• ODOT is holding a series of open houses about intercity passenger rail service between the Eugene-Springfield area and Portland-Vancouver, Wash., and providing input on the evaluation results. The next meeting will be from 5 to 7 pm Thursday, Nov. 7, at the Linn-Benton Community College Calapooia Center, 6500 Pacific Blvd. SW in Albany. See OregonPassengerRail.org or contact Jill Pearson, (503) 986-3313 or info@oregonpassengerrail.org.

• “GMOs: State or Local Control” is the topic at City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, Nov. 8, at the Hilton lobby level. Guest speakers will include George Grier, treasurer of the Lane County Farm Bureau, and Ann Kneeland of Support Local Food Rights. $5 for non-members.

• The Lane County Budget Committee’s South Eugene citizen position will be vacant at the end of the year. Commissioner Pete Sorenson says he expects he will be evaluating applicants for this position and making a recommendation on who the board will appoint. It’s a three-year appointment, starting no earlier than Jan. 1. No formal application process is yet in place but those interested can check the county website or email pete.sorenson@co.lane.or.us.

• About three dozen local activists in Eugene, Springfield and Corvallis have been trained to participate in civil disobedience as part of the national 350.org campaign. The final training will be from 11:30 am to 6:30 pm Saturday, Nov. 16, at First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive St. in Eugene. Actions are being planned in case President Obama takes steps toward approving the Keystone XL Pipeline. The White House is under extreme pressure from industry and conservatives in Congress to facilitate a pipeline that environmentalists say would exacerbate climate change. Local action leaders are Deb McGee and Patty Hine and they can be contacted by email at stopkeystonexlnow@gmail.com or sign the “Pledge of Resistance” and learn more at 350.org.