We've got issues.
Camilla Mortensen is the longtime local editor of Eugene Weekly, the area’s alternative newspaper. The paper, which has been in print since 1982 (originally as What’s Happening) continues to print more than 27,000 copies a week in addition to its popular email newsletters and website. Camilla has a masters degree in folklore and mythology from UCLA and a doctorate in comparative literature from the University of Oregon. She has been a reporter and editor at EW since 2007 and teaches journalism at the UO in the mornings before heading to the Weekly’s office. She also teaches newswriting at Lane Community College and advises The Torch student newspaper.
Lane County would like you to know that budget cuts means they will be releasing people from the Lane County Jail. (See the press release below). Budget cuts also mean that services to help kids, familes, the homeless, homeless pets and rural law enforcement to name a few things will also be cut. DATE/TIME OF RELEASE: May 10, 2012 3:00 PM Continue reading
Million 1 Productions has put together an informative video on Republican challenger to Peter DeFazio Art Robinson, and son (aka the "Democratic" challenger) Matthew Robinson called "Art Robinson: Lunatic running for Congress in Oregon 2012." Enjoy! Continue reading
Was the last-minute meeting Lane County held to vote on releasing allegations against Commissioner Rob Handy on the morning of May 3 an open meeting? Handy has said the allegations themselves were timed not only to hurt him in the election, but also to detract from the recent revelation that his opponent Pat Farr was convicted of drunk driving. Continue reading
At a press conference today Commissioner Rob Handy addressed allegations that he says are timed to cause maximum damage to his re-election campaign. This is not the first time the liberal minority of the county commission has been targeted. See today's cover story on the Politics of Personal Destruction as well as last year's Shifty Politics. Continue reading
Timber barons can speculate on trees, land barons can speculate on selling properties but the West is not supposed to have water barons. It’s illegal under Western water law to speculate on water. An Oregon administrative law judge has ruled a private company would be speculating on the waters of the McKenzie River if granted its application for 22 million gallons of water a day out of the river. On April 27, the judge recommended to Oregon’s Water Resources Department that Willamette Water Company’s water right application be denied. Continue reading
In a 3-2 vote, with the conservatives in the majority, the Lane County Board of Commissioners decided to drop the appeal of the mining on Parvin Butte. Commissioners Pete Sorenson and Rob Handy voted against dropping the appeal. Sid Leiken, Faye Stewart and Jay Bozievich voted to drop it. Stewart is the commissioner for east Lane County where the butte and the small community of Dexter that surrounds the gravel mine is located. You can watch the meeting and hear the discussion on the Lane County web page. Continue reading
It was May Day yesterday and Occupy Wall Street affiliated groups were out across the country. Portland had some action last night. Here, Occupy Eugene's May Day rally was preceded by peacekeeping training. The Eugene Police Department arrived at the bank protest in riot gear … and then they left. Continue reading
But those Blackhawk helicopters people are seeing overhead today are part of a training exercise (OR SO THEY SAY). Here's the press release from the Eugene Police Department: Multi-Agency Emergency and Disaster Exercise Will Take Place in Eugene Area May 2 and 3. Continue reading
An Administrative Law Judge has recommended that Greg Demers and the McDougal Brothers' Willamette Water Company not be given a 34 cfs (22 million gallon a day) water right out of the McKenzie River. While the final decision lies with the Water Resources Department, Judge James Han called WWC's bid for water control "speculative." Continue reading
From Lane County: The Final Day for the Central Lane Justice Court-April 27, 2012 Continue reading