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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 2004)
votes.” Conyers has also asked Mitofsky International, which did all presidential- election exit polls, to bring its raw data from Nov. 2 and testify at a congressional forum Dec. 8. This forum will examine “numerous voting irregularities ... reported in Ohio dur- ing the 2004 election.” For news, links, and local actions on these issues, visit www.truthinvoting.org — Kate Rogers Gessert TORTILLAS RICAS Y MUCHO MÁS Beth Israel is located at 2550 Portland St. in Eugene. For more information contact Rich Glauber at 242-1001 or richglauber@yahoo.com — Alexandra Arch NOT TOO FAT, NOT SO SMART Oregon ranks relatively low in a national survey of obesity published recently, but we’re also low in a national analysis of “smart” states, based on education data. Looking at percentage of obese adults, Oregon ranked 32nd in a study by Trust for America’s Health, a non-profit research group. At the top of the fat list was Alabama with 28.4 percent obesity; at the bottom was Colorado with 16 percent. Oregon came in at 21.5 percent. The study was published in WebMD Medical News. In the brainy ratings, Oregon’s 35th ranking was based on a survey of per-pupil expenditures, public high school graduation rates, average class size, student reading and math proficiency, pupil-teacher ratios and other factors. Massachusetts, Connecticut and Vermont took the top three rankings while Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico fell to the bottom of the list. The survey by Morgan Quitno Press was pub- lished by cnn.netscape.com Surveys comparing states for education levels are often discounted by educators as “comparing apples and oranges.” Oregon’s SAT scores for college entrance in 2002, for example, show Oregon scores 20 points above average in verbal skills and 12 points above average in math skills, but the per- centage of students tested varies widely from state to state. Mississippi has very high SAT scores, but only 4 percent of students take the test. Connecticut has low scores, but 83 percent of students take the test. Oregon tested 56 percent of its high school students in 2002 while the nationwide aver- age was 46 percent. — TJT A new Latin American supermarket has taken up residence where Craft World used to be, at 1333 W. 7th Ave. near Polk Street. The first market of its kind in Lane County, Productos Latinos features food from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America and South America. The store also offers a carnicería (meat market), a panadería (bread market), and fresh tortillas prepared in-house by a couple from Salem who have been making tortillas for almost 30 years. While PL adheres to the general layout of other conventional supermarkets, it has a distinctive Hispanic flavor. Latin American music pumps through the speakers, and the shelves are stocked with salsas, medicines and religious candles. Customers can order fresh-made burritos and tacos from the hot food section. The store’s owner, Samuel Recinos, was born in Guatemala but has lived in the U.S. since age 16. Recinos, who once worked for the Hispanic supermarket chain Gigante, says that Productos Latinos will serve Lane County’s estimated 30,000 Latinos and other residents of Eugene and Springfield. Recinos emphasizes a commitment to hir- ing locals, particularly speakers of Spanish and English. “We want to work with the community,” he says. Productos Latinos is currently open for employee training. The store will celebrate its grand opening in January. — Kera Abraham A HANUKAH CELEBRATION Temple Beth Israel will host a Community Hanukah Celebration Saturday, Dec. 11 that will include original and tradi- tional music, singing, dancing, storytelling and a candle-lighting ceremony. Hosts and songwriters Rich Glauber and Rob Tobias will headline this special event — one that will be both traditional and contemporary with an emphasis on fun, according to Glauber. Kids and family are encouraged to come at 7 pm when Glauber, a multi-instrumen- talist, will perform and entertain guest ap- pearances from the Slug Queen, a teenage horn section and more. At 8 pm everyone is welcome to enjoy more songs and dancing as Tobias — singer, songwriter and activist — takes center stage with a little help from some musical guests. “We are opening up the Temple Beth Israel to the community,” Glauber said. “We want to share our traditions, our hopes for the future and our soul with the community at large.” The cost is $3-$5 sliding scale for indi- viduals and $8-$12 for families. Temple DECEMBER 9, 2004 9
