• It’s our pleasure to see that Eugene photographer Tarrah Krajnak has been honored as a 2024 Guggenheim Fellow. Krajnak, an assistant professor of art at the University of Oregon, works in photography, performance and poetry. Born in an orphanage in Peru, she was adopted by a Czech-American family and grew up in Ohio. Her work can be seen in such lofty institutions as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
• Tax Day was April 15. It was also the international A15 day of action for a free Palestine that was the impetus for the protest that shut down the southbound lanes of I-5 near 105 for 45 minutes Monday morning. Meanwhile, Planet vs. Pentagon conducted its annual Penny Poll in front of the Eugene Public Library. Each person is given 10 pennies and told to put them in jars that represent how they wish their tax dollars were allocated. This year’s results were: human resources 37.8 percent, climate and environment 29.3 percent, physical resources (infrastructure) 15 percent, military 10 percent and general government 7.9 percent. Michael Carrigan of Planet vs. Pentagon tells us, “As in past years, Eugene’s residents would like less of their tax dollars to fund the military and more to fight climate change. At this point in time, close to 50 percent of our taxes fund the U.S. military.” We’re not big on war in this town.
• New York Philharmonic trumpet player Matthew Muckey, who was to perform as principal trumpet with the 2024 Oregon Bach Festival, won’t be playing in Eugene after all following an April 12 New York Magazine article that documented claims by a fellow musician that she had been drugged and raped after a concert in 2010. A University of Oregon spokesperson confirmed that Muckey, who had been offered an OBF contract earlier this year, “is not on the OBF roster and will not be playing with the festival this summer,” but declined to say whether the change was related to the rape accusation. Former NY Phil horn player Cara Kizer told the magazine that she was apparently given a date rape drug when she went out for a drink with Muckey and NY Phil oboist Liang Wang after a concert in Vail, Colorado, and woke up with signs that she had been raped. Police investigated but did not file charges; both men, currently not performing with the NY Phil, deny any assault.
• Readers of our April 4 cover story updating you on our embezzlement might have noted a reference to Editor Camilla Mortensen’s pregnant horse. The mare gave birth the same day the Eugene Weekly hit the red boxes, and the paper welcomed a red chestnut filly named Fable to the family. Unlike the dogs, she won’t be coming to the office — but we did have a baby shower.