Wild Coho fishery? - Gas increases slow - Charity scams - Furlough Day

Wild Coho to be subject of public forum

It won’t be corned beef and cabbage, but Wild Coho Salmon that will dominate the discussion at tomorrow’s monthly noon forum of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce. Florence STEP group representatives Mike Frankhouser and Ron Caputo will talk about a proposal to allow a Wild Coho fishery on the Siuslaw River, similar to ones on Siltcoos and Tahkenitch Lakes. Currently, keeping the endangered coho is illegal, but STEP members say recovery efforts on the Siuslaw Basin have increased numbers of the fish enough to allow some sports anglers the chance to keep a limited number. Frankhouser and Caputo had been slated to make a presentation to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission last Friday, but the tsunami warning pre-empted that body’s meeting at Driftwood Shores. The commission will instead hold a telephone conference call Thursday morning. Caputo says he and Frankhouser have already submitted their information and won’t be participating in the call… opting instead to stay in Florence and talk about what they see as a possible economic stimulus. Caputo says the attraction of catching and legally keeping an endangered Wild Coho would draw anglers from outside the area. The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce noon forum is set for tomorrow at Driftwood Shores… it’s open to the public.

Retail gas prices continue to climb, but not as quickly as in previous weeks. Marie Dodds with Triple-A of Oregon says the wholesale price for crude oil slipped below $100 a barrel, down six dollars from a week ago as investors watch events unfold in Japan. The national average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is at $3.56 this week… up a nickel. Oregon’s statewide average is at $3.65… also up a nickel, while the average price in Florence only increase a penny this week… it’s at $3.49 a gallon. The average price in the Eugene Springfield area topped $3.70 a gallon this week. California sports the highest average in the contiguous U.S., it’s at $3.96 a gallon on average.

Charities assisting with relief efforts in Japan have recorded an increase in donations to help with their work. But, unfortunately attention on those efforts has also brought out the scam artists. Oregon Attorney General John Kroger says thieves are sending out e-mails, making phone calls, and posting fake video footage on social media sites in efforts to steal money and personal information. Kroger issued a few tips: Check his department’s online database to make sure organizations are on the up-and-up; give to established charities; don’t respond to direct emails from supposed disaster victims; don’t give out personal information via phone, text or email; and beware of calls, emails or texts requesting “fast” money.

Nearly 27-thousand Oregon state employees will have an unpaid day off Friday. It’s the ninth of ten closure dates ordered by former Governor Kulongoski last year to help balance the state’s budget. Officials estimate that each closure day saves $2-million in personnel costs. The closure means non-essential state services such as DMV won’t be available over the counter. Many agencies do have online processes that allow business to continue. The mandated closure does not effect public safety.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Gov. John Kitzhaber has declared a state of
emergency in a coastal county ravaged by last week's tsunami. His
office announced the emergency declaration for Curry County
yesterday. A tsunami that rolled in after an earthquake in Japan
severely damaged the commercial side of a harbor in Brookings.
Sport fishing facilities and recreational boats were damaged to a
lesser extent.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A 24-year-old Gresham woman has been
sentenced to 20 years in prison for her role in the death of her
boyfriend's 5-year-old daughter. Guadalupe Quintero pleaded guilty
in Multnomah County Circuit Court to manslaughter and criminal
mistreatment in the child abuse death last April. The girl had
broken bones from head to toe and had been starved to 28 pounds.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A Eugene man accused of filing at least 30
fraudulent car damage claims that cost insurance companies nearly
$200,000 has pleaded guilty to wire fraud and aggravated identity
theft. U.S. Attorney Dwight Holton says 45-year-old Timothy Devon
Huntley Jr. pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court. Prosecutors
say at least 11 insurance companies were hit. Sentencing is set for
May.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - The trial is under way in Eugene for a man
accused of taking part in an attempted robbery in which one robber
was killed in a shootout with an employee.
Brandon Lee Plunk is charged with attempted murder, robbery and
burglary in the violence last November at a Dutch Bros. stand where
Plunk's friend, Sirus Combs, was killed. The employee testified
Plunk also shot at him.
In opening statements Tuesday the defense lawyer denied Plunk
had a role in the robbery.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon lawmakers have unanimously passed a
bill that would require computer technicians to report images of
child pornography. The bill updates a 1987 law that required film
processors to report suspected child pornography. Democratic state
Rep. Sara Gelser of Corvallis says the bill will shield computer
technicians from potential liability from reporting suspicious
images.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon attorney general's office and
the state's veterans affairs agency say Fred Meyer Stores has
agreed to change some of its employment practices following
complaints from some veterans in Oregon. The agencies investigated
after some veterans said they had not received step pay increase
and pension benefit adjustments during their deployment.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Two fishermen from Brookings are leading a
class-action lawsuit in federal court to break up a giant seafood
company. The Register-Guard newspaper in Eugene reports they seek
up to $520 million in damages and a slew of injunctions against
Pacific Seafood Group. A Pacific Seafood attorney calls the suit
"completely without merit."

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The Oregon Men have one more game on the court… at least. The Ducks will open up the 16-team CBI… College Basketball Invitational… tonight at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene against Weber State (wee-burr). The Tournament consists of 16 teams playing at various sites around the country. Teams actually pay to host games… The winner of tonight’s contest will face either Duquesne or Montana Saturday evening. Tonight’s game will air on Coast Radio Sports at 6:30 with the tipoff set for seven.