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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 21, 2010)
letters TO THE EDITOR local concerns and challenges. Her 20 years experience working with dislocated workers, youth and underemployed workers gives her the motivation and insight needed to create change. She served 14 years on the LCC board and 25 years as chief fi nancial offi cer of the Lane County Central Labor Council. Pat Riggs-Henson came out of retirement to seek to serve as county commissioner and will be accessible to her constituents. She’s is in touch with the unemployed, underemployed and the working poor. Pat Riggs-Henson is the right choice for Lane County. Shirley Gauthier Springfi eld JUDGE FOR YOURSELF Congressional candidate Art Robinson and his supporters would have you believe that his positions on certain topics have been exaggerated by his opponent, from abolishing public education to advocating that nuclear waste in our homes and drinking water is good for us. I invite readers to judge for themselves by reading and watching Robinson explain his fringe positions in his own words, by visiting www.whoisartrobinson.com. There, I think you will agree, you will fi nd Robinson’s positions as shocking as I have. Jason A. Kilgore Junction City SCHNITZ FIT “J-Schnitz”? What is that all about? It drives me nuts every time I see it in print! I’ve come to accept it on Suzi Steffen’s Facebook posts because, hey, it’s the internet, who cares, right? But on the cover of the Weekly (9/23)? And multiple times in the article on the Vasi show? It’s just ... awful. It makes Steffen sound like an older, uncool person trying to be hip. It comes across as affected, and in combination with the lolspeak (“sekrit iPad keyz”?!) in the sidebar, downright unprofessional. I don’t know if she’s been told to use a more “accessible,” “urban” or “youthful” style, but it’s really bad. I can’t be the only one who fi nds it completely grating on the nerves (in fact, I know several employees at the JSMA who hate it). May I suggest using the full name of the museum, or if there is a need shorten it, calling it the Jordan Schnitzer, or the JSMA? (The latter has the fewest characters of all, making it best for Twittering.) Katie Aaberg Eugene DOOR-TO-DOOR Jobs and health care are top concerns of Pat Riggs-Henson, candidate for county commissioner and just about everyone I talk to. Rigg-Henson is going door-to-door with her campaign to fi nd out what Springfi eld citizens want to happen. She is one of the top longtime leaders in the community for job development. I think her idea-in-progress to lower the age limit and extend health benefi ts for those who wish to retire early is brilliant. It would open up a lot of higher paying jobs to new employees and lower the cost of health insurance. Riggs-Henson’s 14 years on the LCC Board have given her important insight on how LCC job development benefi ts those seeking skills necessary for Springfi eld’s future. Do vote for Pat Riggs-Henson for county commissioner! Ruth Duemler Eugene REAL SCRUTINY Regarding Slant (supporting LTD and EmX, 9/16): Scrutinize is a good word. Some defi nitions are: to examine closely, observe with great care, and look at details. If EW really wants scrutiny of the West 11th EmX plans, why don’t you assign an unbiased reporter to accurately compile the facts. This might clarify the misinformation, and omission of information campaign LTD is waging now with EW’s assistance. This could help educate your Slant writers as to what is really going on. Mass transit is absolutely in our future. There actually is excellent mass transit operating now on West 11th. It is underutilized and has not nearly reached capacity. Please stop making repeated ridiculous generalizations in support of LTD’s fl awed West 11th expansion plans. Your readers aren’t stupid; please don’t treat us that way. Examine the short- and long-term benefi ts versus costs. Scrutinize where the funds are coming from after the FTA grant. The city has $10 million or more in matching fund responsibilities. The operational expenses will increase, while the proposed bigger buses will make less stops. Does EW really support the mass private property condemnations necessary to achieve this goal? Why does LTD operate in the red each year? Where does this unbudgeted money come from? Eugene’s population has doubled in 40 years. Please examine this issue with the intensity and interest you put into the cheerleaders’ cleavage-display differences. Then maybe you will see why the EmX West 11th expansion is not appropriate. Robert Rubin Waldport How do Y OU Envision Eugene? Where and how should Eugene grow? Come see how your input is shaping a draft plan, and help us make it better! Open House/Map Room October 28, 2010, 4-7 pm Bascom-Tykeson Room Downtown Eugene Public Library City of Eugene Planning & Development Department 541-682-6021 MUSEUM OF NATURAL AND CULTURAL H I S T O RY YES ON 76 Ballot Measure 76 will continue vital funding for parks, wildlife habitat and cleaner water. I volunteer with three local watershed councils — pulling out blackberries, ivy and other invasive plants alongside streams and rivers. I have planted willows and other trees and native grasses to improve water quality and habitat for fi sh. I have gone back and seen the improvement along these waterways. Lottery funding makes possible the coordination of volunteer efforts. It also provides living wage jobs for restoration projects and outdoor education activities. With this funding, kids are growing seedlings, planting trees, and learning to be good stewards of the land. In the past 12 years, these lottery funds have restored more than 3,000 river miles, educated more than 5,000 school age children, provided more than 2,600 Oregonians with family wage jobs and protected more than 40,000 acres of natural areas. Vote yes and continue the WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM Join Oregon archaeologists to celebrate their work and learn about their latest finds and the implications for understanding our collective past. All lectures begin at 5:30 p.m. at 175 Knight Law Center, 1515 Agate Street, and are free and open to the public. FRIDAY, A O CTOBER 22 Island of the Blue Dolphins: An Archaeological Time Capsule from California’s Channel Islands Jon Erlandson, Archaeologist and Director, Museum of Natural and Cultural History FRIDAY, A O CTOBER 29 Ancient Salmon and the Columbia River Virginia Butler, Professor of Anthropology, Portland State University natural-history.uoregon.edu · 541-346-1717 · facebook.com/uofomnch EO/AA/ADA institution committed to cultural diversity. EUGENE WEEKLY OCTOBER 21, 2010 7
