McKenzie Bridge
McKenzie Bridge, OR · Health
Statesman Journal
Corvallis workers vote to strike Oct. 14 over pay, health care
The union representing workers for the City of Corvallis has filed a 10-day strike notice with the state and said it intends to strike starting Oct. 14. A final scheduled session with a state mediator is Oct. 8. The union, which is part of AFSCME Local 2975, represents about 246 employees in the city. That includes employees in public works, administration and other city departments. The strike notice followed declaration of an impasse in August and a 30-day cooling off period. It would be the first strike in city history. The city’s final offer includes a 6% cost of living increase in the first year and 3% cost of living increases in the second and third years. The union says among the items it is asking for are cost of living increase and increases in the percentage of contributions for health care premiums. “Corvallis has already become one of the most expensive places to live in the state, and many of our members are already struggling to make ends meet,” Evan Newton, a land use planner for the city and president of the union said in a press release. The union says its workforce has experienced 77% turnover in the
Ashland Daily Tidings
Grand Jury Finds Oregon State Hospital Bed Shortage Is Forcing Patients Out Before Treatment
A Marion County grand jury has said that Oregon State Hospital doesn’t have enough beds to meet the needs of patients needing hospitalization for psychiatric treatment, criminal restoration, or civil commitment. Grand Jury Finds Insufficient Capacity in Salem and Public-Safety Consequences. The grand jury spent about six months examining...
kezi.com
Springfield woman says Oregon care left her stuck with kidney bag
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. — A Springfield woman says she has spent nine months trying to find a solution to a medical problem that left her dependent on a kidney drainage bag. Sara Bride Twohy, 76, has been living with a nephrostomy bag since Jan. 13, 2026 when she says a complete blockage in her ureter sent her to the hospital for emergency treatment.
thelundreport.org
McKenzie-Willamette hospital on the operating table
A New York private-equity company eager to divest itself of a chain of small, money-losing for-profit hospitals is proposing an unusual solution: spinning off the facilities into their own independent non-profit hospital system, including McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center in Oregon. The deal would benefit the private-equity firm — GoldenTree Asset Management...
klcc.org
Florence-area property owners to decide whether to renew Western Lane Ambulance levy
Voters in the Florence area will decide in November whether to renew an expiring levy for ambulance services. The Western Lane Ambulance District serves nearly 700 square miles, including all of coastal Lane County and many rural, inland areas. Rob Chance, the Fire and EMS Chief, said the levy rate...
eugeneweekly.com
McKenzie-Willamette Hospital on the Operating Table
McKenzie-Willamette Medical Center is a big deal in Lane County. It’s the region’s second-largest hospital. Last year, it handled nearly 60,000 emergency department visits. With 932 workers, it’s a major employer. It pays $1.7 million in property taxes a year to Springfield, the county and other jurisdictions on its $160 million Mohawk Boulevard campus.
klcc.org
Samaritan plans $1.2 million pharmacy near its Newport hospital in January as other options disappear
This story was originally published on LincolnChronicle.org and is used with permission. The projected January opening of a Samaritan Health Services retail pharmacy in Newport will be a welcome development in a community left with fewer options after major pharmacy closures in 2025 and 2026. The new pharmacy will be...
centerforhealthjournalism.org
The Health Divide: Want to see your primary care doc? Join the club.
My daughter moved to Eugene, Oregon, recently and I promptly urged — OK, nagged — her to find a primary care doctor. She asked around, then came back with news that surprised me. The doctors she was hearing about didn’t take insurance. Instead, they charged a membership fee,...
kezi.com
salembusinessjournal.org
Santiam Hospital Joins Salem Health as Affiliation Takes Effect
Santiam Hospital & Clinics is now officially part of the Salem Health system, moving the two organizations from regulatory approval into the work of combining their operations. The affiliation was completed Sept. 1, less than a month after Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield approved the partnership without conditions. For patients,...
oregoncoastbreakingnews.com
Samaritan Works To Bring A Pharmacy To Newport
Reliable access to prescribed medications and other pharmacy services is vitally important for a healthy community. With many national drugstore chains closing, Samaritan Health Services has begun opening retail pharmacies throughout its service area – including one in Newport scheduled to open in January 2027. “For quite some time,...
kcfmradio.com
COVID Shots; Classic Car Show; Community Wide Garage Sale
Oregon Health Authority says updated COVID-19 vaccines could be available statewide as soon as this weekend under a new standing order issued ahead of the 2026-27 respiratory virus season. The order recommends vaccination for those at highest risk of severe illness, including older adults, young children, pregnant individuals, people with underlying health conditions, and health care workers. OHA says the vaccine will also remain available to anyone who chooses to receive it. Information on vaccine locations is available through local providers, 211, or vaccines.gov.
Lincoln County Leader -- The News Guard
Samaritan pharmacy in Newport progressing toward a January 2027 opening
Reliable access to prescribed medications and other pharmacy services is vitally important for a healthy community. With many national drugstore chains closing, Samaritan Health Services has begun opening retail pharmacies throughout its service area – including one in Newport scheduled to open in January 2027. “For quite some time, we have recognized the urgency and need for an additional retail pharmacy in Newport,” said Lesley Ogden, MD, CEO of Samaritan’s Lincoln County hospitals. “Working in collaboration with the Pacific Communities Health District, Samaritan is investing resources to make it happen. We’ve begun preparation by hiring additional staff – individuals who may have lost their jobs or left the area due to other pharmacy closures.” Work on the $1.2 million-plus project is already underway. The Pacific Communities Health District Foundation is currently raising funds for furnishings, equipment and site preparation. Those who wish to support the project are invited to make a gift at samhealth.org/GivePCHDF. Please note “pharmacy” in the comments. This new 1,800-square-foot neighborhood pharmacy will be located on property owned by the health district at the corner of SW 11th and SW Case streets. The location is close to Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital and will offer people the convenience
lookouteugene-springfield.com
Care providers, others speak in support of proposed behavioral health hospital in Springfield
The Oregon Health Authority will determine if a 96-bed psychiatric hospital being planned by PeaceHealth is needed in the community. The health authority on Tuesday, Sept. 1, held a public hearing on PeaceHealth’s certificate of need application for Timber Springs Behavioral Health Hospital. Once open, PeaceHealth would transfer its...
kezi.com
kepw-wholecommunity.news
Beyond Toxics leads opposition to Eugene data center
Beyond Toxics: We strongly encourage the city of Eugene to protect its residents, and therefore to determine that data center use is not allowable under the E-1 zoning ordinance. This is a letter from Jennifer Davis, the executive director of Beyond Toxics. It’s going out to the public. And the...