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Softball hands out awards Page 7
Tuesday, May 18,2004
Since 1900 University of Oregon Eugene, Oregon
Volume 105, Issue 157
MAN on a MISSION
Presidential hopeful John Kerry rallies a Portland audience on Monday
By Jared Paben
Senior News Reporter
Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry
made the first Oregon visit of his
presidential campaign Monday,
speaking to a crowd of thousands about
making college more affordable, provid
ing accessible health care and creating
and retaining jobs in America.
After a morning appearance in Topeka,
Kan., to celebrate the 50th anniversary of
the Brown v. Board of Education ruling,
Kerry rushed to Portland to slam the Bush
administration for cutting back student
aid, exporting American jobs and for lying
to the American people about the reasons
for the war in Iraq.
Speaking to a packed crowd at Pioneer
Courthouse Square downtown, Kerry
stressed the importance of providing stu
dent aid for the nation's college students
and criticized the Bush administration for
scaling back financial aid.
"They don't have a plan to guarantee
that students can afford to go to college as
they cut student aid," Kerry said. "We're
going to make it more affordable for
young people to go to college."
Kerry talked about giving parents of col
lege students a $4,000 tuition tax credit
and said those who devote two years of
service to the country under his "Service
for College" plan will get four years of tu
ition paid by the government.
Kerry also spoke about the importance
of high-quality health care. Last year, Kerry
was diagnosed with prostate cancer, he
said, adding that the only reason he was
present Monday was because of the high
quality health care senators have given
themselves. Kerry vowed to prove that all
people deserve health care like the care he
receives as a senator.
"I intend to hold that up as the gold
standard of health care in America," Ker
ry said.
Kerry also slammed Bush's environ
mental record and pledged to "prove that
caring for the environment is not in
Turn to MISSION, page 3
Tim Bobosky Photographer
Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry speaks to a packed crowd at Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse
Square on Monday. Former Green Beret Jim Rassmann, whose life Kerry saved in Vietnam, stands behind the candidate.
Primary
election
ballots
due today
Completed ballots are due
by 8 p.m.; several drop boxes
are located throughout Eugene
By Parker Howell
News Reporter
Today is the last chance for voters to
turn in ballots for the state's primary elec
tion, which will decide who will square off
in the November mayoral and City Coun
cil general election.
Completed ballots must be turned in by
8 p.m. If a contestant for a seat receives
more than 50 percent of the primary votes,
that candidate will be the only one listed
for that position on the November 2 gen
eral election ticket. Otherwise, the two
candidates who receive the most votes will
compete in the general election.
Five candidates appear on the ballot for
the hotly contested position of mayor,
with front-runners Nancy Nathanson and
Kitty Piercy expected to pull in the most
votes. Ward 8 City Councilor Nathanson
and Piercy, a former state representative,
are also competing against candidates
Alphonsus Donnelly and Eric (Sephiroth)
Gross in the election. Ihe ballot also lists
local musician Willie Nicholas, who
dropped out of the race after the deadline
to withdraw.
Nathanson, who has received endorse
ments from current Mayor Jim Torrey, has
stressed her experience with local politics.
Her campaign has also focused on the
need to foster business development with
in the city, which she said can be hindered
by local and state regulations.
Turn to ELECTIONS, page 4
LGBT students celebrate their Pride
LGBTQA’s Pride Week runs
through May 27 and includes
a drag show, rally and dance
By Jennifer Marie Bear
News Editor
Rainbow flags and posters are displayed
proudly around campus this week while
members of the LGBTQA community,
along with students in the wider Univer
sity community, celebrate their sexuality
for Pride Week.
LGBTQA volunteer Ryan Minor said
the group has invited two national
speakers to the University: Oregon native
and self-proclaimed expert in sexology
Carol Queen; and activist, writer and
performer Imani Henry, who addresses
gender identity and discrimination.
But Pride Week means more to the les
bian, gay, bisexual and transgender com
munity than simply attending events.
"For me, I believe Pride Week is about
people of the LGBTQA community get
ting together and embracing who we are
and expressing ourselves," Minor said.
He added that he's eager for LGBT is
sues to attract the public eye for Pride
Week, and he hopes the University com
munity will get involved in the events
planned for the week, including the drag
show on May 25 at 7:30 p.m. in the EMU
Amphitheater. Minor said approximately
10 people have volunteered to perform,
including drag queens and drag kings,
and he will also be performing No
Doubt's "Just a Girl" at the drag show.
Jonathan Vaifale, another volunteer
with LGBTQA, said joining the group
has enriched his life because he's
learned more about himself from listen
ing to the stories about other people's
coming-out experiences.
"I'm really excited because it's my first
gay pride week I've ever been involved
in," Vaifale said. "To see the environment
I've always wanted to be in is great."
He said the LGBTQA office, and the peo
ple who work there, are very supportive.
"It's really safe to come in here," Vaifale
said. "What's said in here, stays in here."
Turn to PRIDE, page 6
Air study gives
Lane County an F
for pollution rates
The American Lung Association rated the area
as fifth-worst in the nation for particle pollution,
but officials say the study was done inaccurately
By Steven Neuman
News Reporter
Lane County received a failing grade in "particulate pollu
tion" in the American Lung Association's State of the Air re
port, released April 29.
Turn to AIR, page 12
WEATHER
INSIDE
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Campus buzz.3
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Crossword.11
Nation & World.4
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Chuck Slothower
wonders if
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