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Riyadh Region Governor to Patronize Grand Horse Racing Festival Event on Saturday

File photo by SPA
File photo by SPA
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Riyadh Region Governor to Patronize Grand Horse Racing Festival Event on Saturday

File photo by SPA
File photo by SPA

Under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and deputizing for Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Governor of Riyadh Region Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz will patronize on Saturday January, 25 the annual Grand Horse Racing Festival for King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud's (Founder) Cup and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques' two cups for local production (first grade) and open grades classified within the third category races internationally, at King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Janadriya next Saturday evening.
On this occasion, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Equestrian Authority and the Jockey Club, Prince Bandar bin Khalid bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz, expressed his gratitude to the wise leadership for their unwavering support of equestrian activities and races, SPA reported.

This support has been instrumental in enhancing the Kingdom's horse racing, establishing its prominent position among leading nations with a rich heritage in the sport.
Prince Bandar further emphasized that the support received has enhanced the Kingdom's standing with the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities and has been crucial in securing the international federation's approval and improvement of both local and international cups and championships.

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Man Says He Was behind Some of the Viral Googly Eyes on Public Art in Oregon

This image provided by the City of Bend, Ore., shows a pair of googly eyes placed on a public art sculpture in Bend. (City of Bend, Oregon, via AP, File)
This image provided by the City of Bend, Ore., shows a pair of googly eyes placed on a public art sculpture in Bend. (City of Bend, Oregon, via AP, File)
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Man Says He Was behind Some of the Viral Googly Eyes on Public Art in Oregon

This image provided by the City of Bend, Ore., shows a pair of googly eyes placed on a public art sculpture in Bend. (City of Bend, Oregon, via AP, File)
This image provided by the City of Bend, Ore., shows a pair of googly eyes placed on a public art sculpture in Bend. (City of Bend, Oregon, via AP, File)

A resident of the central Oregon city of Bend says he was the person behind some of the googly eyes that appeared on sculptures around the city in recent months and sparked a viral sensation widely covered by news outlets.

Jeff Keith, founder of a Bend-based nonprofit called Guardian Group that works to combat human trafficking, said Friday that he used duct tape to attach googly eyes to two sculptures. He said he has carried out similar pranks on other Bend sculptures before — such as adorning them with hula skirts and leis — and that they serve as a respite from the emotional toll of his work.

“It is a place for me to cope with some pretty heavy stuff,” he told The Associated Press, noting that many of the trafficking victims he has worked with have been through “unimaginable trauma.”

The city shared photos of the googly eye installations on social media in early December, saying the adhesives can damage the art. One photo shows googly eyes placed on a sculpture of two deer — which Keith described as his handiwork — while another shows them attached to a sphere. City officials at the time said eight sculptures were affected and that it cost $1,500 to remove the googly eyes.

The social media posts prompted a cascade of comments, with many social media users saying they liked the googly eyes and that the city shouldn’t spend time and money on removing them. The post and its comments were covered by news outlets, and even made it on a segment of CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”

Keith said he didn't expect his exploits to receive that much attention, and that he went to city offices to offer to pay for any damages. The city didn't immediately respond Friday to an emailed request seeking confirmation and comment.

Bend's communications director, Rene Mitchell, told The Associated Press last month that the city regretted that its post had been misunderstood. She said there was no intent to be “heavy-handed” and that the posts were meant to raise awareness about the damage adhesives can do to the city's public art collection. The city had started treating some of the art pieces, she said, which are made of different types of metal such as bronze and steel.

Keith, who has lived in Bend for nearly two decades, said he also hopes his pranks bring some humor and joy into people's everyday lives.

“I think the biggest thing is, for me, just to get a laugh,” he said. “When I come up on these roundabouts and I see families laughing, like hysterically laughing at these, it makes for a good time.”