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A broad coalition of peace, justice and labor activists are organizing a series of actions on tax day, April 15, calling on Congress to redirect war dollars to fund education, job creation, universal health care and other vital services. Activists are also demanding the U.S. Postal Service keep open the Gateway Processing Facility in Springfield and rural post offices open. Continue reading
The U.S. Environmental Protection agency has finalized its order against Tyree Oil, Inc. for Clean Water Act violations (EW 2/14, http://goo.gl/FLqrs). Oregon DEQ sent CPM Development Corporation a warning letter March 13 for failure to collect required water quality monitoring data at its Eugene Sand & Gravel facility on Coburg Road along the north bank of the McKenzie River. Failure to collect such data is classified as a serious violation of Oregon environmental law. Continue reading
• Rosboro LLC, 746-8411, plans to spray about 500 acres its forest roadsides throughout Lane County with Garlon 4 and Glyphosate and Methylated Seed Oil. See ODF notice 2013-781-00324. • ODOT has begun spring spraying. Call Tony Kilmer at ODOT District 5 (Lane County area) at 744-8080 or call (888) 996-8080 for herbicide application information. Continue reading
In Afghanistan • 2,186 U.S. troops killed* (2,184) • 18,360 U.S. troops wounded in action (18,360) • 1,353 U.S. contractors killed (1,316) • 12,793 civilians killed (updates NA) • $628.4 billion cost of war ($626.2 billion) • $188 million cost to Eugene taxpayers ($183 million) In Iraq Continue reading
The son of a Navy test pilot, Skeeter Duke lived all over the map before landing in Oxnard, Calif., for junior high and high school. “I married my high school sweetheart the day before the Tet Offensive,” he says. “We broke up a week before Woodstock.” Duke taught preschool in San Jose, studied for a bachelor’s in history and lived in communal housing with pot-smoking antiwar freaks. “On the first Earth Day in 1970, my friends bought a brand-new Pinto, dug a hole and pushed it in,” he says. “A week later, I sold my VW. Continue reading
Two city councilors have informed us that Councilor George Brown, who initially supported the city fee measure that will appear on the May 21 ballot, has changed his position and will now oppose the measure. Brown told EW earlier this week that he was considering changing his mind, but he needed more time to weigh both arguments. Councilors Brown, Mike Clark, George Poling and Betty Taylor oppose the measure. Councilors Chris Pryor, Claire Syrett, Alan Zelenka and Mayor Kitty Piercy support it. Continue reading
Daniel McGowan's recent Huffington Post blog post about the secretive federal Communications Management Unit that he was held in might have landed him back in prison, the Huff Po is reporting. Continue reading
• The second Lane Latin@ Leadership Forum focusing on “Latinos and the Education System” will be from 6 to 8:30 pm Thursday, April 4, at District 4J headquarters, 200 N. Monroe in Eugene. Panelists include Carmen Urbina, Juan Cuadros, Edward M. Olivos, Michael Sámano and Anselmo Villanueva. For more information, email Phil Carrasco at carrasco.philipanthony@gmail.com Continue reading
Nancy Hughes and the nonprofit StoveTeam International will be recognized at the White House April 5. Hughes has been selected as a Rotary Champion of Change, one of 12 people nationwide honored for having “dedicated their lives to improving the lives of others.” StoveTeam provides efficient, inexpensive stores for low-income people around the world, saving fuel and reducing burn injuries and smoke inhalation illnesses. See stoveteam.org and several stories in the EW archives. Continue reading
Horses were roped around their legs and neck and thrown to the ground from a gallop in a practice called horse tripping at a May 2012 rodeo in Jordan Valley, Ore. A graphic video of the events from the Big Loop Rodeo was posted on YouTube shortly after and an outcry against the practice began. Now, horse lovers have asked the Oregon Legislature to ban the practice, and SB 835 that would end horse tripping, while prohibiting treating rodeos less favorably than other events, has been introduced. Continue reading