Biz Beat 6-27-2013

What’s a “benefit company?” The Oregon Senate has approved a new designation for businesses to register as corporations committed to sustainability. Companies will need to meet certain social and environmental performance guidelines. HB 2296A has passed both houses of the Legislature and is expected to be signed by Gov. Kitzhaber, but the rules and regulations are still to be worked out.

The Eugene Bawk Celebration, a backyard poultry event which overlaps (unintentionally) with the Oregon Bach Festival this year, will be 2 to 6 pm Saturday, June 29, at The Eugene Backyard Farmer store, 501 Washington St. The event features live music, food booths, chicken poetry readings, a crowing contest, chicken beauty pageant and a DJ playing chicken-themed music. Call owner Bill Bezuk at 485-3276 or see eugenebackyardfarmer.com.

Friendly Street Market will have a new owner soon, Erin Gilfillan, and will not be closed for remodeling as we reported in our Chow! issue June 13. The transition will happen in mid-August. Gilfillan is owner of Pony Express Restaurant Delivery Service and plans to continue that business as well.

Energize Corvallis has a new initiative to increase local energy savings. Going Ductless! is a program that educates and promotes the purchase and installation of ductless heating systems, in collaboration with The Heat Pump Store, 6775 SW Philomath Blvd. in Corvallis. The three-month promotion ends Aug. 31. Call (877) 509-2961.

The Downtown Liquor Store has moved to a new and larger location at 401 W. 11th Ave., formerly occupied by Kannabosm. The previous location was 220 W. 8th Ave. Owner Ken Hand says the new location has plenty of off-street parking and will allow an expanded inventory. Open Monday through Saturday. Call 343-4424.

The Farm to School Program needs a minivan to transport staff, volunteers, fruits and veggies and program supplies to and from schools and farms. The ideal van or similar vehicle would be reliable and low-maintenance. A donation would be tax deductible. Contact Megan Kemple at 344-4329 or megan@lanefood.org. The program is part of the Willamette Farm and Food Coalition, which partners with local school districts to incorporate locally grown and processed foods into school lunches and snacks. The Oregon Department of Education recently awarded grants totaling more than $55,000 to expand the local Farm to School Program.

Ferry Street Café is a coffee shop at 1260 Ferry St. that opened in early June, serving not only coffee but sandwiches, smoothies, etc. Owners are Holly Saunders and Steve Thomas, both retired paramedics from California. Find the shop on Facebook or call (530) 503-5770.

Spencer Creek Community Growers’ Market is now open from 10 am to 2 pm Saturdays at the Spencer Creek Grange, and is inviting backyard gardeners in the area to join the fun for $5 a space. Register at spencercreekgrange.org or call Genie Harden at 341-1709.

See’s Candies is opening a new shop in Eugene on Friday, June 28, in the Lindsey Crossing Shopping Center at 207 Coburg Road. The California-based company makes more than 100 varieties of chocolates and other candies.

We hear Hilton Hotel and Conference Center employees spent the better part of Saturday, June 22, building raised garden beds for residents of ShelterCare’s Afiya Apartments in Springfield. ShelterCare provides support services for families who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, and adults with mental illness or brain injury. The garden project is part of ShelterCare’s Healthy Food Initiative.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

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None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

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Thank you for standing with us!