Federal Stimulus Dredging Dollars Saved
Efforts by congressional staffers in Washington D.C. and their counterparts in Oregon are getting the credit for saving $2.2-million in federal funding for a dredging project on the Siuslaw River.
204 – “They really should receive the credit that is due to them, as well as Congressman DeFazio, Senator Wyden and Merkley themselves.”
Port of Siuslaw Manager Mark Freeman said the dredging funds, most of which are coming from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, were allocated a year ago. They’ve been held up since because of concerns expressed by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife biologists about the practice of dumping dredge spoils in the open ocean. Freeman said those concerns were unfounded and the practice has been the subject of constant scientific monitoring with no detrimental effect seen. Fourth District Congressman Peter DeFazio sent a letter this week to the Governor pointing out that if the regulatory roadblock was not cleared away by April 19th, the entire project could be scrapped. Freeman said work on dredging of the river channel and upstream turning basin… something that’s not been done since 1974… is expected to begin sometime this summer.
They’ve already begun to use it, but the official grand opening of Florence’s new Senior Center on Kingwood Street will be on Sunday, April 25th at 2:00. The 52-hundred square foot facility replaces the former Booster Senior Center, a 60-year old facility around the corner on Airport Road. The bulk of the funding for the new center came from an $800-thousand Community Development Block Grant. It was almost scrapped at the last minute in July when construction bids came in well over estimates. A community fund-drive raised nearly $190-thousand in 30-days, exceeding the shortfall by nearly twice and allowing for several other items that had already been eliminated because of cost constraints.
An Oregon Parks and Recreation Department regulation requiring sharing of revenue for commercial and business enterprises that use the beach will have no impact on local fundraising activities. Florence Habitat for Humanity Executive Director Kate McBroom-Redwine said organizers of the annual September Habitat Beach Walk take great care to only take donations during the event. McBroom-Redwine said they’re not subject to the 10% fee.
A consortium of local military and veteran’s groups will come together to commemorate Armed Forces Day. The Oregon Coast Military Heritage Museum has partnered with the Veteran’s Memorial Park Commissoin and the Central Coast Military Vehicle Group to host a celebration of our Armed Forces in the former Lotus Restaurant Parking lot, next to the Veteran’s Memorial Park, from 11 to three on Saturday, May 15th. Later that evening, at the Florence Events Center, the Pacific Coast Wind Ensemble will be performing patriotic and military themed music. Proceeds from the concert go to the museum.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
(Stations: NOTE contents, last item.)
MILWAUKIE, Ore. (AP) - The Clackamas County sheriff's office
says one man has died after three men were attacked as they worked
on a pickup in the driveway of a Milwaukie, Ore., home. Officers
say three or four men approached and shot 48-year-old William Gaul
and 44-year-old Joseph Eckert, the homeowner. Gaul died. A third
victim, 44-year-old John Collison, was slashed or stabbed. Both
Collison and Eckert are listed in stable condition.
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - An 8-foot-boa constrictor named
d'Artagnan (dar-TAN'-yan) is back home in Grants Pass after
slithering out of its cage and disappearing for two weeks. The
snake showed itself on the kitchen floor Monday evening. The
snake's owner and a roommate thought the snake had gone outside
when a door was accidentally left open. They now say the snake
apparently was hiding under the kitchen counter the entire time.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A sheriff's deputy in Washington state has
sued Burger King and Oregon-based Kaizen Restaurants over a Whopper
he says contained a worker's spit. Deputy Edward Bylsma (BILZ'-muh)
says he got an "uneasy feeling" about two employees after pulling
into a Vancouver, Wash., Burger King in March 2009. He says he
later found a big gob of spit on his Whopper. The workers were
eventually fired. The suit was filed in Portland.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Pacific Fishery Management Council is
poised to set ocean salmon seasons for the West Coast's commercial,
sport and tribal fishing. A salmon plan was tentatively approved on
Monday and should be finalized today. Council staff have spent the
week fine-tuning the language and firming up predictions for
chinook, coho and other salmon runs.
FOSSIL, Ore. (AP) - A developer is ready to begin work on a
large wind energy farm in north-central Oregon but the Air Force
and the FAA are holding up construction. They're concerned about
possible interference with transmissions from a radar station at
Fossil. In March, the FAA issued a "notice of presumed hazard,"
barring construction of towers.
ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) - Sen. Ron Wyden and Congressman Peter
DeFazio have asked for suspension of any planned changes in
services at the Roseburg Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The two
Oregon Democrats say that what they heard from veterans at a recent
Roseburg forum left them very concerned that area vets may not get
adequate health care in the future.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Packy the elephant has been a Portland
celebrity since his birth in 1962, and his 48th birthday
celebration is set for Saturday at the Oregon Zoo. The famous
elephant is expected to dig into a 40-pound birthday treat as part
of the zoo's annual Elephantastic event. When he was born, Packy
was hailed as the first elephant born in the United States in 44
years.
ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) - A study commissioned by the city of Ashland
shows blacks face discrimination when trying to rent property. The
Fair Housing Council of Oregon discovered that six of nine
landlords in Ashland expressed racial bias when showing a rental to
a black tester. The study also found discriminatory treatment
against renters with children and those with disabilities.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Some staffers at Oregon State Hospital say
they are being overworked with an unprecedented amount of mandatory
overtime. About 50 protested at a union-organized rally yesterday
at the psychiatric hospital in Salem. Workers say the long hours
are contributing to dangerous working conditions.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Some animal advocates in Portland want
Oregon to establish an animal abuse registry similar to the sex
offender registry. Sharon Harmon of the Oregon Humane Society tells
KATU that identifying people who abuse pets would draw attention to
people who may also abuse women or children.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Stephen Curry scored 42 points and the
Golden State Warriors finished their season with a 122-116 victory
over the playoff-bound Portland Trail Blazers last night. The Trail
Blazers finished as the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference and
will face the third-seeded Phoenix in the first round. The Suns
beat the Utah Jazz 100-86.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
Just a couple items on the schedule today… Siuslaw Viking Track and Field will be at Douglas High School in Winston for a Far West League meet… The Mapleton Sailors will be in Monroe for a Mountain West Meet.
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