The Springfield police non-emergency personnel have no compassion or empathy for the homeless.
Example: The other day while at Island Park in Springfield, I watched a man drive up to a homeless man’s encampment who, just minutes before, had been sleeping under a tree as the snow fell. The homeless man had stepped away and this man was now rooting around the unattended belongings, taking a thermos from the small pile.
I called the Springfield non-emergency number to report the theft and was met with indifference. I was told, with a snicker, that the homeless man needed to call in and report the theft as there was nothing that they could do. This translated to mean that the homeless man’s belongings were fair game to be taken by anyone.
Yes, please go to Eugene, because should you happen to unfortunately pass away, you’ll be left in your belongings and the Springfield personnel won’t care for you, as there is nothing they can do.
Vicki Klein
Brownsville
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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