Biz Beat 11-13-2014

Congrats to NextStep Recycling founder Lorraine Kerwood McKenzie who was given the Toyota Standing O-Vation, a recognition of extraordinary people in communities around the country, during Oprah Winfrey’s “The Life You Want Weekend” in Seattle Nov. 8. The award was given by Winfrey and Paralympic bronze medalist snowboarder Amy Purdy. You can watch a video about Kerwood McKenzie’s life and work from her Asperger’s Syndrome diagnosis to how NextStep has kept 22 million pounds of electronics out of the landfill and helped the community at http://wkly.ws/1ud.

What will legalized pot mean for businesses and their personnel policies? Not much will change from a legal standpoint, according to Cascade Employers Association (CEA), which is planning a compliance update seminar in Eugene Dec. 11. Neither the Oregon Medical Marijuana Act nor Measure 91, which passed last week, contain any restrictions on employers regarding policies on pot use on or off the job. “Essentially, your employees can lawfully use but if they choose to do so and end up with a positive drug test (pre-employment, reasonable suspicion, random, etc.) then it can still be considered a violation of your company’s policy,” CEA advises. The organization recommends updating company drug and alcohol policies to include specific statements on the use of marijuana. Measure 91 goes into effect in July of 2015. See cascadeemployers.com.

EWEB tells us Eugene area residents and businesses are getting scam phone calls that show up on caller ID as from EWEB, but they are not. The callers demand payments and attempt to gather personal information. Even if you are behind on your utility bills, EWEB will not be calling to tell you so but instead will send snail mail or leave a door-hanger.

Veterans Day is this week and along with the usual events, discounts and freebies for vets comes free swimming for vets at Tamarack Aquatic Center at 35th and Donald in south Eugene. The heated saltwater pool will be open for vets and their families from 11 am to 2 pm Sunday, Nov. 16. The pool is fully accessible. Call 686-9290.

The McKenzie Flyfishers annual auction in support of the club’s environmental programs will begin at 6 pm Monday, Nov. 17, at Lewis & Clark Catering, 2210 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. next to the Mercedes dealership. Non-members welcome. The event is free but dinner is optional at $17. The silent and oral auction will include fishing gear, guided trips, hosted dinner parties, vintage wines and more. More info at mckenzieflyfishers.org or call 913-0710.

The state’s Technical Review Team for the Calico Resources proposed gold mine in Malheur County meets in Salem 11 am – 4 pm Nov. 19. Meeting details and agenda are at bit.ly/caliconovember. The public may listen to the meeting by phone. For call-in instructions contact DOGAMI at 541-967-2040. For more on the gold mine see EW’s 2011 feature story wkly.ws/1ue.

The nonprofit Skipping Stones magazine is celebrating 26 years in business and is planning a free event from 3 to 6 pm Saturday, Nov. 15, at the Odd Fellows Lodge at the corner of 12th and Charnelton. Live music and storytelling are planned for the family-friendly gathering. Email editor@skippingstones.org or call 342-4956.

Crescendo LLC is having the grand opening of its new tasting room Nov. 15-16 at 4065 W. 11th Ave. #47 in west Eugene. The company produces organic lime, lemon and orange liqueurs. “We just entered our eighth month of production,” says owner Kyle Akin. “We are already in 70-plus OLCC stores across the state.” The company is a member of the Distillers Guild and the Oregon Distillery Trail. See organicello.com or find the business on Facebook.

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.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

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

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!