NEWS BRIEFS
TOXICS BOARD
MEMBERS
APPOINTED
The Eugene City Council recently made
appointments to the Eugene Toxics Board,
which makes policy governing the city’s
hazardous material reporting program.
David Beede was appointed to Position 1,
an industry position, and Randy Prince to
Position 6, an environmental advocacy
position. Beede applied to serve to represent
the interests of the business community that
files annual reports under the Toxics Right-
to-Know Program. “As this program is
governed by the City Charter and local
industry is required to participate, David
hopes to ease the burden of this program on
industry as much as possible,” according to a
statement from Jo Eppli, city community
relations and reporting analyst.
Prince is active in Eugene neighborhoods
and currently serves as co-chair of the
Neighborhood Leaders Council. He is an
environmental advocate and he was active in
Citizens for Public Accountability, the group
that worked to create the Toxics Board.
“Randy applied to serve on the Toxics Board
because he sees it as a good opportunity to
use his knowledge of industry and practical
concerns for safety to satisfy both parties in
potentially adversarial situations, as well as
use his skills as a dispute-resolver or
preventer,” says Eppli. “Randy will work to
ensure the law is still effective.”
The city ordinance establishing the board
calls for a balance of industry and
environmental advocates. More information
on the board can be found at http://wkly.
ws/10e
ACTIVIST ALERT
• Oregonians will have an opportunity
to meet with finalists as the Oregon Board
of Forestry prepares to select a new state
forester. A public forum with the finalists
is scheduled to begin at 12:45 pm Jan. 25
happening people
in the Tillamook Room at ODF
headquarters in Salem. A final round of
interviews with the finalists, and the
selection of a state forester are scheduled
the next day, Jan. 26. Questions for the
candidates can be emailed in advance to
Twyla.Lawson@state.or.us
• At the Good Earth Home Show
Friday through Sunday, Jan. 21-23, the
Neighborhood Leaders Council Committee
on Sustainability will be sponsoring a
series of talks and workshops on how all of
us and our neighborhoods can be more
sustainable. Subjects include the topics of
raising urban chickens, preserving picked
foods, Victory Gardens, compost basics,
“Green Living — Getting Children
Involved” and many more. Please see the
complete list with times and dates at www.
eugenesustainability.org
• State Sen. Lee Beyer and Rep. Phil
Barnhart are hosting district gatherings at
10 am Wednesday, Jan. 26, at Aunt Dings
Family Restaurant in Walterville; at 7:30
am Thursday, Jan. 27, at Randy’s Main
Street Coffee in Brownsville; and at 7:30
am Friday, Jan. 28, at Creswell Coffee
Company in Creswell. Contact rep.
philbarnhart@state.or.us or call 607-9207.
• Veteran foreign correspondent Reese
Erlich returns to Oregon with a new book,
Conversations with Terrorists: Middle East
Leaders on Politics, Violence, and Empire,
and the award-winning reporter will speak
at 1 pm Thursday, Jan. 27, at LCC Building
17, Room 309, and again at 7 pm in Harris
Hall, 8th & Oak. Free. He will also speak in
Portland Jan. 28. For more information, call
Progressive Voices at 484-9167.
• A town hall forum on corporate
control and the Citizens United case is
being held at 6 pm Wednesday, Jan. 26, at
Harris Hall in the County Building
downtown. Sponsored by Move to Amend
and others in organizing a democracy
movement in Eugene. More information at
democracyeugene@gmail.com or (404)
290-2309.
• Last Thursday Beer Social with the
Many Rivers Group of the Sierra Club
will be from 7 to 9 pm Thursday, Jan. 27,
at the Tiki Room at Eugene City Brewery,
844 Olive St. Contact sally.nunn@oregon.
sierraclub.org
BY PAUL NEEVEL
THE REV. YAO FENG SHAKYA
Scott Hill was born in Boise and grew up in Renton, Wash. He
got into trouble, was expelled from seventh grade when his
parents divorced, and joined his mom in Alaska at age 14, after
his father died. He dropped out of high school, moved to
Arizona on his own at 17, and fell into addiction, homelessness
and crime. He followed a friend to Salem, then, still homeless,
moved to Eugene 17 years ago. Two years later, he met Rhonda
Martinez, who changed his life and became his wife. Together,
they took up drawing, began making comic books and traveled
to comic book shows from Seattle to San Diego. “I was checking
into religions,” he says. “I had messed up so much, and
Buddhism seemed accepting.” He studied Buddhism online and
took up the meditative practice of Zen painting. In 2006, he
was ordained as a priest in the Zen Buddhist order of Hsu Yun
and given the name Yao Feng Shakya. Calling himself the Sad
Monk, he posted his paintings online and found admirers
worldwide hoping to purchase them. “I teach Zen Buddhism,
taking the ‘ism’ out of it,” says Yao, who has 35 students. “It’s
about loving kindness, compassion, joy and equanimity.” Learn
about his artwork and his weekly Zen painting class at “Zen
paintings” on Facebook.
8
JANUARY 20, 2011
EUGENE WEEKLY
LANE AREA SPRAY SCHEDULE
• Eastern Lane: Weyerhaeuser
Company Springfield Operations
(998-7502; 746-2511) will ground
spray using Milestone VM, Accord
Conc., and Oust XP herbicides plus
surfactants and crop oil within 10
feet of domestic water supplies and
fish streams near Mohawk River,
Log, Seeley, Cartwright, Parsons,
Small, and McGowan Creeks starting
as early as Jan. 17 (Notice No. 2011-
771-00068). ODF Springfield 726-
3588. Weyco would normally not
spray until Jan. 27, but has asked for
a waiver of the 15-day waiting period
from ODF.
• Near Florence and Mapleton:
Lane countywide ground spraying by
Davidson Industries on Popo
Properties (268-4422) with Garlon
3A herbicide and R-11 adjuvant
starting Jan. 16 (No. 2011-781-
00042).
Compiled by Jan Wroncy, Forestland Dwell-
ers: 342-8332, www.forestlanddwellers.org
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