School Board to begin Principal search; Gas prices stable; Boys and Girls club to share info; and check that tax preparer.

Elementary Principal announces resignation…

Seating a new board member, selecting a new vice-chair, and beginning the process of finding a new Elementary School Principal are just three items that the Siuslaw School District Board will be dealing with tonight. After five years at Siuslaw Elementary, Pam Vander Kley submitted her intention to retire to district administrators last week. Vander Kley will work through the school year. In a letter to Superintendent Jeff Davis she said she considered it a privilege to work with the staff and said she was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the accomplishments that have been made at the school. In other business tonight, new boardmember Michelle Rose will be sworn in and the panel will select a new vice-chair. Tammy Butler became chair late last year after then-chair Nancy Phelps passed away. Board members will also hear an update from High School Principal Larry Martindale and Middle School Principal Lisa Petersen on the progress made my two new ‘math coaches’ whose primary role it is to assist teachers. The board meets beginning at 6:30 PM at the District Offices on Oak Street.

The Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County will be holding a ‘share-holders’ meeting this evening at Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue. Interim Executive Director Cindy Cable says the meeting will not be a fundraising event, but rather a chance for parents and interested parties to get an inside view on the policies and finances of the organization. Cable says many of the club’s directors will be on hand to answer questions… that meeting is set to begin at five pm.

Income-tax season is here and unlicensed income tax preparers are targeting people who may be looking for the best deal and largest possible refunds. Ron Wagner, executive director of the Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners in Salem, says many times unlicensed preparers will invent deductions and credits in order to manipulate the numbers. Wagner says identity fraud is another risk when using unscrupulous consultants. He advises tax payers seeking help with their returns to examine the license of their tax preparer to make sure it’s current and valid.

Retail gas prices continue to inch down in most markets around the country, but in Florence, where they’ve consistently been lower than Oregon’s Statewide average they’ve held steady. Marie Dodds with Triple-A of Oregon says prices for regular unleaded have remained fairly stable since the second half of 2009 with the national average remaining within a 30-cent window… fluctuating between $2.46 and $2.75 a gallon. Oregon’s average price has been in a smaller window, ranging between two-sixty-five and $2.81. While in Florence, the fluctuation has been similar, ranging between $2.58 a gallon on average and $2.80. This week’s average price in Florence remains at $2. 62.

Here’s the latest Oregon news from the Associated Press:

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Democrats in charge of the state Legislature
say they're scrounging for a few million dollars to add to programs
like day care subsidies for working families and college grants.
The sums, $16 million and $19 million respectively, are not large
in the state's budget, but have some powerful backers -- including
Gov. Ted Kulongoski (koo-luhn-GAH'-skee).

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - Oregon officials have put off a hard
decision on how they will protect threatened fish and wildlife on a
state forest that helps to fund schools. The State Land Board voted
yesterday to keep trying to satisfy federal biologists' concerns
that increasing logging on the Elliott State Forest near Reedsport
will harm spotted owls and salmon.

WHISTLER, British Columbia (AP) - The Olympic men's Alpine
course at Whistler will have a little extra kick when downhill
training opens today. Skiing's governing body has injected the
course with water to harden the surface as the Winter Games near.
Officials say it's something done in international competition to
allow a course to better withstand warm weather and rain, and is
not uncommon in international competition.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Eugene's civilian police oversight committee
says a city police officer made a mistake in using a Taser on a
non-English-speaking college student last year. The seven-member
committee said unanimously yesterday that Officer Judd Warden was
wrong to stun the Chinese student. The man had been mistakenly
identified as a trespasser in his apartment.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Northwest Power and Conservation
Council says most of the increased demand for electricity over the
next 20 years in the region can be met with improved efficiency and
conservation. The rest can be generated by wind power and natural
gas-fired plants. Hydropower still supplies the bulk of electricity
for Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)


TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Prep Boys Basketball:
Bruins moved into sole possession of second place in the Far West League last night after taking down the Vikings in a 49 – 37 final in Brookings. Elsewhere in the Far West League it was North Bend 64 – 52 over Sutherlin, the Bull Dogs maintains a one game lead over the Bruins. Douglas took down South Umpqua…in the Mountain West Mapleton claimed a 62 – 47 victory over Triangle Lake, Kenny Smith led the scoring with 20 for the Sailors, Chad Walker added 16 more…

Prep Girls Basketball:
The Lady Viks fell to Brookings Harbor last night 50 / 37… Elsewhere in the Far West for the girls North Bend moved into a tie for the league lead with their 45 – 33 victory over Sutherlin, while Douglas dominated South Umpqua…
In the Mountain West League it was Triangle Lake over Mapleton 58 / 16..