Community angered by unsettling statement written on convenience store receipts
An alarming message was found on a receipt that has people up in arms online. A picture of the receipt was posted online with the phrase saying
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EUGENE, Oregon (KEZI) — An alarming message was found on a receipt that has people up in arms online. A picture of the receipt was posted online with the phrase saying, “Highway 99 needs more overdoses.”
The American Market along Highway 99 near Royal Avenue in Eugene is facing controversy regarding the message on receipts. When trying to track down the origin of the message, the store manager said that it was the act of a single employee who was allegedly trying to prank a friend. Unfortunately, the prank went beyond a friend and showed up on the receipts of other customers.
Sabastian Partovi lives in Western Eugene not far from the American Market involved in the controversy. He felt that the prank came of as insensitive because of the area’s history with overdoses. Partovi said he does not understand why the message would make it on a receipt when the community continues to deal with these issues.
“We all could be one step away from the street, I mean anyone at any given time, so I have no right to judge the homeless. I don’t have the right to judge a person who’s having issues with their life like that,” Partovi said. “Who does this serve? I mean, does it serve us, does it serve them as a business, I don’t think so.”
The manager added the employee was reprimanded and apologized for the prank and the anger it caused. For the residents who know firsthand the struggles of addiction, the apology wasn’t received well. Alexandra Juskowiak personally has friends and family that struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
“I’m not going to be shopping there anymore…and I’m sure they didn’t think it through. I mean I think everybody has played a prank at some point on a friend but really that kind of prank, I don’t know if the friend found it funny,” Juskowiak said. “Maybe they turn to drugs and alcohol because life sucks you know so that’s the kind of thing… that’s why there is so many people.”
More than anything, the people living in the area felt this incident has put the area even more behind in the eyes of the surrounding community. Partovi said more than anything the prank was certainly not a good representation of the area.
“We have a beautiful community and unfortunately you know somebody is going to try and tarnish that with this type of thing,” Partovi said. “It was done in poor taste, we all know that.”
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