Pedestrian safety project questioned - Deadwood woman found safe - Bandon woman shot and killed - Sharks demystified

Mid-block crosswalk draws fire.

A proposed crosswalk on Highway 101 intended to increase safety may actually make it riskier for both motorists and pedestrians according to a neighbor of the intended project. Mike Cocciolo has operated his real estate business, Prudential Pacific Properties, on Highway 101 between 18th and 19th streets since 1991. In that time, he says, he’s seen several hits and near misses both at the 18th street crosswalk as well as in the entry he shares with the neighboring Chevron Station. Cocciolo says the design of a new ‘mid-block’ crossing, similar to the one at 30th street will funnel children across the Chevron lot or the entry from the highway making what is being called a safety improvement a – quote – “much more dangerous situation”. Cocciolo says because of the proximity to Miller Park a better alternative would be to install a full signal at 18th street. The proposed crossing is being funded by money from the Oregon Department of Transportation and is one of a half-dozen in all planned for Florence. Assistant Florence City Manager Jacque Morgan says it’s been on the drawing boards for more than a year, but isn’t scheduled to begin construction until January 2011. An update on the project will be presented to the city council this evening.

A 44-year old Coos County woman is dead and her husband has been arrested. Police responding to a home south of Bandon late Saturday night found Kelly Ranee Triggs dead of a gunshot wound. They confiscated a weapon believed involved in the shooting and arrested Triggs’ husband, 50-year old Joseph Lankford.

A missing Deadwood woman was found unharmed late Friday night on a logging road near Highway 36. 56-year old Tedra Rehead had been reported missing Wednesday when she failed to pick up her daughter in Florence. The Lane County Sheriff’s office said Redhead had been in treatment for mental health and other medical issues in the past. Family members found her on Thompson Creek Road, north of Mapleton at about 11:30 PM Friday.

The Oregon Coast Aquarium is trying to dispel common myths about sharks with a two-week event that opened up yesterday. Aquarium officials say sharks don't eat and kill people, at least not on purpose, and they probably don't like the taste of humans much. Sharks don't jump through hoops, but can be trained to respond to certain stimulus. Sharks are facing many dangers, including overfishing, loss of habitat and finning, the practice of cutting off their fins and throwing them back in the water to die. The aquarium is inviting the public to take a closer look at the sharks.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

DUNDEE, Ore. (AP) - As officers closed in on a homicide suspect
at a house in Oregon City, authorities say Jonathan Hayden Williams
tried to run. The Forest Grove man was caught yesterday afternoon
in the fatal shooting Saturday of Timothy Craig Long. The Oregonian
reports the men knew each other and both had a history of drug
convictions.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police say officers had responded
to a report of a shot fired at a car last night when the police car
was hit by a round. It was later determined to be a pellet. Police
closed off the area and searched with a dog. They found a pellet
gun that was apparently used in the shootings, but no shooter.

GLADSTONE, Ore. (AP) - A 10-year-old boy is hospitalized with a
head injury suffered when he was struck by a personal watercraft
after falling off a tube in the Willamette River at Gladstone.
Clackamas County deputies say the family boat had been pulling the
tube with the boy and three others yesterday afternoon when he fell
off and was hit by the other craft.

Former Oregon quarterback Jeremiah Masoli says on his website he
is going to Mississippi. He visited the Ole Miss campus over the
weekend and coach Houston Nutt offered him a place on the team as a
walk-on and Masoli accepted yesterday afternoon. Masoli was
considered a possible Heisman Trophy candidate after a breakout
season at Oregon in 2009 but was kicked off the team after twice
getting into trouble with the law.


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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Northwest League Baseball:
The Eugene Emeralds strung together “bookend” wins over the weekend. They started Friday with a 2-1 win over the Spokane Indians, then lost 9-1 Saturday, before coming back for a 3-2 victory yesterday at PK Park. Eugene won the series 3-games-to-two over the Indians, their first series victory in nearly a month. The Ems are also 3-2 in the second half of the season; headed out on the road today to Yakima where they open a five game series against the Bears.