HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC Newsletter - 02/10/05EUGENE CITY COUNCIL NEWSLETTER
February 10, 2005
City of Eugene
777 Pearl Street, Room 105
Eugene, Oregon 97401-2793
(541) 682-5010
(541) 682-5414 (FAX)
www.ci.eugene.or, us
4J SCHOOL DISTRICT AND RECREATION DIVISION TARGET YOUTH FITNESS
DAVID KRAKAUER KLEZMER MADNESS
WORK TO RESTORE DELTA PONDS CONTINUES
4J School District and Recreation Division Tarqet Youth Fitness
Eugene School District 4J, in partnership with the City of
Eugene Recreation Division, was recently awarded a US
Department of Education grant. This three-year-grant,
"Project Rising Expectations: Institutionalizing Change," is
focused on the lifelong development of physical activity and
healthy lifestyles for middle school youth. The total allocated
federal funding for the project is $459,133, $271,500 of
which is earmarked for fitness programming facilitated by the
City of Eugene.
The middle schools receiving services from this grant include
the following: Cai Young, Jefferson, Kelly, Kennedy,
Madison, Monroe, Roosevelt, and Spencer Butte.
The need for this grant is evident nationally. As physical
education budgets in public schools have decreased, the obesity rates of youth have greatly increased.
few of the unique goals of this grant include:
· Targeting alternative lifelong fitness activities that are not the traditionally offered primary team
sports
· Teaching comprehensive fitness, nutrition and healthy lifestyle development
· Supporting the State standards for physical education in a~r-school programming
· Building indoor climbing walls at all eight of the 4J middle schools
The program is an excellent collaboration because it aligns the program goals of the After School
Recreation staff with the standards being targeted by the 4J Physical Education staff. It also allows the
City of Eugene Recreation Services Division to continue improving its impact on a~r-school
programming at the middle school level, supporting the 20-67 Levy funding that is active in those
schools. It's a big step towards meeting the needs of youth and families in this community.
For more information on Project Rising Expectations, contact Youth and Family Services Program
Supervisor, Craig Smith at 652-6340.
David Krakauer Klezmer Madness
On February 15 and 16, the Hult Center presents David Krakauer and his quintet Klezmer Madness/. on
the Soreng stage. Come experience the electrifying, soulful song stylings of this internationally
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February 10, 2005
acclaimed clarinetist and his group of virtuoso musicians as they blend elements of rock, jazz, classical
and funk with klezmer folk traditions.
What is klezmer? It is Yiddish for 'vessel of song' and is an historic Eastern European musical tradition
of Russian Jewish communities. As one of the foremost musicians of the vital new wave of klezmer,
David Krakauer tours the globe with his celebrated Klezmer Madness! ensemble. While firmly rooted in
traditional klezmer folk tunes, this band "hurls the tradition of klezmer music
into the rock era." (The New York Times).
Krakauer redefines the notion of a concert artist. Known for his mastery of
myriad styles including classical chamber music, Eastern European klezmer
music, the avant-garde, rock and jazz, Krakauer lies way beyond "cross-over."
On any stage he exudes an emotionally raw yet genial presence, baring a
tireless spirit, humor and generosity. "Krakauer is connected with something
deep, mysterious and timeless...you've got one extremely gifted, amazingly
versatile, and uncommonly open-minded virtuoso, willing and able to go
anywhere with his clarinet - Bill Kilkowski, Jazzi.
Don't miss a rare opportunity to hear this tour de force. For more information, contact the Hult Center
Ticket Office at 682-5000.
Work to Restore Delta Ponds Continues
Efforts are ongoing to restore Delta Ponds,
approximately 150 acres of natural area in the heart of
the city. In December, Second Growth, a restoration
contractor, completed the first phase of invasive species
removal at Delta Ponds by removing 25 acres of
blackberry, Scotch broom, English ivy, holly, English
hawthorn, and other invasive species. This painstaking
work included manual removal of both the plants and the
root systems. The contractor will return in the late spring
to remove any new growth in this area. Funded by a
Bureau of Land Management Cooperative Conservation
Initiative and local stormwater funds, this work will pave
the way for the planting of thousands of native trees and
shrubs in fall 2005.
In January, a Municipal Court crew of 12 spent a day
cleaning up five abandoned camp sites along the river at
Delta Ponds. The crew removed a trailer-and-a-half of Contractors remove invasive vegetation atDelta Ponds
litter that included a shopping cart, three lawn chairs, a car
battery, several tarps, several plastic storage containers, five tires, a tent, and many articles of clothing
and bedding.
"The cleanup effort, along with the recent invasive species removal in the same area, has this part of
Delta Ponds looking better than it has for years," says Delta Ponds Habitat Enhancement Coordinator
Lauri Mullen.
The work, along with several other projects such as daily wildlife monitoring, is all in preparation for a
large-scale restoration project to connect the ponds to the river. The Army Corps of Engineers/City of
Eugene cooperative effort will increase river flows through the ponds and provide better habitat for
salmon and other native plants and animals.
For more information about the vegetation enhancement and wildlife monitoring, contact Laud Mullen,
Delta Ponds habitat enhancement coordinator, at 652-4925. For more information about the project to
connect the ponds to the river, contact Kevin Finney, project manager, at 652-6015, or Michelle Cahill,
principal civil engineer, at 682-6855.
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