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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 25, 2000)
Dan Brunell Emerald The University of Oregon School of Journalism dedicated the newly-con structed First Amendment Plaza to Ted M. Natt on Saturday. A promi nent newspaper publisher in south west Washington, Natt died in a heli copter crash on Sept. 23, 1999. A graduate of the University in 1963, Natt worked tirelessly for freedom of the press and the rights of profession al journalists. Smoking ban continued from page 1 I don’t think anyone should be, but I think the ban on smoking should be a personal choice.” Stafford also singled out an issue several other bar owners addressed — the cost already sunk into main taining a smoking environment geared towards both smokers and non-smokers. “I have equipment that purifies the air,” Stafford said. “It’s not fair to us who have spent the money on the equipment to force us to lock out our smoking customers.” However, recent research pre sented at the forum contradicted the fears of bar owners regarding a smoking ban’s negative effect on business. One study of a similar smoke free ordinance in Corvallis found the economic fall out was negligi ble, though video poker revenues were significantly cut. “As a whole, Corvallis didn’t show a decrease in alcohol sales as compared to Albany” (where there is no smoking ban), the study’s au thor, Jack Dresser said. “I didn’t see any evidence of economic effect other than video poker.” Despite the research, smoking es tablishment owners believe that a smoking ban for all work places would cripple business for bars, taverns, and Bingo parlors, which claim smoking is part of their cul ture. “Our business is going to close if this law passes and we’re not ex empted,” said Carolyn Dorchak, an employee of Bingomania. Bar representatives emphasize the idea of choice — that patrons can choose to frequent bars with non-smoking areas. Also, both opponents and sup porters of the smoking ban have ex pressed concern that it would drive customers out of Eugene and into Springfield bars and restaurants. “I’m a non-smoker and I work here because I choose to work here,” said Michael Drury, an em ployee of the Black Forest Tavern. “If they pass [the ordinance] here, we’ve got Springfield right across ( { Our business is going to close if this law passes and we're not exempted. Carolyn Dorchak employee, Bingomania the river and they’ll get rich.” Mentioning efforts in Springfield to enact a smoking ban, Kelly said, “I think we need to give Lane County something to level the play ing field.” Supporters of a smoking ban, however, maintain that the hazards of second-hand smoke warrant ac tion. “Second-hand smoke is a public health hazard,” said Munir Katul, a retired physician. “There are occu pational health and safety regula tions regarding other hazards. This is no different than any other safe ty measures employers are forced to abide by. Imagine a place adver tising unhealthy working environ ment standards. Society wouldn’t accept this. Second-hand smoke is no different.” The vote is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. in city council chambers. Reaction continued from page 4 role on campus. A group of students who were involved in last May’s WRC protest and members of the Human Rights Alliance now have positions in student government, including Breslow, Magner, Legisla tive Organizer Melissa Unger and University Affairs Coordinator Chad Sullivan. Breslow and Unger were two of 14 students arrested during the 10-day protest. Sullivan said he and the rest of the Executive staff have briefly dis cussed their overlapping, and possi bly contradicting, roles. He definite ly won’t quell his opinions on issues being tacked in the Survival Center, but he and others are still considering how partisan they should be as members of student government. For now, he said his focus will be to educate the University about the WRC, the FLA and labor conditions and he’ll leave his personal beliefs in the Survival Center. He said he was frustrated many times by the misinformation some students had about the WRC, FLA and the work er’ rights issue. “I want to bring the issue out of the Survival Center and update stu dents on what’s happened,” he said. “We need to create a dialogue and stop pointing fingers.”
