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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 2012)
ACTIVIST WRITERS READ AT TSUNAMI BOOKS Tsunami Books will be home to readings by local writers and poets “committed to narrative and lyrical art” at 7 pm Sunday, Dec. 2, according to Michael Copperman, one of the event’s nine writers who graduated from the UO’s MFA program in creative writing. The readings, in honor of the departure of poet and fellow MFA grad Michelle Penaloza, mark the inaugural gathering of the Oregon Writers Collec- tive. Copperman says, “The people who are there are, essen- tially, young and really talented writers who otherwise don’t have any place in this town to work.” The writers include winners of multiple state and nation- al fellowships from the Oregon Arts Commission, Literary Arts, Bread Loaf, Soapstone and Sewanee, and have been featured in Salon, NPR and The Sun. “There is no single aesthetic that defi nes everybody,” Copperman adds. “It is also pretty decidedly [professional]. A lot of these people are national level voices but have no real way of being heard here.” The main objective is to support writers who are in the blossoming stage of their careers, he says. Joining Copperman and Penaloza to share their work will be authors Heather Ryan, Chris Roethle, Jenn Kepka, Julia Moore, Ebony Haight, Jessa Heath and Carl Swart. Cop per- man hopes that more writers will be part of the collective in the future and would like this event to take place every three months. Copperman is excited to hear his colleagues read and to see them share their stories. He is also simply looking for- ward to be part of an event in Eugene: “It’s cool to have a bunch of peers, to hear a bunch of work and to read in a town that I live in.” Copperman says that in the end, “It’s not meant to be a particular showcase on one person as much as it is a chance for people to get out there and just share that spotlight, and also bring those people together.” — Nick Poust LERT • EmX funding still has more public process to go through and the deadline for written testimony is Dec. 2 for pending action by the Central Lane Metropolitan Planning Organization. The MPO will be looking at whether to earmark Oregon Lottery funds to help finance EmX expansion. Send comments to mpo@lcog.org • EWEB commissioners will hold the second of two public hearings on proposed rate increases at 7:30 pm Tuesday, Dec. 4, at EWEB’s North Building. The rate hikes for both water and electricity would take effect in 2013. The electric rate hike would be 4 percent and would go into effect next May. The water hike would be 20 percent and would go into effect in February. For more information on rates, see www. eweb.org/rates2013 NOW BOOKING HOLIDAY PARTIES! ★ 201 2 ★ IRON EF R C W H INNE DINNER Tues.-Thurs. 4-10 | Fri. & Sat. 4-11 | Sun. 4-10 HAPPY HOUR Tuesday-Sunday 4-6 & an hour before closing! NOW OPEN SUNDAYS LAND EUGENE & PORT 2101 BAILEY HILL RD., SUITE L 5 4 1 - 6 8 4 - 8 8 8 8 • W W W. K O H O B I S T R O . N E T LEARN GROW PLAY TOGETHER Family Tennis Try-It Tennis Center A fun way for the family to spend time together! Forehands, backhands, serves… You’ll try it all. Experience or no experience is fine. We have caring, skilled staff and all the equip- ment. All you have to do is grab your tennis shoes and sign up! Family Tennis Try - It Saturday December 1st 4:30-5:30 PM Eugene Family YMCA Tennis Center Parents and kids 6+ years. Members $5/ per person P otential Members $10/ per person For more information, call Susan or Walt at 541 683 3410. EUGENE FAMILY YMCA 2055 Patterson Street, Eugene OR 97405 P 541 686 9622 W eugeneymca.org eugeneweekly.com • November 29, 2012 9