Commencement Excercizes - Body-Ology - Let the chips fly

Wrapping up the high school years…

15 of the area’s 144 high school seniors have already received their diplomas, the rest will get theirs tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon as the school year wraps up in Western Lane and Douglas Counties. Mapleton graduation was last weekend. Valedictorians Saturday afternoon included Lindsey Logan, Timothy Sherrett and Shayna Stevens; while the Salutatorian was Isaiah Hennell-Nussman. Tomorrow night, three student speakers will stand and deliver their thoughts their years at Siuslaw. Commencement begins at eight pm. 77 Grads are set to receive their diplomas. Salutatorian is Keenan Bishop; Valedictorians Blair Pearson and Megan Connor. 58 diplomas are prepared for Sunday afternoon in Reedsport. The Braves have invited Tom Wright to address the graduates at their two pm commencement. He’ll be joined at the podium by two students… Valedictorian Rebecca Hedges; and Salutatorian Taylor Ladd.

It’s being billed as ‘five afternoons of interactive fun’… a medical adventure for middle school students set for July 25th through the 29th at Lane Community College in Florence.
Kuhar – “It’s called Body-ology and Ms Smith, the Science Lady, is going to be our lead teacher and kids will have a chance to learn about different body systems and also they’ll be able to learn a little about the health care system and opportunities for careers in that.”

LCC Florence Dean, Dr. Mary Jeanne Kuhar, says the camp is intended to deliver a better understanding of human biology.
Kuhar – “This is a great camp because we’ll be able to partner with the Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County and I think that’s going to be a nice partnership for us.”

The Science Lady, Laura Smith, familiar to many Siuslaw Elementary and Middle School Students already, will coordinate the curriculum. Kuhar says there are only 20 spots available. Registration information is available at the Florence Center or the Boys and Girls Club.

Visitors and residents in Reedsport will see why that community is called the “Chainsaw Carving Capital of Oregon” June 16th through the 19th. That’s when the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championships let the chips fly for the 12th straight year. “Oregon Heritage” is the theme and carvers from around the world will participate in several different events that will culminate in final judging on Father’s Day, June 19th. Daily ‘quick-carve’ events will be held at 10:30 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week. There’s also a vendor and food fair, along with a classic Corvette Car Show on Saturday.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The mayor of a city that prides itself on
its bike-friendliness has been involved in a collision with a
bicyclist. The rider reportedly suffered only some scraped
knuckles. A spokeswoman for Portland Mayor Sam Adams says Adams was
driving a city-owned Prius yesterday afternoon when he braked for a
pedestrian and felt a bump on the back of his car. Bicyclist Tasia
Bernie tells The Oregonian that Adams "came to a really quick
stop" and she crashed to the pavement.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The U.S. Department of Justice has opened
an investigation into allegations of excessive force by Portland
police after a series of incidents in the past 18 months involving
the mentally ill. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez says
federal investigators will determine whether there is any pattern
of civil rights violations by Portland Police Bureau officers.

LAGRANDE, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say a multiple vehicle
crash involving a cattle trailer has killed one man and injured at
least four other people in northeastern Oregon. Eight cows and nine
calves were also reported killed, with other cattle injured. The
crash yesterday near the Union-Wallowa county line closed State
Highway 82 for hours. The truck driver's name wasn't immediately
released.

VENETA, Ore. (AP) - An alert letter carrier in the Willamette
Valley community of Veneta did more than deliver the mail on her
route - she summoned help for an older woman trapped in her home.
When carrier Carol Huddleston rang the doorbell to deliver a
package at one house yesterday, she just heard muffled calls. KEZI
says the woman inside had had some sort of accident and been
trapped in her home for three days. Huddleston found the front and
rear doors locked, so she called 911. Emergency crews say the woman
is in stable condition.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Multnomah County Marine Patrol says
some of Portland's homeless have moved onto its rivers. Lt. Bret
Elliot says "Skid Row has moved to the water," telling KGW the
number of people living aboard cheap or abandoned boats has tripled
or quadrupled in the past couple of years. He says it's hard to
make a trespass case. The problem is that most of the boats don't
have toilets.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Salem Hospital is unhappy with the work of a
private contractor, so it will use the commercial laundry at the
Oregon State Penitentiary to clean its microfiber mop heads. The
hospital says mop heads were coming back smelly and crusty from
Aramark Uniform Services and couldn't be used. A spokeswoman for
Aramark in Philadelphia says it stands behind the quality of it
service.

BROOKINGS, Ore. (AP) - Saturday marks three months since the
tsunami from the Japanese earthquake hit the harbor at Brookings.
The wave smashed boats, snapped pilings and wiped out docks. The
Oregonian reports damage is estimated at $7 million and repairs are
likely to continue into October.



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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The “Best in the West” will be playing in the second annual Les Schwab Tires South-Coast All-Star Basketball Series at Marshfield High School Monday night. Prep players from several central coast schools, including Siuslaw and Reedsport will be in action. Local players invited include Kasey Strenke from Siuslaw and Eden Huebner (HEEB-nerr) from Reedsport; they’ll be coached by Aaron McNeill from Siuslaw. On the boys’ squad… Siuslaw’s John Johnson.