Not surprised to hear there was an uproar when the Eugene Weekly stopped being distributed in Corvallis and Albany (“EW Returns to Corvallis and Albany,” 4/12). In addition to being a good place to find cultural events, EW provides an excellent format for conversations about the area, the state and, indeed, the world.
For example, the current attempt in Congress to increase hunger by cuts to the SNAP program (formerly food stamps). With 1 in 8 Americans struggling to put food on the table and 1 in 5 children living in poverty, this is the opposite direction of where we need to go.
Let’s ask those who represent us in Congress to fully fund the SNAP program and then move on to end the causes of hunger in the world’s richest country. Thanks to the Weekly for providing this forum to ensure our voices are heard, and for returning distribution to Corvallis (where my friends live) and Albany.
Willie Dickerson
Snohomish, Wash.
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!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519