Coast Radio News

State deficit hits local schools…

While lawmakers are debating whether or not to open up a special legislative session to deal with a nearly $600-million shortfall for the coming year, local school officials are talking about how best to offset their share of the deficit.
201 – “basically the loss of revenue, in our district, unofficially, it’s about $500,000.”

Siuslaw Superintendent Jeff Davis said the budget process was nearly completed for the year when they got the word that the most recent economic forecast blasted another hole in projected revenues.
202 – “We haven’t had time to absorb this at this point. We’ve only had one meeting as an administrative team to review the circumstances.”

A half-million dollars represents just under ten-percent of their overall budget…
203 – “It’s very significant and that’s why we need to be really prudent and careful. What I’ve asked everyone to do on the administrative team is to reflect on this and we’re going to get together on this again next week and process this information again more deliberately and more carefully.”

Davis said the budget adjustments can most likely be made at the board level and the budget committee likely won’t have to reconvene to deal with it.

Ten Siuslaw High School students are preparing for national competition coming up next month in Orlando, Florida. They’re in the Health Occupations curriculum, a program aimed at developing future health care professionals. Kathy Haberly oversees the program. She says the students compete in individual and team events using their hands-on skills.
205 – “And then we have leadership events which are like biomedical debate and they get together and debate another team from another school about a certain ethical issue. There’s also speaking events.”

No public money is used to support the competition; the students have to pay their own way. They’re having a car wash and bake sale this Sunday afternoon at Coldwell Banker Coast Real Estate to help out.

The Marines are landing in Reedsport this weekend. The 29 Palms Marine Corps Band is returning to Western Douglas County for their annual Memorial Day observances. The band will perform in a free concert Sunday evening at Reedsport High School. They’re slated to perform as part of a Memorial Day service following a parade on Monday in Reedsport, and then will provide two free concerts Tuesday in Winchester Bay.

Beachcombers can sometimes find unattended youngsters on the beach and wildlife officials say if those youngsters are of the wild variety, it’s best to leave them alone. Harbor Seals are raising their young this time of year and it’s not uncommon for ‘mom’ to leave a pup on the beach while she heads out to sea in search of food. It’s perfectly natural and mom will eventually return. The Oregon Department of Wildlife says if you encounter a seal pup on the beach, stay away from it, don’t try to feed it, and most importantly, don’t pick it up.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - State officials said yesterday the revenue
forecast released two days earlier overstated revenue from the
cigarette tax by $14.5 million. That puts the estimated budget
shortfall at $577 million, rather than $562 million. Gov. Ted
Kulongoski said Tuesday that budgets will be trimmed by 9 percent
during the rest of the state's two-year budget period, which ends
in mid-2011.

WASHINGTON (AP) - Federal officials have identified six
additional cases of salmonella poisoning linked to raw alfalfa
sprouts, bringing the total to 28 people sickened in 10 states,
including Oregon. The sprouts were sold to more than 400 Walmart
stores in 15 states. Salmonella can cause sometimes fatal
infections in those with weakened immune systems.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Memorial Day also brings the annual
reminder from state health officials about toxic algae blooms in
Oregon lakes and reservoirs. Officials advise taking precautions
around an algae bloom, such as avoiding skin contact or swallowing
any algae-contaminated water, or even inhaling water droplets.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A federal prosecutor says authorities have
identified an Oregon man accused of assuming the name of a murdered
Ohio boy, then refusing to reveal his true name to a federal judge.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stacie Beckerman filed a motion in federal
court yesterday identifying the man as Doitchin Krasev. Krasev has
claimed to be Jason Robert Evers, who was kidnapped and killed in
Cincinnati in 1982 at the age of 3.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A grand jury has found no criminal
wrongdoing by Portland police in the shooting death of a
25-year-old man. The Oregonian reports the grand jury heard from 44
witnesses before issuing its decision yesterday. Two members of a
police unit focusing on gang violence prevention pulled over Keaton
Otis for traffic infractions May 12. Police say he later grabbed a
gun and started shooting. Three officers fired at Otis.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A Montana man convicted of abusing three
young girls at a summer festival last year in Oregon has been
sentenced to 12 1/2 years in prison. A Lane County jury earlier this
month found 49-year-old Audra Thomas Duncan of Judith Gap, Mont.,
guilty of six counts of sexual abuse involving girls ages 8, 9 and
10. Duncan was nude when he helped them onto a rope swing hung over
the Willamette River at the Faerieworlds Festival last year.

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State coach Mike Riley says
quarterback Peter Lalich has been dismissed from the team. Lalich
was arrested earlier this month at Shasta Lake in Northern
California on suspicion of drunken boating. Lalich spent spring
practice on the second string and was expected to be a backup this
fall. Lalich transferred to Oregon State in 2008 after two
alcohol-related incidents got him kicked off the Virginia team.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Multnomah County sheriff's office is
looking for the male driver of a tractor-trailer rig that damaged a
Portland-area bridge and drove off. The Oregonian reports officers
described the trailer as a shiny black "side dump." They say the
rig caused "extensive damage" to the Stark Street bridge earlier
this week. Authorities say the vehicle was turning right from the
East Columbia River Highway when the trailer hit the bridge.

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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Prep Baseball:

The Siuslaw Vikings and the Scappoose Indians playoff this afternoon at 4:30 in Scappoose in the Quarterfinal round of the OSAA 4A Baseball playoffs. The winner will face either Newport or Marist Tuesday in the semi-finals. Today’s game airs on Coast Radio Sports with a 4:15 airtime.

Track and Field:

Siuslaw has 13 athletes competing in several events at this weekend’s 4A Track and Field finals at Hayward Field in Eugene. Alexis Reavis, Raelyn Robinson, Linda Paredes, Jacob Berkner and Joe Campbell are all favored in at least two events.

College Baseball:

The final regular season games in the Pac-10 are set for this weekend… Number 21 Oregon will be hosting the Cal Bears at PK Park in Eugene. Oregon State will Host Arizona at Goss Stadium.