By EW editorial staff
• Kudos to the three Lane County commissioners — Heather Buch, Pat Farr and Laurie Trieger — who this week voted “to issue a statement reaffirming Lane County’s commitment to upholding the Oregon Sanctuary Promise Act and supporting transgender community members.” (And WTF to Ryan Ceniga and David Loveall, the two commissioners who made some lame last-century excuses for why they voted against it.) At the University of Oregon, the United Academics union announced it is a sanctuary union. The union says with the “current wave of unprecedented attacks on due process, free speech and immigrant communities. Now is not the time to be silent.”
• Props as well to those of you who tirelessly turn out to marches and rallies. Check out EW’s coverage of the April 19 Hands Off! rally at EugeneWeekly.com. And keep an eye out for our new Activist Alert newsletter on the horizon.
• In a time where we are watching devastating budget cuts hitting arts, sciences, social services and more thanks to the Trump administration, here’s a bright light. The Oregon Community Foundation announced April 22 that the Willamette Valley area alone received 45 arts grants totaling $720,700 in arts funding. Grantees include Eugene Opera, Eugene PeaceWorks, illioo Native Theatre, Black Cultural Initiative, Comunidad y Herencia Cultural, Pride Day Equality Project Inc., The Shedd, Arts and Business Alliance of Eugene and a host of other groups. Full disclosure: Eugene Weekly has received funding through OCF donor advised funds towards a reporter and operating expenses — a bright light for us, too!
• Speaking of the Arts and Business Alliance, Eugene Weekly is excited to announce that your community newspaper is the winner of ABAE’s BRAVA (Business Recognizing Arts Vision And Achievement) Dave Hauser Business of the Year award! EW will receive our award, as will several other local arts organizations, at the May 20 BRAVA event at the Hult Center. Tickets are at Web.eugenechamber.com/events — just click on May 20.
• This week in “We read it online and put it in print for you” — Over at KLCC, Brian Bull is reporting on 4J removing totem poles at several schools. The poles were not carved by tribes in Oregon. The Register-Guard reports that a judge has ordered that two of the university students who had their visas suddenly revoked by the Trump administration have their visas reinstated. And everyone is covering the Eugene Marathon this weekend.
• You know what else is this weekend? Independent Bookstore Day! We reported last week on the opening of Hodgepodge Books and Taproom. Take a moment this weekend to cruise by Hodgepodge, Tsunami Books, Books with Pictures, J Michaels, The Bookmine (down in Cottage Grove, which is celebrating 50 years in business), Daffodil Books and Gifts — and more! Did we forget a store? Quick! Send an angry email to Editor@EugeneWeekly.com. (Just kidding, you know you love us) and let us know so we can shout them out online!
Add to your list two of Eugene’s oldest independent bookstores: Black Sun Books on Hilyard Street and Smith Family Bookstore!
• Welcome a new publication to town! The Dissonant Times is a grassroots media collective that “represents, empowers, entertains and connects the people of Eugene and the surrounding areas through sharing local news, resources, perspectives and talent.” The publication can be found at DissonantTimes.org. Its April issue has features such as “The People’s Blotter: Submissions from the public documenting abuses of institutional power,” a “Dear Darling” advice column, viewpoint columns and more.
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