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Community Pages
Sutherlin Apartments
Continued from Page 5
We’re behind the eight ball on this.” He
stated that in some places in this state,
companies are funding housing projects
to provide affordable housing for its
workers.
“That’s a big step up and that’s a
big idea to involve the companies and
employers, because they’re hurting,” he
went on to say, “They can’t hire people.”
February 2024
Lynch also said that while these new
apartments are likely to be higher end
units for the local market, it may open
up some less expensive units. “I do not
believe this will add to the ‘affordable’
or ‘workforce’ housing inventory that
is in such limited supply in Sutherlin.
But there is a sense that any addition to
available housing here is helpful.”
It is certain that this is only a drop
in the bucket as far as easing the housing
crisis, continued development and
planning must continue to chip away at
this evolving dilemma.
North Douglas Herald
Drain Chamber Seeks Beautification
Ideas
Story by Rusty Savage
The Drain Chamber of Commerce is
looking for ideas to make Drain visitor
friendly as well as beautification ideas
for curb appeal and shopping. Although
there are currently some efforts on the
part of citizens and city officials, the
Chamber is committed to continue
with efforts to make a difference for the
betterment of the city.
Bonnie Pyles, a long time Drain
business owner and activist, has spent
many hours working towards these
efforts. She sites the long time heritage
of the community and area. From the
pioneer history to the legacy of logging
and industry in the area, there is a rich
precedent of a dedicated and resilient
cultures that have thrived here over the
years.
A couple of ideas that would rely on
tourist attractions, proposing a logging
Continued on Page 11
Business Oregon Awards $1.8 Million to Support Rural Communities and Entrepreneurs
After a competitive application process, Business
Oregon is pleased to announce a Notice of Intent
to Award a total of $1.825 million in funding
from the Rural Opportunity Initiative (ROI)
program to 19 Oregon communities. ROI is
Business Oregon’s strategic effort to empower
rural communities to support entrepreneurs and
small business growth through financial support,
innovative partnerships, network expansion,
capacity support, and access to business
development resources. ROI strengthens
entrepreneurial ecosystems within and across
Oregon’s rural communities with a particular
emphasis on diverse populations and low-
income households.
ROI funding continues to be highly sought after
and especially competitive. Each application
was thoroughly reviewed, scored, and discussed
by a multi-member evaluation committee prior
to a final award decision.
Small businesses and entrepreneurs drive rural
economies and are a major source of opportunity
as well as resiliency. ROI’s “whole community”
approach helps entrepreneurs thrive in the
good times and recover faster and more fully
following disruptions. In lieu of a “one size
fits all” approach, ROI reflects community
priorities and acknowledges that the best people
to determine the right approach for a community
are the residents themselves.
ROI is an investment in the vision and aptitude
of rural communities and aligns with Business
Oregon’s strategic plan to innovate, grow local
businesses, cultivate rural economic stability,
and champion opportunity for underrepresented
people.
Listed below are a few of the recipients of 2023-
25 ROI funding with a brief description of each
community’s project.
A Greater Applegate ($110,000) – AGA is
seeking to strengthen the local food and farm
system by improving coordination, distribution,
and marketing among farmers, ranchers,
markets, restaurants, and local consumers. By
supporting local businesses and the markets that
showcase their products, this effort is intended
to increase network participation, enhance
coordination between local markets, and
stimulate the consumption of regional products.
Bohemia Food Hub ($120,000) – BFH and
project partners will continue to cultivate and
refine the entrepreneurial ecosystem for food-
based businesses in Cottage Grove, with a
particular focus on supporting low-income and
immigrant entrepreneurs and scaling its
capacity to support more emerging businesses.
CCD Business Development ($100,000)
– CCD plans to strengthen the region’s (Coos,
Curry, and Douglas Counties) entrepreneurial
ecosystem by tackling the three gaps identified
Lane County Assessment and Taxation
Property Tax Break from Ice Storm
Lane County - For property owners
in Lane county, if your property was
damaged during the ice storm at the
start of January, you may be eligible
for a reduction of your 2023-24
property taxes. For damaged property,
the percentage of assessed value lost
is multiplied by the total tax on the
account for the month the property was
damaged and for each remaining month
of the tax year.
For example, if:
the property was damaged in January 2024
80% of the assessed value is lost
(the damage is to the improvements only)
the total 2023-24 tax bill is $2,400
Then: $2,400 / 12 = $200 * 6 (months)
= $1,200 * 80% = $960.
Most, if not all, properties will need
to be physically inspected for damage.
The refund process can start as soon as
the appraiser verifies the damage and
the amount of loss.
The application can be picked
up at Assessor’s office or at
Assessment & Taxation website:
www.lanecountyor.gov/at. It can be
returned to assessor@LaneCountyOR.
gov or dropped off or mailed to:
Assessment & Taxation
125 E. 8th Avenue
Eugene, OR 97401
Questions about proration can be
direct to: (541) 682-4321 (Monday—
Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.)
Officials with LCG say applications
for must be submitted to the Assessor’s
Story by Milo Banks
Office by June 30, 2024 either in
person or by mail, applications may
also be emailed online to assessor@La
neCountyOR.gov.
Story by Milo Banks
in their Economic Recovery Initiative project:
access to communication networks, financial
resource identification, and business technical
support.
Center for Rural Livelihoods ($110,000) CRL
will support entrepreneurs in the restoration
forestry sector by helping incubate new
businesses, supporting alliances among
existing businesses, and encouraging market
development for specialized forest products
while centering the voices of Indigenous leaders
and land stewards. ecosystem development.
Friends of Family Farmers ($110,000) – FOFF
and project partners will enhance the agricultural
entrepreneurial ecosystem by supporting farm
succession planning that helps beginning
farmers and ranchers establish successful and
sustainable farm enterprises.
Oregon Frontier Chamber ($90,000) –The
OFC identified business community priorities
and is now poised to address them, including
reinforcing support for its Rural Ambassador
program, tailoring direct assistance and
training to meet individual business needs,
expanding support for youth entrepreneurship,
and solidifying the Rural Regional Main Street
program with participating communities and
Oregon Main Street.
RAIN Catalysts ($100,000) – RAIN and
project partners will be active in 29 rural
communities and four counties (Linn, Lane,
Benton, and Grant Counties) across the state,
providing programming, events, and youth
entrepreneurship bootcamps that harness
existing momentum and contribute to sustainable
ecosystems that prioritize entrepreneurs.
Umpqua CDC ($75,000) – Umpqua CDC and
project partners will address the lack of available
childcare in the region through training,
instruction, and support for culturally specific
providers as they build sustainable businesses
and the ecosystem that supports them. and
Continued on Page 7
Human Trafficking Awareness & Prevention
Douglas County Task Force Advocates
Roseburg OR — The Douglas County
Human Trafficking Task Force and the
The Mercy Foundation are working to help
bring more awareness and prevention to the
community. The Task Force plans to identify
and respond to victims of human trafficking
while working with law enforcement, social
service providers and medical professionals
throughout the county.
In Douglas county it is primarily in
bars and establishments along I-5 and
surrounding rest areas where some of the
most active places for trafficking are taking
place. According to, Violence Prevention
Program Manager, Marion Pearson the more
the message gets out to the community, the
better the chances for awareness so that
prevention can succeed.
“The more people that people are aware,”
explains Pearson, “the less places traffickers
will have to hide and that’s what we want
in our community. We want to be able to
identify who our victims and survivors are,
get them the assistance that they need, and
get these traffickers locked up.”
The Task Force has a number of projects
at work, including a Sip Safe project, which
is designed to help bars and pubs learn what
to look out for. This project began last year
with nine locations agreeing to go through
the training. This year, they hope to bring
six more establishments into the training
program.
Working with these establishments is
important for the training being provided and
the awareness needed. Additionally, stickers
and drink testers are also made available to
help visitors and staff if and when they don’t
feel safe. Pearson hopes that this will lead to
better knowledge on what to do and better
prepare staff on how to act.
“If they believe that their drink has
been spiked or their friend’s drink has been
spiked or something just weird is happening
Story by Scooter Brown
within the bar, they have an opportunity to let
somebody in the bar know and that somebody
in the bar will respond appropriately to
whatever it is that they need.”
The task force, made up of over 15
partners, is dedicated to educating our county
on how trafficking occurs, the red flags and
indicators, risk factors and resources for
human trafficking. The task force and all
activities are generously funded through a
federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant.
Through this VOCA funding, the Task Force
has hired an advocate to address the complex
needs of local survivors.
Some of the projects that are advocated are:
• Agency specific education, training and
resources throughout the social service and
medical fields
• Trainings for UCC nursing, paramedic and
truck driving students
• Trainings and resources to all Douglas
County EMT’s
• Law enforcement, security staff trainings
• Education and materials for local hotels
and motels
• Community events & Outreach
• Consultation to change policy and protocol
to screen for and identify victims and
survivors of human trafficking
• In – school prevention education
• Partnerships throughout Oregon and with
the Dept. of Justice
• Advocacy, counseling, shelter and/or
relocation services for survivor
The Douglas County Human Trafficking
Task Force can be contacted at 2700 NW
Stewart Pkwy, Roseburg, Oregon 97471,
phone 541-677-4818.
Important phone numbers:
National Human Trafficking Hotline – 888-
373-7888
To report child abuse – 800-305-2903
Battered Person’s Advocacy Crisis Line
– 800-464-6543