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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 1, 2016)
BY CAMILLA MORTENSEN • Introductory meeting of Eugene Downtown Cohousing is 1 pm Saturday, Dec. 3. For info on location, call 541-344-5751, or email: eugenecohousingdowntown@gmail.com. • Steel Wool, Gumbo Groove and McKayla Webb ask you to bring warm (wool) clothing to donate to the White Bird Clinic 6 pm Dec. 2 at their show at Whirled Pies Downtown, 8th and Charnelton. $8 door. For more info go to steelwoolband.com. • City Club of Eugene members, students and the public are invited to participate in a conversation about the ideas in National Book Award winner Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates 5:30 pm Wednesday, Dec. 7, at The World Café, 449 Blair and again 5:30 pm Monday, Dec. 19, at Oregon Wine Lab, 488 Lincoln. City Club adopted this book as its first ever common reading, in solidarity with incoming UO freshmen. The book group, in collaboration with the Community Alliance of Lane County, will discuss how Coates’ message, framed as a letter to his son, can deepen insight into social conditions in our country and our own positions in it. Food and beverages are available for purchase, but no purchase is necessary. Contact Mary Leighton at leighton. mary@gmail.com or 541-510-3819 or go to cityclubofeugene.org. CIVIL RIGHTS LEADER DOLORES HUERTA (RIGHT) TRAVELED TO STANDING ROCK TO PROTEST THE DAPL PHOTO: JANIE COVERDELL EUGENEANS SEND HELP TO STANDING ROCK ack in September, Janie Coverdell traveled to Stand- ing Rock from Eugene to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). Inspired by the activism she took part in there and by the lack of media attention at the time, she decided to return last month. On Nov. 20, Coverdell was one of the protesters tear- gassed as water protectors and law enforcement clashed. Coverdell, who is of Tlingit descent, was there in below freezing temperatures as police began to shoot water at pro- testers as well as rubber bullets and tear gas. On Nov. 25, Eugene-based Civil Liberties Defense Cen- ter together with the Water Protectors Legal Collective an- nounced that it was filing a class action suit against the police as well as a motion and memorandum in support of a tempo- rary restraining order against the police. People from all over the country have traveled to Cannon B • The City of Eugene Human Rights Commission will honor Eugene Mayor Kitty Piercy as Human Rights Champion at this year’s Human Rights Day event, 6 pm Wednesday, Dec. 7, at the Atrium at 10th and Olive. The mayor will read a human rights proclamation and Human Rights Commission Vice Chair Jennifer Frenzer will read the commission’s proposed resolution to make Eugene a sanctuary city. Community leaders and youth will discuss human rights triumphs and challenges and what we face as a community. Cross Current will provide the musical entertainment. Doors open at 5:30 pm. • 350 Eugene will lead a free nonviolent direct action training 1:30 pm Saturday, Dec. 10, at Lokey Education Room 176, on the University of Oregon campus at 16th and Alder. To register email sandrad2122@gmail.com or text to 541-890-5952. LANE COUNTY AREA SPRAY SCHEDULE New Growth LLC, 973-1951, plans to hire Rye Tree Service, 999-0295, to apply Rozol rodenticide containing chlorophacinone, strychnine and zinc phosphide on 183.8 acres east of Siltcoos Lake and a few miles north of Mapleton for mountain beaver (aka boomer) control. See ODF notification 2016-781- 12861; call Quincy Coons at 997-8713 with questions. Compiled by Gary Hale, Forestland Dwellers: 541-342-8332, for- estlanddwellers.org 8 December 1, 2016 • eugeneweekly.com search and seizure) amendment rights by “using highly dan- gerous Specialty Impact Munitions (SIM), explosive teargas grenades, teargas canisters and a water cannon spraying high pressure water, as a means of dispersing protests and prayer ceremonies associated with opposition to the Dakota Access Pipeline.” Police have denied using concussion grenades, but the father of 21-year-old Sophia Wilansky — who was severely injured that night and might lose her arm — contradicts that. “There’s multiple witnesses and my daughter, who was com- pletely conscious, said they threw a grenade right at her,” Wayne Wilansky says in an Associated Press report. The Community Alliance of Lane County, Eugene Stands with Standing Rock and other local groups have announced a nonviolent and peaceful week of action in solidarity with Standing Rock. ‘Unarmed women fell to their knees telling police they loved them and were praying for their generations, too.’ — J A N I E C O V E R D E L L , S TA N D I N G R O C K P R O T E S T E R Ball, North Dakota, to aid the Sioux tribe in resisting the oil pipeline. The tribe says it is concerned the pipe could leak and contaminate the Missouri River. The tribe also says it was not adequately consulted until the project was underway. Coverdell tells EW she and her brother were in the thick of the Sunday night protests. “Unarmed women fell to their knees telling police they loved them and were praying for their generations, too. A police officer walked up and used high-pressure pepper spray right in their faces while their hands were in the air.” Coverdell says, “I followed police and called them out ev- ery time they approached peaceful protectors, and as I drew attention to them for harming unarmed people the police would actually back off.” Coverdell says she was tear-gassed and sprayed with a water cannon. Her stomach and throat still hurt. she adds. The water protector suit says it arises from the curtailment of the water protectors’ First (free speech) and Fourth (illegal Events include a rally at noon Thursday, Dec. 1, at the Army Corps of Engineers, 211 E. 7th Avenue, a 6 pm Dec 4 candlelight vigil and “Canupa Prayer Ceremony” in Kesey Square, 10 E. Broadway (“everyone bring a candle and your intentions for peace”) and a noon Dec. 5 “call to action” with speakers and music in the Federal Building Plaza, 211 E. 7th Avenue, followed by a march to banks funding the pipeline. At 6 pm Friday, Dec. 9, Hi-Fi Music Hall, 44 E. 7th Av- enue, hosts a community-wide benefit for water protectors with speakers, comedians, live music and more. Speakers include Mayor-elect Lucy Vinis, Daphne Singingtree, who just returned from Standing Rock, and Cooper Brinson of the CLDC, who will speak about his and Lauren Regan’s experience providing ongoing legal assistance at Standing Rock. $15 at the door. You can find Coverdell’s GoFundMe raising money for her trip to the protest at goo.gl/dbrblp.
