Alisa McLaughlin and I inhabit different worlds when it comes to the bottle drop (Letters, 3/25).
For her merely 19 containers, why was she even in line? Up to 50 containers can be hand counted, normally a quick procedure. And then there’s the green bag program, whereby except for obtaining bags and tags, one need not even go inside.
Filthy and noisy? Compared to a hospital, sure, but how could it be otherwise?
Employees overworked? Yes, sometimes, but it seems that more employees would only be in each other’s way.
The one thing that can strongly influence waiting line length — and I’ve corresponded with them about this — is the question of how many machines are functional. It is rare that all 13 machines are in operation at any given time. But considering their complexity, it’s probably a never ending task to keep each machine in top condition.
For me, a bicycle trip to the bottle drop is a bright spot in a boring pandemic world. Where else will you see people happily walking away with money in their hand?
Gerald Morsello
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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