Editorial
Place watchful eye
on Public Works
The Lane County Board of Commissioners unanimously
decided to lift a four-year ban on roadside pesticide spraying
last Wednesday. The board hailed this decision as a com
promise between the Line County Public Works Department
and environmentalists. Yet the compromise appears one
sided.
Lane County Public Works crews once again have the
green light to use pesticides along county roads, and
although restrictions have been levied on where the road
crews can use these pesticides, the hoard has opened
another chapter to this controversial issue.
The lifted ban satisfies Public Works people, who have
complained the ban had hampered their efforts to control
roadside weeds. But the use of herbicides now is prohibited
near schools, bus stops, in standing water and along the
hacks of roadside ditches, which appeases some
environmentalists.
I'he hoard has agreed to implement an “integrated pest
management" program, which allows the use of both
chemical and mechanical methods as a means to eliminate
roadside weeds.
No one argues that roadside weeds, if left uncontrolled,
damage highways. But the Public Works’ commitment to
use the mechanical aspect of integrated pest management
must he questioned.
Public Works may treat the relaxed ban as an impetus to
make up for lost time and spray where spraying is not really
needed
Moreover, tin? tone of Wednesday’s public hearing
could have given Public Works tin: impression spraying is
preferable to mechanical weed control. For example. Com
missioner Bill Rogers displayed his pro-pesticide bias when
he retused to accept written testimony from pesticide op
ponents. He claimed those who wished to testify against
spraying had to appear before the board in person. But
because the hearing was held at 1:30 on a Wednesday after
noon. many people opposed to spraying could not attend the
proceeding. Although many had submitted their objections
in writing, their opinions went unheard.
Furthermore, pesticide opponents received unequal
time to present their case. The board granted Public Works
Director John Coodson an hour to present his argument for
roadside spraying.
Allied with an ()regon State l Jniversitv toxicologist and
a roadside vegetation manager from Washington's transpor
tation department, the board listened patiently to their case.
However, pesticide opponents only received about .1 half
hour to state their side of the issue.
Similarly, pro-pesticide bias was evident when Cleve
Dumdi, husband of Commissioner F.llie Dumdi, submitted
testimony supporting roadside spraying And it's disturbing
to note Commissioner Dumdi. who also supports roadside
spraying, received campaign contributions from Lane ( anili
ty Public Works during last November’s elections.
Furthermore, pro-pesticide sentiment is ingrained
within the ranks of the Public Works Department. Steve
Puett, a Public Works employee, was pictured in Dow
Chemical promotional literature in 1983.
Now that the* pesticide* ban has been lifted, careful
supervision will be needed to ensure spraying is used only
as <1 last resort and that more environmentally sound prac -
tices take first priority.
/■-x
/ I KNOW YOU FEEL >
/ OVERLOOKED AROUND
I HERE, 50 LET ME BE
I THE FIRST TO WISH VOU
> l A HAPPY SECRETARIES
v
Letters
Parenthood
S o m e e 1 e m e n t s in o u r
‘modern” society try to
devalue the importance of the
family unit. That’s too had,
because if strong American
families become the exception -
rather than the rule America
cannot preserve itself as a
culture or a nation for very long.
Young men and women are
told their highest priority and
goal in life lies in attaining a
‘‘glamorous” or high-paying
oc( upatinn while the idea of
bringing up a family is, at best,
presented as secondary in im
portance to monetary success.
Certain types of a c -
( omplishments receive much
glorifit .ition today while the
importance of parenthood is ig
nored. or even significantly
downplayed That’s rather odd,
since our nation could endure
without many of its glamorous
occupations, but it certainly
( ou Id n't conti nue without
motherhood and fatherhood So
whii h task is really most impor
tant overall?
Parents are responsible for
cultivating desirable values and
behavior in future generations.
Oregon Daily
Emerald
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What other accomplishments
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citizens who will inherit this
country?
Just remember — no amount
of military hardware or finan
cial power will preserve this na
tion in the long run if youth ac
cept a philosophy that paren
thood isn't such a meaningful
or worthwhile goal. The foun
dations ot all great nations, in
cluding our own, rest on preser
vation of the family.
bet’s give parenthood the
respect it truly deserves.
Teresa McNew
Elmira, Oregon
Smoked out
Tile (>reek system, in the pro
cess of doing some charity
work, was drinking and rabble
rousing. The Phi Psi “Smoker.”
That fine charitable endeavor
that raises money by having frat
members beat on each other.
I he Smoker was stopped due
to too much boxing or brawling.
People were beating on each
other, and they weren’t doing it
for charity. Some have even
hinted at possible racial
reasons. Only rumor. 1 would
point out that never in the
history of the Greek system has
racism been an issue.
1 didn't hear of it in the
Emerald or the Register-Guard,
but from NEWSGREEk and
witnesses. Cover-up? Greekies
are always covering up their
indiscretions.
W by didn’t the Emerald print
this story?
They don't have the stones to
print the truth about the Greeks
and their pitiful organization.
(Maybe payments?)
U by were the boxers, fund
raisers, and people in atten
dance more interested in
fighting and getting their
money’s worth than raising
money for charity?
Mike Egan quotes Smoker
Chairman Marc Arendt,
"damage the brawl caused
reduced this year’s donation (or
allocation for donation?). The
real people who lost were the
fighters who really wanted to
fight and the fans who came to
see their friends." The article
talked to other fighters but they
were angry they didn’t get to
fight, not about the brawl.
Do the Greeks really care
about the charities?
The funny thing about the
Smoker was that when the fight
broke out. the people in the ring
became tin; audience.
Klakc Louis Sliter
Political science, English
Wildlife
It is rare indeed when one or
two citizens can actually make
their voices heard among the
lahvrinthian machinations of
our federal government. One oi
those rare opportunities is here
now.
The Bureau of Land Manage
ment (BLM) is soliciting public
input as to what they should do
with, and how they should
manage literally billions of
acres of wildlands in this state.
Such spectacular and impor
tant areas as Oregon Sand
Dunes, the Steens Mountains,
A 1 v o r d Desert, O w y h e e
C.anyonlands and Sheepshead
Mountains are being scrutiniz
ed: In all, 2.6 BILLION ACRES.
Only 2H people in the entire
state commented in the original
public comment period!
I am sure many people who
read this have visted some of
these areas, or certainly have
driven through them and been
impressed with their beauty. It
it s important to you that these
places stay wild, write to: the
Wilderness Studies, BLM, or
your congressman.
Steven Albert
Graduate. Biology
Survival Center