Lane County Public Works earns award
SALEM – The State Land Board on Oct. 15 honored multiple projects and partners for their exceptional contributions to thriving Oregon waterways, wetlands, and lands/ Chad Hoffman of Lane County Public Works earned the Catalyst Award.

Since the State Land Board Awards were established in 2004, the Land Board has presented more than 45 awards, recognizing remarkable efforts in every region of Oregon.
In the southern Willamette Valley near Eugene-Springfield, there is an ecologically crucial wet prairie, emergent, and scrub-shrub wetland collectively known as Quamash Prairie. This restoration site, once a degraded agricultural floodplain of the Willamette River, is fortunate to be under the care of Chad Hoffman, pictured at left.
“We are so pleased to see Chad receiving recognition for his incredible work at Quamash Prairie,” said Jeff Orlandini, Lane County Waste Management division manager. “Not only is he making immediate improvements to an important ecosystem, but he is giving young people an opportunity to get involved, discover a love for the outdoors, and engage them in work they can be proud of.”
Hoffman oversees seed collection and proliferation of desirable natives while hand-removing undesirable non-natives. Efforts with local schools also extend Hoffman’s work to the wider community. He hosts student groups at Quamash Prairie weekly, fostering community involvement and stewardship starting at a young age. A video of Hoffman working with Al Kennedy High School students at Quamash Prairie Lane County’s Waste Management Division’s page is embedded below.
“It is a privilege to introduce so many students to the wonders of Quamash Prairie every year,” Hoffman said. “And it is an honor to receive this award on behalf of the work we do together to restore the area and support native species.”
Oregon’s employment situation sees little change in September
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4.0% in August and September and has been in a tight range between 4.0% and 4.2% since October 2023. The U.S. unemployment rate was little changed at 4.1% in September from 4.2% in August.
Other labor force indicators also reflected stability. Oregon’s labor force participation rate was 63.0% in September, the same as in the prior four months. Before that, it generally rose slowly over the past four years, from 62.0% in September 2020, indicating a larger share of Oregonians working or seeking jobs. Meanwhile, Oregon’s labor force was stable during the past five months, remaining close to 2.19 million people.
Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment in September gained 800 jobs, following a revised increase of 900 jobs in August.
September’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+700 jobs). Declines were largest in construction (-1,500). None of the other major industries experienced a monthly change of more than 600 jobs.
In the past 12 months, health care and social assistance (+15,100 jobs, or 5.2%) grew rapidly, while government (+5,700 jobs, or 1.8%) added the second most jobs. Only three other major industries—other services; wholesale trade; and transportation, warehousing, and utilities—grew since September 2023, each adding 1,400 jobs.
The other nine major industries declined during the past 12 months. The five industries that cut more than 1,000 jobs were retail trade (-7,000 jobs, or -3.4%), professional and business services (-5,000 jobs, or -1.9%), construction (-4,000 jobs, or -3.4%), leisure and hospitality (-2,500 jobs, or -1.2%), and financial activities (-2,200 jobs, or -2.1%).