Water protection overlay proposal draws fire - tax bills mailed today - Mannix defends M73

Proposed Water Protection Rules raise concerns…

New land use regulations under consideration this week by the Lane County Board of Commissioners could severely restrict actions taken by river and streamside property owners to manage their lands. Critics of the plan say the “Drinking Water Protection Overlay Zone” would prevent a riverside homeowner from possibly rebuilding their home if it’s severely damaged… plus, it would prohibit them from removing any vegetation within 200 feet of the water. That means, says Dave Hunnicut with the group Oregonians In Action, that homeowners would be prohibited from cutting blackberries, removing scotch broom or even possibly mowing their lawns. County staff have been researching and writing the proposed rules for several months, but so far, says Hunnicut, have not consulted property owners. Opponents are asking the Board of Commissioners to slow down the process and take more input. Commissioners will hold the only scheduled hearing tomorrow evening, 6:30, at Harris Hall in Eugene. Hunnicut says right now it appears a majority of the commissioners are in favor of the regulations. He says his group will challenge it in court if it gains approval.

The first storm of the season brought rain and wind to the Oregon Coast and a little bit of snow to higher elevations in the Northwest. A high surf warning is in effect through tonight for peak ocean swells of 35 to 40 feet. Forecasters say the waves, coupled with continuing winds from the west could cause some coastal flooding. The Coast Guard has closed several coastal entrances because of the storm. No ships have requested assistance. In addition to closing the Columbia River, access to the Yaquina, Siuslaw, Umpqua and Coos have been restricted.

175,500 property tax statements are going out in the mail today to Lane County property owners. Assessor Anette Spickard has certified $400.3-million in property taxes for 83 different taxing districts in Lane County. Spickard says the largest share of the money, 49-percent, goes to education. One third goes to cities, only nine percent goes to Lane County. The first payments are due November 15th.

Former state lawmaker Kevin Mannix is defending his proposal to hand down harsher mandatory sentences for sex offenders and drunken drivers. At a debate in Salem over the weekend, another former lawmaker, Lane Shetterly, challenged Mannix saying the measure is ‘poorly crafted’ and the state won’t be able to afford to spend more on corrections while facing a $3-billion budget shortfall projected for the next biennium. Mannix downplayed the cost element and argued the state estimates for previous mandatory minimum sentencing measures were overstated. Measure 73, would force anyone with a prior sex crime convicted of a major felony sex crime to a minimum of 25-years in prison. The state estimate’s Mannix measure could cost between 43-and 63-million dollars in the first four years.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) - The Coast Guard has closed the Columbia
River bar and most other entrances to coastal ports in Washington
and Oregon because of dangerously high waves. An official at the
command center in Astoria said today that 30-foot seas are likely
to continue after the winds subside.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A 54-year-old mushroom picker remains
missing in the Willamette National Forest. The Lane County
sheriff's office says Dodie Throssel of Springfield was reported
missing Saturday night in the Goodman Creek area south of Lookout
Point Reservoir. She has two Chow mix dogs with her.

CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. (AP) - A fight between two men outside a
Clackamas County bar escalated into a shooting that left one of
them shot in the hip. KATU-TV reports the men were reported
fighting just before midnight Saturday in the parking lot of Jay's
Bar and Grill when one of them pulled a handgun and shot the other.
The victim was taken to a hospital and rthe shooter is being
sought.

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - Corvallis police say a dog in custody
died of suffocation stemming from a previous injury, not from an
officer's stun gun. They say a necropsy shows the dog had suffered
a previous injury that caused throat-swelling. He says the dog was
muzzled for transport to a shelter and died when it could not
breathe.

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Educators Benefit Board was
created three years ago to pool resources and rein in
health-insurance costs for the state's school districts. The Mail
Tribune reports that OEBB premiums climbed between 10 percent and
23 percent between 2008-09 and 2009-10. A consultant firm hired by
the board estimates that school districts have saved millions.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Top-ranked Oregon took the weekend off after
its Thursday night pounding of UCLA, although it didn't seem like
many of the Ducks were going to distance themselves too much from
the game. There was a sense of anticipation to get on with the rest
of the season with just five games remaining and the stakes rising.
Oregon is No. 1 in the AP Top 25 for the second straight week.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
Prep Football:
The Siuslaw Vikings remained undefeated and in first place in the Far West League following a 34-13 victory over South Umpqua in Myrtle Creek Friday night. Jake Thompson was six of 13 passing for 170 yards and two touchdowns… a 75-yarder to Dylan Alameda and a 60-yarder to Peter Carroll. In other Far West results Friday… Sutherlin edged Brookings-Harbor 20-19 and Douglas dominated North Bend 59-28. In the Sunset, Reedsport fell to Coquille 34-16. In the Mountain West, Mapleton had the week off.
Prep Volleyball:
The Mapleton Sailors are tied with the Lowell Red Devils for first place in the Mountain West League. A tie-breaker game for seeding in the state playoffs will be held this evening, six pm, at Mohawk High School between the two teams.
College Football:
The Auburn Tigers have taken over the number one spot in the BCS rankings following a weekend win over LSU. The Oregon Ducks remained at number two… as well as number one in the AP poll following their Thursday night romp over the UCLA Bruins. Boise State stayed in third place in the BCS… TCU fourth. Oregon will be in Los Angeles Saturday against USC.