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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 12, 2004)
incentives that do not clearly benefit the city.” In addition to the City Council, Taylor is on the Executive Committee of the McKenzie Watershed Council, president of Friends of the McKenzie Watershed, chair of the Human Services Commission and a member of the Lane Regional Authority Board, and other boards and committees. CORRECTIONS/ CLARIFICATIONS The photo of Dr. Mazure-Mitchell in last week’s cover story “Gesundheit!” should have been credited to photographer Ruby Hi’ilawe Mitchell. To see more of her work visit www.rubystudio.net • It’s no longer called Coburg Power and Enron. Now it’s West Cascade Energy, but it still smells as bad. Actually, worse. Eugene energy broker Gary Marcus is getting an earful of angry feedback about his latest plans to build a 900-megawatt natural gas- fired power plant north of Coburg. We tend to think of natural gas as a clean fuel, but burn it in these massive quantities and we face an annual discharge of 400 tons of nitrogen oxide, 326 tons of particulate matter, 286 tons of carbon monoxide, 86 tons of volatile organic compounds, 51 tons of sulfur dioxide and another five tons of various hazardous pollutants, according to opponents. And Eugene, Pleasant Hill and Oakridge are downwind. Marcus is trying to avoid the local permitting process by opt- ing for the fast-track state siting process, and we can see why. This project is a serious threat to local air and water quality, the livability of our valley and any future industrial development. It creates only about 30 permanent jobs and the electricity goes elsewhere. What can we do? Pressure the Lane Regional Air Pollution Authority and local elected officials to make a stink about this project as big as the 195-foot smoke stacks Marcus has on his drawing boards. LRAPA board members, guardians of the air we breathe, rubber-stamped the Enron project two years ago. Hold them accountable. Get involved at www.saveourvalley.com • The Bush administration, taking heat for huge deficits, threatened this week to veto a $318 billion highway spending bill that would fund transportation projects nationwide and create thousands of new jobs. Tucked away in that bill is funding for $7.6 million worth of new streets to serve Eugene’s $70 million federal courthouse. Conservative city councilors should be squirming at this news. They voted last year to commit Eugene to pick up the tab for the 6th Avenue extension north of the federal build- ing if the feds back out. City taxpayers could end up paying for a state highway that accommodates a federal building project. Ouch. And to boot, the proposed highway extension along the rail- road tracks will further isolate Eugene’s downtown from the river and create an “island” courthouse neighborhood encircled by traffic and noise. Winter Sale Save up to 75 % on a wide selection of living, dining and bedroom furniture Club chair, variety of fabrics was $449, Sale $349 "rta" items sold ready to assemble. Great dining table shown in wenge, also in teak or cherry, 45" x 45" x 29"h ext. to 85" was $399, Sale $349 rta Dining chair, wenge, was $149, Sale $129 Club chair, leather was $499, Sale $399 Club chair, micro-fiber was $349, Sale $249 Excellent Value! Timeless sofa set in various fabrics including micro fibers. Check store for fabric choices. Sofa was $899, Sale $699 Complementing armless chairs, each was $499, Sale $399 Coffee table , teak or cherry, 54" x 27" x 18"h was $499, Sale $199 rta Corner table , teak or cherry, 33" x 33" x 22"h was $349, Sale $149 rta End table , teak or cherry, 33" x 20" x 22"h was $329, Sale $129 rta Console table , teak or cherry, 51" x 17" x 28"h was $439, Sale $169 Floor lamp , mahogany finished metal, was $179, Sale $149 Table lamp , was $149, Sale $119 Boutique area rug , 5'7" x 7'10", wool, special order at sale price, was $499, Sale $399 EUGENE • 856 Willamette Street • 541-342-5000 Open Mon. - Sat. 10-6, Sun. 12-6 • www.scan-design.com MEDFORD • BEAVERTON • PORTLAND 541-779-7878 503-644-4040 503-255-3200 We validate parking at Overpark, Parcade, and U.S. Bank 8 FEBRUARY 12, 2004 • City Councilor Betty Taylor finally has an opponent in the May primary. Maurie Denner has filed a prelimi- nary petition for Ward 2. Denner is a long-time member of the Police Commission and the principal of Washington Elementary. He’s plan- ning to retire from education this year after 35 years. On the county front, will real estate broker and civil rights activist Betty Snowden run against Pete Sorenson for his com- mission seat? We may hear an announcement soon. • State Rep. Pat Farr somehow got hired last week to run FOOD for Lane County, selected over people who have much more relevant expe- rience. We’re not sure how that hap- pened and what the results will be, but having Farr drop out of the Legislature is a comforting thought. His atrocious environmental voting record on the City Council carried over to House District 14. We expect some last-minute filings for the open seat. Araminta Hawkins would be a strong contender on the Democratic side. If she chooses to run, she would face Farr’s wife, Debi, who will try to keep the seat in the family. • What’s happening in the newsroom at the old R-G? Nobody’s talking and the website listings haven’t changed, but we noticed Karen McCowan’s by-line on a Junction City council story. That can’t be much fun for a veteran news feature writer. We hear Margaret Haberman, the only woman in editorial manage- ment, is no longer city editor and is now just one of several “team lead- ers.” And who’s covering the envi- ronment? Looks like no one in par- ticular. Scott Maben was becoming a seasoned enviro and energy reporter, but looks like he’s been reassigned. We hope the R-G’s already scanty natural resources coverage isn’t further diminished in this apparent reorganization.
