Mapleton Students settle into 4-day routine; Siuslaw River Bridge facing intermittent closures; Biondi no longer singing the blues;

Mapleton students continuing four-day-a-week routine…

All over Oregon this week, students headed back to classrooms with high expectations. Teachers and administrators such as Mapleton Superintendent Kyle Tucker shared those same feelings. Tucker commented Tuesday afternoon:
210 – “Start of today was no different than what the start has been over the past few years. It was a great start and that’s a credit to the staff and the students.”

One change at Mapleton School District this fall was actually instituted last spring. That’s when they made the move to a four-day school week as a money saving measure. Tucker said he didn’t see any additional challenges as they begin the first full year of that routine.
211 – “Just as you enter into any school year it’s just the joy of having the kids back and seeing the transition as we head to the four day school week and I think that it will work out well for the kids and the community and I think that it will be just another great school year.”

Administrators all over Oregon are hoping that they can focus more on education this year and less on having to make last minute budget changes. Tucker said the economic recovery would be a key factor.

The Siuslaw River Bridge on Highway 101 will be subject to intermittent closures over a four-night period later this month. It’s part of a $5.3-million, 15-month modernization project. Beginning Monday night, September 21st at 11 PM, traffic will be halted for two hour stretches overnight with full access restored by 5 AM. The closure will facilitate work on the ends of the two draw-spans… work that can only be done by opening them slightly. Emergency crews will be stationed in the Glenada area, south of Florence, on standby during the closures.

While he will no doubt be playing the blues Paul Biondi is no longer singing them. That’s because two saxophones and a flute that he has used throughout his lengthy musical career have been returned. A rare 1928 curved silver soprano sax, a German flute and a straight B-flat soprano saxophone were stolen from his car in Springfield last week. After putting the word out on the street that he would pay a $1,000 reward for their return a stranger brought them to his door. Biondi said the instruments sustained some damage during their absence, but getting them back was “like a fairy tale”. Biondi will join the closing act, The KUSH Band, in Sunday’s Concert by the Lake at East Woahink Day Use Area south of Florence… The free concert runs from 11 to 3:30 Sunday afternoon and is a benefit for Quality Child Care of Florence.

This afternoon’s KCST Community Forum on 106.9 FM will preview the Siuslaw Valley Safety Fair coming up this Saturday. Saturday’s fair at the Middle School on Oak Street will feature live fire demonstrations, the Eugene Bomb Squad and five emergency helicopters. Siuslaw Valley Fire Marshall Sean Barrett, Volunteer Outreach Education Coordinator Jean Busby and Western Lane Ambulance Paramedic John Carnahan will be on hand for this afternoon’s program that airs beginning at 4:05.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Northwest League Baseball:
The Salem Keizer Volcanoes took a two-games-to-one edge in the league championship series last night with a seven run shutout over the Tri City Dust Devils in Keizer. Game four of the series is set for tonight in Marion County.

On The Schedule:
There will be lots of action on the volleyball court tonight… Siuslaw opens up their season with a nonleague match in Coos Bay against the Marshfield Pirates. Mapleton will host the Crow Cougars for a Mountain West League Matchup, and the Reedsport Braves will see non-league action at home against the Waldport Irish.