Reader Don French didn’t get much right in his Sept. 9 letter. (“Clean Water or Two Acres of Trees?”) The choice that EWEB had at 40th and Patterson was not just between backup water or trees, but to rush ahead and bulldoze before enough opposition mounted, or hold a public hearing so that all 20,000 rate payers and many thousands more Eugene residents could debate the issue and discuss alternative sites and plans.
These two acres of trees in the southeast — a rare, native oasis of madrone, fir and oak, some as old as the city itself — are not insignificant, as French implies, given the ravages of climate change, overdevelopment and our alienation from nature. The site created a source of cool air, oxygen, biodiversity, water retention, beauty and much more that benefited everyone, not just the people who have homes nearby, most of whom are not elite, as he labeled them.
I met several renters and hardworking homeowners who live adjacent to or within a few blocks of the site who had never been contacted about the project before the whole thing blew up. The lesson that must be played forward here is the need for more transparency, communication and democracy in agencies that make decisions related to our tax dollars and long-term wellbeing.
Jack Cooper
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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