THANK YOU FROM THE LIBRARY
This letter is a giant thank you to all of the people who volunteered or shopped at the Friends of the Library Book Sale this last weekend. The lines were the longest we could remember both getting into the sale and waiting to pay, and yet I heard only patient sighing, happy chatting and lots of book talk.
The young man who accidently spilled his coffee couldn’t apologize enough and stayed to make sure it was cleaned up and all was well. No one bothered the young children intently reading their new discoveries under the “Please do not sit here and sort” sign because, after all, this is exactly what we hoped the sale would encourage. The hundreds of volunteers who helped handed in their orange aprons, put up their tired feet and said sign me up for next year.
Over 4,000 people came that first day. Except for a couple over-enthusiastic scanners (who were quickly disabused of their unacceptable behavior), everyone was civil, kind, and I hope pleased with what they found. In this mean-spirited and unnecessarily divided world, you were your best selves.
The Eugene Public Library thanks you for every penny spent. The Friends of the Library thanks you for being such a great crowd. The world thanks you for being the thoughtful readers and thinkers that you are. See you next year.
Linda Ague, president
Friends of the Eugene Public Library
APPROPRIATE CAMPAIGN MESSAGES
This morning, I read two letters criticizing Tony Corcoran’s letter in last week’s EW, in which he criticized Doyle Canning. Canning is running in the upcoming primary to be the Democratic candidate to represent Oregon House District 8, which covers south and west Eugene down to Cottage Grove. I decided to read Corcoran’s letter to see what he said.
Corcoran’s letter was blunt. He said Canning had photographs in her TV campaign ads with local past and current Democratic office holders. He said, “She is clearly sending a campaign message to the observer that those in the picture support her candidacy. That’s campaign fraud IMHO.” In fact, each of those pictured Democrats is supporting Lisa Fragala.
Neither of the two letters criticizing Corcoran acknowledge his key point — Canning’s ads were misrepresenting the support from the prominent politicians in the photographs.
After spending a bit of time looking at these issues, I think it’s unfair to criticize Corcoran’s letter without acknowledging the core of his message. Rather than writing letters to the editors, the authors might talk to Canning about appropriate campaign messages.
Tom Barkin
Eugene
Editor’s note: In the video on Doyle Canning’s Instagram, that has since been taken down, Sen. Ron Wyden, who is not endorsing in the race, was also featured.
WE NEED FRAGALA
Lisa Fragala is the person we need to represent House District 8. I have known Fragala for over 20 years and witnessed her unwavering commitment to social justice, climate change, public education and women’s reproductive rights. She brings a depth and breadth of experience as a 20-plus-year educator, as a Lane Community College board director and as a Eugene planning commissioner. These experiences position her well for a role in the Oregon Legislature. As importantly, Fragala is compassionate, understanding, curious and is driven to make our community a better place to live.
As the former executive director at Sponsors Inc., I have been grateful for Fragala’s longtime support of people re-entering our community post-incarceration. She was a critical supporter of our housing for women with children. She also understands the housing needs in our community and has been a staunch supporter of affordable, climate friendly housing. She is well prepared to find solutions to the current crisis that affects renters and would be home-owners.
Fragala is also an incredible advocate for racial justice. She lives and leads with her values. Fragala recognizes that we can’t arrest our way out of the current drug crisis, and that the recent re-criminalization of drugs in Oregon will disproportionately impact Black and Brown communities. Understanding this, Fragala will advocate for criminal justice reform and needed behavioral health and substance use treatment.
I trust Fragala. We need her voice in Salem. Please join me in voting for Fragala for state representative in HD 8.
Paul Solomon
Eugene
BIKE PATH ENDORSEMENTS
As the running of the Eugene Marathon approaches, I would like to appeal to the community in support of building a bike path along the south side of the Willamette River between the Frohnmayer and Knickerbocker foot bridges. This is the final segment necessary to complete a 12-mile riverside loop. An athlete in training might begin a run in Alton Baker Park and never leave the riverside to nearly complete a half marathon.
If we build this segment of path and complete the loop, a thousand years from now runners and bikers, lovers and dreamers will still be roaming the riverfront. If we don’t complete the loop now it might never happen.
Michael Ryan
Eugene
LEECH AND KASHINSKY
I’m supporting Lyndsie Leech, ward 7, and Eliza Kashinsky, ward 1, for the Eugene City Council in May. Please vote no on the baseball stadium bond issue.
Politics is a clash between the self-interests of large groups of people. In Eugene, where the main issue is housing, it’s the YIMBYs vs. the NIMBYs. Once you get that you understand Eugene politics. It’s a contest between NIMBYs who want to keep apartment buildings out of “their” neighborhoods, and YIMBYs like me who believe we need all the housing we can get.
Leech and Kashinsky are YIMBYs. Their opponents are NIMBYs. If you’re a renter, vote accordingly.
At a time when we desperately need a lot more homeless shelter and affordable housing, the City Council was completely irresponsible in putting the baseball stadium bond issue on the May ballot. Any bond issue should have been for shelter and housing.
The council has had the wrong funding priorities for years. As Kashinsky told the City Club, we need to make hard choices between what is essential and what would be “nice” to have. We need to send a message to the council: shelter and housing are essential, baseball is not.
Lynn Porter
Homeless Action
Eugene
MAYOR’S RACE
As we face an uphill battle against homelessness, mayoral candidate Kaarin Knudson’s expertise in urban planning and working on innovative initiatives to shelter the unhoused will serve our community well. Seven years ago, Knudson, a licensed architect, founded Better Housing Together, a not-for-profit organization that advocates for more housing options for Lane County residents.
Eugene has been fortunate the last 20 years to have two extraordinary mayors. One, Kitty Piercy, put sustainability on center stage and the other, Lucy Vinis, steered us through a devastating pandemic. Now with Knudson, we have the opportunity to be led by another accomplished woman. Knudson came to Eugene as a middle-distance runner, where she excelled, becoming an All-American athlete. She’s a true collaborator, with an incredible work ethic, able to talk comfortably with developers and environmentalists, as well as conservatives and progressives. As a wife, a mother with two children attending Eugene schools, and a University of Oregon faculty member, Knudson is deeply invested in Eugene. She’ll make an excellent mayor and I am proud to support her.
David Funk
Eugene
A VOTE FOR KEATING
What can we expect from a member of the Eugene City Council? Certainly action, commitment and an interest in meeting the members of the community.
Matt Keating — the Ward 2 incumbent — has met these expectations for myself and my neighbors.
Our neighborhood suffered from a house filled with squatters. The California-based landlord was, by definition, absent. The squatters caused issues for the local grocery store, followed my neighbor’s young daughter at night and openly used drugs in the daylight on a street that children use to walk to school.
The day we contacted Keating, he returned our call, talked to us, listened to our story and then took action. He called the EPD’s chief as well as Eugene code enforcement. Over the course of a few days, he remained committed to finding a solution, continuing his contacts with EPD and code. He even came out to meet the neighbors on the street, offer updates, share information and listen to our concerns. About a week after contact, the problem was solved.
Keating has my vote for Ward 2 council member in the upcoming election.
Joey Bruckner
Eugene
A VOTE FOR WARNES
Lisa Warnes is a longtime local resident and contractor in Ward 2 with a clear insight into matters of housing and zoning that affect us all (e.g., guidelines for building new homes, density, parking allowances, etc.)
Her passion and determination for doing the right thing are evidenced by serving as a board member of the South Eugene Neighbors Association and as a member of Eugene Planning and Development Department. She successfully spearheaded the effort to reverse the planned building of 110 houses on 40 acres of dangerously sloping pristine forest land, land that is now a valuable addition to the Eugene Parks System.
Please join me in voting for Warnes, who is uniquely qualified to represent us in Ward 2.
Carol Pearce
Eugene
CAN WE HAVE BETTER SIDEWALKS?
Have you ever taken a tumble after tripping over an unexpected raised lip in the sidewalk? Do you ever find yourself walking in the street because it seems safer than walking on the sidewalk?
All of us use the sidewalks at one time or another — and the most vulnerable among us depend on them more than most. Eugene’s sidewalks are in terrible condition, yet the city’s only plan for fixing them is to hope that individual property owners will offer to pay over $1,000 per panel to repair the sidewalk.
Sidewalks are public infrastructure, just like streets and bike paths. Citizens United to Repair Broken Sidewalks (CURBS), an informal grassroots group of people who are tired of falling, has provided the city with a dozen examples of how other communities have addressed the problem of bad sidewalks. If they’ve figured out how to do it, Eugene can, too!
Tell city leaders it’s time to make our sidewalks walkable! Just Google “Make Eugene’s Sidewalks Safe” and sign our Change.org petition.
Sue Wolling
Eugene
AN INDEPENDENT, FOR NOW
This is an important civics lesson:
Since 2004 Paul Holvey has been the state representative of District 8, which includes much of Eugene, and a lot of ground heading south. He is not running for re-election. There are two Democrats running for his seat. There is a clear difference between the two. There are approximately 60,000 people in District 8. In a real democracy there would be a big voter turnout for this particular election.
But the way it works in Oregon, because there are only Democrats running, you can only vote in this election if you are a Democrat. You cannot vote if you identify with any other party, including Republican or Independent.
I have been an Independent all my life. The first member of our family in America fought in the Civil War as a one-armed colonel on the winning side. I am very upset that I am not allowed to vote. What country am I living in?
In fact, I am so upset that I just lied to the state of Oregon, and changed my registration to Democrat, which I am not, so that I can vote. When the primary is over, I will re-register as an Independent.
Turns out it’s easy to change one’s registration. You have until May 20 to change. Even a simpleton like myself can do it. Here’s the link: Sos.oregon.gov/voting/Pages/updatevoterregistration.aspx.
I know who I want as state rep. That’s why I changed parties.
Scott Landfield
Eugene
ONLINE ONLY LETTERS
EMS STADIUM
BASEBALL NEIGHBORS
Neighborliness. What a concept. Most people prefer quiet in their neighborhoods. Yet out-of-state Major League Baseball is trying to bully its way into one of ours with no consideration of the noise and other issues that would come with it. MLB’s threats are dividing our community, but let’s stop giving them the power to do this. By voting no on the bond issue, we can then work together to find a solution to the problem none of us in Eugene created. It’s the neighborly thing to do.
Lin Sime
Eugene
I’M OLD AND I WANT A NEW BASEBALL STADIUM
Yes I’d like to have a red electric Ford Mustang convertible. I’d drive it south on Willamette Street, I’d wave to all my high school pals. There goes Ol’ Joe, the fullback on the football team, or the great Eugene writer. I’d wave back smiling, as if I really deserved all the adulation. Oops — I made a U turn, and I am now driving north in my older Honda, the drive-in theater is now Woodfield Station shopping center, A&W has evaporated into the sky. Civic Stadium had vanished, but that 10 acres of land now sports a sports venue dedicated to the youth of our community. I am now old, with circles under my eyes, and no one is waving.
But I still have opinions! And yes I’m in favor of building a brand new beautiful baseball stadium.
The last time I looked, we already have a library. We have shiny new beautiful schools, and the homeless have opportunities if they’d just use them. As long as I’m paying for the latter, don’t I have the privilege to hope for a new baseball stadium, too?
If you’ll respect my opinion then I’ll respect yours recognizing that our opinions will be counted in May’s election, as they were when we voted to build our library, to build our schools and to offer initiatives to the homeless.
Joe R. Blakely
Eugene
NO ON EMS STADIUM BOND
After reading the KEZI story published on April 18, I was astonished to hear that the new stadium being built at Civic Park was almost complete. A $42 million project, without any taxpayer funds. The stadium will allow a professional soccer team as well as others to compete on a state-of-the-art facility. All without taxpayer funding. A true community project that will be enjoyed by the entire community. All without taxpayer funding.
But we are being asked to fund a private professional organizations facility for a profit making business. If this stadium project is actually for the community, let the community fund raise for it. Instead, a private corporation is asking us taxpayers to fund a facility so that they can take the profits out of our community and leave us stuck with the bills.
Several studies have shown the light on this scam. City after city has fallen for this con and are now stuck with rusting hulks they cannot maintain or find another tenant to pay the bills. Do your research: Cagw.org/reporting/fields-of-failure.
We face true issues with outrageous rents, mental health facilities closing and drug addiction. Not to mention fixing the potholes in the streets and dealing with the climate crisis. How many people could be housed for $100 million?
People are struggling to pay for utilities, groceries and housing. Just say NO to the additional costs of a scam stadium!
Rick Gross
Eugene
ELECTIONS
ALARMIST COOPMAN?
In an April 8 KEZI report, Ward 1 city council candidate Ted Coopman accused unknown opponents of stealing his campaign signs. He said this is a “fair election issue,” and that it’s “a dirty election.”
However, other Ward 1 candidates have also had their signs stolen, according to a follow up report from the next day. Had Coopman actually been targeted, his accusations would be fair enough on their own.
But Coopman was also recently a candidate to be elected to another term as the chair of the Jefferson Westside Neighbors board. After a chaotic board election last year, the board amended its bylaws to provide for absentee voting. And the ballots, on which Coopman was a candidate, were to be delivered to Ted Coopman’s house!
Does Coopman value a fair election only when it benefits him? Would he jump to alarmist conclusions as a city councilor?
Richard Cissel
Eugene
A VOTE FOR COOPMAN
Vote Ted Coopman for Ward 1 City Councilor. Coopman has years of relevant experience, having served for six years as chair of the Jefferson Westside Neighbors. As a neighborhood leader, Coopman has established productive and collegial relationships with many of the current city councilors, city staff, fellow neighborhood leaders and managers of local nonprofit and governmental agencies.
Coopman is a big-picture thinker who not only can readily identify issues of importance to the community, but has a knack for finding and implementing solutions through collaboration with individual citizens and government officials.
Coopman has impressed me with his openness and willingness to listen, transparent approach to problem solving, attention to detail, thoroughness and positive outlook. He cares deeply about his neighbors and community, and has demonstrated an admirable level of responsiveness to the concerns of others as a neighborhood leader. Perhaps most importantly, Coopman is a solutions-oriented man of action with the perfect temperament for the job. He sees the big picture, easily finds realistic solutions, will gladly discuss any topic with others, and he keeps an even keel when the going gets tough.
Ultimately, Coopman’s best attribute as a candidate for city council may be his belief in small “d” democracy. He will work hard to ensure that the voices of Ward 1 residents are heard, and will work collaboratively with his colleagues toward solutions that benefit all Eugene residents. Vote for Coopman!
Tom Happy
Eugene
KNUDSON AT THIS CRITICAL JUNCTURE
Kaarin Knudson for Mayor!
Knudson is the mayor Eugene needs at this critical juncture in our city’s development. Some big issues face this town and the next several years are important to ensure the livability of our city, the availability of affordable housing for residents, the safety of our streets and public spaces, and the strength and innovation of Eugene’s economy. I trust Knudson to lead our community forward with the strength and intelligence to get things done.
I have known Knudson for over a decade, as a friend, a neighbor and a vital organizer in our community. Since meeting her I have noted Knudson’s kindness, her thoughtfulness, her attention to detail and her big-picture thinking on issues that face our community today. Knudson has often impressed me with the deep thinking and research she has done to educate herself on issues.
My husband and I run a law office in downtown Eugene. We have a front row seat to Eugene’s crisis of unhoused people on our downtown streets. I believe that Knudson has the tools necessary to address this crisis with kindness, thoughtfulness and to bring stakeholders together to hopefully address this issue, and others, that affect Eugene’s future.
Beth Eiva
Eugene
TRUST FRAGALA
As a medical social worker at Sacred Heart RiverBend, I am writing to strongly urge voters to choose Lisa Fragala for House District 8. Born and raised in this community, I have followed Lisa’s public service closely over the last 20 years and have complete confidence in her leadership. Fragala is 100 percent guided by the public interest.
As a longtime union member and staunch workers’ rights advocate, Fragala is endorsed by the Oregon Nurses Association and by so many other unions (see Fragala’s website). People trust Fragala because she understands that our best solutions come when we listen to frontline workers and to those most affected by the issues. Fragala will advocate for an accessible, equitable healthcare system, one that prioritizes safety for patients and workers alike. This includes access to reproductive healthcare for women, and for every group facing barriers to healthcare services.
Fragala will also champion our other most pressing issues, such as climate, housing, and education. She has the relationships at the city, county and state levels to build the cooperative partnerships needed to get the work done.
Fragala is a worker and a team player who is broadly trusted to effectively lead. Now more than ever we need a champion like Fragala in the state Legislature. Please join me in voting for Fragala for House District 8 — on or before May 21.
Cameron Hubbe
Eugene
DOYLE OR DOOMSDAY — YOUR CALL
A quick, unpleasant review of this moment in time: Humanity and the planet are facing the Sixth Mass Extinction. The Doomsday Clock is at 90 seconds to midnight, the closest to global catastrophe ever, due to nuclear, climate and biological threats. Eugene has one of the highest levels of homelessness per capita. Oregon is at the very bottom of states in providing mental health services. Corporations are legally considered people and drive our politics and our media (present company excepted.)
In this context we need the most progressive and committed people we can get into office. For House District 8 that person is Doyle Canning.
As a community organizer, I have known Canning for years. I attended her recent campaign kickoff and was delighted to again witness her passion for bringing solutions on housing, addiction and mental health care, the climate emergency, and on engaging people into political activism.
Canning thanked the unions supporting her campaign, and the Sierra Club and Sunrise Movement-Eugene. She thanked the elected leaders, 4J school board members and health care leaders who have supported her campaign. She thanked the students, “speaking up for their future, and calling to end the atrocities in Gaza.” She spoke of campaign volunteers having knocked on 700 doors in the district so far.
Our community needs leaders who will unequivocally prioritize the human over the corporate and face the existential crises we are in, come what may.
We have such little time.
Please support Canning.
Steve Dear
Elmira
FRAGALA WORKS FOR EDUCATION
I enthusiastically endorse Lisa Fragala for Oregon House District 8. I am a retired educator, and I look for strong candidates who can advocate for the educational needs of Oregon, both K-12 and beyond. Fragala’s experience checks all the boxes. She was a classroom teacher and also works with university students who aspire to be educators. We need representatives who truly understand the educational needs of Oregon, who introduce and pass supportive legislation for our schools. Please vote for Fragala.
Cindy Parker
Eugene
VOTING FOR KASHINSKY
Some people complain that government isn’t doing enough, or does too much. You pick. They’re complainers that like to point fingers and cast blame but don’t step up to the hard work of finding solutions. I don’t know if they’re lazy, ill informed or just mean. What I do know is that I’ve been watching Eliza Kashinsky show up for over 10 years with a can-do attitude to work for solutions in our city. She meets people where they are, and takes on the thorny issues with integrity and determination. She’s not afraid of hard work and wades in on wonky policy where others fear to tread.
We need Kashinsky on the council. She brings a deep commitment to making local government work for everybody, and you can see by her record of public service that she’s serious and in it for the long haul. I’m supporting her in her run to represent Ward 1. Positive, whip-smart and energetic, she’ll figure out ways to make life better for all Eugeneans. Lead, follow or get out of the way. I’m following Kashinsky.
Patty Hine
Eugene
VOTING FOR WIDDICOMBE
As a concerned resident of Lane County, I feel compelled to address several recent developments that have raised serious questions about our county’s leadership and fiscal responsibility.
Firstly, the decision by Lane County Commissioners to award themselves a hefty 27.8 percent pay raise, effective January 2025, alongside additional perks such as a vehicle allowance, is deeply troubling. This move comes at a time when Union 626, representing essential workers in parks, waste management and roads, received only a 2.0 percent cost of living increase. The disparity in treatment between commissioners and frontline workers is unjust.
Furthermore, concerns have been raised regarding the firing of the last Lane County Counsel and the negotiation of a significant pay raise, purportedly for his final year in office. This raises questions about transparency and accountability in our county’s administrative processes. Moreover, the lack of experience of the new county’s legal counsel has resulted in costly legal issues being outsourced, further burdening taxpayers.
Additionally, the recent approval for the Integrated Material and Energy Recovery Facility (IMERF) raises significant concerns about its cost and the potential financial burden it could place on Lane County residents (and, frankly, looks like a corporate sweetheart deal). This, coupled with the lack of control over this critical infrastructure, is a worrying prospect for our community.
In light of these developments, it is imperative that Lane County residents demand transparency, accountability and fair treatment for all county employees. Our community deserves leadership that prioritizes the needs and interests of its constituents over personal gain and political agendas.
I am supporting Grace Widdicombe for District 3 county commissioner. Widdicombe has brought these issues to my attention, as well as the arduous process of getting a building permit in Lane County.
Kate Hughes
Eugene
THE WAR IN GAZA
NEXT MAJOR WAR IN ISRAEL?
Many years ago when a University of Oregon professor said the next major war would begin in Israel, I didn’t think that was likely.
Another professor explained the injustice to Palestinians whose land was taken in war by Zionists, after a long history of Jews and Palestinians living together in peace. When Europe was persecuting Jews, Palestine gave them acceptance. Then came Zionism.
Palestine is not on the side of Israel. It is in different places like Native American reservations, also taken by acts of war. We did to Native Americans what Zionism has done to Palestinians. Zionism is no better than the KKK controlling people of color with terrorism. Like Britain sent colonists to America and then attempted to keep the colonists to the east of the mountains, Britain helped the Zionists take control of Palestine, and then tried to limit the number of Zionists and size of Israel. The Zionists chased out the Brits, just like the American colonists did, so they, too, could drive out the natives and take their land.
Zionists have ignored U.N. mandates and taken more and more of Palestine. More and more nations are getting drawn into this immoral conflict for land that is made possible by the U.S. support of Israel.
This is not antisemitic. It is anti-Zionism and that includes anti-Christian Zionists living in the U.S. and making this wrong possible.
Carol Seaton
Eugene
ZIONISM A RACIST CONSTRUCT
I grew up in an Orthodox Jewish family in Zimbabwe. Habonim is a socialist zionist youth movement I participated in throughout my childhood.
During one camp when I was 17, I came to an understanding that for me, Zionism was a racist construct.
From my vantage point, the horror of October 7th has been replayed again and again to keep Zionist Jews in a state of traumatized reactivity. Many Israeli citizens and Jews justifiably feel that they/we were the victims of an unspeakable horror (Oct 7th), and if you only follow mainstream media, any vengeance is appropriate.
Muslim and Palestinian journalists share a different picture. I have watched the IDF systematically destroy homes and safe spaces in Gaza.
I have watched horrors upon horrors enacted by the IDF. The worst, the ones that keep me up at night, are the senseless killing of children.
I think of the star of David necklace I used to wear when I was young. I would not wear it now.
I cannot look away from the fact that because I am Jewish, I am entitled to the privilege Israel has been offering to Jews around the world; access to live in a land that we did not grow up in, whilst Palestinian families of multiple generations on the same land are denied their basic rights.
We just sent Israel another gigantic blank check to keep going. Going where? Why is this money not being spent on our failing health and education systems?