Mayor Lucy Vinis has had such an unremarkable mayoral tenure that, just months after her re-election, we are already talking about who might replace her. Yet, the options are bleak. Councilor Alan Zelenka, who is supposedly the left wing candidate, is just another establishment politician funded by the Oregon Realtors Association who can’t even bring himself to take a bold stand on climate change — an issue in which he prides himself as a leader. The last thing that this city needs is another mayor too scared by monied interests to fight for the issues that matter most to their constituency.
It is far past time that Eugene elected a mayor with the courage and vision to lead us with the progressive politics this city is known for, rather than another shill for the real estate industry that is only good for spouting tepid platitudes and doing the bidding of the affluent. It is time for bold leadership on economic, environmental and racial justice. There is no shortage of qualified candidates — Joel Iboa, Doyle Canning, Zondie Zinke and Maya Rabasa, to name a few. It is time for the progressive wing of Eugene politics to take a stand.
Kate Goldsworthy
Eugene
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
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