• Who says civics education is dying? Certainly not Grace Kim, a 7th grader at Eugene’s Ridgeline Montessori, as well as 19 other finalists in the inaugural Oregon Civics Bee, held May 30 at Willamette University in Salem. Kim placed second in the event behind Morgan Thomas of Keizer, who advances to the National Civics Bee this fall. Kim was in first place after the two-round quiz portion of the competition, and Thomas came from behind in the presentation portion to win. Congrats to all the participants. The Oregon Civics Bee was organized by Oregon Business and Industry and moderated by Oregon Treasurer Tobias Read.

• Two big (and disturbing) bits of media news this week. Pamplin Communications — owner of Portland Tribune and 23 other Oregon newspapers — sold to Mississippi-based Carpenter Media Group. EO Media, which owns The Bulletin in Bend and several other papers on Oregon’s east side and around the state, announced it’s cutting 15 percent of its staff and cutting hours for others. EO Media is also ceasing print at The Observer in La Grande, Blue Mountain Eagle, Hermiston Herald, Wallowa County Chieftain and the Baker City Herald. Their subscribers will no longer get a copy of the East Oregonian, with news from the communities losing their print papers. Perhaps the folks who have called Eugene a news desert as The Register-Guard has downsized may want to ponder this? The bright news — thanks to ongoing reader support, Eugene Weekly is still hanging in there! 

• Local baseball fans can jump on the Oregon Ducks bandwagon. Ducks baseball is flying through the NCAA tournament and made the super regional for the second year in a row, for the first time ever. They will take on Texas A&M this weekend, with the winner of the three-game series securing a spot in the college World Series.

• If you have problems with deer eating your tulips, try this tip, which is better — and kinder — than barbed wire. Plant an allium “fence.” Deer don’t like the garlic/onion flavor of allium and will stay away.