Commissioner says no for now; Chowder Blues and Brews coming up; Dunes City uses federal funds; Winter Folk Crafters sought

Commissioner says no for now…

West Lane County Commissioner Bill Fleenor wouldn’t directly answer questions about whether or not he might change his mind, but he did leave the door open for reconsideration of his previous announcement that he would not be seeking reelection next spring.
200 – “Well I think again we need to take a look at whether there is sufficient grass roots ground swell to support a candidate who refuses to go out and basically raise big money from special interests in order to win this election.”

His main reason for not filing, he says, is that the work load of being a commissioner would keep him from running an effective campaign.
201 – “I’m in a position right now where I’m working 50 or 60 hours a week and I simply do not have time to do the job and also raise big money.”

So far one candidate has opted to file for the position, Anselmo Gary Villanueva of Eugene. There is plenty of time for Fleenor to reconsider however. The deadline to make the May 18th primary ballot is March 19th.

Local favorite, The Kush Band will anchor the opening night of the October 9th and 10th Chowder Blues and Brews Festival at the Florence Events Center. Organizers say the festival, which was moved to October this year, will retain many of the same features of past festivals such as the popular Oregon Coast Chowder Cookoff. The Ty Curtis Band, the “Best New Act in 2008” as named by the Oregon based Cascade Blues Association, will headline Saturday’s music. A half dozen Oregon Microbrews will be on tap, including local favorite, Wakonda.

Several miles of streets and roads in Dunes City received a makeover this past week. Just under half of the $204-thousand price tag was provided by federal economic stimulus funding. Dunes City Councilor Rob Quandt said all of the roads received a 'slurry seal' that will prolong the overall life of the surface, but many also received patches. The work had been planned since last spring, but when the federal funding became available, Quandt said they were eager to accept it.

Planning for the eighth annual Florence Winter Folk Festival, set for January 23 and 24 at the Florence Events Center is well under way. The deadline for craft vendors to apply for one of the 32 available booths is coming up this Friday. All entries will be juried and craft artisans who can demonstrate their abilities will be given special consideration.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Athlete of the Week:
Siuslaw Cross Country standout Samantha Pummer is Coast Radio Sports Athlete of the Week. The junior distance runner paced the Vikings to a second place team finish at the 17th annual Northwest Cross Country Classic in Eugene, finishing fourth place overall with a time of 19:47. Honorable mention is given to second year runner Linda Paredes who finished 11th overall at the same meet with a personal best time of 20:26.

On The Schedule:
Viking Volleyball is on the road to Sutherlin for a Far West League meet against the Bulldogs. Reedsport is at home against Bandon in the Sunset League.