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• Lane County is taking public comment on its draft 20-year Parks Master Plan, which will guide the management of county parks from 2016 to 2036. This is the first comprehensive update to the original 1980 master plan. The draft plan is available at city libraries and an open house runs from 6 to 8 pm Thursday, Sept. 24, at Harris Hall, 125 E. 8th Ave. Continue reading
• Civic Education in Oregon was the topic at the City Club of Eugene Sept. 11, but important as civic education is, the elephant in the room that day was funding for public schools in Oregon. Superintendent Jodi O’Mara of the Mapleton School District spoke of her desire to return the kids to a five-day week; they only go four days this fall. Superintendent Colt Gill of the Bethel District said 60 percent of his kids are in poverty. What additional demand does that put on his schools? Continue reading
We hear Pacific Recycling has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and is currently closed. The scrap metal processor based at 3300 Cross Street in Eugene had employed an average of 55 full-time workers. It listed assets and liabilities ranging between $10 million and $50 million in a petition filed in Oregon Bankruptcy Court, according to a story Aug. 31 in the industry newsletter American Metal Market. Company President Rod Shultz told AMM that “we’ve overcome many obstacles while heavily investing in new capital improvements. Continue reading
• The South Willamette Special Zone Area is the topic at City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, Sept. 18, at the Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette Street. Planning consultant Eben Fodor and local architect and Planning Commission Chairman Bill Randall will be the speakers. The discussion is in advance of an Oct. 19 public hearing before the City Council on the proposal to create a long-range development plan along the Willamette corridor between 23rd and 32nd avenues. Fodor is a critic of the plan and its impact on the neighborhood and Randall helped craft the plan. Continue reading
In Afghanistan • 2,363 U.S. troops killed (2,355 last month) • 20,071 U.S. troops wounded in action (updates NA) • 1,599 U.S. contractors killed (1,599) • 16,179 civilians killed (updates NA) • $713.4 billion cost of war ($709.4 billion) • $285.4 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($283.8 million) Against ISIS • $6 billion cost of military action ($5.4 billion) • $2.4 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($2.2 million) Continue reading
• 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