Biz Beat 11-1-2012

Two Eugene businesses, Cousin Jack’s Pasty Company and Vanilla Jill’s, have teamed up to create “Jack & Jill’s Courtyard” located on 3rd and Blair across from the back of Ninkasi in the Whiteaker. We hear it’s a great food destination with meat and vegetable pasties available from Cousin Jack’s cart and frozen yogurt, ice cream, vegan treats, soups, salads and more available at Vanilla Jill’s.

Bigfoot Beverages is the name of the new business that now combines Pepsi-Cola Bottling Co. in the region plus Northwest Vending and Northwest Coffee Service. Co-presidents are Andy Moore and Eric Forrest, and Jay Zink is heading up sales and marketing. Bigfoot is expanding to distribute hand-crafted beers from Hop Valley Brewing of Springfield and Crazy Mountain Brewery of Vail Valley, Colo. 

Bigfoot is promoting the McKenzie Cider and Craft Beer Festival happening from 5 to 11 pm Friday, Nov. 2, and from noon to 11 pm Saturday, Nov. 3, at the Willamalane Center, 235 S. 32nd St. in Springfield. We hear this is the first brewfest to feature both local beer and local cider. It’s a benefit for Belly Full, feeding Springfield’s hungry children. $15 admission. See mccbf.com

Learn to brew your own beer from 11 am to 4 pm Saturday, Nov. 3, at Oakshire Brewing, 1055 Madera St. in Eugene. Members of the Cascade Brewers Society will demonstrate and explain the process for both beginners and advanced brewers. Oakshire was founded in 2006 by brothers Jeff and Chris Althouse. See oakbrew.com

Songs From the Garden is a new floral design studio at 346 7th St. in the historic Catching House in downtown Springfield. The business offers floral designs for weddings, events and everyday occasions locally and includes a wire service for worldwide delivery. Phone number is 726-3418 and websites are songsfromthegarden.com and flowerseugenoregon.com 

Mayor Kitty Piercy proclaimed Oct. 24 as “Food Day” in Eugene, as part of a nationwide day of celebration and a “movement toward more healthy, affordable and sustainable food.” An event was held at the Broadway Commerce Center downtown and included Lynne Fessenden from the Willamette Food & Farm Coalition, Kari Westlund from Travel Lane County, Sara Mizejewski from Lane County, William Ellis from the city of Eugene and Robin Scott from Lane Workforce Partnership.

Pearl Buck Center will celebrate 60 years of providing services to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities at its annual meeting at 11:30 am Wednesday, Nov. 14, at the center, 3690 W. 1st Ave. in Eugene. The celebration will continue with an open house from 4 to 6 pm that afternoon at the center.

Job prospects are “very good” for physical therapist assistants (PTAs), according to LCC, which began its PTA program in 2008 and last week hosted the Oregon Physical Therapist Licensing Board on campus. Last November the PTA program earned accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education.