We've got issues.
As Mother Teresa once said, “Give until it hurts.” Lane County has an abundance of nonprofits deserving of your donations — both tax deductible donations of cash before the end of the year and also donations of your time, your blankets, socks, warm clothing, food and other items in short supply. You might get some ideas from our cover image. EW donated all those items to people in need via First Christian Church. Continue reading
• Rumors of a homeless person freezing to death during the cold snap were false, says Doug Bales, director of the Egan Warming Center. The official cause of that death is a drug overdose. “Not many freeze to death since Egan, but over the past five years there have been some deaths of exposure on nights we were open,” Bales writes. Continue reading
• No Coal Eugene meets at 5 pm Thursday, Dec. 19, at Growers Market, 454 Willamette St. The group meets most Thursdays. See nocoaleugene.org. • A benefit for Womenspace in honor of Casey Wright, a recent victim of domestic violence, will be from 6 to 9 pm Thursday, Dec. 19, at Cozmic, 199 W. 8th Ave. Grrrlz Rock is hosting the event with a theme of “Sing Through the Blues.” Suggestion donation $10-$15. Continue reading
Jason Isbell Southeastern $10.19. Continue reading
Winter would be lost without a new stack of books to enjoy while wrapped up in a blanket, and you can always feel good about sending one more book into the world. This year we bring a little less fiction and a little more of the rest of the written word. So bring on the frightful weather, and help your giftees enjoy it. Tenth of December By George Saunders. Random House, $26. Short stories. Continue reading
• Eugene’s mayor says Whoville is here to stay through the holidays — or, at least, the city has no plans to disperse the homeless camps before the City Council reconvenes Jan. 13. But the council’s refusal to officially approve four emergency rest stops before its monthlong vacation irked protesters, who say they’ve been harassed by police at the sites and want the council’s protection through the break. Continue reading
In Afghanistan • 2,290 U.S. troops killed (2,290 last week) • 19,514 U.S. troops wounded in action (19,496) • 1,452 U.S. contractors killed (1,452) • 16,179 civilians killed (updates NA) • $679.8 billion cost of war ($678.3 billion) • $281.1 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($280.4 million) In Iraq • 4,423 U.S. troops killed, 31,941 wounded • 1,604 U.S. contractors killed (1,604) • 126,977 to 1.2 million civilians killed* (126,796) Continue reading
• The Lane County Chapter of the ACLU will present a free program on “Human Rights and Mental Health Care: Managing the Intersection” from 5:30 to 7 pm Thursday, Dec. 12, at the Eugene Public Library. Speakers will include clinical social worker Ron Unger. Contact lanechapter@aclu-or.org for more information. Continue reading
The campaign to raise state and federal minimum wages is going strong, and now Oregon State Treasurer Ted Wheeler is calling for more transparency in corporate executive pay packages. Wheeler is the custodian of state funds and says the gap between the highest and lowest paid employees in a company is an indicator of that company’s long-term profitability. Such information can affect state investments in Oregon stocks, and Wheeler believes the public also has a right to know. Continue reading
• Local citizens concerned about the global climate crisis will gather at 12:30 pm Thursday, Dec. 5, at the Eugene Area Chamber of Commerce, 1401 Willamette St., to give the Chamber a Golden Ostrich trophy, in recognition of the Chamber’s support for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and its blockade of progress on addressing the climate crisis. Call 484-9167 for more information. Continue reading