Logging protest ends in arrests; Single payer health care and Oregon Country fair topic of Community Forum; Bikers, skaters and sister cities...

Police make two dozen arrests in logging blockade…

More than 50 Oregon State Troopers and Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputies moved in on an illegal blockade southeast of Reedsport yesterday morning. Protesters with Earth First! And Cascadia Rising Tide were protesting logging on 79-acres of 100-year old second growth timber in the Elliot State Forest. Protesters had barricaded the road into the Umpcoos Ridge number 2 sale, keeping fallers out of the site and officials notified them Tuesday that they were breaking the law. More than four dozen officers arrived yesterday and about half of the 50-or-so protesters left the scene voluntarily. Police arrested 23 by last night, taking them to the Douglas County Jail in Roseburg. It was estimated that eight more protesters were hiding in trees or had chained themselves to the barricade. A spokesperson for Cascadia Rising Tide said they would give up their protest if Roseburg Forest Products would sell the timber back to the state. Proceeds from the initial sale to Roseburg go to the State School Fund.

She describes herself as an agitator first, a musician second. Anne Feeney is in the middle of the ‘Sing Out for Single Payer Road Show’ with fellow musician Jason Luckett. They’ll appear at this weekend’s Oregon Country Fair in Veneta, as well as tonight at the Florence Events Center. Before that, they duo will be on KCST’s Community Forum to talk about their thoughts on health-care reform. Also on the show this afternoon will be Charlie Ruff, the Oregon Country Fair Operations Manager. That program on 106.9 FM airs at 4:05 pm.

For the next six months, an experiment will be taking place… can bicyclists and skaters coexist on the skate park at Miller Park.
210 -"Since it was built, bicycles haven't been allowed at the skate park. It's been basically inline skates and skate boards only."

Florence City Manager Bob Willoughby says the decision, made by the Florence City Council Monday evening, was at the request of the Parks and Recreation Committee who in turn were hearing from the users of the park.
211 -- "The parks committee based on a lot of input they had from the community wants to try seeing if they can share the park. As long as the bicycles are appropriately appointed so they won't damage the facility."

Bicycles that used the skate park must not have exposed metal 'pegs' and handlebars and pedals must have flexible protective coatings to protect the skate park surface.

The Dunes City Council is expected to formalize a relationship with the community of Dunes, France this evening. A resolution declaring the two cities as Sister Cities is on the agenda. Tonight’s Dunes City… Oregon.. council meeting starts at seven pm.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

American Legion Baseball:

The Three Rivers Sandblasters fell to the Withnell Dodgers 12-1 in a ‘ten-run’ shortened game that went seven innings last night. Travis Iverson pitched five innings, giving up 12 runs on 12 hits for the loss.

Northwest League Baseball:

The Boise Hawks stopped the Eugene Emeralds, coming from behind last night for a 6-3 win in Boise. The Emeralds had several chances to put the game away, stranding 12 base-runners, including leaving the bases loaded in both the sixth and eighth innings. Dionis Nunez pitched two scoreless innings for the win, Danny Keefe earned his first professional save, throwing the final four outs for Boise. Ems starter Chris Fetter allowed two runs in five innings of work, Mauricio Tabachnik was tagged with the loss. Eugene will open up a five game home stand tonight at Civic against the Spokane Indians.