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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (May 1, 2003)
Ed Rosenthal Rosenthal, author of more than a dozen books on marijuana, was convicted in February in federal court of cultivating mari- juana in a controversial case that has attracted national attention. Rosenthal was operating legally under California’s medical marijuana law passed by voters in 1996. He had autho- rization from city officials in Oakland California to provide marijuana for medical patients through local dispensaries. During his trial, U.S. District Judge Stephen Breyer would not allow any evi- dence of medical use to be introduced. When the jurors in the case discovered, after the conviction, that Rosenthal had been provid- ing medical marijuana for patients, they apol- ogized for convicting him and demanded a new trial. Rosenthal and his team of attorneys are still fighting to get a new trial or to appeal the original verdict. Rosenthal faces a manda- tory five-year sentence. GLOBAL MIDWIFERY The U.S. has a high infant mortality rate and a low reliance on midwives. Is there a connection? Elise Hansen and Georganne Clark, both direct-entry midwives practicing in Eugene, will give an informational talk in honor of International Midwives’ Day, Sunday, May 4, from 2 to 4 pm at the Eugene Public Library. Hansen and Clark have been in- volved in the birth community here for the last five years. “The idea of a day to honor and recog- nize midwives first came out of an International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) conference that occurred in the Netherlands in 1987,” says Clark. “The day was first observed on May 5, 1991 and has been recognized ever since in over 50 coun- tries around the world.” Clark explains that midwifery has a greater following internationally than it does here in the U.S. “Worldwide, greater than 80 percent of babies are born into the hands of midwives,” she says. “In the U.S., this number is dramatically less — about 8 percent. We have significantly fewer num- bers of midwives practicing, which in turn reduces the number of women who have ac- cess to midwifery care.” Currently the U.S. is 27th in the world with relation to infant mortality (compared with other developed countries). Clark says, “Maternal mortality rates in the U.S. place us 15th in the world overall, and these rates have not improved in the last 20 years, despite in- creasing amounts of technological involve- ment in birth. Many of the nations that have much lower rates of infant and maternal mor- tality rely heavily on midwives.” For more information, contact Clark at 242-3601. — Bobbie Willis WENDOVER UPDATE The Eugene Planning Commission is ex- pected to vote this week to approve a new 19- unit housing development at the end of Wendover Street in north Eugene. Neighbors have been fighting the development, object- ing to the destruction of trees, riparian wildlife habitat and fertile farmland. Half of the nine-acre parcel owned by the Huling family has been earmarked for pur- chase by the city for parkland, says neighbor Kevin Jones. Part of the land “was two feet under water in ’96 and six feet under water in ’64, and the additional runoff of a road and 19 large roofs and driveways is of great concern to the neighbors,” says Jones. “If there weren’t a win-win solution in sight, I’d save my breath, but there is.” Jones and other members of the Seacon Park Neighborhood Association are calling for a smaller “clustered subdivision with less paved surface, and leaving the majority of the land open for growing food for our county’s residents.” Jones says the group can raise $300,000 to buy the developable land. For more information, call 461-3798 or see EW archives for Sept. 19, 2002. — TJT matic bridges around the world. Looming ahead are complex challenges in recon- structing Iraq, leftover issues smoldering • Dennis Taylor, Eugene’s new city manag- in Afghanistan, the unresolved Palestine er from Billings, Mt., showed up for work in issue, and staggering economic and social April. Will he last longer than Vicki Elmer, problems at home. Alas, we can look for- the only other outsider hired to run the ward to more simplistic policies that defy city bureaucracy in three decades? Taylor logic as they advance an ultra-conserva- will have smooth sailing until he tries to tive agenda. Let’s hold accountable pro- tackle some of the city’s serious issues gressives and moderates who go along such as sprawl, pollution, downtown dol- with this agenda, and campaign to dump drums and contracting of city legal ser- Bush and the GOP in 2004. vices. We wish him well in the challenges ahead. His first big chance to shine or flop • Conservatives have been saying for will be in hiring a new police chief — will years that we’re taxing ourselves to death. we get true community policing or a con- They’re wrong, according to an Oregon tinuation of the heavy-handed, intimidat- Center for Public Policy study showing ing and alienating police tactics that have that state taxes as a share of income have plagued the EPD for years? remained flat for 20 years. • President Bush has shown little finesse dealing with foreign policy, burning diplo- • Dress ‘m Up Dubya www.oddcast.com/vhost/bush/host.php?id=1 Arguably the funniest George W. site on the web right now, unless you love our prez, in which case it’s the most idiotic and disre- spectful site on the web. Needs Flash plug-in. • O’Neill’s Bali www.BaliBlog.com A one-stop travel guide for Bali and a Daily News section — written by former Eugene resident Nick O’Neill — following the trials, tribulations and daily life in this unique part of the world. FIRE SALE Free Intro Class: Tonight (May 1) 7:00-9:00 pm The city of Eugene has three old fire sta- tions up for sale. Bids are due by May 30. You can walk through the stations May 7. Call Jeff Norman at 682-5072 for information. 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, or e-mail editor@eugeneweekly.com • Write to Free www.freefreenow.org/support.html A new site to support Jeffrey “Free” Luers, currently serving 22 years in the state pen for burning SUVs. Info on how to write to him, read his essays, help with his appeal costs, etc. • Impeach Bush www.votetoimpeach.org/ Includes Ramsey Clark’s draft articles of impeachment, historical notes and an e-mail message to send to lawmakers. Websitings is a list of useful and sometimes quirky web sites. Care to contribute to the list? Send suggested sites and a short description to editor@eugeneweekly.com ‘As the heart opens, fear disappears.’ BREEMA The Art of Being Present May 2-4 Intensive in Eugene Three supportive days of . . . • • • • C I NC O D E M A Y O J o h n H e n r y ’ s • 9 pm • $ 4 c o v e r 21 CEU’s for LMT’s 21 CEU’s for DC’s 21 hours, $295 Presented by Breema Northwest staff instructors and guest Jon Schreiber, D.C., author of several books on Breema. A workshop for anyone interested in a practical connection with the instinctive wisdom of the body and our natural state of vitality and balance. w i t h g u es t s I C an Li c k A n y S . O. B. i n t h e Ho u s e L o s P is to l a s Me x ic an os De l N or te B REEMA N ORTHWEST (541) 344-8741 www.BreemaNorthwest.com www.breema.com photos: George Draper, Bruce Barrett • B REEMA ® BODYWORK S ELF -B REEMA ® EXERCISES Beginners welcome Partial attendance avail. N INE P RINCIPLES OF H ARMONY MAY 1, 2003 9
