• A big thank you to all the folks who called and wrote to the Oregon governor’s office after Tina Kotek initially denied the extradition of Eugene Weekly’s former business manager who was arrested in Ohio on five felony charges in our embezzlement case. Your voices were heard and Gov. Kotek reversed the decision. Thank you also to everyone who offered to us and to the DA’s office to fundraise for the extradition. This community and its support of this paper blew us away. Check out our story this week as well as coverage in The Oregonian, and on KLCC, KGW, KMTR, KEZI, KVAL and we hear The Register-Guard is working on a story. Cheers to local media, too!
• In a time where the world is overwhelming from wars abroad to attacks on the rule of law in our own country (looking at you, Donald Trump) the city of Eugene would like to celebrate the folks standing up for human rights. The Eugene Human Rights Commission is seeking nominations for its Leadership Awards. Nominees should be strong community leaders who are champions of human rights. Nominations can be submitted online until 5 pm on Thursday, June 12. Go to Eugene-or.gov and type “human rights” into the search bar.
• At least 200 people turned out Sunday, May 20, to say their last goodbyes to Anita Johnson, a longtime owner of Eugene Weekly and unrelenting force for good in the community she loved. Johnson died Dec. 15, 2024, at the age of 95. The warm-hearted memorial at Venue 252 drew family and friends, local politicians, activists and artists, and a smattering of lawyers, journalists and University of Oregon students. The program celebrated a remarkable life well lived, weaving together tales and photos of her childhood and youth, her marriage to attorney Art Johnson, with whom she climbed the Alps and Oregon’s high Cascade peaks, and, of course, her commitment to journalism as a way to make the world a better place. We’ll miss her.
• Our May 15 Slant on Oregon House Bill 3564, introduced by freshman lawmaker Darin Harbick, referred to Darin Harbick’s attorney. It was Tyler Harbick’s attorney. We regret the error. HB 3564 modifies rules for demanding corrections and retractions from news organizations.
• News around the state: For ongoing coverage of HB 3564, we recommend checking out Portland’s Street Roots. The Register-Guard and statewide outlets have been following an Oregon Coast safari park whose owner was arrested after 44 guns, $1.6 million cash and drugs were found. Officials removed 310 animals, including a camel that was later euthanized due to its poor condition, from West Coast Game Park Safari in Bandon. Locally, KEZI,KLCC and others report that the driver who struck and killed violinist and professor Sharon Schuman on the morning of April 23 on the Amazon running path had a blood alcohol content of just under three times the legal limit. Eugene Weekly’s online extra is a Bricks $ Mortar by Christian Wihtol on the Eugene 4J School District potentially selling its downtown Wells Fargo building to Lane County. We also have not one — but two! — scintillating stories about Russian pianists at EugeneWeekly.com.