NEWS BRIEFS
trout and Pacific lamprey.
Steele, who has tried everything from
lobbying government officials to filing a
motion to stop construction, says maybe
dam opponents will have to do something a
little more drastic. “Bring a 25-inch frozen
steelhead fish, caught in this area, to the
meeting to say, ‘Oh yeah? Then what do
you call this!’”
And they did. At the July 27 Coast Fork
Willamette Watershed Council meeting,
one resident, says Steele, brought in a
summer steelhead to make sure the
attendees saw there were indeed fish in the
area and the research was flawed.
Steimle says Riverbank Power is
planning on installing at least one fish
passage and will incorporate mesh screens
to prevent fish from getting caught up in the
turbines. Steimle explains the hydroelectric
company has made plans to alter the intake
system to avoid dredging and mobilizing
any mercury-filled sediment. He says that
Cottage Grove residents’ concerns are
“well-founded and heard,” adding, “If there
are negative impacts (from the project), we
will have to shut down.”
But to Steele, the government agencies
and Riverbank Power are not true to their
word, forsaking the area and making this
just another case of a little fish trying to take
on a big fish.
“Our voices are not being heard because
it’s not ‘flashy.’ It’s just a small town, it’s
not important.”
Construction on the project is slated to
begin in October and, according to Steimle,
will take up to a year to complete.
— Kendall Fields
TENACIOUS
TEABAGGERS
Election season is already under way in
Lane County. As conservatives go, Art
Robinson seems pretty run-of-the-mill.
Older, well off, university educated, and
cultivating a certain “man of the people”
quality, Robinson entered the public eye a
little over a year ago after winning the 2010
Republican nomination and challenging
Peter DeFazio for Oregon’s 4th
Congressional District. Although he lost
badly to DeFazio, Robinson has remained a
Tea Party darling, claiming that he’s not
down and out, as rumors have circulated,
but merely gearing up for round two.
Robinson gave a speech Aug. 15 to the
Cottage Grove chapter of the 9-12 Project,
a movement started by Fox News talk show
host Glenn Beck. The speech itself was
relatively unremarkable — the expected
patriotism and small-town “I’m the
outsider” tone sprinkled with righteous
8 AUGUST 18, 2011
EUGENE WEEKLY
indignation, the occasional anecdote, and a
heavy dose of Sarah Palin-style “common
sense.”
The 9-12ers were a receptive audience,
greeting Robinson’s statements, accusations,
and occasional use of the word
“deregulation” with thunderous applause
and a chorus of amens. During the question
and answer period, Robinson fielded
questions about a multitude of topics, from
shorter term limits (yes) to environmental
regulations (no).
“We have a chance in 2012 to throw
these guys out,” he said. “And I think we’re
going to get them.”
“The people who are in Washington,
who have careers in Washington, have
almost destroyed our country,” he added.
Robinson touched on many topics
during his speech, ranging from how the
Department of Education is destroying our
schools to accusing the U.N. of not being
“pro-American,” to likening the 4th
Congressional District to Switzerland. He
also confirmed that he would be
campaigning again in the 2012 Republican
primary, hoping to run again against
DeFazio.
Robinson said he is in it to win it this
time.
“We’re living on the momentum of the
past,” he said. “Unless we get the regulation
and the litigation off the backs of the
American people, we will not be
exceptional.”
“There’s no question in my mind that
we’re going to take our country back,” he
said. — Nils Holst
DAVID MILLER
REMEMBERED
Eugene master artisan David P. Miller
died Aug. 10 after a two-year struggle with
brain cancer. A venerated stone carver and
metalworker, Miller was known for sharing
his passion at local workshops with all who
showed interest. He was a prolific artist and
avid supporter of all the arts in Eugene.
Miller was well known by the local music
community as a familiar face in the crowd.
Miller’s work has been shown
throughout Oregon and locally in galleries
such as Maude Kerns, PeaceHealth,
Fenario, New Zone, and more. Miller
continued to create art up until he was no
longer able to, and his work can be seen at
200 W. Broadway as a portion of local
window art installations. Friends say Miller
was a gift to our community and will be
sorely missed.
A celebration of Miller’s life will be held
1 pm Sunday, Aug. 21, at the Alton Baker
Park shelters. — Dante Zuñiga-West
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