Activist Alert 12-12-2013

• The Lane County Chapter of the ACLU will present a free program on “Human Rights and Mental Health Care: Managing the Intersection” from 5:30 to 7 pm Thursday, Dec. 12, at the Eugene Public Library. Speakers will include clinical social worker Ron Unger. Contact lanechapter@aclu-or.org for more information.

• A benefit for the Egan Warming Centers will begin at 9 pm Friday, Dec. 13, at the Oak Street Speakeasy at the corner of Oak and Broadway downtown. Music will include Mood Area 52, Caroline Bauer and Elizabeth and the Slow Kill. A follow-up benefit will begin at 8 pm Friday, Dec. 20, at Speakeasy featuring five local punk bands, The Wobblies, Pirate Radio, X Boyfirends, The Get and Cuntagious. $5 donation requested.

Friends of Trees has rescheduled its canceled tree planting event for 9 am Saturday, Dec. 14, and will gather at the parking lot behind its offices at 12th and Lincoln. Call 915-1601.

• A “Bicycle Holiday Swarm” is being planned for noon to 2 pm Saturday, Dec. 14, along South Willamette Street to show support for local businesses and “let them know you’d like to see a street design that supports a ‘Willamette for All’ outcome with on-street bike access and a better walking environment.” Contact Shane MacRhodes at 556-3553. 

Muralist Esteban Steffensen is leading the Our Children’s Trust youth in the creation of a mural on the side of Arriving By Bike at 27th and Willamette from 1 to 5 pm Saturday, Dec. 14. A dedication will be at 2 pm and a video will be shown at 4:30 pm. These youth are calling attention to their local Climate Recovery Ordinance which they have submitted for consideration to the Eugene City Council. Related events will be part of the Second Saturday South Willamette Art Walk. Contact Julia Olson at (415) 786-4825.

Rabbi Arik Ascherman, senior rabbi at Rabbis for Human Rights in Israel, will discuss “A Rabbinic View of Human Rights in Israel” at 7 pm Saturday, Dec. 14, at Temple Beth Israel, 1175 East 29th Ave. RHR advocates for Palestinians, Bedouins and Jews within Israel and in the Occupied Territories. The event is free and open to the public.

• The Cascadia Wildlands 11th annual Wonderland Auction is from 6 to 10 pm Saturday, Dec. 14, at the EMU Ballroom on the UO campus. Nearly 200 businesses have contributed to the fundraising event. See cascwild.org or call 434-1463. $40 in advance.

• Bikers, unite! The second public meeting on the 2014 repaving of West 13th Avenue between Garfield and Washington will be held 6 pm Monday, Dec. 16, at the Eugene Faith Center, 1410 W. 13th Ave. The city’s proposal to add bike lanes during the repaving is the meeting’s topic. See more at eugene-or.gov/13thAvePaving.