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Slant: Short opinion pieces and rumor-chasing notes News: Happening People: Lisa
Warnes NEW SCIENCE BUILDING Landscaping on the UO campus was torn up earlier this month as preliminary work for a new underground science building began. The one-story-deep building, for which an official groundbreaking will likely take place during the summer, is currently being referred to as the Integrative Science Building, Phase One, according to UO chemistry professor Jim Hutchison. It will be located immediately east of the existing science complex, between Huestis Hall and Deschutes Hall.
The building will be a way to house instruments from all over campus that need extra protection from vibrations, from confocal microscopes that provide three-dimensional images of biological systems to machines that art historians use to determine the chemical composition of old paint, Hutchison said. In addition to creating new opportunities for interdisciplinary work on campus, the building's resources will also be available to parties that UO researchers collaborate with through the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI): OSU, Portland State University, the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and regional industries such as Intel and Hewlett-Packard. The institute, formally established by the Legislature in 2003, conducts research regarding nanotechnology. Hutchison directs one of its major initiatives, Inherently Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing, which receives federal funds through the U.S. Air Force. Facilities on other ONAMI member campuses are shared in a similar fashion, according to the ONAMI website (www.onami.us)."Our novel shared facilities model for ONAMI-supported facilities (equal rate access for OUS academic users, competitive outside rates) ensures that equipment is expertly operated and maintained, efficiently used, and allowed to benefit both academic and industrial users. In a state with a high proportion of small and entrepreneurial companies, this 'high tech extension' model is critical to economic development," the online statement reads. Like most buildings on the UO campus, Hutchison said the new science building is being paid for with a combination of state and private funds. The state funds were funneled through ONAMI, so early discussions of the building focused on ONAMI. "The name 'ONAMI facility' has been abandoned because it's not really reflective of what's going to happen in the building," Hutchison said. Hutchison said the preliminary work involved making sure the vibrations at bedrock level are ideal for the building's intended uses, finding out how deep the bedrock goes and finding out how construction vibrations will impact existing campus facilities. The building's projected opening date at this point is December 2007. — Eva Sylwester
WORKERS AND HEALTH CARE How much should the people who wipe Grandpa's butt and brush Great-Aunt Millie's teeth get paid? What kind of care does the Eugene-Springfield area expect for its elderly and disabled populations? On Wednesday, May 24, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) held a "Stakeholders Forum" about health care and workers' rights. SEIU 503 Organizer Guillermo Galarreta says that the idea behind the forum was to have community leaders (including City Council member Andrea Ortiz and Rabbi Yitzhak Husbands-Hankin, among others) discuss community standards for elder and disabled care and also to make recommendations for workers' rights standards. Aides at three local facilities owned by Pinnacle Health Care — Green Valley, Hillside, and South Hills — are following the lead of aides at Pinnacle-owned Lincoln City Rehabilitation Center by organizing with SEIU. Galarreta says Pinnacle is also following a script — one that involves intimidating and threatening workers. Bob Bussel, director of the UO's Labor Education and Research Center, moderated the forum. "Health care is a subject of broad community concern that deals with a vulnerable population," Bussel says. Galarreta and Claire Syrett, organizer of the Eugene-Springfield Solidarity Network, point out that working conditions and patient care are intimately related. The panel heard testimony from workers, former patients and relatives of patients. Syrett says the panel will make recommendations about health care standards and standards of respect for workers. — Suzi Steffen
CITY HALL FORUM II A second community forum on the Eugene City Hall Complex Master Plan will be held from 6 to 8:30 pm Thursday, May 25, at the First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive Street. Participants will examine the options to renovate, build a new City Hall, or a combination of both. The first forum in March was attended by nearly 100 people and included an overview of the key issues and discussion regarding the project values and police consolidation options. The summary from the Community Forum is available on the project website, www.eugenecityhall.com.The summary report includes verbatim comments from the large and small group discussions and results from the project values and police consolidation small group exercises. The forum was videotaped, and copies are available at Eugene's three libraries. The forums are designed to provide input to the City Council in order to assist them in the decision-making process around the issues related to the City Hall Complex. The City Council receives a summary report of the forum before voting on the issues discussed at that forum. For more information, visit www.eugenecityhall.comor call the project comment line at 682-5222. Child care will be provided with advance notice.
'BADASS' AT THE UO
Even as the UO community debates and discusses the Diversity Plan (see story, page 14), the UO's Bias Response Team celebrates Bias Response Week with performances and workshops by Leroy Moore, a Berkeley activist and poet who describes himself as "a black disabled man with a high IQ." Kimi Mojica, director of diversity education and support in the Office of Student Life, says the Bias Response Team wanted to "highlight the intersection between race and disability and build solidarity between the communities." Moore often presents performance art about sexuality, race and disability, among other topics. He writes a syndicated column called "Illin-N-Chillin" for Poor Magazine and hosts the show "Pushing Limits" on Berkeley's Free Speech Radio. On May 24, Moore hosted a conversation about race and disability with UO students in the Multicultural Center. On Thursday, May 25, he presents a 2 pm workshop called "Black Blind Blues to Crip-Hip-Hop" and a 7 pm performance in Gerlinger Lounge at the UO. Lezlie Frye, outreach coordinator in the UO's Office of Dis/Ability Services, says, "Leroy is a badass, and we are totally excited to have him in Eugene." — Suzi Steffen
BIODIESEL SAVINGS Biodiesel prices have fallen below oil diesel prices, saving the city of Eugene a little money along with the environment. When the city filled up an 8,000 gallon refueling tank recently, it saved $176 compared to regular diesel prices, according to city of Eugene Fleet Manager Carlos Davis. Davis said the city moved to a 20 percent vegetable oil blend in its diesel last year. Initially there was some extra maintenance with fuel filters and other small issues, but since then, "We haven't had any problems." Davis said the city chose the B20 blend rather than the 95 percent blend some drivers use to avoid equipment problems. The city of Eugene uses about 105,000 gallons of biodiesel per year and has a fleet of about 1,100 vehicles and other pieces of motorized equipment. The city moved to a biodiesel blend for environmental rather than economic reasons and paid a premium at first for the fuel. Unlike fossil fuels, vegetable oil is a renewable resource that can be locally produced or recycled from fryers. But some economists question whether it can solve the larger oil crisis by itself since farming and processing crops for oil on a large scale itself uses considerable fuel and land. The city is also moving to reduce soot emissions in response to new federal requirements by installing new filters and converting to an ultra-low sulfur biodiesel blend by the end of this summer. — Alan Pittman
EW WINS 15 SPJ AWARDS Eugene Weekly won 15 journalism excellence awards, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) announced last weekend at an awards banquet in Portland. EW won seven awards in the 2006 Northwest region SPJ contest for alternative newsweeklies and eight awards in the Oregon SPJ contest for non-daily newspapers. In the Northwest regional competition, the EW staff won a first-place humor award for "The Regular-Garbage," a spoof on the local daily paper, and a second-place special section award for "Locals Only," a focus on local music. In the Oregon contest the EW staff won a second place for general excellence. Kera Abraham won second-place awards in the Northwest contest for environmental affairs and government reporting for "Assault on High" and "Up in the Air." She also won an honorable mention in the science and health category for "Boning up on Fluoride." In the Oregon contest, Abraham won first-place awards in the environmental and business feature categories for "Assault on High" and "Wal-Mart's True Nature." Abraham also won a second place for an education story, "Rethinking School Lunch," and a third place, comprehensive coverage, for "The Dirt on Our Local Air Agency." Alan Pittman won a second-place award in the Northwest education category for "Choice and Lawyers," and a third-place award in the consumer category for "Con Job." In the Oregon non-daily contest, Pittman won a third-place investigative reporting award for "Lawsuits Threaten to Eat EPD's Lunch." Todd Cooper won a third-place page design award for "Souper Museum" in the Northwest contest and also won a third-place prize for design in the Oregon contest. Melissa Bearns won a second-place award in the Oregon contest for a personality profile of Jon Sutton, titled, "A Measure of Life."
EARLY DEADLINE Eugene Weekly offices will be closed Memorial Day, Monday, May 30. An early deadline will be 5 pm Thursday, May 25 for reserving display advertising space, and 5 pm Friday for classifieds in our June 1 issue. For more information, call 484-0519.
Lane County Herbicide Spray Schedule • ODOT spraying of gorse near Florence this week or next, weather permitting. Spot spraying for other noxious weeds along highways to begin soon. ODOT local coordinator Dennis Joll: 686-7526; daily spray information: (888) 996-8080. Complaints: Becky Thoreson: (503) 986-4366. • Siuslaw Public Library in Florence (977-3132) has Orkin Spray Company spray around the exterior of the library every third Friday of the month. Laurel Bay Gardens (997-5973) is contracted to maintain the landscaping, and has used copper spray, Snapshot and Roundup on and around rhododendrons. — Compiled by Jan Wroncy. Forestland Dwellers: 342-8332
CORRECTIONS/CLARIFICATIONS • Mark Harris, who was referenced in the historical sidebar for last week's cover story ("Culture of Whiteness"), would like to clarify that his partner, Cheri Turpin, should get primary credit for historical information uncovered in the "I, Too, Am Eugene" project, and that Lane ESD provided the primary funding for that endeavor. In addition to being LCC's Multicultural Substance Abuse Prevention Program coordinator, as he was identified in the sidebar, Harris is also an LCC Counseling/ Ethnic Studies faculty member.
Lisa Warnes
When a 40-acre parcel of forested hillside across from her south Eugene home was sold to a developer in 2004, contractor Lisa Warnes leapt into action. "This is the eastern fork headwaters of Amazon Creek — I couldn't believe that the city would allow it to be developed," she says. "I bought a computer and started printing." She went door-to-door, talked to neighbors, networked with activists, and founded a non-profit: Vision for Intact Ecosystems & Watersheds (VIEW). A surfer as a kid, Warnes left the San Francisco Bay Area for Santa Cruz after high school. She migrated north to Arcata, then to Idleyld Park, east of Roseburg. In Eugene since 1980, she worked as a baker and spent seven years with the Burley bike co-op. After a couple of projects with a friend, she got a contractor's license. "Now most of my business is right in this neighborhood," she says. Warnes' activism has taken time from her work. "It has cost me dearly," she admits. "But I've learned to write grants, to identify plants, and to speak in public." Learn more about VIEW's ongoing campaign at efn.org/~ksl Know anyone whose good work deserves attention in this space? Call the editor at 484-0519 or editor@eugeneweekly.com
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