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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 6, 2002)
Newsroom: (541) 346-5511 Room 300, Erb Memorial Union PO, Box 3159, Eugene, OR 97403 E-mail: editor@dailyemerald.com Online Edition: www. dailyemerald. com Oregon Daily Emerald Editor in Chief: Jessica Blanchard Managing Editor: Jeremy Lang Editorial Editor: Julie Lauderbaugh Assistant Editorial Editor: Jacquelyn Lewis Monday, May 6,2002 Editorial Experience makes Kelly best choice for Ward 3 In the race for Ward 3 city councilor, incum bent David Kelly has shown himself to be the best choice. Of the two candidates, Kelly has demonstrated the knowledge of both the city council and the issues faced by Ward 3 residents — knowledge that is necessary to make his cam paign promises into realities. While the editorial board was impressed with Kelly’s opponent, University student Maco Stew art, we thought his plans lacked specifics and he lacked the general experience necessary to ade quately represent all Ward 3 residents. While he criticizes Kelly and the rest of the current city council for infighting, it seems as though Stew art is continuing to pit students against city govern ment, instead of urging them to work together. Stu dents are undoubtedly an integral part of the city, but are we really going to get much accomplished if we try to turn it into an us-versus-them argument? We think it’s great that a University student is running in this race and bringing more attention to issues that affect the campus community. But Stewart is relying heavily on the fact that he is a student and knows other students to demonstrate his fitness for office. We agree that he would be qualified to represent the campus voice, but the other residents of Ward 3 need adequate represen tation as well. To that end, Kelly has a better understanding of what we’re facing as Ward 3 residents, and as University students. We liked Kelly’s ideas about implementing Eugene housing standards patterned after a sipiilar system in Corvallis. Simple standards like basic habitability, heating, insulation and water should already be part of Eugene’s housing requirements. And Kelly has the influence to put his ideas into action. We’re still wait ing for specifics on how to effectively implement the standards, but his plan has a lot of potential. Kelly also appears to be sensitive to the needs of Ward 3 residents. We applaud the initiative he has shown by working with the ASUO and in coming ASUO President Rachel Pilliod, and we would like to see him play a major role in bring ing together the “ongoing forum” he mentioned to better represent student voices. It’s true that students don’t always show an interest in having their voices heard by the city council, but some times our representatives need to bring the op portunity to the students instead of waiting for us I to come to them. Frequent appearances on cam pus and town hall meetings involving students would be an excellent start. And finally, Kelly has addressed our concerns about Peace Health’s future move to Springfield. Although a small number of employees currently working at the Eugene site will be relocated, a sig nificant portion of the hospital’s services will be lost in Ward 3. Kelly has said he will work to find ways to provide adequate emergency services for the area. For these reasons, we urge you to re-elect David Kelly as city councilor for Ward 3. Editorial Policy This editorial represents the opinion of the Emerald editorial board. Responses can be sent to letters@dailyemerald.com. Letters to the editor and guest commentaries are encouraged. Letters are limited to 250 words and guest commentaries to 550 words. Please include contact information. The Emerald reserves the rightto edit for space, grammar AHA: Local ads could be IMPROVED y older sister warned me before I came to school that I’d get ad JL ▼ JL dieted to daytime television. And I’ll admit, I enjoy an occasional episode of “Crossing Over with John Ed ward” or a sinful dose of Timmy on NBC’s “Passions.” But I find myself drawn more to the advertisements that fill the airtime be tween the drama — especially local tele vision spots. Some of the local ads aren’t bad. I al ways enjoy the “Palm Harbor Homes” jingle (every time the doorbell rings, I break into song). But not all of the com mercials from the Eugene area are as in teresting — or have the budget — as a manufactured home megastore. In fact, some of them suck. I’ve had enough of whiny Ronny ffon Ronny’s Stereo. The price of excellence is not always affordable, Ronny, espe cially when it comes to home entertain ment systems. Admittedly, I’ve never been to Ronny’s store, but I’ve never wanted to, especially after being en tranced by Ronny’s sniveling, mono tone voice. I’m also frustrated with the Brad’s Chevrolet in Cottage Grove commer cials. The spot features a mustachioed Brad superimposed over his car lot as though he were a weatherman. Used-car salesmen are creepy in general, but I think Brad has a certain former high school football star-like charisma that is squelched in the spot. And although Emporium is not a loca chain, its commercials sure make it seem like mom and pop are running the show. The “Clean Sweep” spot is amon£ the most ridiculous, featuring guys in khakis pretending to drum on upside down buckets while women in khakis flit about their drumming circle, swing ing brooms. What the ad has to do with anything besides housecleaning sup plies is beyond me. Other irksome ads include Guaranty RV in Junction City (where eggs are cheaper?) and a car commercial with spokesman Joey Harrington delivering an insincere pitch. I don’t know the advertising budgets for these local businesses, and I don’t know how difficult it was to undertake production to begin with. But producing goofy spots only undermines the intent of the commercials in the first place — to persuade people to buy a product. So I’d like to offer a suggestion to all of the Ronnys, Brads and Emporiums of Eugene and Springfield: Check out Allen Hall Advertising. AHA is a student-run advertising firm on campus that is under-utilized by lo cal businesses. The students involved in AHA are dedicated to creating new and innovative advertisements and could of fer insightful tips for improving local ads. With help from budding advertise ment executives, the level and quality of local commercials would go up, and consumers might be tempted to buy that new Tahoe from Brad or order a home theater system from Ronny. With a little brainstorming from the young minds at AHA, local commer cials could be as effective as their na tional counterparts. Local businesses may not have the funding to promote themselves effectively, but AHA could create budget-minded spots that would be much cheaper than an out side agency. At least it would make the three minutes between John Edward’s com munication with the dead a little more interesting. E-mail editorial editor Julie Lauderbaugh at julielauderbaugh@dailyemerald.com. Her opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the Emerald. Letters to the editor Students support new Eugene library Eugene area students came to the site of Eugene’s growing new library on April 30 to celebrate reading in a pub lic setting. University athletes Rasuli Webster and Kourtney Shreve joined kids from Jefferson and Spencer Butte middle schools, Adams, Family School, Magnet Arts, and Santa Clara elementary schools, SMART tutors and community members in reading throughout the day. Eugene’s new library will serve everyone, and it was exciting to see stu dents of all ages ready to come down town and watch the building under construction. When the doors open in the winter of 2002-03, everyone will be able to use the services in an exciting new space. Thanks to all of the young people who came to the Lane Transit District plaza on April 30 to show support for the library. Barbara Dellenback executive director Eugene Public Library Foundation Stein stands behind students I was amused by your recent inter view with Ted Kulongoski. I even laughed out loud when I read the ques tion, “How are you campaigning to in crease student turnout?” The answer is nothing. Only one candidate is making any kind of effort to get out the vote in the student population, and that candi date is Bev Stein. When I attended the Democratic de bate at the University, Kulongoski had sent a representative in his stead. I would have been utterly dumbfounded at this, had it not been for Kulongoski's history of absence from campus events. Bev Stein is the only candidate who has a plan to improve the public educa tion system. The other candidates, while at the same time claiming that education is a top priority, are not even mentioning higher education. Kulongoski also fielded a question in your interview about how he would make himself accessible to students if he wins the election. He said he would come down to campuses and meet students — a slightly misleading answer. I can count on one hand the number of times he has visited the University. Stein has been here more than a dozen times. I don't believe Kulongoski to be a bad person — far from it, in fact. However, when he tells us that he is the candidate who has our interests at heart, I don't be lieve that to be true. On the Democratic ticket, Bev Stein is the candidate that shines when it comes to education. Britt McEachern sophomore Lane Community College history/business Poll Results: Every week, the Emerald prints the results of our online poll and the poll question for next week. The poll can he accessed from the main page of our Web site, .com. and results. This week’s poll question: The last day to registered? Total votes: 60 ■ In Lane County -—46 7 percent, or 28 votes ■ Elsewhere — 36 J percent, or 22 votes ■ Not registered—15.0 percent, or 9 votes ■ Don’t know — 1.7 percent, or 1 vote Next week’s poll question: Howdoyou think University housing could make residence halls more welcoming to the LOST community? Hie choices: ■ Add "queerfriendly" to roommate matching questionnaire II Create a separate residence hall ■ No change ■ Don’t know ■ Don’t care
