Code Enforcement reduction under way in Florence…
When the former full time code enforcement officer for the City of Florence was promoted to fill a vacancy on the police force, officials saw that as a way to trim some payroll costs. Instead of replacing Brandon Ott with another full time employee, Police Chief Maury Sanders opted instead to have the department’s administrative assistant split her time between that work… and time on the street running down code violations. Sara Huff is no stranger to being in uniform. In addition to being the admin aide she’s also a reserve police officer. Some of her duties have already been shuffled with Sanders taking some on, others being shared ‘in house’ and still more being transferred to City Hall. Sanders says the move is on a one-year trial basis. For the next 12 months Huff will respond to resident complaints about such things as landscaping violations, illegally parked vehicles and signs. Sanders said residents may not see as quick a response as they’ve been used to. Huff will be handling enforcement duties Tuesday through Friday, only in the afternoons.
When Oregon voters elected a tied House, Republicans got shared control of the chamber and new clout they hadn't enjoyed in years. The GOP still had a distinct disadvantage with Democrats controlling the Senate and governor's office. But they had enough power to block things they don't like, and they've used that small edge as both a roadblock and a bargaining chip. They've managed to frustrate Democrats and put a clear Republican imprint on public policy by expanding both online and traditional charter schools, and they've blocked plenty of Democratic bills. Republicans stood in the way of a measure that would have allowed some illegal immigrants to pay in-state tuition at public universities and another that would have banned a potentially harmful chemical from baby bottles and children's sippy cups. The Oregon Legislature is looking at wrapping up the 2011 session as early as today.
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently instituted a new program allowing Veterans to monitor their benefits; check the status of claims; and print out documents such as disability letters online. It’s called “eBenefit” and it’s very simple to use and should make delivery of some services much quicker. There’s just one catch, says Fourth District Congressman Peter DeFazio.
Defazio – “The VA requires that all veterans have to sign up for this service in person. So currently, veterans have to travel to Portland to register. But I’ve gotten the VA to agree to tour Southwest Oregon.”
One of those registration events will be in Florence at Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue… tomorrow morning only… between eight and 9:30 AM. You’ll need two pieces of identification… one of which must be a photo ID. If you can’t make it tomorrow morning, they’ll be at the North Bend Community Center also tomorrow… from 11 to 12:30.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon's first female Supreme Court
justice is being remembered as one of the state's greatest judicial
and political pioneers. Betty Roberts died Saturday of pulmonary
fibrosis in her Portland home. She was 88. She served on the high
court from 1982 to 1996. She was also the only woman in the state
Senate when she was elected to that body in 1968.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - More than 22,000 high school students
applied to the University of Oregon this spring, a record number
and a 22 percent increase over last year. The Register-Guard of
Eugene reports that despite the flood of applications, the
university has little room to boost the size of its 2011 freshman
class. The class is expected to be some 4,000 students, about the
same as recent years.
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - A 9-year-old boy was killed and a
3-year-old was injured when the driver of their SUV lost control of
the vehicle and struck a motor home on Interstate 5 near Grants
Pass. Sadhana Kumar, a 29-year-old from California, attempted to
pass the motor home Friday but lost control and struck the motor
home twice. Nine-year-old Krish Kumar was ejected and died at the
scene.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Multnomah County sheriff's office says
it took 14 emergency responders more than an hour to rescue a
kayaker injured yesterday at the base of Bridal Veil Falls.
Deputies say 19-year-old Robert McKenzie of Eugene was taken to
Oregon Health and Science University Hospital in Portland with a
back injury. Two other kayakers from Eugene apparently suffered
broken noses navigating the 120-foot, two-step drop. All wore
helmets and life vests.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Police say a 72-year-old man riding a mo-ped
has been killed in a collision with a car at an intersection in
Eugene. Police say the mo-ped hit the side of the car. A bystander
performed CPR, but the man could not be revived. He was declared
dead at a hospital.
WENATCHEE, Wash. (AP) - A group re-enacting the travel of
Columbia River explorer David Thompson is in the Wenatchee, Wash.,
area as it paddles from British Columbia to Astoria, Ore. The
Wenatchee World reports the David Thompson Brigade is about a third
of the way through its 45-day 1,000-mile river journey that began
on June 3. They plan to reach the mouth of the Columbia on July 16.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
The Eugene Emeralds are continuing their hot streak to open the season, winning three straight over the weekend. Things begain Friday evening in Keizer where the Ems doubled the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes 6-3. They moved north Saturday for a one run, 5-4 win over the Everett Aqua Sox… then left no doubt yesterday as they blew the Socks off the Sox with a 14-4 win. They wrap up the three game series in Everett tonight before heading home to PK Park tomorrow for a three-game series against Salem-Keizer.
The Three Rivers Sandblasters dropped a pair at home yesterday to the Grants Pass Nuggets… losing the opener 13-5, then the nightcap 5-4. The ‘Blasters have one game at home tomorrow… a five pm game against the Withnell Dodgers.
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