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“My parents both taught piano,” says Amy van der Linde, whose father also taught math at Bennington College in Vermont. “When I was 6, they opened a summer piano camp in our house. I started teaching at age 9.” The camp, called Summer Sonatina, became so popular that the family moved, seven years later, into a 42-room mansion, previously a convent. “We had 26 pianos for 50 students,” she says. Continue reading
Get ready, beer-loving Eugene: The Lane Events Center will host the first Big Tree Beer & Cider Festival this weekend, Sept. 16 and 17. “Beer is king in this town,” says Rachel Bivens, marketing manager for the Lane Events Center. According to Bivens, the events center worked in tandem with its new beverage provider to create the new event. Continue reading
Standing still. Using the bathroom. Sleeping. These are things we all do and, in fact, all things we do to survive. But laws in some cities, including Eugene, penalize people for trying to meet their basic needs. Local advocates for the unhoused are teaming up with representatives from the Western Regional Advocacy Project (WRAP) to pass a Homeless Bill of Rights in three states, including Oregon. Paul Boden of WRAP will take part in a Sept. 22 forum discussing the Oregon Homeless Bill of Rights and Right to Rest legislation. Continue reading
The Oregon Electric Railway first arrived in Eugene in 1912, but its historical significance today remains relevant to the area — and especially to the city’s African-American residents. The Lane County Historical Museum is hosting an exhibit about the arrival of railroads to Eugene and the employment opportunities for African-Americans that came with it. “Rails Through Eugene: A Black History Connection” was put together by the Oregon Black Pioneers, a nonprofit group based in Salem that focuses on bringing Oregon’s black history to light. Continue reading
Numbers published by the Oregon Department of Education last week show that across Lane County, some parents and students continue to choose “opting out” of the Smarter Balanced Assessment, a standardized test introduced to Oregon public schools last year. In Eugene School District 4J, 12.3 percent, or 1,121 students, did not participate in the math portion of the test. The number of opt-outs has remained relatively steady from last year. Continue reading
It’s 1938 in Eugene, and Spencer Butte is in danger. If Eugeneans can’t raise $7,000, Spencer Butte and its iconic trees will be on the chopping block for the logging industry. Peeling through archived newspaper articles, Heather Kliever, curator of education and registrar at Lane County Historical Society, reads aloud descriptions of a daunting fate for the prominent Eugene landmark. Continue reading
Roseburg Resources (541-679-3311) is planning to hand spray 178.3 acres west of Territorial/south of Gillespie Corners. Herbicide mixture is aminopyralid, metsulfuron methyl, clopyralid, flumioxazin, glyphosate, hexazinone, imazapyr, indaziflam, sulfometuron methyl and triclopyr with amine and ester. Chemical carriers are Forest Crop Oil, W.E.B. Oil, petroleum oil, emulsifier and water. Chemical additives brush and basal oil, Conquer, crop oil concentrate, forest crop oil, MSO Concentrate and Super Spread MSO. Start date Sept. 20. Local Roseburg forester is Dave Cramsey (541-935-2507). Continue reading
According to a press release sent out today from the city of Eugene, it has relached an agreement with popular online home short-term rental site Airbnb on complying with tax laws. The full release is below. City of Eugene and Airbnb reach home sharing tax agreement Continue reading
The Obama Administration's statement on Standing Rock, issued Sept. 9, shortly after a federal judge ruled progress on the Dakota Access oil pipeline could proceed, is worth a read in its entirety. From stopping construction, to acknowledging the peaceful protests and First Amendment rights, to recognizing there needs to be "nationwide reform with respect to considering tribes’ views on these types of infrastructure project," this is impressive. Continue reading
• Ward 1 Eugene City Council candidate Josh Skov is having a campaign kickoff at The Barn Light, 924 Willamette Street, 4:30 to 6:30 pm on Thursday, Sept. 8. Skov’s campaign says, “This will be an opportunity for voters to learn more about how Skov will fight for our community, and to learn how supporters can get involved.” All welcome, but space is limited, so the campaign is asking for attendees to RSVP at joshuaskov.com/fall_kick_off or on Facebook. Skov faces Emily Semple in the November election for the City Council seat. Continue reading