Revenue shortfall estimated at $180-million; Immunization exclusion day nearing; planning commission begins zone changes;and confluence 2010 set

Oregon Revenue Shortfall at $180-million

Oregon’s budget hole is nearly twice what anyone expected. State economist Tom Potiowski announced a budget forecast to lawmakers yesterday morning that shows a projected shortfall in tax collections of $180-million for the current biennium. Previous estimates were in the $100-million range. Governor Ted Kulongoski said the revenue forecast shows “this will continue to be a long slow economic recovery”. But, he called the shortfall amount “manageable”. In fact, the Oregon Legislature has already taken steps to cut tax credits aimed at spurring Oregon’s wind farm industry. That would save about $50-million. Lawmakers say they will also tap reserve funds, and if the size of the shortfall increases, may begin trimming agency budgets. Governor Kulongoski said reforms of the kicker law are needed now more than ever. He is pushing the legislature to refer a matter to voters that would divert excess funds into a reserve fund to help future lawmakers plug any gaps.

Public health officials are advising parents that children won’t be able to go to school or child care beginning February 17th if their shot records aren’t up to date. State law requires all children in public and private schools, preschools, Head Start and certified child care facilities be up-to-date on their immunizations or have a valid religious or medical exemption. Lorraine Duncan with the Oregon Public Health Division says the goal is to make sure children are fully protected. Last year nearly 47-hundred children were kept out of school on ‘exclusion day’ because their immunization records weren’t up to date.

Florence Planning Commissioners will have a discussion this evening on a proposal to change zoning district boundaries and code requirements for industrial properties in and around the Pacific View Business Park. The proposal, if ultimately approved, would combine three zoning districts into two; expand the number and types of land uses allowed in the area; and streamline other requirements. The work-session is the first step in a lengthy process… the Planning Commission meets at seven at city hall.

The word ‘confluence’ means a flowing or coming together. At this weekend’s “Confluence 2010” in the tiny community of Gardiner, just north of Reedsport, it means a lot of music will flow together with Oregon Beers and Wines, coastal cuisine and an array of art and craft vendors. The three-day festival begins at noon Friday at the former Jewett School on Highway 101 and runs through Sunday afternoon.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

THE DALLES, Ore. (AP) - A woman who was struck and killed by a
train in Wasco County has been identified at Kathryn Robertson, the
daughter of Oregon Health & Science University President Dr. Joseph
Robertson. The Dalles Chronicle reports that the 25-year-old was
hit Sunday afternoon at a crossing in Rowena. A school spokesman
confirmed the death yesterday.

MILWAUKIE, Ore. (AP) - Clackamas County officials say an
83-year-old man accidentally crashed his car through parking
garage's concrete wall, left the car dangling on the edge of the
second floor, then walked back to his room at a Milwaukie
retirement community. The driver was identified as Kenneth
Schiedel, who tells The Oregonian, "I feel like the village
idiot."

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A founding member of the European Kindred
white supremacist prison gang has been sentenced to 7 1/2 years in
prison after pleading guilty to providing a firearm to a convicted
felon. David Patrick Kennedy was indicted by a federal grand jury
in 2008. He was sentenced yesterday in Portland along with
Christina Marie Allen. The two are now married.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say a trooper who
stopped a car in southern Oregon for several traffic violations
found more than a quarter million dollars worth of marijuana neatly
packaged in the trunk. Lt. Jason Westfall says the trooper
conducted a search yesterday and located 113 pounds of marijuana
with an estimated street value of $282,000.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A 16-year-old who stabbed another student
in a math class at Roosevelt High School in Portland was sentenced
yesterday to 90 days in juvenile jail. The teen told investigators
he stabbed the other boy with a small folding knife last September
because he had been teasing him. The Oregonian reports the injured
boy has made a full recovery.
(The Oregonian)

WEST LINN, Ore. (AP) - The West Linn City Council voted to
censure Mayor Patti Galle. The resolution approved last night on a
3-0 vote says the council has lost confidence in the mayor. The
Oregonian reports Galle did not attend the meeting and Councilor
Teri Cummings walked out earlier, accusing the other three
councilors of hiding the resolution from her. The resolution
accuses the mayor of violating the confidentiality of executive
sessions and exposing the city to lawsuits.
(The Oregonian)

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A water line that cools a University of
Oregon lab broke yesterday and spilled several hundred gallons of
water into a utility tunnel. The cooling water is dyed green and
treated with a chemical to prevent corrosion. The university told
The Register-Guard the spill posed no chemical hazard and it was
diluted with other water before it reached the Willamette River.
(Register Guard)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Court of Appeals has upheld a
$355,000 jury award to a fired pastor, finding that a church can't
use the First Amendment as a defense in a defamation case. The
court ruled in the case of Tim Tubra that because church officials
accused him of being a thief in front of the congregation, the
statements were not religious in nature and thus didn't qualify for
First Amendment protection.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say a trooper who
stopped a car for traffic violations in southern Oregon found 113
pounds of marijuana - more than a quarter million dollars worth -
in the trunk. Lt. Jason Westfall says 26-year-old Ricardo Sanchez
of Pasco, Wash., was arrested Monday for investigation of
distribution of a controlled substance.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State University says the state's
agricultural sales plummeted last year, hurt by a weak economy, low
prices and oversupply. A report released Monday says farms and
ranches grossed $4.1 billion in 2009, down 14.8 percent from 2008 -
the biggest drop since at least 1976.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Not only are the signs wrong, they're hard
to pronounce.
A chagrined Oregon Department of Transportation is having to
redo some street signs along Southeast Powell Boulevard in
Portland. They're supposed to say "141st" and "151st" streets.
Instead, they read "141th" and "151th."
Transportation Department spokesman Brad Wulfer says it will
cost less than $100 to redo the signs.
He adds: "What's to say? People do make mistakes."

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
Prep Wrestling:
Siuslaw had four wrestlers place at last weekend’s 30-team Cottage Grove Invitational, including Jacob Graber who finished second at 125 pounds; Nick Ough, who tied for fifth at 140 and Sonny Tupua who finished fifth at 215. The fourth wrestler was Kwartell (KORR-tell) Hendrickson who tied for third at 171. Hendrickson was also named as Coast Radio Sports’ Athlete of the Week. In addition to his finish in Cottage Grove he also claimed victory at 171 pounds in a Far West Dual meet last week. Honorable mention is given to Blake Huff. The Viking sophomore claimed victory at 112 pounds in a Far West Dual meet against South Umpqua.
On the Schedule:
The Siuslaw Vikings wrap up the second-third of the Far West Basketball season tonight on the road at Brookings-Harbor High School… the girls at six, the boys right after. The pregame show on KCST is set for 5:45. In Sunset League action, Reedsport is in Bandon for boys and girls basketball… and the Mapleton Sailors are in Triangle Lake for two Mountain West games against the Lakers.

Oregon Revenue Hole at $180-million

Ore. forecast: Revenue lags by about $180 million
By TIM FOUGHT
Associated Press Writer

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon legislators have a budget hole of more
than $180 million to fix.

A revenue forecast they got Monday said income taxes collections
have been weaker than expected for the first eight months of the
two-year budget.

When they began a four-week special session last week,
legislators knew that a shortfall was ahead.

One measure to offset it is already working its way toward
approval. The legislation would cut the tax credits that have
spurred Oregon's wind farm industry by $50 million.

Legislators also expected to tap reserve funds, and the size of
the shortfall increases the chances they'll start trimming agency
budgets.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Future First Citizen nominees announced; shooting leaves one dead in Reedsport; Lawmakers begin 2nd week of special session and Roblan singled out...

Florence Future First Citizen nominees announced…

Nine Siuslaw High School Seniors have been honored as the nominees for Florence’s Future First Citizen award. The winner will be announced Friday Night during the Siuslaw Awards dinner at the Florence Events Center. Verrill Beaudro (ver-RILL BOO-dro), Mallory Brown, Carrie Gibson, Jenna Hanslits, Hannah Hodulik, McKenna Holmes, Samantha Pummer, Morgan Siegel (SEE-gul) and Alyson Vilhena (veeh-EN-nuh) were each selected based on their leadership and community involvement. Those involvements are varied and include athletics, music, volunteerism, dance, fund-raising and health care among others. In addition to the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce business awards, Florence’s First Citizen will also be named … nominees for that award will be announced later this week.

Police in Reedsport have identified the man shot and killed during an incident at 2050 ½ Elm Street early Saturday morning. Police responded to a 9-1-1 call a few minutes after Two A.M. and found 37-year old Apollo Deilan Rohkohl of Reedsport dead with what appeared to be a single gunshot wound. The resident of that home, 64-year old Garry Thomas Dawson, along with another witness were questioned. Police Chief John Smart says the shooting is being investigated as an accidental or self-defense shooting.

One coastal legislator was singled out over the weekend for his efforts in support of local government. The Special Districts Association of Oregon named Ninth District Representative Arnie Roblan as their Legislator of the Year. Legislative specialist Hasina Squires spelled out what makes the Coos Bay Democrat so important.
218 – “Representative Roblan always thinks about his local governments before he thinks about the big statewide picture. Any time we have approached him with something that deals with the smallest fire district to the smallest water district or to a large local government he always understands what the impacts are locally and he always looks out for us.”

The Special Districts Association is made up of water, port, library, fire and other special service districts. The presentation was made at their annual conference over the weekend.

Oregon Lawmakers will begin the second week of a four-week session this morning by receiving the news that the recession has continued to drive down revenue collections. An estimated $100-million shortfall in income tax and lottery proceeds is expected to be announced. State government is in the eight month of a 24-month cycle, meaning any spending reductions will be amplified. Work in Salem is not limited only to money matters. Legislative committees face a deadline for acting on some of the high-profile topics of the session, including a proposed ban on plastic bags at the checkout counter. That effort may be dead however, as key industry support was reportedly withdrawn late last week.

AP-OR--1st NewsMinute,0263 monday

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Police are investigating the death of 44-year-old
Springfield man found dead from gunshots near railroad tracks in
Eugene over the weekend. Eugene Police Department spokeswoman
Melinda Kletzok says Ronald Leo Langlois was a Portland & Western Railroad
employee. A co-worker found him early Saturday. The case is being
investigated as a homicide.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police have arrested a man after
a stabbing left another man injured. Sgt. Greg Stewart says a fight
broke out Saturday night between two men who knew each other. The
fight escalated to one man being stabbed in the neck and the
suspect running off. The Oregonian reports the injured man was
treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon's Department of Human Services has
decided to study whether age plays a factor when welfare workers
choose which cases of alleged child abuse to investigate. The
Oregonian reports the study was prompted by the death of
15-year-old Jeannette Maples, who died in her Eugene home Dec. 9.
Her parents have been charged with murder. Human Services officials
suspect her age may have played a role in welfare workers failing
to act on calls reporting her abuse.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - With Oregon's jobless rate at 11 percent,
job hunters are finding little relief. Lawmakers say a priority of
the special February legislative session is extending unemployment
insurance coverage for 18,000 Oregonians whose benefits have run
out or soon will. But the help will be brief -- no further
emergency extentions are in sight.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - After a slow start, there's progress in a
deal with federal officials to deport Oregon prison inmates who are
in the U.S. illegally and have less than six months left on their
sentences. The state hopes to save more than $2 million over the
current two-year budget cycle by sending the inmates back to their
home countries, in Oregon's case, mostly to Mexico.

MILWAUKIE, Ore. (AP) - Authorities say a 73-year-old man and his
grandson have been arrested in Milwaukie in a counterfeiting
investigation. Lonnie Lee Thompson and 25-year-old Eric Steven
Thompson were arrested at their family home Thursday. The Oregonian
reports that a task force sergeant says officers seized boxes and
bags containing counterfeit bills.

LINCOLN CITY, Ore. (AP) - One man has been killed an another
wounded in a shooting at Lincoln City. Police pulled over an SUV
that had been reported leaving an apartment complex where shots had
been fired. When officers looked inside the SUV yesterday on
Highway 101 they found the dead and wounded men and a third man.
The Oregonian reports he's cooperating with police trying to figure
out what happened.
(The Oregonian)

COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) - Police are investigating the death of a
17-year-old girl in Coos Bay. Police says the girl, Jenna Bowling,
was taken by a private car Saturday morning to Bay Area Hospital.
The Register-Guard reports she was unresponsive and was pronounced
dead at the hospital.
(Register Guard)

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Oregon law enforcement agencies are starting
a two-week crackdown on three major killers on the state's roads:
driving impaired, speeding and not using seat belts. The agencies
are receiving federal money for overtime to help with the safety
campaign that starts Monday.

FRENCHGLEN, Ore. (AP) - Harney County in southeast Oregon has
cleared a Vancouver, Wash., company to build a wind farm on Steens
Mountain. By the year's end, Columbia Energy Partners could have
415-foot-high turbines rising from the mountain's south slopes.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
College Basketball:
The Oregon State men ran away with a 62 – 42 victory in the second basketball Civil War of the season Saturday afternoon in Corvallis. Omari Johnson had 16 of his season high 18 points in the first half for the Beavers who swept the season-series with the Ducks for the first time in 17 years.

For the women, the Oregon Ducks completed their sweep of Oregon State with an 82 – 62 win Saturday night in Eugene. Taylor Lilley scored 23 points for Oregon. Haiden Palmer led Oregon State with 25 points and 11 rebounds. The Beavers have lost ten straight since winning against Washington State on New Year’s Day.

Prep Basketball:
The North Bend Bulldogs dominated the Siuslaw Viking Boys at home Friday night with a 46 -20 victory… in other Far West League games it was Brookings-Harbor over Douglas and Sutherlin defeated South Umpqua. In the Sunset League Coquille downed Reedsport 61 - 51

For the girls, North Bend downed Siuslaw 57-27. In other Far West matchups it was Douglas over Brookings-Harbor and Sutherlin defeated South Umpqua. In the Sunset League, Coquille defeated Reedsport 56 – 26.

Siuslaw Awards a week away; School board fills vacancy; North Bend and Coquille Tribe settle

Curb Appeal added to business awards…

The third annual Siuslaw Awards banquet is a week away…
205 – “This is my favorite event of the year. This is when we all get together and celebrate excellence not only in local business, but also in local individuals and volunteerism in our community.”

Kady Sneddon is the Executive Director of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce. She and other key volunteers have been putting together this year’s ceremonies that include the presentation of awards for Florence First Citizen, Future First Citizen and group award categories. A new one this year, “Curb Appeal”.
206 – “A point we’ve been trying to drive home with our business owners this year which is to really get out and improve your space. Because the small door to your business is the big door to our community.”

Five nominees for that award include Black Diamond Flooring, Chen’s Family Dish, Florence Pharmacy, The Little Brown Hen Café, and the River House Inn. Capping the awards next week will be the Stu Johnston Business of the Year. Seven nominees are up for that honor. Tickets are $25 in advance and are available at the Visitor Information Center on Highway 101.

The Siuslaw School Board selected Michelle Rose to fill a vacancy on the panel created last fall by the death of Nancy Phelps. Rose will serve the remaining 17 months of the term that expires in June of 2011.
210 – “I think that there’s just a great team of people on there right now that I have a great deal of respect for. And, I’d like to work with them as a unit… and, you know, it’s just a positive place right now but I think there’s just areas where we can improve upon.”

Rose was one of four applicants interviewed for the position. The board met Wednesday in a special meeting to make the selection.

A dispute between the City of North Bend and the Coquille (ko-QUILL) Indian Tribe was resolved this week. U.S. District Court Judge Michael Hogan mediated an agreement that will govern the fees paid by the tribe to the city for fire, police, and other city services supplied to the tribe’s Mill Casino and surrounding property. The city sued last fall after the tribe stopped making payments under an agreement forged in 1995. Under the new ten-year deal the fees will start with a first year payment of $362-thousand and then increase by five-and-a-half percent each year. The tribe also agreed to pay $275-thousand for services already received in 2009. However, the Mill Casino and Hotel will no longer make payments in lieu of room taxes.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say a 49-year-old
log truck driver and his small dog died when their loaded log truck
crashed on State Highway 126 East about five miles east of Vida.
Lt. Robert Edwards says the log truck driven by Jimmy Ray Martin of
Cottage Grove drove off the highway shoulder on a curve and hit a
steep embankment yesterday.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Environmentalists and health care providers
say Oregon should ban a common industrial chemical from baby
bottles, formula cans and infant "sippy cups." The chemical is
bisphenol A (BIS'-fen-all AY), used in rigid plastics and the
liners of food and drink cans. Supporters of the ban say the
chemical is a hormone disrupter linked to various health problems.

SEATTLE (AP) - A person with knowledge of the negotiations tells
The Associated Press that the Mariners and left-hander Erik Bedard
are nearing a deal on a one-year contract, pending a physical. The
source spoke yesterday on condition of anonymity since Seattle
hasn't announced a deal. Bedard had surgery in August to repair a
torn labrum in his pitching shoulder.

JUNCTION CITY, Ore. (AP) - It took less than an hour to auction
$2.58 million worth of Country Coach motor homes that were the
highlight of a marathon liquidation sale. The high-end RV manufacturer founded 37 years ago in Junction City has gone out of business and its assets are being sold to satisfy creditors under order of a bankruptcy judge. The crowd was standing room only on Thursday, the first day of a
two-day auction. About 1,000 people registered as bidders and 300
more signed up to bid online.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A deal with federal officials is moving
ahead to deport Oregon prison inmates who are in the United States
illegally. It would apply to inmates with less than six months left
on their sentences. The state hopes to save more than $2 million by
sending the inmates back to their home country - usually Mexico.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - LaMarcus Aldridge had 28 points and 13
rebounds and the Portland Trail Blazers rallied for a 96-93 victory
over the San Antonio Spurs last night. The Spurs led by 10 points
early in the fourth quarter but the Blazers made it 85-83 on
Nicolas Batum's layup. With the victory, Portland swept the
three-game series over San Antonio this season.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The state Senate voted yesterday to override
two vetoes by Gov. Ted Kulongoski. The bills vetoed last summer
deal with fisheries and public retirement employee benefits. The
Oregonian reports the state House must vote to complete the veto
overrides. The fisheries bill involved the possibility of acquiring
a trout farm in Lake County. The employee benefits bill clarified
who pays in case retirement benefits are miscalculated.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Taking a look at Coast Radio Sports:

Prep Wrestling:
The defending Far West League Wrestling Champion Lancers of South Umpqua may have come away with a victory over the Siuslaw Vikings last night to close out the league season, but Siuslaw came away with several impressive victories themselves. Winning in the light weights were Blake Huff at 112 and Jacob Graber at 130. Kwartel Hendrickson claimed a mid weight victory at 171, Jackson Brasko a pin at 179, and Sunny Tupua claimed a pin at 215. South Umpqua claimed the meet 45 to 33.

On the schedule... Prep Basketball tonight has the Siuslaw Vikings at home against the North Bend Bulldogs. The girls at six, the boys right after. Airtime on Coast Radio Sports is at 5:45. In the Sunset League the Reedsport Braves will host Coquille. In the Pac-Ten it's Civil War basketball. The Oregon Ducks are at Gill Colliseum Saturday afternoon at three for the men. Pregame shows are at 2:30... the Oregon Broadcast is on KCST... the Beavers on KCFM.

Town Hall set for fire annexation info; President's call for offshore drilling draws fire; Florence-Yamagata delegation set for July

Fire Annexation Town Hall Set…

A joint meeting between the Florence City Council and the Siuslaw Rural Fire Board will give residents a chance to give input on a proposed annexation of the city into the fire district. Assistant City Manager Jacque Morgan says it will start with a look back.
200 – “The fire chief is going to explain some history of both fire departments and how we have evolved to where we are today.”

The district has been providing fire services on a contract basis for the past decade. A survey of city residents, gauging their support of a plan to do away with the contract and annex has been in process for about a month… Morgan says they hope to have the results prior to the meeting.
201 – “If there’s overwhelming support to go ahead and do that then the council will have to make a decision to adopt the resolution requesting annexation and then the fire board will have to adopt or accept our resolution. And that would be done on the 24th of February if they decide to do that.”

Voters inside the city would have to approve the annexation and officials are shooting for the May primary election… in order to do that, they must finish up the preliminary steps by the end of this month. That Town Hall meeting is set for the main fire station, seven pm, Wednesday February 17th.

President Obama called for some – quote – “tough decisions about opening new offshore areas for oil and gas development” last week during his State of the Union Address. That comment drew a response from Lincoln County Commissioner Terry Thompson.
202 – “"We have seen different places in the country where there’s been oil spills and pollution, and Oregon has spent years trying to develop a clean environment"

A long time ban on drilling in Oregon’s Territorial Waters expired at the end of 2009 and the Oregon Legislature is considering reestablishing it. Thompson says there are other types of jobs that would be more compatible with Oregon and he would support efforts to boost existing industries.
203 – "We’re looking for jobs – we need ‘em very bad on the West coast – but we have jobs in the fishing industry already. We don’t wanna lose any of our existing jobs, because just trading jobs does not make good sense."

Thompson cites widespread support for the ban and adds the only question right now is whether it should be permanent, or revisited after ten years.
(audio and story assistance provided by Oregon News Service)

The Florence-Yamagata cultural exchange is back on track. Last year was the first time in nine years that Florence did not send a delegation of students to the Japanese city. Organizer Frieda Doyle says air fares have stabilized and they’ve scheduled a group set to depart July 26th.
204 – “Eight students and right now only one adult. We’re looking for, we need another.”

Everyone making the trip is responsible for raising $700 of the estimated $2,500 price tag. The rest is done through fundraisers… one is set for this weekend. The group’s annual Crab Dinner will run from noon to four at the Booster Senior Center on 15th Street. Tickets are $15.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon voters may get another chance to say
how much they love their "kicker" tax rebates. They voted in 2000
to put the kicker in the state constitution. It returns money to
taxpayers when revenue collections exceed expectations by more than
2 percent. Democrats now want to give voters a chance to change
their minds and use some kicker money for reserve accounts,
available in hard times when tax collections plunge. Republican
leaders say they oppose such a change.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Multnomah County jury has convicted two
18-year-olds of disorderly conduct for a conversation on their
MySpace pages that discussed shooting and slashing staff and
students at a Gresham high school last November. Lawyers for Martin
Varsamas and Keith Nelson told jurors the conversation was dark
humor and constitutionally protected speech. Jurors found them
guilty yesterday. Varsamas and Nelson attended Sam Barlow High
School but did not graduate.

SHERWOOD, Ore. (AP) - A Sherwood city councilor who survived an
aggressive form of brain cancer 22 years ago is battling it again.
Del Clark is about to begin chemotherapy and radiation treatments
for his glioblastoma multiforme. The 40-year-old Clark has had
three surgeries in recent months to fight the brain tumor. He says
he's "great right now" despite some hard times. Doctors
discovered the brain cancer only after Clark underwent successful
surgery in October to fight colon cancer.

ST. HELENS, Ore. (AP) - Police have arrested a 27-year-old man
accused of exposing himself to women at a St. Helens launderette.
Ian Thomas Rushing of St. Helens was arrested Tuesday night and
booked into the Columbia County Jail for investigation of public
indecency and sexual abuse. Witnesses say a man exposed himself at
least three times in mid-January at the Royal Quick Clean and
Cascade Cleaners. The man grabbed a woman in one of the incidents,
but she was not injured.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) - The Klamath County sheriff's office
says the autopsy on a man who died in jail Monday indicates he
likely died of a drug overdose. A plastic baggie was found in the
stomach of 39-year-old James Emary of Eugene. KFLS reports that
officials believe he swallowed a bag of drugs Sunday before his
arrest. A full report on the death will likely take weeks.
(KFLS)

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Portland City Council votes this
afternoon on whether to spend about $600 million over the next 20
years on 650 miles of new bikeways. KGW reports it would triple
Portland's network of bike lanes and paths. If the plan is
approved, a committee will go to work looking for federal money and
other sources to pay for the new bikeways.
(KGW)

HALSEY, Ore. (AP) - A Hong Kong company, International Grand
Investment, has bought the Cascade Pacific Pulp mill near Halsey.
Cascade Pacific says the mill will continue to operate with current
management and its 170 employees. The mill produces 180,000 tons of
pulp a year for paper products and building materials. The
Register-Guard reports the pulp is shipped to customers in the
United States and Asia.
(Register Guard)

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Marion County Circuit Court Judge Lynn E.
Ashcroft resigned yesterday in a letter to the governor and supreme
court chief justice. Ashcroft told The Statesman Journal he was
resigning because of a Justice Department investigation into
allegations related to a woman who appeared before him in May of
2008. Ashcroft said he has done nothing wrong but he was told if he
resigned, no charges would be filed.
(Statesman Journal)

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
College Football:
Yesterday was the deadline for submitting national letters of intent in college football and the Oregon Ducks added a lake to their pond. Running Back Lache (lake) Seastrunk’s announcement was the highlight of the football recruiting class. The 5-11, 190 pound Seastrunk ran for a school record 4,217 yards in 32 games at his high school in Tyler, Texas. Oregon received letters from 20 high school players and three junior college transfers. Meanwhile, Oregon State didn’t have as many scholarships to offer, but they picked up confirmations from 16 players, including pro-styel quarterback Sean Mannion out of Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California.
On The Schedule:
The Vikings are on the road for their final dual wrestling meet of the Far West League season. Siuslaw squares off against the Lancers at South Umpqua in Myrtle Creek.

A different kind of stimulus; STEP to talk Marine Reserves; Gas at 2.62; and a vacancy on the Port

A different kind of stimulus?

A lot of the initial federal stimulus program last year went for ineffectual programs according to Oregon’s Fourth District Congressman.
215 – “I voted against it and I think we can do better.”

Springfield Democrat Peter DeFazio called many of the projects funded by last springs stimulus – quote – “fluff and pie in the sky”. He expressed disappointment that it relied heavily on providing tax cuts.
217 – “To borrow money to give people small tax cuts to buy goods made overseas is not going to help anybody unemployed get a job.”

DeFazio, who chairs the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, says there is a huge backlog of infrastructure improvements needed on the federal highway system. He hopes another stimulus bill, if one is produced, would address that.
216 – “If the money is borrowed, the money needs to be invested in things that are going to provide benefits. Not only today and put people to work today, but for future generations.”

The complete interview with DeFazio will air as part of this afternoon’s KCST’s Our Town. The program airs between four and six and will focus on the economy and jobs.


Recreational fishermen have a vested interest in marine reserves planned for off the coast of Oregon. Mike Herbel is on the government relations committee of the Coastal Conservation Association. He’s been monitoring the reserve process for several years. The CCA wants to preserve access for recreational fishers all public areas. Herbel, along with CCA Executive Director Bryan Irwin will talk to the local STEP group this evening when they meet at seven. That’s at the Florence Elks Lodge and it’s open to the public.

Gas prices are down for the third week in a row, but will that trend continue? Marie Dodds with Triple-A of Oregon says crude oil prices rebounded somewhat from their January slide. This week’s average price in Florence dipped by two-cents a gallon to $2.62… four cents below the national average and 15-cents less than Oregon’s statewide average price as measured by Triple-A. The Florence average continues to track considerably lower than the rest of the state. In Eugene the average price is $2.79, Portland $2.75, and in Medford it’s $2.80 a gallon on average.

Port of Siuslaw Commissioner Bob Thorp stepped down last month after serving on the panel since 2007. Applicants for the vacant position are currently being accepted at the Port of Siuslaw office. Registered voters who live in the Port District are eligible. The replacement would serve through June of this year. A two year position to fill out the remainder of Thorp’s term will be on the ballot in May.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon couple has been found guilty
of criminally negligent homicide for praying over their ill son
instead of seeking medical help. The jury returned the verdict
yesterday in the trial of Jeff and Marci Beagley, members of the
Followers of Christ Church in Oregon City. Jurors agreed the
Beagleys had a duty as parents to provide medical care for their
16-year-old son, Neil, who died in 2008 of complications from a
urinary tract blockage. Sentencing is set for Feb. 18.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) - A Eugene man jailed after a car chase
that ended when his vehicle burst into flames has died. Deputies at
the Klamath County Jail called an ambulance early Monday for
39-year-old James Emary when he seemed to be in medical distress.
He was pronounced dead at Sky Lakes Medical Center in Klamath
Falls. He'd been arrested Sunday. The sheriff's office tells
KVAL-TV that Emary was alone in a cell and there is no indication
of foul play. An autopsy is planned.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police have offered their first
full account of an officer's fatal shooting of Aaron Campbell,
saying the 25-year-old man failed to comply with orders to put his
hands in the air. Police confirm Campbell was unarmed at the time
of Friday's shooting. The Portland Police Bureau says Officer
Ronald Frashour fired one shot from his rifle because Campbell
reached toward the back waistband of his pants. The Oregonian
reports a grand jury is expected to review the case.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon Secretary of State audit shows
that no restitution was ordered in about half the crime victim
restitution cases it audited. Prosecutors told auditors they don't
have the resources needed to fully investigate losses to all
victims.

REDMOND, Wash. (AP) - The robber left a clue at a bank holdup in
Redmond. A note handed to the teller was written on the back of a
receipt for paying a traffic fine. The name on the receipt led
police to arrest Donovan J. Haskin on Friday, and he's now facing
robbery and drug charges.
(The Oregonian)

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Eugene City Manager Jon Ruiz warns that the
city must eliminate 30 to 40 jobs to help balance its budget. It's
the second year in a row the city has been faced with a shortfall.
The municipal government trimmed 41 jobs last year through early
retirements, job buyouts and leaving vacant positions unfilled.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) - Klamath County Sheriff Tim Evinger
had to be called in to resolve a dispute at the Klamath Tribes'
court. A judge was scheduled to hear a lawsuit filed by tribal
members who say they legally removed the tribes' current council in
November. But tribal officials say the contract for the tribes'
only judge has expired, so they reported her for trespassing when
she arrived. The sheriff held an hour-long mediation that ended
with the judge recusing herself from the case. Another tribal judge
will be sought.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
Prep Bowling…
The Siuslaw Viking Girls Bowling team will advance to the state finals after finishing second place in the District Four tournament over the weekend. Nikki and Jen Parry, along with Alyssa Anderson were named to the District All-Star team. D.J. Anderson was selected as the season MVP for the boys.

Prep Basketball:
The Mapleton Sailors moved into second place in the boys’ Mountain West League with a 57 – 51 overtime victory over the Crow Cougars. Kenny Smith had 19 points.

Booster Hall in bad shape; Habitat land swap confirmed; Legislature works on jobs; and a vacancy on the library board

Evidence mounts against saving Booster Hall…

When the Booster Seniors move out of their existing structure later this spring, they’ll leave behind a shell of a building on Airport Road that really doesn’t have much life left in it. That’s according to a report prepared and presented last night by Florence Public Works Director Mike Miller.
211– “The electrical systems need to be replaced. There’s no ifs ands or buts about that. We’re looking at a new roof structure, dry rot in the flooring, whether that’s insect damage or actually dry rot. The floor’s very soft and has waves in it.”

Miller presented his report to the Florence City Council, adding that when the move is made to the new building, several key items will be taken out of the existing kitchen and reused. Other public groups have expressed an interest in occupying the building. In anticipation of that, Miller compiled an estimate of what it might take to put it back into habitable condition… in excess of $150-thousand. That money would have to be paid from the city’s general fund. The council did not take any formal action last night, but will review the matter in the future.

The Florence City Council last night gave final approval to a land-swap that will transfer the deed to roughly three-quarters of an acre next to the current Booster Senior Center to Florence Habitat for Humanity. Habitat has nearly completed land preparations and street improvements to Keener Place where ten homes will ultimately be built. Councilor Sue Roberts praised the project and the swap.
210 – “This is just a win-win situation. I am hoping some day when we get some money as far as the other piece of property that it will be a beautiful open space park for the citizens of the city.”

In exchange for the Airport Road Parcel, the city will take title to a three-quarter acre tract just east of the Florence Justice Center.

State Lawmakers went back to work yesterday with their own agenda and have reservations about a plan released by Governor Ted Kulongoski to divert surplus tax revenue into a rainy-day fund and away from kicker rebates. Instead, Democrats who control both the house and the senate say one of their top priorities will be to extend unemployment benefits for the approximately 19-thousand Oregonians that have exhausted theirs. The kicker diversion plan would require a statewide vote, something legislators are hesitant to do so soon after voter approval of two tax measures last month.

The Siuslaw Public Library District is seeking applicants for a vacancy on their board of directors. Library Director Steve Skidmore said Charlie Kimball stepped down last month because of health concerns. The deadline for applying is Wednesday, February 10th. Remaining boardmembers will select someone to fill Kimball’s position through June of this year. A special election will be held in May for the remaining two years of his four-year term.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - State lawmakers have gone back to work
planning to get some help for the unemployed Oregonians who
themselves haven't been able to report to a job. Democrats who
control both chambers say one of their top priorities in a special
session that began yesterday is extending unemployment benefits.
About 18,600 Oregonians have either exhausted their unemployment
benefits or will soon, many after drawing checks for two years. The
proposal would use $19 million left over from a jobless bill last
year to extend benefits for six weeks.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Portland mother says she lost two sons
in one day: a 23-year-old who died of heart and kidney failure, and
a 25-year-old shot by police less than 12 hours later. Marva Davis
says her older son, Aaron Campbell, had been distraught over the
death last Friday of his brother, Timothy Douglass. Portland police
fatally shot Campbell on Friday evening in the parking lot of a
girlfriend's apartment after being called about a suicidal man with
a gun. Authorities say police fired only after Campbell behaved in
a threatening manner.

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Authorities say a 2 1/2-year-old boy in a
jogging stroller has died after being hit by a commercial truck
east of Corvallis. Oregon State Police identified the child as
Dylan Ayer. He was pronounced dead at the scene yesterday. Lt.
Gregg Hastings says the child's mother, Courtney Ayer of Tangent,
was pushing the stroller. She wasn't seriously hurt in the crash at
the intersection of Highway 99E and Old Highway 34.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - It's Day 2 of the four-week session of the
Legislature in Salem. A committee plans to take up a bill today to
increase access to loans from a state Business Development Fund. It
would cover the gap between the time businesses get orders and the
time they get paid for them.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - State Sen. Mark Hass of Beaverton is pushing
a bill that would prevent stores from offering customers plastic
bags at checkout counters. Hass says plastic bags contribute to
litter and harm marine life. The Oregonian reports paper bags would
remain legal.
(The Oregonian)

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) - The jury in the faith healing trial of
an Oregon City couple is beginning a second day of deliberation.
Jeff and Marci Beagley are charged with criminally negligent
homicide in the death of their 16-year-old son. Prosecutors say
they had a duty to provide medical care. Defense lawyers say the
teenager had symptoms like a cold, and the Beagleys were watching
him.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Five Oregon Air National Guard members are
taking a commercial flight from Portland today to Haiti. The
members of the 123rd Weather Flight will spend about three months
supporting operations at Port-au-Prince Airport as the earthquake
relief work continues.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police say the suicidal man shot
to death by an officer Friday had a criminal history that included
resisting arrest and weapons charges. Police say 25-year-old Aaron
Marcell Campbell of Portland had been shot with beanbags and was
still refusing to cooperate with police when he was killed by a
rifle shot. The officer thought he was a threat.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
Athlete of the Week:
Siuslaw basketball standout Eric Tipler is Coast Radio Sports’ Athlete of the week. The Viking Senior scored 46 points in two games last week, including 30 points to pace Siuslaw to its first Far West League victory of the season against Douglas….Honorable Mention to Mapleton Sailor Chad Walker, who scored 21 points in the Sailors victory Friday night over Oak Hill.
On The Schedule:
The Reedsport Braves are on the road to Glide for Sunset Conference boys and girls double header against the Wildcats…In the Mountain West League Mapleton host the Crow Cougars in a double header beginning with the girls at 5:30, the boys follow in the night cap. Siuslaw has the night off.