Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (May 5, 2004)
An independent newspaper http://www.dailyemerald.com Wednesday, May 5,2004 Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon Volume 105, Issue 148 Moss Street moppets University President Dave Frohnmayer cut the ribbon at the Moss Street Children's Center's opening By Jennifer Marie Bear News Editor Student parents and their children were welcomed to the Moss Street Children's Center's grand opening Tuesday afternoon with cookies, hand puppets and praise to all involved with the project. Although Tuesday marked the official opening of the center, it been offering child care services since Jan. 5, when con struction was finished on the north side of the building and the center was able to open five of its eight classrooms. "It took a little longer than planned (to finish construction)," said Dennis Reynolds, child care coordinator for the University Child Care and Development r Centers. He said the center — which is now com plete and only lacks a few finishing touch es — boasts a total of eight classrooms, a commercial kitchen, a staff room and a common room for parents to relax and hang out. The nearly $3 million building, which was funded by student building fees, has the capacity to accommodate about 120 children, Reynolds said. He added that the facility, located at 1685 Moss St., was designed to fit in with *■ the surrounding community, and planners even went so far as to construct the center around one 40-year-old water oak tree and one giant Ponderosa pine tree. "Our very footprint on the land was shaped by our goal of preserving these two old trees," Reynolds said. EMU Director of Student Activities Gregg Lobisser said the new center is Lauren Wimer Senior Photographer Michaela Wickert, 5-and-a-quarter-years-old, blows bubbles during the grand opening ceremony of the Moss Street Children's Center on Tuesday afternoon. special because it was tailored to serve the needs of children, while many other child care facilities simply get housed in a left over building. One example of the center's attention to children's needs is at the building’s en trance, which is adorned with two doors: one door that is the normal size and height for adults, and one child-sized door for the center's younger patrons. At the grand opening, about six guides were on hand to greet parents and kids, give out souvenir hand puppets and lead tours of the new center. Junior environmental studies major Katy Siepert, who attended the grand opening, said she originally wanted her 5 year-old son Sage to go to the Spencer View Co-op Family Center, but they didn't have any openings. Siepert said it turned out for the best, however. "I'm really pleased that happened," she said. "Moss Street is awesome. Since Sage has been here, I feel like we've developed good relationships with the teachers in his classroom." Siepert said she's been impressed with Turn to MOPPETS, page 5 Museum of Art renamed after alumnus donor The University has renamed its art museum the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art and also is planning a $14.4 million renovation to add 10 times the gallery space to the museum By Moriah Balingit News Reporter The University announced Wednesday that the University Museum of Art has been renamed the Jordan Schnitzer Muse um of Art after the University alumnus and Portland philan thropist who donated several million dollars to the renova tion effort, the largest private donation given to the museum. Choking back tears, Schnitzer gave an emotional thanks to his parents during his speech at the press conference to an nounce the name change. "Finally (I thank) my parents ... whose example of both be ing surrounded by art and giving back to one's community helped shape and form my values that continue to guide my cultural and civic interests," he said. Schnitzer's mother, Arlene, opened an art gallery featuring contemporary Northwest art when he was in second grade. "I grew up in a house surrounded by art," Schnitzer said. He first got involved with the museum 27 years ago and was president of the Art Council from 1981 through 1983. In the late '70s, the museum began "to dream a larger vision to even tually fulfill die original plan when the museum was built," Schnitzer said. The museum's original design was meant to accommodate a renovation to double the museum space. The renovation was realized 70 years later with the groundbreaking ceremony in 2002. The $14.4 million renovation will add 38,154 square feet to the museum. The completed structure will contain 10 times the Turn to MUSEUM, page 8 OLCC plans to authorize liquor sales in grocery stores The Oregon Liquor Control Commission is testing for grocery stores to sell more than just beer and wine By Parker Howell News Reporter Buying alcohol may become easier this year as the Oregon Liquor Con trol Commission begins a new test program to set up liquor stores with in grocery stores. In a controversial move, the agency has already begun preliminary agree ments with three Oregon retail stores, hoping to increase convenience for consumers and raise revenue for state and local governments. The two-year plan calls for estab lishing as many as six of the pilot stores, one of which may be located in the Gateway area, OLCC Director Teresa Kaiser said. If finalized, the contracts will allow selected grocery stores in Gresham, the Bethany area of Washington County and Bend to sell liquor, Kaiser said. Kaiser said the agency will contin ue looking for new locations, includ ing a retail location in Eugene, al though high lease rates have hindered efforts to open new liquor stores in this area. The decision represents a significant departure from existing OLCC policy. Oregon is one of several "control" states that requires the government to own liquor at some point before it is sold. Currently, grocery stores are only allowed to sell beer and wine, while state-licensed liquor stores cannot sell those items or food. The Associated Liquor Stores of Oregon voted unanimously in late April to contest the plan, saying it was "adamantly opposed" to the idea, ALSO President George Kuppler said. Kuppler said the association, which comprises a portion of Ore gon's 238 liquor agents, did not know the details of the plan, includ ing why it was initiated and how it would be funded. "1 still don't have a good explana tion of what the driving force was," he said. The OLCC projects sales of about $1 million from the grocery stores, less than the typical stand-alone liquor store licensed by the agency, Kaiser said. The agency will solicit feedback on the stores' performances from customers. "Ultimately, citizens will be the judge," she said. "They can weigh in on whether we hit the mark." Kaiser said about half of the rev enue from the stores will go to state and local governments. Last year, liquor sales totaled $267.9 million, with $111.7 million going to govern ments, according to the OLCC Web site at http://olcc.state.or.us. Kuppler said the process is pro ceeding too quickly. "This is not a fast track, this is a racetrack," he said. OLCC spokesman Ken Palke ad mitted the decision came quickly, but he said it was necessary to continue with contracting. "You might say the mle was adopt ed in an emergency fashion," he said. Palke said agents were alerted that the OLCC was considering different marketing models for spirits. The OLCC focused on "under served" high-growth areas when de termining where to locate the new store models, Kaiser said. The agency sought partner stores that were at least 1.5 miles away from existing liquor agents. "We don't want to upset existing agents," Kaiser said. Kuppler said agents don't oppose opening new stores, but grocery stores will offer unfair competition. "(Grocery stores) will end up with a very unfair advantage," he said. "1 can't sell a candy bar." Kuppler also expressed concerns that the plan will lead to statewide loosening of liquor control. "If this pilot moves forward, this opens the door," he said. "We'll prob ably be an open state in three to four years." However, Kaiser said the plan won't be a radical change. "We don't want to be a California, with a store on every corner or every block," she said. Kaiser said the test locations would likely undergo remodeling to create separate, enclosed areas with differ ent cash registers for the sale of liquor. "We're not going to have alcohol next to the lettuce," Kaiser said. She said the move is largely a Turn to LIQUOR, page 8 WEATHER LOW C 3 HIGH 45 68 INSIDE .5 Crossword.11 .10 Nation & World.3 .2 Sports.9 Campus buzz. Classifieds. Commentary. NEXT ISSUE Don Goldman discusses his lifelong activism
