April Fools! No, really, this year we came out on Thursday, April 1, and we just had to bring our annual satire issue back, after a COVID-induced hiatus last year. So, spoiler alert: Eugene is not homeless, despite not having a city hall, but does need to examine its priorities; Sen. Ron Wyden did not lose a bet (that we know of) and cancel EW, though perhaps some days he might like to; Nike and the Knight Campus did not bring back Smell-O-Vision; and while our local government spends a little too much time in committee, the city and county have not lost it completely, yet. 

• A little weekly newspaper in Kansas City, Missouri, just published a paper with a blank front page. That’s a sassy message from the Northeast News about the paper’s financial state and the importance of hyperlocal journalism. An 89-year-old weekly, the News circulates 8,500 free papers. We’re hoping that their message brings back enough advertising and local support to make the News 90 years and older.

• The private developers and city staff working on the Eugene Downtown Riverfront redevelopment project will be the speakers for the City Club of Eugene April 2. That’s Dike Dame and Jim Atkins, co-owners of Atkins Dame, Inc., and Will Dowdy, city of Eugene community development staffer. The program will air on the city club Facebook and YouTube pages starting at noon Friday. Let’s hear it for a downtown on the river with an actual connection to the river. 

• In Springfield City Club news, Eric Richardson of the NAACP, Deleesa Meashintubby of Volunteers in Medicine and Becky Radliff of the Eugene Marathon “will discuss the new program announced by Peace Health and Eugene Marathon: Strides for Social Justice — a free, family-friendly app offering self-guided tours highlighting the contributions, achievements and milestones of Eugene’s Black residents, as well as some of the injustices they have faced.” The program is noon Thursday, April 1, on Zoom and live streamed on Facebook on the Springfield City Club page. You can find out more at SpringfieldCityClub.org.

• If the city of Eugene had hired Anne Lacaton and Jean-Philippe Vassal as the architects for a city hall, we probably would have a fine restored one standing instead of that embarrassing county parking lot. Those two have just won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, their field’s highest prize, for their work. As the New York Times wrote, “The French architects believe that every structure can be repurposed, reinvented, reinvigorated.” Lacaton and Vassal have long been opposed to taking things down. We should bring them to Eugene to lecture and design.

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