School board discusses options, Mapleton grads set for tomorrow; rail tunnel renovations sought; and Kilroy was here!

School Board discusses possible restorations...

School board members sat down this morning in a special meeting to discuss their options for possibly returning even more teachers to classrooms next year than initially planned. The current administration proposal, using added voter approved funding and early retirements, is to add back ten of 18 jobs initially targeted for elimination. No formal decisions were made, but based on the discussion there is a possibility that two more teachers, and possibly as many as four, could be restored. Board members talked about how they would pay for those positions in light of a shortfall that is still three-quarters of a million dollars, even with voter approval of a special operating levy. One proposal being considered by the teacher’s union today… the board has asked them to forego their ‘cost of living’ increases set to take effect July First. That would free up enough money for two of those jobs.

Plus, there are still many unknowns in the process. The legislature has yet to approve final funding at the state level leaving some items up the air. District Financial Director Derek Smith also expressed concerns about the board possibly reducing the amount of ‘set aside’ to fund PERS (PURRZ) contributions for the coming year.

The board will meet Wednesday night in a regular session to consider taking final action on the budget.

The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay is seeking bids on repair and renovation work to tunnels along the 110-mile long rail line between Coquille and the Willamette Valley. Work is expected to take five to six months to complete, but officials say, additional right-of-way work will be required to reopen the line that has been closed since September 2007. The line was acquired earlier this year from Central Oregon and Pacific Railway.

Henry David Thoreau said “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams, live the life you have imagined”. That’s the motto for the class of 2009 at Mapleton High School. Their commencement exercises are set for two pm tomorrow. Valedictorian is Tessa Spurk; Salutatorian will be Anna Sherrett and the class has invited school counselor Ryan Chambers as the special guest speaker. Nine graduating seniors are set to get their diplomas.

When Allied soldiers and Marines battled their way across the beaches of Normandy 65 years ago, it marked the beginning of the final year of struggle to end World War Two. In that final year, often times soldiers would discover that someone ahead of them had inscribed the words “Kilroy was here” on a wall, a vehicle or some other surface. Backers of the proposed Oregon Coast Military Heritage Museum have adopted the practice as a way to raise money for their facility and so far it’s paid off to the tune of about $5-thousand. More than 200-people have joined the “Kilroy Corps” an advance fund-raising effort. In all donations for the museum have reached $27-thousand in value.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The Three Rivers Sandblasters return to the diamond beginning this weekend for a pair of exhibition games against their ‘single-A’ sister team in North Bend. Saturday they’ll play at Siuslaw High School, Sunday at Clyde Allen Field in North Bend… both games are at 3:00 and Sunday’s game will air on Coast Radio Sports. The ‘Blasters will have a new skipper when they hit the field. Ben Johnson coached at the high school level for 11 seasons, including at Eugene’s Sheldon High School from 1999 to 2004. This past season he was an assistant at Salem’s Willamette University. Johnson said the early part of the season at the Triple-A American Legion level can be challenging.
201 – “Well I mean it’s hard to say at this point because we’ve had a hard time getting everybody from all the different areas. I mean I don’t even know what my team is yet at this point. I’m just looking forward at trying to get the season started and hopefully getting these guys headed in the right direction.”

Johnson will have a week to solidify his lineup… the Sandblasters' first league game will be June 15th.

The 27th annual Elliott Fun Bass Tournament is this weekend on Siltcoos Lake. Competitors will have tomorrow from six am to five pm, and then Sunday from six to eleven to capture their elusive quarry. All fish will be released following judging. The tournament headquarters are at Ada Resort and proceeds from the tourney and an accompanying raffle all benefit the Florence-Siuslaw Lions scholarship funds.