The Shedd Institute
www.theshedd.org - 541.434.7000
• Lisa Heyamoto told the City Club of Eugene on
Dec. 7 that what keeps her up at night is her worry
that democracy functions on an informed citizenry,
so what happens when the sources of information
go away? (And as NPR’s “Hidden Brain” investigates
this week, what is the cost?) Today, two Oregon
counties have no source of local news, according to
the narrative journalist and senior instructor of journalism in the UO. That’s a pattern,
especially across rural America, and we would add that the voting patterns show it.
Heyamoto’s informative talk about “The Future of Local Newspapers” was not much
fun for journalists, but perhaps the new media she talked about will save our democ-
racy. If you missed it, you can find City Club talks archived on KLCC.
SLANT
• Hey holiday lovers, a Christmas comet is on its way! Comet 46P/Wirtanen is
going to be close to Earth on Sunday, Dec. 16. It will pass within 7 million miles, Sky
and Telescope says, making it one of the 10 closest since 1950 and “20th closest ap-
proach of a comet dating as far back as the ninth century AD.” It might be hard to see
with the naked eye, but look to the eastern horizon. And as long as you’re standing
outside in a dark place looking up, the Geminid meteor shower is active through Dec.
17, hitting its peak at 4:30 am Dec. 14.
• Looking for some books at The Duck Store? You’ll be hard-pressed to find them
soon. In an email to EW, Arlyn Schaufler, The Duck Store’s executive director, says its
selection of general interest books will decline. The store will have a few titles related
to the university and Pacific Northwest authors, but it is focusing more on textbooks
and course materials. He adds that the book inventory is because of a changing na-
ture of book shopping and increased online competition. The bookstore will be having
a 50 percent sale going on through the holidays. The store will then decide whether to
return the books to the publisher. He adds that the store won’t have any more layoffs.
At least you can still buy a Marcus Mariota Tennessee Titans jersey, right?
• When we asked in “Slant” last week who you would like to see run for president,
reader Sue Mandeville gave us her choice: “I would like to see either of the Castro
brothers [Joaquín or Julián] run. They are progressive, very intelligent and cute as a
button. Being Texas Democrats they’ve already been investigated thoroughly!”
Speaking of the stampede for the Democratic nomination in 2020, Oregon Sen. Jeff
Merkley has given up on persuading the Legislature to pass a law allowing him to run
both for re-election as a senator and in the primary for president. He will have time,
though, to test his national popularity before his filing date in Oregon, so we’ll be see-
ing much more of Merkley on MSNBC and CNN in the months ahead.
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WHITE
CHRISTMAS
December 14, 15 & 16
The Shedd Institute - Eugene
541.434.7000 - theshedd.org/WhiteChristmas
The Shedd Institute
Community Music School
Classes & private lessons for all ages
The Shedd Choral Society
Sundays at 6:30
• Did you notice the non-Jesus banner on 8th Avenue? This year the Freedom From
Religion Foundation splurged and put a solstice banner up in downtown Eugene.
Check out our (almost) daily online coverage from the banner wars to Hi-Fi Music
Hall’s new ownership at eugeneweekly.com.
• Eugene City Council voted Dec. 10 to use the gravel lot that used to be City Hall
as a parking lot. Yup. There’s no City Hall there. There’s no shelter for the homeless
there. But we sure will have some parking. The good news is the council also adopted
a resolution approving a low-income rental housing property tax exemption for a new
development slated for 70 units of downtown housing at 11th and Lincoln and passed
a supplemental budget request to support a number of homeless services from Dusk
to Dawn camping to a day resource center and 15th Night youth homelessness inter-
vention.
SLANT INCLUDES SHORT OPINION PIECES, OBSERVATIONS AND RUMOR-CHA SING NOTES COMPILED BY THE E W
EDITORIAL BOARD. HEARD ANY GOOD RUMORS LATELY? CONTAC T EDITOR@EUGENE WEEKLY.COM
The Shedd
Singing Club
Tuesdays at 6
Contact the registrar today!
541.434.7015 / registrar@theshedd.net
eugeneweekly.com • December 13, 2018
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