Eugene Weekly

MULTIPLE CELEBRATIONS I just heard about the cancellation of the Eugene Celebration. What about this: Let’s have a Eugene Celebration from EWEB plaza to the North Polk Community Garden along the bike path. Two stages, one at each end. Maybe a third stage at Skinner Butte Park and a fourth close to the River House. Booths all along the bike path. And it could be free!  Maybe see if the outdoor concert folks are willing to help coordinate with the neighborhood associations in those areas. Could be more fun than it has been for years. Continue reading →

INHUMANE INDUSTRY Diana Huntington’s May 29 letter “Blood In The Water” is spot on. Anyone who claims to be an environmentalist and/or “animal lover” can no longer in good conscience continue to support the single industry responsible for such unspeakable levels of animal cruelty and major contributions toward the demise of the planet.  Continue reading →

THE POWER OF SEXISM The emergence of sexuality in the teen and early adult years is confusing for all of us. For women, the situation is complicated by their position on the victim end of sexism. Many young women, myself included, enter this period with a belief that men and women are equal, and that their wishes regarding their own bodies will be generally respected by others. It is a shock to find out that this is not true. Continue reading →

SPORTS VS. DECENCY I want to know why the three basketball players are not being prosecuted for rape. I find it unfathomable that their word would be taken over the victim’s. Could it be because they are men playing a sport at UO? Just as Josh Huff, UO wide receiver who, despite being clocked at 50 mph down 18th, and having a urine sample that came up positive was acquitted of all charges — and picked up at the jail by a former UO chief of staff. Continue reading →

MILLIONS HAVE BEEN LOST Is PAC money from out of state being fused into Lane County politics? How much of it is from the Koch Bros? What does your gut tell you? This money is filling the political coffers of commissioners Jay Bozievich, Sid Leiken and Faye Stewart and has bought their loyalty at the expense of Lane County citizens. These commissioners have already cost taxpayers millions of dollars; add to that: scandals, corporate welfare, gerrymandering, lack of government transparency and lawsuits. Continue reading →

GROSS DISREGARD Continue reading →

STABILITY FIRST Donating $400,000 to help unhoused people in the Eugene area is a very positive step in a humane direction, but so much more needs to happen. For example, Utah has moved 2,000 people off the streets and reduced chronic homelessness by 78 percent in the last eight years by simply providing people with apartments. Continue reading →

HOMELESS ANSWERS Seldom does anyone get up in the morning and say, “I think I am going to sleep on the sidewalk, lose all my possessions over and over again, beg for money and listen to people shout obscene things at me.”  Here are some answers given to me when I interviewed some of our homeless population. With the exception of the few mentally ill homeless I talked with, all that would talk with me have had past or current drug and alcohol problems. Continue reading →

THE COUNCIL’S INTENT It has not been a longstanding intention of the City Council to close Whoville before April 15 or even by April 15. The following statements were made on Feb. 18: “Our intent is not to just to go in and shut down the site, our intent is to provide time for people to transition to whatever site that Council chooses, and so that is what our intent is as we go forward.” — Jon Ruiz, city manager. Continue reading →

GOODBYE, WHOVILLE As I came to your location on my daily visit to you and the trains, you were pretty much gone. The big machines were doing their job of scooping up everything in their path and slamming it in the waiting Dumpster. The police were gathered out front, their numbers indicating a “point” was being made. The “jail” van was still there, blocking Hilyard (it was sealed off from both directions). Continue reading →