Coast Radio News

Water District Recall Election Set for July 27th

Voters in the Heceta Water District will get the chance July 27th to decide whether or not any of three Water District Commissioners will be recalled from office. Gene McDermott is accusing the three, Commission Chair Bob Hursh along with Jim Sievers and Debby Todd, of financial mismanagement. Lane County Elections has verified that all three petitions had at least the 248 required signatures of registered voters. The trio have been under fire since approving steep rate increases just over a year ago. All three are blaming the effort to remove them from office on ‘pro-annexation’ supporters. They’ve filed statements that will be on the ballot, defending themselves and explaining why they should not be recalled. Two other commissioners are not subject to the action. One wasn’t appointed to the panel until October, the other has repeatedly voted against increases.

A Florence police officer located a Eugene man who had been reported earlier in the day. Arthur Wayne Acques left his home Friday morning, then later in the afternoon phoned his doctor’s office saying he needed help, but didn’t know where he was. Acques suffers from mild dementia. An officer in Florence spotted him and his Jeep Friday evening just before seven PM.

Emergency officials say if a widespread disaster, such as an earthquake or tsunami, were to strike the Pacific Northwest, coastal areas could be cut off from aid for as much as two weeks. That’s why Anne Machalek (muh-HALL-eck) says residents need to learn how to be a survivor rather than a victim. A series of monthly classes, sponsored by the West Lane Emergency Operations Group, will begin Saturday, July tenth at the fire station.

Historic Old Town Florence will be a ‘hot bed’ of activity on Sunday, Independence Day. The Old Town Public Market will open at ten that morning and in addition there’ll be a duck race, watermelon eating contest and several other activities. Live music will be offered on the Boardwalk beginning that evening and then at 9:45 the Oregon Department of Transportation will energize lights beneath the Siuslaw River Bridge showing off an recently completed 18-month $6.2-million renovation project. Then, at ten, the public fireworks display will be launched from a barge in the middle of the Siuslaw River.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A dozen people were rescued after being
stranded on a Willamette River island or falling into the river
when their rafts punctured. The rafters were rescued southeast of
Junction City late Friday night. Four people went into the
Willamette's cold water about two miles south of Hayes Landing. One
man clung to branches with one hand and used the other to call for
help on his cell phone. Some of the stranded were children.

WARRENTON, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police has identified the
two people killed when their car collided head-on with a dump truck
on U.S. 101 on the north Oregon coast near Warrenton on Friday.
Police say 77-year-old Harry Lee Randall and his 82-year-old
sister, Doris Wilcox, of Tillamook, were the people killed in the
crash. They died at the scene. The Oregonian reports the dump truck
driver suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Bandon man died Saturday after losing
control of his motorcycle on Highway 42 near Myrtle Point. Oregon
State Police say 49-year-old Raymond Scott McMahon approached a
curve too fast, traveled off the highway, hit a ditch and was
ejected from his Harley Davidson. He was wearing a helmet but was
pronounced dead at the scene. His brother was riding behind him.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A 48-year-old pedestrian has died after a
vehicle struck him in Eugene. Police say Douglas Shelly died at the
scene of the Saturday evening crash. He was struck when he stepped
into westbound traffic on Beltline Road. Authorities say Brianna
Wells, of Eugene, was driving the vehicle. She was not hurt. Police
are still investigating.

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals has
ordered demolition work halted at the Gold Ray Dam while it
examines an appeal by opponents. Dam supporters say removing the
106-year-old structure would illegally alter the Rogue River's
floodplain or violate Jackson County land-use rules. The county
says no land-use rules have been violated and LUBA has no
jurisdiction over the dam's fate.

BEND, Ore. (AP) - A Warm Springs tribal member has been arrested
more than a month after he allegedly opened fire on police
officers. Warm Springs police say 21-year-old Waylon Weaselhead was
arrested Friday after an officer tried to pull a car over for
speeding. The vehicle stopped, let Weaselhead out and then sped
off.

WOODBURN, Ore. (AP) - The Constitution Party of Oregon has
chosen Greg Kord to be its nominee in the 2010 governor's race. The
58-year-old Troutdale resident earned the nomination at yesterday's
party convention in Woodburn. Kord says state sovereignty, reviving
the economy and halting illegal immigration are his top issues.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police have released an audio
recording of the interview between a detective and the massage
therapist who accused Al Gore of groping her in 2006. During the
2009 interview, which happened two years after she canceled three
appointments to meet with investigators, she described the former
vice president as a "crazed sex poodle." Police declined to file
charges, saying there wasn't enough evidence.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Eugene police have arrested a 22-year-old
man accused of manslaughter in the death of his 3-month-old son.
Derek Jackson called 9-1-1 late last week to report that his son
Ryder needed medical attention. The boy died Tuesday and
investigators say the father was responsible.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Federal authorities say a man who went to
prison for robbing a bank in Eugene in 1992 pulled off another
heist this month at a different bank branch. The FBI is looking for
44-year-old Douglas Ray Hicks, the suspect in a June 17 bank
robbery. The Register-Guard newspaper says Hicks spent eight years
in federal prison for bank robberies in 1992.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - The Eugene City Council and the Eugene Water
& Electric Board disagree over which has the authority to sell
water to a town outside the city limits. City Manager Jon Ruiz has
informed the council that the city charter gives it the power to
approve EWEB water sales outside the city limits. But utility
officials maintain they don't need council approval because the
water will be sold wholesale to Veneta, west of Eugene.

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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
American Legion Baseball:
The Springfield Titans plated the winning run in the bottom of the 13th inning Saturday, handing the Three Rivers Sandblasters a 7-6 loss… the ‘Blasters sixth in Zone 3 league play. Elliot Aurdahl was responsible for half of the Three Rivers Runs with a three-run double. Kyle Davis and Trevor Roberts were each two-for-three at the plate. The Sandblasters are on the diamond this afternoon for non-league action against the Doc Stewarts in Roseburg. That game will air on Coast Radio Sports with an airtime of 4:45.
Northwest League Baseball:
The Eugene Emeralds sandwiched a win between a pair of losses over the weekend. Friday, Eugene dropped the rubber game of a five game series against Tri-City, losing in Pasco 10-5. Saturday, they opened up against the Boise Hawks at home with a 9-1 blowout win, but were on the losing end yesterday, dropping a 5-1 decision at P-K Park. The five game series in Eugene continues through Wednesday.