With all the news happening around the world all the time — the violence, corruption and terror — it’s always fun to take a peek at the local Eugene news for a breath of fresh, mundane air.
I don’t think the news could get any more “Oregon” than the Feb. 23 update by the Register-Guard about Ninkasi Brewing facing a fine of almost $7,000 by the state “for not properly keeping tabs on rainwater runoff, according to the state Department of Environmental Quality.” Basically, Ninkasi holds a Clean Water Act permit, which requires the company to monitor its stormwater discharge four times a year.
The microbrewery came up short on these seasonal checks this year at both its locations, on Van Buren Street and on Blair Boulevard. But wait, there’s more!
According to the Eugene Weekly, “Ninkasi can appeal the penalty, pay it or offset it by implementing a ‘supplemental environmental project’ ” — aka, they’d have to get crafty with something other than beer. Ideas like “rain gardens” and “stream restoration” have been thrown around.
More first-world news: everyone’s favorite white family has returned — Netflix premiered the first season of Fuller House on Feb. 26. The show that has made me give the Gilmore Girls a (short) break is a spinoff of the ever-cheesy Full House show that ran from 1987-95, telling the story of the Tanner family.
This time, D.J. is a widow with three young boys and her party-girl sister Stephanie and her quirky BFF Kimmy Gibbler move in to help her out. Just about everyone from the original show makes an appearance (and are greeted by the always-obnoxious “audience” cheers) — all but the Olsen Twins, that is.
Fuller House pokes fun at a lot of things in its 13 episodes (that I proudly watched in 48 hours) including just how cheesy Full House was and how much has changed in the world -mostly with technology and pop culture references- in the last 29 years since the OG show’s debut. There is also some adult humor thrown in, which doesn’t always land right.
On Sunday, I took a break from the endless hugs on Fuller House and did something that still surprises me: I went to the Oregon men’s basketball game instead of staying home and watching the 88th Academy Awards.
The Ducks performed well with an 86-73 win against the Huskies. The halftime show was odd and entertaining — as a halftime show should be. All in all, senior night with the boys was a good time with some nostalgic undertones.
The metaphoric cherry on top of the end-of-season home games was the big reveal on Feb. 29, that deemed Oregon No. 9 in the latest poll by AP. Let’s send the men positive vibes in their last couple games in the coming weeks.
I left Matthew Knight Arena right in time to get home and watch the final Oscar giveaways in the night’s biggest categories. Leo DiCap can finally be introduced in his upcoming movies as “One-Time Academy Award Winner.” He’s been validated! I imagined all the meme and gif makers, moments before Leo’s name was called, like at the end of the Super Bowl or the World Series where they have two variations of the next day’s paper ready.
Also, Spotlight. This was the one movie in the Best Picture section that I actually got to see in its entirety and I’m so happy it won. Long live journalism and talented, daring and authentic journalists!
Before these last few exciting bits of the show, there was a lot of other greatness at the Oscars, like Lady Gaga’s performance that powerfully shed light on sexual assault and Alejandro González Iñárritu’s speech after winning Best Director for The Revenant. Girl Scout Cookies were sold.
As for some questionable moments, Chris Rock addressed racial inequality in Hollywood, but at some points it seemed to be too much for me. Stacey Dash, aka Dee from Clueless, was a whole other story that made me (and Chrissy Teigen) shudder.