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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />New Fire Recruits Begin Academy <br />Thursday was the first day of a rigorous 13-week training academy for three new firefighters joining <br />Eugene’s ranks. This class of recruits is much smaller than average, but the hiring is required so that the <br />City can remain eligible for a $1.2-million Federal SAFER Act (Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency <br />Response) grant that was a major financing element in the restoration of an engine company to Fire <br />Station 9 (Valley River). <br /> <br />One of the new recruits, the son of a retired Eugene firefighter, is of Hispanic ethnicity, and has achieved <br />Paramedic (the highest) EMT certification, while the other two recruits are Intermediate EMTs. The <br />academy will include intensive classroom and hands-on training in fire response, rescue techniques, and <br />emergency medical assessment and treatment. After completing the academy, the recruits will spend <br />the remainder of a one-year period as probationary firefighters, under observation, before being assigned <br />as regular firefighters. For more information, please contact Training Chief Joe Zaludek at 682-7131. <br /> <br />Readin' in the Rain Kicks Off With First Friday @ the Downtown Library <br />Readin' in the Rain 2007 takes flight at the free Umbrella Opening <br />the evening of First Friday, February 2, at the Downtown Eugene <br />Public Library. <br /> <br />Each winter, Readin' in the Rain invites Eugene/Springfield to read, <br />talk about, and celebrate one book. This year's title is Oregon Book <br />Award winner Providence of a Sparrow: Lessons from a Life Gone <br />to the Birds by Chris Chester of Portland. It's an insightful memoir <br />in which Chester's chance meeting with a newborn bird ultimately <br />transforms the author’s life – and his beliefs about life. The book details an extraordinary cross-species <br />friendship, raising questions about animal intelligence, what pets mean to people, and the larger <br />relationship between humans and nature. <br /> <br />Readin' in the Rain begins Friday, February 2, at 6:30 p.m. with a presentation featuring the live birds <br />and educators of Cascades Raptor Center. At 7:30 p.m., writer and University of Oregon journalism <br />instructor Melissa Hart explores the book's themes in a talk titled, “Nature Translated, From Nest to <br />Page.” <br /> <br />Free events continue throughout February, including a reading by the visiting author at the Hult Center <br />on Wednesday, February 21 at 7:00 p.m., and drop-in discussion groups at Eugene Public Library, <br />Springfield Public Library, Barnes & Noble, Borders, the University of Oregon Bookstore, and online at <br />The Register-Guard (www.registerguard.com/blogs/books). For more information, visit www.read- <br />rain.org or call the Eugene Public Library, 682-5450. <br /> <br />Local Boy Scouts Team Up to Plant Street Trees <br />On Saturday, January 20, the Webelos Scouts and members of <br />Eugene Tree Foundation teamed up to plant 28 new trees along <br />Harlow Road through the City of Eugene's NeighborWoods program. <br />This was the third year of a four-year planting project designed to fill <br />the available tree planting spaces along Harlow Road from North <br />Garden Way to Coburg Road. <br /> <br />To date, 58 new trees have been planted and, at the end of this <br />multi-phased project, over 100 trees will be in place, eventually <br />providing a thriving street canopy. For more information about this <br />or other tree planting projects, contact Rick Olkowski, <br />NeighborWoods program coordinator, at 682-4831 or <br />rick.g.olkowski@ci.eugene.or.us. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 5 <br />January 25, 2007 <br />