Federal Jobs Bill could add back school days
The $26-billion jobs package signed yesterday by President Obama could save as many as 1,600 Oregon teaching jobs statewide, but in Lane County it will most likely add school days back to the calendar that were eliminated in June as part of cost-cutting measures for the coming year. Oregon’s share of the total will be $118-million, roughly half of the education shortfall in the current year. Gail Rasmussen, head of the state’s largest teacher’s union the Oregon Education Association, says it’s just a temporary measure.
205 – "Obviously, the states still have some budgetary issues, but this will take the immediate stress off of the situation and allow us to look at more sustainable funding."
$10-billion of the package goes to education; the balance will be used for reimbursements for Medicaid providers. Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski welcomes the cash, but says recent national economic news should make the state cautious about spending. The most recent quarterly economic forecast, 2 ½ months ago continued the trend of falling revenue. The next one due out in two weeks is expected to produce more bad news for the state.
Authorities say a man suspected of forcibly raping a woman near Seattle may be hiding out in Lane County. Washington’s King County authorities say 51-year old John Alan Carter has been spotted recently in Redmond, Veneta and in Florence. Carter allegedly raped a woman at knifepoint July 27th then stole the woman’s sport utility. It was later recovered near Medford. Carter is a white male who stands about six feet tall. He has reddish brown hair and brown eyes; speaks with a slight lisp; has missing upper teeth. Authorities say he also has multiple tattoos on both arms, including one on his hand that says “Robin”.
Oregon’s average price for regular unleaded has surpassed the $3 mark according to Triple-A and prices in the state have reached their highest point since October 2008. The statewide average gained just over four cents this week and is at $3.04 while the local average, up a nickel, is at $2.90. Nationwide, the average price went up by five cents and stands at $2.78 a gallon. Around the state, in Salem the average is $2.99; Medford shows $3.08; Portland $3.07 and in Eugene the average is $3.05.
A $1.4-million stimulus bill funded dredging project on the Siuslaw River is complete. A survey crew for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been monitoring work being done by the Dutra Group over the past several days. The dredge has been working to return the turning basin in the river, just outside the Port of Siuslaw commercial and sport marinas to a uniform depth of 16-feet at low water. Over the past six weeks they’ve removed an estimated 100-thousand cubic yards of silt and sand.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Multnomah County sheriff's office has
scheduled a news conference for today to release "certain case
details" that may aid in the search for 7-year-old Kyron Horman.
The Portland boy hasn't been seen since June 4, when his stepmother
took him to Skyline School for a science fair. The Oregonian
reports officials won't say what will be discussed. No charges have
been filed. Investigators haven't named any suspects.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Multnomah County jail inmate accused of
pretending to be a grandson who needed cash to bail out of jail has
pleaded no contest to multiple counts of identity theft.
Prosecutors say 44-year-old Stephen Lee Brown's crimes included
impersonating the 20-year-old grandson of an 86-year-old Portland
couple.
HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon man has been accused of
stealing a ladder and then calling the theft victim -- twice --
offering to sell him more ladders. Washington County sheriff's
deputies said Kevin Gilman is facing theft and burglary charges.
Detectives say they bought three stolen ladders from Gilman, then
arrested him again.
SEATTLE (AP) - NOAA's Fisheries Services has approved a new
approach to managing the harvest of certain West Coast fish that it
says will lessen cutthroat competition among fishermen and reduce
overfishing. NOAA officials say the new catch-share system allows
fisherman to better plan their season and will prevent fishermen
from having to race out and catch as many fish as possible until a
quota is reached.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A group of investors say they can't afford a
bid to save Eugene's historic Civic Stadium. The unidentified
investors had hoped to convert the 72-year-old wooden stadium to a
home for professional soccer, entertainment and community
recreation. Save Civic Stadium President Dennis Hebert says the
Depression-era ballpark can still be preserved.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A 35-inmate housing area at the Lane County
Jail in Eugene was briefly evacuated after a parked van caught fire
next to the building.
The Register-Guard says no one was hurt in the Tuesday morning
fire that destroyed a van owned by Arma Coatings of Eugene. Fire
officials say a mechanical problem in the van's storage area caused
the blaze.
Fire Capt. Anthony Bucher says there was little threat of the
fire spreading to the jail, but authorities moved inmates out of
the area as a precaution. The building itself was not damaged.
ENTERPRISE, Ore. (AP) - One of the gray wolves that have
returned to Oregon has become the first in its pack to wear a radio
collar.
Biologist said the 2-year-old male wolf was the first in the
Wenaha pack to be captured and collared. The tracking device will
provide a more accurate population estimate for the wolves and help
monitor their breeding activity.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has been monitoring
the pack since 2006. The Wenaha pack has an estimated four adult
wolves. Pups are possible but unconfirmed.
The Wenaha wolf pack is one of two known packs in Oregon. The
other, the Imnaha pack, has three radio-collared wolves.
Last month, a trail camera caught images of six adults in the
Imnaha pack, including the alpha female and four new pups.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
Pac-10 Football:
Fall camp got underway Monday for the Oregon Ducks and the focus, at least from outside the program, has been on who will get the nod as starting quarterback. After two years in the system, Darron Thomas says he has that job in his sights.
210 - “I’m just coming into camp showing my skills, my attributes as a quarterback. Trying to be an all purpose quarterback, trying to do everything, run, pass, fulfill all the dream so, just trying to be competitive, trying to get the spot.”
From his standpoint, Nate Costa says the two are pretty evenly matched.
211 – “People will automatically want to key on Darron’s ability to run and my passing ability, but I think if you look at it, I’m a good runner as well, Darron’s a good passer as well and we’re pretty evenly matched in both respects. So I don’t think you can key on either or passing or running. I think it’s an even competition and either way it’s going to be a good competition.”
That competition will be decided the week prior to Oregon’s home opener September 4th against New Mexico.
Northwest League Baseball:
No game last night for the Eugene Emeralds. They’ll resume their split series against Salem-Keizer this evening at Volcano Stadium in Keizer.
(thanks to Oregon News Service and Steve Kaye for assistance)
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