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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 26, 1991)
SPRINGFIELD SMOKE SHOP TOBACCO • PIPES • LIGHTERS • INCENSE KNIVES • GIFTS • CANDT 1124 Main S1, SpnngftekJ, OR 97477 MW. im K4 Sun «« Car Care with a Conscience HUU! vw Porsche ■ BMW Alla Romeo Volvo Mercedes Ben; IMPORT AUTOMOTIVE SPECIALISTS 1975 W. 7th, Eugene • 687-0040 ARE YOU READY TO BEAT THE WINTER BLUES? HOP OUT OF BED AND COME JOIN OUR HEALTH FAIR! February 28th • 10am-2pm Carson Lobby Presentations, demonstrations, and information about: • Nutrition • Safer Sex • Aromatherapy • Wellness • Public Safety • Rolling • Fitness/Sports • Project Safe Run Snac ks and Entrance are FREE ' Sponsored bv the Lite>t\le Planning Program student Health Center COMMUNITY 1 Photo by Andrr K«m«n Mike Schwartz, speak in# at a public forum Monday to debate the proposed reopening of the f.'iiftene Mall, said he is in favor of the proposal. Majority supports mall reopening By Brian Bloch Emerald Reporter Overwhelming support dominated testimonies given to the Kugene < itv Council in the final puli lie forum on the proposed downtown redesign project Morulas night Thirty three businesspersons, merchants and concerned citizens voiced support for the rede sign projee I t ailing for the opening of Willamette and Olive streets and Hast Broadway on the doss ntosvn mall Onls about 1(1 people testified in opposition to the proposal The city < oum il Is si heduled to take a< lion on the redesign proposal during a svork session Wednesdas at Kugene City Hall If the couni il ap proves the proposal, it vs 1H likids he placed on the Mas ballot Business owners cried out tor changes thes hope vs 111 bring better at c ess. more patrons and a revitalized downtown "Closed streets are like closed doors said All I-azar. owner of tsvo downtown businesses Mike Schwartz said revenues from downtown businesses have dropped from S'l 1 million in I!I7!> to .i projected $?r> million this year because of a failing downtown "The mall has not lieen the sui i ess that we had onginallv hoped." said Don Amac.her. a down tow n real estate agent "The mall |ust simply doesn't function, it's too patk like." said Roger N'eusladter "Moving more people through our downtown can only bo i" 1 positive Gene Swan, president of the representative Eu gene Downtown Inc said a recent survey of the organizations 82 downtown member businesses showed that l>7 support the redesign proposal Many citizens and business owners said they do not believe the redesign will completely solve all of downtown's problems, hut that it offers a starting point for improvement "Downtown is dying I feel we need a change and we need new strategies." said Richard Green "This is a beginning " "There are fewer and fewer reasons for the av erage ( iti/.en to come downtown." said Margaret burke " The arteries must tie opened before g€in grene sets In "1 can't understand how doing nothing can he an option," said local business owner bob Ku benstein "YVe need to take action and save dow ntown by opening the streets " However, a handful of citizens disagreed with the proposal "The question here is who's going to pay for it." said William Mason "There's no guarantee this w ill solve any of dow ntow n's problems We cannot afford this." "The owners downtown should pay for their own experiments " said William Eaton "One of the i its s most livable areas would lie destroyed." said George Schafer "The problem isn't accessibility, it's content "Many people have asked for change." said Merton Saling "It will change, just leave it alone." Group seeks drug legalization By Kim Wuebbenhorst I meiakl Contnbutof Students for the Oregon Marijuana Initiative is a small, but determined group ol I'niversity students work ing to decriminalize mari juana in Oregon. "We think the laws are based on oppression of peo ple who behave peacefully but art* other wise law-abid ing citizens." said Adam Handwerger. a junior phys ics major and SOMI mem ber The group formed in late 1‘IHK when a couple of friends, who wish to remain anonymous, got together to officially voice their opin ions The group does not have muc h of an offi< ial member ship be< ause people who are tor the legalization ol mart juana arc also afraid of gov ernment action, Handwerger said Regardless of its lack of numbers, SOM1 will petition for the initiative as soon as the final draft is finished, probably within a few months. The last Oregon Marijuana Initiative would have al lowed people 21 years or older to cultivate three mari juana plants on their own property or possess four ounces in their home. The initiative did not discuss use or possession outside a per son's private property, but did prohibit selling marijua na or driving under the in fluent <■ of marijuana. Under current Oregon law. possession of marijuana can result in a $500 to $1,000 fine tor less than one ounce, or up to 10 years in jail and $100,1)00 fine for more than one ounce. A judge can impose an addi tional fine of twice the value of any resulting property or money gain, regardless of the amount of marijuana sold The group believes these laws are excessive, Handwerger said, and it will work to get the initiative on the ballot for the 1992 elec tion. Voters rejected the measure during the 1986 election, and it did not re ceive enough petition signa tures to be placed on the bal lot in the 1988 or 1990 elec tions. Another of the group's ob jectives is to educate people on the marijuana issue and its uses, which members say include paper products, pe Turn to GROUP. Page 6