City and HWD talks back on track; Vet's Parade rain or shine; Garbage rates on the rise.

City and Water District back on track…

Relations between the City of Florence and the Heceta Water District appear to be on the mend. Heceta Water Commission Chair Bob Hursh says the two sides met earlier this week to resume discussions on a possible inter-governmental agreement.
210 – “In effect we wiped the slate clean. I think we put all the misinformation aside, all the mistrust and all the minutia and I honestly believe that we came to a meeting of the minds and that we’re going to get this IGA done here as soon as possible.”

The intention of the agreement would be to allow the water district to continue serving existing and future customers in areas that might be annexed into the city as it grows into the Urban Growth Boundary. Hursh has said a continued loss of their customer base could harm the district. City officials say they want assurances the district can accommodate expected demands in those areas.

This year’s Veteran’s Parade is set for tomorrow at one o’clock. There’s been some concern about the weather, but parade committee chair Cal Applebee says he and other organizers aren’t worried.
209 – “Absolutely, we will go on rain or shine. If you’ll recall last year we had a lot of wind and a lot of rain and we still did the parade last year and so it won’t be any different than last year.”

Parade entries will begin forming on Quince Street near the Florence Events Center at noon. At one, led by local Coast Guardsmen, the parade will head down Highway 101 from sixth to Nopal; through Old Town and end up at the Veteran’s Memorial Park on the West End of Bay Street.

Florence residents are likely to see an increase of up to 4 ½ percent in the garbage rates under a proposal that is currently being considered by the city’s Environmental Management Advisory Committee. That body heard testimony on the proposal yesterday afternoon and will forward their recommendation to the City Council for final action. Florence regulates minimum and maximum prices that can be charged by the city’s two garbage haulers. The most recent increase was granted in 2008. The current hike is blamed on a combination of higher prices to dump garbage at Lane County as well as an increase in the Portland Consumer Price Index.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Prep Cross Country:

Both Siuslaw Teams, boys and girls, are the favorites in tomorrow’s OSAA 4A state meet at LCC in Eugene. The girls seeking their sixth straight state title and the boys looking for their first championship since 2004 according to coach Chris Johnson.
211 – “On the girls side I don’t know if I can call us the favorite you know. The boys I think, maybe have a little bit better odds to win. But yeah, that’s what we’re going to try to do.”

The girls race begins at 11:25; the boys at noon.

Prep Volleyball:

The Mapleton Sailors will be in Portland tomorrow for the second round of the OSAA 1A playoffs against Columbia Christian. The Siuslaw Vikings will face Valco League Champs Newport at Six in Newport.

Prep Football:

Second place in the Far West League is on the line tonight when the Siuslaw Vikings Host the Sutherlin Bulldogs. The winner gets a bye in the playoffs and then faces the second place team out of the Skyline League in two weeks. Third place and a road trip to Banks next week awaits the loser. The Pregame show airs on Coast Radio Sports at 6:45. In the Sunset League, Reedsport faces Gold Beach at home. And, in the Mountain West the Mapleton sailors wrap up at home against the McKenzie Eagles… all games kick off at seven.

College Football:

Oregon is looking to remain undefeated in the Pac Ten on the farm tomorrow against the Stanford Cardinal… airtime on KCST is at 11:30 with the kickoff at 12:30. Over in Strawberry Canyon the Beavers take on the Cal Bears at four… the pregame show on KCFM is set for three.