UO E-clips, April 23

Fairmount neighbors vote to oppose current arena plan (Register-Guard): The next-door neighbors don't want the University of Oregon's latest planned addition, at least not as it's currently envisioned. Members of the Fairmount Neighbors Association voted Tuesday to oppose the UO's plan to build a $200 million basketball arena next to their east campus neighborhood. The 57-5 vote sent a clear message that to win their support, many residents expect the university to do more to protect their streets and homes from the crowds the 12,500-seat pavilion will draw. More than 60 people attended a neighborhood meeting to debate a motion opposing the project. The group stopped short of saying they don't want the arena built at all and instead approved language indicating they would accept the project if their concerns about parking, noise, traffic and other issues were adequately addressed. By a narrow 26-21 vote the group turned down a proposal to add tougher language to the motion. Opponents said they want to keep open the chance of working out a voluntary solution with the university.

Construction leaves students with less parking (KVAL.com): This is the sign that greeted students earlier this month on the east side of campus. Telling them they can't park here. Now students have to give themselves extra time just to get to class. "There is not enough parking here, people get parking tickets all the time its frustrating we're college students we can't afford them, says Lisa Poniatowski, a U of O student. Now that the old Williams Bakery is coming down students have lost another place to park.

Dave Frohnmayer (Willamette Week, editorial): Before he became the University of Oregon's president, Dave Frohnmayer spearheaded an effort as a legislator to revamp Oregon's public-records law in 1979. As attorney general in the 1980s, he was a strong advocate for that law and shedding light on how public money gets spent. But Frohnmayer seems more devoted these days to hiding records from the public, including plans to build a $200 million basketball arena with public financing.

Blue flames (Willamette Week): The mission statement on the state's leading political blog says "BlueOregon is a place for progressive Oregonians to gather 'round the water cooler and share news, commentary, and gossip." As the political season heats up, that water cooler at blueoregon.com is more like a bar fight. ... Tom Bivins, a journalism professor at the University of Oregon, calls it commendable that Chisholm discloses his allegiances. But Bivins says simply doing so may not be enough, wondering, "Let's say he pitches his website to a candidate who says, 'No thanks.' How does BlueOregon cover that candidate in the future?"

Grading political ads on TV (KBZY.com): Four weeks after the Pennsylvania, it will be Oregon's turn. The Oregon Primary is May 20. Mail-in ballots will be sent to you soon, and candidates want to make sure you don't miss their message. But are the messages getting through? Thirty seconds. That's all the time a candidate has to get the message out. As the airwaves are inundated with spots the next four weeks, will the messages get muddled -- and which ones will stand out? ... Professor David Kornada at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communications said the commercials have an impact.