Waite farm to revert to natural state - Christmas Basket gets anonymous donor - Two Eugene men arrested near Florence with guns and drugs.

(USFS photo by Roy Lowe)

Former Dairy Farm could revert to natural state…

It started out as a tangled mess of bushes, small trees and an occasional Sitka Spruce., a landscape that has largely vanished from the Oregon Coast.
201 – “It was historically a crabapple swamp. Which is a form of a scrub-shrub… what we call a scrub-shrub wetland that is now essentially gone from the Oregon Coast but historically there was quite a bit of it.”

Ryan Ruggiero is talking about the 217 acre Waite Farm, four miles east of Florence, that for the past century supported generations of dairy and beef ranchers. The property was acquired this week by the McKenzie River Trust.
200 – “We were very excited to finally acquire the property, but really the work is just beginning because we envision a lengthy analysis and design process where we’ll look at the various restoration alternatives for the property.”

Much of that effort, he says, will have to be mindful of neighboring private property owners as well as Highway 126. By the time they’re done, what was once productive agricultural land will become productive in a different way.
202 – “Really, the value from a water quality and an aquatic habitat perspective is enormous, and estuaries are disproportionately productive ecosystems relative to their size. So they produce a lot of really important ecological features like baby fish for example.”

Ruggiero says McKenzie River Trust will partner with groups such as the Siuslaw Watershed Council to make the transformation… a similar project to several that have already been accomplished locally.

Organizers of the Community Christmas Basket Project have been scrambling to come up with the cash to pay for an estimated 550 food boxes and gifts for area families this Christmas season. When a story aired on Coast Radio yesterday talking about the effort, Jan Nieberlein said it resulted in almost instant action.
205 – “I just received a call from a member of the community who had heard on the radio that we still needed funds for the Community Christmas Basket Project.”

The caller, who didn’t want to be identified, offered to put up half of the shortfall.
206 – “She volunteered to match donations up to a total of $5,000.”

Nieberlein said they’re tracking donations this week and hope to match the full amount. Cash and checks can be dropped off at Hoberg’s Muffler Center on Highway 101 through next Friday.

Two Eugene men were arrested on a variety of charges after a traffic stop near Florence over the weekend resulted in the confiscation of a stolen assault rifle, cash, a stash of methamphetamine valued at about $4,000 and false ID. 19-yar old Andres Avila Gamboa was pulled over Saturday evening seven miles east of Florence on Highway 126. A state Trooper discovered the items, along with a loaded handgun. Also arrested was 22-year old Cesar Omar Erives-Gonzales. Police say additional charges may be pending.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A prosecutor seeking the death penalty for an
Oregon man convicted of killing two policemen has told jurors the
man had a history of fantasy plots to murder people he didn't like
-- including former President Bill Clinton. But a defense attorney
countered yesterday that Bruce Turnidge didn't act on those
fantasies, and that shows he isn't the terrible man prosecutors are
portraying. Turnidge and his son, Joshua, were convicted Wednesday
of aggravated murder and other charges.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Portland Fire and Rescue spokesman says
an 85-year-old woman whose clothes caught fire in an apartment
blaze has died. Spokesman Paul Corah says Gayle McCall was burned
over 50 percent of her body yesterday after a lit candle fell in
her fourth-floor apartment at Lents Village.

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon woman has been charged with
aggravated murder in the death of a newborn child whose body was
left in a Dumpster. The Register-Guard says 23-year-old Angelica
May Swartout was arrested Wednesday following nearly a two-month
investigation. Police say the newborn was killed Oct. 18, the same
day Swartout gave birth away from a medical facility without
medical supervision.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Marijuana worth about $3.1 million was
seized and six people arrested in a raid on "grow houses" that
fed what police called a "highly profitable" distribution
operation in the Portland metro area. Portland police served more
than a dozen search warrants Tuesday and Wednesday to wrap up an
investigation that began early this year.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Benton County sheriff's officers have
recovered a centuries-old violin worth $50,000 that vanished from a
Corvallis home. Deputies say the violin was pawned months ago for
$100 in Albany. Officers arrested Marcianna Tinch, who
investigators say knows the violin's owner.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Outgoing Gov. Ted Kulongoski has created a
new public safety commission to review sentencing policies and
recommend other reforms to reduce state prison spending. Kulongoski
says Gov.-elect John Kitzhaber supports the new commission and will
include it in his upcoming budget.

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - Closing arguments are set today in Medford
in the trial of a homeless man accused of starting a wildfire fire
at Ashland. John David Thiry lived in the grassy field where the
fire broke out Aug. 24 and spread in fierce winds. Flames destroyed
11 homes, causing over $3 million in damage.

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) - The Swanson Group is laying off about
100 workers -- half the employees -- at its Springfield plywood
mill. Plant superintendent Ken Munyon says he hopes the workers can
be called back in the spring.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Andre Miller returned from a one-game
suspension to score 22 points and the Portland Trail Blazers beat
the Orlando Magic 97-83 last night. The win extends Portland's
winning streak to three games, following six straight losses.

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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The Mapleton Sailors ran over the Falls City Mountaineers 70 – 46 last night in boys non-league basketball. For the girls, Liz Harry had 12 points but the Mountaineers came out on top 49 – 30.

Coming up on the schedule tonight… for the girls… Reedsport will be at home against Elkton… Siuslaw will be in Cottage Grove against the Lions… that game airs on Coast Radio Sports with a 6:45 airtime. For the boys… The Vikings are at home against Cottage Grove… Reedsport will host Elkton.

On the mats… the Siuslaw Vikings will open up the season in North Bend for the Coast Classic Tournament today and tomorrow…

And on the College Court… Oregon will be at Mac Court in ‘retro’ looking uniforms against Willamette University tomorrow at seven. Airtime on Coast Radio Sports will be at 6:30. Oregon State will host Texas Pan-American Sunday afternoon at 1:30… airtime on KCFM is at one.