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Thursday, July 3, 2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 4
FESTIVITIES FOR THE FOURTH
Local groups' have planned
everything from foot races
to firework shows to celebrate
Independence Day
By A. Sho Ikeda
Reporter
Looking for things to do this
Fourth of July? Don't worry, Eugene
offers something for everyone.
Events are taking place around
the holiday weekend sure to at
tract people ranging from jogging
enthusiasts to monster truck fans.
Unlike previous years, the Eugene
Emeralds will be playing an away
game on Independence Day, so
they plan on having their fireworks
show after tonight's game.
Emeralds spokesman Hank
Hager said tickets were selling
quickly despite the game not taking
place on July 4.
"I doubt that there will be walk
up tickets available on the day of
the game," Hager said. He added
that spectators unable to purchase
tickets will still be able to see the
fireworks from outside of the stadi
um, and that 900 of 1,100 box seats
had been sold as of Tuesday.
General admission is $5; tickets
are $4 for children 12 and younger
and for seniors 65 and older. Park
ing is free.
The Eugene Active 20-30 Club
will host the 57th Annual Free
dom Festival at Alton Baker Park
on Friday. Organizers say the fire
work show will be the largest in
Lane County and will draw the
biggest crowd.
Last year's show attracted about
12,000 attendees, and festival
Chairwoman Bliss Flamilton hopes
Turn to Fourth of July, page 8
Photo Illustration Jessica Waters Emerald
Alton Baker Park's night sky will be alive with colorful fireworks beginning Friday evening at about 10 p.m.
Locals stock up on fireworks
Locals flocked to firework vendors to prepare
for celebrations and to stock up for other holidays
By Ayisha Yahya
Reporter
The Fourth of July would lack some of its charm
without the bursts of sound and flickers of light
from different fireworks. With Independence Day
celebrations just a day away, people have been flock
ing in droves to firework stands around Eugene.
The Fireworks Factory Outlet on West 29th and
Willamette has seen a fair share of customers in the
past few days, employee Renee 1 Iammond said.
"This tent has been slammed almost every day,"
Hammond said. Hammond expects more people
tonight, and she said in past years people contin
ued to stream in on the holiday itself.
This year, firework stands have a variety of gadg
ets to choose from.
According to Chelsea Wagner of the Fireworks
Factory Outlet, some of the more popular items
customers are picking up this season include the
"Deal of the Centuiy" and the "Mystical Portal."
The Deal of the Century "goes pretty high," said
Wagner. "Lots of color, lots of noise." She said the
Turn to Fireworks, page 8
New group
to channel
feedback
to aid DPS
The Public Safety Advisory Group
will serve as an active liaison between
the campus community and DPS
By Jared Paben
Freelance Reporter
Thomas I licks, interim director of the De
partment of Public Safety, feels strongly
about having open lines of communication
between his department and the campus
community So when a group called the Pub
lic Safety Advisory Group was formed this
year to suit that purpose, he was overjoyed.
The group is made up of 11 voting
members from campus, and 11 to 12 ex
officio members whose roles are strictly to
inform the voting members about issues.
Hicks said the group would refrain from
discussing specific incidents regarding
DPS actions, and would only vote on
whether to submit advice to DPS.
"I see two primary purposes (for the
group)," he said. "The first is to give the
campus community a voice in public safe
ty issues, and the second is to hopefully
improve or enhance communication be
tween the department of public safety and
the rest of the campus.
"(The committee focuses) more with an
understanding of looking at our policies
and procedures that we use, and whether
there is any advice that the committee
would have on changing those policies."
ASUO Legislative Associate Gabe Kjos,
a voting member of the group, agreed with
Hicks, and said, 'The main focus is to pro
vide ideas on policies that need attention
or improvement and relate to public safety
on campus."
Jackie Reed, a University graduate and
former member of the Greek Life Office,
Turn to DPS, page 4
Student builds secret library’ box for country fair book exchange
Student Jim Evangelista collects
books for his ‘secret library’ booth
at the upcoming country fair in Veneta
By Ali Shaughnessy
Freelance Reporter
t he area surrounding the EMU is typi
cally deserted around 3 a m. Absent of
sounds and students, the rumble of the
generator is often the only noise echoing
outside the building. On July 1, however,
the peace was interrupted as University
graduate student Jim Evangelista ham
mered together a wooden box.
Evangelista created the box, which
serves as a book drop for students and
community members, to benefit his booth
at the Oregon Country Fair. At his booth
— known as the library — visiting people
can stop in, find a book and keep it free of
charge. So far, Evangelista said more than
20,000 books have been given away.
With the library going into its sixth year,
Evangelista said he originally started widi
the vision of having a "secret library," a
place where people could sit and look at
books, particularly to find one that could
change their life.
"I expert miracles at the fair all the time,"
he said. One of his favorite miracle stories
involves a woman he randomly picked out
of the crowd one year. He told her he had a
book that would change her life, and she
challenged his offer, demanding that he
show her what book could do so.
PART 1 OF 2
Today: A look at Oregon Country Fair
Next Thursday: In Pulse, a breakdown
ofsummer festivals
"Without thinking I reached over and
pointed to a shelf and said, There,"' Evan
gelista said. "She reached over and pulled
at the book 1 pointed to, and she looked at
it and her jaw hit the floor. She reached her
arms around my neck and hugged me as
tight as can be."
The woman emotionally told Evangelista
about how her parents met during a game
of charades, where her mother knew the
name of an obscure play, and the woman's
Turn to Country fair, page 4
Jessica Waters Emerald
Jim Evangelista collects books at the drop-box outside the ASUO offices.
He gives these books away at his booth at the country fair in Veneta.
WEATHER
LOW
50
HIGH
80
INSIDE
Campus buzz.8
Classifieds.7
Commentary.2
Crossword.7
Nation & World.4
Pulse.5
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