Florence Council to hear testimony on water and sewer rates

Water and Sewer Rate Increases on agenda

The Florence City Council will hear testimony tonight on the second of what could ultimately be five annual rate increases for water and waste-water. Public Works Director Mike Miller says the increases are needed to keep rates in line with increasing costs, but also to catch up on repairs that have been put off over the past several years.
205 – “Every community has some sort of deferred maintenance because they typically like to pay cash in order to accomplish the goals. So they delay it, they defer it. They put it off as long as they can and now we’re at the point where there’s some items that need to be taken care of that just can’t be put off any more.”

A rate study in 2009 recommended the five-step increase over a five year period. The city council is looking at an additional ten-percent for water and eight percent for sewer. That means a residential user with a monthly consumption of about 7-thousand gallons of water would see an increase of about $5.75 per month. If the council agrees to the plan, it would generate an estimated $442-thousand for the city in the next year.

Coos County Commissioners were prepared to forego a second straight year of no timber sales from county-owned forestland, but a temporary jump in lumber prices attributed in part to the Chilean earthquake brought out bidders on four of five parcels offered for sale recently. Coos County will pick up $2.5 million because of the sales and if a buyer comes along for the fifth parcel in the next 30-days that could jump to $3-million.

Hunters under the age of 18 in Oregon are required to successfully complete a safety course and a field day to demonstrate safety skills before getting their license. There are a limited number of openings in a course this week in Florence. Oregon Fish and Game Trooper Scott Salisbury says the classroom portion is set for Wednesday, Thursday and Friday with the field day on Saturday. Registration can be made at Phil’s Saw Shop and the Sportsman.

The stepmother of missing Oregon boy Kyron Horman is said to be "tired and frustrated with the intensity of the questioning" she has been getting from investigators. That's according Jaymie Finster, a longtime friend of Terri Moulton
Horman, who told The Oregonian newspaper Horman was called in for a second polygraph yesterday. Terri Horman was the last known person to see Kyron alive.

Police in Portland say they can't eliminate the possibility that a missing 7-year-old Portland boy was abducted by a stranger. But, Captain Jason Gates with the Multnomah County sheriff's department says "the need for the public to be alarmed is very low." Detectives investigating Kyron Horman's June 4 disappearance are asking the public about where the boy's stepmother was the day he vanished.

The non-custody mother of a missing Portland boy has shared an open letter she wrote to her son with NBC's "Today" show. In the letter, Desiree Young tells her son Kyron Horman how much she misses him and wants to hug him. The Oregonian reports Young lives in Southern Oregon and does not have physical custody of her son. Kyron disappeared from his school June 4 after he was dropped off by his stepmother.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Washington County Sheriff's deputy has
shot and killed a man during a reported fight in northwest
Portland. The Oregonian reports that a deputy found Bryan Guerrero
inside the house threatening another man with a knife early
yesterday. Police say Guerrero failed to drop the knife as ordered,
and the deputy "was forced to shoot" the suspect, who died at the
scene.

TIMBER, Ore. (AP) - A 9-month-old boy is dead after being run
over by a flatbed truck in Washington County. Sheriff's deputies
say authorities were called to the community of Timber on Saturday
evening. Police say a family member didn't see the young boy
standing in front of the trailer tires before the trailer was
pulled forward. The Oregonian says no names have been released.

BEND, Ore. (AP) - About 15,000 people lost their power in Bend
yesterday morning after a pickup truck ran into a power pole. The
power company says electricity was restored by 6 a.m. Police have
cited the driver for driving under the influence and reckless
driving, as well as criminal mischief for damage to the pole and
transformers in the area.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Chris Wille and Diane Jukofsky have spent
more than two decades on environmental work in Costa Rica -- and
they plan to do more of the same in Oregon. The couple plans to
continue their work with the Rainforest Alliance, but they'll be
based in an environmentally friendly house in Clackamas County.
Wood stoves will burn materials from the five-acre Beavercreek
property the couple bought last year.

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


TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
American Legion Baseball:
The Three Rivers Sandblasters remain winless against triple-A opponents, losing two games at home over the weekend. Saturday the Corvallis Richey’s Market posted 17 hits and cruised to an 11-1 Zone-3 win over the ‘Blasters. Yesterday, things were closer in a non-league contest, but Three Rivers lost to the Grants Pass Nuggets 2-1. The Sandblasters host the Withnell Dodgers tomorrow for a Zone-3 double-header.

Northwest League Baseball:
The Eugene Emeralds opened the 2010 campaign with a 2-1 split in three games over the Vancouver Canadians. The Ems opened Friday with a 6-3 win at P-K Park; fell Saturday 2-1; and then came from behind in their final at-bat last night for a 4-3 victory. Eugene hits the road for the first time this season today. They’ll open up a five game road-series against the Tri-City Dust Devils tonight.