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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 11, 2007)
ARTS SURVEY RESULTS IN After time spent tabulating the results of an arts “census” taken by more than 2,500 Eugeneans, the city of Eugene’s Cultural Policy Review returns to the public eye Jan.16. Alan Brown, creator of that survey and arts consultant whom the mayor’s CPR committee calls “an expert on national trends,” will reveal his analysis of those re- sults. Whether you think the arts in town need goosing or are super the way they are, organ- izers say, your input is welcome at the meet- ing. Former city councilor and current CPR committee member David Kelly explains that the process takes a while — the commit- tee has until June to come up with its conclu- sions and recommendations — but that the lengthy input process is worth it so that many voices can be heard. Kelly notes that Wolf, Keens and Co., consultants for the CPR, were quite surprised at the number of responses to the census; Eugene residents, according to the numbers, feel more of a stake in the arts in our city than do residents of far larger cities. And what did the many voices who took part in the census say, exactly? Find out at 6:30 pm Tuesday, Jan. 16 in the studio at the Hult. RIVER ROAD PLANS FOR MIXED USE Mixed use centers, aka nodal develop- ment, are planning concepts intended to re- duce reliance on automobiles and create a bustling pedestrian-friendly environment where residents can live, work and shop. And the city of Eugene’s next nodal development focus will be on River Road and the Willamette River Greenway. An early draft concept for the area in- cludes a proposed road adjacent to the river, according to Rob Handy, chair of the River Road Community Organization (RRCO). The first public forum for the Rasor Park Mixed Use Center (MUC) is scheduled for 6 pm Tuesday, Jan. 16 in the cafeteria at River Road/ El Camino del Rio Elementary, 120 W. Hilliard Lane. HAPPENIN’ BiZ ALICE STRONG AND STRONG MARKETING After four years with Merrill Lynch on the East Coast, Jersey girl Alice Strong moved to Eugene in 1971. She spent two years at the UO and then went into business. “I haven’t worked for anyone else since ’74,” she notes. Strong’s vintage clothing store, Boogie Blues, was “Eugene’s living room” from ’76 to ’84. In 1986 she began marketing other people’s new products at home shows and flower shows. “I spent a couple years sleeping in the car at state fairs,” she says. Four years ago, Strong bought the business of a client, who made packets of easy-to-plant clay balls rolled with organic matter and flower seeds. “My first order was for 30,000 pieces,” she says. “Tell me I wasn’t shocked!” A friend hooked her up with a firm in Arizona that provides employment for disabled people. SeedBallz are now hand-rolled in eight facilities and sold in 700 stores and 17 catalogues. Bill Clinton chose SeedBallz as gifts to 1,700 dignitaries at last year’s Clinton Global Initiative Conference. Check out the varieties of SeedBallz plus all of Strong’s home and garden products at her online outlet, gardenbasket.com — Paul Neevel JANUARY 11, 2007 9
