Activist Alert 10-1-2015

• Lane County’s new Performance Auditor Shanda Miller will be available to talk about her work in a series of public meetings that will include at least one county commissioner. The next will be at 3 pm and again at 6 pm Thursday, Oct. 1, at the Siuslaw Public Library in Florence. Future meetings will be at 5:30 pm Monday, Oct. 19, at the Brewstation in Cottage Grove; 7 pm Tuesday, Oct. 20, at South Eugene High School cafeteria; and noon Thursday, Nov. 19, at Springfield City Club. The auditor assists the commissioners in improving the performance, accountability and transparency of county government.

• The Community Alliance for Public Education (CAPE) is hosting “Life After High-Stakes Standardized Testing,” 7 pm Thursday, Oct. 1, at Eugene Friends Church, 3498 W. 18th Avenue. Speakers are Rachel Eells, a Seattle teacher, and Sarita Amaya, an administrator from Beaverton. 

• Arguments for and against the Eugene Library Levy Measure 20-235 will be the program at City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, Oct. 2, at the Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette Street. Arguing for the measure will be Rep. Val Hoyle, talking about the importance of Eugene’s library system. Arguing against the measure will be former city councilor Bonny Bettman McCornack, blaming library fund shortages on mismanagement of city funds and lack of accountability by the mayor and council. $5 for non-members. Police profiling will be the program for the following week, Oct. 9.

• A lecture on “Climate Change, Analytical Psychology and ‘What the World Hangs On’” will be from 7 to 9 pm Friday, Oct. 2, at the Downtown Baker Center, 975 High Street. Speaker is Jenny Gordon, Ph.D.,  founding member of the Eugene Friends of Jung and licensed psychologist and Jungian analyst. Free for students and EFJ members, $15 for others. A workshop follows Saturday, Oct. 3. See eugenefriendsofjung.org for details and registration. 

• The annual Great Willamette Clean Up begins 8 am Saturday, Oct. 3, at various sites along 200 miles of the Willamette from Portland to Oakridge. Sponsored by Willamette Riverkeeper and more than two dozen businesses and agencies. A volunteer thank-you party and free lunch will follow around noon. Register or learn about sites in Lane County by visiting willametteriverkeeper.org or email Emmons@willametteriverkeeper.org. 

• A Harvest Festival for Human Rights will be from noon to 2 pm Saturday, Oct. 3, at 1175 G Street outside the First Baptist Church in Springfield. The free event features a hot meal, children’s activities and a produce giveaway. Information tables will showcase resources available for low-income people. Volunteers and produce donations are needed. The event is organized by the Springfield Shelter Rights Alliance, a program of CALC. For more information call 485-1755.

• Local high school students are organizing the Willamette Valley Student Union to advocate for students, citing “ongoing issues of injustice and inequity in Lane County schools.” An organizing meeting is planned at 2 pm Sunday, Oct. 3, at The Boreal, 450 W. 3rd Ave. next to REI in Eugene. Call (458) 215-0060 for more information.

• “Diversity in Higher Education: Dangers of a Colorblind Policy” is the topic of a free lecture at 7 pm Tuesday, Oct. 6, at the Knight Law Center, Room 175. Speakers are Gary Orfield and Patricia Gandara, co-directors of the Civil Rights Project/Proyect Derechos Civilies at UCLA. The event is part of the Wayne Morse Center’s 1015-17 theme of “The Future of Public Education.”