Crosswalks get rocky response - 11-percent ballot returns - tsunami risk significant

Pedestrian Crossings get rocky response…

A series of highway pedestrian crossings, designed to make it easier and safer to get from one side of Highway 101 to the other has drawn criticism, including from Florence Mayor Phil Brubaker.
200 – “We’ve been trying to green up 101, not rock it up, and I would hope that at some point we can put in some fill material there with some green moss or some kind of ground cover that would beautify that without putting in any irrigation.”

The design of the projects incorporate large rocks, set in concrete. The intention, say officials, is to make the crossings more visible to drivers and safer. There are also concerns for ongoing maintenance costs and the rocks, no matter how they may look. The rocks clearly define the pedestrian areas, helping to protect them and also make the entire crossing more visible to drivers. Despite his aesthetic objections, Brubaker agrees.
201 – “It’s going to make pedestrian use much easier up and down the highway.”

The crossings were designed and funded by the Oregon Department of Transportation. When complete, they’ll resemble an existing crossing at 30th.

A report of a stolen pickup in Reedsport has resulted in three arrests; and there could be more. 48-year old Manuel Gutierrez and 36-year old Abigail Pauline Melton were in custody in California for other charges when Reedsport police located them and notified they were wanted for the April 4th theft. The duo were identified after police searched a Reedsport rental home where several people had been living without the knowledge of the owners. The additional residents there may be facing charges. Also arrested following the incident: the man who initially reported the stolen Toyota Tacoma pickup. 30-year old Michael Light is in the Douglas County Jail facing charges related to a different investigation.

More than 203-thousand ballots were mailed out in Lane County on April 29th. As of this weekend about 11-percent, or just over 23-thousand, have been returned. Elections supervisor Cheryl Betschart, Lane County Clerk, says Mondays usually show some of the highest ballot returns, as will election day itself, May 17th. Voters can mail ballots to Lane County Elections, or drop them in the white ballot return box in front of the Florence Justice Center on Greenwood Street.

The March 11th earthquake in Japan and resulting tsunami caused considerable damage in ports along the Oregon Coast and is a – quote – “teachable moment” says Althea Rizzo. She’s the Geologic Hazards Coordinator for Oregon Emergency Management. Scientific evidence indicates Oregon is “at risk” for a much larger and potentially more damaging tsunami created by an earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. OEM has put together a series of preparedness workshops that are being presented in several communities. One of those: this weekend at Reedsport High School… Sunday from six to eight pm. Another stop is slated for Florence later this summer.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - An advisory group will begin work this
summer on a plan for rapid passenger rail in Oregon. Eugene Mayor
Kitty Piercy said Saturday at a celebration of National Train Day
that she and Portland developer John Russell are leading a group to
write a plan for Oregon's 105-mile segment of the 466-mile Amtrak
Cascades line. The Register-Guard says Gov. John Kitzhaber is
appointing the Oregon Rapid Passenger Rail Corridor committee to
come up with a formal state plan.

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) - About 240 goats are helping the Oregon
town of Milton-Freewater prepare for work on its levee system. The
Walla Walla Basin Watershed Council helped bring the goats to the
area, located about 10 miles south of Walla Walla, Wash., to gnaw
down bushes and grasses on the levees along the Walla Walla River.
The goats are expected to chew vegetation through Thursday.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Voters in Portland Public Schools will be
asked May 17 to approve the largest local government bond ever
proposed in Oregon. The $548 million bond would rebuild eight
schools and make smaller fixes to 77 others. It asks voters to
raise property taxes inside the state's largest school district 9
percent. Property owners would pay $2 for every $1,000 of assessed
value.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Two mothers are helping spur renovations at
Eugene's Willamette High School despite financial problems in the
Bethel School District, including a budget shortfall of almost $6.5
million projected for next school year. Brooke Cottle and Margaret
Hansen each have four children whom they say will one day be
Willamette Wolverines. Recently, the moms formed Willamette Pride,
which helps spruce up the 62-year-old high school as part of the
Bethel Education Foundation.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A federal judge holds a hearing today on
the federal government's third attempt at a plan for operating
hydroelectric dams in the Columbia Basin. Judge James Redden has
twice rejected government proposals because of the risk to the
region's wild salmon. A lawsuit filed in 2001 challenged federal
strategy for the recovery of wild fish.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Salem police are looking for the drivers of
two vehciles that appeared to be racing down a street when one
vehicle crashed into the side of a restaurant. No one was in the
restaurant when the crash occurred last night. One vehicle sped
away without stopping and witnesses says the driver of the other
vehicle fled on foot with blood on his face.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Legislature is trying to make it
easier for some people with disabilities to reach their mailboxes.
A state Senate committee holds a hearing today on a measure that
would require cities and counties to adopt accessibility standards
for clustered mailboxes, ensuring people with wheelchairs and other
disabilities can get their mail.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The AAA auto club reports the average
price of a gallon of gasoline in Oregon is $3.97. That's 1 cent
higher than the national average, up 2 cents in a week, 16 cents in
a month, and 98 cents higher than a year ago. The highest prices
were reported in the Medford-Ashland area.


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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

On the baseball diamond… the Siuslaw Vikings Split with Brookings-Harbor Friday afternoon, coming from behind to win game one 7-6. The Vikings may have been poised to pull off another seventh inning comeback in the nightcap, but the game was called after six innings because of darkness… the Bruins came away with the win, 3-2. The split, coupled with a Sutherlin split with Douglas leaves the Vikings tied atop the Far West League standings with four games remaining.

The first half of a softball double header went to the Vikings at Siuslaw High School Friday afternoon… 10-1 over the Brookings-Harbor Bruins. Game two was rained out, it’s scheduled to be made up today at five in Florence.

On the track… the Siuslaw Vikings finished in the middle of the pack at the Wally Ciochetti Invitational in Cottage Grove… the boys 11th out of 19 teams, the girls 9th out of 17. Mitchell Butler ran a sub-nine-minute 3-thousand, finishing second in 8:57.17. Katy Potter was second in the girls version of the three-k, taking 29-seconds off her previous best time. She finished in 10:50.12.

On the college baseball diamond, Oregon State remains on top of the standings, coming away from a weekend series against Cal with a 2-1 split. The Beavers beat the Bears 4-2 yesterday to take the series. The Oregon Ducks gave up a lackluster performance in Eugene against UCLA; swept by the Bruins. Oregon only scored two runs on the weekend.