Good morning, Eugene.

St. Vincent de Paul will run three Egan Warming Centers as winter nears in the Eugene-Springfield area despite funding cuts and uncertainty over the Springfield site.

The organization plans to use 'The Zone' building, fairgrounds and a modular tent setup location and expects 350+ active volunteers to help.

Local comic creators and storytellers were celebrated at a free, all-ages Comics Art Festival held at the Lane Events Center this past weekend.

Organized by Books with Pictures Eugene, the event also supported animal charities by letting participants choose which group to help.

Drivers in Eugene see relief as average gasoline prices fall 8 cents to $4.89 a gallon today, according to GasBuddy's survey of 78 stations plus the cheapest station charged $4.69 while prices remain 19 cents lower than a month ago.

At the Eugene Farmers Market, locals said rising rent, gasoline prices, groceries, and healthcare costs are straining their budgets and limiting activities like dining out.

Their comments show ongoing affordability challenges as residents balance everyday expenses.

Due to budget cuts and fewer full-time workers (25% reduction), Eugene 4J will serve premade meals from outside vendors this school year.

At Holt Elementary, kitchen staff add simple touches to meals to keep a home-cooked feel while students enjoy fresh fruits, vegetables and one free breakfast and lunch daily.

Eugene 4J school district now uses premade meals from vendors due to $2.4 million in budget cuts and a quarter fewer staff, serving 9,500 meals daily.

Holt Elementary is serving mac and cheese and turkey sandwiches while still offering fresh fruits and vegetables for balanced meals.

Lane County, Eugene and Springfield will begin annual leaf pickup on Nov.

2 — a key effort to keep streets clear and water safe. In Eugene and the county, residents should pile unbagged leaves 15 feet from parked cars while Springfield residents must set bagged leaves curbside, with later rounds running into January.

Raiola came off the bench (with starter Dante Moore sidelined) and threw a 4-yard touchdown pass with 28 seconds left Saturday night to give Oregon a 17-14 win over Nebraska.