Author: EW Staff

Slant 1-22-2015

Slant

• EW lost a trusted friend and critic when Arnold Ismach died on Jan. 16 at age 84. Ismach was dean of the UO School of Journalism and Communication from 1985 to 1994 and has criticized us for “too much entertainment — not enough news.” But his most recent observation, maybe two weeks before his death, was “I read the Weekly Thursday nights and it makes me feel good.” Ismach was a lifelong journalist, one whose curiosity and passion for the world around him lasted long past his retirement from the UO. Continue reading →

War Dead 1-22-2015

War Dead

In Afghanistan • 2,356 U.S. troops killed (2,356 last month) • 20,066 U.S. troops wounded in action (20,060) • 1,582 U.S. contractors killed (1,559) • 16,179 civilians killed (updates NA) • $778.8 billion cost of war ($770.2 billion) • $308.5 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($303.4 million)   Against ISIS • $1.7 billion cost of military action ($1.7 billion) • $672,403 cost to Eugene taxpayers ($564,706) Continue reading →

Biz Beat 1-22-2015

Biz Beat

If you go online to search for Prudential Real Estate in Lane County you will automatically be rerouted to Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices. Billionaire Warren Buffet recently bought Prudential and associated businesses for an undisclosed amount and brought them under his Berkshire brand. Buffett’s purchase is considered to be another indication that the housing sector of the economy is recovering. Continue reading →

Activist Alert 1-22-2015

Activist Alert

• Volunteers are needed to help in the annual count of homeless people in Lane County and a training is planned for 5:30 to 7 pm Thursday, Jan. 22, at Health and Human Services, Charnelton Room, 151 W. 7th Ave. The count date is Wednesday, Jan. 28. Organized by CALC, call 485-1755 or email calcoffice@gmail.com.  • Rep. Phil Barnhart will host a town hall at 11 am Saturday, Jan. 24, at Esslinger Hall, Room 112, on the UO campus. RSVP to rep.philbarnhart@state.or.us or call 968-1411. Continue reading →

Slant 1-15-2015

Slant

• It was a great season for the 13-2 Ducks, but you could feel the wheels on the wagon starting to come off even a few days before the Jan. 12 national title game against Ohio State. A drug-related suspension of the team’s second-leading receiver was followed by ESPN analysts warning that, despite a high-powered offense, the Ducks are a scheme-driven squad capable of being exposed as a one-trick pony. And exposed they were. Continue reading →

Activist Alert 1-8-2015

Activist Alert

• Sen. Floyd Prozanski will speak to the Cottage Grove Blackberry Pie Society at 7 pm Thursday, Jan. 15, at Hard Knocks Brewing, 1024 E. Main St. in Cottage Grove.  • Rep. Tina Kotek, speaker of the House in the Oregon Legislature, will speak at City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, Jan. 16, at the Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette St. Her topic will be “An Opportunity Agenda for Oregonians,” including support for education, higher pay, equal pay and affordable housing. $5 for non-members. See cityclubofeugene.org. Continue reading →

Biz Beat 1-8-2015

Biz Beat

The Ducks might have lost some feathers in Dallas this week, but we hear local pizza and other take-out businesses had one of their busiest sales times ever in the hours leading up to the national championship game. One pizza maker we talked to said he was swamped starting at 10 am Monday filling orders for home game-watching parties. As it turns out, comfort food was badly needed, particularly in the second half of the game. Continue reading →

Slant 1-8-2015

Slant

• We’ve ranted against sprawl for decades and we will likely continue to do so ad nauseam. We are not against growth, per se. People have to live somewhere, and our population is growing for a number of reasons, mostly sex. But we see no reason to encourage growth (or sex) to line the pockets of land speculators and shoddy developers. As City Councilor Betty Taylor asks, “Who profits from these plans?” We’d rather see quality of life be our community priority instead of taxpayer-subsidized growth. Continue reading →