Arts Hound

Cruise to downtown Springfield for Second Friday Art Walk (5 to 8 pm) and head straight to the Springfield Museum for The Cruz exhibit, showcasing the beauty of the automobile in honor of the 15th Annual Springfield Cruz car show. One piece focuses on the story of the late Eugene Hot Rodder Eric Sanders, who passed away in 2008, and whose friends subsequently spread his ashes across the Bonneville Salt Flats from a 1953 Studebaker. Continue on to Haven (349 Main St.) to see Springfield oil painter Brent Burkett’s summer-themed canvases in all their dappled-light and porch-swing glory.

Take a break from your hard-knock life, plant yourself in the grass at State Street Park (Burnett & Dakota) and watch the hijinks of Miss Hannigan, Daddy Warbucks and, of course, Annie. The 1982 flick starts at 9 pm Friday, July 12 — or when it’s dark enough to see Carol Burnett’s glistening gin bottles on screen; free.

The Oregon Contemporary Theatre has announced its 2013-2014 season and audiences can look forward to a mix of the classic and contemporary. OCT raises the curtain in September with August: Osage County, followed by Who Am I This Time? — adapted from Kurt Vonnegut’s short stories by homegrown Broadway playwright Aaron Posner. Winter and spring will be filled with Tribes, The Great Gatsby and Clybourne Park.

Beer can make any Vinny a Vincent van Gogh. Sharpen your pencils and head to the Ninkasi patio for DIVA’s Drink & Draw event 6 to 8 pm Thursday, July 18. Models provided.

A Note From the Publisher

Dear Readers,

The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.

That’s because of you!

Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.

Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.

We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.

And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.

None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.

As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.

Thank you for standing with us!