22 minute read
A SWINGING NIGHT FOR SOME KARAOKE
Baltimore Heritage // Creative Commons
The Eugene City Council passed an ordinance implementing middle housing code amendments required by House Bill 2001 in a May 24 special meeting. The bill — which was passed in 2019 — requires cities with populations of over 25,000 to allow duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, cottage clusters and townhouses in residential areas typically zoned for single-family homes.
Municipalities had until June 30 to incorporate this allowance into their zoning codes.
Exactly how Eugene should implement the amendments has been a divisive topic for the community and city councilors, causing Eugene to lag behind cities like Springfield and Bend in adopting the amendments.
After 10 months of discussion with the public, the council decided on the final language of the ordinance in the special meeting before passing it unanimously.
“We have a lot of work to do with our community to bring everyone on board with the work that you’ve done,” Mayor Lucy Vinis said, “And I have hope that this ordinance will in fact enable us to build much more of the housing that we need in this community and that we will see progress.”
Kaarin Knudson, UO architecture and urban design instructor and Better Housing Together founding director, said she was part of a statewide technical advisory committee that developed the regulatory structure for the bill. She said she is happy with the council’s final decision.
“The reality is it will take a long time for us to see this new housing built in Eugene,” she said, “But passing this ordinance locally is a really important step for meeting our current housing needs and really planning for housing needs of the future.”
Eugene’s ordinance largely matches the minimum standards set by the state and the Planning Commission’s recommendations except for creating smaller minimum lot sizes, allowing taller buildings, incentivizing parking reduction near EmX transit and increasing the maximum lot coverage from 50% to 60%.
Originally, the city council was considering a maximum lot coverage of 75%, as recommended by the Planning Commission. However, it settled on
BY ALEXIS WEISEND • TWITTER @WEISEND_ALEXIS
After months of public comments, the council finally decided on an ordinance with a maximum lot coverage of 60% rather than 75% as recommended by the planning commission.
60% due to community concerns and to be consistent with the maximums set by cities like Springfield.
Those concerns largely revolved around increased lot coverage reducing tree canopy and impacting urban heat islands.
Before the councilors decided on 60% maximum lot coverage, Councilor Mike Clark said he wanted to adopt the minimum state requirements from the beginning and suggested 50% lot coverage as an alternative to 75%.
“If we go through appropriate tree protection in the fall, I may be willing to revisit this at 75%,” Clark said.
Councilor Jennifer Yeh said she thinks 50% maximum lot coverage would be a mistake and wouldn’t actually protect trees.
“If we want to make protections for trees, make protections for trees rather than getting at it in this sideways way that might not actually do that," Yeh said.
Councilor Greg Evans suggested two changes in an email to councilors after hearing community concerns about sufficient infrastructure and protecting the Willamette River.
Clark said Evans’ concerns around infrastructure parallel his and the city should adopt the minimum standards so the council can discuss these concerns after. Evans decided not to put forth the motions but asked to submit them at a later time.
Knudson said she wishes the council would have done more to exceed the minimum standards.
“One of the things that I think was lost at the end of this process with so much concern raised very late in the process is that many people would have liked to have seen Eugene be even more innovative, and go further with this work,” she said.
Knudson said the Planning Commission’s recommendations were already the product of careful analysis and compromise.
“Many mission-driven, affordable housing providers would have liked to have seen us go even farther with this work,” she said. “Certainly relative to diversity and vitality within neighborhoods, there's more that we could have done with this work, but we'll get there in the future.”
Frankie Kerner // Daily Emerald 2019
BY BRANDON ROTH • TWITTER @BSTEEL_R At these two local karaoke spots, DJs and community members look forward to a weekly evening of humor, entertainment and unexpected talent.
Singing to a popular song and dancing among friends is an expressive, carefree and safe way to fool around in college. At Agate Alley Bistro and Rennie's Landing, karaoke nights are a big deal every week. As the sun goes down, a swarm of people rush into both restaurants and put their names on the list for the DJ. The anticipation of waiting for one’s name is nothing to be nervous about. Community members and students alike support each other through their performances. It is all good fun to let loose and sing for a welcoming audience.
Agate Alley Bistro: a cozy lounge
This bar and restaurant is a quirky space with mix-matched paintings, retro furniture and colorful wallpaper. It is located at 1461 East 19th Avenue and it is a cozy space filled with natural temperature lights for friend groups to relax. From 8 p.m. to midnight on Sundays, karaoke night brings a mix of regulars and newbies.
The restaurant only accepts minors until 10 p.m. but they are allowed to stay if they are participating in karaoke. After a few drinks for the 21 and over patrons, the barrier to being embarrassed is no longer an issue. As the night progresses, strangers walk up to you to crack jokes or encourage you to sing their favorite song.
Breanna Urbanec, the owner of Breezy Bee Entertainment, has been hosting karaoke night at Agate Alley Bistro since 2014. Urbanec said the regulars have been coming to this event before she started working at the venue. Urbanec is impressed by the city’s hidden talent and is always surprised by the performer’s ability to create a “good atmosphere.” Agate Alley Bistro is a good location for Urbanec because there is a consistent group of people that continued to appear even during the pandemic.
“There is a combination of student community members and neighborhood people,” Urbanec said. “You've got your local artists, a lot of the actors and singers from the local community or former civil rights activists. And then you've got your other side where there's a lot of computer tech. It's very wideranging and varies week to week. It’s awesome.”
Kalaundra Anderson, a UO sophomore secondary education and fine art student, said they have been going to karaoke night with friends for the past five weeks and enjoyed making a tradition out of it. Anderson appreciates the neighborhood aspect of the restaurant because it has a “warm light and cozy ambiance.”
Anderson said no one has to be professional to sing, and it is just as valid to be a spectator while there.
“It’s the best karaoke place I've ever been to,” Anderson said. “It’s a sweet atmosphere where everyone's kind and cozy together while singing. It's not nerveracking at all.”
Rennie's Landing: an outdoor party
Located on Kincaid Street across from the University of Oregon main campus, this bar and restaurant is a gathering place for students to let loose - only in a well-mannered way of course. At 8 p.m. on Monday nights, when minors are asked to leave, karaoke night kicks off on their secondlevel outdoor patio. Although it may seem slow when the event begins, wait until 9:30 p.m. for large student groups to trickle in.
Jared Ritzer, the owner of Caught in the Act Entertainment, has been hosting at Rennie’s for the past couple of years. Ritzer said Rennie’s is a perfect location for karaoke because it is a historic building with a long history for alumni and current students to build memories.
“Rennies is a big giant party,” Ritzer said. “People are elbow to elbow. It's tons of fun, and there are lots of groups singing.”
Ritzer believes karaoke brings people “out of their shell.” Ritzer said his reputation of fun among UO students has kept his business consistent throughout the pandemic.
The local karaoke scene in Eugene is worth exploring. Nobody is there to judge one's vocal skills. It is a time to burn off some frustrations and meet people from all walks of life. Who doesn’t want to be cheered for free?
AlumnI TAKE FLIGHT
UO Alumni share career lessons they’ve learned Dominique Beaumonte’
Job Title: Director of Communications and Development, Umoja Community Education Foundation, Inc. Major: Ethnic studies Graduated: BA ‘03
Dominique Beaumonté, BA ’03 (ethnic studies), found his passion for communications and higher education leadership as an undergrad at the UO. Today, he is the director of communication and development at Umoja Community Education Foundation. He also serves as a member of the board of directors for the UO Alumni Association and Black Alumni Network.
What are your tips for effective networking, and how can UO students build a professional network early on?
To me, networking is two things. First is intentionally being visible and going places. Second is knowing who you are and where you want to go. When somebody talks to me about what they’re passionate about, even if it’s in the grocery store or at church, I’m going to talk about how passionate I am about student development and how much I love working in communications and graphic design. So, position yourself to be able to tell your story, who you are and what you’re passionate about. Those are key to networking.
How can students avoid or work through burnout?
I think it’s really important to always know why you are doing something. If you don’t know why you do what you do, then you will always be burnt out because you will always be under the scrutiny of other people, their schedule and their expectations of you. I’m passionate about the work that I do as a communications director, and nobody has to prompt me to do what I do. That also means that when I take a break, it’s really so that I can continue to create, and operate as a creative on that same level. You have to create a definition of balance that
incorporates the things that you’re passionate about, the things you do for a living and the people you care about that surround you. I think burnout is kind of like how you see your car. The longer and the more that you drive it, the more likely you are to need to service it. If you don’t service the car, then eventually, it’s not going to work in the way that you need it to work. And so, the work of selfcare, creating space and being able to enjoy life are really important to professional success and growth.
Written By: Lizzy Lee, UO student reporter Read Dominique’s full interview at uoalumni.com/careerprofiles
Alumni Spotlight is a collaboration between UOAA and Emerald Media Group.
ROE V. WADE IS NO MORE.
HERE’S HOW WE GOT HERE — AND WHAT COULD BE NEXT FOR OREGON AND THE NATION.
BY EVAN REYNOLDS AND SIMON SCANNELL
Members of the crowd smile and hold up signs while the rally organizers introduce the next speaker. Hundreds gather at the Erb Memorial Union on May 14, 2022 to protest a leaked supreme court document stating plans to overturn Roe v. Wade. (Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)
Protesters stand on the median of the road to show their support during protests stirred by a leaked Supreme Court opinion draft on May 3, 2022. (Will Geschke/Emerald) Protesters enter the streets of downtown Eugene with signs and group chants, gathering in solidarity to support the right to choose.(Maddie Stellingwerf/Emerald)
Days after the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, UO students and Eugene community members are fearful of the decision’s long-term consequences — and eager to take action to protect their reproductive rights.
“People are pissed, and that’s a good thing,” Larkin Lucy, a UO senior, multidisciplinary science major and co-director of UO Students for Choice, said. “It means people are ready to show up and fight.”
When Lucy joined Students for Choice as a freshman, she couldn’t have imagined how drastically abortion rights might shift in a handful of years.
“It’s weird to think about how things have changed since then,” Lucy said. “For us, like the student organizers, I think it’s really easy for us to get caught up in all of it. I can get really frustrated — I mean, I could talk about it forever.”
Students for Choice is a club that promotes student access to reproductive healthcare resources while building solidarity and fostering activism in support of reproductive rights. The club has grown since 1973, when it was established alongside the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade. Today, it frequently partners with Planned Parenthood of Southwest Oregon and organizes annual resource fairs in support of reproductive health.
Needless to say, the club has had a busy couple of weeks. In a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court overturned Roe on June 24 in its landmark Dobbs v. Jackson ruling, stripping the constitutional right to an abortion from millions of individuals. Writing for the majority, Justice Samuel Alito argued that abortion destroys “potential life,” and should not be protected.
“We’ve known that this was gonna happen for months,” Sydnee Warren, fellow Students for Choice co-director and rising senior, said. “I’m not like really shocked at this point — just kind of heartbroken.”
Mikaela Byers, a board member for the Northwest Abortion Access Fund, established an abortion fund that provides a wide range of services and financial support for those in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. She fears for the future of abortion access; she sees it standing on tenuous ground.
“The [Supreme Court] decision was just really, really horrific, and is going to drastically change the abortion access landscape in the United States,” Byers said. “For those of us who are working in abortion funds, we know that Roe was never enough in the first place.”
When Byers applied to be a board member in January, she was already anticipating the potential end of Roe. The Dobbs decision was the culmination of five decades of conservative activism, including a series of contested Supreme Court confirmations during the presidencies of Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s confirmation — following the death of staunch liberal Ruth Bader Ginsburg in October 2020 — was seen by some as the final nail in the coffin of abortion rights.
A leaked draft opinion written by Alito was published by Politico on May 3, proving similar to the eventual Dobbs decision and offering some advance warning of the controversial ruling. Nonetheless, many were still outraged when the decision came.
Eugene responds
An impromptu “Night of Rage” protest in Eugene on June 24 ended in 10 arrests as protesters clashed with police outside of Dove Medical Center, a pro-life pregnancy clinic that discourages abortions and does not offer abortion services or referrals.
Elijah Comer, 20, was one of the demonstrators arrested by police that night. While police cited him for disorderly conduct, Comer saw the night differently — and said he felt it was his moral obligation to speak out against the decision.
“I feel powerless most of the time,” Comer said. “So I feel that it’s necessary to go out and talk, speak your voice, be out in the public, say something, and do it in a place where people are going to recognize that.”
Police statements indicated that the crowd of roughly 75 was throwing projectiles, including smoke bombs and water bottles. Several officers reported suffering minor injuries. However, Comer said he was surprised at the number of arrests and criticized the Eugene Police Department’s assessment of the situation.
“I mean, I don't want [the protest] to be seen as one of those, like, ‘oh yeah it was just violent protesters,’ because that's just not true… it's people who are upset because their rights are getting taken away,” Comer said. “Their civil liberties are getting taken away from them on a federal level. It's ridiculous.”
Comer often attends protests with his group of friends, and said June 24 was not the first incident he’d had with law enforcement. Regardless, he said he was shaken by the arrest, feeling compelled to use more caution when demonstrating on behalf of reproductive rights in the future.
Protests aren’t the only way engagement on abortion rights has increased. Warren said that the Students for Choice Instagram page and email list have both seen major upticks in followers since the Dobbs decision was released. Byers said the NWAAF could take weeks or even months to process their influx of volunteer requests.
Oregon-based companies responded to Dobbs, too. Companies including Columbia Sportswear, Intel, Nike, Salt & Straw and Wieden+Kennedy have issued statements in support of abortion rights and pledged to help employees travel out of state to receive abortions where legal and possible.
What else could be at stake
Dobbs v. Jackson has also stoked fears that other civil rights could potentially be jeopardized by the conservative Supreme Court. Roe v. Wade’s basic premise was staked on the idea of a constitutional right to privacy, which ought to allow pregnant people the right to choose what they do with their bodies. While Alito did not question privacy rights, Justice Clarence Thomas did in a concurring opinion, potentially upending the legal precedent on which Roe — and other privacy-based rights and protections — are staked.
“This [decision] is going to attack other rights with the precedent of the right of privacy, from gay rights to the right to contraceptives, and so on,” Warren said. “It’s just a tremendous injustice.”
While Oregon has a liberal record on abortion rights, it won’t be insulated entirely from the consequences of Dobbs. According to the Guttmacher Institute, Oregon could see up to a 234% increase in patients seeking abortion services, largely from Idaho. This would make it more difficult to obtain not just abortions, but other basic healthcare services as well.
“A right to something doesn’t mean that you have access to something,” Byers said. “In Oregon, we have the right, but the wait times might be longer, it might get more expensive. So I do hope that we will see more cities and states step up to allocate money to our fund, to allocate money to reproductive health services … and, of course, more clinics, especially in areas that have more barriers to access like eastern Oregon.”
Likewise, Lucy said that abortion bans and restrictions will have outsized effects on marginalized communities, including racially diverse and genderdiverse populations. Those without the resources to travel to abortion-friendly states, even with help from abortion funds like the NWAAF, will also likely suffer disproportionate impacts.
Moving the fight forward
In spite of the massive setback of Dobbs and the enormous challenges ahead, activists are still pushing for ways to expand reproductive rights.
Oregon announced on June 24 that it has joined a multi-state commitment with Washington and California to “defend access to reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, and committed to protecting patients and doctors against efforts by other states to enforce their abortion bans in our states.”
In the same statement, Gov. Kate Brown said, “Abortion is health care, and no matter who you are or where you come from, Oregon doesn’t turn away anyone seeking health care. Period.”
Students for Choice hopes to pressure UO into expanding its reproductive health services when students return to campus in the fall. While UO president Michael Schill released a brief statement in support of abortion rights, Lucy and Warren said that the university’s support isn’t going far enough; abortion services should be expanded and listed more clearly on the University Health Center’s website.
“I think the health center is a great resource for students … but they can only see so many patients. And if you did need to seek abortion care, you would have to go elsewhere, which is a huge financial burden and inaccessible to students,” Lucy said. “We’re not handing them resources, either — they’re having to seek them out.”
Byers said she hopes to expand the reach of the NWAAF in the coming years. She said because abortion rights are such an intersectional issue, abortion funds will have to be flexible about when and how they choose to use their money.
“Of course we pay for like, abortion, lodging and transportation, but depending on the case, we could pay for a lot of other barriers too,” Byers said. “For example, somebody needed financial help with their methadone treatment while they were traveling to a different city, and that’s something I asked if we could pay for. And we did … we just really need to try and do everything that we can to accommodate and support people.”
When asked if she had any reason for optimism or hope, Warren was clear.
“I mean, I think we have to, right? If we didn’t, then we wouldn’t be fighting for this movement. I think there were a lot of promises made, especially from the people we elected to power, and I’m hoping they uphold those promises,” she said. “But I don’t think any of that’s going to happen without major social change. Without us there, right now, to create that hope.”
The following resources are available to UO students, Eugene residents and other community members seeking abortion services and support.
The Northwest Abortion Access Fund (866-NWAAF10)
Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon (800-230-PLAN)
UO Students for Choice (@uostudentsforchoice)
A&C EUGENE'S MANY FAIRS AND FESTIVALS
The greater Eugene area presents a robust lineup of fairs and festivals to enhance the long, hot summer.
By Audrey Kalman
Summers can be daunting to college students, as dog days lurk from June to September. However, Eugene and the surrounding areas have so many events to offer during these warmest months. Daring to venture beyond air-conditioned spaces to community events can help combat feelings of isolation and boredom between spring and fall terms.
OREGON COUNTRY FAIR LANE COUNTY FAIR
Ten days after the Oregon Country Specifically, the state of Oregon is chalk-full of Fair, the Lane County Fair kicks off festivals and fairs during the summer. The most well- mid-week, on Wednesday, July 20. This is a known of these is probably Oregon Country Fair, which textbook summer fair, packed with carnival has amassed a near cult-following since its first occurrence rides and attractions. The myriad of food in 1969. The (capital F) Fair takes place from Friday, July 8 to vendors are an event highlight, presenting Sunday, July 10, in Veneta; the fair grounds are about a 30 minute everything from Dippin’ Dots to fried Fried drive from the EMU. Ravioli & Curly Fries to New England
As the Fair’s website states, after two years of virtual fairs, Lemonade. Doors open at 11 a.m. and close this year’s event “takes us back to the shade and splendor of the at 11 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, Fairgrounds where magic can be found around every bend in the path.” There will be dozens of food booths, hundreds of artisans, and close earlier, at 8 p.m., on Sunday. Tickets can be bought JUNCTION CITY SCANDINAVIAN and “Every day features live entertainment on 17 stages from morning to night”. Local, perhaps even familiar, bands online or at the entrance to the fair. FESTIVAL
Bluphoria and The Macks perform on Saturday and Sunday Personally, I am most looking forward to the Junction evenings, respectively — both nights at 6 p.m. on the City Scandinavian Festival, also known as “Scandi Fest”. Community Village stage, per the Fair’s entertainment This delightful gathering began in 1961, when ten thousand schedule on their website. Tickets can only be people showed up to the suburb of Eugene to celebrate purchased on the Fair’s website, or the Scandinavian culture. Delicious food, handmade goods and weekend of the event at the McDonald traditional dancing take over downtown Junction City, and it is Theatre on Willamette Street. marvelous. The Blackberry Jam Festival rounds For instance, when I went in 2019, a friend of mine ran into out the month of July on the 30 and 31 someone she knew. That person was dressed like a viking in nearby Lowell, about 25 minutes driving from head-to-toe. My friend and the viking exchanged southwest from campus. This festival presents pleasantries and a hug, then we continued down the a car show, kidz korner, quilt show, live music, street. A few minutes later, my friend said, “Oh! I parade, pie-eating contest, greased-pole climbing forgot to mention, that was the mayor!” Scandi competition and, of course, cornhole in a family Fest — from August 11 to 14 — is not to setting. More details will be available soon at be missed. on the festival website.
To conclude the summer’s fair lineup, the
Coburg Antique & Vintage Fair takes place this year on September 11. The antique stores of Coburg, which sits just north of Eugene along I-5, are worth visiting year round. But if you only have one day, then this would be the day to go. Over 300 dealers will be selling “enamelware, china, tools, kitchenware, vintage linens, jewelry, toys, books, sports, memorabilia, artwork, and so much more!” per the fair’s website. There will also be live music and food vendors.
These various happenings make summer in Eugene nothing to scoff at. Mingling with natives and visitors alike is a lovely way to spend a hot weekend, or a few. Even if you just carve out an hour or two to try your shot at winning those elusive stuffed animals, your summer will be all the merrier because of it.
Mia McCall/Daily Emerald
