Indeed, Fare Thee Well

I don’t think Frog would mind if I stayed home to celebrate his life. I’d like to drive over to the WOW Hall and join the community. It would be nice to see and be seen in that group of people, but somehow, I got behind the clock.

I saw him frequently at community gatherings, sometimes out at the Oregon Country Fair, but mostly along 13th Avenue where it ends by the University of Oregon book store. He always had an amusing thing to say. And he was happy to make a connection. 

I’m sorry I don’t know where he lived. Did he sleep on the street? He was so insightful, I’m sure he worked it out. I depended on him to do so, so I never asked.

Today we are without him. For how long will we remember him and the loving contribution he gave to our community? I’m sure there are stories being shared today at the WOW. He would like that. 

How did he become known as Frog, anyway? He had other names; however, Frog fit him. Sometimes croaking in the background, he was present. Now we’ll just hear his song on the wind. Or when we’re down at the pond.

A beloved member of our lives will no longer be seen. But I know his song will continue to play in our hearts.

Fare thee well, Frog. Rivet.

Darlene Colborn

Springfield

Silence!

Does anyone else think that noise is escalating in Eugene? Leaf blowers are now the least offensive, if that is possible.

On our residential street, heavy rock hauling trucks use it as a shortcut to I-5 as the drivers wouldn’t want to take an extra 20 seconds to get on Delta. Naw, they figure at 5 am that they’re awake, so everyone else should be, too. There are uncountable huge black trucks, badly tuned small car engines and the really special yee-haw pretend racers who use our 20 mph curve as a chicane. Lack of mufflers only enhances their experience. We suggest they put a big hose over the muffler and pipe it into the driver’s window in order to get the full effect for themselves.

I now wear soft earplugs in the house along with headphones and have KWAX as background music. That makes living here tolerable.

Kim Kelly

Eugene

An Engineering Proposal

I feel that a South Bank multi-use path connection between the Knickerbocker Pedestrian Bridge and the Frohnmayer Pedestrian Bridge (both over the Willamette River) should be considered. The reasons are as follows:

The multi-use connection would make the Willamette River accessible to all in the Eugene city limits and would set a precedent for the city of Springfield to continue the multi-use path through Glenwood.

The multi-use path on both sides of the Willamette River from the Knickerbocker Bridge to the Owosso Bridge would create a 12.5 mile route (just short of a half marathon).

It would improve safety for bicyclists not having to end along Franklin Boulevard from the Knickerbocker Bridge heading west.

The city of Eugene has wonderful bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The multi-use path connection between the Knickerbocker Pedestrian Bridge and the Frohnmayer Pedestrian Bridge would be a much-appreciated addition for the people of Eugene.

Peter Pagter

Eugene

Ignorance of the Homeless

Don French is an ignorant man who knows nothing about the reality of homelessness (EW online letters, 1/16). Most homeless are not criminals, except in the sense that our Eugene City Council has effectively made homelessness a crime, in spite of us telling them for years that their constant sweeps are destructive and accomplish nothing. I would support disruption to force them to change their policy. We need to organize.

Lynn Porter

Eugene

Care at PeaceHealth

I was happy to read the letter from Wendy Harris (EW, 1/16) about the free care she received from PeaceHealth. As a nonprofit hospital, PeaceHealth is exempt from paying federal and state corporate income taxes and local property taxes. In exchange for these savings, the IRS has an expectation that nonprofit hospitals provide “sufficient community benefit” to justify their tax-exempt status.

Sufficient community benefit can include free or reduced cost services, like Harris received, and contributions for community benefit, as exemplified by their investment in PeaceHealth Rides. A 2021 study found that the value of tax exemptions was greater than the value of charity care in 86 percent of nonprofit hospitals nationwide. The IRS doesn’t appear to have the bandwidth to ensure that communities served by nonprofit hospitals receive benefits equivalent to the value of their tax exemptions.

So while anyone who receives free or reduced-cost services from PeaceHealth can follow Harris’ suggestion to offer a “thank you,” we don’t really know as a community if those services outweigh the tax exemptions.

Bob Choquette

Springfield

It Gets Harder Now

Adjusting to the dystopian reality of having a climate denier (amid an embarrassment of other dreadful things) as president of the United States has made for a challenging start to the year. Pushing the burdensome boulder of climate mitigation and animal liberation up the mountain of complacency has always been difficult, but that arduous rock just came crashing down on our heads.

Donald Trump has pledged to revive the carbon emitting U.S. coal industry, create oil pipelines, roll back regulations protecting our air and water and kick Joe Biden’s meager but hard-fought-for climate protections to the curb. In Trump’s first term, he dismantled over 100 laws aimed at limited greenhouse gas emissions, combating air and water pollution and enforcing environmental safeguards.

Post-inauguration, I’m emerging from the fog of disbelief. Now is the time to stand up, shake it off and draw on the core strength of grassroots activism. We cannot depend on the government to heed the thunderous warnings of the climate scientists, it is up to us to save this planet and her animals ourselves, one person at a time, one plate at a time. Choosing plant based foods is one of the most impactful personal actions that you can take to significantly reduce your climate impact. Make empowered choices and climb out of the Trump slump! The animals and the planet are counting on us; take action and live vegan. 

Hope Bohanec

Eugene

Letters Policy

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