Chain reaction crash closes 126 Monday; DeFazio lauds health care reforms; Florence pair to compete at state geographic bee

Chain reaction crash damages half dozen cars… closes highway.

Highway 126 was closed for about two hours yesterday afternoon while officials sorted out a multi-vehicle crash. Two separate crashes actually occurred. The first, at two o’clock, was a single vehicle off the roadway just east of Mapleton. A Lane County Sheriff’s Deputy was on scene and a line of a half-dozen cars and trucks had stopped. One west-bound semi-truck had nowhere to go when it rounded a corner though. It managed to slow down some, but wasn’t able to stop in time, setting up a chain reaction crash that deployed airbags and six cars front and back. Oregon State Trooper Joe Conklin said there were no serious injuries. Several people were transported to Peace Harbor Hospital, but Conklin said all had been treated and released by eight pm. Troopers closed the highway and detoured traffic onto Highway 36 until about 4:30 when they began allowing one-way traffic. An hour later all the wreckage had been cleared and traffic fully restored. Conklin said no citations were issued, but added the investigation would continue.

Fourth District Congressman Peter DeFazio talked yesterday about local impacts of the Trillion Dollar health care reforms. DeFazio lauded the elimination of patient co-pays for preventative services; expanded Medicare prescription drug coverage; and the availability, by 2014, of health insurance for an estimated 80-thousand Southwest Oregon residents who have been without. He wasn’t alone at the podium. A panel of small business owners and health care professionals also spoke of the importance of improved access to health care. Dr. Leslie Pelinka, a pediatrician with PeaceHealth Medical Group in Eugene said it will make coverage more affordable for lower-income families.

The U.S. Coast Guard closed three river entrances on the Oregon Coast yesterday, including the Siuslaw River, because of hazardous ocean conditions. Crossings at Depoe Bay and the Chetco River were also impacted. The closures are for all vessels and requests to transit the bars prior to re-opening must be approved by the Captain of the Port in Portland. Restrictions will be lifted as soon as off-shore weather improves.

Sean Burns and Jonathon Griffes (GRIH-feez) have each made the cut twice… will the third time be the charm? Both students will represent Florence at the National Geographic Bee Oregon State Finals April Ninth at Western Oregon University in Monmouth. The 13-year old Griffes will represent Siuslaw Middle School; Burns, a fifth grader, will be there as the Siuslaw Elementary champion. The two will compete against 98 other students from around the state for the chance to go to Washington DC and the National Geographic-Bee finals later this spring.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A chanting crowd of protesters angry over
two recent police-involved shootings marched through downtown
Portland on Monday evening. The Oregonian reports that at least 200
people took part, many of them wearing masks, and that police took
at least four people into custody. One officer told dispatchers
he'd been hit by a rock. Demonstrators' chants included: "When
cops attack, stand up, fight back."

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Rev. Jesse Jackson is back in
Portland, and he's critical of the most recent fatal shooting
involving a Portland police officer. He said yesterday he thinks
the March 22 fatal shooting of a homeless man by a Portland officer
was an excessive use of force. The longtime civil rights leader
visited the city in February, shortly after a different officer
shot and killed an unarmed man, Aaron Campbell, on Jan. 29.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Justice Department confirms it
plans to review the $2.3 million severance payment from the
University of Oregon to departing athletic director Mike Bellotti.
After just nine months on the job, Bellotti announced March 19 that
he was resigning to become a college football analyst for ESPN.

CASCADE LOCKS, Ore. (AP) - Foes of a proposed Nestle Waters
North America bottling plant in Cascade Locks have presented Oregon
fish and wildlife officials with petitions bearing 3,700 signatures
of people against the project. Nestle's plan is to tap a nearby
spring that supplies a fish hatchery. Opponents call bottling
Oregon spring water a waste of a prime resource.

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) - Three environmental groups say they intend
to sue the Interior Department for not protecting sage grouse as an
endangered or threatened species. The organizations said yesterday
that the department violated the Endangered Species Act by deciding
to classify sage grouse as merely a candidate for federal
protection. Sage grouse are found in Oregon and many other western
states.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The 32-year-old man convicted of shooting
another man to death at a Portland church during a funeral has been
sentenced to 20 years in prison. Latwan Brown pleaded guilty to
manslaughter for the December 2008 shooting of Darshawn Cross
inside the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. The Oregonian
reports both men had a history of gang involvement.

MADRAS, Ore. (AP) - State police say a 97-year-old Antelope
woman has died from injuries suffered in a weekend crash. Roberta
Lucas died at Mountain View Hospital in Madras where she was taken
Saturday after the car she was riding in went down an embankment
and struck a large rock along Highway 293 south of Antelope.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Most of the candidates for Oregon governor
are scheduled to attend a forum Thursday evening at the Mission
Mill Museum in Salem. The Statesman Journal reports sponsors say
those attending include three Democrats and seven Republicans, as
well as two other candidates. The primary is May 18.

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


TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Athlete of the Week:

Siuslaw Softball standout Kasey Strenke is Coast Radio Sport’s Athlete of the Week. She was four-for-four at the plate in the Vikings’ win last week over Waldport, collecting two singles, a double and a triple. Strenke also accounted for three RBI, scored twice and stole one base. Honorable mention is given to her teammate Rebekah Kirby. The senior emerged as a fielding pitcher last week, earning seven assists on ground balls in one game. She also threw 15 strikeouts in 20 innings of work across three games.

On the schedule…

Oregon State Baseball’s final non-conference game that was schedule for the University of Portland today has been scrubbed because of the weather. Viking Softball and Baseball teams are scheduled against Elmira… no official word yet but those games are also unlikely.