• 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.
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