Wet to dry, then back to wet again? Fire season starts tomorrow. Gas prices remain stable and a local woman would like to see more foreign students.

Weather Cycle swings from wet to dry…

2010 marks the second straight year that the weather in Oregon has made an abrupt shift to summer-like conditions. Just as in 2009 a damp and soggy early June gave way for a rather dry entry into July. Phillip Mote, the director of the Oregon Climate Service office at Oregon State University says while interesting, the transitions haven’t been unprecedented. Regular weather cycles, commonly referred to as “El Nino” followed by “La Nina” have historically produced alternating wet and dry cycles along the Pacific Coast. Early June in Oregon was very wet, but not record setting according to the National Weather Service. In the Florence area, more than seven inches of rain were recorded in the first week alone. Corvallis, Eugene, Salem and Pendleton all reached their monthly average for rainfall by June 4th, and though they didn’t set records for the month, they were among the highest rainfall totals recorded. Mote says scientists continue to monitor the weather and say this summer could be dry, followed by a cooler and wetter than usual winter as the cycle continues.

Partly because of the weather and partly because of the calendar the Oregon Department of Forestry has declared the beginning of Fire Season for Western Lane County and the South Cascades. The declaration means certain restrictions are imposed on recreational and work activities in the forest. Industrial operations are required to have firefighting equipment on site. Western Lane District Forester Dave Lorenz noted unusual weather conditions of recent months should not give rise to complacency about wildfire threat. “We’ve been fortunate to have had a very wet spring” he said. But, moisture content in grasses, woody debris and standing timber are nearing seasonal averages, meaning the fuels that would burn in a wildfire are drying out.

For the fifth straight week fuel prices in Florence have remained steady. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded remains at $2.81. Nationally, the average price increased by a penny according to Triple-A, from $2.74 to $2.75. Oregon’s average price rose by two cents and stands this week at $2.91.

An effort is underway to increase the number of foreign exchange students at area schools. Lisa Herbert says the entire student body of a high school can benefit by getting to know students from other countries. She also says exchange students through certified organizations don’t impose extra costs on schools. Herbert praised a recent decision by the Siuslaw School Board to raise the limit on exchange students from two to ten each year.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A judge has forbidden the stepmother of a
missing 7-year-old Portland boy to have access to her children or
firearms. Court officials say a Multnomah County circuit judge
granted the restraining order against Terri Moulton Horman on
Monday. The judge released part of the court file in the case
yesterday.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Eugene fire officials are investigating a
blaze that damaged a building at the University of Oregon last
night. KVAL-TV reports that the fire started in a utility rom at
the Gerlinger Annex, which houses a gym and dance studios.
University officials are working to relocate summer camps and dance
classes held in the building.

TILLAMOOK, Ore. (AP) - The Coast Guard has rescued a bodyboarder
on the north Oregon coast near Oceanside. The Coast Guard station
at Tillamook Bay sent motor lifeboat crews who was able to pull the
young man from the water. He was brought to the Tillamook Bay
station, checked by an ambulance crew and released.

KEIZER, Ore. (AP) - Keizer firefighters have rescued a man who
got stuck in a bathroom wall when the dinner he was cooking caught
fire in the kitchen. Fire officials say the homeowner was in his
bathroom last evening when he heard his smoke alarm, began kicking
his way through the drywall but became stuck. Firefighters enlarged
the hole enough for the man to crawl through. He's hospitalized in
stable condition.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - State regulators have fined a hot springs
resort in Eastern Oregon more than $500,000 for long-standing
problems with its sewage treatment system. Oregon environmental
officials say Lehman Hot Springs Resort outside Ukiah was operating
sewage lagoons for years without a permit or a certified operator,
and allowing the lagoons to leak into a nearby creek.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A prosecutor has agreed to drop
kidnapping, rape and sexual abuse charges against a man -- nearly
three years after he was arrested. That means 51-year-old Dean
Melvin Rieck will soon be free. The deputy district attorney says
evidence indicates the alleged victim was a prostitute who
willingly went with Rieck.

WARRENTON, Ore. (AP) - Warrenton police say prints recovered
from a stolen boat match those of the teen burglar known as "The
Barefoot Bandit." Police Chief Matthew Workman says Colton
Harris-Moore continues to be a suspect in the subsequent theft of a
car and the attempted theft of a Cessna plane on Oregon's north
coast.

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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
American Legion Baseball:
The Three Rivers Sandblasters will spend the next several days in tournament action. They’ll open up the Papa’s Pizza Invitational in Eugene with two games today. At three they’ll face Hoopa Valley, California, then at six they’ll play Vancouver, Washington. That game will air on Coast Radio Sports at 5:45… both games will be played at Swede Johnson Stadium.
Northwest League Baseball:
Eugene Emeralds pitcher Matt Lollis hadn’t given up a single run this season. But, last night in the fourth inning he gave up four and the Boise Hawks went on for an eventual 5-2 win at P-K Park. It was the fourth straigt loss for the Ems… they’re now 5-8 on the season and wrap up a five game series at home tonight against the Hawks.