Kitzhaber proposes budget - Blood bank looking for new Florence digs - gas prices steady

Spending reductions take preference over revenue increases…

The Governor released his budget proposal yesterday. It would close a spending gap without tax increases. John Kitzhaber had hinted that he would ask for steep cuts to health care, education and public safety, but schools and many state agencies would get roughly the same amount of money allotted in the current budget. Under the new plan, state spending would increase by about 8-percent over the next two years, from the current $13.5-billion to just under $14.5-billion. He’s proposing an allocation of $5.56-billion for K-through-12 education… $240-million less than what education lobbyists say is needed. Social services would see cuts as well. Jerry Cohen, the state director for AARP is concerned about suggestions that payments to doctors and hospitals be reduced. Cohen says people at lower incomes and in rural areas already have difficulty finding care… and cutting state programs jeopardizes federal support.
209 – “We need to be deliberate to make sure that we don’t forfeit tens of millions of job-creating federal dollars; at the same time, that we avoid dismantling the home and community-based service long-term care system that has been the envy of al, and most cost-effective.”

The Governor will be a guest… by phone… this afternoon on KCST’s Our Town between four and six pm.

Florence area residents have always been generous… and Chelsie Wong with the Lane Memorial Blood Bank says that also applies to blood. In fact, coastal folk are so generous, the organization is trying to find a new location for the bi-monthly donation drives.
210 – “Because of the volume of donors in Florence we would be really interested in doing an inside setup where we would bring all of our equipment, the beds, the registration computers, everything inside of a very large room and basically set up a mini-blood bank for a day.”

For many years they’ve been coming to the Florence Elks Lodge every other month with a converted motor home. But, she says, they need a member of the lodge to sponsor them so they can continue using the facility. Either that, or find a new location. Wong says there’s another change coming soon.
212 – “We’ve been supporting Lane County hospitals for 50 years. We’re also in the process of a ‘rebrand’ so on February 25th we’re going to be rolling out our new brand.”

Wong says they’ll be set up this Saturday at the Florence Events Center… accepting blood donations during the community indoor garage sale.

Despite an increase in wholesale crude-oil prices, retail gas prices are holding steady and even dipping slightly in some areas. That’s after eight straight weeks of increases according to Marie Dodds with Triple-A of Oregon. Dodds says the national average price is down a penny to $3.10 while Oregon’s average price is off a half-cent this week to $3.21. Prices in Florence continue to run well below both averages… This week’s average price is $3.08 a gallon.

Hundreds of people ate clam chowder last Friday… resulting in about $5,500 that will be given to Lincoln City Police officer Steve Dodds and his family. Dodds was the officer that was shot January 23rd while conducting a routine traffic stop. All the Mo’s Restaurants on the Oregon Coast held the fundraiser last week and Peggy Preisz (price), Mo’s spokesperson said it was a huge outpouring of support. In addition to$4,500 in chowder sales that day, they collected an additional thousand dollars in cash. Dodds continues to improve, he’s in a Portland hospital.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

MILTON-FREEWATER, Ore. (AP) - Two young girls have died in a
mobile home fire in Milton-Freewater in Eastern Oregon. The
Union-Bulletin in Walla Walla, Wash., reports that 16-month-old
Olivia Wilson and her 4-month-old sister, Eva, were in a back
bedroom of the house when the fire broke out early yesterday.
Authorities say combustibles placed too close to a space heater
sparked the blaze.

GRESHAM, Ore. (AP) - A 50-year-old Oregon man killed in a
confrontation with Gresham police was a career serviceman who
worked to raise money for veterans. Police say Anthony L. McDowell
was killed Monday evening outside his Gresham home. Officer John
Rasmussen says McDowell's wife had called police, saying her
husband was suicidal. The officer says a family member took one
weapon away from McDowell, but he had armed himself with a rifle
and was waiting outside when police arrived.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Zoo in Portland says an
orphaned black bear from Montana has a new home at the zoo and so
far his introductions to the zoo's other three black bears have
gone well. Zoo director Kim Smith calls the bear named Takoda "a
terrific addition." He'll now be visible to zoogoers in the
exhibit yard. A Montana rancher found the cub. He now weighs 150
pounds.

CORBETT, Ore. (AP) - Searchers are looking for two Portland
sisters who failed to return from a day hike near Horsetail Falls
in the Columbia River Gorge. KATU reports the family of Leslie and
Leesa Azar called authorties late yesterday when they failed to
return. It's unknown if they had clothing for overnight
temperatures that fell into the low 20s.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A wind-whipped, two-alarm fire has
engulfed a barn at the former site of the historic Meadowland Dairy
in Portland. The 50-by-25-foot building held tractors and other
farm machinery but no animals. Officials say firefighters were
forced to pull back when the barn began to collapse shortly late
yesterday afternoon. The cause is under investigation.

ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) - A 50-year-old Roseburg man has been
arraigned on a murder charge in the death of his girlfriend's
2-year-old son. Mark Allen Vanderhoof was in Douglas County Circuit
Court on Monday on a charge he struck and killed Dennis "Bubba"
Young on Jan. 25. Vanderhoof had told authorities the boy fell from
the porch.


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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Boys prep basketball results from last night… The Reedsport Braves remain winless in Sunset League play, they fell to Glide 72 – 29. The Mapleton Sailors improve to 5-and-5 in the Mountain West. They beat Alsea 62 – 28. With two games remaining in conference play, the Sailors are in fourth place, with an opportunity to move into third.

For the girls… Glide defeated Reedsport 55-29. Mapleton fell to Alsea 34-29.