Good evening,

It’s Election Day. Registered voters in Springfield, Dunes City, the Lane Fire Authority district and the South Lane County Fire & Rescue district have measures to vote on. If you’ve not voted yet, you have until 8 p.m. to brave the rain and get your ballot to a drop box.

We have a list of drop boxes linked from Mike McInally’s election story, and we will be updating that story with results as they come in after 8 p.m.

Tyson Alger was at the UO women’s basketball season-opener yesterday. He offers some thoughts on what the Ducks’ 41-point victory over West Georgia reveals about Kelly Graves’ team.

A judge has denied the federal government’s efforts to delay fact-finding into the cause of the Holiday Farm Fire. The ongoing cases are part of a group of lawsuits filed by those who suffered losses in the fire. Jaime Adame has the story.

Oregon’s Head Start programs, jointly funded by the state and the federal government, will be able to stay open at least through the end of this year, despite the funding uncertainty posed by the federal government shutdown.

In our opinion section, retired attorney Dean Kaufman argues in a guest column that Oregon’s 50-year-old Residential Landlord and Tenant Act is part of our housing-affordability problem.

What’s on your mind? Send us a letter (350 words or less, please): lte@lookoutlocal.com

Have a news tip on something we should cover: newsroom@lookoutlocal.com

Were you forwarded this newsletter? Sign up here to receive Lookout PM in your inbox every weekday afternoon.

Voters deciding fire levy requests, Dunes City charter amendment

By Mike McInally

Voters in Springfield, Dunes City and two Lane County fire districts were deciding four separate ballot issues in Tuesday’s special election.

Continue reading…

These Ducks do run, run — and other things we learned from women’s hoops opener

By Tyson Alger

Even after a 41-point victory against West Georgia, with a good chunk of fast-break points, coach Kelly Graves thinks this team can get a lot better.

Continue reading…

Judge denies federal request to delay fact-finding in Holiday Farm Fire lawsuits

By Jaime Adame

Those who are suing over losses from the fire are looking for more information about the cause. Federal attorneys have argued they need more time because Forest Service employees and others are furloughed by the government shutdown.

Continue reading…

Want more affordable housing? Make Oregon’s landlord-tenant law optional

By Dean Kaufman

Since the Oregon Residential Landlord and Tenant Act became law in 1973, Oregon residents have not been allowed to decide which tradeoffs are acceptable when renting an affordable home. The […]

Continue reading…

Enjoy your evening,

Bob

Bob Passaro has been a reporter and editor since the 1990s. He has worked at The Associated Press, The Post Register in Idaho Falls, Idaho; The Salt Lake Tribune in Utah; and for 14 years at The Register-Guard in Eugene. He also spent about 10 years as co-owner of a design and web development agency in Eugene. And he is co-founder of the obituary platform Elegy.us