2021-01-14 Eugene Weekly

30.7 MB·English

by  Eugene Weekly

contents
JANUARY 14 - 21, 2021
3 Letters
10-40% OFF
5 News
CBD PRODUCTS 7 Slant
IN JANUARY 8 Give Housing,
Save Money
WE HAVE A WIDE SELECTION
OF CBD & HEMP PRODUCTS 11 Calendar
FOR PEOPLE & PETS
12 Movies
including Cannabis-Free CBD
Sleep & Stress Formulas  Gummies 13 Classifieds
Capsules  Liquids  Topicals
15 Savage Love
Doggie Treats  Drinks  & More
Stop By & We’ll Help You
Choose The Right One For You
1653 Willamette Street
Mon - Fri: 9 - 6  Sat: 10 - 5
FREE OFF-STREET PARKING
541-485-5100
www.evergreennutrition.com
AAssiiaann FFoooodd
MMaarrkkeett
ANIMAL HOUSE
Largest Selection of
Asian Groceries
editorial
Seaweed, rice, noodles, frozen EDITOR Camilla Mortensen
products, deli, snacks, drinks, ARTS EDITOR Bob Keefer
STAFF WRITERS/REPORTERS
sauces, spices, produce, Henry Houston, Taylor Perse
CALENDAR EDITOR / COPY EDITOR Dan Buckwalter
housewares, and more. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Anita Johnson
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
We carry groceries from Holland, Blake Andrews, Ester Barkai, Brett Campbell,
Tony Corcoran, Jerry Diethelm, Rachel Foster,
2021 India, Pakistan and Polynesia Taylor Griggs, William Kennedy, Rick Levin,
Sushi & Asian deli take-out Paul Neevel, Jade Yamazaki Stewart,
Molly Templeton, David Wagner, Robert Warren
HAPPENING PEOPLE Paul Neevel
RESET 29WSTHoHOo PAdPVfiI ENeNlGdU CESEtaNtiToEnR WILLAMETTE STREET OAK STREET CMIaANRhTarTEal atRDncN IdRdhSlEo i Ce JMrTo pHOueRreay/pn PCrhdRayOetp,rD mEpsUomaCnleTlie,lIn yOSt tNThti ,Mao JnpAaepNc AiHknG oFgEffo Rr m Treaosndt,d, Cooper
Sunrise SENIOR DESIGNER Sarah Decker
GRAPHIC ARTIST Chelsea Lovejoy
www.sunriseasianfood.com
Ring in 2021 with a Health Reset Challenge! TECHNOLOGY/WEBMASTER James Bateman
M - Sa 9am - 6pm • Su 10am - 6pm advertising
70 W. 29th Ave. Eugene • 541-343-3295 DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Rob Weiss
DISPLAY MARKETING CONSULTANT
Discover movement David Fried
CLASSIFIED MANAGER Tanner Lovejoy
business
and healthy habits to
BUSINESS MANAGER Elisha Young
CIRCULATION MANAGER Liz Levin
set your year right. FIELD MAINTENANCE Trey Longstreth
DISTRIBUTORS
Bob Becker, Matthew Erdmann, Mike Goodwin,
Derek Ingram, Mary McCoy, Wally Moon, Ped-
HCA TLLESEENRG• SRT ERE1IP O2P•ANLHLAE C0N GTHGEE2EES E• R •RU •2 • 10 GR2T2K01EE I2EIRNRH E•EIE PPTSE ELIGSFTTAN A C•UEEHM HPLDAL I• L • NL A L Y YE HIFON MCYLGU EM TER•S E• C S YREYEA UURFD GA•O1E2O MYN •0B2EIT •L • F EY•AA MCS 2IMLLY YEEO0R V G•2E S UYO1N ERLELSAETH C aGPH(((((((((((((((E15aaecclnImplmEfb2ei R4lUoOstdrladii5ieeWattezuonoI1taGltvpirNW1r-/bsertsvdew f oge4aoirL’EsToneicirs)e cper er8rii:TsyrdNaIkfit ny)d/seNcEmr)4oic:taiOesc E :/ nnh) ae Gbu-lxRrlfidi:aou geni o0rd )WRobn llpsnblt :m)tiugwinS 5xsgsi):ttEicrzs )sE:ecotc e/s@1 i :SebeA/cisra 9grEonrsk/ase/cteglss@weC) pnagptdKe.•a@:raas,hu ys s eyseHceadsLFElt,egs)ole@ec e@iuYeati:Ju reayn uUdiuncgucrx age@atnegO@igiieauSe elrtenue5usn eonlselFres engg@)awg4B)nehreu:)F ue:se te@G: 1beeYotewg ip)Ig-n,von Cew:owue4 eOeP ereienemEskogneuEra8snewe@wRuMlfkee)eogyekp4oiae: esnw. [email protected],e4Lee0.mcse [email protected]@[email protected]@uoegoeel.lcygumemewee.eogncu keinmeeongleyenwme .kwecDenlwoyeeee.meeckwlkoeileyvlkm.yecel.ykcor.locmyymo.,c mom
Register today! EW SUBSCRIPTIONS: SEND NAME, ADDRESS AND CHECK TO
1251 LINCOLN ST., EUGENE, OR 97401-3418.
$25/3 MOS. $45/6 MOS. $85/12 MOS. PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER.
Eugene Weekly is published every Thursday by What’s Happening Inc.
Five free copies maximum per person from newsrack.
bit.ly/Y2021Reset
POSTMASTER: SEND ADDRESS CHANGES TO EUGENE WEEKLY,
1251 LINCOLN ST., EUGENE, OR 97401-3418.
©2020 WHAT’S HAPPENING INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
211--77--22J0022A11 --N WWUeeeeAkkllRyy AAYdd.. iinn1dd4dd , 11 2021 11//44//22002211 33::1155::0099 PPMM EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENEWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 14, 2021 3
letters
OREGON’S LETTING
industry have either laid off employees
ITS GUARD DOWN
or greatly reduced their hours. Restau-
James Houston is right (“Defend Or- rants restricted to only curbside pick
egon's Southern Border,” Letters 1/7). up, do not need wait staff or bussing
You know it’s spring at the coast when staff. Some restaurants are closed until
the Florida license plates arrive: AZ, TX, further notice. This forces restaurant
CA, WA, ID, MT, Dakotas etc. They’ve employees affected by the freeze to look
been here since then. Other states re- for new work that is scarce during these
quired quarantine even though they trying times.
didn’t require masks. Not us. We’re de- By lifting the temporary freeze, we
fenseless to hordes coming from high- will be able to get the dining industry
infection areas. We’ve had scenes from employees back to work. Former re-
those who’ve refused to wear masks. strictions would still be in place includ-
And now we’re in the worst of the ing social distancing and limiting the
pandemic. number of guests allowed in the res-
Nyla Jebousek taurant at one time. More precautions
Newport can be taken if necessary. An example
would be allowing small parties of five
THE WHOLE WORLD
or fewer into the restaurant. Tempera-
IS SMIRKING
ture checks could also be an easy way of
If it had been Black Lives Matter or screening guests.
'60's-style flower children a thousand Lifting the restrictions will also help
yards away from the Capitol on Wednes- further prevent small local restaurants
day, Jan. 6, hundreds of police and like La Perla Pizzeria from closing in ad-
ANIMAL HOUSE Homeland Security thugs would have dition to keeping neighbors and friends
been in place hours before the event, with jobs.
and the peaceful protesters sitting in the Jacob Rhodes
grass would have been almost instantly Eugene
WHEN HISTORY
descended upon and gassed, rubber- Trump has used his power and his
IMITATES FANTASY GOD, GUNS AND THE GOP
bulleted and beaten with night sticks. position to target the integrity of our
However, if a deranged mob of neo- elections, our Congress and state gov- As I was watching the events of Jan. So the Republicans have finally
nazis and right-wing loonies, egged ernments across the country. He has 6, 2021 unfold in Washington D.C., the declared themselves enemies of the
on and encouraged by the president, incited violence and assaulted our dem- sight of the barbarians waving their state. Lee Harvey Oswald was such an
who has been telling everyone for two ocratic ideals. The 25th Amendment T**** flags on the steps and balconies of enemy. Now, apparently, he has 74 mil-
months that was going to happen and exists to remove a president in these the U.S. Capitol reminded me of a movie lion admirers. Current marksmen are
when it was going to happen and where conditions — when they present a risk scene from The Lord of the Rings: The Ted Cruz, Josh Hawley and Matt Gaetz.
it was going to happen, breaks into the to the security of the nation. For the in- Two Towers. Trump has had his weapons confiscated
Capitol to riot and destroy, there is vir- tegrity of our republic and the safety of It was when the Uruk-hai and the temporarily. The shock and awe of the
tually no law-enforcement presence, the people, Trump needs to be removed Orcs had captured the ramparts of the Capitol capitulation will slowly attenu-
even five hours later. immediately. fortress of Helm's Deep and they, too, ate from Republican delays, which is
If it had been BLM or hippies, they Vice President Pence and members were waving their crude flags in appar- why we won’t see Trump convicted and
would have been called terrorists and of the Cabinet: I implore you to invoke ent victory. probably never punished, in any mean-
rioters and would have been arrested by the 25th Amendment and remove the It did not end well for the Orcs. The ingful way, regarding his most recent
the dozens or hundreds. Now, these ac- power of the presidency from Donald J. forces of light will win out, and the or- crimes. The sort of trial he deserves
tual rioters and terrorists are being dig- Trump. ange lord and his spawn will descend won’t occur because the criminal half
nified as "protestors" and walking back It's time to protect our country. back to the darkness from which they of this former “republic” won’t allow it.
to their cars. Curtis Taylor came. Like Oswald did for some minutes, they
So, thanks, Donald, Mitch, 16 GOP Eugene Thomas H. Morth currently occupy the sixth floor. So their
senators and 146 GOP house sedition- Eugene assault on democracy will remain locked
WHERE’S THE
ists. You have made us such a laughing and loaded.
EVIDENCE, GOP? THANKS, PETE AND BETTY
stock that the dictator of Turkey is mak- Our peculiar democracy will further
ing statements tsk-tsking the U.S. You Commenting on the Trump-incited My many thanks to County Commis- unwind, as a minority of citizens — vio-
must be so proud. deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol, the Chair sioner Pete Sorenson and City Coun- lent, vile, ignorant, deceived and self-
Jamie Selko of the Oregon Republican Party, Bill cilor Betty Taylor for their exceptional deceiving — will self-perpetuate their
Eugene Currier said, “We believe presidential work and many years of service. We can rule by the ruse of the electoral college,
LET’S FIRE HIM, NOW
election fraud was real and pervasive.” thank them for our united communities gerrymandering and the tyranny of the
As a proud American citizen, I urge A serious charge. I urge all media out- moving forward for health care, climate, Senate. That tyranny is in full view now.
Vice President Michael Pence and the lets and other venues to provide Currier education and full employment in our I doubt anyone can stop it. When red
executive cabinet to immediately invoke with the opportunity to prove his belief. beautiful Oregon. states with a half-million people have
the 25th Amendment and remove the Over 50 courts of law, the U.S. Justice Ruth Duemler the same representation as blue states
power of the presidency from Donald Department and the elections divisions Eugene with forty million, the sick waltz toward
Trump. of all 50 states have rejected that belief. tyranny will slow for a bit, but eventu-
SAVE THE RESTAURANTS
The violent assault on the U.S. Capi- But perhaps Currier has some special ally conspire successfully to enslave us
tol building by a mob was incited by knowledge that would be convincing. If Still a temporary freeze on eat-in res- all. Their guns and their red state sena-
President Trump and his dangerous he doesn't, then I recommend that he taurants? How much longer will we have tors will always act as a cultural and po-
rhetoric and lies about a stolen election. resign immediately, along with all the this restriction? As we roll over into litical divide. We will learn to live with it
His actions have materially damaged other Republican officials who either si- 2021, we are on our fifth extension of the because they will slowly nudge us into
our country and threatened the safety lently or vocally have enabled Trump to temporary freeze. How many more ex- an unsettling tolerance. Perhaps they
of all of its residents. degrade the civic life of this country for tensions will there be? already have.
Pence and Trump's cabinet must do the past four years. Not only does this affect social as- Tom Erwin
what Trump has failed to: uphold their Jere C. Rosemeyer pects of the community, but the thou- Salem
oath to defend the Constitution and in- Eugene sands of workers in the food service
voke the 25th Amendment. industry. Almost all restaurants in the
2 JANUARY 14, 2021 EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENEWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 14, 2021 3
letters
PICTURE A WORLD
Donald Trump and all those who sup- create well-paying jobs in industries we have all made mistakes, have all failed
WITHOUT HIM
ported/enabled him. Many are calling need. Reform the tax system to make to understand, and have all been guilty
I have seen enough photos, heard for more censorship by the huge hi-tech the wealthy pay their fair share. Pass a of lack of love and of tolerance. This
enough words and tweets over the last companies and new laws to restrain minimum wage bill, $15 per hour now forgiveness is not based on a spirit of
for years of the chief insurrectionist those who threaten the establishment. and indexed to inflation. Bail out small magnanimity or a sense of expediency
who resides in the White House. I know While those emotions are justified, if businesses hurt or destroyed by the or superiority.
what he looks like by now. Since social we care about this nation and its future, pandemic. Close our overseas military In order to truly move forward into
media has banned him, I suggest the we have to think carefully about the bases and restore relations with all na- a world of cooperation based upon
media ban any more photos of him. That consequences of our words and actions. tions on the basis of mutual respect. goodwill and right human relations, we
would be another dagger to a narcissist. This country has the potential to de- Failure will bring disaster to the na- need to break free from long standing
Of course, this is dreaming. When I see a volve into a Hatfield vs. McCoy feud be- tion. hatreds, relinquishing the memory of
photo of T----, all I see is a bloated carp tween the right and left. Such a conflict Charles Dunaway old mistakes in policy, judgment and
at the bottom of a bottom rotting into would be disastrous for the republic. It Eugene method and, finally, ignore the habitual
pond scum. would be disastrous for the planet, and barriers and our too often separative in-
TIME TO PRACTICE
PJ Allen it would be disastrous for all of us who stincts.
FORGIVENESS
Springfield live here. A better world cannot come about
Instead, Democrats need to lift work- We are in full support of justice tak- if we harbor animosity towards others.
WE NEED TO REBUILD
ing Americans out of the despair that ing its course in this country regard- Likewise, we must become more posi-
OUR COUNTRY
has driven so many to latch onto con- ing the decisions of those in power who tively receptive toward our fellow global
Many progressives, especially those spiracy theories and follow authoritar- have acted outside the law. But we must citizens and take joy in celebrating the
in Congress and the media, see the riot ian leaders. Fix the election system. remember that in our hearts it is im- diverse world views, ideas and behav-
at the Capitol on Jan. 6 as an insurrec- Restructure trade deals to benefit all portant to practice forgiveness. This iors of all people.
tion, a coup attempt or sedition and are Americans, not just the big corpora- forgiveness recognizes the universality Christopher and Deb Michaels
calling for the punishment of President tions. Institute an industrial policy to of human error in the past, and that we Eugene
Local
Vocandal
VIEWPOINT BY THOMAS COFFIN
The Greatest Threat
to Our Democracy
THE VOTES OF THE PEOPLE ARE NOT FRAUD
W
e had an election on Nov. 3. The incumbent president lost the no rules; allegations suffice for evidence; falsehood is as good a currency as truth.
popular vote by a margin of just over 7 million votes. His opponent, Additional tools in the public opinion forum that would draw prison sentences in
now President-elect Joe Biden, also prevailed in the Electoral a judicial setting are threats, intimidation, extortion and the traditional techniques
College by receiving 306 votes to Donald Trump’s 232 votes. of the underworld. Thus we have the specter of the lingering incumbent calling the
Months before the election took place, Trump began setting secretary of state of Georgia to order up precisely 11,800 votes (the number needed
the table for nullifying the results if he failed in his bid for re- to carry the state) via the cover story of “there’s nothing wrong with you saying you
election. In a bizarre soliloquy, he said the only way he could recalculated.” As an added inducement, Trump added that failing to do so could expose
lose was if the election was rigged or fraudulent. the secretary and even his lawyer to some sort of criminal charges.
There was a record turnout for the election — more than 159 million votes were cast. It is impossible to imagine what more is needed for objective and impartial people
Biden received 81,233,098 of the votes; Trump, 74,222,958. to see this for what it is — an existential threat to the democratic principles that are
Immediately, the foretold nullification strategy was unleashed. Trump cried fraud the core of the birthplace of modern democracy, our nation which has been the beacon
and refused to concede, and some 60 lawsuits were filed in courts throughout the of liberty and freedom for over two centuries.
country to have the results declared invalid and Trump the winner. But if more is needed, it was provided on Jan. 6 when Trump, with two weeks left on
But the courts are not the props of political theater. In courts of law, there are the clock of his administration, summoned thousands of his supporters to Washington
serious penalties for lying or fabricating evidence. One by one the lawsuits vanished D.C. and incited them to attack the Capitol, the hallowed seat of our government, while
like the morning fog when the light of day was directed at them. There was no proof Congress was in session to perform the ceremonial function of verifying the Electoral
to substantiate the false claims. When votes were recounted, they were confirmed as College votes making Biden and Kamala Harris our next president and vice-president.
accurate. The lawyers retreated, and some took their act to talk shows. So, emboldened and ginned up by the words of the president himself, the thousands
The false claims of “fraud” were in actuality semantical distortions of the true basis became an armed mob, overwhelmed what little security existed, breached the Capitol,
for Trump’s anguish — the African American voting bloc, which voted in large numbers imperiled the safety of the nation’s lawmakers and their staff, destroyed and stole
against his racist agenda. It is no accident that the lawsuits were uniformly directed against property, murdered a police officer and scattered Congress into fleeing for their very lives.
the votes of large cities which have majorities consisting of African American citizens. These events represent the greatest threat to our democracy the nation has ever
White supremacists have never accepted the legitimacy of African American votes endured. That their genesis was from within renders it all the more dangerous.
and have labored to suppress their votes ever since the passage of the 13th, 14th and The cumulative voice of “We the People” in our 2020 election was not “fraud.” It
15th amendments to the Constitution in 1865. Indeed, Rush Limbaugh, shortly after was democracy in action, freedom in choosing our leader, and liberty at work. It was all
Trump’s defeat in the election, bemoaned the fact that Trump’s party could never win the ideals that are forbidden, labeled illegitimate, and despised by tyrants. The people
the vote in the country’s largest cities and suggested the nation’s rural states consider have spoken. Their voice is not fraud. Their decision must be respected. The people
secession as the solution. will not submit to tyranny. Not now, not ever. ■
However, in the court of public opinion, unlike courts of law, lying is a skill set that
Thomas Coffin is a retired United States magistrate judge. He served 24 years in the United States District
is often rewarded, especially if the lies are repeated adamantly and often. There are Court for the District of Oregon, from 1992 to 2016.
4 JANUARY 14, 2021 EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENEWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 14, 2021 5
news
Vaccine Diffïculties
WITH THE SITUATION CHANGING DAILY, THE TIMELINE FOR COVID VACCINE
DISTRIBUTION REMAINS UNCLEAR
By Taylor Perse
A
s the community anticipates a post-
pandemic return to normalcy, all eyes
are on the golden ticket — aka the CO-
VID-19 vaccine.
But movement is slow, across the
nation and locally as well. Oregon is
still at the beginning phases of vaccine
distribution, and is a ways off from Gov. Kate Brown’s goal
to have 12,000 vaccines administered daily. The logistics
and strict sequence of distribution further bog down the
process. Though local governments and health providers
want to move quickly, they cannot control the number
of vaccines they receive — meaning it might take a while
before it’s your turn to get vaccinated.
“We want to get people vaccinated as soon as pos-
sible,” says Jason Davis, public information officer for
Lane County Public Health (LCPH). Davis adds that as
soon as the county receives doses, it is getting them out.
“We are not sitting on any doses.”
Oregon is administering its vaccines through a tier of
different phases and subphases, focusing on health care
workers first, then moving onto those who are high risk or
older age. Initially, Oregon Health Authority (OHA) also
specified four groups within each subphase, but relaxed
those guidelines after realizing this was slowing down the
process. On Jan. 12, Brown announced that anyone over
age 65 as well as K-12 educators and staff would qualify
to receive a vaccine.
The entire state is in phase 1A, which vaccinates all
health care and long-term care workers. Next up is phase
1B, which includes critical workers in high-risk settings,
people in detention centers and others who have underly-
PEACEHEALTH’S FIRST CAREGIVERS
ing conditions and are at a moderately high risk. OHA has
TO RECEIVE VACCINATIONS
not yet listed details about phase 1C or phase 2.
Davis explains that though Lane County has experi- Photo courtesy Sherri Buri McDonald
ence with mass vaccinations, as with the H1N1 virus, the
COVID-19 vaccination distribution is different because of online public health update, Davis said this was less than clarified that their employees who don’t see patients are
the equity framework the state has set in place for vacci- what LaneCounty had asked for, as the county holds 10 still getting vaccinated. Initially, they were told to do direct-
nating. This strategy, he explains, isn’t meant to vaccinate percent of the state’s population. care workers first, but with OHA allowing for flexibility,
many people in one day, but is structured around equity He explained that local urgent care Nova Health re- McGovern says it was important to vaccinate everyone
by prioritizing individual risk and exposure. ceived a surplus and agreed to give some of its vaccines involved in order for the medical center to function.
“The reason it’s going slow, especially in Oregon, is to Lane County. “Our priority starting yesterday is to He adds that there have been rumors that PeaceHealth
because we are following strict sequencing that requires advocate on behalf of Lane County and make sure the is wasting vaccines, which he says is untrue.
strict administrative support and time,” he says. state understands the frustration.” “We have not wasted any doses,” McGovern says. “We
Many residents are wondering when their turn will PeaceHealth is another local care provider administer- are cognizant of how valuable this is. We make sure if we
come and how they will know where to go. Davis says there ing vaccines to its workers during the first phase. puncture a vial it gets used.” Each vial holds about 10 doses.
isn’t yet an accurate timeline for future phases. He adds “We are learning as we do this, nobody’s done this Looking ahead, PeaceHealth plans to be involved in
that for phase 1A the county has used social media, sent before,” says Dr. Jim McGovern, COVID-19 incident the broader, mass vaccination process, McGovern says,
health notifications to people’s emails and mass media commander and vice president of medical affairs for adding there is still ambiguity on what that will look like,
messaging to get out the word of who is currently eligible. PeaceHealth Oregon. as governing institutions have never had something like
“We are still solidly in 1A,” Davis explains. “When we are He says PeaceHealth is working with McKenzie Wil- this happen on a mass scale.
able to see the end of 1A we will start announcing where lamette Medical Center, LCPH and other public medical Though it’s easy to feel optimistic, there is still a long
our mass vaccination locations will be.” He also recom- offices in determining how the vaccine can best be dis- road ahead until a majority of individuals are vaccinated,
mends visiting the county COVID-19 website, which has tributed to the community. even just in Oregon. As of Jan. 8, Lane County — which
information on which phase the county is in and which “The intent for everybody is to get this out as quickly has a population of about 380,000 — had vaccinated
groups are eligible for vaccinations. as possible,” McGovern says. “And when OHA realized roughly 6,000 people.
The county is focused on filling in distribution gaps; that some of their structure was slowing things down a “Every week the story is going to change dramatically,”
that worked well with last week’s allotment of 1,200 doses bit, they adjusted.” Davis says. ■
from OHA. But on Jan. 11, LCPH received only 100 vaccines McGovern also addressed some general misconceptions
For more information on statewide vaccination plans visit CovidVac-
from the state in the weekly vaccine allotment. During an about PeaceHealth’s role in administering the vaccine. He cine.Oregon.gov. To learn about local vaccination efforts visit Lane-
County.org/CovidVaccine.
ssuuppppoorrtt..eeuuggeenneewweeeekkllyy..ccoomm
SUPPORT LOCAL AND VOCAL JOURNALISM
4 JANUARY 14, 2021 EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENEWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 14, 2021 5
news
Foreseeable Harm?
A FATHER SUES 4J AND THE STATE, SAYING HIS 7-YEAR-OLD SON
WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AT SCHOOL LAST YEAR
By Ardeshir Tabrizian
A
parent is suing the Eugene School District 4J and Springfield School District in federal court social phobia, often missing school “due to his anxiety and
District 4J and the state, claiming on behalf of her daughter. The complaint says that Chad depression resulting from the hostile education environ-
negligence led to his son being sexu- Schacht, a former cross country coach at Sheldon High ment within the District,” the filing says, and the district
ally assaulted at school. School and teacher at Agnes Stewart Middle School, dropped him from enrollment as a result of his absences.
A Lane County resident sued the sexually abused her daughter “approximately 30 separate The district paid $5,000 in a settlement, according to The
district and the Oregon Department of times” over a two-month period in 2010 when she was a high Statesman Journal.
Human Services (DHS) Nov. 5 in Lane school student participating on the cross country team. In January 2015, a parent filed a lawsuit against 4J on
County Circuit Court on behalf of his son, seeking $4.14 Schacht pleaded guilty on Dec. 16, 2010, in Lane County behalf of his son, alleging that he was beaten, strangled
million in damages and demanding a jury trial. Circuit Court to seven counts of second-degree sexual and injured by other students at Cal Young Middle School
A complaint dated Oct. 14, 2020, says the then 7-year- abuse, court records show. in 2014. The complaint says there was no adult supervi-
old child was sexually assaulted in April 2019 by another All of her “emotional and psychological injuries are sion, security cameras “or any means to supervise the
student in an elementary school bathroom. permanent and will remain for the rest of her life,” ac- students” at any time in the area where it occurred, and
The other student, who was “a foster child and/or cording to the complaint. The court filing says Agnes that the district knew or should have known that the
youth offender” in the care and custody of DHS, “was Stewart Middle School was aware of his prior inappro- other students had a history of intimidating, harassing
known to have aberrant sexual behaviors,” according to priate conduct toward female students at the school, to and assaulting younger students. The parties settled in
the complaint. the extent that it restricted him from being alone with 2016, according to The Register-Guard, with the district
The complaint says the school district was or should girls or having the door to his classroom closed, removed paying $15,000.
have been aware of the student’s sexual proclivities, and him as the physical education teacher and required that Another parent sued the Eugene District in September
that the district’s and DHS’s failures to supervise him he be supervised. 2017 on behalf of her son in Lane County Circuit Court,
allowed the assault to happen. “On the day of the sexual When contacted about the victim’s sexual exploitation, alleging that a student assaulted him twice in one day at
assault, [the student] was allowed to venture in the school the complaint says, the middle school “indicated they had North Eugene High School. The district did not take reason-
hallways unsupervised and allowed to interact with other been expecting it for 8 years.” able steps to supervise its students, the complaint says,
students,” according to the court filing. The Eugene and Springfield school districts share in- and the victim suffered a concussion, chronic headaches,
The school district had a duty to keep the victim formation about appropriate contacts between teachers, memory loss, anxiety, “pain, discomfort and suffering,”
safe through close supervision, the complaint says, and students and athletes, according to the court filing, and loss of educational opportunities and interference with
DHS failed to appropriately address the other student’s the middle school “was obligated to report what it knew everyday activities. The district paid $24,000 in a settle-
behavior despite the risk he posed to other children. about Chad Schacht to Sheldon High School.” The parties ment, according to The Register-Guard.
“Anytime a child is abused or neglected it is a tragic reached a settlement, with the Eugene School District 4J The most recent lawsuit against the district involving
and traumatizing experience for that child,” DHS Press paying $450,000 and the Springfield School District pay- the alleged sexual assault is still pending.
Secretary Jake Sunderland tells Eugene Weekly. “Unfor- ing $125,000, according to a story in The Register-Guard. “As a direct and foreseeable result” of the district’s
tunately due to child privacy laws we are not able to com- The Eugene School District faced another federal and DHS’s negligence, the victim was unable to return to
ment on past or current cases. And we do not comment lawsuit filed in September 2012 by a representative for school, requires therapy and suffered emotional injury,
on pending or active litigation.” a student who was verbally harassed from sixth through mental anguish, embarrassment, shame, fear, hyperactiv-
The parent’s attorney declined to provide a state- eighth grade, frequently assaulted and targeted by other ity, lack of focus, isolation, displacement from his school
ment, and the school district declined to comment due students as “gay” while not identifying as gay, according and peers, nightmares and sleep disruption, mistrust
to pending litigation. to the complaint. in the intentions of others, lack of self-esteem, depres-
Not only was the sexual assault preventable, the par- His mother contacted the district after other boys sion, anxiety and other psychological trauma, the court
ent says, but this was not the first instance of children knocked him to the ground, nearly ran over him with their document says.
being in danger on school grounds. The district knew — bikes, kicked him and threw a helmet at him while repeat- The parent suffered “additional economic damages
or should have known — that the elementary school was edly calling him homophobic slurs, the court filing says. of missed employment and using employer provided
unsafe and has “a history of children being injured” at The child “believed that there was no way to stop the benefits to care for his son.”
school, with unsupervised children posing a higher risk, harassment as it continued in spite of numerous previ- The victim also underwent physical and psychological
the court filing says. ous reports to the District,” according to the complaint. evaluations for sexual trauma and may require future
In September 2011, a parent sued the Eugene School He was diagnosed with depression, panic disorder and medical treatment. ■
Hunky Dory
Join us the Friday before Valentine’s Day DISPENSARY & SMOKE SHOP
for a virtual version of our
annual benefit breakfast fundraiser to
MENU AVAILABLE AT HUNKYDORYDISPENSARY.COM
celebrate and learn about
25% OFF CLOTHING
Pearl Buck Center’s Vocational Academy. THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH. Quality Flower 10% OFF
Despite the challenges brought on by the pandemic, we non-clearance items only
have worked hard to provide remote classes
and services to continue our mission. Pearl Buck WE ARE OPEN REGULAR HOURS, for a
Center has served individuals with intellectual and SAFETY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE. Quality Price at the Smoke Shop when you
developmental disabilities since 1953.
spend $15 at the Dispensary
UPDATES ON FB
Register today for this free event!
2664 River Rd., Suite B *restrictions apply
Eugene, OR
[email protected]
(Off River Rd. behind Don Juan’s Restaurant) 675 Lincoln St. • Eugene 271 W. 7th Ave. • Eugene
541-484-4666
SantaClaraSmokeShop.com 541-505-8334 541-345-1853
Thank you to our sponsors: Chambers Construction,
First Interstate Bank, and Outback Water 541-654-5772 Do not operate a vehicle or machinery under the influence of this drug. For use only by adults twenty-one years of age and older. Keep out reach of children.
6 JANUARY 14, 2021 EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENEWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 14, 2021 7
slant • We are watching
the Jan. 20 inaugura-
tion of Joe Biden and
Kamala Harris draw
closer with delight
and fear. The Jan. 6 mob attack on the U.S. Capitol
wasn’t the last we will hear from right-wing extrem-
ists and domestic terrorists, but hope for a better
country springs eternal. Check out Eugene Weekly’s
online coverage of the Jan. 9 Trump rally in Eugene that
led to three arrests, as well as our story of the quieter
and heartbreaking Candlelight Vigil to Mourn Death on
the Streets and the list of at least 30 people who died
homeless this year.
• At the Jan. 11 Eugene City Council Meeting, Councilor
Mike Clark once again refused to condemn white
supremacy in response to the right-wing extremist
insurrection at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. When councilors
CONGRESSMAN PETER DEFAZIO
discussed the possibility of taking a new vote to condemn
white supremacy — to include the new councilors — Clark • Watch Cliff Bentz, newly elected congressman from Wayne Morse Historical Park Corporation at this time
said he’s all for condemning violence on both sides of the eastern Oregon succeeding Greg Walden. He has the when there is so little integrity in politics. Here are the
political spectrum as long as it includes also Antifa and distinction of being the only congressman from Oregon words of Morse’s integrity pledge: “I will exercise an
Black Lives Matter. “We are not being peacemakers when and Washington to join Trump's totally dishonest independence of judgment based on the evidence of each
we focus on one political aspect,” Clark said. effort to overturn the vote against him in the electoral issue. I will weigh the views of my constituents and party
college. Embarrassing, to say the least, to have even but cast my vote free of political pressure and unmoved
• Welcome voices of reason continue to come one Oregon representative among the 147 senators by threats of loss of political support.” We wonder what
out of the City Club of Eugene. On Jan. 15, the topic and congressional representatives who endorsed the Sen. Morse would say today were he in Washington, D.C.?
is “Spotlight on the Coast: Economic Challenges and president’s shameful attempt to subvert democracy. And
Opportunities” with three speakers: state Sen. Dick sadly, no surprise that Republican state Sen. Mike Nearman • It’s still winter whale-watching season for another
Anderson, Oregon's 5th Senate district; Chief Doc Slyter had a role in opening the door for Oregon’s right-wing week or so, so if you are tired of politics and humans, you
of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Capitol invaders. House Speaker Tina Kotek and others can take a COVID-safe trip to the Oregon Coast in hopes
Siuslaw Indians; and Bettina Hannigan, president and have called for Nearman’s resignation. We agree and call of seeing migrating gray whales heading to Baja, Mexico.
CEO of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce. This for the Republican Party to learn some common decency. The usual organized cetacean watches are off due to the
program will air on the City Club Facebook and YouTube coronavirus, but you can go to StateParks.Oregon.gov
pages starting at noon on the 15th. • Congressman Peter DeFazio has received the for places to witness the sea mammals swimming by.
Wayne Morse Integrity in Politics award from the
QuickStopCannabis.com
Ceramic Implants Are A Metal-Free, Holistic Option
“You’ll love how durable, natural-looking, and bio-compatible they are!”
Walk In, Curbside Pickup or Home Delivery
Wellness Centered Dentistry
$49 for 14 Grams $59 for 7 Grams Indoor Grown
541-868-2008
Overflow Buds. Duct Tape Flower.
23.2% THC- Super sweet 28.01% THC a 50/50 Hybrid with BIG 4725 Village Plaza Loop, Ste 101
Eugene, OR
smelling Sativa Hybrid. beautiful frosty buds!
Rob Whicker, DDS
$5.99 for 50 mg THC assorted flavored Taffy’s. www.wcdentistry.com General Dentist
with 8 different flavors to choose from. Be sure to try out the new Caramel Apple flavor!
A lot of Easy Parking at the
Do not operate a vehicle
or machinery under the FOLLOW THE FOUR
corner of 7th and Chambers
influence of this drug • For
use only by adults 21 years
[phone] of age and older • Keep out DON’T
of reach of children
INVITE
COVID.
dontinvitecovid.org/gameday
6 JANUARY 14, 2021 EUGENEWEEKLY.COM EUGENEWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 14, 2021 7
RHONDA MESSAL SITS IN HER APARTMENT, PROVIDED FOR FREE
BY LOCAL HOUSING ORGANIZATION SHELTERCARE.
SHE WAS HOMELESS FOR THREE YEARS BEFORE SHE ENROLLED
IN SHELTERCARE’S HOUSING PROGRAM.
G I V E
H O U S I N G ,
S A V E M O N E Y
Photo by Todd Cooper
Lane County is providing hundreds of housing units and
GETTING A BRAND NEW START
While many people take housing for granted, there are
services to chronically homeless people while saving hospitals
at least 9,600 homeless people in Lane County, according
to county data, and 14 out of 1,000 people in Eugene are
and governments money
BY JADE YAMAZAKI STEWART homeless. These numbers are double or triple the national
averages, depending on the statistics used. The rate of
chronic homelessness, which is defined as being home-
R
honda Messal was homeless in Eugene for three years, camping under carports and couch-surfing less for more than a year, is also higher in Lane County
when people would let her stay in their homes. compared to the rest of the country. Thirty-five percent
One winter, she lived in an unheated car, surviving off ramen she bought with her food stamps; of the Lane County homeless population is chronically
she’d heat it up in gas-station microwaves. She’d sleep in Walmart parking lots or anywhere else homeless, compared with 25 percent of the nation’s home-
less population.
she could park for a night without getting harassed. She used drugs to find brief moments of comfort.
In Eugene and Lane County, taxpayers pay for chroni-
After a while, she got into a recovery house and got clean from drugs. Eventually, she got a job. But with
cally homeless people in a variety of ways. Financially
paying for her kids and the rent at the halfway house, she could never save up enough money for a security
secure residents cover the costs of aiding chronically
deposit. This is understandable in a city where median monthly rent for a household is more than $1,000,
homeless people who can’t pay for ambulance rides when
and which has, by some studies, the highest rate of homelessness per capita of any city its size in the U.S.
they get into emergency medical situations, a common
So Messal couldn’t get out of homelessness on her own, even though she was clean and sober, and even occurrence for those who live on the street and have
though she had a job. Women around her would win housing voucher lotteries or be recruited for programs, chronic health conditions. Housed people pay high rates
and some were getting permanent homes, but it was never her. for emergency room visits to cover visits by chronically
But then one day in 2017, Messal got a call. She’d been chosen to be one of the 33 chronically homeless homeless people who can’t pay. And tax dollars are used
people to be part of the Madrone Program, a partnership between the Lane County housing authority, aka to pay for police to cite, arrest and jail homeless people
for trespassing and for illegal activities related to mental
Homes for Good, and ShelterCare, a local housing and services nonprofit.
health and substance abuse issues.
Chad Ward, a housing specialist from ShelterCare, helped Messal get out of the recovery house and into
Chronically homeless people often have mental and
a real home — a house with bedrooms for each of her three children where she could continue to get services
physical health issues that get them regularly arrested,
through ShelterCare for her addiction and mental health issues.
transported by ambulances and put in jails and hospitals.
She remembers the first time she got to her house. Ward was there already with a welcome package — These cycles cost hospital and government systems
pillows, blankets, sheets, towels, shower curtains, pots and pans, cutlery — everything she needed to get thousands, sometimes millions of dollars per person
started. over their lifetimes. It appears that most of these costs
“It was like Christmas — the best Christmas you could ever experience,” Messal says. “It was the biggest in Lane County and Eugene are ones that local govern-
moment of my life.” ment could dramatically reduce if they changed home-
lessness policies.
She could shower regularly now. She could sleep soundly with her kids behind locked doors. She could
Often, dealing with chronically homeless people who
cook food besides ramen.
are on the street costs systems more money than it would
“The basic things that most people take for granted are so heartwarming for me. Until you don’t have
cost to simply give them full housing and health services,
those things, you don’t realize how important they are,” she says. “If there’s one thing I’ll never ever, ever
studies in numerous U.S. cities show. Lane County and
take for granted, it’s housing.”
the city of Eugene have picked up on these studies and
8 JANUARY 14, 2021 EUGENEWEEKLY.COM
are planning on creating about 350 units of housing with priority for the state of Oregon as well, says Kenny Lapoint, tacted her. In these cases, Ward says it’s easy to find them.
supportive services for chronically homeless residents of the spokesperson for Oregon Housing and Community Other times, the person on the list might be living
the area within the next five years. While city and county Services. in a tent without a phone. In these cases, Ward says he
officials say this is a feasible goal, the county has failed In 2019, the state allocated $50 million toward building sometimes has to go to encampments and knock on tent
to meet similar goals in the past, and they say it will take PSH, some of which is going directly to the low-income doors to find them.
funding from the federal government, collaboration with housing authority Homes for Good. The state’s goal is After he finds the people, he helps them get a home.
local nonprofits and support from Lane County residents to fund the development of 1,000 new units of PSH in ShelterCare sometimes pays for clients’ rental leases that
to make happen. Oregon by 2024. are under the clients’ names. In other cases, ShelterCare
If the goal is met, Lane County taxpayers and busi- Hospitals and other health care providers could also be directly leases rooms from property management com-
nesses could save millions of dollars and hundreds of potential funders of PSH in Lane County and across the panies and gives them to their clients.
homeless people could be permanently housed, bringing country. Homes for Good’s Commons on MLK project, the The types of living situations that ShelterCare provides,
the county one step closer toward effectively eliminating first large-scale PSH project being built in Lane County, where formerly chronically homeless people are living
homelessness in the community. which will be completed in February, is being partially among people who were not recently homeless, can be
funded by four Oregon health care organizations that good for clients because they don’t feel like they’re living
HOUSING FIRST, donated a total of nearly $3 million to the project. in a housing project, or that they’re abnormal in any way,
THEN EVERYTHING ELSE The Commons on MLK, near Autzen Stadium in Eu- Petersen says.
What Messal received at ShelterCare is an example gene, will house 51 chronically homeless people taken But project-based PSH also has its benefits, like having
of permanent supportive housing (PSH), supplied with a from something called the Frequent User System En- centralized services and the 24-hour support staff that
Housing First philosophy. gagement, a program that lists about 100 people whom projects like The Commons on MLK will have.
PSH is housing, normally for chronically homeless the county has identified as using the most services Vinis says that both types of housing are needed. She
G I V E
people, that comes with supportive services like mental and costing the system the most money. In addition to says the idea is that people could graduate from intensive-
health and addiction treatment and anything else they this list, the county has a separate centralized waitlist care housing like the Commons on MLK to units like
need to thrive and stay housed. PSH is given with the based on specific people’s need for PSH that has about those that ShelterCare operates, which still come with
understanding that residents might take years to move 100 people on it. some services, before moving to fully independent living.
on to unsupported housing or might live in the PSH for Health care organizations can stand to gain from tak-
the rest of their lives. ing chronically homeless people off the street. Hospitals ISSUES AND SOLUTIONS
Housing First is the idea that when you’re trying to sometimes have to cover the costs of chronically homeless Building PSH has been a priority for Lane County
H O U S I N G ,
help out homeless people, you should give them housing since 2016 and for the city of Eugene since 2018. The
first, then help them grow from there, even if they still Lane County Poverty and Homelessness Board included
have substance abuse issues. The Housing First model creating 600 new units of PSH by 2021 as part of its 2016
is an idea that’s radically different from many traditional Strategic Plan.
The 1811 Eastlake project,
housing philosophies, which create barriers to entry like The Technical Assistance Collaborative’s 2018 Shelter
being clean, sober or employed to be eligible for housing. Feasibility report for Lane County, a sweeping analysis
a housing complex for 95 chronically
Housing First has high success rates in helping people of housing needs in the area which the county and city
S A V E M O N E Y move out of homelessness and is the accepted model homeless alcoholics in Seattle, are using to shape their housing policy, recommended
among housing experts around the country. Experts see adding 350 additional units of PSH to the county system
SAVED $4 MILLION
PSH as one of the most cost-effective solutions to chronic in three years.
homelessness. Johnson says the county has created about 83 units
PER YEAR IN JAIL,
“Housing First as a model across the country, and in of PSH since 2016, has 72 under construction and has
Canada as well, has proven to be much, much more cost EMERGENCY HEALTH AND concrete plans to make 86 more. County officials agree
effective than what we typically do, which does not provide that they will fail to meet the 600-unit goal of the Poverty
the support,” says Sarai Johnson, the city and county’s SOCIAL SERVICE COSTS, and Homelessness Board. They say that they will only
joint housing and shelter strategist. “If we do nothing, it meet the new 350 unit PSH goal if everything goes right.
costs much more than to house somebody.” according to a study published in the The main barriers that made it difficult for the county
The 1811 Eastlake project, a housing complex for 95 to meet its previous PSH goals, and could stop the new
Journal of the American Medical Association.
chronically homeless alcoholics in Seattle, saved $4 mil- goal from being met, are finding the right land and right
lion per year in jail, emergency health and social service IT ALSO REDUCED DRINKING funding for projects and finding landlords willing to work
costs, according to a study published in the Journal of the with chronically homeless tenants.
American Medical Association. It also reduced drinking AMONG THE PARTICIPANTS. Finding the right land is difficult because land in Lane
among the participants. County, especially in Eugene, is expensive, says Jacob Fox,
Another study, which was cited in a United States Homes for Good executive director. He says the Commons
Interagency Council on Homelessness report endors- on MLK project was only able to be financed because the
ing the Housing First model, showed 1,000 homeless county donated the land.
people who’d been put in PSH cost the public an average people who wind up in emergency rooms and later can’t Vinis says that there is land in Eugene that could be
of nearly $30,000 less per person per year than 9,000 cover the bill. used for these types of projects. For example, she says
other surveyed homeless adults who lived on the street Hospitals and ambulance services can turn away Eugene could build PSH projects on parking lots, which
in Los Angeles. people with minor health issues or injuries, but not those she says we’ll need less of as the city becomes more dense
“The most successful intervention for ending chronic with serious issues that need immediate attention. This and public transport improves.
homelessness is Permanent Supportive Housing,” the means chronically homeless people’s health issues often But even in cases where county or city land could be used
report says. go untreated until they fall into the second category. for PSH projects, neighborhood associations often fight
Although many people discuss how to address home- These types of emergency health procedures are normally the creation of projects in their neighborhoods, says Pat
lessness, Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis says housing experts extremely expensive. Farr, the Lane County commissioner representing north
know exactly how to meet the needs of homeless people Oregon Housing and Community Services donated an Eugene and longtime homeless advocate who serves on
through PSH and other strategies. The issue is getting additional $3 million to the Commons on MLK project. the Poverty and Homelessness Board.
enough money and land to fund expensive housing and Once running, ShelterCare will provide on-site-24-hour He says that it can be especially difficult to garner
services for them. Before she was mayor, Vinis worked as physical and mental health services for the people who public support for Housing First projects because they
ShelterCare’s development director for nearly seven years. live there. include residents who have serious behavioral and sub-
“We know how to do this work,” she says. “We have the Homes for Good is creating a couple of other smaller stance abuse issues.
skills to do it. We have the experience to do it. We have projects that include PSH, but for now, most of the PSH “What makes that unpopular with some people is
the success record to do it. It’s just a matter of being able units in Lane County are scattered throughout the com- that we’re providing housing to people who are actively
to do it at the scale that we really need.” munity, not in designated PSH projects. using drugs and alcohol, under the premise that they will
This is the model ShelterCare uses to provide its PSH. seek treatment once they are in the housing,” Farr says.
HOW PSH WORKS IN LANE COUNTY Dana Peterson, the organization’s housing services direc- He says that while neighborhood associations don’t
There are around 500 housing units that could be tor, says ShelterCare administers services for about 150 have direct control over where a PSH project is placed,
considered PSH for chronically homeless people in Lane PSH units in Lane County. they can start information campaigns that can effectively
County, says Johnson, the housing and shelter strategist. When ShelterCare gets open spots for PSH in its pro- stop the city from building in a given area.
She says this is not nearly enough to serve the needs of grams, it receives a name, normally from the centralized Farr says while people in most Eugene neighborhoods
the county’s chronically homeless population. county waitlist. Then a housing specialist like Ward has support PSH as a concept, they normally don’t want it built
Most of the funding for PSH in Lane County comes to go track the person down. in their neighborhoods. He believes that once people see
from various federal sources, like the Section 8 Housing Sometimes, the person will be in some kind of program completed Homes for Good projects like the Commons
Voucher Program. But in 2019, building PSH became a or recovery house, as Messal was when Ward first con- on MLK and another project being built for 15 families
EUGENEWEEKLY.COM JANUARY 14, 2021 9
Hope Ranch Ministries, organizations that fight human
trafficking. Messal says she was sex trafficked from the
RHONDA MESSAL
ages of 14 to 22, and was traumatized from the experience,
HOLDS UP A SIGN
GIVEN TO HER BY so she wants to help other women who’ve been through
HER MOTHER the same experience.
Messal is now 40. She says her plan is to eventually
move on from ShelterCare, and is going back to school in
the fall to learn how to do the type of work Ward does, so
she can help people the way she’s helped him.
“I would love to go back to school and get my counseling
degree and help women like me,” she says.
As of Jan. 8 of this year, Messal was one year sober.
She says she relapsed for a couple of months starting
in November 2019 and left her ShelterCare home after
one of her close friends died. But ShelterCare, following
its Housing First philosophy, never kicked her out of the
program, though she did lose the rental agreement they’d
helped her receive.
“Chad and the Madrone Program and ShelterCare
stuck with me that whole time,” Messal says. “They be-
lieve in me. They’re not giving up on me. They know that
circumstances happen.”
Once Messal got into a recovery center to get clean
again in January 2020, Ward visited her five days a week
to fill out housing applications with her.
Photo by Todd Cooper
“They gave me another chance and said, ‘We’re not
at 13th and Tyler, they will look more favorably on PSH the federal government to relax some of these standards going to take away your housing because of this. We
projects. He says the projects being built in Lane County in coming years. believe in you,’” she says.
are clean and well regulated. Homes for Good director Fox says that another solu- “We don’t give people a first or second chance. We give
Sponsors Inc., an organization that provides programs tion would be to bypass federal regulations altogether by them 20 or 30 chances,” Dana Petersen, ShelterCare’s
similar to PSH for people coming out of prison, has proj- creating a pool of voter-approved local money for PSH. housing services director, says. She says that often, the
ects around town that are often the newest and cleanest Fox, McAllister, Farr and Johnson all say they want to first home or first couple of homes don’t work out for
buildings in their neighborhoods. create as much PSH as possible, with the goal of eventu- their clients, but they always give them another shot.
For tenant-based vouchers, the type of vouchers that ally giving every chronically homeless person in Lane Fifteen people moved out of ShelterCare into unsupported
ShelterCare generally uses to house people, public per- County a home. housing in 2019.
ception of PSH is also key. Johnson says that right now, “We don’t want unsafe living situations for people, Ward says he’s seen his clients rekindle relationships
only 87 percent of the county’s PSH vouchers are being but we have to understand that having a place that locks with alienated children and parents after coming to Shel-
used because so many landlords are reluctant to rent to at night is better than having a place that doesn’t lock,” terCare. He says he’s seen his clients get jobs and move
people who were chronically homeless. Farr says. A chronically homeless person generally wants on from ShelterCare into unsupported housing.
Farr sees education and engagement with landlords a home instead of no home, even if it does only have one In early August, Messal finally got the keys to her
and property owners as a solution to opposition from sink in the kitchen. second ShelterCare home, this time, a two-bedroom
neighborhood associations and landlords’ reluctance to campus-area apartment — not quite the dream home
rent units for PSH. A BRAND NEW START that she received the first time, but a home that she says
Farr and Kris McAlister, the chair-elect of the Poverty Messal has been a part of ShelterCare’s program she loves nonetheless.
and Homelessness Board, say that while there is a lot of for more than three years now, almost as long as she Ward welcomed her with the pillows, the blankets,
federal funding for PSH, it sometimes comes so burdened was homeless. She says since she got put into PSH, her the sheets, the shower curtain, the pots, the pans, the
with regulation that it’s extremely difficult to use. mental and physical health has improved, as have her cutlery — all the essentials — once again.
For example, Farr says federally-funded PSH units are relationships with her children. And she got another brand new start.
required to have two sinks in the kitchen, one for dishes, She doesn’t have a job right now, but she gets by with
This story was developed as part of the Catalyst Journalism Project
one for handwashing. And tiny homes where beds are in her Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication.
a loft are not eligible. benefits and support from the programs she’s in. Ward Catalyst brings together investigative reporting and solutions journal-
ism to spark action and response to Oregon’s most perplexing issues.
He says that relaxing some of these standards could sometimes takes her on grocery runs when ShelterCare
To learn more visit Journalism.UOregon.edu/Catalyst or follow the
help the county build many more units much faster and has extra money, or when Messal’s in a hard spot. She project on Twitter @UO_catalyst.
get people off the street. Farr says he wants to work with spends a lot of her time working for One’s Purpose and
GMO Cookies
Grown By Panda Farms
Ready for a bud that will blow you away? GMO Cookies has that gas-
sy funk that will hit like a train. This strain will help with chronic pains,
depression and relaxation. What more could you want?!
brought to you by Eugene Weekly
30.50%
To advertise in this space call 541-484-0519 THC:
TESTED BY: ANOVA Laboratory
DO NOT OPERATE A VEHICLE OR MACHINERY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF THIS DRUG. 2893 OAK ST. • EUGENE • 541.357.4211
FOR USE ONLY BY ADULTS 21 YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER. KEEP OUT OF REACH OF CHILDREN
@NEW_MILLENNIUM_EUGENE
Acapulco Gold Purple Punchsicle
Sativa Landrace Grown by Meraki Gardens
Motivating and energizing, this strains reputation precedes itself. This amazing strain intensifies all the qualities of classic Purple Punch.
With a burnt toffee aroma and beautiful, resiny buds, A strong indica that will leave you relaxed with a smile on your face.
it’s perfect for daily use.
26.7% LOQ
THC: CBD:
30.10% LOQ
THC: CBD: OLCC LICENSED OLCC LICENSED
TESTED BY: Green Leaf Labs TESTED BY: Anova Labs
645 RIVER RD #3 • EUGENE • [phone] 420 BLAIR BLVD • EUGENE • 541.393.6820
TERPSSTATION.COM
10 JANUARY 14, 2021 EUGENEWEEKLY.COM