Higgin’s Texaco at 1796 Willamette may
offer the most expensive gas in America, at
$2.560 per gallon of regular unleaded gas on
May 10. The nation’s average is $1.892 per
gallon of regular unleaded gas and the
Eugene-Springfield area’s average is $2.204
per gallon, according to the AAA Daily Fuel
Gauge Report. Even California’s average,
$2.240 is considerably less than the cost at
Higgin’s Texaco.
The service station does not post its gas
prices on a large billboard. Several customers
have been upset to discover the price only
after filling up. “The bill came and I was
shocked,” says Mae Andrews, still holding
her $38 receipt after buying gas last Friday,
May 7.
Higgin’s is one of a handful of privately
owned service stations in Eugene. It has been
at 18th Avenue and Willamette St. since
1966. The Higgin’s Texaco manager declined
to be quoted in this article. —Kate Storm
ACTION ALERTS
Two longtime peace activists and social
justice heroes will be in town this coming
week:
• On May 13, National WAND (Women’s
Action for New Directions) Public Policy
Director Marie Rietmann, also a native
Oregonian, will speak about her experiences
as a Congressional staffer and an experienced
lobbyist and present her list of “8 Ways
Grassroots Activists Can Influence Public
Policy” at the monthly WAND meeting, 7 pm
at the McNail-Riley House. Plans for assem-
bling citizen groups to meet with Senators
Smith and Wyden and Representative
DeFazio on specific issues of interest will
also be hashed out. A “meet Marie” reception
begins before the meeting at 6:30 pm. Free
and open to the public.
• Twenty years ago, former German
Chancellor Willy Brandt formed the Brandt
Commission, which proposed measures to
reduce the vast and unjust economic discrep-
ancies between the developed and develop-
ing worlds. The recommendations were
never implemented. Today, international de-
velopment consultant Dr. James Quilligan is
reintroducing those strategies. He speaks at 7
pm May 18 at the Unitarian Universalist
Church and at 7 pm May 19 at the UO Knight
Library. Free.
CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS
•Last week’s calendar listings noted that
Yo-Yo Ma’s May 13 appearance at the Hult
was free. Not so, unfortunately. The concert
was sold out months ago.
•Last week’s wine column noted that
Zelaya’s was opened by Patrick and
Madeline McKee. In fact, the McKees were
joined by Pamela Mathis and Sara Chinske in
creating Zelaya.
VOTE
AMERICA’S MOST
EXPENSIVE GAS
Primary
Election
May 18,
2004
Endorsements at a Glance
A quick look at EW’s picks
for the May 18 Primary
Election. Unopposed candi-
dates are not included.
U.S. President
John Kerry (D)
Secretary of State
Bill Bradbury (D)
Fred Granum (R)
House District 7
Shirley Cairns (D)
House District 8
Paul Holvey (D)
Judge, Supreme Court, 4
Rives Kistler
Judge, Supreme Court
Position 7
William Riggs
Judge, Court of Appeals
Position 7
Robert Wollheim
Lane County Commission,
Position 4
Greg Ringer
F R I D A Y M A Y 1 4 T H
F O U N D E R S D A Y C E L E B R A T I O N - K I C K I N G O F F O U R 4 T H Y E A R
1 0 T H & W I L L A M E T T E • 4 8 4 - 7 4 1 1
FREE COFFEE DRINKS ALL DAY
SERVING HANDCRAFTED FRESH RAW ORGANIC JUICES BY THE GLASS OR BOTTLED.
Lane County Commission,
Position 5
Don Hampton
Lane County Sheriff
Russel Burger
Mayor of Eugene
Kitty Piercy
Eugene City Council,
Ward 1
Bonny Bettman
Eugene City Council,
Ward 2
Betty Taylor
Eugene City Council,
Ward 7
Andrea Ortiz
EWEB,
Wards 1 & 8 Position
John Simpson
MAY 13, 2004 9