(Ve/Pulse
Tuesday, February 11,2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 104, Issue 96
Council
raises fine
for weed
offenders
Eugene increases the fine for
possession of less than an ounce
of marijuana, but opponents
worry it will hurt medicinal users
Jan Montry
City/State Politics Reporter
The Eugene City Council voted 6 to
1 Monday to more than double the
misdemeanor fine for possession of
less than an ounce of marijuana, de
spite outcry from the pot-smoking
community last month.
The fine increase had been in talks
for months as city officials worked to
build on the success of BUSTED, a low
cost alcohol-related diversion program
run by the University’s Substance
Abuse Prevention Program.
Monday’s vote will increase the fine
from $100 to $250, and city officials
hope it will be enough to provide incen
tive for drug offenders to join “Marijuana
and Other Drugs,” a new diversion pro
gram also being implemented by SAPP.
"! will be voting
against this "
Betty Taylor
Ward 2 city councilor
The program will cost $90 and will
be open to the public. The current
state diversion program costs $600 to
$900 and requires a large time com
mitment to complete.
Opponents of the increase, while not
able to express their concerns during the
meeting, have decried the efforts based
on concerns that the increase would ad
versely affect medical marijuana patients.
Some patients, the opponents said, can’t
afford the $150 medical marijuana card
and are forced to buy on the street.
A few city councilors echoed oppo
nent concerns shortly before the City
Council voted overwhelmingly to pass
the measure.
Ward 2 City Councilor Betty Taylor,
who cast the lone dissenting vote, said
Turn to Marijuana, page 5A
Flashers plague campus area
i ne tugene ronce Department nas
received several reports involving
indecent exposure, masturbation
Caron Alarab
Crime/Safety/Transportation Reporter
ASUO President Rachel Pilliod became the
latest victim Monday in a series of indecent ex
posure reports filed in the past few days. An old
er man reportedly exposed and stroked his gen
itals toward Pilliod while she was leaving her
residence near East 21st Avenue and Alder
Street on Monday morning. While all the inci
dents have occurred in relatively the same area,
suspect descriptions given by the victims — all
of whom were female — don’t match up.
indecent exposure is a dehnite torm or sexu
al harassment,” Sexual Assault Support Services
spokeswoman Michelle Edwards said. “Just like
in date rape, flashers are testing the victim, try
ing to see what they can get away with.”
SASS provides support services to students
and community members in need of counsel
ing and representation after being victimized
through sexual violence or harassment. Ed
wards said the context of the incident, the ac
tions of the flasher and the personal experience
of the victim in any such encounter weigh
heavily on the crime’s emotional impact.
Pilliod said she felt it was important to report
the incident not only for her own safety, but for
the sake of women throughout the community.
The more women who know about it, the
better,” she said.
Pilliod was walking to her car early Monday
morning on the way to the Student Recreation
Center when an older male crossed the street
in her direction and made eye contact with her
before disappearing behind a truck parked in
front of her car. At first Pilliod said she didn’t
notice where he hid, but as soon as she slowly
drove past the parked car, the man stepped out
into view. He reportedly dropped his pants and
then fondled himself in Pilliod’s direction.
“It was very specifically directed at me,”
she said.
Having forgotten her cell phone at home,
Turn to Flasher, page 5A
Brushing away stress
Local pottery shops otter a relaxing
atmosphere for people who want to
take an artistic, creative break
Ryan Bornheimer
Senior Pulse Reporter
Brush-Fire owner Nancy Steers-Crist says
humans possess an instinctive desire to ex
press themselves artistically. However, this
doesn’t always entail sitting in front of a
blank canvas waiting for inspiration, or
molding a formless pile of clay into a statue
of David. When the inner artist breaks
through, the result can be as simple as a
common coffee mug or a vase that holds
fresh flowers.
Pottery is one of the most accessible art
forms. Whether people are interested in cre
ating their own pieces or simply purchasing
original items, Eugene offers countless
ways to pursue this highly personal form of
expression.
Brush-Fire, located at 954 Pearl St., offers
a unique studio environment. The establish
ment gives novice and experienced artists
the chance to paint undecorated bisques.
Customers browse through the store’s col
lection of raw pottery items, sit down with
their selection and paint away. Brush-Fire
employees throw the finished work into a
kiln and three days later, the creation is
ready to take home. The whole process is in
cluded in the price listed with the item on
the shelf.
Steers-Crist, who purchased Brush-Fire
just more than a month ago, said a visit there
represents a perfect break from the chaotic
stresses of life.
“I feel that this whole experience is the op
Danielle Hickey Emerald
Shirine Taylor celebrates her birthday by painting pottery at Brush-Fire, located at 954 Pearl St.
posite of everything we deal with every day,”
she said. “So many people come in here all
the time and say it’s like therapy.”
Those who crave more extensive “thera
py” can visit Georgie’s Ceramic and Clay
Company, located at 1471 Railroad Blvd.
The business caters to both beginners and
professionals, with offerings that run the
gamut from retail and wholesale supplies to
instruction and firing. For a taste of the op
tions, potters can visit the store during its
Turn to Pottery, page 6A
Danielle Hickey Emerald
Co-Multicultural Advocate Maddy Melton brings official LGBT
representation to ASUO forthe first time.
ASUO advocate fights
against oppression
Universityjunior Maddy Meltorfc
life changed when she left her
hometown and moved to Eugene
Ducks in profile
Jessica Richelderfer
Managing Editor
When Maddy Melton left her southern
Oregon hometown of Gave Junction for
Eugene at age 18, she didn’t think there
was anything wrong with the world. Now
she most certainly does. And now she
works as a student leader to change it.
Melton was against abortion, and now
she strongly sup
ports women’s rights
to care for their own
bodies. When she
was 17, she shot a
deer while hunting,
and now she’s a veg
etarian. During her
senior year in high
school, she was a
junior cadet for ROTC, and now she’s
skeptical of the military.
“I think the way in which all oppres
sion becomes apparent is when you ex
perience that oppression,” she said.
Turn to Melton, page 4A
Weekly
feature
This is the
first in a series
of articles
highlighting
campus figures.
Weather
Today: High 52, Low 28,
cloudy morning, then sunny
Wednesday: High 53, Low 32
mostly sunny, patchy fog
Looking ahead
Wednesday
Mike Bellotti hosts a fraternity
date auction to benefit SMART
Thursday
Tennis star Oded Teig looks
to break records this weekend