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The May Special Election is May 21 and ballots can be mailed until Thursday, May 16. After that they can be dropped off at any white ballot box around town or at Lane County Elections offices at 10th and Lincoln. Here are our endorsements on selected local issues and contested races. More complete information can be found in our election issue (linked below). LCC Board Zone 1 Position Sharon Stiles Continue reading
It all seemed so easy to businessman Steven Chapman — an avid hunter, he wanted to influence the Oregon Legislature on its hunting bills. The deer and elk herds in Oregon are too small, Chapman said, and wanted to do something about it. It takes millions of dollars in California to influence legislation, according to Chapman, but only thousands in Oregon. Continue reading
There’s a “Monsanto protection act” in the Oregon Legislature, and opponents say that due to its vague language its repercussions could affect not only seed growers but also city and county governments managing vegetation. SB 633 passed out of the Oregon Senate May 1 on a 17-12 vote. Sen. Floyd Prozanski and Chris Edwards voted against it. Continue reading
When the Buddha was passing on his teachings more than 2,000 years ago, 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere wasn’t an issue. The Earth was a far cry from the present day environmental degradation and climate change that it now faces. But we reached 399.89 ppm on May 9, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and that’s a concern for the Dalai Lama. Continue reading
The Whiteaker is known for its vibrant cultural scene, but some residents say that the nighttime noise level is making sleep difficult, and say it could be time to revise the Eugene noise ordinance to be decibel-based and less subjective. Under Eugene’s current noise code, a noise disturbance can be any sound that “annoys or disturbs a reasonable person of normal sensitivities.” Continue reading
A bill that would ban roping horses by the neck and legs and tripping them for entertainment passed out of the Oregon Senate with a vote of 22-6 and has been the subject of several recent House Judiciary Committee hearings. Horse tripping in Oregon has been documented in Jordan Valley and Burns, according to testimony, and proponents of SB 835 say that being chased and tripped terrifies and injures the horses. Continue reading
Treehuggers having a square dance in a barn to raise money to save Oregon’s wildlands may have seemed more like a spoof than an actual event when it started, but Cascadia Wildlands’ annual hoedown has held up for the long haul — the conservation group’s 10th “Hoedown for Cascadia’s Ancient Forests” is on Saturday, May 18, at a Cottage Grove horse arena. Continue reading
At more than 400 pages, deciphering a city budget can be like trying to decode DNA. That’s why Eugene needs an independent auditor to examine it, figure out where and how much money the city could save and make it more sustainable, according to city councilors past and present and a former Eugene budget clerk. Continue reading
ODOT spring spraying is under way, but calling the 888 number below indicates the plan is not followed closely. • The week of May 13, the Veneta section including Hwy. 126 west of Eugene, Highway 36 and Territorial Highway. • The week of May 20, the Florence section of Hwys. 126 West, 36 and 101. Call Tony Kilmer at ODOT District 5 (Lane County area) at 744-8080 or call 1-888-996-8080 for herbicide application information. Continue reading
Efforts to save Waldo Lake may be paying off for clean water enthusiasts and lovers of Oregon's lakes and forests. A bill has passed in both the Senate and House in the Oregon Leglislature that would ban float planes from landing on the lake. Removing polluting motors from the pristine lake has been a conentious issue with efforts by the Forest Service, conservationists and others fought at every step. The bill now gets sent to Gov. John Kitzhaber to sign into law. Here is the info from the Sierra Club: Continue reading