Best public information officer who we probably piss off all the time but is helpful anyway

Melinda McLaughlin Eugene Police Department 300 Country Club Rd. 541-682-511. Eugene-or.gov/4423/Police.

Not gonna lie, when you write for an alternative newspaper that’s known for digging into allegations of police abuse, unjust police shootings and police racism, and that has a generally skeptical eye of the “thin blue line,” you have to expect to piss off law enforcement. Eugene Weekly has ~~probably~~ annoyed the Eugene Police Department’s public information officer, Melinda McLaughlin, any number of times over the years, but she never shows it.

We’ve been told we made one spokesperson cry (city of Eugene), we’ve been told “come back when you have a real story” (University of Oregon, and it was a real story), and we’ve been ignored (insert most any government agency here), but McLaughlin always gets back to us right away — sometimes while on vacation — or makes sure someone else returns our call. She dives into our sometimes huge and detailed public records requests and basically does exactly what a public information office should do, which is help provide needed information to the public. And she’s always nice about it.

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!