Men’s basketball scrapes by Cal I 7
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Since 1900 \ Volume 106, Issue 109 | Friday, February 25,2005
Tuition assistance program awaits approval
National Guard and Reserve members could receive
free tuition at Oregon University System schook
BY ADAM CHERRY
NEWS REPORTER
Oregon National Guard and Re
serve members returning from areas
of active hostility may soon have an
opportunity for free higher education
at the Oregon University System
school of their choice.
OUS announced Tuesday the cre
ation of the Voyager T\iition Assis
tance program, a fee remission that
will waive tuition dollars that
National Guard and Reserve mem
bers are required to pay.
Diane Saunders, director of com
munications for OUS, said the sys
tem expects the State Board of High
er Education to approve the
program March 4.
Gov. Ted Kulongoski and OUS Act
ing Chancellor George Pernsteiner
commented on the tuition remission
in a press release.
‘‘Education is one of the primary
reasons that many of Oregon’s
soldiers enter military service,” Ku
longoski said. “The Voyager Pro
gram is an example of how the Ore
gon University System can both
recognize the service of Oregon’s
National Guard members and re
servists and help them access a
post-secondary education so they
can contribute to our communities
once they return home. ”
“Returning to the United States af
ter active engagement in a conflict
area can be a difficult transition at
times,” Pemsteiner said. “Our hope is
that this scholarship aid will provide
Guard and Reserve members with
the financial help they need to begin
or to complete their undergraduate
degree without the worry of how
VOYAGER, page 5
BIDS FOR CHARITY
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f I
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Nicole Barker | Photographer
The Lundquist College of Business is holding its fourth-annual silent auction today in room 440 of the Lillis Business Complex. All proceeds benefit FOOD for Lane Coun
ty. Bids can be placed until 3 p.m. today on $6,000 worth of items ranging from lunch for four with University President Dave Frohnmayer to six sandwiches from
Carl's Jr. The auction was extended an additional day to allow people more time to browse the “huge variety" of items and make bids, auction organizer Robin Bagent
said. Bagent said the auction grows in size every year and the business college is hoping to raise at least $5,000 this year.
Tim Bobosky | Photographer
Beth Devereaux checks out Frog’s new joke book box, which a
local police officer donated to replace the timeworn old one.
IN BRIEF
Eugene police officer donates
thoughtful gift to jokester
He’s been an indelible figure of Eugene
eccentricity, posted in front of the University
Bookstore on East 13 th Avenue most school
days, delivering piercing one-liners to un
suspecting pedestrians and advertising his
hand-drawn joke books. And now, he has
gotten some recognition.
Frog, creator of the infamous joke-book
series, arrived at his post last Friday to find
that the antiquated newspaper box that held
his joke books had been replaced by a new
box. Eugene police officer Randy Ellis do
nated and painted the box appropriately in
a frog motif, Frog said.
“He did a pretty good job, I think,” Frog
said in his characteristic raspy voice.
The old box was retired after a decade
long career as Frog’s makeshift storefront.
Frog said between normal wear and tear
and students kicking the box, “it was pretty
much trashed.”
“It got beat up. ... There are some really
stupid people that go to school. ...
Sometimes I wonder how they get into col
lege,” he said referring to the miscreants
with loose feet.
The feet of humorless students weren’t
the only thing the old newspaper box had
to endure. Frog’s right to sell joke books
without a license was repeatedly challenged
by the City of Eugene until the prolific joke
ster took the legal fight all the way to the
state Supreme Court and won. Then the city
established an ordinance disallowing all
vending on Frog’s coveted strip on East 13th
Avenue. But resilient Frog had the last laugh
when his lawyer found a loophole that al
lows newsstands of any kind.
“I only advertise and tell people to go to
the box,” Frog explained.
Frog will release his 62nd joke book, a
tribute to rap titled “Snoop Froggy Frog,”
in April.
University graduate Beth Devereaux
dropped by Thursday to pick up two joke
books, “Return of the Frog Joke Book for
Kids” and “Son of Frog Joke Book.” Dev
ereaux bought her first joke book in 1986.
“I just finished my thesis on joke telling
for kids,” she said.
As for Ellis, Frog said he’s got a compli
mentary joke book reserved just for him.
— Moriah Balingit
«»Law
Land
Measure 3 7's execution has caused
a backlash of proposed legislation
to attempt to clarify the policy
BY MEGHANN M. CUNIFF
SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
When Measure 37 passed in November, poli
cymakers and land activists weren’t quite sure
what to expect.
Now, nearly four months later, not much
has changed.
The measure became law on Dec. 2, giving
property owners the right to seek compensation
from the government if land-use restrictions im
plemented after the property was purchased re
duced the value of the land.
Since then, claims have been filed across the
state, and the state legislature is looking for
ways to enable and clarify a law that policy
makers and land development watchdogs agree
is complicated and confusing.
Bills are currently circulating in the legisla
ture concerning Measure 37, and Rep. Bob Ack
erman, D-Eugene, said several more are expect
ed to be introduced in the coming weeks,
though whether they will make it through both
chambers is unclear.
Senate Bill 406 aims to establish a compen
sation system to be used for Measure 37
claims, which have thus far gone uncompen
sated because of the lack of money through
out the state.
But Ackerman said the likelihood that the
bill will pass is slim because it involves a
tax imposition the state senate is not author
ized to enforce and the senate is where the
bill was introduced.
“I don’t think the compensation feature is go
ing to fly,” Ackerman said. “It’s unconstitution
al on its face right now.”
No funds for compensation means the only
retribution for property owners filing Measure
37 claims will involve allowing them a waiver
on the land-use regulations imposed after their
property was purchased.
Land-use watchdog group 1000 Friends of
Oregon and various farm bureaus and farm
ers have filed a lawsuit contesting the consti
tutionality of Measure 37, claiming the meas
ure creates a privileged class of property
owners and grants unfair privileges to individ
uals based solely on the year in which their
property was purchased rather than allowing
for a fair public process.
Sprawling subdivisions near Hood River,
Ore., and land development near the grave site
of Chief Joseph are just a few of the devastating
types of development property owners are pe
titioning for under Measure 37,1000 Friends of
Oregon staff planner Dan Eisenbeis said.
“We simply can’t afford to sacrifice the
LAND, page 6