• ICE Air in Eugene? Startup budget airline Avelo started flying out of Eugene Airport in 2021 with nonstop flights to Hollywood Burbank Airport. Now in 2025, Avelo Airlines has agreed to “dedicate three of its 20 planes to carrying out deportation flights as part of the charter network known as ICE Air.” Former Eugenean and current PNW-based ProPublica journalist McKenzie Funk reports that Connecticut’s attorney general sent two warnings in a month to Avelo saying it “has jeopardized tax breaks and other local support by agreeing to conduct deportation flights for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.” And in the Connecticut Legislature, he writes, the Dems “are working to expand the state’s sanctuary law to penalize companies like Avelo for working with federal immigration authorities.”
• In last week’s Slant, ahead of Independent Bookstore Day we mentioned some awesome local bookstores and jokingly asked readers to send us “angry emails” if we forgot someone. We forgot a couple of someones and got fun, snappy and yes … angry emails. And that’s OK because we’re the community paper and the community gets to be mad if we forget something you love! So please don’t forget to shop at two of the oldest and most beloved local purveyors of fine reading materials: Smith Family Bookstore on Willamette and Black Sun Books on Hilyard.
• This week in “We read it online and put it in print for you, the strike news edition”: The Register-Guard, Daily Emerald, LOL and KLCC are all reporting on the UO Student Workers strike — the Emerald for the win with its ongoing live coverage. Among the issues are wages, pay periods and the right to have a third party settle formal disputes over harassment and discrimination in arbitration. The Bigfoot Beverages strike was called to an end but Bigfoot says it does not need to give jobs back to workers who had been on strike; the Teamsters disagree, saying it was a strike over unfair labor practices. Also, as EW went to press, the Eugene Emeralds announced longtime general manager and sportsball lover Allan Benavides leaves May 21 to lead Southern California’s soon-to-launch Minor League affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Ontario Baseball Team.
• Congrats to longtime KRVM music host Nick Sixkiller on his retirement after 30 years of “Indian Time” on the radio! KRVM says in an Instagram post that the Native music and culture show will retire with Sixkiller but “stay tuned” for future offerings in that musical genre. This reminds us that the annual Mother’s Day Powwow returns to the University of Oregon May 9–11 at McArthur Court. In its 57 years, it’s the longest running college powwow in the nation, the UO says.
• Poetry in the Park, an evening of literary arts in honor of missing and murdered Indigenous women and girls, returns 5 pm Wednesday, May 7, for the fifth year in Heron Park, corner of Aspen and D Street, Springfield. You’re encouraged to wear red and listen to the prayers, songs and poems by Indigenous writers as red garments are hung in the trees. The event is organized by the University of Oregon Native American & Indigenous Studies Academic Residential Community and the illioo Native Theatre. Read about the event at EugeneWeekly.com.
• Want more snarky commentary in your week? Subscribe to Tuesday’s EW Extra Newsletter and get the insider scoop on politics and newspaper wars. Want a roundup of what we put in the paper? That’s Local and Vocal on Thursdays. Friday’s “What’s Happening” newsletter helps you plan your weekend. And on the horizon (and by popular demand) is a weekly “Activist Alert” newsletter to help you plan where and when to rally, protest or get involved politically! Full disclosure: All newsletters are written by actual humans, not AI. Find all your options at EugeneWeekly.com/newsletter.
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