Biz Beat 11-5-2015

Barbara’s Soaps is back at Saturday Market and will have its usual booth space at Holiday Market, according to owner Barbara Hascall and confirmed by Kimberley Cullen, Saturday Market’s general manager. Complaints about excessive aromas coming from the booth have apparently been resolved, though details about the mediation have not been disclosed. “To create a safe place that is conducive for effective mediation, it is standard procedure at the Center for Dialogue and Resolution to agree to confidentiality at the start of each session,” Cullen says. The booth was suspended in late August following the complaints, but a number of Hascall’s loyal customers came to her defense. Saturday Market closes for the season Nov. 14 and Holiday Market at the fairgrounds begins Nov. 21-22. Something new for the opening weekend is an “I Spy Elves” game with prizes. See holidaymarket.org for dates, times and applications for new vendors.

Beers Made by Walking is a collaboration between local brewers and the McKenzie River Trust. Public walks in natural areas over the summer gathered wild ingredients to create and inspire unique beers, braggots and ciders that will be available to taste and buy at an MRT fundraiser at 5 pm Thursday, Nov. 5, at the Bier Stein, 1591 Willamette Street. See a list of ingredients and participating brewers at beersmadebywalking.com.

Out On a Limb Gallery at 191 E. Broadway is celebrating its fourth anniversary this week and will be featured on the First Friday ArtWalk from 5:30 to 8:30 pm Nov. 6, with guest artist Michael Whitenack and music by Bryce Krehbiel. Owner of the gallery is Tim Boyden, whose latest wild creation is an 8-foot-tall skeleton created from driftwood and bones. His new blog is at timboydenart.wordpress.com.

The nonprofit Village School in Eugene has recently purchased its own building at 2855 Lincoln Street but the K-8 charter school inspired by Waldorf education and founded in 2000 does not have a kitchen to support its healthy lunch program. The school recently received a “Golden Carrot” award and a $2,000 grant from the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and is now seeking another $120,000 to build the kitchen. See gofundme.com/villagekitchen.

The UO Master’s Program in Conflict Resolution is co-sponsoring a regional “Resolving to Learn: How Conflict Informs Our Way Forward” conference in Portland Nov. 6-7. The Oregon Mediation Association gathering also involves Eugene’s Center for Dialogue and the Center on Dispute Resolution. Keynote speaker is Maria R. Volpe, Ph.D. of City University of New York. Find registration information at oregonmediationassn.org.

BrightStar Care in-home care agency is a new business with offices at 935 Oak Street, Suite B, downtown (see story last week in Biz Beat). A grand opening is scheduled for 1 to 4 pm Tuesday, Nov. 10. Call 632-7800.

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!