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Presidential update
From an email we got upon new University of Oregon President Michael Gottfredson’s start, he appears to be a very warm person and is looking forward “to meeting many more members of the faculty, staff, student body, alumni, and the Eugene/Springfield community.” It’s early on and summer stuff is always easier than when the rubber meets the road in the fall, but based on who Gottfredson has already met with as well as his plans for the next weeks, he’s setting himself up for a good term.
Ducks in London
Two words: Galen Rupp. Rupp, a long-distance phenom, won the first medal for an American in the men’s 10,000 meters since 1964. For Eugene, a culture so defined by Steve Prefontaine and his running, Rupp emerges as a strong candidate to carry Pre’s fire and passion for the sport of running really, really far. Two more words: Ashton Eaton. Eaton will be trying to follow up his best-ever performance from June’s Olympic Trials with a gold to cement his title as the “World’s Greatest Athlete.”
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Shooting in Oak Creek, Wisconsin
We extend our condolences to the families and friends of those struck by a gunman in a Sikh temple in Wisconsin on Sunday. But also, we are shocked by the pattern of summer shootings that this incident falls into. Even though the incidents are not related by the purpose for which the individuals are committing these acts of violence, they are connected by the senselessness of their taking place and should spark longer discussions if they continue.
High gas prices

The Emerald reported last week that Eugene has the highest average gas prices in the state. While this is inconvenient for drivers, the more important note about this is that small businesses in the area have to pay more for transportation, which drives up the cost of everything. Also of note, Lane Transit District is actually an above-average bus system for the area it’s in.