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While billions of taxpayer dollars go into unlivable freeways that throttle livability and the planet, there’s a few million being spent on greener transportation. Here’s a look at some upcoming bike projects based on documents from the Metropolitan Policy Commission. The MPC is the less-known, less-democratic interjurisdictional committee that supposedly oversees all the billions in local transportation spending. Here’s the bike projects: Continue reading
In the worst blow to downtown since the hospital left, the Eugene City Council voted 6-2 today to move the police department out of the heart of the city. Critics charge that the $16-million plan to buy an office building on Country Club Road for the police department will cripple downtown, defy three votes, waste money, increase polluting sprawl and congestion, increase earthquake and flooding risk and reduce police accountability while damaging civic pride. Continue reading
Shaun the intern just noticed a drastic change to the Jo Federigo’s website: As of this morning, it says that the venue has closed. Owners are looking for a buyer or investor. Some of the venue’s scheduled events have moved to Davis’ Restaurant, including Ala Nar (8 pm July 24; $5) and Nice Jewish Girls Gone Bad (8 pm July 29; $12). Casey Mitchell, who was booking Jo Fed’s, says that “as many acts as possible” among the already-booked shows will be moving to Davis’. Continue reading
Centron Solar has made front page news with the announcement that it may bring up to 300 much needed jobs to Eugene. But it remains unclear just how much substance Centron actually has and if all those jobs will actually materialize. “Really, we don’t know what’s real here and what’s not real,” Bob Warren, a state business development officer for Lane County told the Oregonian. Continue reading
Local state Senator Vicki Walker will leave office for a $100,000 a year political appointment from the Governor, Gov. Ted Kulongoski announced today. Kulongoski appointed Walker to chair the state Parole Board. The Lane County Board of Commissioners will take nominees from local Democratic party leaders and appoint a replacement for Walker in the state Senate. Continue reading
With gas prices through the roof and the economy in the tank, locals are using less gas. Here’s a chart of declining gas use from a recent LCOG memo: Continue reading
“USDA Organic” labeled food can cost twice as much, but under the loose system set up by the Bush Administration, the label may have become meaningless, threatening a lead industry in Oregon and Lane County. Continue reading
The City of Eugene plans to close one of the most popular bike commuter routes in Eugene this summer for repairs. The city will close sections of the Amazon off-street bike path starting July 6 with work scheduled to be completed by the end of August. Unlike most road repairs, the sections of the bike path under construction will be entirely closed in both directions with bikers and pedestrians forced to take more dangerous alternative routes. Continue reading
After a flurry of unconfirmed reports (well, reports only by TMZ, which was apparently good enough for pretty much nobody on a topic this big), the L.A. Times confirmed that Michael Jackson died today. He was 50. Continue reading