Kori Rodley is a City Councilor running for State Representative in Oregon to represent Springfield at the State Level.

Patric Miller ( ShopLocal541.com ) joins the podcast with host Patty Rose for the 9th installment of Two Pats in a Pod.

In this episode, we sit down with Sean VanGordon, current Mayor of Springfield, Oregon, who is now running for Lane County Commissioner.

We dig into why he’s making the move from city to county leadership, what most people misunderstand about the limits of a mayor’s power, and why county commissioners play a critical role in disaster response, infrastructure, and regional decision-making.

We also take a hard look at VanGordon’s record as mayor — successes, shortcomings, and lessons learned — including roads, budgeting, and long-term planning.

Finally, we discuss the race itself and the contrast with his opponent, David Loevall, including critiques of Loevall’s voting record, priorities around treatment facilities, and broader differences in governing philosophy.

No slogans. No gotchas.
Just context, accountability, and real conversation.

🔗 strpod.com
🎧 Spent the Rent Podcast

Eugene rapper, KI Design, gets his haircut at StutzCutz Barbershop and talks about new music, being forced to use social for promotion, and why comedy sucks now, among other things

In Episode 246, Patty Rose sits down with Eugene artist and activist Plaedo for an open, free-flowing conversation about creativity and more all while he gets a fresh cut at StutzCutz Barbershop in Eugene, Oregon

Listen, subscribe, and support the show at strpod.com

In this episode of Spent the Rent Podcast, host Patty Rose sits down with Brandon Ferguson, a teacher at Springfield High School and member of the Springfield Education Association’s Community Engagement & Bargaining Team.

Brandon joins the show as himself — not officially representing Springfield Public Schools — to offer a grounded and passionate perspective on what it’s really like to be an educator today.

• How things are going in education right now
  → Classroom realities, burnout, and the state of morale among teachers.

• Why unions are good
  → The power of collective voice and what solidarity looks like in practice.

• How bargaining is going
  → Inside the ongoing negotiations, priorities, and sticking points.

• What we’re asking for
  → The goals of the Springfield bargaining team — fair pay, smaller class sizes, and respect.

• What folks can do to help
  → How the community can show up for local educators and support public schools.

➡️ Visit the SEA Community Engagement page:
https://sites.google.com/view/seacommunityengagement/home

🎧 Listen now at STRPOD.com or wherever you stream podcasts.

Spent the Rent Podcast – Episode 244
Guest: Dana Petersen-Crabb, ShelterCare
Date: Sunday, September 28th

This week, Patty Rose sits down with Dana Petersen-Crabb from ShelterCare, a Lane County nonprofit providing housing, medical respite, and behavioral health services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

Topics covered:

• ShelterCare’s Medical Respite program becoming the first in the Pacific Northwest to earn certification from the National Institute for Medical Respite Care

• How medical respite bridges the gap between hospital care and stable housing

• The reality of funding reductions and their impact on local programs

• ShelterCare’s behavioral health program and the intersection of housing + mental health

• Future goals, obstacles, and how the community can support ShelterCare

🎧 Listen now at STRPOD.com or on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube.

💡 Support Spent the Rent:

• Website: STRPOD.com

• GoFundMe: Help Patrick Stay Under a Roof

• Venmo: @PattyRose541

• CashApp: $PattyRose541

Joined by Eugene Mayor Kaarin Knudson for a deep conversation about where our city is headed. From housing goals and public safety to the city budget, transportation, and the shifting media landscape in Lane County, we cover the issues shaping Eugene’s future.

Topics include:

• Reflections from her Sept 5 City Club of Eugene talk at the WOW Hall

• Housing challenges and Eugene’s 5-year goal of 1,000 new units

• The future of CAHOOTS and crisis response services

• Policing, Flock cameras, privacy concerns, and immigrant protections

• City budget shortfalls and the idea of a regional fire district

• Record traffic fatalities and safer streets for all users

• The decline of the Register-Guard and the role of independent outlets like Eugene Weekly, the Emerald, and KLCC

🎧 Stream the full episode at strpod.com or on your favorite podcast app.
📺 Watch on YouTube: youtube.com/2rd

Support the podcast and my work: visit strpod.com and click the GoFundMe link on the homepage.

Blair Hickok returns to Spent the Rent Podcast.
A close friend, redemption story, and community organizer, Blair shares what it takes to stay focused through hard times, the stigma of struggling, and why advice isn’t always what people need. We also touch on AI job searches, online privacy, back-to-school energy in Lane County, and the national politics shaping local life.

I share an update on my own health journey with CSR and thank everyone who’s supported me. You can help by clicking the GoFundMe logo at strpod.com.

Patty Rose sits down with his friend Rebekah for a candid conversation about mental health in Lane County. They talk about access to care, the impact of Oregon’s Measure 110 changes, and the controversy around the proposed stabilization center in Springfield. Along the way, Patty shares a personal update about living with CSR and the challenges of being out of work, with a link to support through his GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/774572fa