Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 13, 2005)
news briefs at the old Agripac site; creating a downtown youth center with the cooperation of the UO and private donations; and making govern- ment “sensible, transparent and fair to every- one.” Taylor’s progressive list brought some of the biggest applause of the evening from the packed Hult Center lobby. — Alan Pittman PLAQUES AND ADVICE UO STUDENTS OUTLINE PLAN New Mayor Kitty Piercy wasn’t the only Members of the nascent UO peace group official to speak at the Eugene State of the Students for Change have outlined their plan City event Jan. 3. for an ambitious movement called the Incoming and outgoing elected officials, Commongood Project. In the first phase of even political opposites, exchanged praise the project, members will raise funds and and plaques. Councilor Bonny Bettman build networks with local and national inter- thanked Piercy for “sharing the platform so faith groups and social justice organizations. liberally” and praised outgoing Mayor Jim They will also organize “communities for the Torrey for his “down to earth” style and sense common good,” or “comcoms,” which will of humor. Torrey “has been a very, host educational events and facilitate pub- very powerful political force in lic conversations. “We want to wel- this community for more than come people who are attracted to a a decade,” Bettman said. new kind of spirit,” says SFC Torrey returned the member Brian Bogart. “It’s not praise, noting Bettman’s just for young people, but for all key role in passing a meas- concerned citizens.” ure to provide city tax money The project’s umbrella goal is to bail out local schools. to provide “a creative response to the Without Bettman, the funding destructive US agenda of spreading sub- BETTY TAYLOR might not have happened, Torrey ordination through violence,” according said. “Council President Bonny Bettman to SFC’s draft. “The Commongood Project saved the day.” claims the future as a common ground for life and the human family, to be protected from Torrey also offered the new mayor and unjust, violent, and unsustainable systems we council this parting advice: “Keep Eugene a live under today. Everyone has the right to great place for kids, because if you do, it will evolve equally in a hopeful, peaceful world. remain a great place for everyone.” That which threatens our common ground — Re-elected Councilor Betty Taylor used obstacles to equitable coexistence — must be her turn to offer a long list of what she’d like changed.” to see the new city government accomplish: SFC is leading a campus rally and a march an independent performance auditor; helping to the Federal Building to protest George W. Oregon Research Institute in its plans to build Bush’s inauguration on Jan. 20. Pre-march a new office at the old Sears building across activities will take place at the EMU am- from the downtown library; tax reform; an phitheater on the UO campus from noon to 4 equitable system of funding road repairs; a pm. For more information, seethe following living wage ordinance; regulating big box story or visit the SFC website at www.stu- stores; increased funding for neighborhood dents4change.org organizations, community television and the — Kera Abraham sister city program; daylighting the millrace • We love seeing Kulongoski showing some spunk and taking on the Bush administration in his State of the State Address this week. The guv said he would not sit by while “the federal government attempts to dismantle our environmental legacy, undermine our values and erode our sovereignty.” That statement covers a multitude of sins, from destructive salmon and forest policies to gay rights restric- tions to attempts to override Oregonians’ votes on assisted suicide and medical pot. Meanwhile, Lane County Commissioner Pete Sorenson has announced his guber- natorial candidacy to oppose Kulongoski in 2006. It’s a long shot, but Sorenson’s pressure from the left might be just what’s prodding Kulongoski to show some leadership and initiative in what’s so far been an unremarkable governorship. Smart move by Sorenson. We hear Pete somehow got invited to sit among state 8 JANUARY 13, 2004 lawmakers in the audience for the guv’s State of the State Address. How did he manage that? • Tsunami reports and winter weather news are overshadowing war and politics these days, so here’s a quick recap on the presidential election as we approach the re-inauguration of Bush next week. Congress met Jan. 6 to approve the Electoral College votes and U.S. Rep. Conyers and several colleagues objected to the votes from Ohio on the basis of “numerous, serious election irregulari- ties.” Conyers had written to all 100 sena- tors asking them to join him. Locally, members of Truthinvoting.org continued a vigil at Sen. Wyden’s Eugene office, and Sarah Gray continued her fast, all asking Wyden to join Conyers. Tens of thousands of people across the country phoned, faxed, and wrote to Congress. The morn- COUNTERING INAUGURATION UO students, faculty, and community members will gather at several locations on Thursday, Jan. 20, to mark President-elect George W. Bush’s inauguration day with a se- ries of events that will encourage individuals to help inaugurate an alternative, more just and peaceful vision for the U.S., according to Michael Carrigan, one of the organizers. In addition, participants will use the occasion to “celebrate the dawning of a new era in Eugene with the election of Kitty Piercy as mayor,” Carrigan says. • Events at UO begin at noon at the EMU with talks by Sandy Morgen, Garrett Epps, Shaul Cohen, Sharon Schuman and Brian Bogart. Related student events with music and more speakers run from 2 to 4 pm. • At 4 pm, students and faculty will march from the EMU to the Federal Building at 7th and Pearl to join the events there. • Federal Building events begin at 1 pm with music, dancing, and chanting. Speakers beginning at 5 pm include Jim Rassman, Josh Laughlin, Amy Pincus-Merwin, Lucy Lahr ing of Jan. 6, Sen. Boxer agreed to join the objection, and later, in a joint session of Congress, Rep. Tubbs Jones from Ohio came forward with Boxer to raise an objection to the Ohio votes. The House and Senate then held separate debates. Wyden, Clinton, Obama, Kennedy, and others spoke in support of raising ques- tions about the election. But when the vote came, Boxer stood alone. In the House, many spoke in support of the objection and some strongly called for election reform. Conyers, Jesse Jackson Jr., Kucinich, Waters, Tubb Jones, and Lee gave rousing speeches, alternating with a Republican chorus of “Get over it.” In the House vote, 31 lawmakers supported the objection. DeFazio was at home in Oregon and missed the vote. What’s next? The momentum for accountability may lead to crucial voting reforms. We need to thank members of Congress, especially Wyden, and William Maxwell. Following the talks will be a candlelight vigil and march around the Federal Building from 5:30 to 6 pm. • Events at Cozmic Pizza run from 6 to 9 pm with music, speakers and theater. • At 7 pm a day earlier, on Jan. 19, a free pre-inaugural event will be held at Cozmic Pizza that includes a showing of Barrie Zwicker’s film The Great Conspiracy about Bush and 9/11. GRAFFITI BY COP If you paint graffiti on city property you could face a fine, an order to clean it up or even jail time. But a different standard appar- ently applies to a Eugene police officer’s ille- gal graffiti. City Manager Dennis Taylor admitted Jan. 10 to the City Council that Eugene police officers had illegally spray painted “no tres- passing” signs on public sidewalks in an ef- fort to stop panhandlers. Panhandling on pub- lic property is not illegal, courts have ruled. “Panhandling is a constitutionally protected who listened to his constituents. • Something new in this week’s issue of EW is a lively column in our Personals section called “Date Girl,” written by Judy McGuire, and scheduled to run every other week. She responds to questions from readers, and sometimes just ponders the mysteries of sex, weird relationships and pop culture. Give us feedback, and for now you can write to Judy via dategirl@earthlink.net • As we go to press, we hear members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 575 are planning an informational picketing from 4 to 6 pm Thursday, Jan. 13 at the LTD station downtown. For more informa- tion, contact Carol Allred at 729-1903, or read Gary Gillespie’s comments on the threatened strike in our cover story this week.
