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<br /> <br /> <br />Japanese American Memorial to be Dedicated February 19 <br />th <br />The Japanese American Memorial “Forced Journey,” installed near the 6 Avenue entrance to the Hult <br />Center, will be dedicated on Monday, February 19, at noon. The memorial is a donation to the City of <br />Eugene from the Eugene Japanese American Art Memorial Committee. The Memorial Committee’s goal <br />is to publicly and collectively remember and learn from a sad chapter of American history – Executive <br />Order 9066, which called for the internment of Japanese-Americans during WWII. The site of the <br />memorial is important as it is directly across the street from where Japanese Americans living in Lane <br />and surrounding counties were ordered to report for transfer to internment camps. <br /> <br />City Manager Dennis Taylor approved the site selected for the memorial after the proposal was reviewed <br />by the City's interim Public Art Committee. David Gilhooly's ceramic "Performing Frogs," part of the <br />public art collection funded during the Hult Center's construction, were located on the site until last year. <br />Due to damage from weather and vandalism, the frogs were moved to the Hult Center lobby. <br /> <br />The Memorial honors the families interned, those who challenged the order and were thereby <br />imprisoned, and the young Nisei men—second-generation Japanese Americans who volunteered to <br />serve their country in WWII while their families remained in the internment camps. The memorial also <br />honors the Issei—the first-generation Japanese immigrants who helped build America, specifically on the <br />West Coast. <br /> <br />Artist David Clemons, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, created a sculpture of a little girl waiting for the train and <br />Kenge Kobayashi, Eugene, created three panels depicting the concepts of Justice, Perseverance and <br />Honor. Citizens and organizations were given the opportunity to purchase message pavers which have <br />also been installed as part of the memorial. <br /> <br />An education program will be funded to tell the story of racism, unjust incarceration, and the <br />thnd <br />achievements of the all-Nisei 110/442 Regimental Combat Team and the Military Intelligence Service. <br />For further information on the memorial and education program, go to www.lane.k12.or.us/drafts/ejaam. <br />For other information, please contact Theresa Sizemore, Hult Center Administration, 682-5242. <br /> <br />2007 Affordable Housing Request for Proposals <br />In November, the City of Eugene issued an invitation to affordable <br />housing developers to apply for funds through the annual Affordable <br />Housing Request For Proposal. Proposals are due on February 22, <br />2007. Eligible proposals include those from for-profit developers, <br />non-profit developers, and public agencies for the development of <br />housing affordable to low-income households. Resources offered <br />through this RFP include federal and local housing subsidies. <br />Acceptable proposals will be reviewed by City of Eugene staff and the <br />Intergovernmental Housing Policy Board (HPB). The HPB <br />recommends proposals to be considered for funding to Eugene City <br />Council. The recommended proposals will be presented to the City <br />Council in June. Final funding decisions are made by Eugene City <br />Council and other appropriate governmental bodies. For further <br />information, please contact Stephanie Jennings, PDD, at x5529. <br /> <br />Firefighter/Paramedic Lateral Recruit Academy <br />Next week, the Eugene Fire & EMS Department will post for a Firefighter/Paramedic lateral recruit <br />academy. This academy, slated for a July start, will replenish staffing levels due to upcoming <br />retirements and unanticipated departures. For the first time in history, the Fire & EMS Department will <br />recruit only personnel already experienced as firefighters and paramedics. This will allow the department <br />to conduct a shorter, but still very comprehensive, training academy and then be able to assign the new <br />firefighters to fire stations more quickly. This hiring will also replace personnel vacancies that were part <br />of the City’s Safer Act Grant, which allowed the re-staffing of Engine Company at Station 9. For more <br />information please contact Acting Deputy Chief Operations Randy DeWitt at 682-7130. <br /> <br /> <br />EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER PAGE 2 <br />February 15, 2007 <br />