Arts Hound

• The Arts & Business Alliance of Eugene hosts Arts After Hours, a schmoozing event for the arts and business communities, 5 to 7 pm Thursday, April 18, at the Lord/Leebrick Playhouse, 174 W. Broadway; $8-$10 members; $15-$20 non-members.

• Thanks to the McDonald Theatre and the UO Outdoor Program, it’s time for the Banff Mountain Film Festival at 7 pm Thursday, April 18, reminding you once again to get off your couch and into the outdoors, or at least into a plush theater seat; $11-$13.

• “Hell is other people.” Jean-Paul Sartre coined that phrase in his existential black comedy No Exit. The philosopher’s play, directed by OSU student Abbey Pasquini, runs April 18-21 at OSU’s Lab Theatre in Withycombe Hall.

• If you missed last week’s Corvallis screening of Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide, you can catch it at 6 pm Friday, April 19, at South Eugene High School’s Auditorium; $5-$10 suggested donation. The event is hosted by South Eugene High School’s Feminist Union, the ASUO Women’s Center and Womenspace.

• You can’t spell Earth without art. MECCA hosts its annual Earth Day Celebration 11 am to 5 pm Saturday, April 20, at EWEB’s North building. The Earth Day event at the Riverfront Plaza features music, lectures, family craft activities, the Master Gardener plant sale and an exhibit of children’s pet portraits created from recycled materials.

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!