 Drive around Veneta and you can’t help but see the signs here and there urging one to vote for Mark Ghent for the Fern Ridge School Board. But who is he, why is he running, and what does he hope to accomplish if elected?
Ghent, a ten-year resident of Veneta who was born in Wales and still speaks with an accent, admits to having no experience when it comes to serving on a board, but he feels his adult life spent in uniform will be of help. Initially, he served in the British Navy but came to the United States when he met his wife. He then served in the Coast Guard Reserves before becoming a police officer in San Diego, and now works for the Eugene Police Department where he says his listening skill while dealing with various people in various situations should be of benefit should he be elected to serve on the Fern Ridge School Board. When asked why he wants to serve, Ghent, the father of a son in fifth grade at Veneta Elementary and a son in seventh grade at Fern Ridge Middle School, states that while he has great faith in the district’s teachers, he is concerned about what he says are a lot of distractions that are causing standards to go down in subjects such as English and math. To back up this assertion, he states statistics from the Oregon Department of Education that show third grade reading proficiency going from 84% to 39% while math has dropped from 75% to 40%. Fifth grade scores show reading proficiency dropping from 77% to 47% and math dropping from 73% to 31%. Ghent says he feels that a lot of the distractions come from DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) as well as I.E.P. (Individualized Education Programs) as all students, he says, are held back along with the students who are struggling. Teachers, he says, do their best to be creative, but Ghent feels that the curriculum and wasteful spending combined hold them back. States that are poorer than Oregon are having more success than Oregon is and are looking at ways to help students pass. People in this area Ghent has talked to are not happy with how things are currently, and he knows that teachers sometimes find themselves having to parent their students rather than instruct, but that he has a lot of faith in them nonetheless. If he is elected to serve on the Fern Ridge School Board, Ghent vows to put students first. While he is not against diversity in things such as Oregon Battle of the Books, he thinks the reading material should at least be enjoyable and he hopes to help the board become a conduit between the community and the schools. Parents and teachers, he says, are not always able to have a say, have a choice in what takes place in the classroom, and he wants to see this change. He vows to listen and to look at other states’ practices to see what works, hear what parents’ and teachers’ ideas are, and see that kids get equipped to achieve success. There is plenty of good the schools are doing, he says, but there is obviously room for improvement that he wants very much to see happen. As a police officer, Ghent has spoken at times with people such as nurses who have expressed that they have difficulty with the younger generation being able to work in a high stress field, being able to work in a hierarchy, and being able to receive a critique without it becoming personal and Ghent would like to see this dynamic change for the better with as kids are better equipped in the schools. To demonstrate his seriousness about serving on the board, Ghent admits to keeping a copy of the state guidelines on his desk so he can frequently look them over and study them while he determines what he thinks is the best plan of action.
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 Kristina Holton loves her community. She grew up in Junction City, graduating from Junction City High School in 2000, and after living briefly in Eugene, now lives here again. She is active in the Scandinavian Festival and as a mother, she is also active in the local Girl Scouts. For the past four years she has also been an active member of the Junction City School Board and hopes to continue this service after May’s election.
Holton’s background has been one of academia as she worked hard to receive a Bachelors in Mathematics, a Masters in Education and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership en route to a teaching career in middle and high school math followed by becoming a full-time math faculty member at Lane Community College and now, as the Dean of Science, Engineering and Mathematics at Linn-Benton Community College. This background has served her well as a member of the school board and during her time she has served on a wide range of committees such as Long-Range Facilities Planning, District Visioning/Monitoring, Classified Staff Negotiations, Licensed Staff Negotiations and Policy Rework. Since February 2022, Holton has also served as a Vice Chair for the board. When asked why she wants to run again, Holton says that the biggest cost in education is human and she wants to do her part to make the schools a place where students, including her own two daughters, Kylie, a junior at Junction City High School and Jana, who is in seventh grade at Oaklea Middle School, can learn and thrive. Her own experience as a student in Junction City schools was a positive one and Holton hopes to be able to make other students experience equally so by the creation of educational opportunities and the providing of a strong academic foundation. Oregon, Holton says, is not funded in a way to keep up with educational needs and this has led to the need for those in charge to become creative in coming up with solutions. There is a lot riding on the election and Holton hopes residents will support the bond measure being put before them. With passage of the bond there will be control locally to maximize community investment and a committee of citizens will oversee all spending, which will guarantee transparency and accountability. Laurel Elementary is in need of expansion and dangerous materials such as asbestos will be removed for the safety of students and staff alike, and contemporary safety systems such as updated fire alarms, security cameras, secure entryways as all schools and advanced locking systems will be installed with the passage of the bond. Necessary repairs such as fixing roofs that leak, replacing pipes that have become outdated, upgrading HVAC and electrical systems will be undertaken without the need to transfer funds from classrooms and ensure that classrooms will be warm, safe, dry, and advantageous to student learning. Overcrowding will also be addressed. Holton hopes people will see how important the bond is and vote in favor to ensure that a quality education can be had in the Junction City schools.  David Voltz is fairly new to Veneta, having lived in the city for only six years. An electrician by trade, he is concerned about the direction he sees the district taking and the deleterious effect these changes stand to have on kids such as his two sons, sixteen-year-old Zachary and thirteen-year-old Benjamin. When incumbents on the school board opted not to run again, Voltz decided to throw his hat into the ring in the hopes of bringing balance to a board that he says has a greater conservative presence than he would like and cites the plan to remove the gay/straight alliance from the schools which he says provides students an opportunity to expand their viewpoints. While his own children do not fall into the LBGTQ category, Voltz still worries about the effect of proposed these changes on them. “When things are demonized, kids get hurt,” he states matter-of-factly. It is important, he says, for schools to have representation for all kids and he saw what happens when it isn’t there while growing up in the Midwest in the 1990’s. When more conservative people are on the board, the district, he fears, will go backwards and he wants to be able to prevent this by offering some balance. Voltz would also like to maintain and expand the arts program in the high school, which he says is lacking as the district, the school, tends to focus more on sports. The band, he says, is nothing more than a guitar jam and the choir, which was down to two students who have since left, is nonexistent. Voltz would like to put more of a focus on all arts and he would like to get parents interested in coming to the school and seeing what their children are doing. If possible, he would like to give everyone a voice and allow all kids to be heard.  *This story focuses on suicide, those who are taken far too soon from those who love them, and those who are left behind. Five years ago, Veneta resident Donna Smith received the call no parents wants to get. Her beloved son, Heath Purpura, had taken his life in Sandy, Utah after losing a struggle with mental health issues at the age of 39. The grief of this loss was unbearable and the celebrating she had done about her daughter Heather’s and her sons Trevor and Tyler’s accomplishments came to a screeching halt. The tears were unending as she grieved the loss of the little boy she had raised and who had grown into a man who was known for his kindness, who loved dogs and volunteered at his local humane society, a man who loved to swim and workout and took great pride in helping others. Now, he had tragically become one of the over 30,000 people who lose their lives to suicide every year and Smith wasn’t sure how to go on after such a tremendous loss. Eventually, she began to attend a support group, but this soon came to an end when Covid shut everything down. Not to be deterred however, Smith began to hold a small support group in her front yard with several other women who had been through various losses. It was also at this time that Smith began, along with a friend who had also lost a son to suicide, to construct a memorial garden as a way of keeping Heath close to her and to have a nice place to sit and visit with him. The memorial garden is small but lovely, with an ornamental Japanese maple in the center and surrounded by such flowers as grape hyacinth’s, tulips, heather, and English daisies. Solar powered lights and decorative rocks including the heart shaped rocks she has found repeatedly while at the coast also inhabit the memorial while landscaping bricks form a circular border. Smith also decided to construct a memorial box that now sits on a post at the end of her driveway on 7th Street. Constructed by a neighbor who does crafting for the Emporium, the box resembles a Little Free Library but rather than contain books, it contains courage rocks that Smith has found during her trips to the coast and polished along with a note informing those who take one that the rock is to be used to draw strength when the owner is struggling with such things as loneliness, depression, addiction or rejection. The outside of the box has In Loving Memory of Heath in careful script along with his birthdate and the date of his death and a small painting of a bronco in a nod to his fondness for the Denver Broncos. When Smith travels to the coast and to Mexico, she takes some of the courage rocks with her to share with others there. Because the grief over Heath’s death was so crushing, Smith traveled to Sedona, Arizona, to attend a retreat at Selah Care Farm which is run by Joanne Cacciatore, author of Bearing the Unbearable. Begun with a donkey Cacciatore rescued from the Grand Canyon where it was being abused, the farm is home to other rescued animals that visitors who are grieving can visit with as they slowly learn that grief and joy can coexist. While there, Smith ironically encountered the mother of one of Heath’s friends who shared a fond memory of Heath’s carrying her groceries into the house for her and taking her garbage out to the curb as that was the kind of man he was. Smith traveled to the farm more than once and it was after a visit during which Cacciatore told Smith that she deserved to be happy that Smith adopted a Yorkie puppy she named Chance. The little dog has been great for both her physical and emotional health and taking care of him has done tremendous things to lift her spirits. Still, she grieves for the son who used to joke that Heath candy bars were named in his honor and Smith considers it a message from him when she finds a heart-shaped rock as he continues to tell her how much he loved her despite feeling like he couldn’t continue to struggle. Smith has also been seeing a lot of hummingbirds since Heath’s death as she sits by his memorial garden and talks with him and this, too, gives her comfort though her heart will never be whole again. The loss of a loved one to suicide is a pain that no one should have to endure but for far too many it is a tragic reality. Sometimes the pain can be so great, the burden so heavy, that one can stop seeing any chance for the darkness to end and the sunshine to return. It is then those thoughts of suicide began to take hold, and it can seem like the only way for the pain to stop is through death. No one wants to take this step and put their family through such pain, but when one’s mind is not in a good place, it can seem like the only alternative even though it isn’t. Help is out there and there are many people who care. If anyone reading this is having these sorts of ideation, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Lifeline provides confidential support to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress. The sun can shine again.  The memorial garden Donna Smith and a friend made in memory of Smith's son Heath Purpura  Donna Smith poses proudly with son Heath Purpura   A thirty-year-old man is in custody after a pursuit by Lane County sheriff’s deputies and faces multiple charges.
At about 5 a.m. on March 27th, deputies responded to residence in the block of 88700 Territorial Road after receiving a report of a dispute. The residents at the address reported that Josephy Spencer Gale-Smith, 30, of Eugene, who was known to them, came onto their property and proceeded to threaten one of them with a taser. Deputies were able to locate Gale-Smith driving a silver 2003 Honda CR-V in the vicinity and attempted to make a traffic stop. Gale-Smith did stop his vehicle but then left after a deputy attempted to speak with him. Deputies began to pursue him until he turned south onto Highway 99 from Clear Lake Road. AT this point, a deputy conducted a Pursuit Intervention Technique (PIT) which forced the vehicle off of the road and kept it from driving into Eugene. In the process of arresting Gale-Smith, it was found he was in possession of methamphetamine. Gale-Smith was lodged at the Lane County Jail without further incident and faces the following charges: -Menacing -Unlawful Use of a Weapon -Felon in Possession of a Restricted Weapon -Criminal Trespass in the 2nd Degree -Attempt to Elude Police by Vehicle -Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine (Misdemeanor) -Lane County Circuit Court warrant for a probation violation   A twenty-year-old man is in custody and facing multiple charges after a late-night pursuit by Lane County Sheriff’s deputies.
Shortly before midnight on March 19th, a Lane County Sheriff’s deputy noticed a black 1994 Dodge Ram pickup driving recklessly in the vicinity of W. 11th Avenue and Beltline Highway. The vehicle matched the description of a truck stolen recently in Eugene. The deputy activated his vehicle’s lights and siren as he initiated a traffic stop, but the driver of the truck only turned off the vehicle’s headlights, increased driving recklessly and accelerated to speeds of over 100 mph. Because of the other traffic in the area, the deputy ended the pursuit and instead began to communicate with other deputies regarding the direction the truck was traveling in. The truck was located driving recklessly several miles away on Highway 126 by another deputy who then began a pursuit of his own as there was no other traffic in the area and the driver had not amended his behavior. The pickup driver eventually lost control of the vehicle and the truck rolled near milepost 36. The driver, Jaedin Renae Duwell of Eugene, and a passenger were detained. Methamphetamine was found during a search of the vehicle. A further investigation resulted in the passenger being released while Duwell was taken into custody and lodged at the Lane County Jail on the following charges:
 The artist Jo Marie and Guild President Sharon Jesson pose by the Kids Kits shelf at the Applegate Art Guild. The year was 1985. Ronald Reagan was sworn into his second term in office that January 20th and on January 28th, the song We Are the World was recorded by an ensemble known as USA for Africa to raise money for famine relief. Route 66 was officially removed from the U.S. Highway System after 60 years, and the wreck of the Titanic was finally located in the north Atlantic. One of the biggest mistakes in marketing history took place when Coca-Cola changed its formula and released New Coke which was a dismal failure. Rent for an apartment was typically $325 a month, a gallon of gas cost $1.09, the average house cost $89,000 and a stamp set one back a total of 22 cents.
In entertainment, Calvin and Hobbes were introduced to comics readers, TV viewers tuned into The Cosby Show, Murder She Wrote, Dallas, Dynasty, and Miami Vice. If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon, The Sicilian by Mario Puzo, Family Album by Danielle Steel, Texas by James Michener and The Mammoth Hunters by Jean Auel topped the New York Times Bestseller List and radio listeners sang along with such tunes as Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham!, Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears and I Want to Know What Love Is by Foreigner. In Veneta, a group of artistically minded women decided they wanted a way to get their work out where it could be seen and admired and thus began the Applegate Art Guild. First located on E. Broadway, the guild operated out of a private home with members meeting on the first Monday of every month and paying dues of $5. Bob Bettencourt became the guild’s first director, and it wasn’t long before it had to move to the now vacant building next to the food court. The Guild remained at this location until 1988 when it then moved to a building on Highway 126 near Dixie’s Café. At this point, it boasted 55 members and one of its good works was to raffle off an oil painting to help raise funds towards the purchase of a seeing eye dog for local resident Terry Muller, who had lost her eyesight to diabetes. Guild members also painted the exterior of the locker rooms for the original city pool. In 1989, the guild achieved nonprofit status. Two years later in 1991, the guild moved to the old church building that is now home to Our Daily Bread and soon after began holding shows at such places as Lane Electric. Unfortunately, this location did not last after the furnace quit and the paintings that hung on the guild’s walls became at risk for developing a type of mold called bloom. This was deeply disappointing as the extra room here allowed the guild to be able to include crafters and hold painting and drawing classes. It had been hoped that they could also offer classes to children after the school district found it necessary to eliminate certain electives. Now, it looked as though the guild might have to disband. Fortunately, more space was found at the Fern Ridge Center Mall in 1994, but when the rent rose to an untenable rate, the guild moved once more to an empty store front at the West Lane Center where it remained until staying in Veneta city limits became impossible. Now, the Applegate Art Guild calls the Applegate Regional Theatre campus home and creations by various artists bedecks the walls of the small but comfortable area where artists fashion their works and teach others how to do the same. Currently, the guild only has 18 members, but they hope to see this number rise and they are always open to suggestions as to how to accomplish this and what sorts of things the guild should offer. Currently, the guild offers several classes with the artist Jo Marie teaching woodburning, current President Sharon Jesson teaching painting with acrylics, Emily Fraizer teaching two types of weaving, Elizabeth Chamberlain teaching book binding, Carol Lewis teaching handmade greeting cards and Dana Doyel teaching the making of glass bead earrings. For those with children who enjoy art, the guild offers small packets of goodies such as paints and paint brushes that sit on a pair of shelves and await being used by little hand as they create miniature masterpieces that can hang with pride on a refrigerator door. For 40 years now, the guild has persisted and when the chips have been down, it has persevered in staying a part of the community. While many of the guild’s members have grown old and gone on to their Heavenly reward, those who enjoy being a part of its membership now hope that that guild will continue and that others will be able to enjoy having a space to create their art and show it off, while also imparting their knowledge to others. Having a space to express their creativity has been important to them, and it is their hope that others with an interest in art might like to wander through the guild’s doors and see what the guild can offer them.  Laura White is right at home as Fern Ridge Library’s new Assistant Director. While growing up in Salem, she was encouraged by her friend’s mother Mrs. Richards, who worked as a librarian, to obtain her library degree one day. While this never happened, she did find her niche in working at bookstores once she graduated from the University of Oregon.
It was while working at Barnes & Nobel that she met Brian Juenemann, then an employee of the University of Oregon’s bookstore, during the formation of the Reading in the Rain program that was begun by Tsunami Books Scott Lanfield. Originally, Lanfield was going to start this program with the reading of Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey, with Kesey himself giving a talk. However, when Kesey passed away, Lanfield opted to expand this program to involve all area bookstores as well as both the Eugene and Springfield Public Libraries. When White’s path crossed with Juenemann at Reading in the Rain, he informed her that he was leaving his position at the University of Oregon bookstore to work for the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association and encouraged her to apply for his old job. White did so, and was hired as the store’s Event Coordinator, which she described as a “fun job” as she got to work with various groups and departments at the college. The University then decided to no longer have a book department in favor of selling textbooks online and Covid also hit with a vengeance, resulting in White’s being out of a job. Eventually, she began to work part-time at Tsunami Books, and it was while she and the Tsunami crew were at PNBA conference in Portland, that she crossed paths with Juenemann once more. Juenemann told White about a position coming open at Fern Ridge Library, which he himself had heard about from Director Colin Rea, who was volunteering at the conference and had mentioned then Assistant Director Laura Blankenship’s impending retirement. As he did with the U of O job, he encouraged White to apply. White, for her part, wasn’t particularly interested, but after receiving a link from a friend about the position, she gave it a look and was impressed that it was in fact her dream job as it incorporated parts of all the other positions she had held. This was combined with the “sweet memory” she had of being at Fern Ridge Library years before at an event that featured author Garth Stein and his book The Art of Racing in the Rain approximately ten years before after Rea contacted the U of O bookstore who then provided copies of Stein’s book. “I wanted to see if the feeling was still there,” White states while explaining why she finally decided to apply. During the online interview process, White says she loved meeting Blankenship and describes both her and Rea as “wonderful.” She was offered the job shortly before Christmas, but because she could not leave Tsunami Books during the height of the Holiday season, she continued to work there two days a week while learning the ropes at the library. Now that she has taken over as Assistant Director, White is making some changes to some existing programs such as changing the name of the Death Cafés led by Deanna English, retired RN and death doula, to something more pleasant and English is also considering leading a book group on death and dying as she and White try to find a time for her programs that will work better for people than the current time does. White is also working to change the Hobby Hangout program so that participants will be able to come once a month with a project to work on while the following session would feature a guest who would teach certain things such as paper making. This month, the first of a series of “Good to Know” programs will have a guest teach how to write a letter to the editor or to a congressperson, and next month will feature a session on how to care for houseplants. White is open to suggestions from people about other things they would be interested in learning. Come autumn, she may decide to add a non-fiction book group to the slate of programs, but at this point, tax season is in full swing with AARP taking over the Konnie Room on Monday’s and Saturday’s and then Summer Reading will be commencing soon after. “I’m still getting my feel for the library, coming from a retail background” says White. “It’s exciting to be a part of something so vital to the community, a place where people can be entertained, learn something, be around others.” White says that she also enjoys talking with the substitutes who are working on their library degrees and remarks about how many opportunities there are to learn. Everyone has been “so welcoming”, and she describes the library’s volunteers as “amazing.” It is White’s hope to be a part of Fern Ridge Library for a good long time and already she has made a positive impact in the short time she has been on staff. She may not have gotten that library degree (Mrs. Richards still asks) but she has done well and Fern Ridge Library is lucky to have her.  Illegal dumping is an issue throughout Lane County and the Fern Ridge area is not exempt. Recently, bags of garbage and an old recliner were left near the railroad crossing in Veneta and a boat filled with garbage bags was left at the pullout on Territorial near the Long Tom River.
County Public Information Officer Devon Ashbridge says there is no lack of work for the two Abatement Officers who work hard to address this issue and will respond to anything left in the country right of way. Because the two officers have such a large area to cover, they rely on people making reports, as happened in the case of the illegal dumping at the railroad tracks. Once they have responded and the mess is cleaned up, Ashbridge says officers will comb through it to look for clues as to who the responsible party is. If they can be identified, they will be hit with a stiff fine as punishment. Ashbridge says that illegal dumpers typically look for roads with a pullout or where there is room for a vehicle to pull off the road or turn around. She cites Bolton Hill Road as a place where illegal dumping is common, despite the fact that there is a transfer station at that location. Ashbridge also acknowledges that places such as Highway 126 from Veneta to Eugene are bad for litter, but this roadway falls under the authority of the Oregon Department of Transportation while the County Corps of Engineers were responsible for removing the trash filled boat from the pullout by the Long Tom River. Ashbridge asks that people who see illegal dump sites please report it by calling 541-682-4533 or emailing [email protected] or by filling out an online form at lanecountyor./waste.  Helen Louise Casmey Hardenbrook-Peitersen
April 7, 1942 - February 21, 2025 Helen Louise Casmey Hardenbrook-Peitersen of Elmira, Oregon, passed away peacefully on February 21, 2025. She was born to parents Margaret Mary Menard and Earl Arthur Casmey, in Longview, Washington, on April 7, 1942. She came into the world feet first, born right after her twin sister, Mary Lou Vaughan. Helen was also the sister of Carol and Richard, all of whom preceded her in death. She is now reunited with her parents, sisters, and brother in Heaven, along with her beloved son, Frank Richard Pacheco, who passed away in 1983, and her late husband Harold Hardenbrook, who passed in 2011. Helen's family was her heart and soul. She is survived by her only daughter, Heidi Louise Bhan, with whom she shared an unbreakable bond, and stepdaughter Barbara. She also leaves behind her husband Jim, numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and many other beloved family members and friends. Helen was raised in Sweet Home, Oregon, and after graduating from Sweet Home High School in 1959, she went on to marry and start a family. Her strong faith, love for God, and deep sense of devotion to her family guided her every step. On July 5th, 1992, she married Harold Hardenbrook, and they shared a beautiful 19 years of marriage before Harold passed away in 2011. Helen began a distinguished career as a U.S. Postmaster in 1977, moving to Elmira in 1980 to become the Elmira Postmaster. She was incredibly proud to be named Postmaster of the Year in 1993, a testament to her dedication, radiant and compassionate soul, and tireless work ethic. Her successful career was one of dedication and service, and she was incredibly loved, recognized, and respected by her colleagues and her community. After retiring in 2005, Helen found her joy and peace in the beauty of nature, the love of her family, and the comfort of her faith. She loved camping, spending time at the coast, and travelling on road trips around the country. She loved to play card games with her daughter and grandchildren, and she had an amazing gift for sewing and creating beautiful things. Her love and devotion to her family were evident in everything she did, and she took great pride in being a constant presence in their lives. Although Helen will be deeply and profoundly missed, her unending love, faith, and kind spirit will live on in the hearts of all who were blessed to know her. A memorial service to honor and celebrate Helen's life will be held on March 8th at 11:00 at Olivet Baptist Church, Veneta. Family and friends are invited to come together to remember her and celebrate the love and joy she brought into their lives. |
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