Fifty percent of prisoners released from Oregon jails wind up in the streets, sometimes posing a threat to themselves or the community due to problems that stem from addiction or mental health issues. Sponsors, Inc. is working to change this reality for ex-offenders in Lane County. The organization provides transitional housing and employment opportunities to that fifty percent. But it’s more than that. Sponsors, Inc. also provides men and women with a community of support to help them adjust to life after incarceration. Ex-offenders often experience discrimination and prejudice during their lives, but given the chance they can become contributing, responsible citizens in any society. As Cory Stoneburg explains, such a personal journey wouldn’t be possible for many without the support of organizations like this.

Some jobs require you remove yourself from your normal, everyday life, and relocate to a place that leaves you with little to no human contact for extended periods of time. “Finding Companionship with Mother Nature” explores Kevin Silagi’s experience in Sumpter, Oregon, and why a profession steeped in solitude is perfect for him.

The public school system receives both positive and negative attention from the media, which points out the system’s flaws in evaluating student work, examining its teaching methods and analyzing how students learn best.  This piece works to explore an alternate approach to education, specifically focusing on a Montessori school in Silverton, Oregon from the perspective of administrators, teachers and students.

“If there’s a blessing in prison, this is it,” says an inmate serving time at the Powder River Correctional Facility in Baker City, Oregon. At any given moment, two dogs, previously believed to be unmanageable and unfit for adoption, can be found in the facility alongside selected inmates. These inmates serve as trainer-handlers in the Powder Pals program, getting the dogs ready for adoption. The benefits of bringing animals into a correctional facility are obvious, as these pups and their trainers prepare for a second chance at a new life.

Shake It, Eugene is a video series about Eugene’s underground dance movement. Although they remain relatively unknown, places to go dancing in Eugene come alive almost any night of the week as people of all ages turn toward dance as a way to relax and meet new people. This series provides a look at some of Eugene’s most joyful and inviting dance venues.

The Ride of Silence is an annual bike ride in memoriam of all the cyclists who have suffered tragic accidents on the road. The first ride took place in 2003 in Dallas, Texas with over 1000 cyclists in attendance. The organizers were under the impression that it would be a one-time event. However, the participants were so moved by the silent ride that they spread the word to other cyclists across the country.

Today, the Ride of Silence is an annual event taking place in over 300 cities throughout the world. These rides are not sponsored by any company or corporation, but organized independently by committed cyclists in their communities.

As the cyclists solemnly ride with signs and photographs of lost loved ones attached to their bikes, the ride not only serves as a meaningful gesture to honor those who have passed away, but also creates a dialogue with motorists, reminding them of the importance of sharing the road. In Portland, the riders met on May 19 at Holladay Park in the Lloyd District. Several participants were given the opportunity to speak about those they have lost before quietly reflecting and remembering on the 8-mile loop across Willamette River and back.

On the tail end of a fall weekend, University of Oregon students Ryan Dingler and Daniel Beltramo found themselves stranded in Redding, California. Eager to make it back home to Eugene, Oregon, they hastily added the words “class is on Monday” to their dog-eared cardboard sign requesting a ride north. For two hours, they stood on the shoulder of a busy road with their thumbs thrust in the air, praying that one of the blurred vehicles zooming past might pull over. Although some may see this as a desperate situation, Dingler and Beltramo had anticipated it; they had even hoped for it.

It took Ryan Dingler nine rides to get from Eugene to Florence and back.

Finally, a 1980s van rolled to a stop a few hundred feet in front of them. “Hey get in!” yelled its sole occupant. The boys were hesitant; the ride was questionable. They approached the passenger side of the van with caution. If anything went wrong, they could still run away. But the driver was clean-shaven and wore a nice jacket. The hitchers introduced themselves, asked where the driver was headed, and got in the car.

“When you first get a ride, you’re ecstatic!” says Dingler of the hitching process. For these adventure-hungry students, hitchhiking is not a last resort but a daring pastime, a way to break free from routine. Getting somewhere is not its purpose. Some don’t even choose a specific destination before hitting the road. The purpose, Dingler says, is in the journey.

Dingler discovered his new hobby during a bout of restlessness. “I was feeling bored and stuck,” he says, “I didn’t have anything to do.” Always eager for a new experience, Dingler and a few pals tried biking to Corvallis, Oregon, but bad weather on the return trip forced them to hitchhike instead. “Not ten minutes after we stuck out our thumbs, a truck came by and took us all the way to Eugene.” Dingler knew right away he had stumbled onto something great: recreational hitchhiking. “I knew that adventure was only a thumb away,” he jokes.
Hitchhiking as a pastime has since caught on to Dingler’s group of friends. But, although there are several online resources for hitchhikers (digihitch.com is the most popular), a community has yet to emerge for hitchhiking purely for fun.

Dingler and Eddie Ouellette bond with their driver’s wet dog.

Soon after that first experience, Dingler and Beltramo planned a longer hitchhiking trip: a quest for an In-N-Out Burger. Before leaving, they researched Oregon and California highway laws to make sure their new pastime was legal—which they discovered it was. In California, however, hitchers must avoid interstates and stay near on-ramps to find long-distance rides.

Anticipating the risk involved, the pair also devised a safety phrase to use in a bad situation They decided to use “I threw it on the ground,” a joke from a Digital Short on Saturday Night Live. Dingler used the term once on a ride back from Portland when he noticed their driver drinking alcohol. He’s also found himself riding with a self-professed bank robber and a drug dealer with a trunk full of marijuana. In situations such as these, the safety phrase comes in handy. When the time is right, they excuse themselves and hop off at the first possible stop.

Despite these and other “creepy” experiences, Dingler and Beltramo say the best part of the experience is swapping stories with their drivers. Their favorite encounters involve other wayfaring travelers such as Johan, the driver of the 1980s van that drove them out of Redding. During the long ride back to Eugene, Dingler and Beltramo took turns resting and talking with Johan, a bartender, traveler, and urban climber of buildings and structures in Seattle. According to the two hitchers, most of the people who take a chance and pick them up are adventurers themselves and can easily be persuaded to talk about their experiences. “Sometimes people completely open up to you because they know they probably will never see you again,” says Dingler. “They want someone in the world to know the struggles they went through.”

Dingler hikes up on the beach in Florence, Oregon to head home.

But before they can hear the stories, they have to catch a ride. If hitchhiking is the game, then attracting a car is scoring a point. Earning that score is literally the work of a moment. “[Drivers] judge you and your character as they drive past on the freeway,” says Beltramo. “If you look like a nice person, they’re more likely to pick you up.” To win over a passerby, he and Dingler often dance by the side of the road or do “the wave.” Another tip from Dingler: “Make it personal.” When a vehicle approaches, the hitchers do their best to make eye contact with the driver. “Even if you can’t see them,” he says, “focus on the spot where they should be.” Once the vehicle passes, Dingler says, prolong the effect by staring at it until it disappears from view.

When the hitchhikers finally reel in a ride, they rely on etiquette they’ve compiled to make sure the ride is good. “You always approach the passenger side of the car to avoid scaring the driver,” says Dingler. “Ask where they are going, and decide if it is far enough.” And don’t forget to “shake their hand before you get in.” Dingler also takes note of the license plate number before he gets into the car, texting it to a friend, just in case. According to the travelers, the size of the group is also important. Dingler has always gone in groups of two. “Three is too big,” he says. “I want to try one, but not yet.” He recently accompanied his friend Claire Seger on her first attempt, a ride back to Eugene form Portland. “She wants to go again,” he says with a grin.

Although much of this know-how comes from online tips, Dingler says the best sources are found on the road. Tricks of the trade include learning where not to hitchhike, such as less-urban towns like Medford and Albany, Oregon, and what to wear. The ideal outfit makes one look as friendly and harmless as possible without detracting from the idea that the ride is needed. On a recent hitching trip, a homeless man asked Dingler for money. “Obviously I didn’t dress down enough,” he says.

As Johan drove his decades-old van closer to Dingler and Beltramo’s destination, the guys realized what a good time they were having. Johan pointed out a sign signaling the exit to Eugene. But Dingler and Beltramo weren’t ready to leave. Johan was headed to Seattle. In the spur of a moment, the two decided to let their destination fly by. The adventure wasn’t over yet.

His eyes have peered through the barrel of a loaded shotgun. His skull has been on the wrong end of an airborne frying pan. Night after night he’s out there “stealing” cars…but legally. Meet Jay Gates, “repoman”. As long as there are debts unpaid, there will always be characters like Jay Gates. And this repoman loves what he does. In fact, Gates – a self-professed “adrenaline junkie” – hasn’t thought of quitting in nineteen years. While his signature, eight-shot black, DutchBrothers coffee keeps him awake, Gates does most of his work at night by the harsh glow of his own headlights.

On the first day of camp, they play with matches. By the time they complete the Trackers PDX course, the children will make fire using a bow drill, shoot arrows and build a shelter in the woods. For these mostly home schooled kids, Trackers PDX provides a chance to learn wilderness skills, connecting the youngsters to the natural environment and enabling them to make friends along the way.

NCAA All American wrestler Chael Sonnen is training for the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title fight this summer. He stands against Anderson Silva, a brutal opponent who has destroyed some of the best fighters in the UFC. But when he’s not beating up on 200 pound men he’s going door to door campaigning to be the next State Representative of Oregon’s district 37. In one arena his opponents stand in front of him while in the other they attack from behind. What kind of man does it take to win in both?