Florence Housing Market still low; Lane County opens 84 jail beds; Dunes City expands hours

Area Housing Market still lagging…

Housing sales improved in the second quarter of this year, but are still well below what they were last year at this time. Tawfik Ahdab (tah-FEEK ah-DAWB), a certified property appraiser with the Pacific Valuation Group, released sales figures for the Florence market this week. The report shows sales increased from a low of 32 closings in the first quarter of this year to 39 homes in the second quarter. That puts housing sales on track for 142 units this year, still well below last year’s – quote – “pathetic” sales figures of 214 according to Ahdab. The increase in the second quarter may be a bright spot, he says, but adds that there is still “little evidence of a reversal of the continuing contraction” of the local real estate market. The appraiser says most of the sales are focused in the lower end of the market with a median sale price of just under $180-thousand. He concluded by saying the silver lining in the current real estate market is that purchasers who are able to buy are responding to what he calls ‘excellent deals’ in the local market.

Office hours at Dunes City Hall have been available for only nine hours each week in recent months, but that changed last week.
202 – “The new office hours are going to be Monday through Thursday from ten to four o’clock.”

Dunes City Recorder Amy Graham says that stretches the available time to 24 hours. Part of the extension of service is because even during ‘off’ hours, staff was willing to help out when they could.
202 – “Anytime if, even if our doors were closed and we saw somebody at the front door we would run out and open the door and, you know, offer assistance. We just figured it would make it a lot easier for them to just walk through the door.”

Staff members, none of whom have been on the job more than a year, are also becoming more efficient as they settle into their routine.

An additional 84 beds at the Lane County Jail will be opening by the end of this month, but that still means dozens of potentially violent criminals will be released early. The additional beds will allow the Sheriff’s Department to hold on to only about 70-percent of the inmates that might be expected to commit a violent crime within two years of an early release. Sheriff Russ Burger says that other 30-percent should still be in custody.

About a thousand gallons of raw sewage spilled onto Nye Beach in Newport after a pump failed during a power outage over the weekend. Newport City Manager Jim Voetberg said a backup generator kicked in, but stopped after the pump became clogged with debris. City staff cleaned the beach and posted public notifications.

A 28-year-old Eugene man who pleaded guilty to identity theft crimes that involved the names of more than 100 individuals or businesses has been sentenced to 16 years in prison. Lane County Circuit Judge Eveleen Henry told Jason Lennon Bell yesterday she found his victim count – quote – “breathtaking”. Bell pleaded guilty last month to 17 felonies in which he used the names of 107 people or businesses. He had been charged with 50 other identity theft-related felonies, but those were dismissed as part of his plea agreement. Detectives estimated Bell victimized hundreds of
other people as well.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Northwest League Baseball:

A two-out error in the sixth inning allowed the Boise Hawks to put three unearned runs on the board, then a two-run triple in the seventh put them ahead for good as Boise beat Eugene 5-4 yesterday. The loss was the second straight for the Emeralds who lost by one run the night before on a tenth inning error. The two teams meet again for game four of their five game series in Idaho.

Also on the schedule today, the Three Rivers Sandblasters host the Corvallis Richey’s at 1:30…. The Richey’s are in second place in league play, two games ahead of the third place ‘Blasters.