Latest news with #Whetstone
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Yahoo
Memorial Day in Eugene: Tea fest, tributes, gear sales and BBQs — here's what to do
The last full weekend of May is filled with interesting things to do in Eugene. Memorial Day is May 26, giving Eugenians a three-day weekend for fun, community connection and reflection. Memorial Day honors members of the U.S. armed forces who died in service. Several ceremonies are planned throughout the area, including services at the Eugene Masonic Cemetery and the Pioneer Cemetery, as well as a prayer and barbecue at Bethesda Park in Springfield. The weekend also features other community events. The Eugene Tea Festival will return to town for its third year, with more vendors and workshops than ever before. Oregon Paddle Sports is hosting their annual gear swap, putting outdoor wares on sale right before the summer season. A series of remembrance ceremonies hosted by Musgrove Mortuaries & Cemeteries will take place throughout Memorial Day, honoring local veterans and law enforcement officers who died in the line of duty. The events span four area cemeteries and include a special tribute to former Junction City Police Chief Woodrow 'Woody' Whetstone, who was killed in 1960 while responding to a domestic violence incident. Each ceremony will feature military honors, including rifle salutes, and will begin with the American Legion Riders delivering the flag. Notable local and state leaders — including Oregon State Sen. James I. Manning Jr. and Lane County Sheriff Carl Wilkerson — are scheduled to speak. Whetstone's granddaughter will attend the final ceremony at West Lawn Memorial Park. On Dec. 26, 1960, Chief Whetstone was fatally shot while attempting to defuse a confrontation outside his home. He is remembered for his bravery and service to the Junction City community. When & Where: May 26, 2025 9 a.m.: Memorial Mass at Mt. Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 220 Crest Drive, Eugene (Presided by Father Joshua Gatus) 10 a.m.: Ceremony at Springfield Memorial Gardens, 7305 Main St., Springfield (Speaker: Lane County Sheriff Carl Wilkerson) 12:30 p.m.: Ceremony at Lane Memorial Gardens, 5300 W. 11th Ave., Eugene (Speaker: Retired Naval Commander George Hecht) 2:30 p.m.: Ceremony & Whetstone Tribute at West Lawn Memorial Park, 225 S. Danebo Ave., Eugene (Speakers: Sen. James I. Manning Jr. and Retired Junction City Police Chief Robert Morris) Madelaine Au has always been passionate about tea. She remembers drinking Stash Tea with her mom growing up and discovering coffee shop culture in high school. Au had her first cup of loose-leaf tea in college and was completely enthralled with the process. "After being interested in loose leaf, I went to the Northwest Tea Festival in 2017, and discovered that there's such a cool tea community, and more to learn about tea than I ever realized," Au said. During her time in Portland, Au was involved with the Portland Tea Festival. When she moved to Eugene in 2019, she knew she wanted to bring the tea community here. So, Au got started brewing the tea community in Eugene. She held the first Eugene Tea Festival in 2023, which had around 500 attendees and 24 vendors. In 2025, the festival is expected to have 60 vendors, and Au is expecting a lot more visitors. "We have a nice mix of vendors selling kombucha, loose-leaf tea, matcha, chai, and even tea ware and jewelry," Au said. There will also be pop-up print making, an artists corner and live music at the 2025 event. When and Where: May 25, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., 85 E. Eighth Ave., Eugene Online: For 2025's Memorial Day, the Eugene Masonic Cemetery is commemorating those in the armed forces who have died. There will be flags flying over veterans' graves and the Hope Abbey Mausoleum will be open on May 25 and May 26 for visitors. Taps will be performed each day at 12:15 p.m. at the public square on the top of the hill, and guided tours of the cemetery will be given each day at 12:30 p.m. When and Where: May 25 and 26, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., 25th Avenue and University Street, Eugene. Online: The Eugene Pioneer Cemetery is home to a 25-foot-tall statue dedicated to remembering Union Civil War Veterans. The G.A.R. plot, which stands for Grand Army of the Republic, is also located at the cemetery. It provides a space to remember those who passed during or after the Civil War. The Pioneer Cemetery will be holding a Memorial Day service. Where and When: May 26, 11 a.m., 1001 E 18th Ave., Eugene. Online: Bethesda Lutheran Church will be hosting a brief prayer to honor those from the armed forces who have died at Bethesda Park's War Memorial Mound. After the prayer, there will be a potluck and hot-dog BBQ, where the church will provide hot dogs, buns, water, lemonade and servingware. When and where: May 25, 9:30 a.m., 4445 Royal Ave., Eugene. Online: Oregon Paddle Sports will be hosting their annual gear swap meet, with deals on outdoor goods and supplies right before the summer starts up. Eugenians are invited to come check out deals, and for every $50 they spend, they will earn a raffle ticket for grand prizes. Customers also earn a free ticket just for showing up, and can win prizes such as the BOTE Zeppelin Inflatable Kayak, among others. When and where: May 24, 10 a.m., 520 Commercial St., Suite K. Online: Samantha Pierotti is the food, drinks and "things to do" reporter for The Register-Guard. With tips on events and local happenings, you can reach her via email at spierotti@ This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: Memorial Day weekend 2025: Events in Eugene, Springfield
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Lawsuit claims teen was assaulted at Upstate boarding school
OCCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) – Parents are filing a federal lawsuit against a local school for failing to protect their child from assault and abuse while under the school's care. On January 17, a mother and father filed a lawsuit on behalf of their son, known only as 'John Doe' in the lawsuit, who attended Whetstone Academy during the 2024 fall semester. Whetstone Academy is a 'therapeutic boarding school' located in the Mountain Rest community of Oconee County. Their student roster consists of young boys in grades five through nine. The lawsuit claims that John Doe attended Whetstone Academy during the months of September through November, when Doe was 14 years old. Doe's parents lived in California when they sent him to the school, and had limited contact with their son through the form of letters. The lawsuit claims that, during his time at the Academy, Doe's parents noticed that he was showing increased signs of anxiety, with Doe writing to his mother that he was wetting the bed, a behavior the parents claimed was not seen in their son for a long time. When the parents visited Doe for his birthday in mid-October, Doe told his parents that he was kept outdoor for up to 12 hours a time. Around this time, Doe also started making suggestive comments, telling his parents that another student had touched him inappropriately and asked Doe to touch him. PAST COVERAGE: Teen was sexually abused at Upstate therapeutic boarding school, lawsuit says Around November, John Doe told his family during another visit that another student had sexually assaulted him multiple times. 7NEWS reached out to Whetstone for a response. The statement is as followed: 'Whetstone Academy is focused on ensuring that every student is cared for in a safe and nurturing environment with close daily supervision and overnight awake staff. As a therapeutic Boarding School, we work with adolescents whose behaviors have escalated to the point that they can no longer remain in the home. The allegations alleged in the lawsuit were reported to the South Carolina Department of Social Services. Whetstone Academy and staff fully cooperated with the investigation by DSS. DSS reported that the allegations were 'unfounded;' further, after a law enforcement investigation, no charges were filed. Whetstone is proud of the success of our students. We are part of an independent longitudinal research study that shows sustained progress long after graduation. ' John Singleton, Owner and CEO of Whetstone Academy The lawsuit stated that Whetstone Academy has had multiple cases of alleged sexual abuse and inhumane treatment, extending as far back as 2016. The lawsuit, in its entirety, can be read below: Whetstone-Academy-lawsuitDownload Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
TAP grants to help TLC teach job, life skills
Apr. 29—Teachers at the Transition Learning Center received a number of grants from the Education Foundation that will help students acquire a variety of life skills. The foundation's Teacher Assistance Program grants go up to $1,000. Karla Montalvo, technology teacher at TLC, received a grant for $1,000 — which she used $940 of. Her grant was for an Educational Classroom Systems card. It's a simulated debit/credit card system for educational purposes, its website said. Montalvo said it will teach students to budget and they can check their account balances and pay for things as though it was a regular card. "I also got kiosk stands for iPads, so that way our students can check in and out while they're here. They can also use it as sort of like an ATM to check their balance. It's really cool," she added. Jessica Erwin, who teaches life skills and homesteading/gardening got a $994 grant for chickens and everything that goes along with caring for and raising them. "Part of the reason is because eggs are so expensive, but they can also go to our kitchen that goes along with ... gardening," Erwin said. They were about to harvest their first vegetables from the garden. Having grown up on a farm, Erwin said this instills routine into the students' day. They have to do a predator check in the morning to make sure nothing has breached the fence. Then they have to gather the eggs. "It's a schedule every single day just like they would have at a job," Erwin said. "These are living things so they have to check the chickens every day." They will start with New Hampshire reds because they are a docile chicken, Erwin said. Including summer, TLC ends July 17 and Erwin lives nearby so she can check on things. "I think it will help them in that way that it gives them a routine every single day," Erwin said. Everyone will have a duty to take care of the chickens. The eggs will go to the kitchen and the kitchen will use them to cook for everyone, Erwin said. Michelle Whetstone, who teaches culinary skills, got a grant for students to earn the food handler certification and some equipment for the kitchen so students can learn those skills. The $994 grant will pay for up to 50 students to be certified. If all 50 don't use it this year, they can use it again next year, Whetstone said. "Some of our students already have that certification so it's giving them a boost before they go out to the workforce. Here we're going to have the stickers that they have to label things with in the refrigerator," Whetstone said. They will do the certification and practice it in the kitchen. Whetstone also got some cake decorating and material to practice with. "They've made some beautiful cakes," and it will give them a head start on jobs, Whetstone said. Joe Mansanales, a woodshop teacher, got a grant for just under $1,000 for a wood planer. "We do all kinds of stuff, and the wood planer will help us to use scrap wood and make all kinds of fun things," Mansanales said. They are always looking for scrap wood. "With a lot of our students, they're just not exposed to power tools. They're not exposed to loud noises, to vibrations, to things that, in some circumstances, seem scary. I want them to get over that fear and learn the safety and learn how to work with those things, but also just get over the fear of loud things," Mansanales said. "With a lot of our autistic students, for instance, the noises shut them down. If we can work past that, we can open up a lot of different experiences for them, whether it's power tools or in a kitchen. Just getting them used to those noises, those vibrations. With some of my students, they're actually controlling the tool. With others, we're working hand over hand. It just depends on their level of comfort. But with all of them, it's exposure to something novel, to something that's potentially scary to them," he added. Charleen Rodriguez teaches life skills/social skills and was awarded a $998 grant for an entrepreneurship class. "The idea came from us trying to find them jobs, and some don't find jobs or don't stay as long as we would like them to stay. I was just trying to find an idea or a way so that they could feel that they are meaningful and that they can support their family in some way and be part of the community," Rodriguez said. Students have come up with ideas such as their own cap design, bracelets and earrings. "We have been brainstorming different ideas that they would like to start creating. ... All the materials that we asked for in the grant are based on their likings," Rodriguez said. The grant will help students hone their fine and motor skills, feel proud that they are able to support themselves and be independent but also support their families while gaining skills to launch their their own ideas, she added. They would all recommend that other educators apply for the grants. "It's a great way to get things the kids need," Erwin said.
Axios
04-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Exclusive: Ex-Netflix communication chief joins AI startup Sierra
Rachel Whetstone has joined Sierra, the AI startup founded by former Salesforce CEO and current OpenAI chair Bret Taylor and former Google executive Clay Bavor, Axios exclusively reports. Why it matters: Whetstone previously led communications for four of the fastest growing companies of the past 40 years. She will be tasked with positioning Sierra to disrupt the customer service space. Catch up quick: Whetstone most recently served as chief communications officer at Netflix, but exited late last year following an organizational restructuring. Before joining Netflix in 2018, Whetstone oversaw communications for then-Facebook's WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger products. She also oversaw policy and communications at Uber and Google. Whetstone started her career in British politics. Details: Whetstone joined the the startup on March 3 and will oversee all communications. Sierra, which builds custom AI agents for enterprise customer service, recently raised $175 million at a $4.5 billion valuation. What she's saying:"I've been fascinated by AI since first hearing Larry Page talk about it at Google nearly 20 years ago," Whetstone told Axios. "In my conversations with Bret and Clay, I've been inspired by their intensity and integrity, appreciated their sense of humor and excited about helping brands create great experiences their customers love — versus the 'oh god' feeling most of us have today when interacting with companies." Between the lines: This is Whetstone's first time working for a startup and as a team of one. "It's about how comms can help create a strong brand for a new company in a busy space, generate interest and excitement from potential customers and future employees, and build momentum for the business," she said. Then it's about finding "new and interesting ways to repeat that message over and over again," she added."Repetition never spoils the prayer." What she's watching: How companies, brands and founders are navigating the fragmented media landscape. "There's a lot of debate about going direct vs via "traditional" media and I think you have to do both well. Otherwise, you'll miss out on opportunities to drive conversation about your brand and shape the debate," Whetstone said. What's next: Sierra recently introduced "supervisor agents"that would oversee the primary AI agent and ensure it's providing factual information aligned with company policy, the co-founders told Ina Fried at Axios' AI+ Summit in San Francisco. Whetstone will be tasked with explaining how more AI agents can support and safeguard against other AI agents. More on Axios: Sierra, co-founded by OpenAI chair Bret Taylor, raises $175 million Exclusive: These tech executives want to support AI agents with more AI Workplace chat's future: more AI agents, fewer humans
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
‘A good mom': Daughter remembers devastating tent fire that claimed her mother's life
BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. (WATE) —Last Monday in Blount County a fire sparked by a wood stove and propane heater tragically destroyed the bell tent of Julie Whetstone, resulting in severe upper body burns that led to her death. Monday evening Whetstone's Daughter, Paige McCleary, was spending time with her mother, receiving a gift ahead of her birthday next week. Just an hour later, tragedy struck. Later that night McCleary was woken up by her boyfriend to discover her mother's tent burned down, leaving her mom severely injured. 'He woke me up and grabbed a blanket off my bed and rushed me out into the yard, and her whole tent was on fire…there was nothing left but fire, and she was laying in the grass, and he covered her with a blanket. He ran in there and pulled her out of the fire. She was burned really badly, and she kept saying that her hands hurt and that she was cold and then she said that she was thirsty, and I went and got her some water,' explained McCleary. Not long after, Whetstone was rushed to UT Medical Center where she died around 4:30 am. McCleary shares the close relationship she had with her mom. 'My mom and I had a very special relationship. We've been very, very close. She's my best friend. My dad died when I was eight, and we kind of survived that together and we've been through a lot of hardships. I took her to a jellyroll concert a couple of weeks ago, and she was screaming louder than I was……….and she was just really something.' McCleary hopes others will take away the importance of fire safety to prevent similar incidents. 'When me and her started this off-grid living, it was really a learn as you go kind of thing. Man, there's a lot when it comes to fire safety and electrical safety that we just we just didn't know. I think people need to know, and I think another thing is the housing crisis, because my mom should've been in a house, she shouldn't have had to be homeless,' added McCleary. McCleary shares with 6 news that she feels numb, and it's been hard to process what has happened. She started a fundraiser through 'GoFundMe' for her mother's arrangements and memorial services. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
