one candidate. After several rounds of vote redistribution, Maughan emerged as the winner and began a four-year term that expires at the end of 2026.

Professionally, Maughan works in affordable housing compliance and has often focused on housing, affordability, and community development. The upcoming election gives us an opportunity not only to choose a mayor, but also to elect the nine councilors who represent each ward in town.

Councilors who win elections serve two-year terms and must live in the ward they seek to represent (and yes, there is a small monthly stipend for council members). Candidates for either mayor or council must be registered Corvallis voters and must have lived in the city for at least one year before the election.

Considering a run for office? The city has scheduled an Election Information Session at 6:00pm on Monday, June 8. The meeting will be held in the Madison Avenue Meeting Room at 500 SW Madison Ave. City staff will review filing requirements, deadlines, and nomination paperwork.

Corvallis is divided into nine geographic wards, with each councilor representing a specific section of the city. Candidates interested in running for council must live within the ward they hope to represent.

Ward map: Corvallis Ward Map

The mayor serves as the public face of city government, presiding over council meetings, making appointments to boards and commissions, and representing Corvallis at public events, but the city’s day-to-day operations are managed by City Manager Mark Shepard under our council-manager form of government.

There is a distinctive difference there. The mayor is elected directly by voters and is frequently the most recognizable local official. The city manager oversees city departments, employees, budgets, and municipal operations.

There is a pay difference between the two roles. The mayor receives a modest annual stipend of approximately $6,720 annually for the part-time position… the city manager Mark Shepard oversees the city's day-to-day operations as a full-time executive. In late 2025, the City Council approved a 5% merit raise for Shepard, increasing his salary to roughly $255,000 per year.

Using PayScale to compare other city managers across Oregon, Shepard's salary falls on the higher end of the scale, though not at the top. Statewide, city managers earn an average salary of roughly $118,000 to $122,000 per year. Albany's city manager, for example, earns about $215,879 annually, while larger metropolitan cities pay considerably more. In Eugene, the city's top executive receives a base salary of approximately $306,000 per year.

The 2026 election will determine who guides city policy through the foreseeable future.

More information about candidate filing, nomination packets, deadlines, and election procedures is available from the City of Corvallis elections page (including the ranked voting system): City of Corvallis Elections Information

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See additional event resource links at the bottom. Please verify the time and schedule, as things often change!

June 1 (Monday)

Garden Work Party - Community gardening and urban agriculture volunteer event - 12:00pm - 2:00pm - manyworld - 1013 NW Taylor Ave

Climate Action Advisory Board - Monthly city sustainability advisory meeting - 4:30pm - 6:00pm - City Hall

C3 Music on the Terrace: Marshall Adams - Enjoy live local music during your lunch hour as part of the Community Center's summer concert series - June 1 - 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Corvallis Community Center, 2601 NW Tyler Ave

June 2 (Tuesday)

Writer's Night at Greenhouse – Monthly gathering for writers, poets, songwriters, and creatives. Workshop ideas, share work, receive feedback, and connect with fellow writers in a relaxed setting. – 6:00pm - 8:00pm – Greenhouse Coffee + Plants, 308 SW Monroe Ave

Herbalism Meetup - Discussion on medicinal plants and foraging - 5:30pm - 6:30pm - manyworld - 1013 NW Taylor Avenue

Poetry Open Mic - Community spoken-word gathering - 7:00pm - 9:00pm - Interzone Coffee

June 3 (Wednesday)

Bob Newton Family Movie: Back to the Future Part III (1990) – Family-friendly screening of the classic western sci-fi adventure. Kids 12 and under admitted free with an accompanying adult. – 7:00pm - 9:00pm – Whiteside Theatre, 361 SW Madison Ave

Planning Commission - Land use and development meeting - 6:30pm - 8:30pm - City Hall

DIY Art Night - Community creative workshop - 6:00pm - 8:00pm - manyworld - 1013 NW Taylor Avenue

Block 15 Summer Music Series: Michael Jennings and the Honest Truth - Live outdoor summer concert featuring Americana and roots music in Block 15's Southtown Tap Room summer music series - June 3 - 6:00pm – 8:00pm - Block 15 Southtown Tap Room, 3415 SW Deschutes St

June 4 (Thursday)

Tap Talks - Community speaker series - 5:30pm - 7:00pm - Common Fields

Artist Meetup - Networking and critique session for artists - 5:30pm - 7:00pm - The Arts Center

Kill Santi with Luke Miller – Free stand-up comedy show presented by Stage Flight Comedy featuring Kill Santi and Luke Miller. – 8:30pm - 10:00pm – Bombs Away Café

June 5 (Friday)

Plug Block Party Fundraiser - A fundraiser for The Plug Presents featuring live performances by Twistello, Cmadd, Jester, Jibolty Blaze, and Adlumin - June 5 - Time not specified - Old World Deli, 341 SW 2nd St

June 6 (Saturday)

Havana Nights: Cuban Salsa Dancing – Kick off the outdoor party season with an evening of Latin dancing featuring timba, salsa, bachata, and other Latin favorites spun by Rumbanana. Includes a Cuban salsa (casino) lesson followed by social dancing throughout the evening. – 6:00pm - 10:00pm – Common Fields

Minor Anomaly & Big Foo: Salute to Service Veterans Benefit Concert – Benefit rock concert honoring veterans and supporting Honoring Heroes Inc., featuring live performances from Minor Anomaly and Big Foo. – 8:00pm - 11:00pm – Whiteside Theatre

June Featured Author: Sue Granzella - Author Sue Granzella discusses Pushed to the Edge: Teachers’ Stories from the Culture Wars, a collection of firsthand accounts from teachers and librarians navigating today's cultural and political battles in education - June 5 - 6:00pm – 7:30pm - Grass Roots Books & Music, 251 SW Madison Ave

Unlocking Art - A free community engagement program featuring interactive activities that help visitors experience exhibitions in fresh and meaningful ways through guided exploration of The Arts Center galleries - June 6 - 1:00pm – 2:00pm - The Arts Center Main Gallery, 700 SW Madison Ave

June 7 (Sunday)

Black Swan Classic Jazz Band: Presented by Sundays @ 3 – Celebrating the band's 10th appearance in the Sundays @ 3 series, featuring vocalist Marilyn Keller and a program of vintage jazz, Dixieland, ragtime, and gospel favorites. A reception follows the concert. – 3:00pm - 5:00pm – 333 NW 35th St

Blade Runner: The Final Cut (1982) – Screening of Ridley Scott's science fiction classic at the Whiteside Theatre. – 4:00pm - 6:00pm – Whiteside Theatre, 361 SW Madison Ave

Run for the Hills Race – Annual trail running event presented by Heart of the Valley Runners featuring 30k and 8k trail races through Bald Hill Park, Fitton Green Natural Area, and surrounding Corvallis trails. Also includes a 2-mile walk/run and kids run. Benefits the Greenbelt Land Trust trail fund. – 8:00am - 1:00pm – Benton County Fairgrounds

Kitten Yoga @ Whiskers Cat Lounge - A gentle yoga session surrounded by adoptable kittens, featuring beginner-friendly stretching, playful kitten interactions, and support for Heartland Humane Shelter & Care - June 7 - 10:00am - The Cat's Meow, 409 SW 3rd St

June 8 (Monday)

C3 Music on the Terrace: Brian Pickman - Enjoy live local music during your lunch hour as part of the Community Center's summer concert series - June 8 - 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Corvallis Community Center, 2601 NW Tyler Ave

June 9 (Tuesday)

Craft Night at Greenhouse – Bring your own craft project, grab a drink, and enjoy a casual evening of creativity and community. Crochet, collage, knitting, and other crafts welcome. – 6:00pm - 8:00pm – Greenhouse Coffee + Plants, 308 SW Monroe Avenue

CERT Connect: Building Readiness One Meeting at a Time! – Free hands-on emergency preparedness workshop hosted by Benton County CERT and the Benton County Sheriff's Office. June's focus is personal needs, food, and water preparedness. – 5:30pm - 7:30pm – 4077 SW Research Way

Greeters: Taqueria Alonzo - A Corvallis Chamber networking event featuring business introductions, community connections, business spotlights, and networking opportunities for members and guests - June 9 - 8:30am – 9:30am - Corvallis Museum, 411 SW 2nd St

June 10 (Wednesday)

Pride in Bloom: Flower Arranging Workshop – Create a custom floral arrangement with locally grown flowers while celebrating Pride Month. Instruction provided by local floral artist Pami Monnette. Registration includes flowers, vase, and materials. – 5:30pm - 7:00pm – 2 Towns Ciderhouse, 33930 SE Eastgate Cir

Block 15 Summer Music Series: Inner Limits - Live summer concert featuring local music and community gathering with food, drinks, and outdoor seating - June 10 - 6:00pm – 8:00pm - Block 15 Southtown Tap Room, 3415 SW Deschutes St

June 11 (Thursday)

June 12 (Friday)

Corvallis Comedy Night with Laura Peek – Stand-up comedy showcase featuring nationally touring comedian Laura Peek, known for appearances on The Tonight Show, Comedy Central, and After Midnight. – 7:30pm - 9:30pm – Majestic Theatre

The Wonderful World of Abstraction Opening Reception - Meet the artists and celebrate the opening of the Willamette Abstract Group’s Spring 2026 exhibition - June 12 - 6:00pm – 8:00pm - Pegasus Gallery, 312 SW Madison Ave

June 13 (Saturday)

GKC Presents Hysterical History Tour: Stories of the Kinetic Sculpture Race – A humorous and educational history tour featuring stories from the Corvallis Kinetic Sculpture Race, presented by the Graand Kinetic Challenge and Benton County Museums. – 10:00am - 12:00pm – Corvallis Museum and Cultural Center

Pitch, Hit & Run – Free baseball skills competition for youth ages 7–14. Participants can compete in pitching, hitting, and running events for a chance to advance toward MLB Pitch, Hit & Run competitions. – 12:00pm - 2:00pm – Johnson Teen Center West Fields - https://bgccorvallis.org

June 14 (Sunday)

Miss Holmes Open Table Read – Open reading of Christopher M. Walsh's mystery-comedy play based on characters from Sherlock Holmes. Presented by The Majestic Theatre ahead of July auditions. – 1:00pm - 3:00pm – Majestic Theatre

Mid-Valley Bellydance Collective - An evening of live belly dance performances presented by the Mid-Valley Bellydance Collective - June 14 - 6:00pm - Old World Deli, 341 SW 2nd St

June 15 (Monday)

C3 Music on the Terrace: The Nettles Duo - Enjoy live local music during your lunch hour as part of the Community Center's summer concert series - June 15 - 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Corvallis Community Center, 2601 NW Tyler Ave

June 16 (Tuesday)

Summer 2026 Concerts in the Park: Waltz, March, & Majesty – Opening concert of the Corvallis Community Band's summer series featuring guest conductor Evan Milburn. Bring a lawn chair and enjoy live music in the park. – 7:30pm - 9:00pm – Central City Park

Figure Drawing Session - A non-instructional figure drawing session with a nude model for artists ages 18+; bring your own materials and practice observational drawing - June 16 - 6:00pm – 8:00pm - Corvallis Museum, 411 SW 2nd St

Block 15 Summer Music Series: Ludacris Speed - Live summer concert as part of Block 15's weekly outdoor music series - June 17 - 6:00pm – 8:00pm - Block 15 Southtown Tap Room, 3415 SW Deschutes St

June 17 (Wednesday)

Women in Business Luncheon: Conversation with Carolyn Mayers – Corvallis Chamber luncheon featuring City Councilor Carolyn Mayers discussing city leadership, transparency, community engagement, and local economic development. Includes audience Q&A. – 12:00pm - 1:00pm – Hilton Garden Inn

June 18 (Thursday)

MUSE: Cheers to Educators! - A free community event celebrating arts, culture, and history in conjunction with the Corvallis Arts Walk, with a special focus on honoring educators - June 18 - 4:00pm – 7:00pm - Corvallis Museum, 411 SW 2nd St

June 19 (Friday)

CMLC Garage Sale – Community garage sale featuring kitchenware, décor, books, toys, technology, artwork, vintage items, and treasures from around the world. – 11:00am - 2:00pm – Corvallis Multicultural Literacy Center, 2638 NW Jackson Ave - https://cmlcenter.org

June 20 (Saturday)

Disco Hellmouth: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Tribute Show – An 18+ burlesque and drag tribute to Buffy the Vampire Slayer presented by Disco Circus Centerfolds, featuring themed performances, costumes, and supernatural fun. Doors open at 7:30pm. – 8:00pm - 10:00pm – Whiteside Theatre, 361 SW Madison Ave

June 21 (Sunday)

Pulp Fiction (1994) – Screening of Quentin Tarantino's acclaimed crime classic starring John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, and Bruce Willis. – 4:00pm - 6:30pm – Whiteside Theatre, 361 SW Madison Ave

June 22 (Monday)

C3 Music on the Terrace: Melanie Reid - Enjoy live local music during your lunch hour as part of the Community Center's summer concert series - June 22 - 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Corvallis Community Center, 2601 NW Tyler Ave

June 24 (Wednesday)

Block 15 Summer Music Series: The Flat Stanley Incident - Live outdoor performance featuring local musicians as part of the Block 15 Summer Music Series - June 24 - 6:00pm – 8:00pm - Block 15 Southtown Tap Room, 3415 SW Deschutes St

June 27 (Saturday)

Shell: Open Table Read – Open table read of a new play exploring the repurposing of church buildings and themes of grief, change, and community. No acting experience required; community members are welcome to participate or observe. – 1:00pm - 5:00pm – Majestic Theatre Rehearsal Room, 115 SW 2nd St

Main Gallery Clothing Swap - A free community clothing swap where attendees can browse and take home gently used clothing for men, women, and children, with leftover items donated to local thrift stores - June 27 - 12:00pm – 5:00pm - The Arts Center Main Gallery, 700 SW Madison Ave

Government Comment Corner - Mayor Charles Maughan - A public drop-in session with Mayor Charles Maughan to ask questions, discuss local government issues, and connect with city leadership - June 27 - 10:00am – 12:00pm - Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave

June 28 (Sunday)

Open Streets Corvallis – Free annual street festival that transforms downtown streets and parks into spaces for walking, biking, playing, music, dancing, food, cultural activities, giant games, and community gathering. The car-free route runs along 2nd Street between Riverfront Park and the Skate Park. A community parade begins at 11:15am from Riverfront Park – 11:00am - 3:00pm – Downtown Corvallis (2nd Street, Riverfront Park to Skate Park) - https://www.openstreetscorvallis.org

June 29 (Monday)

C3 Music on the Terrace: Double Down - Enjoy live local music during your lunch hour as part of the Community Center's summer concert series - June 29 - 12:00pm – 1:00pm - Corvallis Community Center, 2601 NW Tyler Ave

Additional Event Calendars:

Greenhouse Coffee + Plants - https://www.greenhousecorvallis.com/events

Manyworld - https://www.manyworld.diy/calendar

Downtown Corvallis - https://downtown-corvallis.org/events/

Common Fields - https://www.commonfieldscorvallis.com/events.html

Bombs Away Cafe - https://bombsawaycafe.com/calender

Old World Deli - https://www.oldworldcenter.com/#Events

Corvallis Farmers Market - https://locallygrown.org/

The Majestic Theatre - https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=maj

Darkside Cinema - https://darksidecinema.com/index.html

Visit Corvallis - https://www.visitcorvallis.com/events

City of Corvallis - https://www.corvallisoregon.gov/calendar

Corvallis Sustainability Coalition - https://sustainablecorvallis.org/what-we-do/events/

Benton County Public Library - https://corvallisbenton.librarycalendar.com/

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Benton County residents will have their opportunities this summer to meet with County Commissioner Gabe Shepherd as he launches a series of eight town halls across the county.

The first meeting will be held on Wednesday, July 1, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Corvallis Community Center. These town halls act as a place where residents can hear updates on county projects, ask questions, and share concerns directly with their elected representative.

Shepherd, who served two terms on the Corvallis City Council before being elected to the Benton County Board of Commissioners in 2024, said the meetings are intended to bring local government directly into communities throughout the county. He took office in January 2025.

“The best way to find out what folks in Benton County need is to go to where people live, work, and play and listen to them,” Shepherd said. “During my campaign I made a commitment to hold town halls around the county every year. Pressing needs and urgent concerns are always changing. It’s important to keep open, two-way communication.”

According to Benton County, each town hall will last about an hour and provide residents with an opportunity to learn about county progress over the past year, ask questions, and voice concerns. Several meetings will also include local mayors and other elected officials.

2026 Town Hall Schedule

• July 1 — 5:00 p.m. — Corvallis Community Center, Corvallis

• July 11 — 11:30 a.m. — Alsea Community Library, Alsea

• July 25 — 11:30 a.m. — Summit Grange Hall, Summit

• July 25 — 3:30 p.m. — Philomath Museum, Philomath

• July 26 — 11:30 a.m. — Adair County Park, Adair Village

• July 26 — 3:30 p.m. — North Albany Park, North Albany

• August 8 — 11:30 a.m. — Kepi Nak-Nak Café, Monroe

• August 8 — 3:30 p.m. — Alpine Community Center, Alpine

County officials note that Shepherd will be speaking on his own behalf during the events and not for the full Board of Commissioners. He also will not discuss or take public comment on any open land-use cases that could come before the county.

Residents can attend any of the meetings regardless of where they live in Benton County.

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After weeks of speculation surrounding the future of Corvallis Sports Park, the organization taking over the facility has officially been announced.

Portland-area indoor pickleball company RECS says it will open a new indoor pickleball club inside the longtime South Corvallis sports complex in October 2026.

The announcement confirms what many had suspected for months: Corvallis Sports Park is transitioning away from its longtime identity as an indoor soccer and recreation hub and into a dedicated pickleball facility.

According to the company, the new Corvallis location will feature seven dedicated indoor pickleball courts inside the existing sports park property.

RECS is short for “Recreate Exercise Compete Socialize” and currently operates clubs in Clackamas and Tualatin, and says the Corvallis expansion is part of a larger Pacific Northwest growth plan that will double the company’s footprint to four clubs by the end of 2026.

“Our goal from the beginning was to prove the concept, then open more clubs,” said RECS Founder and CEO Kevin Richards in a press release announcing the expansion.

“Our north star remains unchanged, we’re here to encourage well-being and connection through purposeful recreation and friendly competition.”

Corvallis Sports Park Ownership Group Chose RECS

One of the more notable details in the announcement is that RECS did not purchase the property outright, at least according to the wording of the release.

Instead, the company states that the “ownership group” behind Corvallis Sports Park selected RECS as its operating partner.

That ownership group includes longtime General Manager Blake Leamy.

“The ownership group of Corvallis Sports Park, which includes General Manager Blake Leamy, selected RECS as its partner because of the organization’s shared commitment to serving as a ‘third place’ for people to recreate, exercise, compete, and socialize,” the release states.

The phrase “third place” refers to spaces outside of home and work where people gather socially (coffee shops, community centers, gyms, pubs, and recreational facilities).

While they likely hope that language resonates with longtime Corvallis Sports Park users, many of whom viewed the facility as much more than just soccer fields, we all know the backlash is coming over the loss of those fields and the fight the soccer community will put up. It’s pickleball vs soccer. New vs old. And will played on a court of public opinion.

For decades, the sports park functioned as a social and recreational anchor for South Corvallis, hosting youth soccer leagues, indoor tournaments, parties, bar gatherings, and community events.

A petition was even started to save the old soccer fields that gathered over 1400 signatures: https://www.change.org/p/save-the-corvallis-sports-park

A Shift For South Corvallis Recreation

The announcement effectively confirms the biggest recreational shift the property has seen since opening in the late 1990s. In recent months, rumors of the transition sparked intense discussion online, including petitions and social media debates from residents worried about losing one of Benton County’s only indoor soccer facilities.

At the same time, pickleball has exploded nationwide.

The sport has become one of the fastest-growing recreational activities in America, with indoor pickleball facilities rapidly opening across the country as investors and operators rush to meet demand.

“We’ve been focused on the Willamette Valley for quite some time,” Richards said in the release.

“We’re thrilled to be joining the Corvallis community and to honor the sporting legacy of Corvallis Sports Park.”

Jobs And Memberships Planned

RECS says the new Corvallis club will create local jobs and offer membership options, including “Founding Memberships” ahead of opening. The company says members will also receive access benefits across RECS locations throughout the region.

The Corvallis location is currently scheduled to open in October 2026. For many longtime residents, the transition will likely feel bittersweet (to put it nicely).

A facility that once symbolized Corvallis’ youth sports culture is entering an entirely new era… pickleball. Will residents embrace the change or mourn the loss of the old sports park? It might be both. It’s now a court of public opinion...

Hope you’re ready RECS.

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We have a weird habit of hiding things in plain sight here in town.

You can drive past industrial buildings, research labs, and office spaces without thinking much about what is happening inside them. We keep seeing that office park sign “Nutsac World Headquarters” off of Grant, although it’s not as interesting as the name would presume. Looked into it.

But every once in a while, something grows without notice. That brings us to Phosio who recently made headlines in the Portland Business Journal for landing $4 million in funding.

(www.phosio.com)

Phosio’s headquarters are located just off Circle, and the company may be working on one of the biggest future bets in tech. Smart glasses. The kind people may eventually wear everyday instead of pulling phones out of their pockets. And recently, the tiny startup located here got another major sign that the tech world is paying attention.

Former Meta Vice President of Research Joe O’Keeffe joined the company as executive chairman. That is not a small hire. Meta has spent billions trying to build the future of augmented reality and AI-integrated wearable devices. The company’s Reality Labs division has become one of the most aggressive players in the global race toward smart glasses and AR systems.

So when a former Meta research executive joins a small Corvallis materials startup, it means something. It suggests the technology may be more serious than most people realize.

Phosio is not a big corporation, but more of a research lab. No giant downtown office. No Silicon Valley branding campaign. Just a small deep-tech company operating out of research facilities near HP’s longtime footprint in town.

Internally, the company is tackling problems that the largest tech companies in the world are currently struggling to solve. How do you make smart glasses thin enough to look normal? How do you make displays brighter without overheating? How do you reduce energy use while keeping image quality high? How do you manufacture advanced optical materials cheaply enough to scale globally?

Those tiny material science problems may ultimately determine whether AI glasses become mainstream, or remain an expensive niche product.

That is where Phosio comes in.

The company was founded by Omid Sadeghi, who came to Oregon State University for a PhD in materials chemistry before launching the startup in Corvallis. The work centers around advanced thin-film optical materials and nano-scale manufacturing systems that could eventually be used in augmented reality displays, semiconductor manufacturing, lidar systems (think self-driving technology), and wearable AI devices.

The company’s platform, called PhosioLux, focuses on high-performance optical coatings that can be manufactured at lower temperatures than traditional methods.

Phosio has gone through years of failed experiments. Funding uncertainty. Investor meetings. Research setbacks. At one point, the company reportedly endured roughly 500 failed experiments before achieving a major breakthrough.

Sadeghi recently reflected on the company’s journey after closing Phosio’s seed funding round, saying the startup’s growth was proof that “it takes a village.”

The comment highlights how deeply connected the company’s success has been to Oregon’s startup and research ecosystem. Early support reportedly came from Business Oregon, followed by organizations like Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI) and Oregon Entrepreneurs Network’s Angel Oregon Technology program. Those early investments and mentorship opportunities eventually helped Phosio attract additional backing from firms including Elevate Capital and TiE Oregon.

Phosio’s story is not just about one startup. It is also about the network of universities, investors, incubators, and local innovation programs trying to build a tech economy in places like Corvallis and Oregon, instead of Silicon Valley.

Unlike many startups that immediately leave smaller cities, Phosio appears committed to building in Oregon. The company is now planning a pilot manufacturing facility. Whether that facility will remain in Corvallis is still in question, but we hope it stays here at its birthplace.

Oregon State University continues feeding talent into robotics, semiconductors, materials science, and AI research. Agility Robotics emerged from the same ecosystem before becoming nationally known for humanoid robots.

Now Phosio here in Corvallis may be joining that list. Maybe Corvallis will be the next Silicon Forest.

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Everything is going up in price. Inflation persists… and many local residents are complaining about the monthly cost of their water utility bills.

When you think about the state of Oregon, you would assume water resources are abundant. We have countless rivers, waterfalls, rainforests, mountain lakes, and snow-capped mountain ranges. But an interesting fact many people don’t know is that, when ranking all 50 U.S. states by the percentage of land covered by water, Oregon ranks only 31st at 2.40%. We actually rank below the state of Texas.

How Are We Billed

Our current residential utility schedule uses a fixed monthly water charge, plus inclining block volumetric rates that vary by pressure zone, alongside separate wastewater and stormwater charges.

For a single-family meter, the fixed monthly charges are $24.60 for water, $25.57 for wastewater, and $12.26 for stormwater. Water usage is billed in hundred-cubic-foot units (hcf), with 1 hcf equal to 748 gallons.

The first 7 hcf are billed at $2.70 - $3.27 per hcf, depending on pressure zone, then rise in higher blocks. Wastewater is billed at $4.07 per hcf, the sewer charge is capped at the prior winter average or actual use, whichever is lower.

Using the city’s billing method, the illustrative combined water + wastewater + stormwater bill is about:

This probably makes you wonder how many gallons of water you use each month as a way to lower your water bill. Another question you might ask is how the city could reduce its utility rates. Quite honestly, it’s not that simple. This is not a for-profit business.

How Prices Have Risen

Corvallis’s average-account utility charges rose sharply in the recent period. On the city’s own average-residential account charts, the water component increased from $28.66 in 2022 to $40.82 in 2026, a rise of about 42 percent.

The combined average-account water + wastewater + stormwater total increased from $78.77 in 2022 to $103.09 in 2026, about 31 percent.

The City of Corvallis water utility is a publicly owned municipal utility operated by the city government. That means the utility is intended to be “self-supporting,” with customer bills used to cover expenses. It is not a for-profit system. In other words, rising costs are not designed to gouge consumers. Instead, rates are structured to cover the operational costs of running and maintaining the utility.

This should indicate that the 31% increase over four years means operational costs have risen by a similar percentage.

The city says utility rates have recently gone up because of costs that include:

• Daily operations and staff

• Water treatment and testing

• Maintenance and repairs

• Replacing aging pipes and infrastructure

• Debt payments on past projects

• Required state and federal upgrades

You can unpack some of these specific costs more in terms of the general economic inflation we have been experiencing. Daily operations and staff (labor rates have increased), maintenance and repairs (material costs have increased), debt payment on past projects (interest rates have increased).

Being a not-for-profit public utility facing rising costs, there is still one surefire way to offset those increases and lower your monthly bill: use less water. After all, Oregon only ranks 31st in terms of water availability.

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The WinCo on Northwest Kings Boulevard looks just like a normal large grocery store. Busy parking lot. Bulk bins. Families loading carts with groceries. Employees stocking shelves. Lines (always lines) at the register. But it’s also one of the most unusual labor and ownership experiments in retail.

The Corvallis WinCo store has been highlighted as one of the strongest examples of employee ownership success in the country. The roughly 130 employees at the WinCo on Kings collectively accumulated retirement wealth estimated at over $100 million through the company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan, commonly known as an ESOP.

A few longtime employees have become millionaires while working ordinary grocery store jobs. Think about that. The idea almost sounds impossible in modern retail, where profits and margins are continually squeezed at the expense of employees.

Unlike a normal publicly traded company, where outside investors buy shares to own portions of the company, WinCo is primarily employee-owned through an ESOP. Eligible workers receive company-funded retirement contributions tied to ownership shares in the business.

Employees do not buy the stock directly with their own money. Instead, the company contributes to the ownership accounts on their behalf. We got a copy of WinCo’s benefits summary, and the details are outlined below:

“Employees that have attained age 19, have been employed for six months, and have worked at least 500 hours during those six months will become eligible to participate in the ESOP Plan. Participants receive one year of vesting after being paid 1,000 hours in a Plan Year. Vesting increases by 20% each Plan Year participants are paid 1,000 hours until 100% vesting is reached (participants typically obtain 100% vesting after six years of service).”

Over time, shares accumulate inside the employee’s retirement account. After a vesting period (about 6 years), those shares become fully theirs… to do what they want with. The system rewards longevity. The longer an employee stays, the more ownership they accumulate. Think compound interest.

Our store became nationally notable because many employees there had been with the company for decades during WinCo’s major expansion years.

Employees who joined early participated in the company before much of its growth occurred. As WinCo expanded and added more locations, the value of employee ownership accounts surged alongside the company itself.

An ESOP is not easy money. It works more like long-term investing. The people who saw the largest gains were often those who entered the company early, stayed for decades, continued accumulating ownership during expansion years, and benefited from compounding growth over time.

It resembles holding stock in a growing company for 20 or 30 years rather than chasing a quick payout. The millionaire employee headlines at our WinCo can create unrealistic expectations if taken out of context.

The biggest wealth stories largely came from workers who entered the company before the massive expansion started. Once a company matures, future returns may slow compared to earlier explosive growth periods.

This does not mean the ESOP lacks value today. Even without the “get in early” future millionaire outcomes, WinCo’s ESOP can still provide retirement stability that is increasingly rare.

The store on Kings challenges assumptions about low-wage retail employment. The workers becoming wealthy were not Silicon Valley executives or startup founders. They were grocery clerks, stockers, backroom warehouse workers, and cashiers.

Our WinCo is home to one of the most successful examples of the employee ownership model that exists today. We just wish they would take credit cards. Even for a small fee. Rumor has it they are going to start that soon… to quote a nice lady working at the register last week. Maybe she is a millionaire as well.

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In Southtown, near the Willamette Park, sits one of the city’s most unusual and community-focused neighborhoods, the CoHo Ecovillage.

Part neighborhood, part social experiment, and part sustainability project, CoHo has operated in Southtown for nearly two decades. The village sits a few miles east of the highway, tucked into a quiet neighborhood. The intentional “cohousing” community includes 34 households spread across 6.8 acres and is designed around the idea that neighbors should actually know, interact with, and help each other.

(photo: Coho EcoVillage)

“The vision of our village is to encourage interactions between people and enrich our lives with the pleasure of cooperation and friendship.”

The community emphasizes environmental sustainability, shared resources, multigenerational living, and consensus-based decision making. Homes at CoHo are clustered around shared paths and common spaces. Parking is kept on the outer edges of the property, leaving the interior focused on gardens, gathering spaces, and pedestrian movement.

Residents share amenities including a large common house, community kitchen, guest room, workshop, bike barn, gardens, laundry facilities, and even a hot tub. The homes are privately held properties, but intentionally share parts of daily life through community meals, collaborative projects, celebrations, and governance. According to CoHo’s FAQ and community materials, residents regularly participate in optional shared dinners and collective maintenance of the property.

The project was completed in 2007 after years of planning and development. Community writings describe the process as long and difficult, but the results created a neighborhood intentionally designed around interaction rather than isolation.

(photo: Coho EcoVillage)

CoHo’s mission and values statement place an emphasis on environmental responsibility. The community promotes recycling, reuse, shared tools and equipment, lower-impact living, and sustainable building practices.

Of course, this is not for everyone. Some people value privacy, and the benefits provided by a housing development like CoHo sometimes come with costs.

A new unit is currently listed for sale, the available townhouse is a 1,244-square-foot, 3-bed, 2-bath home. It includes radiant floor heating, cork flooring, heat recovery ventilation, insulated windows, and multiple outdoor living areas. The asking price is listed at $480,000 with HOA dues of $474 per month.

https://www.cohoecovillage.org/openings/for-sale-unit-161/

As of March 31st, the median home sales price in Corvallis was reported at $589,000. So while not cheap by any means (and a $474/month HOA fee), the property is almost a 100k less than what the average buyer would pay.

CoHo is not the only game in town if you are looking for a community-style way of living. Co-ops are becoming more and more popular, and Colorado Lake co-op offers a much more affordable option.

Not a lot of people know about Colorado Lake Co-op. This private neighborhood sits about 4 miles east of town off Highway 34, but is still within the Corvallis city limits. The member-owned cooperative includes 45 units, with many homes sitting directly along Colorado Lake. Residents collectively own the land itself and also share community gardens, activities, and gatherings at the clubhouse.

(pictured: Colorado Lake Co-op)

The lake is the centerpiece of the property, offering waterfront views, small docks, wildlife watching, kayaking, and a secluded atmosphere.

(pictured: Colorado Lake)

People say Corvallis is unaffordable in terms of home ownership, and it is, but hidden gems like Colorado Lake Co-op can buck those trends. Past listings in the community have ranged from roughly $145,000 to $197,000. And residents own the land.

That means, unlike many other manufactured home parks, the land cannot be sold out from underneath residents, adding both value and security. Of course, that ownership also comes with costs, and the co-op carries an HOA fee of about $565 per month.

Break that down for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 10% down payment, on a $150,000 home in Colorado Lake Co-op, and you’re looking at a monthly payment of $861.00. So about $1426 a month with the HOA’s. That’s cheaper than rent for a standard 2-bedroom apartment here in town.

There are no current listings at Colorado Lake Co-op, but a few homes sold there in 2025.

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Sometimes in the news business, you get beat. Someone breaks a story first, has better information, or publishes a similar idea before you do. That’s exactly what local elementary school student Molly MacClary did to us. She beat us to it. She crushed our dreams. She launched the 1st Annual Corvallis Kitty Contest, an idea that had been on our list for quite some time.

Rather than go to war (or get into a cat fight) with this thoughtful and inspiring elementary school student by launching a competing contest of our own, we decided to put our tails between our legs and support her in this endeavor.

Molly attends Muddy Creek Charter School and loves animals. Molly describes the planning process:

“Me and my dad used my dad’s amazing computer skills to create a poster and do all of the planning and how to do it, and the stuff we needed to do it.”

“The Corvallis Kitty Contest is a competition for all ages to compete with their fluffy companions. The goal is fun and to bring all different kinds of cat owners together.”

We would’ve said “my dad and I” but never would’ve thought of the main goal being “fun.” That’s just good marketing Molly. Below is the flyer Molly and her dad came up with… QR code technology and all.

Via Molly and her media manager: On May 22nd at 4pm there will be a fun meeting at Peanut Park, including all participants and their cats to see if you are the lucky pair that won “Best Cat In Town.”

“If you weren’t the lucky pair, you can still win “best dressed cat” and extra points for matching outfits with your cat at the awards celebration!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

This is a sweet initiative and will likely create a variety of valuable learning experiences for Molly at a young age. We often remember things like this when we get older. Let’s support Molly and her contest and help make it a memorable moment.

Enter your cat, or dress it up, and head to Peanut Park on Friday, May 22, at 4pm. Or share the link with someone you know who might be interested. We are fairly certain it’d be fine to bring your cat without a costume as well. Here is a link to the form if you’re not into QR codes:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfhwMIW_0t1DdDaETkW4L9MXQkpo5Og3KTYinhcEalHBBgSDQ/viewform

This is community Corvallis.

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Samaritan Health Services is a widely discussed issue in Corvallis, especially with the pending change in ownership. We decided to take a look at the organization’s latest publicly available Form 990 tax filings and break down some of the numbers into a more easily understandable read. ProPublica’s most recent filings are from 2024, as the 2025 filings have not yet been posted.

Last year, Samaritan Health Services announced plans to affiliate with Tacoma-based MultiCare Health System. This deal was described publicly as an affiliation, that would effectively place the much larger MultiCare in control.

This affiliation comes as Samaritan faces mounting financial pressure from rising healthcare costs and reimbursements that have not kept pace. MultiCare has said it plans to make major investments into Samaritan over the next decade.

Breaking down the most recent publicly available IRS Form 990 filings, they paint a picture of a regional healthcare system under significant financial pressure, despite generating hundreds of millions in annual revenue.

According to the 2024 IRS Form 990 filing, Samaritan Health Services reported:

• $327.7 million in total revenue

• $380.1 million in total expenses

A net loss of roughly $52.4 million. That represents a major deterioration from the previous 2023 fiscal year, when the organization reported a loss of approximately $20.9 million. More than doubling their losses year over year.

At the same time:

• liabilities increased to over $301 million

• total assets fell to roughly $272 million

For a nonprofit healthcare system, negative net assets become an important long-term warning sign if sustained over multiple years.

Who Gets Paid What

One of the clearest trends in the filing is rising labor costs. Samaritan reported $171.7 million spent on salaries, compensation, and employee benefits in 2024. That was up nearly $10 million from the prior year. The organization listed 1,583 employees.

Additional payroll-related expenses included:

• $115.3 million in salaries and wages

• $29.8 million in employee benefits

• $9.4 million in payroll taxes

• $6.5 million in pension contributions

One number that stood out most to us in the filing was how much Samaritan spent on outside staffing contractors. The largest independent contractor listed was Medefis Inc., which Samaritan paid $31.6 million. Other major staffing contractors included:

• Oregon Oncology Specialists LLP — $7.5 million

• CompHealth — $6.4 million

Together, just those three staffing-related contractors accounted for over $45 million. Medfefis Inc. provides access to a national network of staffing suppliers, allowing for competitive, fair-market rates. Healthcare systems nationwide have struggled with staffing shortages since the pandemic. They now often rely on expensive traveling nurses, contract physicians, and temporary labor.

Executive Compensation

The filing also discloses compensation for top executives and physicians.

Douglas Boysen — President & CEO

• $1,336,861 compensation - $71,010 additional compensation

Laura Hennum — VP / CEO Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center

• $802,185 compensation - $45,907 additional compensation

Robert Turngren, MD — Chief Physician Executive

• $647,392 compensation - $66,045 additional compensation

Joseph Cahill — COO

• $628,698 compensation - $58,457 additional compensation

Daniel Smith — CFO

• $622,805 compensation - $66,116 additional compensation

Other Top 10 Highly Compensated Employees

Outside of those 5 individuals, the next top 10 executives and medical leaders received compensation packages exceeding $300,000 annually, including:

• Wendie Wunderwald, VP CEO MVH (through September)

  $536,648 compensation + $52,879 additional compensation

• Margaret Mikula, MD, VP Chief Quality Officer

  $506,638 compensation + $71,975 additional compensation

• Bruce Butler, VP CEO Health Plans

  $510,080 compensation + $43,964 additional compensation

• Pankaj Sapra, SVP / CIO

  $461,225 compensation + $73,414 additional compensation

• Lesley Ogden, MD, VP CEO NLH / CEO SPCH

  $464,515 compensation + $60,746 additional compensation

• Kelley Kaiser, VP / CAO

  $448,420 compensation + $70,133 additional compensation

• Daniel Keteri, VP CEO SAGH

  $427,713 compensation + $66,520 additional compensation

• Tyler Jacobsen, VP Chief Legal Officer

  $377,517 compensation + $75,766 additional compensation

• Julie Osgood, VP COO SMG

  $381,463 compensation + $41,820 additional compensation

• Daniel Rackham, VP CEO MVH (starting August)

  $297,542 compensation + $68,730 additional compensation

The combined total compensation and additional compensation for these 15 Samaritan Health Services executives and leaders was $9,383,184.

The filing also shows Samaritan spent:

• $99,794 on lobbying expenses in 2024

The organization checked “Yes” indicating it engaged in lobbying activities during the tax year. The filing does not indicate direct political campaign activity.

IRS Form 990 filings offer one of the most detailed public looks into the hospital finances. It’s not just us though, Samaritan is facing the same pressures hitting healthcare systems nationwide, including rising labor costs, reliance on expensive contract staffing, shrinking margins, large infrastructure expenses, and mounting liabilities (see $100 million lawsuit).

At the same time, executive compensation remains substantial, even as the nonprofit system posted major financial losses.

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We did our best (worst) tabloid-style investigation here.

Sadly, after almost 30 years of indoor soccer, birthday parties, youth leagues, and community events, Corvallis Sports Park announced this week that it will officially close in June. A lot of special memories and moments were made there, by and for community members over the past few decades.

A sad announcement for the community.

The announcement was sent directly through an email from ownership and staff. According to the email, the facility’s ownership group accepted an offer on the building, bringing an end to the indoor sports facility.

“CSP started 30 years ago as a vision between two friends,” the email stated. “The park was designed and built under the leadership of Blake Leamy and Jeff Merten along with the investment support of five investors who loved soccer.”

Ownership described the decision to sell as difficult, acknowledging that the building became a “second home” for many players, families, coaches, and staff over the years. The email also confirmed what comes next for the facility:

“Moving forward, the new owners are remodeling the building for indoor pickle ball.” The facility’s final day open is scheduled for June 7.

The New Ownership Group

While the email confirms the building has been sold, we don’t believe the identity of the new ownership group has yet been publicly announced. The best we could do is some digging, and make some obvious connections… then draw some more Inquirer-style connections.

An Oregon LLC called TWIN OAKS GROUP, LLC was formed on February 20, 2026. State business records list the company’s registered address as: 175 SW Twin Oaks Circle, Corvallis, Oregon… the exact address of Corvallis Sports Park (the filing also lists a mailing address of: 1415 NE Bear Creek Rd, Bend, Oregon).

The timing is notable. At this point, no public filing directly confirms Twin Oaks Group, LLC as the buyer. However, the timing of the filing… and the matching address… do connect some obvious dots.

We can stretch this a lot further. But this is a “conspiracy theory” style stretch at best.

While the registered address for Twin Oaks is the Corvallis Sports Park current address… the mailing address for Twin Oaks Group, LLC is in Bend, Oregon. The address appears online in connection with several holding and investment-style LLCs.

A dedicated pickleball tap house called Ballers & Brews opened in September 2025… in Bend, Oregon.

Is Corvallis in line for a similar type of establishment like Ballers & Brews in Bend? The Corvallis Sports Club already has the pub infrastructure built in… The Upper Deck.

We’ll see.

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After we posted a short write-up yesterday detailing the $100 million wrongful death lawsuit filed against Good Samaritan Hospital here in Corvallis, the story grabbed national headlines today…front-page national headlines.

(family submitted photo)

After the Inquirer’s post, OregonLive picked up the story. OregonLive is an affiliated website of The Oregonian, the largest news publication in the state. OregonLive’s coverage then caught the attention of The Daily Mail. The Daily Mail is a British-born publication that operates a U.S. section on its website. It is ranked among the top 10 news sources in the U.S., drawing more than 94 million active monthly readers. Other national media outlets then picked up the story and fed it to their affiliates, including MSN.

The $100 million wrongful death lawsuit filed against Good Samaritan Medical Center here in Corvallis continued to draw national attention today, after coverage from the Daily Mail and other major outlets.

The lawsuit centers around the death of 18-year-old Ethan Cantrell of Alsea following treatment for a logging-related injury. According to the Daily Mail article, the lawsuit alleges hospital staff failed to properly identify and remove debris embedded in Cantrell’s arm wound after the accident.

The legal filing claims medics did not perform CT scans that may have revealed the debris lodged inside the injury, and also failed to administer the full range of antibiotics that could have potentially saved his life. The Daily Mail further reported that Cantrell was later transferred to a second hospital, where surgeons attempted to save him by amputating his arm at the shoulder. He reportedly died five days later.

“It’s just a sad, sad case,” attorney Brent Barton, representing Cantrell’s estate, told the Daily Mail.

The case has now spread beyond Corvallis, gaining traction across national and international news platforms. The case has now been entered into the Benton County court system, as we reported yesterday.

The lawsuit accuses multiple parties of negligence, including Good Samaritan, two physicians involved in the treatment, and the emergency medical group associated with the hospital’s ER operations, which we believe is Mary’s Peak Emergency Physicians.

The Mary’s Peak Emergency Physicians website list “anesthesiology” on their homepage. Anesthesiologists and anesthesia providers commonly administer antibiotics in the operating room to prevent surgical site infections.

A reader wrote into us yesterday after the post with this comment:

“I think it’s really interesting that the family is chosing to seek legal action against the medical care vs the employer. Why did he get so severely injured in the first place you know what I mean?

I don’t know if these types of cases discuss the proof openly, but I’m assuming that the doctors at OHSU would have noticed the agregious amount of debris the family claimed remained in the wound. But if there isn’t proof that the wound was not cleaned well, this might just be a case of a tragic death and the grief of a family “lashing out legally” so to say. I think it’s not uncommon for tragic deaths to try to find “justice” any way they can.”

There is also the question of who ultimately pays if liability is found. Practitioners and hospitals carry insurance, so how much do they actually pay out directly? Do insurance rates then increase, similar to auto insurance? And if so, are those higher costs eventually passed on to the public through the price of medical care?

Story developing…

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A $100 million wrongful death lawsuit has now been filed following the death of an 18-year-old Alsea man after treatment at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center.

The lawsuit centers around Ethan Cantrell. He was a logger from the Alsea area who suffered an arm injury while working in August 2024. According to the court filing, Cantrell went to the emergency room at Good Samaritan for treatment for his injury. His family alleges material and debris were left inside the wound, leading to a fast-moving infection that became fatal days later.

Court documents claim Cantrell’s condition deteriorated after the ER visit. He was then transferred to Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland, where doctors performed emergency surgeries in an attempt to stop the spread of the infection. He died less than a week after the original injury.

The lawsuit accuses multiple parties of negligence, including Good Samaritan, two physicians involved in the treatment, and the emergency medical group associated with the hospital’s ER operations, which we believe is Mary’s Peak Emergency Physicians.

The lawsuit has now entered the Benton County court system, where future hearings and scheduling decisions are expected to take place.

Attorneys repping the family allege organic material such as moss, pine needles, and wood debris remained inside the wound after treatment. The suit claims that failing to fully clean and manage the injury contributed to the infection becoming life-threatening.

Ethan was part of a long-time timber family with generations of ties to Oregon’s logging industry. He was a fifth-generation logger and was working in the woods when he suffered the injury that would later become fatal.

Oregon law states that damages tied to pain and suffering in wrongful death lawsuits are restricted by state limits… while financial losses such as medical expenses or lost income are calculated separately. Because of those caps, the compensation requested for noneconomic damages in the lawsuit may differ from any amount ultimately awarded, if the case moves forward and is not settled out of court.

The case is now entering the Benton County court process, where hearings and scheduling will proceed locally. This case has just been entered into the legal system. No rulings have been made, and the allegations outlined in the lawsuit will be contested through the court process.

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