• Once you are done with your turkey (or Tofurky, as the case may be), here’s your reminder to go support your Latino/a/x community members who came to this country for a better life and are now facing fear and threat by the federal government. Shop at a Latino store, grab lunch at an immigrant food truck or reach out to your immigrant neighbors and see if there are ways to help. And if you see ICE going after someone, Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition’s hotline is 1-888-622-1510, and locally you can join the Lane County Immigrant Defense Signal group for updates via Linktr.ee/psleugene.

• This week in news you may not be seeing, a potential lethal equine herpes virus, EHV 1, that affected horses at a barrel race event at Waco, Texas, has reverberated across the country. Here in Oregon — with no reported cases so far — equestrian facilities are shutting doors to events and travel. There are two confirmed cases in Washington. A horse here in Eugene at Oregon Horse Center showing neurological signs tested negative for EHV 1. Go to the Oregon Department of Agriculture for more information and updates at Oregon.gov/oda.

• This week online, EW reporter Eve Weston covers alarming changes that could affect the ability of trans people in Oregon to purchase firearms. Jim Arnold updates his recent viewpoints with his newest missive — he writes that recent developments at Lane Community College reveal deepening mistrust, alarming administrative decisions, and what he sees as a campus climate that has deteriorated rather than improved under current leadership. With labor talks nearing impasse and Board of Education oversight weakened, the institution is at a critical turning point. He calls on the board to initiate a change in leadership to re-establish accountability and protect the college’s future.

• Starbucks baristas at unionized stores in Eugene, Portland and more joined the unfair labor practice strike that kicked off Nov. 13 — Starbucks’ Red Cup Day, often one of the coffee company’s busiest days of the year when it gives out reusable cups for free to customers who buy a holiday drink. Striking workers demand a fair union contract improving staffing, hours, take-home pay and on-the-job protections for workers, and for the company to resolve what workers say are hundreds of unfair labor practices. 

• This week in bus news! You can get to the Eugene Airport, Corvallis and all the way to Yamhill County for free through June 2026! Lane Transit District announced that Yamhill Transit and Benton County Transit have launched 99 Vine, a pilot project connecting McMinnville to Eugene. 99 Vine intersects LTD at multiple stops, and you can find out more at PacificCrestBusLines.net/routes/99-vine.

• Shove bread up a turkey’s butt day is here, and so is Giving Tuesday! Here’s your reminder that if there’s a nonprofit you’d like to encourage others to support before the end of the year, send the name of the organization, mailing address, phone and website, as well as the full name and affiliation of a supporter (who doesn’t work for the nonprofit and is not on the board) along with their brief (30 to 50 words max) endorsement of the nonprofit’s work to Editor@EugeneWeekly.com by noon Friday, Dec. 5, to be considered for inclusion. Bonus points for a high-resolution photo of the nonprofit doing good deeds! There is no charge for inclusion — just good karma!