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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (June 16, 2011)
slant AUDITIONS A musical by Dorothy Velasco and Karl Mansfield Sat. June 18 12:30 pm & Mon. June 20 6:30 pm 2350 Hilyard Street, Eugene Please prepare a short song. An accompanist will be provided. Auditions will be readings from the script. Parts are available for five women, ages approximately 18 to 30. There are seven performances scheduled for the VLT Stage Left space from Aug. 19-28. For more information or a script, contact directors Reva Kaufman, 541-484-6760, or Peg Major, 541-767-9874, pegums@oip.net More information under the Auditions page at: TheVLT.com Join the Movement to End Sexual Violence! Únase al Movimiento para Detener el Abuso! }GGzGhGG zGzG G Free, professional training starts June 28th. jGO\[XPG[_[T`^`XGG GG UTUGG GGUG • Every 10 years Lane County reviews its five commissioner districts based on population and redraws them. Every 10 years accusations fly about gerrymandering — gaining political advantage by manipulating boundaries in a way that might help (or harm) a particular group of people or a candidate. This year Moonshadow Mobile, a Eugene-based internet company with conservative City Councilor Mike Clark as its vice president, has entered the fray. According to minutes from the Feb. 23 commissioners meeting, Commissioner Jay Bozievich suggested using Moonshadow for redistricting. The county administrator, as it turns out, went ahead and dropped $5,000 on the Moonshadow software, which has uses beyond redistricting. It raises the question of what’s going on behind the scenes with the more conservative commissioners. Should Clark, who’s angling for Rob Handy’s commission seat, be selling software used to determine voting districts when he plans to run for one of those districts? Did Clark think nobody would notice this blatant conflict of interest? The five appointed members of the redistricting committee are in place: Dan Egan, David Crowell, Bill Dwyer, Scott Bartlett and Bill Van Vactor. Two at-large members are to be appointed and one of the applicants is R-G opinion columnist Don Kahle, who writes on his application that he does have one possible contractual issue with the county that needs to be disclosed — he too has worked with Moonshadow. • Straight talk from Oregon State Treasurer Ted Wheeler at City Club of Eugene June 10 reminded us again why he’s often mentioned as a candidate for governor in the near future. Smart. Well educated. Few wasted words when he speaks. Totally invested in Oregon. Optimistic about our future, but realistic about our problems. Wheeler says the state is doing “very well” from an investment perspective, recently moving up to a higher credit rating although the bond masters were baffled by our kicker and property tax lids. “Largely dysfunctional” is the treasurer’s description of Oregon’s revenue structure. He said the overall tax burden, including fees and service charges, is “very low compared to other states,” but strong lobbies oppose every change and fight to keep every tax credit. College debt has surpassed credit card debt, with the class of 2011 the most indebted class. When Wheeler says “I am opposed to stupid,” we wonder if this articulate public servant could move the rest of the state away from our unfair, dysfunctional tax structure. wGGgGGzhzzG G El entrenamiento, gratis y profesional, empieza el 28 de junio. sGO\[XPG[_[T`^`XGG GG UTUGG GçGùUG • What’s UO President Richard Lariviere doing chumming around with a third world autocrat who’s looted hundreds of millions of dollars from his impoverished country and who is accused of stealing a recent election? Soiling the reputation of the state’s university, that’s what. Recent investigative reports in The New York Times and on ABC News show Gabon Is Your Auto Shop an EcoBiz? When it’s time for your car’s tune-up or repair, ask your shop if they are EcoBiz-certified. It makes sense to be Eco-logical! The EcoBiz program is sponsored by the Lane County Pollution Prevention Coalition (P2C) and the Northwest Automotive Trades Association. P2C members: City of Eugene, City of Springfield, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Lane Regional Air Protection Agency, Lane County Waste Management, Eugene Water and Electric Board, Springfield Utility Board, Metropolitan Wastewater Management Commission, and DHS-Drinking Water Program. 12 JUNE 16, 2011 EUGENE WEEKLY • Tuesday night’s Republican presidential candidates’ debate in New Hampshire was great for drinking games, but only if the rules were right. If you downed a shot every time you heard a constructive idea about creating jobs, fixing our health care system, improving public education or any other serious issue, you’d end up sober and depressed. But if you took a drink every time you heard a candidate claim to be the biggest right wingnut of them all, you’d soon have your head in the toilet. • Congrats to Eastman Band for winning KNRQ’s Last Band Standing competition Friday night, June 10. Eastman Band will perform at the Eugene Weekly Community Stage at the Lane County Fair Aug. 17-21. Meanwhile, check out the 23 songs so far at EW’s Next Big Thing contest at http:// nextbigthingeugene.com/2011 EW will also have a stage at the Eugene Celebration this year, Aug. 26-28. Why are we so involved in promoting local musicians and bands? Our valley has an amazing diversity of talented musicians and our local music scene is an incubator for rising stars. A new band or a fresh new voice can find a stage to perform upon in Eugene or Springfield much more easily than Portland or Seattle. Older musicians whose fame might have peaked decades ago can also revive their music careers here and mentor the next generation. A vibrant music industry is great for our community and all the small businesses it supports. • More than 300 pit bulls, kids and parents rallied last week after the Vancouver, Wash., City Council agreed to debate a pit bull ban. Pit bulls wearing tutus and pink collars lined I-205 and the daily newspaper The Columbian reports that there might have been some barking but there wasn’t any biting. We think Eugene would get that kind of turnout and then some if the city discussed a ban because Lane County Animal Services and groups like Luv-A-Bull and Save the Pets have been so good about getting our local pitties adopted. More importantly, they’ve been getting the word out to spay, neuter and train your pet. Statistics show that most dog bites are from dogs that are chained in yards and not fixed. 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 EcoBiz-Certified Auto Shops in Lane County Certified Ecological Businesses exceed local environmental requirements. Certification assures customers that the business has taken the necessary steps to reduce water and air pollution, and hazardous and solid waste. EUGENE A & M Autobody Collision Repair Center 430 W. 1st Ave Having your car serviced at an EcoBiz-certified auto repair shop 541-686-2915 is right for the environment and for your car. EcoBiz-certified shops practice pollution prevention and are committed to a cleaner environment. President Ali Bongo Ondimba has bought huge mansions all over the world while his destitute people search for scraps in garbage dumps. Lariviere went to Washington, D.C., last week to hob-nob with the thief and join him in announcing “strong and deep partnerships” between the UO and a regime accused of human rights abuses. In a press release, Lariviere, proclaimed “we are honored” with the arrangement and praised the regime and the “exciting,” “model,” “wonderful partnership.” What exactly is so wonderful? Autohaus 1502 W. 7th Avenue 541-683-5050 Euro-Asian Automotive 1917 Franklin Blvd. 541-485-8226 Mac’s Radiator & Repair Inc. 2270 W. 11th Avenue 541-344-0253 North Eugene Automotive LTD 1048 River Rd. 541-688-1917 Old Dominion Collision 1060 W. 6th Ave 541-485-3368 Small World Auto Center, Inc. 2090 W. 11th Ave. 541-683-6475 Sun Automotive 1905 Agate St. 541-344-0869 Sun Automotive 391 Rustic Ave 541-344-2219 Swedish Engineering West 900 McKinley St. 541-685-0830 Wayne’s Garage 27 E. 27th Avenue 541-342-3941 JUNCTION CITY Guaranty Chevrolet 20 Highway 99 South 1-800-766-9231 541-998-2333 We would also like to thank the following fleet services for their participation in the EcoBiz program: SPRINGFIELD ACME Collision Service 4350 Main Street 541-726-7242 City of Eugene, City of Springfield, First Student (Dove Lane, Eug.) and Springfield Utility Board. A Street Automotive & Collision 3445 Main Street 541-726-8453 For more information, Wayne’s Garage 333 Q. Street 541-746-7142 call 541-682-8625, 541-726-3626 or visit www.lanep2c.org WWW.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM • BLOGS.EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
