What we’re reading: Hamilton: the Revolution by Lin Manuel Miranda and Jeremy McCarter. A big, beautiful book (and expensive but worth it at about $50 if you buy it new at J. Michaels Books), it includes the libretto for the Broadway show plus short pieces on how the hip-hop marvel came together. We were advised to read the libretto before seeing the fast-paced show at the Hult Center in Eugene this month. It’s a fun read.

• As reports of the shooting in Bend came in, we waited, yet again, for news of how many people were killed by a young man in a mass shooting with an AR-15-style rifle. It’s all too tragic and all too damn familiar. We also note that there were reports of other shoppers in that Safeway store the night of August 28 who were armed. They didn’t stop a tragedy, an unarmed employee tried to, and he died trying. The shooter killed himself. Let us remind you yet again, good guys with guns are not the answer. Fewer guns, fewer bullets and a better social safety net are the steps we need to take. 

• We repeat our strong recommendation that residents of Ward 7 vote “no” on the recall of City Councilor Claire Syrett on or by Sept. 6. This is a misuse of the recall. The proponents of the Syrett recall claim the councilor is wasting taxpayer money with the MovingAhead transit plan. But it’s the recall election that’s hitting city taxpayers without any benefit. The Lane County Clerk told EW that the cost of the election will be between $17,000 and $23,000. And if Syrett loses, another special election will occur, costing taxpayers again. Not only is this election trying to boot an elected official on a bogus claim, it’s also a waste of taxpayer money. 

• We are also reading the long and fascinating obituary of Howard “Agent Orange” Slusher in August 29 New York Times. His nickname came from the color of his hair and his approach to sports contract negotiations. He was Phil Knight’s consultant on many projects and was the last word on the new Hayward Field. The NYT didn’t mention this part, but he died just before the World Athletics Championships came to Eugene to that field. Meanwhile, if you missed it in last week’s “EW Extra” email newsletter, the piece in Rolling Stone examining independent gubernatorial candidate Betsy Johnson’s gun-toting big Nike money ways is worth a read. You can find “Oregon’s Next Governor Could Be a Machine-Gun Toting Darling of GOP Megadonors” at RollingStone.com and can sign up for our Tuesday newsletter at EugeneWeekly.com.

• We’re sorry to hear that the popular theater troupe Radio Redux is taking the fall off. Redux’s board president Dave Weinkauf announced the hiatus in an email that went out August 28, citing low attendance and diminished revenue during the pandemic but primarily health problems suffered by the group’s founder and executive director, Fred Crafts. Get well soon, Fred — we love the old-time radio plays you’ve been bringing to the Hult Center stage since 2009.

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