Fireworks fund drive - LCC Florence Summer Term - Water Safety

Fireworks fund drive underway to preserve local display…

One of the first tasks new Executive Director Cal Applebee faced when he took over at the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce was planning for the organization’s next big event.
Applebee – “Traditionally the fireworks display that we’ve done in the last several years ranged from nine to eleven thousand dollars and historically other organizations, such as MOOT, have helped with the funding.”

But, the Merchants of Old Town and other groups have eliminated their contributions and the Chamber is faced with meeting the financial obligations alone.
Applebee – “The Chamber only has $4000 allotted towards the fireworks, so for the fireworks to continue to happen this year we’ve gone out to our membership and to the community asking for donations.”

Applebee sent out a letter to Chamber members last week and has already added $2,000 to the tally. But, he says they need at least that much more to make the July 4th fireworks a reality this year.
Applebee – “Within the next couple of weeks we need to make sure that we have a minimum of $8,000 because that’s what we’ve determined that would at least give us a, uh, adequate show.”

He said a decision as to whether or not to have the July 4th fireworks show will be made by June 15th.

For the first time in a decade there will be summer term offerings at Lane Community College in Florence. Mary Jeanne Kuhar, the Dean at the Florence Center says it won’t be a full array of courses, but they are designed to fit the needs of students who may be considering career enhancement… or first time students that need something to prepare them for fall term.
Kuhar – “We have a CNA course, so if students want a particular set of skills to help them be a nursing assistant, we have that. Then we also have some introductory courses in writing and math and then a planning course.”

Since the center will be open in the summer, Kuhar says there’ll also be some non-credit offerings as well as other services.
Kuhar – “We’re offering some adult enrichment courses as well and I’m very please that we’ll continue to have academic counseling and placement testing services through the summer.”

Registration opens Monday and classes are set to begin June 20th.

Favorable weather forecasts for this weekend have prompted officials to issue a word to the wise about water safety. The warmest weather so far this year is expected in much of Oregon, and along with high temperatures there will continue to be high water. Several northwest rivers and streams are running high with snow-melt. Swift flowing water brings a unique set of hazards. The cold water brings hypothermia dangers; there is more debris submerged than usual; as well as submerged landing areas that create danger getting in and out of boats.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Multnomah County sheriff says a task
force investigating the disappearance of 7-year-old Kyron Horman
will disband as of July 1. Sheriff Dan Staton says a detective will
still work full time on the case, with help from the FBI, Oregon
Justice Department and county prosecutors. The sheriff says the
investigation into the boy's June 4, 2010, disappearance from
Skyline School will remain active until he's found, there's an
arrest or there are no further leads.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The owner of a Portland modeling company
is scheduled to be arraigned today after his arrest on sex charges
involving a 16-year-old girl who was a client and intern. Police
said 41-year-old Michael William Fox is charged with 10 counts each
of sex abuse and contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor.
Investigators said Fox is the owner of Vault Model and Artist
Management Co.

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) - Relatives of an Oregon couple charged
with criminal mistreatment in the medical care of their infant
daughter have testified that Timothy and Rebecca Wyland were
devoted, ideal parents. Jamie and Gary Crone are Timothy Wyland's
sister and brother-in-law. Like the Wylands, they belong to an
Oregon City church that relies on faith healing. Jamie Crone
testified yesterday that she thought the golf-ball-sized growth
over Alayna's eye was a "birthmark" that would go away.

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) - Investigators are trying to determine the
cause of a fire that destroyed a small house about 10 miles from
Pendleton, killing two adults. Umatilla County authorities say it
appears the victims are Denton Kaufman and his wife, Kristina
Kaufman. Fire Marshal Tyler Nokes tells the East Oregonian the area
is a "no man's land" that's outside any fire department's
jurisdiction.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A Springfield woman accused of smothering
her newborn baby will remain behind bars until her aggravated
murder trial in October. A Lane County judge has refused to free
Angelica Swartout. The Register Guard reports her lawyers argued
the state lacks evidence. No body was found and there's no medical
evidence she was pregnant. Prosecutors played a video recording of
a police interview in which Swartout said she wrapped her newborn
son so tightly he stopped breathing.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - More than 150 people attended an Oregon
Insurance Division public hearing on the request of Regence
BlueCross BlueShield to raise individual premiums by an average of
22 percent. The increase would affect nearly 57,000 people in
Oregon who are not insured through employers. Regence CEO Jared
Short said at Thursday's hearing in Portland the increase is needed
to cover rising costs related to the federal health care law.

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) - The Clackamas County Jail was locked
down for a time yesterday while guards dealt with an inmate who had
covered himself with feces and refused to leave his cell and
shower. Jail Lt. Lee Eby said emergency responers subdued the man
with pepper spray and put him in medical care for mental health
counseling.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Portland nonprofit says it has developed
bedbug resistant beds for homeless shelters. The metal frame beds
at Central City Concern have splayed legs to keep them from
touching walls where bugs crawl. Mattresses are sealed in
medical-grade nylon to keep the bugs from digging in and hiding.

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

Taking a look at Coast Radio Sports…

Number 15 ranked Oregon State will open up the NCAA baseball playoffs at six this evening in Corvallis against Arkansas-Little Rock in a four-team regional. Creighton and Georgia get together at one. The losers of today’s games meet tomorrow at one and the loser of that contest is done. Winners meet at six tomorrow, with play continuing Sunday… and possibly extending into Monday. All games of the Corvallis regional will be broadcast on ESPN3.

Coaches for the 2nd annual Les Schwab Tires South Coast Basketball All-Star series have been announced. Siuslaw Girls’ coach Aaron McNeil will share coaching duties with Jen Sproul of Coquille for one girls squad. They’ll go up against Chris Schofield of Brookings-Harbor and Ben Stallard of Pacific High School in Port Orford. Coquille boys’ coach Dan Cumberland will coach the south boys squad against Tom Nicholls of North Bend. The boys and girls all star games are set for June 13th at Marshfield High School.