Author: EW Staff

Activist Alert 12-13-2012

Activist Alert

•  West Eugene EmX funding still has more public process to go through and funding of the extension is on the agenda of the Metropolitan Policy Committee from 11 am to 1:30 pm Thursday, Dec. 13, at the Eugene Public Library. The MPC will vote on a recommendation by the Transportation Planning Committee to approve $4.2 million of Oregon Lottery funds and $705,000 of federal funds for the expansion. The deadline for public comment has passed, but audience comment time is provided at the beginning of MPC meetings. See lcog.org for more information. Continue reading →

Slant 12-13-2012

Slant

• A homeless micro-housing pilot project requires four to six months to get a conditional use permit? Holy freezing to death on the streets, Batman. We respect the need for due diligence, but when lives are at stake, a little expediency is in order. Kudos to the council for approving the Opportunity Village pilot project, and in particular to Councilor Alan Zelenka for making sure a location was chosen before the council’s winter break, but let’s not fool ourselves into thinking those at risk on the streets are now safe. Continue reading →

Biz Beat 12-6-2012

Biz Beat

In February or March 2013, The Bier Stein will move from its location on East 11th Avenue to Midtown, the building at 16th and Willamette that was formerly home to June. Bier Stein owner Chip Hardy says The Bier Stein has purchased the building and has begun remodeling so it can accommodate a single business. Its new location will almost sextuple The Bier Stein from 2,100 sq. ft. to 12,000 sq. ft. The extra space will also provide a room from which Hardy and company will begin packaging and shipping beer from online sales. Continue reading →

Activist Alert 12-6-2012

Activist Alert

• Springfield City Club will host James Whitty, manager of ODOT’s Innovative Partnerships and Alternative Funding, at 11:45 am Thursday, Dec. 6, at Willamalane Center, 250S. 32nd St. Whitty will talk about funding road and highway improvements in the future as vehicles become more fuel efficient and fuels taxes shrink. City Club meets for lunch on the first and third Thursday of each month.  Continue reading →

Slant 12-6-2012

Slant

• Tax breaks for developers have persisted for decades as a major economic development strategy, and for decades we at EW and progressives in local government have insisted they do more harm than good. The New York Times has investigated these billions of dollars in tax incentives nationwide and published a story Dec. 1 saying “The giveaways are adding up to a gigantic bill for taxpayers,” and the results are tenuous at best. Continue reading →

Slant 11-29-2012

Slant

• The city of Eugene’s budget woes are in the news, and the city has been polling residents about how to raise revenues. It looks like some proposal will go before council and maybe voters soon. The polling asks lots of questions about attitudes and it appears the city is looking at what the citizens are willing to do in terms of taxes and fees, and also testing various arguments and selling points to see if they have traction. Continue reading →

Biz Beat 11-29-2012

Biz Beat

We wrote about The Barn Light in this column back in August and its plans to open a new bar and coffee shop in September. The classy new watering hole finally opened the evening of Thanksgiving Day at 924 Willamette, in the newly rebuilt Broadway Commerce Center. Owners are Thomas Pettus-Czar and Dustin Kinsey, who met and worked together at a popular bar and coffee shop in Lawrence, Kan. “We look forward to participating in the rebirth of a thriving, vibrant center of commerce and community in downtown Eugene,” says Kinsey. Continue reading →

Activist Alert 11-29-2012

Activist Alert

• EmX funding still has more public process to go through and the deadline for written testimony is Dec. 2 for pending action by the Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization. The MPO will be looking at whether to earmark Oregon Lottery funds to help finance EmX expansion. Send comments to mpo@lcog.org  Continue reading →

Slant 11-21-2012

Slant

• Thanksgiving is a big family holiday for some, a celebration of “America” for others and, for many indigenous peoples, a reminder of racism and genocide. We give big props first to members of the Eugene community for speaking out about their feelings about a flyer that advertised the “Spanksgiving” Fetish Ball using an image of a woman in facepaint and an “Indian headdress.” And second kudos to Diablos Fetish Night for immediately responding to those concerns from the Native community. You can catch some of the dialogue on EW’s and Diablos’ Facebook pages. Continue reading →

Biz Beat 11-21-2012

Biz Beat

MECCA, the Materials Exchange Center for Community Arts, is expanding its store hours at 449 Willamette St., next to the Amtrak station. MECCA will now be open afternoons and early evenings, and will be celebrating its new hours with a public ceremony at 11 am Saturday, Dec. 1. Officiating will be MECCA Executive Director Jija Adrade and Slug Queen Sadie Slimy Stitches. The nonprofit store acts as a clearing house for scraps and discards that can be used creatively and sold at low prices to artists, teachers and others. Continue reading →