Some spots bright, but 2009 mostly a glum year in Oregon…
As years go, Oregon’s 2009 was bleak. An Associated Press year-end survey found the news focused on the economy with an unemployment rate among the highest in the nation, foreclosures, bankruptcies and the misery that followed. That includes homelessness and great demand for relief such as food stamps. The year also saw brutality. A mother forced her two-children off a Portland bridge, although one amazingly survived. In Hillsboro, a woman was accused of murdering a pregnant woman by cutting her baby from her womb. And, near the year’s end, three climbers died on Mount Hood and a series of Christmas crashes on highways in Coos and Douglas Counties killed three people. The bright spots? The Oregon Ducks are going to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1995 and the Portland Trailblazers made the playoffs earlier this year for the first time since 2003. An Oregonian, Jane Lubchenco, was named to run the agency in charge of the weather service and marine fisheries.
First he says he won’t, then he says he will, then he says he won’t again. Bill Fleenor announced last week that he will not, after all, seek reelection to the Lane County Commission. In a letter to supporters he said despite his “better judgment” to not run, he opted to enter the race because of the support of others. He’s now withdrawn from the race again. Fleenor did not elaborate, but said he’s now faced with the same set of circumstances that shaped his “original decision to not run for re-election”. There are currently three candidates officially in the race, all with ties to Lane Community College. Professor Anselmo Villaneuva; current LCC Board member Tony McCown; and former board chair Jay Bozeivich. The official deadline for enter the race is in March; the primary election is May 18th.
By this time in two weeks seven just won’t be enough. Beginning January Tenth Oregonians who live in the 541 area code must dial an extra three digits for local calls. Actually ten-digit dialing began July 12th, but it’s been optional for the past six months. The reason for the change is because an additional area code… 458… is being added to the same territory. Bob Valdez with the Oregon Public Utility Commission says it may take some time before the new code begins showing up because phone companies will first use up the remaining 541 numbers available.
Siuslaw Valley Firefighters will do their annual Christmas Tree pickup over the next two weekends. Crews will be out Saturday January second and then again on the ninth. There’s a $5 voluntary donation. Call 997-3212 during business hours to schedule a pickup.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
BEND, Ore. (AP) - The owners of a Bend-based helicopter flight
school have been indicted for allegedly defrauding banks and
commercial lenders out of $19 million. The charges led the men to
shut down the school, leaving students hundreds of thousands of
dollars in debt and with no licenses.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An elderly Lebanon man is dead after
crashing his car into a downed tree on Oregon 211, near Estacada.
The Oregonian reports 81-year-old William Fredrick Walling died at
a hospital hours after the crash Saturday. State Police say a
portion of the downed tree went through Walling's windshield and
struck him in the face and neck.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Businesses in Lane County have received
award notices that may be a someone's scheme to get companies to
purchase plaques. The Eugene Register-Guard reports a letter from
the "US Commerce Association" says the businesses have been
selected for the "2009 Best of Eugene Award." The Eugene Area
Chamber of Commerce says it never had any contact with the group.
SANDY, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon man suspected of shooting his
mother to death on Christmas Day has been captured. Clackamas
County authorities say 41-year-old Michael Bighaus (BIG'-hahs) came
back to the home in Sandy yesterday as deputies were watching, and
he surrendered. Deputies haven't described a motive for the
shooting of 66-year-old Vivian Bighaus.
BEND, Ore. (AP) - A 58-year-old woman has been arrested on
drunken driving and other charges on Christmas after a wild pursuit
in Bend. Police say that at one point, they blocked the car on a
dead-end road, but it backed onto the hood of a patrol car and
drove off. Driver Lauren Wells, faces 48 driving, assault and other
charges. Police say she faced charges in April after a similar
incident.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The rebuilding of Oregon's state mental
hospital means welcome work for about 100 regional businesses
hammered by the economic downturn. The $280 million project will
replace Oregon's 126-year-old mental hospital, long criticized as
obsolete and understaffed.
PRINEVILLE, Ore. (AP) - Authorities say a Central Oregon man who
shot a cougar in his chicken pen killed it in self-defense. Crook
County deputies say Kevin Gotcher returned to his home near
Prineville Wednesday afternoon to see the cougar going after a
chicken. It had already killed two. Gotcher told deputies that when
he approached with his dog, the cougar turned toward them, and he
shot it.
COQUILLE, Ore. (AP) - A 60-year-old Coos Bay man has accepted a
plea deal in the death of his half brother. Nickolas L. Crooks
pleaded guilty to second-degree manslaughter. Kevin Nelson died May
30 from a gunshot wound to the chest. Medics declared him dead
outside a motor home.
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) - Three members of Oregon's congressional
delegation have sent a letter to the new chairman of the federal
Surface Transportation Board, asking him to quickly decide on
whether to let the Yreka Western Railroad Co. operate a 218-mile
rail line between Oregon and California. Shippers have petitioned
the board to allow Yreka Western to take over the line.
DEPOE BAY, Ore. (AP) - Trained volunteers will be at 24 sites
along the Oregon Coast to help visitors spot whales from 10 a.m. to
1 p.m. between Saturday and Jan. 1. Marine mammal experts estimate
that 18,000 gray whales and 1,100 humpback whales pass the Oregon
Coast at the peak of their migration south to the waters off the
Baja Peninsula.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Christmas Eve crash on Highway 20
between Corvallis and Albany left nine people injured, some
seriously. Oregon State Police Lt. Gregg Hastings says a westbound
Ford Taurus crossed the center of the road, striking the side of
eastbound Chrysler Cirrus before hitting another car head-on.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Fire officials say a burning ember from a
fireplace ignited a shake roof on a West Linn home and caused
$125,000 in damage. Firefighters say the homeowners had been
burning branches from their Christmas tree in the fireplace when
they discovered the fire in the attic.
SISTERS, Ore. (AP) - Conservation groups in Oregon and
Washington are hoping to take advantage of depressed land prices to
purchase forests to prevent them from being developed for
subdivisions and stores. But even though it's a good time to buy,
it's also a hard time to fundraise.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP - The University of Oregon is one of the
leaders in sales of licensed merchandise. The university has 333
trademark licenses for anything that features the university logo
to phrases such as "Go Ducks." And now that T-shirt printers are
gearing up for the Ducks' trip to the Rose Bowl, the university
stands to make some money on licensed merchandise.
(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
On the Schedule… The Oregon Men are at home tonight in Mac court when they host Arkansas-Pine Bluff in the final non-conference matchup of the season at seven o’clock. Airtime on KCST is at 6:30.
Coming up later this week… area runners are encouraged to make time for the “Morning After 5K Fun Run” January 1st at ten am. It starts and ends on Bay Street under the Siuslaw River Bridge. Organizer Jim Archer says there’s no entry fee and only one rule… everyone must have fun.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment