It’s About Time – September 2015

September is usually the best month for hiking in the Cascades. The trails are free of snow, and both tourist and mosquito levels have diminished. This year has become a down year for hiking, however, with the extended drought bringing on our worst fire season ever. Ever! We all hope that the rainy season will begin soon after the equinox instead of its usual start sometime in October.

I had an enlightening experience on a recent camping trip. We were in a large campground where firewood has to be purchased in bundles of fairly large chunks. A hatchet or axe is needed to split off some kindling to start a fire. The first morning, I heard a loud “thwack-thwack” soon after daylight. I was brought to a full awakening with a resentful thought. “What idiot is chopping wood this early in the morning?” It kept up for over 20 minutes, so I stumbled out to seek the campers who were so rude. My resentfulness turned to amusement when I discovered the thwacks were from Douglas fir cones being cut by squirrels from tall trees and dropping onto the roof of the campground restroom. An epiphany came with the realization there was nobody to be mad at; here was simply a sound of nature to accept gracefully.

With our interior valleys so dry and hot, September will be a good time to visit the Oregon Coast to explore tide pools, hike coastal trails and visit marine science centers. It’s always much cooler on the coast.

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!