Deron Fort

With a degree in marketing from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, Deron Fort returned to his hometown of West Chester, Pennsylvania, for a sales job at a titanium manufacturing plant. “It was not inspiring work,” he says. “We wore badges to measure radiation from the electron beam furnaces.” Fort quit two years later to study for a master’s in education at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, then taught middle school for two years.

In 2001, he and his brother spent five months hiking the Appalachian Trail. “End-to-end, 2,160 miles,” he says. “It was a life-changing experience.” Fort returned to UNCW for a job coordinating student teachers in area schools, and later became its first early-college liaison for high school students. “Early college works,” he says. “Many students have a transformed view of their potential when they experience a college campus.”

Fort kept an eye on job openings in certain geographic areas and, in 2011, was hired as director of High School Connections at Lane Community College. HSC opened its Early College and Career Options (ECCO) High School on campus in 2013. “My wife Shelly also likes hiking and camping,” he says. “We try to see as much of Oregon as we can.” Recruited by officemate Patty Hine, a co-founder of 350 Eugene, Fort took part in last summer’s Hike the Pipe protest of the proposed natural gas pipeline and terminal in Southern Oregon. “I hiked about 50 miles, from Shady Grove to Tiller,” he says. “We had to alter our route because of wildfire. Those pipes leak methane. It’s a recipe for disaster.”

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!