Activist Alert 4-9-2015

• The proposed Lane County Vehicle Registration Fee, Ballot Measure 20-231, will be the topic at City Club of Eugene at noon Friday, April 10, at the Downtown Athletic Club, 999 Willamette St. Speakers will include County Commissioner Pete Sorensen and Lane County Transportation Planning Program Supervisor Lydia McKinney. Cost is $5 for nonmembers. See cityclubofeugene.org for more information.

• Palestinian-American professor of American Indian studies Steven Salaita, whose lawsuit against the University of Illinois for employment termination following his tweets condemning Israel’s 2014 attack on Gaza has drawn international attention, will speak at 2 pm Friday, April 10, at the UO’s EMU Walnut Room on campus. His topic is “Indigenous Peoples and Academic Freedom in the New Era of Civility.”

• Susan Cundiff of Oregon WAND will speak on “How the Federal Budget Displays our Priorities as a Nation and is Really a Moral Document” at 9 am Friday, April 10, at St. Jude Catholic Church, 4330 Willamette St. A follow-up meeting will be at 7:30 am Tuesday, April 14, at Brails Restaurant, 17th and Willamette. Breakfast is optional. Call 554-2646 or email aobdob@pacinfo.com.

• The 22nd annual Shy Person’s Talent Show will be from 5 to 8 pm Saturday, April 11, at Sam Bond’s Garage, 407 Blair Blvd. The event is a fundraiser for Occupy Medical and David Oakes. Sliding scale $5 to $500. Email shypersonstalent@gmail.com to get on the list.

• Dr. David Hall of U.S. Physicians for Social Responsibility, and the Rev. Anne Hall of Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, will be speaking in Eugene about the mounting dangers and costs of the U.S. nuclear weapons modernization program at 7 pm Saturday, April 11, at the Eugene Hotel, 222 E. Broadway, and 7 pm Sunday, April 12, at United Lutheran Church, 2230 Washington St. The event is called “The Empire Has No Clothes: The Psychological, Humanitarian and Global Impact of Nuclear Weapons.” The Eugene Peace Choir will open the Sunday evening meeting. Contact CALC at 485-1755 or email calcpeace@efn.org.

• A dramatic reading of Martin Luther King Jr.’s April 4, 1967 speech, “A Time to Break Silence,” which linked opposition to the Vietnam War and the struggle for civil rights, will be presented by Community Alliance of Lane County at 4 pm Sunday, April 12, at First Christian Church, 1166 Oak St. Delivered at New York City’s Riverside Church, King’s speech was organized by Clergy and Laymen Concerned About Vietnam, a precursor to CALC. “His words speak to us today as Congress considers authorizing U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria,” organizers say.

• Black feminist and author Mia McKenzie of BlackGirlDangerous.org will speak at 7 pm Tuesday, April 14, at the UO Global Scholars Great Hall at 1710 E. 15th Ave. Call 346-4095 or email diversitywc@gmail.com.

• Jim Furnish, former deputy chief of the U.S. Forest Service, will speak on “The Forest Service in Transition” at 7 pm Tuesday, April 14, at the UO Law School Room 175. Sponsored by Oregon Wild and the Environmental & Natural Resources Law Center. See oregonwild.org for more information or call 344-0675.

• A panel discussion on the “Current State of Diversity and Multicultural Education in Lane County” will be at 6 pm Wednesday, April 15, at the Oregon Research Institute, 1776 Millrace Dr. Speakers include Emilio Hernandez, Johnny Lake, Abrella Luvert, Deleesa Meashintubby, George Russell, Anselmo Villanueva and Arun Toke.

• Three public events are planned with Katie Singer, author of An Electronic Silent Spring. The first, a talk on “20 Years of Telecom News Rarely Covered,” is at 10 am Thursday, April 9, at the LCC Main Campus Longhouse, Building 31. Next is a talk on “Staying Healthy in a Wireless World” at 6:30 pm Thursday, April 9, at Good Samaritan Center, 3500 Hilyard St. Last is “An Electronic Silent Spring” at 2 pm Saturday, April 11, at Tsunami Books, 2585 Willamette St. Suggested donation of $5. Sponsored by Lane Peace Center and friendsofamazoncreek.org.

• Friends of Middle East Peace in Corvallis is planning its annual Middle Eastern Dinner-Fundraiser at 6 pm Friday, April 10, at 2945 Circle Blvd. in Corvallis. Live auction with hand-woven rugs, artwork and more will be followed by keynote speakers Ned Rosch and Maxine Fookson. Optional dinner. Call 740-4207 for dinner reservations.

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!