We are longtime Eugene residents who were proud to send our children to 4J schools. We believe the strength of 4J schools has been, in part, because the 4J board had a strong commitment to putting aside any political or philosophical differences and cooperating to find solutions that work for 4J students, teachers and administrators.
Recently, the 4J board seems to have lost sight of the need to put personalities aside and to keep the wellbeing of students and teachers foremost. We believe the board needs to return to the goal of reaching decisions through dialogue characterized by civility and respect for students, teachers, administrators and each other. That is why we strongly support Rick Hamilton for Position 4.
Hamilton’s experience growing up in poverty, being the first in his family to go to college and, most of all, working with all types of youth in all types of settings from youth sports to incarcerated youth, gives him the understanding and empathy to help the board set policies that can reach across the district. We need board members who can listen and be part of the solution rather than contributing to the rancor and hostility that has become a hallmark of the current 4J board. We need board members who will manage the board’s reserves carefully and conduct its work in public.
We urge everyone who shares these goals to vote for Hamilton for 4J Position 4.
Jerry Lidz and Melinda Grier
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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