BRIEFLY.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Man critically injured

in pedestrian accident

A pedestrian was in critical condition at Sacred Heart Medical Center Sunday after being struck Saturday night by a vehicle near The Wetlands bar on Garfield Street, Eugene police said.

The pedestrian, Robert Hamrick of Otis, was walking east across Garfield Street about 9:50 p.m. Saturday when he was struck by a northbound vehicle driven by Andrew Argentino, police said.

It was raining at the time and Hamrick was crossing a portion of street not designated for pedestrians, police said. Hamrick, who was wearing dark clothing, suffered "extensive injuries," police said.

Argentino was not intoxicated and cooperated with investigators, police said. Argentino's hometown and age, and Hamrick's age, were not immediately available.

The accident has been referred to the Lane County district attorney's office for further review.

All-terrain vehicle driver dies on BLM trail

MARCOLA - A 59-year-old Springfield man died late Saturday night when the all-terrain vehicle he was driving flipped over on top of him as he attempted to climb a steep hill, the Lane County sheriff's office said.

Robert Milton Bryant was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical technicians with the Mohawk Valley Fire Department.

The accident occurred at 10:45 p.m. on Bureau of Land Management Trail No. 26 in the Shotgun Creek area, investigators said. The incident is under investigation.

Donation ideas provided for gifts to Guardsmen

Friends and relatives of Oregon National Guard troops in Iraq are collecting items for holiday boxes to be sent overseas and for gift baskets for their families at home.

Shelly McDowell of Eugene, whose husband, Jeff, is serving with the 2nd Battalion of the 162nd Infantry Regiment in Iraq, says the goal is to see that every deployed Oregon Guardsman gets a package.

Gift suggestions for donation to the project include coffee, playing cards, candy, Christmas lights, toys, cookies, holiday nut assortments and gift cards.

Donations can be dropped off at National Guard armories in Eugene, Corvallis and Woodburn.

The Department of Defense says individual packages sent Parcel Post overseas should be mailed by Nov. 13 and first-class cards and letters by Dec. 6.

Because of security regulations packages must be sent to a specific soldier, not to such an address as `any Oregon Guardsman.'

NORTHWEST

Families, governor work on memorial to soldiers

SALEM - The parents of a soldier killed in Iraq are not waiting for the war to end to start planning a memorial.

Clay and M.J. Kesterson of Independence joined Gov. Ted Kulongoski and about 100 others on the steps of the state Capitol this weekend to raise money for the $500,000 memorial.

Organizers estimated that they raised $1,000 to $1,500, which they will add to the $5,000 collected since the campaign began in mid-September. The Kestersons want to break ground on the project next November, the second anniversary of their son's death.

The state has designated land near the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs building for the proposed memorial, which will feature a sculpture of a soldier kneeling atop a 6-foot pedestal in a reflecting pool shaped as a world map. The soldier will stand on America, with arms reaching out to symbolize America's desire to help others.