KidZone
activities
for
families,
Health and Well-Being educational displays,
a pet parade and regional and local food ven-
dors.
STATEWIDE
CONFAB COMING
A statewide conference entitled “The
Promise of Paradise” is being planned for
Sept. 15-16 at the UO. Among the breakout
session topics are transportation, economic
development, the “Big Look,” Measure 37,
and planning technology. Keynote speakers
will include Mayor Kitty Piercy and Ellen
Lowe, who will talk about “Reclaiming Our
Oregon.” Early registration is available at
www.lcog.org/opi
The “Big Look” refers to a comprehen-
sive review of Oregon’s land use program
negotiated between Oregon House and
Senate leaders in the legislative session that
just wrapped up. In conjunction with SB 82,
a $600,000 appropriation will commission
EX\VHOOWUDGH
Important state business was left
• A full house turned out at City Club in
undone. Measure 37 implementation
late July to hear former Eugene 4J
remains unresolved — not such bad news
Superintendent Tom Payzant talk about
considering the failed plan endorsed by
education. Payzant, in his five tumul-
Kulongoski would have allowed eased
tuous years here in the 1970s, gave us
land-use restrictions to be passed on to
public kindergartens and alternative
new owners. Let’s hope the whole M37
schools. Now he’s superintendent of
mess is ruled unconstitutional in
Boston Public Schools, and he’s
the circuit court challenge
still pushing a maverick
by 1000 Friends of
agenda, predicting
Oregon. Sighs of relief
Boston will have full-day
followed news that
public preschool for 4-
schools survived
year-olds in the next
attempted evisceration,
few years. Didn’t say
but education funding
how he’d pay for it.
for the future is left
Boston also has alterna-
hanging, while our flawed
tive schools, but they
and unfair state tax system
come with rules on who
continues unchallenged under
gets to attend. Half the seats
Tom Payzant
Kulongoski’s “leadership.” Civil
are reserved for kids within
unions will likely go to the voters in
walking distance. His talk was taped for
2006. Conservatives who campaigned so
broadcast Aug. 8 on KLCC 89.7 FM. We
effectively for the ban on gay marriages
hear KLCC is considering broadcasting
last November are confident they will
Friday City Club meetings every Monday
get an equally strong turnout to fight
evening, instead of every other Monday.
civil unions, but we predict a very differ-
KLCC’s Adrienne Wilson left to pursue a
ent fight. “Same-sex marriage” still stirs
career in library science, so the station is
a gut reaction in many Oregonians, but
eyeing her Civic Conversations time slot
“civil unions” does not carry that emo-
that alternated with City Club. Providing
tional baggage. House Speaker Karen
more high-quality local issues content is
Minnis managed to keep SB 1000 from a
always a good idea. A decision is expect-
floor vote, worried that it would pass.
ed before City Club resumes in
Her ideology and undemocratic tactics
September. Might want to send the KLCC
make her a big target if she seeks a fifth
managers a note (www.klcc.org).
term in 2006. She represents a conser-
vative suburban area east of Portland,
• All’s quiet in Salem this week after the
but it’s not that conservative.
2005 Legislature fizzled to a close.
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a new Oregon Task Force on Land
Use Planning. The committee will make an
interim report to the 2007 Legislature
and issue a final report to the 2009
Legislature.
GET ON BOARD
The annual recruitment for city of Eugene
boards, committees and commissions is now
under way and concludes with a Sept. 9 pa-
perwork deadline. Applicants are being
• Thousands of gatherings were held
around the world this past weekend to
commemorate the 60th anniversary of
the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
and to mourn the 300,000 who died.
Most events were organized by peace
activists, but not every hawk refrained
from squawking. An e-mail from the Ayn
Rand Insitute (www.aynrand.org)
declared that “America should be proud
to have dropped the Bomb,” and notes
that “in the reconstruction of Japan
there were no insurgents, no Japanese
roadside bombs killing our soldiers. …
Our military strategists in Iraq
could learn from those
who, 60 years
ago, decided to
spare no means
in bringing the
Japanese nation
to its knees.”
Unfortunately, such
an idiotic comparison
makes perfect sense
to many across our
nation who would just as
soon see the entire
Middle East “turned to
glass.”
sought for several advisory and intergovern-
mental panels.
Open positions include the Planning
Commission, Budget Committee, Human
Rights Commission, Historical Review
Board, LRAPA, Toxics Board, Metro
Wastewater, and Whilamut Citizen Planning
Committee.
Candidates will be interviewed Oct. 4-6,
the City Council will take action on appoint-
ments Oct. 24 and terms will begin Nov. 1.
For information, call 682-5406 or visit
www.eugene-or.gov
received funding for four additional beds
for overnight shelter. The facility can
now accommodate 16 adults with severe
mental illness for the next two years.
Eugene has some residents who choose
the vagabond life temporarily to escape
conventional responsibilities, but most
people we see begging on street cor-
ners, sleeping in alleys and camping
along the river are simply incapable of
holding jobs and managing resources.
Many end up in psychiatric wards or in
jail, burdening taxpayers. Hats
off to organizations such as
ShelterCare and its 35 years
of dedicated work. To get
involved, call 686-1262.
F
O
T
BES GENE
EU 05-06
20
• We wrote a bit in this column last week
about the problems associated with peo-
ple downtown who are transient and/or
homeless, and we got some good news
as we were going to press. ShelterCare’s
Shankle Safe Haven in Glenwood has
• Hey people! Let’s get
those Best of Eugene
ballots turned in so we
can start counting.
Look for the full-
page ballots in our
last few issues.
Check your birdcage,
unwrap those fish. Stains will not dis-
qualify your ballot. Well, some stains. Be
sure to put your name and phone num-
ber at the bottom. We’ll be giving away a
getaway for two at the Oregon Coast
and some EW T-shirts. But ya gotta do
the ballot thing. Can’t find a ballot any-
where? Check our website for a print-
able ballot to be mailed in, faxed or
dropped off.
A CONNOISSEUR’S
DREAM
Eugene’s Best Beer Selection!
600+ Bottled Beers
& Growing
10 Beers On Tap
Select Wines
Homemade Soups,
Salads, & Grilled Panini
Sandwiches
345 E. 11 TH AVE . • E UGENE , OR Everything Available On
541-485-BIER
Premises or To Go
AUGUST 11, 2005 9