Quality Child Care for Florence trying for turnaround - Looks like stormy weather - one lucky man - Gov orders flags at half staff

Child Care Effort Stalls… backers trying to get on track

Currently there are no organized day-care centers in the Florence area that will accept children under the age of three. That’s a problem say some employers who have trouble getting or keeping good employees with children in that age group. There are many home child care providers, and very good pre-schools in the area, but nowhere for the youngest. For the past three years there has been a local group working towards creating a low cost-high quality child care center. So far they’ve raised $150-thousand, received tentative approval to locate the center on school district property, and also picked up commitments from organizations to help fund ongoing expenses once it’s built. But, fund raising efforts have stalled about half way to their goal and they stand a chance to lose a sizeable portion of what they’ve already been promised in the form of a $125-thousand grant. Nearly three years to the day after this effort began, organizers with the group Quality Child Care of Florence are hosting an emergency summit Monday evening to talk about revitalizing the effort. That’s set for Monday evening, 5:30, at St Mary’s Catholic Church a mile south of Florence.

Mike Bales is "one lucky man" says Siuslaw Valley Fire Chief John Buchanan. Bales was dismantling a car at his auto salvage business just north of Florence Wednesday afternoon. He drilled a hole in the vehicle's gas tank to drain the fuel. Fumes from the gas were ignited by the drill's motor and the tank exploded, heavily damaging the metal building at 87545 Highway 101 and destroying the contents. Firefighters responded quickly but had to use special foam to extinguish the burning fuel. Buchanan said it took about 20-minutes to control the blaze; plus an additional 40-minutes to mop up. Bales was treated at the scene for burns to his hands, there were no other injuries.

Fall burning of woody debris on Siuslaw National Forest land has begun with the change to wetter weather. Over the summer and into the fall crews have been working on thinning brush on forest lands in an effort to reduce fire danger and weed out invasive species. Now they’re burning the piles, taking advantage of the wet conditions. A Siuslaw National Forest spokesperson says the burning should not impede forest visitors. Terri Brown urges people to stay a safe distance away from the piles.

The National Weather Service has posted a Marine Storm Watch for tomorrow. Forecasters are saying a storm is expected to bring moderate to heavy rains to western Oregon beginning tonight. Then, by late tomorrow strong gusty southerly winds are likely to develop. The Weather Service says the storms this weekend are not expected to be severe, but should serve as a reminder for coastal residents to prepare for harsher weather to come.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Gov. Ted Kulongoski has ordered flags at
state institutions to be flown at half-staff Saturday and Sunday in
memory of two Marines from Oregon killed in Afghanistan.
Lance Cpl. Joseph E. Rodewald of Albany was killed Oct. 13 by a
roadside bomb. Sgt. Ian M. Tawney of Dallas was killed Oct. 16 in
combat.
The Register-Guard reports both were assigned to a unit from
Camp Pendleton, Calif.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police are investigating reports
of shots being fired at the city's Benson High School. Police say
the school was placed on lock down for about 30 minutes last night.
A volleyball game and night school classes were under way at the
time. Police say no one was injured and no one has been arrested.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Woodburn Police Chief Scott Russell can
recall some events leading up to a 2008 bank bombing that left him
critically injured but most of his memory was wiped out in the
blast that killed two other officers. Russell took the stand
Thursday in the aggravated murder trial of Bruce and Joshua
Turnidge, the father and son accused of the crime. Russell
testified he remembers little except waking up in the hospital
after the blast.

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - Medford police have arrested the girlfriend
of a former Medford detective after the man was shot to death at
his home. The Mail Tribune says 45-year-old Charlene Meixner has
been arrested for investigation of first-degree manslaughter in
Wednesday night's death of 61-year-old Ray Glenn Leach.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Bonneville Power Administration and
Gov. Ted Kulongoski will sign a deal today to require the federal
power marketer to protect 20,000 acres of wildlife habitat in
Oregon's Willamette River basin through 2025. The Oregonian reports
that the $150 million settlement ends three decades haggling over
the government's obligation to compensate for habitat lost after
building 13 dams in the basin.

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) - Officials from Washington and Oregon are
celebrating the end of the $178 million project to deepen the
Columbia River shipping channel. Port officials, business and union
leaders and politicians from both states marked the completion of
the dredging project yesterday in Vancouver. The U.S. Army Corps of
Engineers deepened the channel from 40 feet to 43 feet from Astoria
to Portland.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Public Health office says it's
starting a public health assessment of wind farms. Oregon has
strongly boosted wind energy projects in recent years, but there's
a growing backlash from critics who complain that the tall power
turbines negatively affect scenery, property values, wildlife and
tourism.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The two candidates for Oregon's 5th
Congressional District tried to appeal to their district's
moderates in their televised debate yesterday. Freshman Democratic
incumbent Kurt Schrader defended his votes on the federal stimulus
package and health care reform, while GOP challenger Scott Bruun
says he would remain bipartisan if elected to Congress.

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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
Prep Volleyball:
The Siuslaw Vikings broke a two-match losing streak with a three-nothing win over South Umpqua at home last night. That puts the Vikings at 7-2, one match behind North Bend with one contest remaining in Far West League Play. North Bend downed Douglas in three last night, Brookings-Harbor beat Sutherlin in five. In the Sunset League, Reedsport was handed only their second loss of the year, three-two, by the Myrtle Point Bobcats. In the Mountain West, Mapleton downed Siletz Valley in three games, forcing a three-way tie for the league title. Seeding for the state playoffs will be determined Monday at Mohawk High School.
College Football:
The Oregon Ducks demonstrated why they’re ranked number one in the AP polls last night with a 60-13 romp over the UCLA Bruins at Autzen Stadium. Darron Thomas threw for a career high 308 yards and three touchdowns.
On the Schedule:
Prep football tonight, the number five ranked Siuslaw Vikings will be at South Umpqua High School and could clinch at least a share of the Far West League crown with a win. Pregame show on KCST will be at 6:45… kickoff at seven. Mapleton has the night off; Reedsport will be in Coquille against the Red Devils.