TrackTown Tuesday series starts Jan. 31

From a press release

The TrackTown12 Local Organizing Committee and SportsOne announce the return of the popular “TrackTown Tuesday” series, as TrackTown USA looks forward to hosting the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field.

The year’s first meeting will be at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 31, at the Old Pad, located at 3355 E. Amazon Drive in Eugene. Refreshments will be provided beginning at 6:30 p.m.

The night’s featured guests will be women’s NCAA champion Jordan Hasay and men’s All-American Luke Puskedra from the University of Oregon; as well as Cyrus Hostetler, who won silver in the javelin at the Pan-American Games this past October, and Sam Chelanga, who won the 2009 NCAA cross country title for Liberty, from Oregon Track Club Elite. Associate Athletic Director Vin Lananna, co-chair of TrackTown12 Local Organizing Committee will also be present.

The Little Rascalz, who were selected by fans as the winner of the Official Power Anthem contest for TrackTown12, will also be performing their winning song “Run this Town.” It will be the first of many performances for the Albany duo.

Community Sponsors

Specializing in brain injury, mental health, and cognitive challenges

Dance 2012 opens Feb. 16

Dance 2012 opens Feb. 16

From the University of Oregon

The University of Oregon’s Department of Dance presents Dance 2012, the annual faculty dance concert, at 8 p.m. on Feb. 16-18. in the Dougherty Dance Theatre on the third floor of the Gerlinger Annex on the UO campus. The concert features the choreography of UO dance faculty including Brad Garner, Rita Honka, Walter Kennedy and Shannon Mockli, as well as work by guest artist Holly Johnston of the Ledges and Bones dance company of Los Angeles and San Francisco.

UO teams up with LinkedIn for networking seminars

From the University of Oregon

The University of Oregon is teaming up with a popular service to offer networking advice to alumni, current students and the general public. 

UO and LinkedIn will host two seminars—one in Portland and one in Eugene—to educate attendees about how to further career goals and expand one’s professional network. The facilitator will provide information about how to leverage professional and personal networks to identify career opportunities and connect with others.

Thieves swipe iPad from UO office

EUGENE, Ore. - A security camera caught two thieves snatching an iPad from a University of Oregon office on Wednesday.

The video shows a woman run interference with staff in a School of Journalism and Communications office while the man grabs the iPad and slides it under a stack of paper in his hands.

The theft happened in Agate Hall, where the journalism school has relocated while Allen Hall undergoes renovations.

Community Sponsors

Students Have Choice of Schools in Eugene 4J

Students Have Choice of Schools in Eugene 4J

Eugene School District 4J school choice period for 2012–13 is underway.

Families can enroll in their neighborhood school at any time. For those interested in enrolling in a different 4J school for 2012–13, now is the time to learn more and submit a school choice request form. Requests are accepted in an order determined by lottery.

'Oh boy, and it would of course be a big truck'

EUGENE, Ore. - An early morning high-speed chase ended with a stolen pickup crashing into Eugene's Flower Home at 13th and Patterson.

"Oh boy, and it would of course be a big truck," said long-time owner of the flower store, Pat Brooks.

In 90 years in business, they've never had damage on this magnitude.

Police arrested the driver, 18-year-old Aaron Blanton, on an array of charges.

And even with all that mess, the shop was open for business Tuesday, Jan. 24.

Brooks said Eugene's Flower Home has suffered through minor crashes over the years - and this one tops them all.

"About three fourths of the front of our building, which is windows, was gone," she said.

Eugene police said an officer tried to stop Blanton at 7th and Van Buren after 2 a.m.  After 2 miles of chasing, the store stopped the truck.

By mid-morning, cleaning crews had the windows boarded up and most of the debris into separate piles. Store manager Laurie Brooks-Headley told KVAL News, "All across the windows we had displays."

Truck crashes into flower shop after high-speed chase

EUGENE, Ore. - A truck crashed into a downtown Eugene flower shop on the corner of 13th and Patterson Street after a high-speed chase with police.

Eugene Police say the crash happened around 2:30 a.m. at Eugene's Flower Home.

"This pickup was clear into the building, and the whole front or 3/4 of the front of our building, which is windows, was gone," said Pat Brooks, one of the shop's owners.

Brooks said the flower cooler remained intact. The business is still taking orders and conducting business.

The Eugene Police Major Collision team investigated.

Police booked Aaron Glen Blanton, 18, into the Lane County Jail on charges of unauthorized use of a vehicle, attempt to elude police, reckless driving, hit and run, criminal mischief, possession of methamphetamine and other charges.

The road reopened to traffic by 6 a.m.