Many Eugene downtown businesses will be open for the first Sunday Streets celebration from noon to 4 pm July 26. Streets will be blocked off from car traffic from the Park Blocks to Kesey Square and all the way down Broadway to Monroe Park. Participants can enjoy a relaxing bike ride, skate or stroll through a cornucopia of food, music, fitness classes and bike demos. New activities this year include “Art on a Box” offering 20-minute open mic sets from local artists, a dunk tank at Monroe Park and an up-cycle T-shirt decorating competition sponsored by MECCA and featuring Ariana Schultz, fashion designer and instructor at LCC. To volunteer, call 501-0390 or email sundaystreets@ci.eugene.or.us.
The Fertilab Thinkubator, which currently operates a business incubator and co-working space in Eugene’s Fermentation District, has opened the Start Up Center in downtown Springfield. A grand opening was held July 10 at the new business at 138 Main Street. The 1,800-square-foot center will “foster an innovative entrepreneurial economy by offering a place for people to learn about entrepreneurship and connect with peers and mentors,” say organizers. Jeff Sather is operations manger and board member Jason Boone spoke at the opening gathering.
A unique feature at the Lane County Fair this weekend is the Repair2ReUse Café, located on the fairway next to the water tent. The booth encourages and offers tips on how to repair items rather than discard them in order to reduce waste and help people save the cost of replacing items that can be repaired. Free advice, estimates and instructions will focus on bicycles Friday, July 24, sewing machines Saturday and hand tools Sunday. Repair2ReUse is a waste prevention initiative of the Lane County Master Recycler Program in partnership with local repair professionals and community volunteers.
A group of Eugene-Springfield area manufacturing companies are offering recent high-school graduates an opportunity to launch a career. Currently there are more than 90 unfilled entry-level positions across various sectors of the local manufacturing industry, according to Leigh Anne Hogue, who oversees Focus On Manufacturing, a program of the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce. “Creating a pipeline of skilled labor is one of the biggest challenges to growth for local manufacturers,” she says. Hogue is the director of economic development for the Eugene Chamber. “We are working to build that pipeline by connecting employers with skilled workers.” Download an application at wkly.ws/1tg or stop by the Chamber offices at 1401 Willamette Street.
Encircle Films of Eugene is trying to raise money to continue offering its documentary series. The group creates “daring documentaries, expert speakers, engaging discussions, inspiring local action on global issues.” Information about Encircle and a link to the fundraising site can be found at wkly.ws/21t. The documentaries are hosted on first Thursdays by the Bijou Art Cinemas at 492 E. 13th Ave. The next screening will be at 6 pm, Sept. 17, featuring Alive Inside.