Officials frustrated by Sr Center age restriction; City approves fire ballot title; Snowy Plover nesting restrictions and the Siuslaw Symphonic Band

Age Limit at Senior Center Causes Angst

Officials are just as frustrated about a strict age limit at the new Senior Center as are those who will be displaced. Florence City Manager Bob Willoughby says when they were in the planning and early construction phases he and others at the city were under the impression that the 60-year old minimum age was more of a guideline than a hard and fast rule.
200 – “And then when we developed the contract, which was fairly recent, they changed that and said, no, it has to be exclusive. So, we were, I think, as surprised as anyone that it was an absolute rule with no, with no leeway at all.”

The age limit was set by congressional action governing all grants for senior centers, the only category available to Florence. Willoughby says neither city nor state officials can make any exceptions. It’s unfortunate, he acknowledged, and may be difficult for some to accept. But, he adds, it would literally take an act of Congress to change it.
201 – “At some point, people need to let it go and move on. We’ve had to do that, the Senior Boosters have done that. And for five years we’re going to have to need it work for what it is.”

That means, other than caregivers, employees or volunteers assisting with a particular program, the new senior center will be off-limits to anyone under the age of 60 for the first five years of operation. Failure to maintain and observe that policy would require repayment of the $800-thousand grant received by the city to pay for the facility.

It was one of the shortest meetings anyone could recall at city hall. The Florence City Council spent about five minutes yesterday taking final action on the wording for the ballot title that Florence voters will decide May 18th. The draft title on the question of annexing property inside city limits into the Siuslaw Valley Fire District was developed last month by city staff. The Fire District Board requested a change in the final paragraph spelling out that the current level of service would be maintained and that, if approved, residents inside the city would be able to participate and vote on members of the district’s board of directors.

Ropes, fences and signs will go up on several area beaches next week, outlining nesting areas for the endangered Western Snowy Plover. The small bird lays its eggs and raises young on dry sand areas above the high tide line in specific areas along the central and south coast. Beginning March 15th the enclosures go up; they’ll remain in place until next fall. No actual beach closures take place during the nesting season, but beachgoers are restricted to only the wet-sand portions in the nesting areas.

The Siuslaw Symphonic Band will be on stage this evening at the Florence Events Center for their annual winter concert. Featured pieces for the 7:30 pm concert include Bernstein’s Candide Suite and the Galop by Dimitri Shostakovich. The concert is free.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - It may be March but scattered snow
flurries and hail have been reported in the Portland metropolitan
area. National Weather Service meteorologist Clinton Rockey calls
it "a typical spring." He said reports of hail and snow on Monday
were pretty much confined to higher elevations. Those higher
elevations could see snow again today.

STEVENSON, Wash. (AP) - Two helicopters from the Coast Guard and
Washington National Guard helped in Monday's search for a
24-year-old Portland woman missing near Bonneville Dam in
Washington's Skamania County. Undersheriff Dave Cox says search
efforts will resume today after no fresh clues were found yesterday
on the whereabouts of Kathrine Huether (HEE'-ther).

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An 80-year-old Portland man accused of
collecting more than $87,000 in federal disability payments in the
name of his dead brother has been charged with Social Security
fraud. The Oregonian says Lafayette F. Keaton appeared in Portland
federal court and pleaded not guilty to felony counts of Social
Security fraud and theft of government funds.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Democratic state Sen. Rick Metsger of
Welches is the first to announce his candidacy for the office left
vacant by the death of state treasurer Ben Westlund. He died Sunday
of lung cancer. He was 60. Metsger is leaving the state Senate and
told The Oregonian yesterday that he's running for treasurer.
Republican state Sen. Chris Telfer of Bend says she is considering
the race. The filing deadline is 5:00 tonight.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Gov. Kulongoski has named the chairman of
the Multnomah County Commission as state treasurer. Democrat Ted
Wheeler succeeds Ben Westlund, who died Sunday of lung cancer. He
will serve until voters choose a successor in November.

KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) - Gov. Kulongoski is traveling to
Klamath Falls today to hear about the prospects for drought and how
severe irrigation cutbacks could be after the needs of federally
protected fish are met. He is scheduled to meet with farmers,
Indian tribes, business people and representatives of state and
federal agencies in preparation for requesting a federal drought
declaration.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Firefighters responded to another series of
suspicious fires in West Eugene. Two of the five fires reported
yesterday were set at the Eugene Faith Center, the site of a
weekend fire that gutted an outbuilding that housed the church's
community outreach offices.

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Supreme Court will visit Medford
to hear a citizen group's appeal of a Walmart Supercenter. The Mail
Tribune newspaper reports the state's highest court will convene
May 18 at North Medford High School to hear oral arguments in the
fight over whether the City of Medford incorrectly granted the
retailer permission to go forward with its project, Walmart has
spent more than six years attempting to build the store.

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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

College Basketball:

The opening brackets of the Pac-10 men’s tournament have been posted… Oregon will face Washington State tomorrow night in the ‘play-in’ game at LA’s Staples Center. The winner of that will face conference champion Cal Thursday afternoon. Oregon State, the number six seed, will face number three Washington Thursday evening.

The women’s tournament gets underway this week as well. Number 10 seed Oregon State will face number seven seed Washington Thursday evening at the Galen Center in Los Angeles. The winner of that game takes on number two seed UCLA Friday afternoon. Oregon is the number six seed, they’ll open up the tourney Friday against number three USC.

Community:
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Lane County will hold their first ever Shamrock Fun Run and 5-K race this Saturday. Race day registration begins at 7:45 with the Fun Run starting at nine. The 5-K kicks off from the Bridgeport Market at 9:30. Race day entry is $3 for the Fun Run; $15 for the 5-K, all proceeds benefit the Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County.