Community Newsletter for Feb. 26

Community Newsletter

Our news, other views, and things to do:
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What’s happening in our community:

By Sarina Dorie – Arts Writer

‘The Swan’ at Opal Center a bold play about connection

COTTAGE GROVE – By day, Dale Light works in IT. By night, they transform into a swan. The Swan, written by Elizabeth Egloff, debuted on stage at Opal Center for…

By Kate McMichael

Moments of hope: Finding respite in stories and soil these days

Did anyone watch the Super Bowl two weeks ago? I admit, I only watched in spurts, finding the crowd noise was triggering my anxiety about my ever-growing, never-shrinking to-do list.…

By GUEST COLUMN

Time for city councilors to end CleanLane project

Dear Commissioners, I have been following your discussion concerning the IGA between the County and Cities within Lane County. I have heard Steve Mokrohisky explain when and why it was…

By GUEST COLUMN

Progress and accountability in SPS

As former Board Chairs of Springfield Public Schools, we understand both the weight of governance and the responsibility that comes with leading a public institution. In moments of heightened debate…

By Chronicle News Service

Donations still needed after house fire

EUGENE – Mike and Kathi Kangas are still recovering from the house fire that destroyed their home on Monday, Feb. 2. The GoFundMe campaign has ended, but financial contributions to…

In case you missed it…

Back in business: Familiar faces reopen Little Red Farm Nursery

Natalie Reeves celebrated the reopening of the Little Red Farm nursery on Valentine’s Day. The former owners are serving as mentors, and all of the employees have remained on staff. PHOTOS BY BOB WILLIAMS

SPRINGFIELD – In August 2025, Bob and Gayle Kramer announced their retirement and the closing of a beloved plant nursery. Little Red Farm Nursery at 1020 S. 42nd St. did not stay closed long, though, as former employee Natalie Reeves took over the business under Bob’s mentorship.

The nursery shut its doors at the end of October and celebrated a reopening on Valentine’s Day last weekend. Familiar faces were eager to be back at the plant shop, some even waited in the rain for the gates to officially open.

“We have the right person to hand it over to,” Gayle said. She said her reaction to Reeves wanting to carry on the legacy was amazement, wonder, and happiness. “It was really great, we weren’t expecting it.”

Reeves had been an employee only since late April last year. Bob has been guiding her through ordering plants and what it takes to run the establishment.

“When you know something for 35 years, you know something about it, so I’ve just been trying to pour that into her,” he said.