shooting suspect turns himself in; city looking for finance director; gas steady; last day of school

Suspect in Green Gate Shooting in custody…

The Florence man sought as the lone suspect in the weekend shooting of a 27-year old woman has turned himself in. Police say 46-year old Victor Glen Caron walked into the Lane County Sheriff’s Veneta substation Tuesday morning. Caron had been the subject of an extensive search and investigation since the one AM Sunday morning shooting. Police say 27-year old Roxanna Merchant, her 26-year old boyfriend and four year old son were visiting Caron’s residence on Green Gate Road. An argument ensued and police allege Caron shot Merchant in the abdomen with a shotgun then struck Emerson in the head with the weapon. Emerson was able to take the injured woman and her son to a nearby gas station where he called 9-1-1. She’s being treated for her injuries at Springfield’s RiverBend Hospital, Emerson was treated and released. Police have been seeking Caron’s whereabouts and reportedly been in contact with him Monday before he turned himself in yesterday.

After four years on the job David Armstrong, finance director for the City of Florence, is stepping down. Assistant City Manager Jacque Morgan says Armstrong will provide I-T services to the city on a contract basis while the city will be seeking an interim director for a specific purpose.
200 – “What we’re looking to do is to hire an interim finance director who wants to prepare a five-year financial plan for the City of Florence. It is one of the Council goals for this year.”

Morgan says long-time Events Center Marketing Director Lis Farm is also retiring. FEC manager Kevin Rhodes will do double duty until a replacement is hired.

The state is going to reduce herbicide spraying along Highway 36 between Mapleton and Junction City in an effort to minimize impacts on fish and the environment. Instead of spraying chemicals along the 52-mile stretch of highway, crews will mow the shoulders. Sprays will still be used along guard rails; at bridge approaches; and in other areas too steep, or with turns too tight for mowing. The pilot project has drawn praise from the Oregon Toxics Alliance, a group that works to reduce herbicide use.

The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline held steady in Florence this week at $2.81. The national average, as measured by Triple-A fell by two cents to $2.70 in the same period. Oregon’s average price fell a penny and is at $2.88 a gallon.

It’s the final day of classes at Siuslaw and Reedsport schools. Summer vacation begins this afternoon for students in kindergarten through grade 11. Classes in Mapleton have been done for a week… students there wrapped things up on June 8th.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Skyline School in Portland has gone ahead
with a last day of school assembly that was planned long before
7-year-old Kyron Horman disappeared 12 days ago. Portland Public
Schools spokesman Matt Shelby says the message yesterday was to
celebrate the school year while recognizing it has been a difficult
last week and a half. The Oregonian reports that about 400 people
attended a vigil of hope for the boy last night.

FLORENCE, Ore. (AP) - A man sought in a weekend shooting and
assault near Florence on the Oregon coast has surrendered to
authorities. Oregon State Police say 46-year-old Victor Glen Caron
turned himself in Tuesday morning at the Lane County sheriff's
Veneta substation. He was taken to the Lane County Jail, where he's
being held for investigation of two counts of first-degree assault
in the shooting of a woman and the assault of a man.

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) - Through his lawyer, University of
Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli has pleaded not guilty to three
noncriminal citations. Masoli was cited June 7 for possessing less
than an ounce of marijuana, driving with a suspended license and
failing to stop when entering a roadway. Masoli was kicked off the
Ducks football team on June 9.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Five Oregon residents have pleaded guilty to
their roles in the collapse of a Bend real estate development
company. Federal prosecutors say banks lost more than $19 million
after lending money to Desert Sun Development for commercial and
residential projects, including some that were never built.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A former Oregon couple have been convicted
of various tax charges after defrauding the federal government of
more than $7 million. Micaela Renee Dutson and Tony Dutson were
convicted by a federal jury in Portland last week of conspiring to
defraud the IRS, obstruction, causing clients to use bogus
financial instruments in an attempt to pay their taxes, failing to
file tax returns, and aiding and advising a client to file a false
tax return.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A legislative board has approved a request
from Oregon universities to spend $65 million more through the next
year to help offset state budget cuts. The money will also be used
to hire more professors, expand research and make room for an
additional 4,700 students.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - It appears two initiatives have enough
signatures to make the November ballot in Oregon. Preliminary
figures show the campaign for a medical marijuana supply system
gathered more than 115,000 signatures through May and the campaign
for tougher penalties for sex crimes and drunken driving offenders
has more than 108,000. Both need about 83,000 verified names.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Detectives from the Portland police
bureau's cold case homicide unit have arrested a man in Vancouver,
Wash., in the shooting death of a woman in Portland 17 years ago.
Police spokeswoman Detective Mary Wheat says 35-year-old Brad
Richard Ballantyne was arrested yesterday in the death of Kimberly
Dunkin. She was found shot in the head in her Chevrolet Camaro in
northeast Portland on New Year's Day 1993.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland's new police chief says his top
priority will be to regain the public's trust in the Police Bureau.
Mike Reese was sworn in as chief on May 12 after Mayor Sam Adams
fired Rosie Sizer in a highly public budget dispute. There have
been three fatal shootings by city police this year. The Oregonian
reports Reese wants to transform police training from a fear-based
model to one based on competency and confidence.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
On the Schedule…
The Three Rivers Sandblasters host Salem Post Nine at Jiggs Dodson Field this evening at five o’clock in a Zone Three matchup. That game will air on Coast Radio Sports beginning at 4:45… first pitch at five.

The Eugene Emeralds are wrapping up mini-camp tomorrow in preparation for Friday’s Northwest League season opener at PK Park against the Vancouver Canadians.