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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 2003)
• LCC board member Jay Bozievich rallied fellow anti-tax Republicans to join him at a board meeting this week to try unsuccessfully to stop the board from endorsing the Legislature’s three-year state tax package — a modest hike that will help save the college from massive program cutbacks. Bozievich says it’s “not appropriate” for the board to take a stand on the tax hike. What’s truly not appropriate is for a college board member to fight a short-term fix that would greatly benefit the mis- sion of the college. The LCC board has had numerous Republican members over the years, but they’ve all had the good sense to support both the short- and long-term needs of the institution, without letting their ideology cloud their good judgement. • The EW editorial staff had the good fortune to lunch at the Steelhead with Jim Hightower last week and we asked him about his greatest concern. “Democracy,” he said, “keeping it!” Without a trace of his hallmark humor, he said the guys at the top in this country don’t understand or care about preserving democracy. They come out of a corporate culture deeply antagonistic to it. What to do? That was the rol- licking theme of the scrawny Texas populist’s speech Thursday night to a SRO crowd at LCC. Some of his one-liners: “Where are we going and what am I doing in this hand-basket?” “Wobblycrats — my party has jellied on us in Washington., D.C.” “Status quo is Latin for the mess we’re in.” “Never have so few done so much for so few.” “We don’t want compassion from conservatives.” Favorite button, worn by a Vermonter, “Wearing a button is not enough!” • No Ducks Illustrated insert this week in EW. The Ducks get a break this weekend. DI will be back Oct. 23. • Some California Democrats are apparently so angry with the GOP-inspired recall process that landed Arnold Schwartzenegger in the gov’s office that they are start- ing their own campaign to recall Arnie. Bad idea, just makes the Dems look spiteful. We doubt even skeptical Californians want to dump the actor before he’s had a chance to prove or destroy himself, ala Jesse Ventura. • Campaigns for Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean are well under way in Eugene, and now we hear Wesley Clark has a local organization forming. New polls show Clark now out in front, but who will get the Dem’s nod? Grassroots organizing will be a big factor. The local Clark contact is Leslie Weinstein, 343-7250. historically.” How about Go-Duck Elementary or Tie-Dye High? — Alan Pittman SCHOOL EQUITY School district 4J Superintendent George Russell has proposed that the district address the inequities created by the district’s self- segregated school choice system by diverting some money from wealthier schools toward lower income schools. Russell’s proposed goals for the next two years include diverting more funding to schools serving poorer stu- dents and increasing funding for full-day or extended-day kindergartens at low-income elementary schools. — AP PETE’S FUNKY DART ON THE AUCTION BLOCK Commentator Russel Sadler will be the keynote speaker when Lane County Democrats hold their annual gala auction dubbed “Save our State” beginning at 6 pm Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Downtown Athletic Club. U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio has donated his 1963 Dodge Dart to be auctioned at the yearly fund-raiser (he now drives a 1964 Dodge Dart). “People in my district may not recognize me but they sure recognize ‘the Dart,’” says DeFazio. Other politicians have used buses, planes and luxury cars in their stumping for office and speaking tours, but DeFazio has puttered around the Fourth District for years in his second-hand, beat-up heap. Donations have poured in from all over Lane County to benefit the organization’s ef- forts to elect progressive candidates, says event organizer Deanna Kilger. Tickets are $40 at the door. FOOTBALL VS. YOGA School District 4J has applied for a $343,000 federal grant to help local schools move toward fitness for all kids, not just those on the football team. The “Project Rising Expectations” grant “will produce long-term systematic change in the Eugene School District physical education program by moving the program away from tradi- tional team sports activities toward a greater emphasis on healthy lifetime physical activ- ity, such as dance, in-line skating, golf, rock climbing, yoga, personal defense, aerobics and personal fitness.” — AP SLEEPING BEAUTY • It’s easy to smirk at reports of Rush Limbaugh’s drug addiction, particularly since he’s been so brutally strident and insulting of people with addictions. Lock ’em all up, he says, and after Jerry Garcia died, he called him “just another dead doper.” But we’re all walking, talking contradictions. Gays-bashers struggle with suppressed homosexual tendencies. Peaceniks love war movies. Animal rights activists squash icky spiders. Cops break the law, criminals do righteous deeds and vegetarians sneak bacon burgers. Is it good that Limbaugh’s credibility rug got yanked? Certainly. But the reasons why he had such a big audience are still there. Lots of folks like their morality straight up, simple and tidy, and they are easily exploited. And Rush isn’t among the dead dopers yet; he’s just in rehab. Toni Pimble, Artistic Director A WAKEN TO A WORLD WHERE A KISS CURES ALL ! P ERFORMANCE S PONSORED B Y : S LEEPING B EAUTY N OVEMBER 1-2, 2003 H ULT C ENTER : (541) 682-5000 M EDIA S PONSORS : www.eugeneballet.org G RANT S UPPORT : OCTOBER 16, 2003 9
