By EW editorial staff
• Our doom scrolling this week was interrupted by videos of Jimothy, the round, fluffy raccoon with the short spine and long legs that has gone viral in the way only a special trash panda can. Some days (most days) we need a little floofy inspiration. In honor of EW’s upcoming August Pets issue, this week’s EW Asks is about Jimothy — does Lane County have an inspiring beastie? Remember the white doe of Marcola? How about Boo the giant cat that hung out in the lobby when Art House was the Bijou? Surely there’s a special giant salamander, flying squirrel or local trash panda of our own? Go to EugeneWeekly.com and tell us about it!
• Why were we doom scrolling? Red flag fire weather, climate change, ICE, Trump. All the reasons.
• On July 24, local independent comic book store Books with Pictures finds out if it’s the winner of the Will Eisner Spirit of Retail Award. Books with Pictures said in a news release that it’s one of the comic book industry’s highest honors “recognizing retailers who exemplify creativity, community engagement and excellence in serving readers.” The winner will be announced during Comic-Con International in San Diego. Here’s a toast to Books with Pictures and all our local independent bookstores! Come meet local authors this weekend at the Lane County Fair! They will be signing books at the northernmost aisle in the Performance Hall through Sunday, August 26.
• Stiff competition for the Eugene Weekly Everyday Life Photography Contest at the Lane County Fair, but Cynthia Branen took first place fair and square. Her piece (pictured) titled “Playtime at Skinner Butte Park” features the iconic Skinner Butte Park play structure. Two runners-up were selected; 10-year-old Ej Hart took second place with her photo titled “Takoda the Dog in the Garden.” Third place went to Mike Bazanele with his photo titled “Engine Trouble?” featuring a Mercedes Sprinter van engulfed in flames. Go to EugeneWeekly.com to view second- and third-place photos. Want to enter this contest next year? Visit AtTheFair.com/Creative-Exhibits for more information. Eugene Weekly’s copy editor, Kat Tabor, is also the photography exhibit coordinator at the Lane County Fair.
• This is a big music weekend and we have the deets in print and online. Friday, July 24, New York-based jazz musician Charlie Porter performs with his quintet at The Jazz Station, playing jazzed up standards of all the ’80s Sci-Fi scores. That’s right, you can hear Darth Vader’s entrance set to trumpet. And remember Summer Guide, when we previewed Zach Bryan and Alabama Shakes’ concert at Autzen Stadium? Well, that’s July 25. Read all the online extra music previews and interviews at EugeneWeekly.com.
• This summer marks the umpteenth anniversary of the Supreme Court’s 2022 overturning of Roe v. Wade — and guess what? We’re all still angry about it. White Rabbit Tattoo (539 E. 11th Avenue) is an art collective of six women artists who are also still very angry. In response, the shop is holding its fourth annual My Body My Choice flash tattoo fundraiser Saturday, July 25, and Sunday, July 26. Flashes start at $100 and 50 percent of the proceeds will be donated to Planned Parenthood (though you can also just donate directly without having to get a tattoo).