News for Tuesday, May 26th

School officials and community members handed out about three-quarters of a million dollars in scholarships and grant funding last week… the recipients, 36 students, all members of the Siuslaw High School class of 2009.
200 – “About $171,000 was from the community of Florence itself through various community organizations.”

Counselor Cheryl Matthews said she’s worked in much larger communities and…
201 – “Honestly this is the most giving community that I’ve ever, ever seen. I’ve never seen so much generosity, so much concern for our young people.”

Matthews says the level of community caring does have an impact.
202 – “Several of these students would not be attending college without, without this scholarship help.”

Graduation ceremonies for Siuslaw are set for Friday night at eight PM… Mapleton ceremonies will be held a week later.

The crowd spilled over onto Bay Street yesterday morning for a pair of ceremonies at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Old Town. At 11 o’clock a Memorial Service including the ‘laying of wreathes on the water’ was held, then at noon, the dedication and unveiling of the memorial wall.

Florence Planning Commissioners will continue their hearing tonight on a proposal to build up to 120-homes on 37 acres on a parcel of land south of Ocean Dunes Golf Links. Dozens of residents packed the hearing room May 12th when the proposal was first heard. The major concern voiced was that of access. Neighbors want it somewhere else than through the existing Willow Dunes Subdivision. Many people said that would bring too much congestion and traffic. Backers are seeking preliminary approval and must also gain final approval of each phase as it’s submitted. It’s expected to take up to ten years to complete.

Tomorrow will be the fourth ‘Need for Speed’ shopping cart derby to benefit Florence Food Share. Individual donors are sponsoring carts at Grocery Outlet valued at up to $150 each… with matching funds provided by proceeds from the Taylor Graham Read for the Need Book Sale. Each sponsor is given a specific list of grocery items that will go into their cart. Once that’s filled, they’ll do the same for a second cart and then race both carts the one-block to Florence Food Share. In the first three years of the event, community members bought more than 38-thousand pounds of food to fee the area hungry. Events begin at 9 AM tomorrow with the first round of grocery cart races getting off at 9:45.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Athlete of the Week:

Viking Track and Field Standout, Raelyn Robinson is Coast Radio Sports’ Athlete of the Week. The Siuslaw sophomore bettered her previous school record in the 1500 meter with a time of 4:48.51 to finish in second place at the OSAA 4A state meet at Hayward Field in Eugene. Robinson also finished fifth in the 800 meter and was a member of the Viking 4x400 relay team that came in eighth. Honorable mention goes to her fellow middle and long distance runner Samantha Pummer who finished second in the girls’ 3,000 meter and eighth in the 1500.

College Baseball:

The Oregon State baseball team earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament and will play Texas A&M in the first round. The No. 3-seeded Beavers will face the No. 2 Aggies on Friday in one of two first-round regional games at Fort Worth, Texas. The host school is top-seeded Texas Christian, which will meet No. 4 Wright State. The Beavers missed the postseason last year after winning back-to-back College World Series championships. The regional berth is the 10th in Oregon State history, and its fourth in the last five years.