February 18, 2023 1:40 p.m. 

On Friday, Governor Tina Kotek visited Douglas County as the second stop in her One Oregon Listening Tour.

In an interview with News Radio 93-9 FM and 1240 KQEN, the governor was asked how this county was picked as one of the first locations for the year-long series of meetings:

Governor Kotek and First Lady Aimee Kotek Wilson participated in three group conversations with local community members to hear their perspectives on the governor’s top three priorities: education and early learning, mental health and recovery and, housing and homelessness.

For the governor, the day began at Yoncalla Elementary School where she toured its Early Works preschool program space. She hosted a discussion with program administrators and parents as well.

Governor Kotek then traveled to Roseburg to tour the Gary Leif Navigation Center, which opened in June 2022 as a homeless outreach hub. The center, is named after the late state representative Gary Leif, who worked with Governor Kotek while she was Speaker of the House, to secure $1.5 million for the City of Roseburg to help establish the center. Leif passed away in July 2021. His wife Carol, joined the governor on the tour.

In the afternoon, Governor Kotek toured the Aviva Health facility and held a roundtable discussion about mental health and recovery.

Following a lunch meeting that focused on economic development and workforce development, the governor toured the United Community Action Network’s Feeding Umpqua warehouse. That was followed by a discussion on housing and homelessness with members of the City of Roseburg Homeless Commission and other leaders,

The tour ended with a trip to Oakland where Governor Kotek did some antique shopping, and met with Mayor Betty Keeley at Turkey Hall.

With thirty-four counties left on the listening tour, no specific dates or locations for future visits have been announced.