Good evening,

You may remember Marcus Mariota. I even remember Marcus Mariota — and I am not much of a football fan. I do tend to order the Hawaiian-style “Mar-ee-O-tah” pie when I go to The Wheel Apizza Pub. Anyway, it turns out Mariota still likes to come back to Eugene in the off-season to work on his game — and ground himself. Our sportswriter Tyson Alger spent some time this week chatting with the now-salt-and-pepper-haired NFL backup quarterback as he tossed passes at the Ducks’ practice fields. “I tend to find the best version of myself” in Eugene, he told Tyson.

Another sit-down interview today: Political reporter Ben Botkin had some time with Christine Drazan, the Republican running against Gov. Tina Kotek in this fall’s election. Drazan was in Eugene touring businesses. She tells Ben she thinks a top theme in the race this year is “the extent to which everyone is demanding more accountability” from government on issues like education and homelessness.

Our photography intern, Brooke Tache, was out at the Lane County Fair yesterday and has a collection of scenes from the day.

A 45-year-old man was sentenced to more than 45 years in prison today, after he was convicted of child abuse, some of it involving use of a Taser on his son. The sentencing judge called the crimes, “frankly torture.” Jaime Adame has the story.

A Eugene man, Shabbir Ali Kahn Panni, 75, died after falling into the Willamette River near Clearwater Park on Monday, the Lane County Sheriff’s Office said. It was the second death on the river near Clearwater Park in a week. Jaime has the story.

Who’s in our Community Voices section today?


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Marcus Mariota was here. Again. So, why does he keep coming back?

By Tyson Alger

Now a father and veteran backup, Mariota returns to Oregon each summer for a personal “fight camp” rooted in old habits and trusted relationships.

Continue reading…

For Drazan, top issues in rematch against Kotek are education, homelessness, accountability  

By Ben Botkin

Republican gubernatorial candidate Christine Drazan was in Eugene visiting businesses and sat down for a brief interview about this year’s race.

Continue reading…

Enjoy your evening,

Bob

Bob Passaro has been a reporter and editor since the 1990s. He has worked at The Associated Press, The Post Register in Idaho Falls, Idaho; The Salt Lake Tribune in Utah; and for 14 years at The Register-Guard in Eugene. He also spent about 10 years as co-owner of a design and web development agency in Eugene. And he is co-founder of the obituary platform Elegy.us