Protesters demand decarceration at County Jail

On Friday, a group of protesters from groups including Stop Death on the Streets Eugene and Lane County Mutual Aid circled the Lane County Jail calling for release of inmates. Protesters were in a car/bicycle caravan that was socially distanced.

This action took place a couple days after the first death of an inmate from COVID-19 in Oregon. The death was at the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem, which last week became the site of the Oregon’s biggest COVID-19 outbreak.

Listed among demands from organizers: releasing vulnerable people, long term restorative justice program that enables the shut down of the Lane County Jail, stop sweeps of homeless camps, creation of long term programs that address the entire unhoused problem.

Local links

  • On Monday, members of the GTFF delivered a petition to Johnson Hall asking for a one year extension to funding for graduate students at the University of Oregon. The union is also asking for people to email university administrators with the demands.

  • Governor Brown selected OHSU administrator and former aide Connie Seeley to fill spot on UO Board of Trustees. The Oregon Senate will hold a hearing on her appointment at a yet to be determined date.

  • The City of Eugene is seeking to update the Multi-Unit Property Tax Exemption program, and so far has received no comments from the public. City Council is set to take action this Tuesday.

  • Social Bicycles announced plans to exit operation of PeaceHealth Rides bike share program. The City of Eugene said they will be taking over control of assets, but riders could still see a pause of operations.

  • The Eugene Library announced it will begin offering curbside pickups for holds. OPB published a story this week on how libraries are operating now and preparing for reopening, including information from Eugene.

  • LTD announced 38 additional layoffs, on top of the 14 it announced earlier.

  • SEIU 49 is say local hospitals are not providing the basics for its workers after one of its members got sick with what he believed was COVID-19.

The week ahead