Eugene Youth Empowerment Program spared from $11.5 million in budget cuts, but future hinges on payroll tax
City of Eugene Recreation offers multiple programs including the Youth Empowerment Program which takes place at the Teen Center at Washington Park Center. The Youth Empowerment Program provides activities and recreation during after school hours. (Alyssa Garcia/Emerald) The City of Eugene’s Youth Empowerment Program has gained traction over the past year with growing teen participation […]
City of Eugene Recreation offers multiple programs including the Youth Empowerment Program which takes place at the Teen Center at Washington Park Center. The Youth Empowerment Program provides activities and recreation during after school hours. (Alyssa Garcia/Emerald)
The City of Eugene’s Youth Empowerment Program has gained traction over the past year with growing teen participation and programs that now include a waitlist. But despite its successes, the program’s long-term financial outlook remains uncertain.
City officials say YEP is safe from $11.5 million in annual general fund budget cuts in City Manager Sarah Medary’s proposed 2025-2027 biennial budget, which begins in July. That’s because the program is funded entirely through the Community Safety Payroll Tax, a city council-approved revenue measure.
However, some city officials warn that public trust in the payroll tax could potentially erode, putting funding for programs like YEP at risk.
Program sees growing demand
YEP Program Supervisor Alison Willis said the aim of YEP is “to help improve youth safety outcomes.” She described YEP, which launched in 2022, as a proactive public safety tool.
“Not having ways to be positively engaged can lead teens to activities that are not healthy for them and get them in trouble,” Willis said.
Last year, YEP opened a Teen Center in Washington Park. The program has also transitioned from primarily drop-in programs to regular clubs and programs.
“In the past year, we’ve really hit our stride,” Willis said. “Now we have waitlists for our programs … which we couldn’t have dreamed of last year.”
YEP activities include rock climbing, cooking, jewelry-making clubs, resume workshops, food handlers certification and lifeguard training. YEP also offers summer apprenticeships that place teens in places like summer camps and preschools. The city now employs one teen who graduated from the lifeguard program.
“She loves her job,” Willis said. “This is her passion, and something she wants to pursue as an adult that was not available to her before.”
Community Safety Payroll Tax at Risk
In addition to funding YEP, the Community Safety Payroll Tax also funds enhanced police, fire and social services. To extend funding for the tax past December 30, 2028, the council must vote by June 30, 2027 to place the measure on the ballot.
Some city councilors are concerned that public support for the payroll tax may be weakening.
Speaking at a city council work session late last year, City Councilor Mike Clark cautioned that there is a risk of losing community trust over the fire service fee. Only $2 million from the fee would directly fund fire services, with the remainder used to cover other general fund budget shortfalls.
“We’re taking $8 million of general fund money currently paying for fire out to go and spend on other things,” Clark said at the work session. “And I think that’s the part where we are going to risk losing community trust.”
Clark warned that losing that trust could jeopardize the payroll tax’s future.
“I think the consequences could be failure of the public safety levy in a year and half (and) losing $23 million … to pay for police and public safety,” Clark said at the time.
YEP eyes expansion
Looking ahead, Willis hopes that YEP can expand into areas like West Eugene and Bethel, where she says youth often face barriers to accessing programs like YEP.
“That would be my dream,” Willis said.
But whether Willis’ vision can be realized may depend less on growing demand and more on voters’ willingness to renew the Community Safety Payroll Tax in the future.
Replay Sports Cards to donate 1 million cards to Chicago youth
Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Piñeiro drops off a Replay Gives Back donation at the Boys and Girls Club in Charlotte, N.C. This week, Replay Sports Cards will donate 1 million cards to more than 40,000 youth in Chicago to “grow the hobby” of card collecting. Photo by Replay Sports Cards July 28 (UPI) — A […]
Carolina Panthers kicker Eddy Piñeiro drops off a Replay Gives Back donation at the Boys and Girls Club in Charlotte, N.C. This week, Replay Sports Cards will donate 1 million cards to more than 40,000 youth in Chicago to “grow the hobby” of card collecting. Photo by Replay Sports Cards
July 28 (UPI) — A national sports card franchise plans to donate 1 million cards to more than 40,000 youth and teens in Chicago to “grow the hobby” of card collecting and “spark the sense of wonder in a kid opening their first pack.”
Replay Sports Cards, which is dedicated exclusively to card collecting, will make the donation this week at the 2025 National Sports Card Convention in Rosemont, Ill. The convention runs from Wednesday through Sunday at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
“We’re passionate about growing the hobby and making it more accessible,” said Mike Martin, co-founder of Replay. “Too many children are priced out of collecting today, and we want to change that.”
“Replay Gives Back” will donate the cards to youth-focused organizations, including the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago and Noah’s Arc Foundation.
“The excitement of opening a pack of cards is timeless, and Replay Gives Back is our way of sharing that joy with kids who’ve never had the chance,” said Brent Schepel, co-founder of Replay. “It’s about inclusion, generosity and building the future of the hobby, one card — and one child — at a time.”
While Replay encouraged convention attendees and collectors to bring their unwanted cards, the company has already taken in more than 1.5 million trading card donations — including Upper Deck, Topps and Pokémon — since launching the campaign last November.
“We’re seeing a tidal wave of new interest in sports cards, and we built Replay to meet that wave with the infrastructure and innovation today’s collectors expect,” said Mike Weinberger, co-founder and president of franchising for Replay.
“But none of it matters if we don’t bring new generations into the hobby. At its core, Replay Gives Back is about expanding access,” Weinberger continued.
“Sparking that sense of wonder in a kid opening their first pack,” Martin added, “there’s nothing like it.”
Pete Buttigieg wades into trans athlete debate & ‘fairness’
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg offered one of the most carefully worded responses yet to the debate over transgender youth participation in sports on Monday morning in an NPR interview. Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate’s email newsletter. “The approach starts with compassion,” Buttigieg, who is […]
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg offered one of the most carefully worded responses yet to the debate over transgender youth participation in sports on Monday morning in an NPR interview.
Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate’s email newsletter.
“The approach starts with compassion,” Buttigieg, who is gay, told Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep. “Compassion for transgender people, compassion for families, especially of young people who are going through this, and also empathy for people who are not sure what all of this means for them.”
Related: Supreme Court to decide whether states can ban transgender women & girls from sports
Asked whether a parent concerned about their child facing a trans kid in girls’ sports “has a case,” Buttigieg said, “Sure.” But he rejected blanket policies like the federal bans being enacted by the Trump administration, saying, “These decisions should be in the hands of sports leagues and school boards and not politicians, least of all politicians in Washington trying to use this as a political pawn.”
Buttigieg’s remarks came days after Rahm Emanuel, former President Joe Biden’s ambassador to Japan, former mayor of Chicago, and a potential 2028 presidential candidate, told Megyn Kelly that “a man can’t become a woman,” a comment that directly contradicted party orthodoxy and sparked fresh divisions over how Democrats should approach transgender rights.
“I think most reasonable people would recognize that there are serious fairness issues if you just treat this as not mattering when a trans athlete wants to compete in women’s sports,” Buttigieg told NPR.
The political stakes are high. A June 2025 Gallup poll found that 69 percent of U.S. adults believe trans athletes should only be allowed to play on teams matching their gender assigned at birth, including 91 percent of Republicans, 66 percent of independents, and 45 percent of Democrats. Support for transgender athletes’ inclusion has declined steadily since Gallup first asked the question in 2021.
Related: What does the science say about transgender women in sports? Related: New study shows that sports help transgender teen’s mental health
Since returning to the Oval Office in January, President Donald Trump has signed executive orders eliminating federal recognition of gender identity, banning trans military service, restricting access to gender-affirming care, and prohibiting transgender girls and women from playing on female sports teams.
The United States Supreme Court will weigh in on the legalities of banning transgender people from sports by next summer. The court has agreed to hear two cases involving transgender athletes next term, which begins in October.
LGBTQ+ rights groups have warned that such bans are not only discriminatory but also dangerous. A July 2025 fact sheet from GLAAD noted that fewer than 10 transgender student-athletes are competing among the NCAA’s 510,000 athletes. It also pointed to documented cases of cisgender girls being falsely accused of being trans, harassed, or subjected to invasive screening, consequences not limited to trans youth.
Related: Gov. Gavin Newsom faces backlash over comments he made about transgender student athletes
In March, California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a fellow Democrat, received harsh backlash for telling far-right operative Charlie Kirk that trans kids’ participation in sports is “deeply unfair.”
Pressed on Trump’s repeated slogan, “No boys in girls’ sports,” Buttigieg declined to echo the rhetoric. “I think that chess is different from weightlifting, and weightlifting is different from volleyball, and middle school is different from the Olympics,” he said. “So that’s exactly why I think that we shouldn’t be grandstanding on this as politicians. We should be empowering communities, organizations, and schools to make the right decisions.”
Watch Pete Buttigieg discuss trans athletes on NPR’s Morning Edition below.
ECNL GIRLS ANNOUNCES ROSTERS FOR ECNL GIRLS CONFERENCE CUP
Story Links
RICHMOND, Va. (July 28, 2025) – The ECNL Girls is excited to announce the rosters for the 2025 ECNL Girls Conference Cup at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in California, August 4-8. The ECNL Conference Cup is an exciting opportunity for top players within the ECNL Selection […]
RICHMOND, Va. (July 28, 2025) – The ECNL Girls is excited to announce the rosters for the 2025 ECNL Girls Conference Cup at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center in California, August 4-8.
The ECNL Conference Cup is an exciting opportunity for top players within the ECNL Selection Program. 120 of the top rising U16-U18/19 girls players from across the country will be placed into eight different teams for a mini-game competition played over the course of three days. Each team will combine players from different ECNL Girls Conferences, geographically linked to represent different areas of the country. The top four teams will advance into the semifinals with the winners of those two games meeting in the championship game to determine the 2025 Conference Cup Champion.
Players were selected for the Conference Cup by ECNL player identification staff through a combination of scouting and recommendations based on performances over the past several months, including performances in National Selection Games throughout the 2024-25 ECNL National Events schedule.
To view the full schedule for the week, click here.
To view a full list of the rosters for the ECNL Girls Conference Cup, click here.
###
About the ECNL:
The ECNL is the nation’s leading youth soccer development platform. The ECNL respects and celebrates the unique individuality of every youth soccer player and club, supporting and enabling them to unleash their unfettered passion and fierce tenacity in striving to achieve their potential.
The ECNL mission to Raise the Game is a total commitment to create the best possible environment for players, coaches, referees and administrators, with a determination to constantly question convention and challenge the status quo in youth sports.
The ECNL Commitment:
We will lead, set our eyes on new horizons, and pursue them relentlessly. Born out of the belief in a better way. Continued in the ever-evolving pursuit of excellence.
U.P. Athletes Compete for Sports Illustrated’s ‘Youth Athlete of the Year’ | Sports
Three U.P. Student-Athletes are finalists for Sports Illustrated’s ‘Youth Athlete of the Year’ award. The Sports Illustrated contest is determined by public voting. “We’re searching for an exceptional young athlete who represents everything we love about sports: a dedication to greatness, fierce competition, and a commitment to their teammates and competitors alike. The champion will appear […]
Three U.P. Student-Athletes are finalists for Sports Illustrated’s ‘Youth Athlete of the Year’ award. The Sports Illustrated contest is determined by public voting.
“We’re searching for an exceptional young athlete who represents everything we love about sports: a dedication to greatness, fierce competition, and a commitment to their teammates and competitors alike. The champion will appear in a 3BRAND advertisement in Sports Illustrated and receive $25,000 to set them up for a bright future.”
Lauren Adams of Norway, Elliott Kraemer of Norway, and Braylin Calhoun of Munising are among the contenders for a spot in the contest’s Top 20.
Calhoun, a Munising native, is currently leading his group in the competition. He’s a member of the National Honor Society and an active participant in his church community. Although he’s only preparing to enter 8th grade, Braylin is already making waves on the AAU basketball circuit, standing out among some of the top talent in the state, and beyond.
Want to vote for Braylin and learn more? Click here!
Adams, a Norway native, is currently in second place in her group in the competition. A standout in both basketball and track, she was named Skyline Conference Player of the Year on the court, earned First Team All-State honors, and was selected to the All-U.P. Dream Team. In track, Adams was a two-time state champion in her events.
Want to support Lauren and learn more? Click here!
Elliott, a Norway native, is currently 11th place in his group in the competition. Kraemer was a standout multi-sport athlete for the Knights, helping Norway’s baseball team to an undefeated season and a deep playoff run.
Want to support Elliott and learn more? Click here!
You can use your Free Daily Vote once every 24 hours, and you can cast votes by donation for your favorite athlete at any time.
Voting for the TOP 20 ends Thursday the 7th of August at 10PM ET.
COPYRIGHT 2025 BY MY UP NOW – WBUP/WJMN. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED
Red Bull Youth Programs and West Side Soccer League Extend Longstanding Partnership
HARRISON, N.J. (July 15, 2025) –– Red Bull New York and West Side Soccer League (WSSL) are proud to announce the extension of their strategic Youth Programs partnership, which is transforming youth soccer on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. What began with Red Bull providing training support for WSSL’s inaugural five travel teams has […]
HARRISON, N.J. (July 15, 2025) –– Red Bull New York and West Side Soccer League (WSSL) are proud to announce the extension of their strategic Youth Programs partnership, which is transforming youth soccer on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.
What began with Red Bull providing training support for WSSL’s inaugural five travel teams has evolved into a comprehensive collaboration that now supports over 20 competitive travel teams and 12 tournament teams. This partnership is a cornerstone of WSSL’s continued growth, and both organizations are committed to raising the standards and enriching the soccer experience for every player involved.
Beyond the competitive level, Red Bull New York supports WSSL’s CORE program, which serves over 2,500 recreational players. The partnership includes player scouting, mentorship of referees and parent coaches, and a commitment to elevating coaching standards across all age groups and playing levels.
“Our extended partnership with the Red Bulls reflects a shared commitment to youth development. The Red Bulls organization brings a winning combination of joy for the game and a principled approach to player development, making them an ideal partner for West Side Soccer League.” – Assistant Commissioner, Joel Raha.
WSSL, one of the largest AYSO organizations in the United States, serves more than 3,000 players annually. The club is deeply embedded in the fabric of the Upper West Side community and maintains partnerships with NYC Parks, the Riverside Park Conservancy, and the Randall’s Island Park Alliance to ensure access to high-quality facilities.
“This partnership represents everything we believe in at Red Bull Youth Programs — empowering communities through the game, elevating coaching standards, and creating meaningful pathways for every player. West Side Soccer League is a true community club, and we’re proud to continue supporting their mission to make soccer accessible, joyful, and developmentally impactful for thousands of young players across Manhattan.” — Steve Jones, Senior Regional Manager – Youth Programs, Red Bull New York.
The renewed partnership underscores both organizations’ shared vision: creating opportunities for all players to learn, grow, and thrive in a supportive and professionally structured environment. Together, Red Bull and WSSL will continue to inspire the next generation of New York City soccer players.