This morning, I awoke with the answer as to who will win ‘The Battle For Downtown Eugene’. I lay in my bed recalling my investigation of SHIPS that was began by a man who discovered a cave full of looted Inca gold. This was told to me by my neighbor who  met this man. By a profound coincidence, my ex-brother-in-law asked me if I wanted to go on an expedition to haul gold artifacts out of Mexico, that was found in a cave!

After living in the rainy woods for two months, I got very sick. I had no medical insurance and was put out of the hospital one cold morning. The nurse that opened the door for me, told me about the Royal Avenue Shelter where I stayed for two months until they put me in a half-way house on Kinkaid. I am their success story, until they discovered I was not taking meds. They thought the penicillin I took for pneumonia was a mind-c0ntrol drug that I refused to take because I had nine years of sobriety. They were going to throw me back out on the street again, until I got an activist attorney based in Portland. SHIPS had bought up a lot of property, old motels and were stocking them with Medheads – like chickens! I was a Whistleblower, a troublemaker. I wrote letters. This is 1996. How old was Belle Burch and Alley Valkyrie?

http://www.sheltercare.org/

http://www.floridahousing.org/HousingPartners/LocalGovernments/

That report got lost. Then, I recalled the play I had begun about the plight of the homeless, titled ‘Daughter Dead’.  that I began in November of 1996. three months after my bout with homelessness, ended. The protagonist is homeless eighteen year old beauty, named Marilyn. I wrote her dialogue, a fifty year old man. She was made manifest when I beheld Belle Burch in Ken Kesey Square. Belle’s mother was a pillar among theatre groups of Eugene. I am convinced we had psychic connections.

We are working on an unfinished drama on a level few understand. This is High Art that will make Eugene whole again, and propel it towards the Literary and Dramatic Destiny it deserves. We are all upon the Chessboard of the Gods. We are Maze Walkers – sublime!

Above are images of Emily Farthing who is a member of The Interfaith group that is based at the First Christian Church of Downtown Eugene that was the model for the church in my play. Emily has done some modeling. She would make a great Pre-Raphaelite Model. She is a guide in the new Eugene Sunday Streets.

Jon Presco

https://www.eugene-or.gov/655/Eugene-Sunday-Streets

http://kval.com/news/local/interfaith-prayer-service-invites-all-to-remember-september-11-attacks

http://kval.com/news/local/its-as-bad-right-now-as-its-been-in-a-very-long-time-public-safety-in-downtown-eugene

EUGENE, Ore. — A handful of people showed up to Monday’s Eugene City Council Meeting, to voice their opinions on what happened during Friday’s controversial arrest in the Park Blocks.

A couple of people gathered in front of Harris Hall before the meeting, holding signs with their displeasure toward the actions of Eugene Police.

One resident said she was there to speak out about the police brutality she believes occurred during Friday’s arrest.

She said the video making the rounds on social media is tough to watch.

“I couldn’t finish the video, I got maybe half of the way through and it was very disturbing,” said Shanalea Forrest. “I was appalled by what I was seeing, it made me physically sick to my stomach to witness.”

The video shows a police officer striking the suspect. Officials call it “focused blows”.

Police said force is authorized at times to quote, “Avoid having a higher degree of force.”

They said the incident is now under review by an auditor and Police Chief Pete Kerns.

http://www.kezi.com/news/Locals_React_to_Arrest_at_Park_Blocks.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnhIenb4wfI

“It’s clear that it’s as bad right now as it’s been in a very long time,” David Hauser, president of the Eugene Chamber of Commerce, said of public safety.

http://kval.com/news/local/theres-a-long-standing-perception-that-downtown-is-just-vacant

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EUGENE, Ore. – The 70 member businesses of Downtown Eugene Merchants might bring back Eugene Celebration.

“To me it’s something pretty dear to me because I went to every single Eugene Celebration that ever existed,” said Priya Makyadath from Shoeaholic. “That was kind of a weekend that really defined downtown.”

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EUGENE, Ore. – The 70 member businesses of Downtown Eugene Merchants might bring back Eugene Celebration.

“To me it’s something pretty dear to me because I went to every single Eugene Celebration that ever existed,” said Priya Makyadath from Shoeaholic. “That was kind of a weekend that really defined downtown.”

The group is seeking formal non-profit status as it embarks on projects with a common theme: dispelling false impressions about the commercial health of downtown Eugene.

“I think there’s a long standing perception that downtown is just vacant,” said Nicole Desch from Heritage Dry Goods, president of the Downtown Eugene Merchants board. “It was for a while, but things have definitely changed significantly in the past several years and we’re excited about those changes.”

http://kval.com/news/local/theres-a-long-standing-perception-that-downtown-is-just-vacant

Hauser told the City Council that the challenges involve illegal and anti-social behaviors, as well as aggressive harassment of shoppers and people working downtown.

Another merchant wants the City Council to make downtown ordinances more enforceable.

“We’re not trying to keep anybody from being downtown,” said Priya Makyadath with the Downtown Eugene Merchants Association, “but rather what we’re trying to do is make sure th

“I’ve been personally sexually harassed verbally several times in the downtown,” one woman testified.

http://kval.com/news/local/everybody-wants-harmony-community-responds-to-park-blocks-controversy

EUGENE, Ore.- For many people, downtown Eugene’s Park Blocks are a gathering place.

“I think it’s just a diverse communal space where people come to gather and form a community, and that takes form in many different ways,” Sunday Streets coordinator Emily Farthing said.

Whether that’s the final Tuesday Farmers’ Market of the year, or a unique community banding together.

“I’ll just say there’s a lot of colorful people down here, which makes it very interesting. But there’s never been anything go wrong,” TBS Honey salesperson Shane Stark said.

EUGENE, Ore.- For many people, downtown Eugene’s Park Blocks are a gathering place.

“I think it’s just a diverse communal space where people come to gather and form a community, and that takes form in many different ways,” Sunday Streets coordinator Emily Farthing said.

Whether that’s the final Tuesday Farmers’ Market of the year, or a unique community banding together.

“I’ll just say there’s a lot of colorful people down here, which makes it very interesting. But there’s never been anything go wrong,” TBS Honey salesperson Shane Stark said.

Last Friday’s incident in that area has left many community members concerned with both the state of the Park Blocks – and Eugene Police’s plan to emphasize police presence downtown.

“I just I feel like it’s unnecessary and I feel like if they came through here and treated us with a little more respect, then we wouldn’t have a problem, because we do,” Eugene resident Blaze Lutwinski said.

Lutwinksi spends part of her day in the Park Blocks area.

“I’d be interested to see if there was more resources devoted to facilities for rehabilitation, 

EUGENE, Ore. — Eugene Police are now working with the city to improve safety downtown.

The Park Blocks is an area of downtown that many said attracts a crowd and has developed a negative reputation. Shops surrounding it said they’re grateful police are working to make it a safer place.

House 868 is a Chinese bakery located just off of Broadway in the west Park Block. It opened nearly two months ago and sells locally made sweet and savory pastries.

“Since we’re not right on Broadway and we don’t have the constant foot traffic that a lot of those businesses have, it makes it really difficult. It makes people not even know we’re here, because they don’t want to come back here and deal with the people who generally hang out at the park,” said Tyson Curtis, Cashier at House 868.

This change stems from Friday’s incident. Police Chief Pete Kerns said officers witnessed a drug transaction between two people. He said one was compliant and ticketed.

He said the other aggressively resisted arrest and 30 to 50 people, who spend much of the day in the park, quickly converged toward officers hurling obscene and racist insults.

“What we observed is not in keeping with the respectful and coherent discourse that defines Eugene’s culture, or with the environment that we are fostering in our downtown. Our department, together with other city services and our community partners, will improve safety in the downtown and particularly in the park. And our strategies will be inspired by our values of Integrity, Compassion and Courage,” said chief Kerns.

Chief Kerns also says he wants to thank the officers for their capable and confident performance during Friday’s incident.

http://www.kezi.com/news/Police_Working_to_Improve_Safety_of_Park_Blocks.html