It’s About Time – August 2013

This must be nature’s designation of the Year of the Nut. Filbert trees all around town have an abundance of swelling husks. When growing close to the curb, nuts are being knocked off their branches by passing trucks and smashed on the street by subsequent traffic. Squirrels and crows leap out onto the street to snatch up the soft, as yet unripe, meat of the seed inside, what we call a nut. Walnuts are also showing a major crop, especially the Turkish walnuts, in abandoned orchards and back yards. This means lots of little walnut seedlings in flower beds next spring, planted by squirrels this fall.

Mountain meadows are full of wildflowers and butterflies. Butterflies are as fun to watch with binoculars as birds. It’s important to use binocs that focus up close, so their beauty can be fully appreciated.

The dry spring seems to be holding the mosquito level down in mountain meadows. The rapidly shrinking ponds have tadpoles with legs. They need to metamorphose quickly or perish!

Where there are permanent streamlets in high mountains fed by cold water springs, one may see native frogs in the quiet pools. Most common is the Cascades frog. It is not a rare species but recently observed declining numbers are a cause for concern. Two sources of the decline are suspected. One is increased UV radiation from the sun. The other is the spread of parasites by trout planted in high mountain lakes. Effects of global warming are yet unknown.

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!