From Stolen Cars to the Election in Letters

A Happy Ending

I wish to acknowledge the help I received recently when my car was stolen from my apartment. After reporting my loss to the police, texted them my car photos, identification and proof of my ownership, they gave me a case number. The car was a 1995 classic Toyota with vanity plates. 

I contacted local family. My niece posted the photos and information to Facebook. I sent the same information to my favorite old car group, “Malaise Car Group,” and that helped spread the word to the members. Pretty soon, I was getting word back from them where the car was: Pleasant Hill, Barger Winco and, by day two of the fiasco I was contacted by law enforcement that a woman in a beauty parlor had alerted them and she had seen it in the adjoining parking lot, as she had matched it to the Facebook entry. He was in front of Laughing Planet. Soon I received a text photo of the police cuffing him.

So you see, I thank those who cared enough to become engaged and paid attention to the details necessary to report the information. Big praise to our police and sheriff’s departments for the prompt response.

Martha Snyder

Eugene

Repurpose, Repurpose, Repurpose

Regarding the recent announcement from McKenzie-Willamette Hospital of plans to build an emergency department in Eugene — yes, please! 

But no need to build new!

Coincidentally, there happens to be an empty building on 13th and Hilyard where the old Sacred Heart ER once resided. Why not repurpose that perfectly usable building which was so inexplicably and abruptly abandoned, leaving us without a hospital on this side of the river?

While we are at it, why not open that building, equipped with heat, water, security, multiple floors of empty rooms and a full cafeteria to the homeless before the rains and cold weather appear? Provide a much needed locally accessible ER, and include social services, shelter and medical care for our unhoused neighbors. 

Katherine Knowles

Eugene

More on the Potato

I observe that in the Oct. 3 issue, your letters column includes a two sentence “letter” that would be far more appropriately placed with similar reader comments on a fake news website. Is this what the Weekly is reduced to, a platform for name-calling? Are your readers’ contributions so paltry, or your layout editor so harried, that you’ll use anything as filler?

Larry Koenigsberg

Eugene

Editor’s Note: Duly noted your contribution is one sentence and two questions.

Fight for TV Butte

Ed King (King Estate Winery and Old Hazeldell Quarry, LLC) is forging ahead with plans to rezone for gravel mining 46 acres of forested land on the eastern flank of Oakridge. On Oct. 15, the Lane County commissioners will hear testimony about King’s proposal and review the recent unanimous decision of the county’s planning commission to recommend a denial of King’s application. 

Citizens’ fight to save Oakridge’s environment, quality of life, tourism-based economy and property values has been a nine-year slog through hearings, lawsuits, appeals, a permit denial, counterappeal and now the coming decision. Citizens urge anyone who has come to love, enjoy and recreate in their paradise to attend the hearing and show support: Tuesday, Oct. 15, 1:30 pm, Harris Hall, Lane County Public Service Building, 125 East 8th Avenue.

At issue are a damning number of concerns, the most egregious being the crushing of an entire mountain on the town’s eastern boundary into thousands of trucks full of gravel. Environmental impacts: contamination of the air, soil, watershed, forests, salmon-spawning and elk-calving habitat, citizen’s wells and future costly and protracted environmental cleanup. An estimated 80 gravel trucks daily would clog two-lane Highway 58. Impacts of daily blasting: air contaminated with invisible silica dust, noise pollution and vibration, destabilization of the mountainous terrain and of nearby building foundations, disastrous loss of property value. Devastation of the local economy by noise and air pollution would precipitate population flight, and the pristine tourism destination would be severely affected.

Cher Mikkola

Westfir

Men Can Help

I have been hiking at dawn almost every day for the last 20 years, usually with a companion. While hiking, we would connect and process our lives. With COVID, I lost a lot of my hiking buddies, and on public trails people would turn away from each other to avoid sharing air. Hiking became a solitary practice of enjoying nature and getting exercise. When I moved to the Churchill area, the Wild Iris Ridge became my home hiking trail. I love the oak savanna and the elevation gain. 

When I became aware that the safety of the trail had been compromised by a sexual assault I felt frustrated, angry, scared and vulnerable. In response, I started the Wild Iris Ridge Hiking Buddies Facebook group, to bring together others affected by this violation. 

I am happy to say that the group has met my needs and the needs of many others on this trail. While most of the group members are women, we do have several men, too. These men have agreed to share their authentic identity and to support the safety of the people who are the target of violence on this trail. It is great to be looking at each other, smiling and connecting again! And I’ve made many new friends. 

I hope that people who hike our other local trails will also establish hiking buddies by creating Facebook groups or other methods that result in increasing the experience of community and safety on the trail.

Joanna Castro

Eugene

Val Hoyle, a Fighter

Val Hoyle is fighting for our communities. Fighting for new housing and housing affordability. 

Housing struggles in Oregon are real and more widespread than you may think. Becoming homeless can mean losing your home to wildfire damage or being unable to afford rent, forcing you to live on a friend’s couch. Congresswoman Hoyle understands this and will continue working to secure funding for building new homes and making them affordable for all.

Throughout her first term in Congress, Hoyle secured $4 million in funding for workforce housing units aimed toward essential workers such as those in healthcare, education and public safety in North Bend. She is also working with fellow legislators to bring more funding to the Oregon Department of Veterans Affairs for next year’s budget. I trust Hoyle will continue to fight to expand the supply of housing in our community.

As a renter in Eugene, I need to know that I am protected. Hoyle will make sure of that by working to strengthen the enforcement of fair housing laws. As I move forward in my life I hope to someday own a home, and Hoyle is helping make that possible. Through shifting tax policies — that subsidize the wealthy — toward creating more opportunities for first-time home ownership, she is working to make sure owning a home is possible for younger Oregonians. 

Hoyle is fighting for me and my future, and she will fight for yours too.

Grace Corcoran

Eugene

Say ‘No’ to Gerrymandering

I don’t understand why Lane County voters are being asked to vote “yes” or “no” on Measure 20-362. We already have a map that serves the districts well. The map we have in effect now was vetted by a volunteer committee and approved by the commission.  

However, a number of commissioners lately have decided they want to change the map. They want a district that favors their bids for re-election, otherwise known as gerrymandering.

Don’t forget, it’s easier to fool people than it is to convince them they’ve been fooled. Vote “no” on 20-362!

Gloria Orrick

Eugene

Focus on the Issues

As a lifelong and to this day registered Democrat, I watched with interest the current Democrat congresswoman’s ad in which she mischaracterized her opponent’s position on abortion as demonstrated by the Monique DeSpain website. While abortion is an important issue, it has become an issue to be decided by the states, as recently determined by the Supreme Court. 

Issues equally important to Oregonians are the destruction of purchasing power due to inflation as well as unlimited illegal immigration.

The unintended consequence of this policy has been twofold: 1. Increased inflation due to governmental support of millions of illegal immigrants. 2. A major increase in criminal activity nationwide.

Mischaracterizing an opponent’s stance on an issue, while not addressing the actual problems that the nation faces, is exactly what is wrong with the current political environment.

As Oregonians we need to help a major course correction in the direction of the country. It is my opinion that DeSpain is committed to making that change and representing all Oregonians in a positive, forthright and transparent manner. I encourage my fellow Democrats to support a change in the direction of the country.

Charles Roberts

Eugene