Building permit applications plummet…
Over the past three years there have been 153 residential building permits issued in the Florence area. That compares with more than 450 over a three-year period that ended in 2001. The most recent spike in single home construction came in 2005 when 218 permits were issued for single family homes. Real estate analyst and property appraiser Tawfik Ahdab recently completed a 20-year study of permit activity in the Florence and Westlake areas… essentially the Siuslaw School District. His study shows that last year was the lowest year of home construction in recent history with only 9 residential building permits issued in the City of Florence, three in Dunes City and 27 in the outlying unincorporated area. Ahdab points to continued uncertainty in financial areas, coupled with an oversupply in already built homes. He says tight lending trends have forced the speculation housing market to a “virtual standstill”. At the current rate of sale he estimates there is nearly a ten-year supply of vacant lots available for construction.
After a 30-cent per gallon increase last week, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas in Florence went up by only ten cents this week… it stands now at $3.48. Marie Dodds with Triple-A of Oregon says crude oil prices are continuing to drive up the retail cost at the pump. Oregon’s average price jumped by 12 cents in the past week and is now at $3.60… the highest since July 2008. The national average price increased by 14 cents… it’s now at $3.51. The average price in California is the highest in the country… it’s at $3.91.
The Florence Urban Renewal Agency will likely take the next step this evening in seeking $2.5-million in financing that would be used to upgrade water and sewer infrastructure in the Old Town area. The agency board met February Ninth and heard a list of proposed projects, along with an estimate of what their tax increment financing would be over the next 15 years. On the agenda when the meet this evening will be a proposal for strategic planning services to assist with the upcoming financing. The Urban Renewal Agency meets at City Hall at 6:30.
Stuart Henderson says “No fooling!” The soup will be on Friday, April First to help ease the problem of homelessness in Florence. Henderson is working with the Siuslaw Outreach Services on an ‘all-you-can-eat’ soup feed that evening. It will also feature some of Florence’s finest chefs with a soup cookoff. Tickets are only $10 each and can be picked up at S.O.S.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber (KITS'-hah-ber)
has signed the first bills of his term. Kitzhaber signed five bills
into law on Tuesday, including a package of measures that rebalance
the state budget for the current two-year cycle, which ends June
30. The move prevents immediate cuts in state funding for
education, public safety and programs for seniors and people with
disabilities.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - An unsuccessful Republican candidate for
Congress says Oregon State University has started taking steps to
terminate the doctoral studies of two of his children because he
plans another run against Oregon Democratic Rep. Peter DeFazio. But
both the university and DeFazio have denied the allegations by Art
Robinson, who is a scientist and sheep farmer in Cave Junction.
RAINIER, Ore. (AP) - Rainier Mayor Jerry Cole says a 12-year
city police veteran has been appointed chief of police to replace
an officer who was shot to death in January. Sgt. Greg Griffith has
been interim chief since 55-year-old Ralph Painter was killed in a
Jan. 5 confrontation at a stereo store. Daniel Butts of Kalama,
Wash., is charged with aggravated murder and related counts in the
death.
CAVE JUNCTION, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say a Rogue Area
Drug Enforcement team has seized more than a half million dollars'
worth of pot and arrested two people. Police say 43-year-old Raymon
Sylvester and 48-year-old Christilef Rensfield were booked into the
Josephine County Jail in southwest Oregon for investigation of
unlawful possession, distribution and manufacture of marijuana.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police are taking a close look at
the eight shootings by police officers in the past year and finds
that mental health issues of the victims played a part in several
of the incidents. The Oregonian reports that the analysis suggests
finding ways to reduce the number of interactions between police
and people with mental illness or substance abuse needs.
SEATTLE, Ore. (AP) - The Environmental Protection Agency has
proposed two Oregon locations as Superfund sites, eligible for
cleanup aid. The EPA is looking at soil and groundwater at the
Astoria Marine Construction Co. shipyard and asbestos contamination
at the North Ridge Estates subdivision near Klamath Falls, the site
of an old military barracks.
VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) - A UFO mystery in Vancouver has been
solved. The Columbian says the reports last month of lights in the
sky were caused by a large kite carrying nearly 500 LED lights. The
owner demonstrated the kite again Monday night in the Fisher's
Landing neighborhood in Vancouver.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police plan to use more-powerful
stun guns in an attempt to reduce the number of fatal shootings.
Police say they'll upgrade to a Taser with a half-inch dart that
will allow officers to shoot from as far away as 25 feet. The
Oregonian reports the new stun guns will cost about $100,000.
SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) - The Springfield School Board has voted
to close four schools at the end of the current school year and two
more next year. The Register Guard report that board President
Garry Weber said more hard choices are ahead. The district may have
to cut 80 jobs and eliminate programs before the budget is final in
June.
SEATTLE (AP) - Prosecutors say a Portland man will be extradited
to Seattle to face a first-degree murder charge. The Seattle Times
says William Phillip Jr. is charged with killing 41-year-old Seth
Frankel in a dispute over a woman. Detectives used cell phone
records to trace Phillip to Portland.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
Oregon State won its seventh straight game on the diamond, cutting down the Ducks 4-1 yesterday in Civil War Baseball. The Beavers move to 10-3 with the non-conference win, the Ducks fall to 5-7 with their third straight loss.
The Men’s Pac-10 Basketball Tournament gets underway tonight at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. Number 9 seed Oregon State opens up against number 8 Stanford at six o’clock. That game will air on KCFM with the pre-game show set for 5:30. Oregon, the number seven seed, will go up against last place Arizona State at 8:40. The pregame show on KCST gets under way at eight.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment