News Briefs

Neighborhood advocate Paul Conte has filed a notice of intent to petition the Land Conservation and Development Commission for an enforcement order related to the city of Eugene’s planning processes.

• 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.

In 2007, when 10 Earth Liberation Front eco-saboteurs were sentenced in federal court in Eugene for their ecologically motivated arsons, their attorneys fought a “terrorism enhancement” label. They argued it should be saved for “the most dangerous types of offenses that threaten the fabric of our society,” not people who went out of their way to make sure animals and humans were not harmed through their actions.

Almost a year after he began to fight misconduct charges he said were timed to be revealed just before the May 2012 election, former Lane County Commissioner Rob Handy’s public meetings, public records and federal lawsuits continue to make their way through the legal system. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection agency has finalized its order against Tyree Oil, Inc. for Clean Water Act violations (EW 2/14, http://goo.gl/FLqrs). 

Oregon DEQ sent CPM Development Corporation a warning letter March 13 for failure to collect required water quality monitoring data at its Eugene Sand & Gravel facility on Coburg Road along the north bank of the McKenzie River. Failure to collect such data is classified as a serious violation of Oregon environmental law.

Citing local, state and federal codes, activist Alley Valkyrie says the early morning April 5 arrests by the Eugene Police Department of four men and four women, ranging in age from 18 to 38 years old, for camping under an overpass did not follow official policy, and were also a violation of human rights. 

In Afghanistan

• 2,186 U.S. troops killed* (2,184)

• 18,360 U.S. troops wounded in action (18,360)

• 1,353 U.S. contractors killed (1,316)

• 12,793 civilians killed (updates NA)

• $628.4 billion cost of war ($626.2 billion)

• $188 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($183 million)

In Iraq

Nancy Hughes and the nonprofit StoveTeam International will be recognized at the White House April 5. Hughes has been selected as a Rotary Champion of Change, one of 12 people nationwide honored for having “dedicated their lives to improving the lives of others.” StoveTeam provides efficient, inexpensive stores for low-income people around the world, saving fuel and reducing burn injuries and smoke inhalation illnesses. See stoveteam.org and several stories in the EW archives.

Four writers with Oregon roots will be discussing their work and reading excerpts at 5:30 pm on Saturday, April 6, when the Oregon Writer’s Collective (OWC) presents “Native Sons: an evening of Oregon poetry and prose,” at Tsunami Books. 

Bad news for coal is good news for clean energy advocates and conservationists: Not only has the Port of Coos Bay’s exclusive negotiating agreement with the last of the companies trying to export coal ended, a Eugene attorney has also filed a notice of intent to sue coal companies and the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) Railway for violating the Clean Water Act by emitting coal into waterways in Washington. 

In Afghanistan

• 2,184 U.S. troops killed* (2,183)

• 18,360 U.S. troops wounded in action (18,348)

• 1,316 U.S. contractors killed (1,316)

• 12,793 civilians killed (updates NA)

• $626.2 billion cost of war ($624.1 billion)

• $183 million cost to Eugene taxpayers (updates NA)

In Iraq

Eugene Bicycle Works is a new nonprofit community bike shop in Eugene. It partners with local retail bike stores to collect used bike parts as part of the Bucket Full O’ Parts project at the Center for Appropriate Transport. Donated parts are used to build affordable bikes for youth and people with limited resources. The public can drop off used bike parts at any of the participating shops, such as Arriving by Bike, Collins Cycle Shop, Hutch’s Bicycles, Life Cycle Bike Shop, Paul’s Bicycle Way of Life, REI, Simply Cycle or 10/10 Cycles.