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NEWS BRIEFS
• The Food Justice gathering at the UO Feb. 19-21 was the hottest conference to
come to Eugene in a long time. Imagine filling the EMU Ballroom for a panel discussion
on a sunny holiday morning (Presidents Day), not to mention the full house for
Vandana Shiva closing the conference. Sponsored by the interesting collaboration of
the Morse Center for Law and Politics and King Estate winery, the conference was
convened by Margaret Hallock, Morse Center director, and Allison Carruth, assistant
UO English professor and core faculty member in environmental studies. Lindsay
Naylor, a doctoral student in geography, coordinated it.
In Eugene and this great growing region, we constantly wrestle with economically,
equitably and sustainably supplying healthy food to our community. Only 5 percent of
the food consumed here is grown locally. About 3 percent of produce in our grocery
stores comes from local growers. But great energy, on display at this conference, is
fueling the steady search for solutions. Remember that the Lane County Farmer’s
Market opens March 5 at 8th and Oak.
• Lane County’s Asian Festival at the Fairgrounds has grown in popularity, and last
weekend drew more than 20,000 people over two days. The aisles were so tightly
packed in places that strollers got stuck in gridlock. The popularity of this lively and
inclusive celebration shows just how connected we all are, and how Asian cultures
have permeated and enriched our valley.
The Asian-American connection is all about discovering the ways we are different
and alike. Some of us like eggs with brown shells; some of us like preserved eggs
sealed in foil that are brown all the way through. We all enjoy laughter, smiles, good
music and dance. The old barriers of geography, ideology and language are breaking
down, thanks to education, travel, business, technology, romance — and various com-
binations thereof. Happy Year of the Rabbit. May we all live long and prosper.
• If you have not yet caught an episode of Portlandia, get on Hulu or turn on your
TV (yeah, we know, television is bad for you, but you can make an exception) because
it might be more aptly called Eugenia. From skits mocking diners who ask “is it local”
to spoofing feminist bookstores, the show nails the Northwest. But a discussion before
the Portland City Council last week made us wonder if Portlandia is really a reality
show. As we go to press, the council is once again debating whether to “establish a
city policy discouraging employee use of personal scented products in the workplace.”
Yup, no perfumes, strong deodorants or colognes. Will Portland go fragrance-free? It’s
a big issue for those who are allergic or sensitive. Will Eugene follow in Portland’s
footsteps? Will the issue make it on Portlandia? Well, we hear IFC renewed it for
another season.
• Our Loving Your Body issue Feb. 10 with its “Chemical Love” cover has become a
collector’s item. Nearly all the 40,200 papers we printed were picked up, though some
stacks might have disappeared directly into recycle bins, thanks to those in our com-
munity who are too easily offended. Didn’t get your copy? We have a small stash of
leftover papers at the EW offices, 1251 Lincoln St. The content is highly educational,
and the cover makes excellent gift wrap.
• Who are the sexiest bartenders in Eugene? Check our website this week for online
nominations. March 7 is the deadline for voting and results will be in our Swizzle issue
March 17.
• Few Americans have died in Iraq recently but it still costs U.S. taxpayers nearly
$6 million a day to maintain our occupation there. An American teacher makes about
$100 a day, so hey kids, how many teacher jobs is Iraq costing us? Iraq costs are
expected to go up as we replace our military people with much more highly paid civil-
ian contractors, aka mercenaries. Meanwhile in Afghanistan, 43 Americans were seri-
ously wounded in action last week; many will be on VA disability for the rest of their
lives. Taxpayers are being charged about $28 million a day to keep the Afghanistan
war going, much of it deficit spending. Big civilian contracts there as well. We fill both
coffins and corporate coffers.
SLANT includes short opinion pieces, observations and rumor-chasing notes compiled by the EW staff. Heard any good
rumors lately? Contact Ted Taylor at 484-0519, editor@eugeneweekly.com
regulatory burdens” posed by the ruling,
according to the Federal Register, and to
discuss HR 6273, a bill that would amend the
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and
Rodenticide Act to exempt the application of
pesticides from certain permit requirements
under the Federal Water Pollution Control
Act.
The meeting was made up of the
Subcommittee on Nutrition and Horticulture,
of the Committee on Agriculture; and the
Subcommittee on Water Resources and
Environment, of the Committee on
Transportation and Infrastructure.
No witnesses against the legislation were
slated to participate.
Rep. Peter DeFazio, who serves on the
Transportation Committee but not on the
Water Resources Subcommittee said: “The
Republicans are in the majority and are in
control of the witness lists. I have always
attempted to place knowledgeable experts to
testify on issues before the subcommittees
on which I serve. When Democrats were in
the majority, we attempted to balance witness
lists and apparently the Republicans do not
intend to follow this precedent.”
At the hearing, Congressman Timothy H.
Bishop, ranking member of the water
subcommittee said, “The lack of opposing
views on the witness panel hinders our
ability to even discuss the very issue that
members are struggling to understand.”
After concerns of the lack of minority
(Democrat) input were voiced, Tebbutt was
given five days to submit a written statement
for the record, and the committee was asked
to make the U.S. Geological Survey circular
on “Pesticides in the Nation’s Streams and
Ground Water” part of the formal hearing
record. An earlier and longer version of this
story appeared on blogs.eugeneweekly.com
— Camilla Mortensen
POWERED UP
FOR LOGGING
Attention fans of Ax Men, the Oregon
Logging Conference is coming to town
Feb. 24 and it has three days of non-stop
logging action for those of you with an
inner urge to fire up a chainsaw and make
chips fly. For those inclined to leave trees
vertical, the UO’s Public Interest
Environmental Law Conference starts
March 3.
Chainsaw carving, very large equipment
and a “log loader competition” — this last
is just what it sounds like: people on big
machines, loading logs — are among the
activities available for viewing at the Lane
Events Center.
Family Day, Saturday, Feb. 26, is free
and open to the public from 9 am to 2 pm
and kids can check out “educational
activities” such as simulated firefighting
and building birdhouses. There will also
be, as always, “millions of dollars in
logging equipment to explore.”
The theme this year is “Powered Up
and Ready,” and those who pay the $90
registration fee to attend the seminars at
the conference can listen to an update on
OSU’s College of Forestry by its dean, Hal
Salwasser, as well as talks on stewardship
contracting, herbicide application, water
and roads and logging near high-voltage
power lines. Todd Payne, vice president of
Seneca Jones Timber Company, will lead a
seminar on “Business Opportunities in
Biomass Production,” a subject of interest
to many Eugeneans. — Camilla Mortensen
ACTIVIST ALERT
• Activist, attorney and author Randy
Shaw will speak about “Winning Social
Change in Tough Times” Thursday, Feb. 24.
He will speak first at 1 pm in Building 17,
Room 309 at LCC, and again at 7 pm the UO
Law School, Room 175. Donations are
welcome. For more info, call Progressive
Voices at 484-9167.
• Fashion Resistance to Militarism, the
second annual fashion show focused on
militarism, war and peace will be at 7 pm
Friday, Feb. 25, at Agate Hall, 18th and
Agate, on the UO campus. Free, open to the
public. Produced by ASUO Women’s Center
and Oregon WAND, the show features
original fashion designs as a way to explore
the high cost of militarism in our society.
Margo Schaefer will be the emcee.
• A symposium on “Women’s Activism,
Women’s Rights” will be from 3 to 5 pm
Monday, Feb. 28, at the EMU Fir Room at
UO. Vandana Shiva will serve as moderator
and speakers will include Michele Gamburd,
Eileen Otis, Guadalupe Quinn and Abby
Solomon.
CORRECTIONS
In the first letter to the editor last
week (“A Human Wall of Support,”
2/17) Connor Ausland’s name was
misspelled.
Choose a path for Eugene’s future…
Eugene
Pedestrian
and Bicycle
Master Plan
OPEN HOUSE
Thursday, March 3rd
4–7 p.m.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church
(Charnelton & 11th)
The Master Plan will set goals and priorities for the future
of Eugene’s pedestrian and bicycle system. Master Plan
components include options for connecting, improving
and expanding the system, project costs and funding,
and potential facility designs.
www.eugenepedbikeplan.org
8 FEBRUARY 24, 2011
EUGENE WEEKLY
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