Camilla Mortensen

Author: Camilla Mortensen

County Hires Lively As Economic Expert

While the conservative Lane County commissioners are still prone to supporting controversial timber and mining efforts, work continues to bring other businesses to the area. As part of its economic development efforts, the county announced it has hired Springfield legislator John Lively as Oregon economic development specialist. The commissioners also voted July 23 to give $200,000 in video lottery dollars to local business efforts and $100,000 to Canadian company Apel. Waiting in the wings are projects such as “Project Squeeze,” which is slated for $230,000 in funds. Continue reading →

Lane County Statement on Liane Richardson Compensation Controversy

News 12 years ago

This is the prepared statement sent out by Lane County in regard to the controversy over Liane Richardson's compensation that was brought to light by a county employee: County Administrator Liane Richardson Voluntarily on Leave While Investigation into Issues Regarding Compensation EUGENE – Lane County Administrator Liane Richardson has voluntarily placed herself on administrative leave after issues regarding compensation were brought to the attention of the Board of Commissioners, County Counsel and Human Resources. Continue reading →

Liane Richardson Pay Controversy

News 12 years ago

County Administrator Liane Richardson’s efforts to increase her pay from $152,345 to $175,656, an increase of 15.3 percent, earlier this year caused public outcry at a time when Lane County is strapped for cash. Now questions are arising about whether Richardson may have gained an increase in the money she was getting after all, despite the outcry and despite saying she would say no to an immediate raise. County Spokesperson Anne Marie Levis has confirmed that Richardson has placed herself on administrative leave. Continue reading →

Fighting for Yosemite

Rock climbing and epic destruction

Books 12 years ago

Graphic the Valley (Tyrus Books, 271 pages. $16.95), a first novel by South Eugene High School teacher Peter Brown Hoffmeister, is an ambitious and complicated read. The book draws together rock climbing, an attempt to correct the wrongs done to Native American history in Yosemite National Park, a Samson and Delilah tale, eco-sabotage and the tragedy of what man does to nature. Continue reading →

Poop Fiction In Our Public Plaza?

News 12 years ago

Two cases in Eugene Municipal Court this week revolved around protest, poop and constitutional free speech rights. Judge Karen Stenard heard testimony in a motion-to-dismiss hearing July 15 about two protests in the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza that involved the arrests of 21 people in one protest and activist Alley Valkyrie in another. Both were related to the group SLEEPS, which set up tents in the plaza to call attention to the plight of the homeless. The cases were heard on the same day as they subpoenaed the same witnesses. Continue reading →

Handy Didn’t Violate Ethics, Report Says

News 12 years ago

An Oregon Government Ethics Commission investigator recommended in a 32-page report that the commission dismiss an ethics complaint against former Lane County commissioner Rob Handy. After debate, the six members of the ethics commission present at the July 12 meeting did not reach the four votes needed to either move forward with or dismiss the complaint. As the Handy case statutorily expired July 17, this ends a chapter in what some see as a vendetta against Handy and other progressive politicians. Continue reading →

Rally To Bee-Aware Of Toxic Neonics

News 12 years ago

Beekeepers have been saying for years that they see a link between neonicotinoid pesticides and bee die-offs, but the recent deaths of 50,000 bees near Portland are finally giving pesticide foes some traction: A federal bill, the “Save America’s Pollinators Act of 2013” was introduced on July 16. A “Nix the Neonics” rally is planned for noon July 20 at the Wayne Morse Free Speech Plaza in downtown Eugene. Continue reading →

Upworthy and Occupy Medical

News 12 years ago

As we will write about in Slant tomorrow, Upworthy picked up this video about Occupy Medical made by three UO students and good things happened. Continue reading →

New Bee Bill Targets Neonics

News 12 years ago

Bee advocates and anti-pesticide activists have long known said that pesticides, and specifically neonicontinoids are implicated in bee deaths and die-offs. The Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides announced today that Rep. Earl Blumenauer has revealed a new bill — the Save America's Pollinators Act of 2013 — that would "suspend registration for certain neonicotinoid pesticides and perform a new evaluation of their impacts on pollinators" (see the full press release below). Continue reading →

Ems to Honor Civic Stadium

News 12 years ago

We've long been sad that the Ems left their longtime digs at Civic Stadium to play at the fancy new UO PK Park. PK is snazzy, but Civic Stadium is a classic. But now the Ems are pitching on and honoring Friends of Civic Stadium with a "Civic Stadium Night." Friends of Civic has been fighting to keep the wooden ballpark standing and not paved over and turned into a big box store. For more on the effort go to www.SaveCivicStadium.org and support the cause. Continue reading →