Lane County earns dubious distinction
The Lane County Sheriff’s office could get as much as $100-thousand a year in federal money and additional assistance from federal law enforcement agencies, all to help combat illegal drugs. Sheriff Russ Burger announced yesterday that Lane County will join seven other Oregon Counties and one Indian Reservation that have been designated as High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas. With ongoing and long term budget constraints, Burger says the designation comes at a critical time. Heroin abuse and trafficking are “increasing at an alarming rate” he says. In order to be eligible, counties must show significant illegal drug production, manufacturing or distribution; a commitment by law enforcement agencies to respond to the problems; and a need for a significant increase in federal resources. Approximately 14-percent of U.S. counties are included in the H-I-D-T-A program nationwide. Lane County and the Warm Springs Reservation in north central Oregon were selected for the designation this week. Seven other counties, including Douglas County, were previously added to the program.
The Dunes City Council will officially begin the search for a new recorder and administrator this week. Mayor Eric Hauptmann (HOWPT-munn) didn’t say why she had been relieved of her position, but Amy Graham has not been on the job since March 15th. He said her severance package would be finalized today. Graham was promoted to City Recorder in May 2008 when her predecessor, Greg Perkins, suddenly left the job after only three months. Hauptmann said salary will be a main discussion when the council meets. Graham was earning just under $40-thousand a year. Fred Hilden, the administrative assistant, will fill the job on an interim basis.
The price of crude oil reached an 18-month high this week. It’s at $86 per barrel. Marie Dodds with Triple-A of Oregon says the jump was partly in response to good economic news. It also triggered a subsequent jump in the average price of regular unleaded gasoline… Florence’s average price surged four cents this week to $2.79 a gallon. Oregon’s statewide average increased a penny to $2.90; the National average went up three cents to $2.83.
The Siuslaw School District Budget Committee will hear the annual budget message from Superintendent Jeff Davis this evening when they begin their season’s work in the Library at Siuslaw Elementary School. The budget committee meeting will begin at 6:30.
Two former Florence Mayors, each currently serve in different local government capacities, will talk about the proposed annexation of property inside Florence into the Siuslaw Valley Fire District. City Councilor Alan Burns and fire board member Rob Ward will be on the second half of KCST’s Our Town this afternoon. Also on the program: Bob Peters, a member of the Lane County Citizen Advocates for Public Safety; and Siuslaw High School vice-principal Matt Henry. The program, on 106.9, airs from four to six.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Boy Scouts leader testifying in a sex
abuse lawsuit in Portland says he reported the confession of
another Scouts leader's abuse only to find the man still with the
organization more than a decade later. Larry O'Connor said Tuesday
that he was surprised to see the man he reported in 1970 at a
national Scouts jamboree in full uniform in 1981. O'Connor
testified in the lawsuit of a Portland man who claims a former
Scout leader abused him as a boy.
WASHINGTON (AP) - Republicans are intensifying opposition to law
professor Goodwin Liu's nomination for a San Francisco-based
appeals court, setting up a test of whether President Barack Obama
can win confirmation for a liberal. If confirmed, Liu would serve
on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals serving Oregon and eight
other western states.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon Zoo bird curator Shawn St. Michael
is involved in an elaborate game of transporting soon-to-hatch
condor eggs. The zoo is involved in a captive breeding operation
designed to help restore wild populations of endangered California
condors. The theory is that it's easier and less stressful to move
eggs than to move enormous birds.
NEWPORT, Ore. (AP) - Oregon Coast Aquarium officials in Newport
say one of two young California sea lions recently acquired by the
aquarium has drowned. A spokeswoman says the sea lion named Bailey
and the other young newcomer named Maya apparently worked loose a
filtration drain cover, and it appears suction kept 10-month-old
Bailey from being able to surface to breathe.
GRANDVIEW, Wash. (AP) - Grandview, Wash.-based Del Bueno says
it's expanding its recall of Queso Fresco Fresh Cheese to all
package sizes because the cheese has the potential to be
contaminated with Listeria. On Monday, the company said it was
recalling just 16 oz. packages. The cheese was distributed to
retail markets in Washington and one retail store each in Hermiston
and Milton-Freewater, Ore. All date codes through May 30, 2010, are
being recalled.
KEIZER, Ore. (AP) - Keizer police say they closed an entrance to
McNary High School and temporarily evacuated students and staff
from a portable classroom Tuesday afternoon after receiving a
report of a suspicious package in the parking lot. Sgt. Lance Inman
says a caller described a "strange package about the size of a
brick wrapped in paper and duct tape." The Salem police bomb squad
later determined that's exactly what it was.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - More than 500 ODOT employees will likely move
into two vacant buildings in Salem that were once home to high-tech
companies. Spokeswoman Christine Miles told The Statesman Journal
leases are being reviewed by state attorneys. The workers could
move into the new space in October to make way for a $65 million
renovation of ODOT's building on the Capitol Mall.
SCOTTS MILLS, Ore. (AP) - Law officers used dogs and an aircraft
to search for man suspected of firing shots at a woman and a dog in
Scotts Mills. Marion County deputies say a woman saw a suspicious
person near her home yesterday and approached him with her German
shepherd. She told deputies that the man pulled a handgun and fired
two shots from 50 yards away and fled. She was not hit. A two-hour
search did not find the suspect.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
College Baseball:
The Portland Pilots were steered to a 9-2 loss by number-17 ranked Oregon State yesterday at Goss Stadium in Corvallis. Ryan Gorton improved to 3-and-oh this season on the mound, Rob Folsom went four-for-five at the plate with two doubles and three RBI. The Beavers host UCLA for Pac-10 play this weekend.
University of Oregon President Richard Lariviere (la-RIV-ee-air) said he encouraged former Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Mike Bellotti to take a television analyst position with ESPN. Lariviere, who assumed the presidency last year after Bellotti had been hired as A-D said he told Bellotti that a change would be needed at the top of the athletic department in the near future. He stopped short of saying Bellotti was fired, calling the move – quote – “mutually agreed-upon”.
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