Slant 2016-10-20

• A curious line of reasoning is leading some Oregon editorial writers to say we need to elect some Oregon Republicans on Nov. 8 to check and balance one-party rule. The Oregon Republican Party no longer reflects Oregon values like Tom McCall and Mark Hatfield did. Art Robinson, recent chair of the Oregon GOP running for the fourth time against Peter DeFazio, does not reflect Oregon values. If you listened to the City Club of Eugene forum Oct. 14 between Republican Kathy Lamberg and Democrat Julie Fahey, you must have been shocked, as we were, at the gap between the two women. Fahey is so much better prepared to go to the legislature in the seat Val Hoyle held. One-party rule should have nothing to do with this vote.

• Did you miss the powerful viewpoint written by University of Oregon rape survivor Laura Hanson in our pages last week? You can find it online at eugeneweekly.com or on the Huffington Post, which is now running it. Search for “Advice From A Rape Survivor To Her Alma Mater” online. When Phil Knight gave a $500 million pledge to the UO this week, he said in a statement, “While not without risk, we believe the expected societal returns from such investments are high.” Let’s hope the proposed “Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact” indeed has societal returns as well as academic ones that make the UO and Oregon a better and safer place to live for everyone.

• Speaking of the UO, the Ducks didn’t lose this week!

• “Be proud of your roots, understand the history that has shaped your community and respect the history of others. Do these things, I tell them, and you will be better writers — and good citizens, too.” That’s the advice UO journalism instructor Héctor Tobar gave in an Oct. 10 opinion piece in The New York Times this week. “My Lesson From White America” is worth a read as he weighs in on white identity in Oregon.

• On Oct. 12 the Lane County Board of Commissioners held a public hearing in Oakridge on Old Hazeldell Quarry’s application to rezone 46 acres in Oakridge from forestland to quarry land. Old Hazeldell is a project of Ed King of King Estate Winery fame. The rock mine has met with a large outcry from nearby residents of Oakridge, a former timber community trying to reinvent itself through mountain biking and outdoor pursuits. Local Native Americans have also expressed dismay about the TV Butte project, which they say affects their culture and history. Former Lane County Commission candidate Kevin Matthews and EW columnist and Warm Springs tribal member Kayla Godowa Tufti were among those who testified against the quarry. Matthews and Tufti say the tribal member was forcibly restrained after talking over her allotted five minutes. Tufti says, “This was one of the clearest displays of institutional racism and suppression of rights of a person of color by law enforcement and local government that I have ever experienced.” Read her account and see video of the incident and watch Matthews’ testimony at eugeneweekly.com.

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!