I’m not lyin’, mountain lions, are, and should be allowed to thrive. I love to backpack. And more often than not, I do it solo. And I know that comes with certain risks. I was thinking about those risks when I recently did a radio show about mountain lion predation[Read More…]
Author: Michael Dunne
The streets we walk: A plea for logic
Recently, I had two interactions with people asking me for money in downtown Eugene that couldn’t have been more different, and they occurred nearly simultaneously. First, as I approached a pizza joint, a man sitting on the corner asked me for some spare change. I told him, honestly, that I[Read More…]
Make a difference: Donate blood
We live in unprecedented times. There is so much confusion, so much anger, so much hopelessness, and so much division. It’s daunting. Many of us are looking for something – anything – to do that makes us feel useful, impactful, and needed. We are looking for a way to make[Read More…]
Column: It’s time for National First Responders Day
I want to state from the outset that this is not my original idea and that I’ve heard several people mention it before. But if this column can serve as even the tiniest platform for the idea – I feel obligated to say my peace. It also seems to me[Read More…]
Commentary: Second Oregon outdoor rec near-death experience takeaways, tips
It was a couple of years ago that I wrote a column about my experience being injured while descending from Mt. Hood. The theme of that article was about the kindness of strangers in helping me off that iconic mountain. Well, as luck (the bad kind) would have it, I[Read More…]
Tiny homes are a small, critical part of big issue
Maybe they are the antidote to the “McMansion” craze of Western living, or a Hail Mary attempt to put a roof over more people’s heads, but the idea of tiny homes is one that seems like it’s here to stay. After all, the movement is trying to solve one of[Read More…]
Business owners seek to wipe out graffiti problem
SPRINGFIELD — Believe me, there are many, many more crimes that occur in our community that warrant significant attention and resources above something like graffiti. Violent crime, hate crime, robbery, and so many more leap to mind. If those crimes are like a cancer on our society, graffiti might be[Read More…]
Housing crisis a multi-faceted issue
It’s a crisis in our community which, on paper, has a very easy solution, yet in practice might be the hardest challenge we have – creating enough affordable housing to meet our needs. Indeed, a perfect storm of factors have conspired to make Lane County’s housing situation unsustainable and untenable.[Read More…]
Bridging the Digital Divide
The famous line, “If you build it, they will come” is taking on a new and significant meaning in Oregon with regard to critical infrastructure. For when it comes to expanding broadband into the more rural areas of the state, the sentiment is very much, “If you manage it, they[Read More…]
Real and perceived outdoor dangers
Recently, I was in a conversation with several young adults about their favorite outdoor spots in Oregon. They were new to the area, and new to outdoor recreation. It was a passing-the-time kind of discussion, with no real focus, and so the group aimlessly veered toward listing some of the[Read More…]
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