letters
TO THE EDITOR
situation. Please just go!
As a biker, I wait (sometimes without
putting my feet down) for approaching cars
to pass. If the car, stricken by courtesy,
stops to let me cross, I don’t move. Cars
doing strange things are to be avoided
when you are on a bike. Why would I
cross in front of it? Please just go!
As a driver myself, I almost hit a young
girl who came dashing out from in front of
an enormous truck pulling a boat that had
stopped mid-block on Oak between 18th
and 19th (a street with two northbound
lanes). The girl could not see me, and I
could not see her until she ran across my
lane. Both the girl’s and my eyes bulged
as our gazes met.
So please fi ght the urge to stop
randomly for pedestrians and bikes. Nice
sentiment, but a very bad idea. Please just
follow the traffi c rules.
Ann Kneeland
Eugene
EDITOR’S NOTE: From an ODOT safety brochure:
“Remember, under Oregon law there is a crosswalk at
every intersection. Do not pass a vehicle stopped at a
crosswalk. A stopped car may be a clue that a pedestrian
is crossing. When stopping for a crosswalk on a multi-
lane road, you should stop about 30 feet before the
crosswalk so you don’t block visibility to a driver in a
second lane.”
system and block-granting Medicaid
would have serious repercussions for those
who are already the most vulnerable. Fast-
tracking benefi t cuts to Social Security
is equally unacceptable. We should
instead be fi nding ways to assure long-
term solvency and benefi t improvements
through raising the cap on taxable income
and other means.
Capping federal spending at a very
low share of the Gross Domestic Product
is a recipe for paralyzing the government
in times of economic crisis. The House
budget proposal would head the nation
in the exact opposite direction of where
we need to go, deepening joblessness and
further weakening the economy.
Right now, our number one priority
is not to reduce debt or the defi cit or
spending. People need jobs. Women,
who are being left behind in the recovery
especially need jobs. Signifi cantly more
investment in job growth must be made to
accelerate the economic recovery, even if
the government has to borrow funds and
run a defi cit until recovery is secure.
Ethel Bassett
Walton
NO PED CROSSING
WAKE UP WOMEN
The cuts proposed in the U.S.
House Budget for Fiscal Year 2012 and
beyond (H. Con. Res. 34) are appalling.
Eliminating $4.3 trillion over ten years
in vital social investment programs that
disproportionately employ women as
well as disproportionately serve them,
while extending $4.2 trillion in tax cuts
for millionaires and billionaires, is utterly
irresponsible.
Converting Medicare to a voucher
viewpoint
THE PEDESTRIAN RIGHT: The law
as written states that an individual at a
cross walk has the right-of-way. You can
not expect the traffi c at rush hour on 6th or
7th to stop for a pedestrian or bicycle, for
that matter it wouldn’t be appropriate. Pass
a law that requires people walking, biking
or cruising to be courteous.
Vince Loving
Eugene
ALTERNATIVE SPORTS
I would like to see an alternative sports
section in your wonderful paper. I know
for a fact that there are many fi ne athletes
in the area that aren’t covered in the pages
of The Register Guard or on sports spots
on our local news channels. Roller Derby
is fi rst and foremost in my mind, as I am
one of the Emerald City Roller Girls (and
lucky enough to grace one of your covers
for the Best of Eugene). I am also friends
with many of the local rugby girls, on
which y’all did an AMAZING write up.
I think it wouldn’t take more than a half-
page for you to showcase a few box scores
for these fabulous leagues’ scores. Why
stop at these two leagues, though? Men’s
rugby isn’t covered by local news, but they
are quite active as well and from what I
understand, pretty awesome. Kickball too
is another fabulous and hipster sport that
fi nds itself loved for what it is, not what
it is known for, as there is no coverage
whatsoever. I have been a member of
NWAACK (Northwest Association for
Adult Competitive Kickball) for over fi ve
years now and there are actual leagues out
there that have real games and they are
playing their hearts out (not to say that we
aren’t, we just drink a lot and have a ton
of pick up game fun) without any kind of
recognition.
I know for a fact that there are people
who can supply you with easy box scores,
without a whole lot of “blah blah blah” to
accompany them, making this something
that can be accessible to those who care
and not wasteful of space that you so
blessedly fi ll with meaningful stories that
I regularly enjoy.
Many of the local sports teams also
have local sponsors that would fi nd it very
fruitful to advertise in areas near these
scores, perhaps. What do I know, I’m just
an athlete and a consumer.... but I’m pretty
sure beautiful things could happen....
Well, that’s all. I just thought I’d give
you a heads up as to what I’d personally
like to see in yer paper as I tend to just read
Red Meat, my horospcope, Savage Love
and the local letters (in that order) for the
most part.
I love you all and what you do and look
forward to future issues!
Hearts and stuff,
Bullet Brains (roller derby)
aka Fudge Munky (kickball)
aka Erin Tiel (real?life)
Eugene
FRED MEYER
When the Register Guard originally
unveiled the 3 Civic Stadium options
considered by 4J, a story about 4J teacher
layoffs also appeared.
It essentially
explained that many teachers and classifi ed
staff would lose their jobs next year because
of the defi cit the school district faces. The
juxtaposition of those two stories provided
a sad commentary on our society.
How ironic I thought that the
school district would lay off qualifi ed,
hardworking
individuals
and
simultaneously decide to sell a community
treasure to build a new shopping center.
Is it spiteful to suggest the unemployed
teachers would have four Fred Meyers to
spend unemployment checks in? Maybe
the laid off teachers could apply for jobs
at the new Fred Meyer. Talk about irony;
they might compete with students from
local high schools.
Corporate commercialism appears to
be winning the day; the proposed ultra-
chic South Eugene Fred Meyer catches the
school district in a safety net of dubious
integrity. The thought of a large shopping
center – think the same footprint of West
BY GARY CRUM
Support System
Nonprofi t agencies with a proven record of helping our community
deserve as much support as possible to continue that service
Centro Latino serves our entire community
I
was saddened to read of Lane County’s recent defunding of Centro
LatinoAmericano. I have dealt with the organization several times over the
years and have been very favorably impressed with the organization and
its service to both the Latino community and the greater community in the
Eugene-Springfi eld area. I wish to express my personal respect, admiration
and support for both our Latino community and Centro Latino as it helps that
Latino community function successfully in the greater community.
For about 10 years, my wife and I owned and managed a 24-unit
apartment complex near the 1st and Jefferson street intersection. For the
last fi ve years of our ownership our tenants were almost exclusively Latino.
When many landlords were working to fi nd “legal” means to reject Latino
applicants, I made the decision (one of the best personal/business decisions
I’ve made) to, instead, hire a bilingual on-site manager and solicit Latino
tenants.
First, I must admit a prejudice. I’ve always enjoyed Latino culture, respected
the work ethic of Latino people and both appreciated and admired the warmth
of the Latino family. Thus, on a personal basis, it was easy to rent to Latino
families. Secondly, over those fi ve years, not one Latino tenant “skipped” out
on rent. On the fi rst of the month, every month, tenants appeared at the on-
site manager’s door with either a money order or cash. If you’ve ever been
a landlord you know that having good tenants — good people, good families
and the rent paid on time every month — is as close to Nirvana as most of us
landlords will probably ever get.
When I decided to rent to primarily Latino tenants I requested assistance
from Centro Latino to transition to such tenancy. I requested assistance
6 JUNE 2, 2011 EUGENE WEEKLY
in translating application forms, our rental agreement and our apartment
“rules” into Spanish. They were both pleased and appreciative as they
translated the documents for me. Pleased to have the documents in Spanish
to help prospective tenants who couldn’t read English, and appreciative that
I wanted the documents in Spanish to better serve our tenants. On several
occasions Centro Latino stepped in to provide fi nancial assistance when
a tenant “couldn’t” pay rent (each time this occurred it was caused by an
employer’s failure to pay wages on time or, on one occasion, a bounced
paycheck). And, each time, the tenant repaid Centro Latino when their pay
was received. That repayment showed two things: the respect the Latino
community has for Centro Latino, and that the individuals receiving that
assistance weren’t looking for “something for nothing.”
If I were living and working in a foreign country, or if I were a “new”
immigrant working to become a citizen of another country, I would certainly
want to have an organization such a Centro Latino as a support system.
Moreover, as a businessman working with Latino tenants, I also benefi ted
from that support system.
I recognize the fi scal issues and fi nancial shortfalls facing our county as
well as all governmental entities from school districts and cities, to states and
our federal government. However, I also recognize that nonprofi t agencies
with a proven record of helping our community deserve as much support as
possible to continue that service. I hope the county, the city and any other
organizations in our community who might do so, fi nd ways to help Centro
LatinoAmericano continue to serve our community.
Gary Crum of Junction City is a retired teacher and counselor who worked with dysfunctional adolescents over a 28
year career in public schools, probation facilities and residential treatment facilities.
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