BCC does turnaround on jail beds; Ternyik to be honored at Capitol, Oregon Supreme Court supports PACT

PACT will get their day in court…

A group of Florence area residents will have their day in court. The Oregon Supreme Court released a ruling this morning that members of an anti-casino group, People Against a Casino Town, also known as PACT, can present arguments in Lane County Circuit Court supporting their belief that an agreement between the State of Oregon and the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians violates an Oregon Constitutional provision banning casino gambling. The decision could have major ramifications for the casino gaming industry in Oregon. Former Governor John Kitzhaber signed the initial compact allowing the Three Rivers Casino shortly before leaving office in 2003, an agreement that was later revised and updated by his successor, Governor Kulongoski.

Board of County Commissioners approve jail beds in turnaround

The final adoption won’t come until next week, but the Lane County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously yesterday to allocate more money for public safety and approved funding for an additional 84-jail beds. Commission Chair Peter Sorenson said the approval was due to several factors including community input. The County Commission has been under pressure to release some of the $3.2-million in federal revenue they set aside this year. That pressure came from county residents, other government representatives and even members of Oregon’s congressional delegation. U.S. Senator Ron Wyden praised the decision to add back the jail beds, saying it would help keep violent criminals off the streets. Wyden added that he and Representative Peter DeFazio will now be able to tell their colleagues in Washington DC that the second largest recipient of county payments funding is spending that money in the way it was intended. The board of commissioners will take final action on the budget next Wednesday.

Most of the people that have seen the bronze sculpture on display this week in the galleria of the State Capitol have no idea who the man in the moose-skin jacket with the tomahawk is. Many of his neighbors recognize him as Florence resident Wilbur Ternyik. According to Onno Husing with the Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association the former Florence Mayor and Port of Siuslaw Commissioner played a largely unheralded role in the development of Oregon’s land-use planning system.
200 – “If Wilbur hadn’t done what he had done, and if the OCC&DC had really bogged down and not been able to make progress in 1971 and 1972, there would have been no Senate Bill 100 in 1973 which created Oregon’s Land Use Planning System.”

Husing said Ternyik worked tirelessly to organize the old Oregon Coastal Conservation and Development Commission. The Chair of Oregon’s Coastal Caucus, Senator Betsy Johnson will be joined by other legislative leaders during a 1:30 ceremony at the Capitol building. Husing says the plan is for Ternyik to also be introduced on the floor of the Oregon House of Representatives.

The Lane County Veteran Services office is on the move… Lane County public information office Amber Fossen says they’ll remain in the Charnelton Place Building in downtown Eugene, but as of this afternoon they’ll be one floor higher than yesterday. Fossen says it’s a temporary move, expected to last about a year, as renovations to their permanent space are completed. She also said the office’s phone number will not change.

A discussion on the power issues in the northwest, along the Oregon Coast and in the Florence area in particular will be on the program today during the noon meeting of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce. Central Lincoln PUD’s Mike Sleight is the featured speaker. He’ll talk about how electrical usage is determined and billed. Sleight will also talk about rebates and incentives aimed at helping reduce electrical consumption. The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce Noon Forum at Three Rivers Casino is open to the public.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The wheels came off early last night… The Withnell Dodgers jumped to an early 12-nothing lead, but the Three Rivers Sandblasters seemed to be poised for a comeback. The ‘Blasters mounted a five run rally in the fourth inning, but Withnell came back with nine unanswered runs and cruised to an eventual 21-5 victory at Jiggs Dodson Field. Kyle Davis was tagged with the loss after being driven from the mound in the third inning. J-R Phillips earned the win, pitching the complete seven innings for Withnell.

The Sandblasters have the night off. They’ll be back on the diamond tomorrow at Hamlin Middle School in Springfield against the Titans.