Today’s Weather: High — 56, partly sunny; Low — 41
Madison Middle School saddened by teacher’s death
An eighth-grade social studies teacher unexpectedly died Monday night after reportedly suffering a heart attack.
Andy Morgenstern was in his early 50s when he died Monday. He had worked at Madison Middle School since 1992, and had worked in various roles, including as a counselor and as a teacher of math, science, language arts and social studies.
Eighth grade students gathered in the school library Tuesday to receive the announcement.
To help with the grieving process, school officials set up “safe rooms” for students, faculty, parents and even former students who swung by their old middle school to honor a favorite teacher.
The school hopes to hold a memorial service for Morgenstern, though they haven’t released details yet, The Register-Guard reported.
Eugene City Council addresses homeless problem
The Eugene City Council met on Tuesday night to focus on ways to help the homeless.
After hearing from a panel of local experts, the council indicated a willingness to provide a yet-to-be determined amount of money to enact three strategies: The first is to prevent people from becoming homeless. The second is to increase vehicle and tent camping spaces. The third is to find storage units where homeless people could keep their belongings.
A majority of councilors expressed support for the concept of a village-style housing area for the homeless, although the council has yet to select a city-owned site for that purpose, The Register-Guard reports.
Residents discuss improving South Willamette Street at public forum
The Eugene Public Works Department held the first of several public forums on improving South Willamette Street.
A Roosevelt Middle School cafeteria was the venue on Tuesday night’s forum and filled up fast. Hundreds of residents from South Eugene listened as officials discussed ways to improve the south Eugene corridor. The goal is to help South Willamette Street become a vibrant urban corridor by bicycle, foot, car, and bus.
Some ideas the officials touched on included creating center lane turning lanes, bikeways, roundabouts, and crosswalks for pedestrians.
South Eugene residents also gave their opinions on what could be done to ease up the congestion, KVAL reports.
Eugene middle schools could all get standardized schedules
Tonight the Eugene School Board will consider a recommendation that all of its middle schools move to a common schedule, continuing a trend the district began last year with its high schools.
Laurie Moses, director of secondary instruction, and the middle school principals are recommending the change for many of the same reasons that prompted the shift at Eugene’s four high schools.
The argument for a common schedule is that it can save the district money by streamlining administrative tasks in computer and information services, human resources, financial services and transportation.
Supporters of the change are happy to see another step away from Eugene’s tradition of site-based and autonomous decision making, The Register-Guard reported.
Man arraigned after arrests for robbing Eugene bank and beating acquaintance with gold club
Jeremie Weslie Skordahl, a 33-year-old Eugene resident, was arraigned in Lane County Circuit Court on charges of first-degree assault and second-degree robbery in connection with the separate criminal cases.
Eugene police arrested Skordahl on Monday afternoon, about four hours after a robbery at the U.S. Bank branch inside an Albertsons supermarket at 311 Coburg Road.
Officers arrived in the area and reportedly found Skordahl covered in mud. Meanwhile, Oakridge police had been looking for Skordahl since Saturday, when he allegedly entered a home and beat an acquaintance with a golf club, Oakridge Police Chief Dale Scobert said.
Skordahl, who is on parole following a burglary conviction in 2010, is being held in the Lane County Jail, The Register-Guard reported.