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Track teams start outdoors soon Page 10
Tuesday, March 30,2003
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 122
Smashing the glass ceiling
Eugene is seeing a new trend of businesses that are owned by young female entrepreneurs
Lauren Wimer Photographer
Ashley Mathews, 22 (left), and Brianne Bridges, 27, recently opened the clothing boutique Lemon Juice, located at 295 E. Fifth Avenue.
By Steven Neuman
News Reporter
As patrons peruse the merchandise
at Lemon Juice, Eugene's new
women's clothing boutique, a
train rumbles by, shaking the entire store.
But the customers don't seem to notice,
and co-owner and recent University gradu
ate Ashley Mathews doesn't bat an eye.
Mathews and her business partner, Bri
anne Bridges, are part of a growing group
of young women entrepreneurs opening
and running their own businesses in Eu
gene. In the past two years, another two
businesses owned and operated by
women under 30 opened on the same
block of East Fifth Avenue, where Lemon
Juice is located.
Mathews said owning a business has al
ways been her plan.
"Both my mom and dad had their own
businesses, and I always knew I wanted to
be my own boss," she said. "We learned
from our moms who were involved in that
whole '80s powersuit trend. By starting
young we can strike a balance between all
the aspects of our life."
According to a 2002 survey by the Cen
ter for Women's Business Research, Ore
gon companies owned by women employ
nearly 148,000 people and account for
more than $ 16.6 billion in sales.
Just down the block from l^mon Juice,
Nicole Miller opened Modem, a home fur
nishing and furniture store, in August
Turn to BUSINESS, page 4
LTD plans services cuts, fare increases
The changes, which address
LTD's major budget shortfall,
include administrative cuts
By Parker Howell
News Reporter
Commuters who travel to and from the
University via bus should expect more fre
quent transfers and fewer arrival and de
parture times next fall as the Lane Transit
District implements a new round of
service reductions. Designed to make up
for a $700,000 budget shortfall, the cuts
also indude fare increases and administra
tive cuts beginning Sept. 19.
Andy Vobora, service planning and mar
keting manager for LTD, said the shortfall
is the result of increasing fuel and employ
ee medical insurance costs and decreasing
revenue from payroll taxes, one of the or
ganization's main sources of income. The
cuts are .designed to balance next year's
budget and allow the organization to
cease operating on reserves, Vobora said.
The LTD Board of Directors approved the
cuts at its March 17 meeting, authorizing the
organization's first cuts since it eliminated
nine percent of its services two years ago.
Vobora said he expects that the elimina
tion of 11:40 p.m. weekday departures
from the University — the last hour of
weekday service provided by LTD — will
affect students the most. He said students
staying late on campus will have to use the
10:40 p.m. service instead.
Saturday services provided by The
Breeze, the shuttle to Valley River Center,
will also be eliminated. Vobora said The
Breeze had "good ridership" on weekends,
but that other routes also provide access
Turn to LTD, page 3
Serious crimes
disrupt break
at apartments
The University Commons had a stabbing
and a possible shooting during spring break
By Lisa Catto
News Reporter
While many student tenants at the University Commons
were vacationing during spring break, other renters who stayed
at the apartments experienced a less restful week. Several seri
ous crimes were committed, including a stabbing and a possi
ble shooting, and officials are increasing security at the com
plex as a result.
Eugene Police Department spokeswoman Kerry Delf said
Jack Benjamin Ramsey, 20, was stabbed several times in the
neck and head on March 20, and police officers were able to
trace the incident back to the University Commons. EPD
learned of the incident after it received a call from McKenzie
Willamette Hospital where Ramsey was being treated.
The hospital would not release information regarding the
status of Ramsey's wounds.
Delf said that a dispute began inside an apartment and then
moved outside to the parking lot, where Ramsey was stabbed.
Approximately 20 people reported witnessing the incident.
University Commons manager Gary Gilfoy refused to
comment on the recent crime or security at the complex.
The suspect, who fled the scene on foot, was apprehended in
California on March 23 at about 8 a.m., Delf said. David Kofi
Spencer, 19, was stopped in South Siskiyou County for a traffic
violation, and Delf said the officer was able to connect the sus
pect to the stabbing incident in Eugene. Spencer and two of his
friends were arrested.
Currently, Spencer is awaiting extradition in Yreka, Calif.,
Delf said.
Turn to COMMONS, page 4
Ruptured water
main generates
costly damage
EWEB officials say the rupture may have been
caused by an aged pipe and estimate the cost
of repairing the area will be ‘considerable’
By Moriah Balingit
News Reporter
Residents of the Walton and Hamilton complexes breathed
a sigh of relief as their water was restored early Monday morn
ing, but the cause of the water main rupture at East 15th Av
enue and Agate Street that deprived students of facilities is still
unknown.
"It's real hard to determine these things," said Harold Sum
mers, water distribution supervisor for the Eugene Water and
Electric Board. "It wasn't anything obvious."
But EWEB spokesman Lance Robertson said the break could
have been the result of the pipe's age.
"Our records indicate it was put in back in the 1930s," he said.
"Our best guess is that it was just an old pipe that wore out."
Turn to WATER, page 6
WEATHER
LOW
35
I
HIGH
55
INSIDE
Campus buzz.3
Classifieds.11
Commentary..2
Crossword.11
Nation & World.6,12
Sports.7
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Out-of-control
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