Zac Ziegler

Flagstaff, Tucson

Senior Reporter, Radio and Podcast Producer at KUAT-TV (Tucson, AZ)

Reporter at KLCC. New to Oregon. Basketball geek, beer lover. Tips/ info? DMs are open. Standard disclaimer, views are my own.

Featured in: Favicon

azpm.org (+2) Favicon

knau.org

klcc.org

opb.org

Articles

Developer, nonprofit work to create more affordable houses in Albany

1 week ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

Wednesday, May 21, was a day that Carter Kachel and Nikilie Robinson will likely not forget anytime soon. They, along with a crowd of people, raised the ceremonial wall on a home that—come this fall—will be theirs. The home in south Albany is part of a new 176-home subdivision that will include a large number of homes affordable by people making 90% of the city’s median income, according to its builder, Hayden Homes.
Sen. Wyden, Rep. Hoyle talk federal funding during Cottage Grove visit

1 week ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

Sen. Ron Wyden and Rep. Val Hoyle were in Cottage Grove Tuesday to talk about the benefits of federal grants in rural areas, highlighting a facility that helps young people who experience homelessness or are at risk of becoming unhoused. The two Oregon Democrats stopped by Looking Glass Community Services’ new location on Whiteaker Avenue. The non-profits’ Rural Program helps people ages 11-21 with basic needs like food and clothing, housing, employment and addiction assistance.
Historic farm in Linn County receives permanent protections

1 week ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

Persephone Farm was one of the first certified organic farms in Oregon. As its owner seeks to hand it off to the next generation of farmers, that process could be notably easier thanks to a conservation easement that the Oregon Agricultural Trust helped put in place. The change designates Persephone’s land as solely for agricultural use, a move that OAT said will maneuver around a common problem when farmland is sold.
Eugene Chamber of Commerce calls the city’s new stormwater fee ‘a step in the right direction’

1 week ago | opb.org | Zac Ziegler

City of Eugene stormwater infrastructure in recently constructed in downtown Eugene in fall, 2024. An increase in the city's stormwater fee will help Eugene close about half of its budget shortfall.
Eugene Chamber of Commerce calls the city’s new stormwater fee “a step in the right direction”

1 week ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

The Eugene Chamber of Commerce said Friday that it sees progress in a recent vote by the Eugene City Council that implemented an 18% hike to the city’s stormwater fee to help plug a looming gap in next year’s city budget, calling it “a step in the right direction” in a media release. The city, facing an $11.5 million shortfall in the next fiscal year, had previously planned to implement a new fire fee to raise $10 million.
Lane County employment numbers shrink, but some sectors hold strong

2 weeks ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

Unemployment in Lane County ticked up over the past year, according to the April report from the Oregon Employment Department. The April 2025 number reached 3.9%. That number was 3.7% in April 2024. The number of jobs shrank slightly year-to-year, dropping 600 jobs to reach 165,200. The losses all came from the private sector. Non–government employment in the area went down by 1,500 from April 2024. Public sector hiring, primarily at the local level, offset much of those losses though.
Sutherlin Chamber designated Rural Regional Main Street Hub

2 weeks ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

Main Street Oregon has added a new member to its network with the aim of revitalizing downtowns in the Umpqua Valley. The Sutherlin Chamber of Commerce has been designated the Sutherlin Area Regional Main Street Hub of the Umpqua. The goal is to offer assistance to businesses and other groups interested in economic development to communities in the area such as Oakland and Winston.
University of Oregon wildfire experts worry what a lack of federal resources could mean for upcoming season

2 weeks ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

As fire season approaches, wildfire researchers at the University of Oregon have expressed concern about how cuts at the U.S. Forest Service and other federal agencies could affect response to fires in Oregon, where more than half of all land is owned by the federal government. Thousands of Forest Service workers were among the layoffs that hit the federal workforce earlier this year.
Oregon unemployment rate ticked up in April, continuing a trend

3 weeks ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

Oregon’s unemployment rate went up a tenth of a percentage point in April, according to the latest monthly report from the state Employment Department. The state added 1,200 jobs month-to-month, and the March report was revised to show gains of 6,200 jobs that month. The largest April gains were seen in the leisure in hospitality sector, which added 3,300 jobs. State Employment Economist Gail Krumenauer ascribed that increase to a stronger-than-expected start to seasonal hiring.
Cottage Grove City Council votes to return some pallet homes to Lane County

3 weeks ago | klcc.org | Zac Ziegler

Ten of the 33 pallet homes that Lane County Human Services Division gave to the City of Cottage Grove in April 2022 will be returned. The Cottage Grove City Council voted unanimously to return the 64-square-foot temporary shelters Monday night. The move came in response to a letter LCHS Division Manager Kate Budd sent to the Cottage Grove City Manager’s Office requesting the return.