We've got issues.
Does The Register-Guard editorial board read its own newspaper? On Nov. 18, 2007 the R-G reported that the police officer who shot and killed a psychotic Ryan Salisbury “said the stun gun would not have helped that night.†Today an R-G editorial uses the Salisbury death as its major justification for endorsing more taser use by the Eugene Police. Continue reading
Local cyclists are wowing on this urban bike parkour video from Scotland: Continue reading
May 1, I hear, is Buy Indie Day. The idea, as described at Indiebound, is simple: “Buy one book — paperback, hardcover, audiobook, whatever you want! — at an independent bookstore near you.” (Those of you on Facebook can check out the movement’s Facebook page, too.) Continue reading
The UO just cancelled the championship hopes of its ultimate frisbee team over nudity at an OSU match. But the UO hasn’t taken any action to cancel Nike’s huge presence on campus due to this act of naked corporate commercialism: Continue reading
Congratulations to Eugene’s Nina Kiriki Hoffman for winning a Nebula Award — the awards given by the Science Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America — for her short story “Trophy Wives.” Continue reading
Taser victim Ian Van Ornum was sentenced today to 80 hours of community service, 18 months of probation and $500 in attorney fees plus court costs. A jury last week found Van Ornum guilty of the misdemeanor crimes of slowing traffic (disorderly conduct) and resisting arrest at an anti-pesticide protest last May. Many witnesses have accused the police of brutality in the arrest. Continue reading
The Eugene City Council voted 6-2 today to move forward with spending $16 million in reserves to move the police department to a commercial office building across the river next to the Eugene Country Club. The motion was to bring back a purchase option for the privately owned building. “It’s the next logical step,†said Councilor Alan Zelenka. Continue reading
Eugene police arrested Dennis R. Thaut this morning, alleging that the 65-year-old securities investor had run a Ponzi scheme out of First Security Financial, according to a press release. Continue reading
In a dramatic departure of longstanding city policy against urban sprawl and for supporting downtown and keeping it safe, Eugene City Manager Jon Ruiz told the city council Thursday that he wants to move the entire Eugene police department out of downtown to a commercial office building across the river in North Eugene. Continue reading
(Ian Van Ornum photo by KVAL) The jury in the trial of taser victim Ian Van Ornum found him guilty of disorderly conduct and resisting arrest. Van Ornum said that he was disappointed and surprised in the verdict, but declined further comment at this time. The judge scheduled sentencing for 11 am next Friday, April 24. Van Ornum said he didn’t know what possible sentence he faced. His attorneys declined comment to reporters. Continue reading