• Chris Gadsby, the powerhouse behind the much-missed Whiteaker Block Party and a general Whit original, was the victim of arson in the early hours of June 20. Gadsby, whose home was known as the G-Spot, is OK, as are his three dogs, but he lost everything in the fire. Search Chris Gadsby on GoFundMe to contribute to his housing pet care. Longtime Eugene videographer (and fellow Whit original) Tim Lewis has been documenting the aftermath on his YouTube channel, @timlewisyoutube5114, where you can also find his ongoing Whiteaker Tales series.
• Just as we thought, some folks were triggered at the photo of Eve Weston and one of her guns on the cover last week. Weston, who is also a Eugene Weekly reporter, photographer and girl Friday, wrote about why some queer and trans folks have taken to learning how to shoot. Either the issue was very popular (we hope) or naysayers threw out (we hope recycled) copies. We also got some angry phone calls and letters from folks who didn’t want their names in the paper (sorry kids, anonymity is for Reddit). Most of our readers, however, took a moment to understand why, in these turbulent times, many groups are feeling unsafe.
• Speaking of turbulent times. WTF, are we going to war? And announcing it on wanna-be Twitter X? Thanks to the letter writers who responded to our call in our email newsletter for coping mechanisms. Read them in this week’s issue and send some ideas of your own. And thanks to those of you who keep protesting, writing letters and seeking change.
• This week in embezzlement updates, Elisha Young, the woman indicted by a grand jury on five felony counts of theft in the Weekly embezzlement case, has waived her right to fight her extradition from Ohio, according to court documents. The documents also say the Franklin County Jail will hold her for extradition until July 10.
• Thanks to Eugene’s Southtowne Rotary Club for having EW in to talk about our newspaper and our business model! Word on the street is we’re bringing our dog and pony show to the Kiwanis Club next. (Just kidding, we leave the dogs at the office and the ponies at the barn.)
• Rep. Val Hoyle chatted with EW’s Snowden intern reporter, Seira Kitagawa, this week about the shitshow that is Washington, D.C., and the political climate. Read the interview at EugeneWeekly.com along with Bob Keefer’s review of Very Little Theatre’s production of the rom-com dramedy Stage Kiss, which he says, “may be just the thing to get rid of the apocalyptic blues.”
• Progressives, take heart: Despite organized opposition from the out-of-touch Democratic Party in New York, Zohran Mamdani, a 33-year-old democratic socialist in the mold of Bernie Sanders, decisively beat Andrew Cuomo in the Dems’ primary election Tuesday for mayor of New York City. Mamdani seeks to become NYC’s first Muslim and Indian American mayor. He is charismatic and smart, and he offers such a breath of political fresh air that his name is already being mentioned as the Dem who in 2028 could beat the corrupt sociopath who now lives in the White House.