Steve Herron

“I’ve always loved people and I’ve always loved cars,” says Steve Herron, certified Nissan Leaf salesman at Lithia Nissan, who has sold more electric cars than anyone else in Eugene. “The typical Leaf customer asks a jillion questions. The Leaf doesn’t work like a regular gas car, so there’s a bit of a learning curve.” A Bay Area transplant who grew up in San Jose, Herron came north in 1980 to study at Oregon State University. He got a degree in marketing management and computer science from OSU in 1990, then worked on music video production and earned a two-year music-industry degree from the Art Institute of Seattle. He worked in “construction and golfing” in Portland and Eugene until age 44, when his back told him, “No more heavy lifting!” He took a job at Lithia Nissan in 2007. “The economy was taking a turn for the worse,” he notes, “and the job market was competitive.” He persevered while the economy improved and became certified to sell the Leaf in 2013. He points out that the Leaf’s full-charge range of 150 miles makes it most suitable for commuting. “The batteries are happiest between 20 and 80 percent charged,” he adds. “Fuel costs are a fraction of a gas-powered car, and another big benefit is little-to-no maintenance cost.” Electric cars are especially beneficial to the environment in Oregon, where most electricity is generated from hydro and other renewable power sources. “Steve is incredibly knowledgeable about the Leaf, its range, charging, tax credits and battery life intricacies,” says Steve Mital, director of sustainability at the University of Oregon, who recently purchased a Leaf. “It takes two to three times the effort to sell one compared to a conventional car. He does it because he believes in it.”

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!