UO E-clips, May 15

Obama and Oregon: More in common than 'O' (Associated Press): Oregon is fertile ground for Barack Obama, the self-described "change" candidate. The state that has led the way in everything from bike trails to assisted suicide is also the first to vote entirely by mail. Oregon's 2 million-plus voters began receiving ballots more than two weeks ago, and 22 percent have returned them, according to the secretary of state's office. The ballots will be tallied May 20 in the Democratic primary between Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Election officials said turnout appears to be strong in Portland, its populous suburbs, and Eugene, home to the University of Oregon. That bodes well for Obama, who has drawn large crowds in stops in those places and who has outperformed Clinton among urban and young voters throughout the primary.

Barack Obama doesn't sweat it at a University of Oregon track meet and greet (Los Angeles Times, story follows in its entirety): A candidate and his staff can never be too careful when it comes to unscripted moments. It was late afternoon on a recent spring day when Barack Obama visited a track meet at the University of Oregon. Obama stepped onto the track, surrounded by reporters and photographers, just as Virginia Tech runner Tasmin Fanning won the 5,000-meter race. Obama crossed the field to congratulate a very surprised Fanning, who told him she's a big supporter. Then he strolled around the track, shaking hands and tossing Oregon T-shirts into the stands. Although some in his entourage urged him to show his athletic prowess, Obama stepped gingerly over a hurdle. "I'd split my pants," he said. But one of his aides, Jen Psaki, was less cautious. She opened a seam of her pants when she leaped a hurdle. "We'll put him in that race as a 'did not finish,' " boomed the announcer's voice. Obama smiled and responded, "I got my own race to run."

Trials organizers thinking green (Register-Guard): Organizers of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials, which will be in Eugene from June 27 to July 6, said they’re aiming to raise the bar for the event’s environmental sustainability. On Wednesday, they shared a long list of how they plan to achieve that, from buying wind-generated electricity from the Eugene Water and Electric Board to power the event, to using caterers and food vendors who pledge to use virtually all -- compostable table service -- down to the straws and ketchup containers. And they plan to document their efforts, including measures such as energy used and waste generated, which can provide a starting point for the 2012 Trials and other large-scale events.