Good morning, Eugene.

PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend gave Thanksgiving meal baskets to patients, employees + community members Tuesday.

The annual gesture kept a long tradition of support for local families during the holiday season + helping those served by the center.

The Giving Machines have returned at Valley River Center Mall to support local nonprofits by letting community members buy essential items—such as fresh produce, oral health kits, and a week of diapers—while proceeds help agencies in Lane, Benton, Linn and Douglas counties.

They will operate for three weeks, offering items from $5 to $150 as sponsors match donations.

Les Schwab Tires is hosting a toy donation drive during the University of Oregon—University of Washington football game on Nov.

29 at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Fans who attend are asked to bring new, unwrapped toys or donate online that day—contributions will benefit The Forgotten Children’s Fund in Western Washington and The Salvation Army S. Willamette Valley Corps in Eugene.

Lane County residents are invited to join Waste Wise Lane County’s annual Simplify the Holidays campaign—which returns for its fourth year and runs through New Year’s Day—to reduce extra waste during the season.

The program features a Holiday Leftover Recipe Contest with prizes like gift certificates and workshop enrollments to help promote low-impact celebrations.

Today, the Oregon Department of Human Services urged residents to protect their EBT cards by changing PINs, freezing cards when not in use, and blocking online or out-of-state transactions to keep SNAP and TANF benefits safe — October reports showed nearly $86,000 in benefits were taken from about 220 households.

Lane County updated its Transportation Safety Action Plan in October to reduce fatal and serious crashes on rural roads.

The plan says the sheriff’s office will enforce traffic laws on roads like Territorial, Lorane, and Prairie—while drivers must avoid speeding, drug and alcohol use, and other risky behaviors, marking the first update since 2017.

Benton and Yamhill County Transits launched the 99 Vine pilot project on Nov 24 to offer free bus rides along Highway 99 between McMinnville and Eugene, with two stops in Corvallis and a total of 13 stops over eight communities.

The grant-funded service will drop riders at key points such as the Amtrak station and airport — providing an affordable travel option for local residents during the next six months.

The Oregon Department of Transportation said drivers should plan ahead for heavy traffic and bad weather over the Thanksgiving weekend as fog, rain and possible mountain snow may affect travel.

It advised motorists to allow extra time & check Tripcheck.com for road updates & carry chains on mountain passes when needed.

Silva Chambers, a veteran Eugene businesswoman, is looking into developing a six-story, roughly 150-unit apartment complex on Garden Avenue next to her 2023 Crosswood Apartments on a 2.5-acre family site.

The plan may displace the longtime Onsen spa business run by Don Knight—she is in early project feasibility with no set timeline yet.

Turkey Trot

9:00 a.m. — Alton Baker Park — Registration fee required — Lace up for a charitable run/walk benefiting Food for Lane County with options of 5K or 10K courses.

Eugene Weavers’ Guild 14th Annual Fiber Arts Celebration and Holiday Sale

10 a.m. - 5 p.m. — Eugene Textile Center — Various price ranges — Celebrate fiber arts with weaving demos, family activities, and a holiday sale featuring handcrafted items.

Ballet Fantastique: Christmas in Toyland Featuring Duke Ellington's Nutcracker

2:30-4 p.m. — Hult Center for the Performing Arts — Family-friendly event — Experience a jazz-infused holiday escapade with enchanting visuals and a whimsical story.

O Christmas Tea - A British Comedy

3:00 – 4:30 PM — Hult Center for the Performing Arts — Ticket prices vary — Experience a laugh-out-loud British comedy that blends propriety with unexpected humor.

Eugene Symphony - Elf In Concert

2:00-3:30 p.m. — Hult Center for the Performing Arts — Ticketed event — Enjoy a festive live concert featuring the film 'Elf' with an orchestral score.

Eugene Symphony: Handel's Messiah

7:30-9 p.m. — Hult Center for the Performing Arts — Tickets available — Experience the majesty and emotion of Handel's Messiah with a rich orchestration that enhances this beloved holiday masterpiece.

Maddy O'Neal Live Performance

7-9:30 p.m. — WOW Hall — Ticket information not specified — Experience a vibrant journey of dirty funky bass music blended with soulful melodies and glitchy rhythms.

25th Annual Authors and Artists Fair

10 AM – 5 PM — Lane Events Center — Free entry — Explore creativity while meeting local authors and artists and supporting library services.

Hanukkah Wonderland Celebration

4-6 p.m. — Valley River Center — Free entry — Celebrate the joy of Hanukkah with music, crafts, and delicious treats in a festive atmosphere.

Aerial Reimagining of The Nightmare Before Christmas

7-9 p.m. — Hult Center for the Performing Arts — Tickets starting at $35 — Experience the magic of Halloween Town with aerial performances and enchanting storytelling.