We've got issues.
• What’s next for City Hall? We may see some buyer’s remorse from city councilors when they eventually confront the real costs of their decision to tear down our full-block City Hall and built a little City Hall on the rubble. The final price tag of a “light-filled” and truly energy-efficient building could be a lot more than the estimated $11 million for the Phase I construction. Continue reading
• ODOT recently sprayed Highways 36, 126 and Territorial Highway. For daily information call ODOT Herbicide Application Information Line, (888) 996-8080. You may also call Tony Kilmer at the Springfield office at 744-8080 for herbicide and additives information and to ask what time a highway was sprayed. Continue reading
At least three new hotels are popping up on the drawing boards for Eugene and some might actually get built. One hotel is included in proposals for redevelopment of the EWEB surplus property, a seven-story hotel is back on the expansion plans at Oakway Center and a third hotel was revealed in tentative plans for the Civic Stadium property. Continue reading
• Jennifer Freyd and Carly Smith will speak on “Addressing Sexual Assault — From Institutional Betrayal to Institutional Courage” at City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, Oct. 3, at the Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette St. Freyd and Smith will explain how they measure institutional betrayal and what they have learned from their research, which has focused on institutional response to military and campus sexual assault. $5 for non-members. See cityclubofeugene.org. The Oct. Continue reading
• A decision on Eugene City Hall is expected by the City Council after we go to press this week, and it could go either way (see our story last week). City staff and Rowell Brokaw Architects have the advantage of the final word. Rowell Brokaw has a vested interest in making the old City Hall look bad and making the proposed new City Hall look wonderful. But design and environmental issues aside, the elephant in the room is Phase II of a new City Hall. Continue reading
Tsunami Books is in a pickle. Owner Scott Landfield tells us the building that has housed Tsunami Books on South Willamette for 20 years is up for sale through Evans, Elder & Brown. Landfield says he has decided to keep the business going, “but where and how are now up in the air.” Ideally, he says, someone would buy the building and keep him as a tenant. “We here at Tsunami Books are totally focused on having our best holiday season ever, beginning today,” he says. Continue reading
ODOT recently sprayed Highways 36 and 126. For daily information call ODOT Herbicide Application Information Line (888) 996-8080. Or call Tony Kilmer at the Springfield office at 744-8080 for herbicide and additives information and to ask what time a highway was sprayed. Continue reading
• Peace Week in Eugene began Sept. 14 and continues with the Sweet Peace Festival from noon to 5 pm Saturday, Sept. 20, at Whiteaker Community Head Start Center at 21 N. Grand St. The People’s Climate March (see below) is part of the series. The finale will be from 3 to 4 pm Sunday, Sept. 21, at the Nobel Laureate Peace Park at Alton Baker Park. Call 485-1755 or email calcoffice@gmail.com. Continue reading
StoveTec, a local for-profit stove enterprise, is pledging financial support for StoveTeam International, a nonprofit organization that brings safe, fuel-efficient and low-emission stoves to communities in Mexico and Central America. Under the new sponsorship, StoveTec — which markets wood cook stoves developed at Aprovecho Research Center in Cottage Grove — will donate a portion of its domestic for-profit sales to support StoveTeam International. Continue reading
• A group of local architects is deeply concerned about what is planned for Eugene City Hall, and we outline their perspectives this week on page 9. Further discussion on tearing down City Hall has been delayed until the City Council’s Sept. 22nd and 24th meetings and will hopefully be delayed again for re-evaluation. The council and administration have been debating what to do with City Hall for about 15 years, but we have a different city council now, and it will be different again 15 years from now. This is a time for leadership. Continue reading