• Some of the people from the Downtown Eugene Cohousing Group (that got crushed in the real estate bust a few years ago) have gotten back together, Martin Henner tells EW. They are trying to put together a group to develop a downtown senior cohousing community. Things are in the formative stage and they are recruiting members. For more info, email: eugenecohousingdowntown@gmail.com.
• “What to do with all those Green Beans” workshop: The OSU Extension Service and Lane County Master Food Preservers are offering a workshop on the preservation of green beans 10 am to 1:30 pm Saturday, July 16, at the Community of Christ Church 1485 Gilham Road in Eugene. Cost of the workshop is $30. The workshop will include canning, freezing, drying and making popular dilly beans. “Green beans are one of the most popular and versatile vegetables and can be preserved in many ways,” says Nellie Oehler, OSU Extension faculty. Participants will have a chance to learn to use a pressure canner to can a pint of beans along with making a jar of dilly beans. Go to goo.gl/DStc6g for more information or call 541-344-4885.
• Habitat for Humanity Blues Build featuring music by Curtis Salgado and more is 2:30-7:30 pm Sunday, July 17. There is a no-host bar with beer and wine. Lawn chairs, blankets and picnic baskets are welcome, food will be available for purchase, proceeds support the building of simple and decent homes for low- and moderate-income families by the Junction City/Harrisburg/Monroe Habitat for Humanity. The event is at Bennett Vineyards and Wine Company, 25974 Hwy. 36, Cheshire. $25 in advance, $30 day of event. Go to bluesbuild.org or 541-998-9548 for more info.
• A meeting of those interested in a city initiative to get a living wage for city employees, as was done in Corvallis in 1999, will meet 2 pm Sunday, July 17 at the AFSCME hall at 8th and Charnelton. The goal is $15 an hour minimum wage. Contact Bob Cassidy at 541-345-8628 for more information. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker in the Eugene area as a whole earned 10 percent less than the U.S. average in May 2015.