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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 11, 2012)
According to Keith Heath, who is running the program, there are about 69 people on his list for legal camping. Although there currently only 25 legal camp sites, they hope to expand soon. This is a great opportunity for the local citizens who live out of their cars to save for real housing, focus on jobs and worry about their families instead of stressing about where they can park for the night, while keeping our environment safe and clean. I fully support the idea and hope every- thing goes as planned to keep Eugene green! Dominic Ambriz Eugene SO GOOD TOGETHER Five days ago [9/27] you were stolen from me. I was shocked that even a U-lock wasn’t strong enough to keep us together. This is a goodbye I was not expecting to have to say, but I suppose when things are going well, the loss is always blindsiding. Bicycle, I understand that this was not a betrayal on your part, but an unfortunate fact of the community I choose to live in. Even if you are now in pieces, or squirreled away in some tweaker’s garage, I fi led a police report and have my eyes peeled, for what it’s worth. I will say we looked damn good together. When I met you a year and half ago, it was transformative. A road bike! Speedy! Elegant! A frame that fi t these long legs! I was a goner. Together, we realized joy and freedom of motion. You shaped me — not only my ass and my calves, but my outlook on transportation and personal mobility. We had some memorable times. How about that fabulously ill-planned coast ride that was our fi rst tour-date? Or just you and I, cruising out Lorane for a quickie in the afternoon? At certain speeds, moving with you was heart-pounding. I know I will fi nd another, but bicycle, you were the catalyst of this particular education. I learned from being with you, and what we had will be the foundation for future love affairs. Now I know to be more attentive to high-theft areas, the condition of my U-lock, and note serial numbers. It was good while it lasted. Nicole Gautier Eugene BLIND PROGRESS STICKING TO NETFLIX NONE OF THE ABOVE An open letter to EPUD board member Chappel: Would you kill your grandmoth- er? This is what EPUD plans on doing: Our electric company wants to cut down Grand- mother Oak, a tree perhaps 200 years old, and one of the oldest trees in Veneta. And the reason? “It might fall on the new fi ber optic line.” Why not bury the new fi ber optic line? Underground lines are not only saf- er, but require less maintenance than above- ground lines. Certainly, there must be an alter- native to destroying this stately old oak. Very few of the original old oaks remain in Lane County, precisely because of this attitude: “Why save it? It’s only a tree.” True, it is “only” a tree — a tree which stood when the pioneers arrived, and witnessed the birth of the town, watching silently as generations of residents have lived and died, a tree that has seen much of the history of this county. Ms. Chappel, I am asking that you oppose the destruction of Grandmother Oak, because it is not merely a tree, but a symbol of our shared history, culture, and respect for all that is ancient and beautiful. To cut down this historic and ancient tree would be akin to destroying the Sistine Chapel or the Mona Lisa, icons that have value to all people, and they are all irreplaceable, as part of our history and our children’s heritage. I am not against fi ber optic lines or progress. I am opposed to ignorance and the mindless destruction of our natural heritage. As John Muir once said, “God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and fl oods. But he cannot save them from fools ... Not blind opposition to progress, but opposition to blind progress.” I am hoping that EPUD is guided by men and women who are not fools, and who can see the value of preserving this mighty giant, rather than pursuing “blind progress.” Or as Thoreau once wisely intoned, “A man is rich in proportion to the number of things which he can afford to let alone.” Jeffrey Zekas Veneta Who’s unbrilliant idea was it to announce Bijou’s coming to downtown with that utterly ridiculous cover shot [9/27] of movie theater seating with idiots’ legs and feet up over the backs of the rows in front of them? Juvenile? In the extreme. I was looking forward to Bijou’s plan; a movie theater close to my downtown dwelling. After seeing that cover I am staying with Netfl ix and its streaming entertainment at my fi ngertips. Doug Brinkman Eugene The Peter DeFazio campaign owes an apology to Art Robinson for claiming in 2010 that only Robinson would bring us more clearcuts and nukes. DeFazio’s so-called forest “trust” would privatize much of our BLM federal forests, a gift to timber barons who turned their forests into tree farms. Privatization of public resources used to be solely a Republican goal; now, it’s bipartisan. Last year, DeFazio praised the NuScale company in Corvallis which is seeking an Obama administration grant to build prototype modular nuclear power reactors (45 megawatts). Future generations won’t care about Democrats and Republicans, but they will curse us for the nuclear waste we leave for them. See http://wkly.ws/1d4 for DeFazio’s promotion of NuScale. I gave up on DeFazio years ago when he told a town hall meeting that the U.S. invasion of Iraq was “legal” because Congress endorsed it. I guess he never heard of the Nuremberg trials. DeFazio is a reason I support term limits. I’m disappointed that Corvallis City Councilor Mike Beilstein won’t be on our ballot this time as the Green candidate for Congress. From his website newmenu.org/ mikebeilstein: “Resource limits will not allow us to return to the economy we knew before 2008. ... the earth cannot continue giving resources at an ever increasing rate. The work of national leaders should be to start imagining how we can meet human needs in an era of diminishing resources.” My vote will be “none of the above,” an honorable choice. Mark Robinowitz SustainEugene.org FOUL FIELD BURNING Your article about air quality problems in west Eugene [9/20] was a sad comment on the treatment of people who live in that area. Your list of polluters is incomplete, however. Where is the outrage over the fi eld burning that continues inside Eugene city limits? Field burning is a luxury bought by the few who cannot be bothered to use modern methods to manage our environment. The state of Oregon fi nally said “enough” and outlawed the foul, outdated practice. But the city of Eugene continues to allow unnecessary fi eld burning — and the fi res continue to foul our air and kill every creature in its path. After reading your article, it is interesting to note such fi eld burning occurs in west Eugene. F. Verrijt Eugene EMBRACE THE DUST While I am opposed to transporting coal through Eugene (or anywhere else for that matter), I think we should make some proverbial lemonade. The city of Eugene has been burning large swaths of wetlands in west Eugene. Consider how much more effi ciently the vegetation will burn if it is covered with a patina of coal dust. Tom Arnold Eugene LETTERS POLICY: We welcome letters on all topics and will print as many as space allows, with priority given to timely local issues. Please limit length to 200 words, keep submissions to once a month, and include your address and phone number for our files. Email to letters@ eugeneweekly.com fax to 484-4044, or mail to 1251 Lincoln, Eugene 97401. CONTEMPORARY COMFORT Nov. 2nd & 3rd Willamalane Event Center TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE: MCCBF.COM VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOLLOW YOUR FEET TO FOOTWISE FOR BOOTS The Inaugural McKenzie Cider & Craft Beer Festival is seeking volunteers. Volunteers receive FREE t-shirt, event admission, souvenir glass, and drink tokens. Register to volunteer Online at MCCBF.com Must be 21 and over to volunteer FOLLOW YOUR FEET TO COMFORT Downtown Eugene &#SPBEXBZt 'BDFCPPLDPNGPPUXJTFFVHFOF .PO4BU4VO Downtown Corvallis 48.BEJTPOt 'BDFCPPLDPNGPPUXJTFDPSWBMMJT .PO4BU4VO eugeneweekly.com • October 11, 2012 7
