We've got issues.
• Mayor Kitty Piercy is concerned about the dozens of unkempt “travelers” sprawling on our sidewalks downtown with their dogs, guitars and harmonicas. We prefer to call them low-budget tourists, but regardless, they can be intimidating and offensive to some, and an irritation to storefront business owners who wish they would go away. Most will go away when the rain and cold returns; Eugene will be left with its regular population of 2,000 or so houseless folks. Continue reading
Last week in this column we wrote about Barbara’s Soaps, a booth at Saturday Market, and we hear from owner Barbara Hascall that her booth has been banned from the market pending mediation. “We went to the board meeting Wednesday (Sept. 3) and thought we had a sympathetic audience,” Hascall says. “I’m still surprised by this.” The market had gotten complaints about excessive odors emanating from the booth with its 50 soaps, shampoos and lotions. Continue reading
350 Eugene, a local climate activist group, will hold its fall gathering from 7 to 8:45 pm Thursday, Sept. 10, at First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive Street. The group is planning for the Paris 2015 United Nations climate summit Nov. 30 to Dec. 11. A global climate march is being planned in November. Continue reading
• The Metropolitan Policy Committee, a key intergovernmental panel that makes recommendations on local land use and transportation issues, meets from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Eugene Public Library. On the agenda (wkly.ws/229) is “Springfield Main Street Safety Update.” Contact is Paul Thompson, 682-4405. Continue reading
• Another week, more shootings, more senseless death — and not in some unfamiliar city across the country, but in our in our own neighborhoods. We have heavy hearts over the deaths of John Ramsey Tainton-Platts, 33, and Justin Gardner, 17, who were both shot and killed this past week (Aug. 28 and Aug. 30 respectively) in Eugene. Continue reading
Many people are drawn to the fragrance of handmade soaps and related products, but the aromatic booth at Saturday Market for Barbara’s Soaps has also offended some nostrils. The governing board of the market is expected to make a decision this week (Sept. 2) about new guidelines for scented products. Owner Barbara Hascall retired from teaching at South Eugene High School a few years ago and has grown her business through the market. Continue reading
• We keep wondering when the major media and leadership of this state are going to call for significantly more money for public education. Just ask a good teacher. It’s all about more teacher time per student and that costs money. The leadership to get us there is more than political. It’s business, arts, sports — every aspect of the state. Continue reading
Mosaic Fair Trade Collection is a new store at 28 E. Broadway, selling handmade homewares, accessories and jewelry from around the world “made by fair trade workers who get living wages and safe working conditions,” says owner Susan Costa. One line she carries is by Portland company Tropical Salvage offering furniture from Indonesia handmade from salvaged deforestation wood. Costa says her passion for international development started when she did a college study abroad program to Nepal for nine months. Phone number is (206) 427-4780. Continue reading
• Oregon Department of Transportation is currently spraying roadsides. Call Tony Kilmer at ODOT District 5 at 744-8080 or call (888) 996-8080 for herbicide application information. Highways 99, 105, 126 near Eugene and Beltline were recently sprayed. • Freres Timber, (503) 859-2121, plans to spray roadsides in Sections 9 and 11 of Township 16S Range 7W near tributaries of Lake Creek with Element 4 (ester), Opensight, Mad Dog Plus and/or MSO Concentrate. See ODF notification 2015-781-11607, call Robin Biesecker at 935-2283 with questions. Continue reading
