Eugene Weekly

CUCKOO’S NEST OPTION Eugene is a fine city. Many volunteer organizations take care of the homeless population in fair and foul weather. But too few citizens have direct contact. In spite of best intentions, I read that many volunteers cannot work with mentally disturbed people, especially when police presence is inadequate. If a substantial fraction of homeless people are mentally disturbed, this makes it difficult to accommodate all homeless in the same program. Continue reading →

MORE BAD POLICY Chop. Chop. Tim-ber! Whether you hear it or not, that’s the sound of a tree being felled in the forest. And if Rep. Peter DeFazio’s and Sen. Ron Wyden’s proposed O&C timber lands legislation becomes law, you will definitely hear it loud and clear as 1.6 million acres of public forests are turned over to private industry for chopping. How bad is this legislation? After DeFazio’s bill passed in the majority Republican House, Democrat President Barack Obama vowed to veto it as bad environmental policy. Continue reading →

WIGGLE ROOM FOR SENECA I talk to many people in Eugene about air quality and their health. This fall, Beyond Toxics completed our second large door-to-door survey in west Eugene. Among the trends we found, this one is troubling: 37 percent of the parents we interviewed said that they judge the quality of the air before they allow their children to go outside to play.  Continue reading →

PARKLAND IMBALANCE In his Viewpoint [11/7] “The Civic Solution,” Eben Fodor proposes that the city purchase Civic Stadium with Parks and Open Space Bond funds because south Eugene has a relative deficiency of park facilities. City purchase is also supported by Donna Taggert’s Viewpoint [11/14]. Continue reading →

SANE WILDLIFE POLICIES I want to set the record straight on Congressman Peter DeFazio’s efforts with regards to wildlife management. DeFazio has been a staunch supporter for sane wildlife policies for decades. In the early 1990s he fought against aerial gunning of wolves in Alaska.  Just this September DeFazio sent a letter to Secretary of Interior Sally Jewell opposing the delisting of wolves — for all the right reasons as well. Continue reading →

PULLING PLUG ON ESD Continue reading →

WRONG CLASS ENEMY Regarding “No More To Give” [Letters, 10/17]: Jessica Hannah, what’s wrong? Your facts are as accurate as they are cold. The way you only point out what is wrong invites me to look between the lines for something constructive. How very clever. When your way becomes the law, then the only problem left will be one of enforcement. The work camps will be far from your sight. Instead of bums on every corner there will be a camera.  Continue reading →

THROW AWAY CIVIC? In an earthquake Eugene’s Civic Stadium will be the last building standing. It is built on a solid foundation held up with huge, clear-grained old-growth timbers. Our education system is slipping away: higher dropout rates, larger classroom sizes and underpaid teachers. Momentary cash infusions have not solved the problem. Continue reading →

A HEAVENLY GOOD TIME “Is there a heaven? I’d like to think so.” — Bryan Ferry.                And if there is, I’d like to think that the world’s largest album collection (including 45s) is also up there — hooked up to the world’s finest stereo components from the 1970s.  Continue reading →

VAGABOND IN TROUBLE Friends and supporters of The Oregon Vagabond street paper should be aware that there is no October issue scheduled for publication. According to Ron, the longtime vendor and artist who is generally to be found stationed at the Kiva parking lot entrance on Olive Street, the editor of The Vagabond and friend of the homeless David Gerber has informed him that the funding has dried up. There is a possibility that funding will be restored in the future, but for now, the vendors will be without this important asset.  Continue reading →