Activist Alert 4-24-2014

• A free program on “Visual Justice: Democratized Video as Evidence” will be at 5 pm Thursday, April 24, in 110 Knight Law Center on the UO campus. The event features UO Law School alumna Kelly Matheson, senior attorney for Witness, an international human rights organization that specializes in using video to support change in human rights practice, policy and law.

• UO professor Dan HoSang of Partnership for Safety and Justice will discuss prison spending in Oregon, which is among the fastest growing in the country, at 7 pm Thursday, April 24, at First United Methodist Church, 1376 Olive St. The event is sponsored by Oregon WAND. Call 683-1350.

• County Commission candidates Jay Bozievich and Dawn Lesley will speak and take questions from club members at City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, April 25, at the Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette St. $5 for non-members. See cityclubofeugene.org. The program will be recorded for broadcast at 6:30 pm the following Monday on KLCC. On May 2, Tom Bowerman will speak on “Changing Attitudes About Climate Change.” On May 9, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist David Cay Johnston will be the guest speaker.

• A “Student Debt Forum” will be from 1 to 3 pm Friday, April 25, at Allen Hall 221 on the UO campus. Panelists will be from Jobs with Justice, the UO faculty union and a representative from the American Federation of Teachers. A rally is also planned for noon at Johnson Hall.

• LCC’s annual Peace Symposium will be April 25-26 and one of the keynoters this year will be John Perkins, author of Confessions of an Economic Hit Man. The symposium will merge with the Global Climate Convergence this year. Call 463-5820 or email taylors@lanecc.edu.

• Health Care for All Oregon events continue with a DUH (Drive for Universal Healthcare) gathering, lecture and showing of The Healthcare Movie at 6 pm April 28 at the Bijou on 13th Avenue. To get on the mailing list for HCAO events, visit hcao.org or email sinninger@efn.org or call 484-6145.

• The film Forbidden Voices: How to Start a Revolution with a Laptop will be shown at 1 pm Saturday, April 26, at the Bijou, 492 E. 13th Ave. The documentary follows three young cyberfeminists who risk their lives to challenge their governments using the internet. Part of the Wayne Morse Center series.

• Better Eugene-Springfield Transit (BEST) is continuing its work in support of local transportation alternatives. The group will be gathering starting at 5 pm Monday, April 28, at Falling Sky Delicatessen, 790 Blair Blvd., for a “Beer By Bus” fundraising event. Find the event on Facebook.

• A follow-up discussion of the 2014 Sabeel Conference in Portland will be held at 7 pm Wednesday, April 30, at First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe in Corvallis. The panel discussion on Mideast peace issues is called “Seeds of Justice and Hope.”

• Spencer Creek Grange is hosting a county commissioner candidates forum for District 5 from 7 to 9 pm Thursday, May 1, at the Grange, 86013 Lorane Hwy. Candidates invited are Joann Ernst, Kevin Matthews, Jose Ortal, Jack Schoolcraft and incumbent Faye Stewart. The public can submit questions for consideration directly via spencercreekgrange.org.

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!