Best Local band

1. The Sugar Beets, Facebook.com/TheSugarBeets.

2. Candy Apple Bleu, CandyAppleBleu.com, Facebook.

3. BabySmooth, Instagram @babysmoothsincebirth.

Will the Beet go on forever? About to usher in their 35th year since they met in the dorms, The Sugar Beets don’t show any sign of slowing down. The Motown-blues band has been a local favorite since the 1980s when they started jamming together in the basement of Hamilton Hall at the University of Oregon. They continue to make new music, and perform it with the same passion that they did in college.

Founding member Marty Chilla says what keeps them going is their loyal audience, who continues to enjoy the music they put out and always asks for more. “People like it,” he says. “So we’ll keep playing.”

They also do it for the purely selfish reason that they love creating art and performing together. “It gives us light and happiness in our lives,” says Chilla. Regarding what the band’s feelings are going into 35 years of The Sugar Beets, Chilla says simply “Let’s get to work!”Chilla also says to be sure to catch The Sugar Beets at the Wildish Theater on New Years Eve. — Savannah Brown

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!