community organizations

“Gathering such a large number of signatures in less than 100 days is a testament to the energy and support behind this campaign,” said Aya Cockram, Co-Chief Petitioner and Oregon Energy Transition Organizer with Breach Collective. “Building on the momentum we created in the signature gathering phase, we are confident that our community will vote yes on the Eugene Clean Energy Fund so that we can meet the climate and economic crises with locally tailored programs with widespread benefits.” 

A coalition of nine environmental groups and two Washington tribes filed separate lawsuits this week contesting the decision. They argue that rescinding the harm rule is prohibited by the ESA’s statutory language and defies the core goal of the law, given that habitat loss is the primary driver of extinction. 

“It’s so intuitive, and it’s also the law that endangered species need to have habitat, or they can’t survive,” said Ben Levitan, a senior attorney at the nonprofit Earthjustice, which filed one of the lawsuits alongside the Center for Biological Diversity, Oregon Wild, the Sierra Club, and several other nonprofits. “The Trump administration is pretending like that requirement just doesn’t exist. So we’re trying to enforce that law and make sure that the Trump administration enforces it too.”

The Trump administration agreed on Monday to keep flying a rainbow Pride flag at the Stonewall national monument, reversing course after removing the banner in February.

The government revealed the decision as it seeks to settle a lawsuit filed by LGBTQ+ and historic preservation groups who had sought to block the removal. A judge must still approve the agreement.

The wild horse organization obtained a temporary restraining order in April preventing federal agencies and third-party ranchers from removing the horses through July 15.

The organization contends the horses are protected under the 1971 Wild Free-Roaming Horses and Burros Act, which established the Heber Wild Horse Territory within the Arizona portion of the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests. The plaintiffs claim the Forest Service violated the Administrative Procedure Act, the National Environmental Policy and the parties’ 2007 agreement by declaring the horses unauthorized livestock.

An International Society for the Protection of Mustangs and Burros representative called the ruling “a critical first step in protecting the Heber wild horses.”

Easton-area preschoolers are getting a unique opportunity to learn about diversity and inclusion through a program that aims to foster understanding and empathy from a young age.

Raising Multicultural Kids is partnering with the Easton YMCA for the second consecutive year to bring the Littlest Inclusive Learners program to local preschool classrooms, according to a community announcement.

The program involves educators from Raising Multicultural Kids visiting preschool classrooms at both Easton YMCA Child Care Centers every other week. They deliver lessons, stories and hands-on activities that celebrate diversity and inclusion, helping children explore different cultures and ways of life.

Inside the lower floor of a Florence office building, boxes and crates of food line the walls. Dozens of cars start pulling into the small parking lot out front. It’s the last Friday of May — and a Northern Kentucky cultural food pantry is about to open its doors.

A cultural food pantry offers food options that are intentionally aligned with cultural meals and nutrition. For Hispanic families in the region, this local cultural food pantry is also an opportunity to speak their language, share stories and see old friends.

“The fruits, vegetables and meats are things that for us — our food — is appropriate for our nourishment and culture,” said Blanca Perez, in an interview translated from Spanish. “But we start becoming friends and grow a lot of love for each other.”

This cultural food pantry is run by FIESTA; which stands for Families, Inclusion, Education, Society, Tradition and Access. The nonprofit focuses on family-oriented resource aid, which includes the larger pantry day every last Friday of the month.