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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 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 Thursday, August 1,2002 Oregon Daily Emerald Editor in chief: Michael J. Kleckner Managing editor: Jenni Schultz Citizens debate discrimination code changes The Eugene Human Rights Commission announces that its recommendations for a domestic partner registry and other code changes will be finalized on Aug. 29 By Jan Montry Oregon Daily Emerald Civil rights and anti-homosexual activists faced off before the Eugene Human Rights Commission on Tuesday night, debating pro posed changes to the city code. Commissioners heard testimony and announced they would fi nalize their recommendation on Aug. 29. The proposal, if passed by the City Council, will create a domestic partner registry for ho mosexual and unmarried heterosexual resi dents, give “reasonable accommodation” to transgender persons for dress codes and rest room access, and allow people to file private lawsuits if they feel they’ve been discriminat ed. The proposal will also add “ethnicity” to city anti-discrimination rules. Fifteen speakers voiced favorable opinions to the changes, speaking in support of civil rights and against labeling homosexuals. Four opponents to the changes voiced concern that the proposal would deteriorate the meaning of family and clash with religious doctrine. For one supporter in particular, however, the debate was a typical struggle. “Eveiy civil rights movement comes back to the bathroom,” Basic Rights Oregon director Roey Thorpe said. Thorpe added that the fear of homosexuali ty is unfounded. “(Homosexuals) are not predators,” she said. Nick Urhausen heavily criticized the rest room proposal, calling it a “free bathroom pass for pedophiles” and warning that the HRC would be a “group of fascists” if they rec ommended the proposal. “There’s no constitutional right to what you’re asking for. It should come about by some political process,” he said. Most speakers, however, had kind words for the proposal and the HRC for working to ward changes that have already been accepted in other states. Adam Jones Emerald About 30 citizens gather at Eugene City Hall to discuss the Human Rights Commission’s proposed additions to city code, including gender identity protection and a domestic partner registry. Doug Smyth, a gay man who attended the meeting with his partner, set the scene early for a debate on morality. “This is a question of morality,” he said. “The Constitution I read suggests that we are all created equal, and I would suggest to you that that is the fundamental, underlying moral principal behind (the proposals).” Sue Monaham, who pointed out that she was a heterosexual, expressed surprise that such a debate is even necessary., “Who are we to accept or not accept another human being?” she said. “We are all being giv en the opportunity to act with an informed mind and a passionate heart.” Speakers who opposed the proposals often mentioned God and their fear that homosexu ality would pose a danger for children. George and Rennina Brittain, a married couple, argued their views in terms of reli gion and family. “God would not be in favor of this, and that’s all I will say about that,” George Brittain said. “The little kids, they can’t take care of themselves — they are the victims.” Rennina Brittain used a harsher tone and left the podium visibly emotional. “I stand before you absolutely mortified that my community would bring this to us and say ‘Help us vote on this,”’ she said. “If something were to happen to my child, who is responsible?” Referring to the domestic partnership reg istry, HRC Chairwoman Andrea Ortiz said un married people just want to be recognized. “For people of the same sex, I think it gives them an opportunity to make the affirmation to the community that this is the person I’d like to be with,” she said. Contactthereporteratianmontry@dailyemerald.com. Springfield celebrates 13th annual Filbert Festival Locals will gather at Day Island Park forthree days of fun, food and entertainment as they participate in the city’s tribute to the nut By Jenni Schultz Oregon Djaily Emerald Filberts, runners, kids and food will fill Springfield’s Day Island Park Aug. 2 to 4 for the 13th Annual Springfield Filbert Festival. A celebration involving filberts may sound like a “nutty” way to spend a beauti ful summer weekend, but the event is loaded with musical performances, includ ing the Satin Love Orchestra, the Deb Cleve land Band and Eugene’s own version of Fox’s “American Idol.” One of Springfield’s only events has changed in the past couple years, partly be cause of a change in management, and partly from the festival board’s focus, Big Green Events partner Dave Crory said. “The focus of the board has been to grow and enrich the event in all areas,” he said. The best part of the festival is the Island Park location, according to festival volunteer Jenny Johnson. “It’s gorgeous, and it really gives us a KDUK karaoke Son Weia o Groove Juice Special Fireworks Satin Love Orchestra 8a.m.tonoon Noon to 4 p.m. 3 to 6 p.m. Main Slap •Friday 5:30 p.m. 7:15 p.m. 9:30 p.m. chance to appreciate what a beautiful place we live in,” she said. The event is catered to all ages and levels of activity. Some of the main attractions are the Spirit of Springfield Run, Pancake Break fast, Mayor’s Ice Cream Social, a Nutty King dom for children and the stages. Along with the many food and informa tion booths, there are two stages. The Main Stage will feature headlining bands and the Fun Stage will showcase comedy, magic and folk acts. The event is not necessarily geared only to ward Springfield residents. Although it has been supported by Springfield businesses and residents, one goal of the festival is to “showcase what is unique to Springfield by marketing to wider audiences,” Crory said. Get geared up to watch local performers sing Turn to Filbert, page 3 Students have new option for dining out El Pato Verde (The Green Duck), on East 13th Street, is set to open Monday, offering customers a taste of traditional Mexican food By Jillian Daley Oregon Daily Emerald Victor and Rosa Valverde plan to car ry on tradition when they open their new taqueria, El Pato Verde (The Green Duck), by cooking the kind of food they enjoyed when they lived in Sonora, Mexico, a state just below Arizona. After 14 years in the United States, much of which they spent in Oregon, the Valverdes longed for authentic Northern Mexican cuisine. That’s fortunate for University stu dents, as El Pato Verde will be located on 682 East 13th Ave., next to Napoli. Stu dents who are hungry for lunch will have a new option for eats, starting Monday. The Valverdes hope to open El Pato Verde by 9 a.m. Aug. 5. “We’ll make every effort to please the customers,” Rosa said. “(It will provide) fine restaurant quality at an affordable price. It will be fine and fast.” The name El Pato Verde celebrates the University mascot, and it is also a play on the family name, Victor said. “Val” means valley in Spanish, and “verde” means green. The family restaurant does not have set hours yet, but it will be open as long as hungry people are coming through the door, Victor said. “We’re going to find out how late (to stay open), according to the customers,” Victor said. “If they want us to be there late, we’ll be there late. When we make breakfast, the hours will be from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.” For the first week or so, the restau rant will be primarily serving lunch, but Victor hopes to have breakfast ready to go soon. The plans for the taqueria have been in progress for quite some time. It is lo cated in a space that was previously oc cupied by Wells Fargo Bank. Victor was eyeing the lot since it became vacant, but he was waiting until time and fund ing were available for his dream. “Since we came into the area, I had this idea, but I was too busy with my job,” Victor said. “I was looking for the right location, and I think we got a good one right here.” Meal prices will most likely be on par with other local Mexican restaurants, although nothing is certain quite yet, Victor said. The restaurant will serve freshly made flour tortillas in the tradition of Northern Mexico, Victor said. Com tor tillas are traditionally a Southern Mexi can food. Drinks will range from 75 cents to $1.15, a bean and cheese burrito will run about $2, and all tacos will be $1.50. One taco might be a little pricier, however: “Tacos al Pastor.” This dish requires a vertical rotis serie, for which the Valverdes have found two possible vendors. The rotis serie and the tacos will probably not be Turn to Taqueria, page 3
