Activist Alert

• A benefit for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Oregon’s Lane County Legislative Action Team will be from 6 to 8 pm Thursday, May 9, at the Granary Pizza & Nightclub, 259 E. 5th Ave. in Eugene. Local entertainment from Grrrlz Rock!. Cost is $15 at the door or $13 in advance. Find the event on Facebook at wkly.ws/1gw.

• A community meeting about the 4J School District’s proposed common high school schedule is planned for 7 pm Thursday, April 25, at the Unitarian Church at 13th and Chambers. The meeting is in anticipation of the school board meeting at 7 pm May 1. “4J parents and students have grave concerns about implementation of the 3x5 schedule,” says David Zupan of Parents for Learning Effectiveness and Accountability (PLEA).

• Glorybee’s 38th annual Bee Weekend is April 12-13 at the Factory Store, 29548 B Airport Road in Eugene, right off Highway 99. The free two-day event centers on beekeeping practices, demonstrations and activities such as honey tasting and children’s contests and crafts. Check out glorybeefoods.com or call 689-0913.

• The annual recruitment for Eugene city boards, committees and commissions is wrapping up with the deadline for applications March 29. Vacancies are on the Budget Committee, Planning Commission, Civilian Review Board and several others. See eugene-or.gov/bcc or stop by the city manager’s office for paperwork. Interviews will take place in May, the City Council will make the appointments in June and terms officially begin July .

• The Oregon Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case of Haugen v. Kitzhaber during its annual visit to the UO School of Law. The arguments will take place at 10:30 am Thursday, March 14, in room 175 of the Knight Law Center, 1515 Agate St. in Eugene. The proceedings are open to the public, a capacity crowd is expected and an overflow room will be available. Video of the proceedings will be available on the law school’s website later in the day.

•  City Club of Eugene will meet at noon Friday, March 1, at the new LCC Downtown Center on the topic of “Prison, Compassion and Peace,” with speakers Steven Shankman, the Rev. Tom English, Connie Bennett and Mark Beudert. This is the first in a series on the link between art and public policy. 

• Friends of Trees is organizing tree planting events around the valley this winter. The next planting date is March 2. See friendsoftrees.org for details or to donate.

• Valentine’s Day finds Basic Rights Oregon and Oregon United for Marriage pushing for same-sex marriage legislation. Events are happening all over Oregon on Feb. 14, including a gathering from 4 to 6 pm at Temple Beth Israel, 1175 E. 29th Ave. In Corvallis the event will be the same time at First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave. Google Oregon United for Marriage for details and registration.

• A meeting with the LaurelRidge PUD planning consultant is planned for 6 pm Thursday, Jan. 31, at the Comfort Suites Hotel at the I-5 Glenwood interchange. This meeting is to view the current development plans for the 126 acres southwest of Laurel Hill Valley adjacent to 30th Avenue near Spring Boulevard.

• Volunteers are still needed at most of the Egan Warming Center sites in Eugene and Springfield that shelter the homeless on these cold winter nights. See eganwarmingcenter.com for information on volunteering and to donate. The next volunteer orientations are from 6 to 8 pm Thursday, Jan. 17, and from 10 am to noon Saturday, Jan. 19, at the First Christian Church basement, 1166 Oak St. in Eugene. 

• A community meeting on public safety in Lane County is being planned for 6 to 8 pm Thursday, Jan. 17, at the Hilyard Community Center, 2580 Hilyard St. in Eugene.

• Church Women United of Lane County will meet at 9 am Friday, Jan. 4, at Ebbert United Methodist Church, 532 C St. in Springfield, and again at 7 am Tuesday, Jan. 8, at Brails, 1689 Willamette St. in Eugene. See cwulanecounty.org

• The State of the County Address will be at 10 am Monday, Jan. 7, at Harris Hall, 125 E. 8th Ave. in Eugene. Eugene’s 2013 State of the City Address will be at 5:30 pm Wednesday, Jan. 9, in the lobby of the Hult Center. Donations of canned food for FOOD for Lane County will be collected at the door.

• Springfield City Club will focus on key community health indicator data collected by health care experts and discuss community health priorities at 11:45 am Thursday, Dec. 20, at Willamalane Center, 250 S. 32nd St.

• Springfield City Club will host James Whitty, manager of ODOT’s Innovative Partnerships and Alternative Funding, at 11:45 am Thursday, Dec. 6, at Willamalane Center, 250S. 32nd St. Whitty will talk about funding road and highway improvements in the future as vehicles become more fuel efficient and fuels taxes shrink. City Club meets for lunch on the first and third Thursday of each month.