Community Newsletter for Jan. 15

Community Newsletter

Our news, other views, and things to do:
Brought to you by The Chronicle

What’s happening in our community:

By Chronicle News Service

County seeking help for wildfire assessment

Lane County Emergency Management is urging residents to participate in a brief survey to assess household-level actions taken to reduce wildfire risk. The survey, available in English and Spanish, aims…

By Chronicle News Service

County: No ‘Point-in-Time’ homeless count this year

Lane County will not conduct its Point-in-Time Count (PIT) to track homelessness this year, as announced last week. The PIT count, initiated in 2005, includes an annual sheltered count and…

By Chronicle News Service

Lane County low-income program funding update

The Lane County Low-Income Household Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) has received its federal fiscal year 2026 funding, which was delayed due to the recent government shutdown. However, the program will…

By Chronicle Staff Report

Lane County Board appoints leaders

EUGENE – During its first regular meeting of 2026, the Lane County Board of Commissioners appointed a chair and a vice chair. District 1 Commissioner Ryan Ceniga, who represents West…

By Daniel Hiestand – WasteWise

Wrap up the holidays, not the waste

After a little time off for the holidays, it’s good to be back. I hope your holiday season was full of joy and memories. As the parent of an 8-year-old,…

In case you missed it…

When an office door closes, turns out a manor door opens

Artist Ame Beard’s art ranges from LED-reactive three-dimensional paintings to functional art, such as lights. PHOTOS PROVIDED

SPRINGFIELD – After serving as principal of the Academy of Arts & Academics since 2018, Ame Beard plans to retire at the end of the school year, refocusing her efforts on her art and on using her historical home in Drain as an event venue.

“The school is in a fantastic place. We have achieved 100% graduation in 2024, and it looks good this year to have a high success rate,” Beard said. “The school is in a good place in the culture. Things are going smoothly. It is a good time to hand off the reins.”

Beard previously worked as the assistant principal at Churchill High School in Eugene for two years. She became the principal at A3 in June 2018 after the former principal, Michael Fisher, was accused of sexual contact with a student in February 2018, which led to a school lockdown and Fisher’s suicide, the Register-Guard and KLCC reported back then.

The A3 community, grief-stricken and outraged, faced a difficult transition, as Fisher had been instrumental in creating the school in 2006 as a haven for students.