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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (April 17, 2003)
• The closing of the Sony plant in Springfield, laying off 277 workers plus associated jobs, once again illustrates the dangers of having too many eggs in too few baskets. Previously we’ve lost high-tech industries HMT and Rosen Products, and Hynix’s future is anyone’s guess. Jack Roberts of the Lane Metro Partnership wrote in the local daily Sunday that it’s good to offer tax breaks to these big companies even if they don’t stick around. He cites local jobs created and infra- structure built, but he doesn’t mention the hundreds of financially devastated families or the hidden costs of public services associated with sprawling industries on the outskirts. If such growth is economically beneficial to communities, why do property taxes keep going up? And how do we put a price tag on the environmental damage of building and operating a 365,000 sq. ft. industrial factory for eight years? What is the cost of having huge single-purpose plants stand vacant for perhaps decades? Sony was a decent employer who put a lot of groceries on a lot of tables, but we can do better by encouraging cleaner, smaller-scale, more sustainable enterprises under local own- ership and control. • Americans in every town across the nation are celebrating our victory in Iraq, but U.S. citizens living in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and even Europe have learned to say “I am Canadian” in several languages. Our foreign policy is a disaster, relying on military solutions to “problem” countries. We destroy what little infrastructure they have, leaving them in chaos and draining resources and attention from Africa and other parts of the world where millions are starving. Meanwhile, looting in Iraq is subsiding, but looting at home continues unabated as the White House encour- ages corporate ransacking of our federal budget and natural resources. • We hear the Village School plans to add an eighth grade next year and offer a full-fledged middle school program, The Village Middle School, which will be a school within a school separate from the K-5 program. Co-founder Matthew Bigongiari and teacher Andy Traisman say the new school will have aspects “unique to any Eugene-Springfield public middle school (or private for that mat- ter).” Stay tuned. Double your RAM! For just $40 With any new iMac ® or iBook ® purchase. www.thecomputerstore.com • 61 West 8th Avenue, Eugene • 541.343.1434 Is The Best Part The View You’ll See Or The Money You’ll Save? • No one’s going on the record yet, but at press time we hear that White Bird Medical Clinic and some other non-profits working with the disenfranchised in Eugene are facing huge funding cutbacks and are likely to slash programs or even close their doors. More fallout from the failure of Measure 28. Calcutta here we come. • County Commissioner Tom Lininger was supposed to resign in August to take a full-time post at the UO Law School, but we hear it’s possible he will be able to stay on at the county for the rest of the year. We hope so. He’s an excellent addi- tion to the commission. • A man who should know speculated to a Eugene audience last week on the Deep Throat identity game that continues to fascinate us. Stanley Kutler, lawyer and his- torian who played a key role in winning the release of the Nixon tapes and has written a book about it, told a big crowd in the UO Law School that there is no Deep Throat. “No one person could have known all those things,” he says. Kutler has moved on to today’s presidential secrecy fight. He’s after the Reagan records that involve George Bush. Not surprising that George W. is blocking their release. SLANT includes short opinion pieces and rumor-chasing notes compiled by the EW staff. Heard any good rumors lately? Contact Ted Taylor at 484-0519, ONE TWO FREE The 1st Fare is Full Price The 2nd Fare is Half Price The 3rd Fare is FREE For a limited time when one person pays full price on Amtrak®, the second person pays half price and a third person goes for free. Just mention discount code H270 for this 1-2-FREE offer. Even if just two people are traveling, it’s still a great deal. Just purchase your tickets by April 30 for travel through August 28, 2003. You even get 25% off if you’re traveling solo when you use the discount code H305. Call 1-800-USA-RAIL, your travel agent or visit us at www.AmtrakCascades.com Then come on board, grab a big comfy seat and relax as the miles roll by. http://amtrak.com or www.amtrakcascades.com Service is partially supported by Oregon Department of Transportation Passenger Rail Funds. 25% Off & 1-2 FREE Discount not combinable or valid with other discounts (except below). 25% Off valid for the best available regular (full) adult rail fare or senior, disabled & Student Advantage discounted rail fare and up to 2 accompa- nying kids (age 2-15) can travel at 1/2 off discounted fare. 1-2-FREE discount valid where 1st qualifying rail fare is reg- ular (full) fare, senior or disabled or Student Advantage discounted rail fare. 2nd rail fare is 50% off the regular (full) adult rail fare & 3rd rail fare is free (no kid discount.) Offer valid for purchase 3/16/03 - 4/30/03 and travel 3/19/03 - 8/28/03. Blackout dates 4/17-21/03, 5/23-27/03, 7/03-07/03, plus per fare plan purchased. 3-day advanced reserva- tions required prior to travel. Tickets are non-refundable once purchased. Not valid for travel on Acola Express, Metroliner, Downeasier trains, Canadian portions of joint Amtrak/Via Rail service to Ontario, Canada. 7000-8999. Thruways and departures in the Northeast Corridor on Fridays & Sundays 11am - 11pm, inclusive & at other times when required to purchase peak or unrestricted fares. Offers subject to change without notice. Other restrictions may apply. Please refer to Discount Code H305 for the twenty-five (25) percent off rail fare offer and Discount Code H270 for the 1-2-FREE Discount Offer. APRIL 17, 2003 9
