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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.
Frogs really don’t stay in a pot of slowly boiling water and die. Given a chance to jump out, they will. That anecdote has been used endlessly to describe people who simply don’t react to negative changes if they happen gradually. And it would be a useful one to describe Oregonians and our changing climate … if it were true. Slow boiling frogs might be apocryphal, but our changing climate is real. Continue reading
UO Matters has posted a "notice of emergency meeting" at 12.30 pm today, April 14, sent out to the University of Oregon's Board of Trustees today that will be followed by a press conference. Continue reading
Willamette Riverkeeper sent a 60-day notice of intent to sue Bartels Packing (Bartels Farms), a natural and organic beef supplier and slaughterhouse located west of Eugene near Fern Ridge Reservoir. Travis Williams, executive director of Willamette Riverkeeper, says the letter was prompted by a history and pattern of water violations. Continue reading
On Tuesday, April 7, oral arguments will be heard in court about a climate change lawsuit brought by local youth, which argues that Oregon "is failing to meet its carbon emission reduction goals and is not acting to protect Oregon’s public trust resources and the futures of these young Oregonians." The full press release is below and some opportunities for activism from 350 Eugene are: Continue reading
Kris Jacobson of Umami Truffle Dogs displays dog-harvested truffles. Photo courtesy Jeff Kastner Continue reading
The Eugene Police Department would like your help catching a cat burglar whose exploits were caught on a cat cam. More precisely, EPD is seeking an armed robber who broke into a house near the University of Oregon. The robber was filmed by a camera set up by a cat sitter to record the cats he was caring for while the owners were away. Continue reading
It's spring break; the weather is great and half of Oregon is on vacation (since apparently every school in the state has the same break). The University of Oregon seems to be celebrating by getting rid of staff that either release records OR object to the release of records. Continue reading
Walk into the kennel area at Greenhill Humane Society and you are struck by two things: First, the hopefulness and worry on the furry faces of dogs, from Chihuahuas to huskies, looking for forever homes, and second, the loudness of the barking and yelping echoing off the cement walls. Continue reading
You’re at a party; you see a guy who is all over a drunk young woman — giving her even more drinks, perhaps in hopes of having sex with her later. What do you do? Too often, bystanders do nothing. According to Abigail Leeder, director of Sexual Violence Prevention and Education at the UO, there is no right or single way for a bystander to intervene in a potential sexual assault — though she says, “We encourage people not to put themselves in harm’s way. Continue reading
The problems with the DOT-111 tank railcars that exploded and killed 47 and destroyed the downtown core of the Canadian town of Lac-Mégantic have been known since 1991, according to Congressman Peter DeFazio, yet the federal government still hasn’t pushed to fix them. Continue reading