Biz Beat 1-30-2014

Sponsors, Inc. is holding a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 3 pm Thursday, Jan. 30, at its new Bothy Cottage/RISE (Reunite in a Supportive Environment) home. The five-bedroom, 3,200-sq.-ft. house is the first of its kind in Oregon and unique nationally. Its mission is to help mothers who are returning home from prison. Services include parenting classes, cognitive behavioral therapy, drug treatment and more. RSVP to tdejohn@sponsorsinc.org or call 505-5687. 

Local businesses Hallspot and Opthub will be presenting at the SmartUps gathering at 5 pm Thursday, Jan. 30, at the Oregon Electric Station Jazz Room, 27 E. 5th Ave. Guest speakers will also include Doug Porter and David Schroeder, experts in prototyping and manufacturing. $12 advance, $18 at the door. See eugenechamber.com.

The Oregon Small Woodlands Association will have its annual forestry tree seedling sale from 7:30 am to noon, or while supplies last, Saturday, Feb. 1, at Alton Baker Park. Supplies are limited so come early for best selection. Trees available will be Douglas fir, Ponderosa pine, grand fir, noble fir, incense cedar, Western red cedar and redwood. Prices range from 75 cents to $1.25 per tree. Contact Michael Atkinson from the OSWA at 344-4991.

The Eugene Food & Ag Forum will provide an update on the Southern Willamette Bean & Grain Project at 4 pm Sunday, Feb. 2, at Cozmic, 199 W. 8th Ave. The project is a consortium of farms, businesses, community organizers and nonprofits working to stimulate the cultivation and local marketing of organically grown grains, dry beans and edible seeds to provide year-round food resources in the Willamette Valley. Dan Armstrong will speak, along with Jeff Broadie and Kasey White of Lonesome Whistle Farm.

A new Toastmasters Club will meet for the first time at noon Wednesday, Feb. 5, at LCC’s Small Business Development Center. The club will meet in Room 122, Building 11, on the LCC main campus. The first meeting is free, open to the public and will include light refreshments. LCC faculty, management, staff and students are encouraged to attend. See lanesbdc.com or call 463-6200.

The nonprofit Eugene Waldorf School is looking into developing a four-year high school in Eugene. The school once had a high school in a new building adjacent to the school’s main buildings at 1350 McLean Blvd. but the new high school may be off site. A free lecture and discussion on the topic has been planned for 7 pm Wednesday, Feb. 5, at the school. Find the Waldorf high school initiative on Facebook at wkly.ws/1oe.

We hear firefighters in Eugene and Springfield have teamed up with South Lane Fire & Rescue, Lane Fire Authority and Western Lane Ambulance to support local social services. The firefighters and paramedics collected $1,000 out of their paychecks to build and paint two structures at Opportunity Village in Eugene, says Robert Grand, one of the organizers of the construction event that happened Jan. 27. The 30 off-duty firefighters and EMTs who worked at the project are members of Lane Professional Firefighters Association.

Eugene freelance writer and editor Sharleen Nelson has come up with something unique, a full-color “Oregon Festivals” wall calendar that lists and features more than 90 festivals, fairs and celebrations throughout the state. The 2014 calendars sell for $7.95 through her GladEye Press or on Amazon. See wkly.ws/1of. 

The annual KLCC Microbrew Festival is coming up Friday and Saturday, Feb. 7-8, at the Fairgrounds on 13th Avenue. Friday hours will be from 5 to 11 pm and Saturday 1 to 11 pm. All proceeds will benefit the public radio station. Some 66 breweries from around the West Coast and as far away as Vermont will offer samples of their most popular brews. Those attending must be 21 and over. Admission is $12 advance through klcc.org and $15 at the door. Admission includes three beer tastings and a souvenir glass. Additional tastings will be $1 each. Thousands of used records and CDs will also be for sale and live music will be provided Friday by Sol Seed and Saturday by the Hank Shreve Band. Music begins both nights at 7:30. Home brewers can submit their brews to be judged. Entries are being collected at Falling Sky Brewing through Jan. 31.