Free Republic

Eugene’s naked bike riders are back, and this time they have the police on their side. This evening, cyclists in various states of undress will pedal through downtown Eugene to protest the country’s dependence on oil and other nonrenewable energy sources. City officials initially tried to prevent the ride, citing a city ordinance against public nudity. But when the bicyclists objected, the city conceded it had no legal grounds to bar the ride. Courts have found that government can’t ban public nudity that’s aimed at conveying a political message, the city acknowledged.

EUGENE (AP) -- The only abortion clinic between Salem and the California border has closed its doors, surprising activists on both sides of the abortion debate. Workers at the All Women's Health Services clinic, located near the University of Oregon, were referring callers Tuesday to the nonprofit's Portland office. The staff oversaw 1,400 surgical abortions last year, services that helped make Lane County the second-largest abortion provider in the state. "I can only celebrate," said Gayle Atteberry, head of Oregon Right to Life said. "Fewer unborn children will be killed." The closure comes at a time when abortion access is...