ALL WELCOME Introduction to Ruhani Satsang Science of Spirituality • vhort video • hrirt mrdilalion imlrurliom • mr hill Kovir mrdilJlmn THunuiaVi Feb. 16, noon-1:00 EMU Century Room B For addition.il into. M5-H64-4 Vegetarian Pub rainy bAV cCiFE i Thursday, Feb 16th The Nephews Friday. Feb 17th Pearl Divers Saturday, Feb 18th Kalamity jam , • V»VH!OS I Between Oak it UilUnu'ttfl OPEN 24 HOURS « UNI COUNTY'S #1 FITNESS & AEROBIC CENTER A I httmct (X (x*l i Inert prurc. Inc .PRE-OPENING SPECIALS! • ► FIRST 100 NEW MEMBERS "f OPENING SOON 25,000 sa n. location. 3rd t LAWRENCE DOWNTOWN EUGENI 686-GOLD CURRENT LOCATION 2370 WEST 11 Hi AVL, EUGENE 686-2633 Limited resources make police prioritize Lori Bottineskl Oregon fiwcy / «"*»<»*? Whether the crimet ommittod is a drive-by shooting, disturbance of the peace or dis obeying a "dogs on leashes only " sign, one thing is certain: The Eugene Department of Public Safety i* likely to receive at least one call asking for assistance immediately. In 1904 alone, public safety officials responded to more than 'Ml.000 requests for assistance In crimes like these and others — a I t percent increase over 1991 And with only 141 available officers. Dick Crimes, a Whiteaker district public safety officer, said "priorities” are what determine whether a request i* granted or dismissed "The priori!iring starts out at murder and gi*«s down to dogs at large," he said "We sim ply cannot respond to every request w ith only 12 or 1.1 offic ers available to do so " Me said that after vacation time, days off and sic k days are considered, only 12 or Tt of the original 14 1 officers are actually avail able to respond to calls during any given shift or hour. That's the reason Robert England, a 07-year old Eugene resident, decided to write a letter Fab. 7 to the editor of The /b-gisfer Guard — not because he feels the public safety depart ment lac ks enough offic crs to meet his needs, but because one available officer dec ided that England walking Ins dog in an open meadow last week was n "priority issue " For the pas! five years, England has taken Heidi, Ins 1! year-old golden retriever, for a walk twice n day in a deserted West Eugctne meadow Oft Feb 0. a Eugene officer stopped England during his walk after n« caving a t om plaint from a n (Kirby resident that the dog had been off her leash 1 nglitnd said the reason his dog had (seen "momentarily'' off its leash was Ih-c ause he Hod fallen in Ih* mud and had lo let the dog loose *o he could recover from hi* fall Yet when he explained (hi* to the officer, he was told. "That's no excuse to avoid a ticket " Although he didn't actually receive a tick et or citation, he said he think* police prior ities art* "fouled up " "I explained very nicely to the officer that I'd hewn walking my dog and picking up lit ter in the meadow twice a day for five tear* now and I even challenged him to find one piece of litter or dog dropping anywhere," he said 'If someone w ith nothing better to do than worry about a duffer walking hi* dog in the rom owl F.ng land's letter because neither the Eugene Department of Publii Safety nnr its Whiteak «»r division have enough time or officers to cover a dog loose in a nearby meadow. WhittMtker Public Safety, a satellite station of Eugene publu safety, was developed five years bro to help deal with t hronic com plaints and to take some of the workload off the main department. Yet even with this addi tion. he arici other police officials said more officers are still needed on the heat “We had a consultant from Sacramento hen last year who said Eugene's police depart ment is 20 positions short from meeting the demand of people's calls." Eugene police spokesman Tim Hirr said. "We have added 10 positions since then, hut we re still trying to get more added.'* Grimes said that although he agrees with Hirr that more help is needed, tho public, should not feel that their concerns or com plaints aren't being addressed, "Wo really do try and do the best we can and my sense is that they (community mem bers) fi-el we do a pretty good job," he said. "We do have to spend a lot of time explain ing why we can't answer their complaints sometimes, though." Until the day does come when there is enough manpower to respond to nxjuests like England's. Grimes said "priorities” will con tinue to he the deciding factor when spare moments, officers and funds remain limited while the ni-ed for polk« assistance in Eugene remains overwhelming. City Council considering low-income housing plans Suzanne Marta Qmpan 0&fy anwtuki The Eugene City (4ium.il dis cussed plans Wednesday to rem edy the current housing < nsis that has left many resident* with few housing options. Currently, Eugene has a vaian c.y rate of less than one pen on I. leaving many resident* with nowhere to turn, according to Richie Weinman, housing and community development man ager for the city of Eugene Low income families are having an especially hard time finding affordable housing, he said The council is considering sute sillies for private sector contrac tors to build more low-income housing According to Weinman, such housing is more expensive to build due !o the extra costs spent finding private and public grants and legal iosts for land use appeals by neighbors w ho don't want low-income housing in their neighborhood Weinman said the housing shortage is due to Eugene's year ly on t»-[meant population increase and a low building rate for housing units "There »n> about 1,000 people moving to Eugene eat h year and between 300 and 400 {housing) units built each year," he said Weinman said students play a big role in the housing market, especially in competing with low-income families "A bunch of students can go in on an apartment much easier than a morn with two kids who can't afford as much." Weinman said. For students, the housing t ri sis means they will have to pay more in rent and will have to look for housing sooner. "The rental shortage drives rent prices up," Weinman said "If we increase supply enough, rent costs may go down." According to Kirk Adams, manager of Hlackstone Manor, all but a few apartment units are usually reserved for the next year by the end of May and hs the middle of July everything is gone. Valentine T-Shirt Customiie your Volentine gift with any full color photo or original. Open kinko's the copy center 'four photo Here 1265 Willamette 344-3555 / Fax 344-0870 POLICE BEAT The following incidents wens reported to nuthorities Feb, ft-13: • A 23 veir-old female stu dent watt cited for shoplifting and jMsttv larceny Feb. B at the Bookstore. The suspet t attempted to steal cigarettes, lolly Belly* and lighters worth StH (H) • A 20-year-old man was cited for having an open con tainer of alcohol Feb. 11 on the 10O0 blot k of Patterson Drive. • A 17 year-old juvenile was arrested for assault and minor in possession of alco hol Feb 11 on the 1300 block of Alder Street According to police reports, the suspect became combative when a group of men started paying too much attention to the females he was walking with. A fight ensued and the suspect was lodged in the l.ane Coun ty lad • A University student reported menacing and unlaw ful use of a weapon Feb 11 on the 1400 bhxik of Alder Sins*! A< i ording to police rejnirts. a fight that began at Guido’s spilled into the parking lot south of U S Hank A member of the group of men involved in the nlten ation pulled out a silver semi-automatic: hand gun and threatened to “cap” others r omlsitants involved in the melee. The man with the gun then got into n dark two door sedan and left the area. • A :H year-old transient was cited for theft in the sec ond degree Feb. 12 near the intersection of Franklin Boulevard and Agate Street. According to police reports. Office of Public Safety offi cars observed the suspect stealing a bicycle on campus When they pursued him, the suspect dropped the bicycle and jumped into the Willamette River just west of the University bike bridge. As he was floating downstream. Kugene police officers used a public address system to tell the suspec t to get out of the water before hypothermia set in. The suspect then swam to shore where he was treated by medic s —Compiled by lor I lanvood WUNPERIANP .miwts 5e VIOCO games itfi STREET PUBltC MARKET 683-8464 mo Apvwnrn< vauliv *rven ka*a ■ in It 15% I Student Discount IHOP Good only at thes« locations Broadway • Qataway 345.997* . 747-1024 •*-*' prmnt UO or ICC Muctont I 0 Him otf'tBr c»accvt» VBBd lor i o toidBr an*