Activist Alert 7-18-2013

• The award-winning documentary Roadmap to Apartheid by filmmakers Ana Nogueira, a white South African, and Eron Davidson, a Jewish American-Israeli, narrated by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Alice Walker, will be shown at 7 pm Thursday, July 18, at Cozmic, 199 W. 8th Ave. Sponsored by Al-Nakba Awareness Project.

• “Expanding VA Health Services In Eugene” is the topic at City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, July 19, at the Hilton 12th floor Ballroom. Guest speaker is Carol Bogedain, health director at the VA Healthcare System in Roseburg.

• In opposition to clearing homeless people out of the wetlands without giving them anywhere else to sleep, Eugene SLEEPS will hold a five-day protest beginning first thing in the morning Saturday, July 20. The sleep-in will be held where Pacific Avenue, a side street off of Danebo Avenue, dead ends.

• Neighbors around Acorn Park are building a new sidewalk entrance to this park at Buck and 15th Avenue to make it safer. Through the city’s Neighborhood Matching Grant Program, people from the Churchill Area Neighborhood have come together to make walking safer. Neighbors provide the basic labor and the city provides a grant for materials. A work party is planned for 8 am to 2 pm Saturday, July 20, at the park. Contact Tom Schneider at 729-1263 or email toms12@gmail.com for more information.

• The Eugene Neighborhood Leaders Council is organizing several Green Bike Tours to see some of what people are doing to live more local and green at home and in their neighborhoods. Tours will take place in Santa Clara July 20, River Road July 27, Aug. 10, Aug. 24, Jefferson Westside Aug. 17, Friendly and Crest neighborhoods in September. See an updated bike tour schedule at eugenesustainability.org. This Saturday’s tour begins at 10 am at St. Matthews Episcopal Church, 4110 River Road.

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!