The flood gates are now opened, and everyone, it seems, has the desire to break out and escape the pandemic chains of these past two years. Late-night social dancing and concerts in venues throughout Lane County are going strong. We know this because the What’s Happening calendar listings have mushroomed in recent weeks. We may not be at the COVID finish line, but dare we believe we can see it? If you have an event you wish to list in Eugene Weekly, the process is simple and free. Just go to EugeneWeekly.com/add-calendar-event-step-by-step/. And be safe.
• What we are watching: OK, we admit we were a little late to jump on the Yellowstone train, but damn, the series is a glorious, melodramatic modern-day Western with a body count worthy of a Clint Eastwood flick. For those of you who prefer your murders and shootings to take place with a strong side of romance, don’t forget that Outlander season six kicks off in March.
• Kudos to longtime community volunteer Richie Weinman for serving 10 years on the board of Sponsors, Inc., which he calls “a recognized model of best practices in re-entry.” Sponsors helps formerly incarcerated people find homes and jobs when they leave prison. He adds, “It’s been great to serve Sponsors, and I’m sure I’ve learned and personally benefited more than I gave.” This is the kind of quiet public service that keeps our local nonprofits going.
• Have you been following the news coverage on KLCC and in The Register-Guard about the Eugene School District 4J board? While we hope kids read the news, we are not so sure we want students to be following the story of adults being unable to work together, or as the consultant hired to help the district search for a permanent superintendent put it, being “dysfunctional.” We hope that the board follows the advice of the consultant and postpones hiring a new superintendent until the board gets its act together. That sounds like a good recommendation to us. It seems unlikely that solid superintendent candidates would apply for this job with the board in its current state. Meanwhile, Cydney Vandercar, the interim superintendent, continues to do her job at a very high level, and that really affects the students.
• There is no City Club of Eugene meeting this week. Watch for the program on racism in medicine planned for noon Friday, Feb. 25.
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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