Funding priorities remain a challenge for public safety…
Sheriff Tom Turner is looking at Lane County’s bleak revenue outlook as a benefit. He says now that they’ve hit bottom, there’s no where to go but up. But how to ‘get up’ is the question. Voters have continually said no to more taxes. Federal and State revenue sharing is just a mere shadow of what it once was. That means he’ll have to take a different tack.
Turner: “Well, when you take past history it doesn’t look like any of those are a huge benefit for us. The thing that I’m going to concentrate on right now is that I want public safety to be the priority and unfortunately we’re going to have to stick with the priorities just like anybody would in their household budget. Stick with the things you have to have and then you start adding back the things that you’d like to have.”
In his mind public safety… enforcement, prosecution, drug and alcohol treatment and corrections… should be the number one priority. That’s easy for him to say, but he has no direct control over the budget. That’s left up the Lane County Commission which has its own set of priorities and they don’t always match the Sheriff’s
Turner: “Absolutely not, you’re right, and so I’m just hoping to encourage them to be with me on that very same thing as well as all the rest of Lane County.”
Turner says that recent turnover on the board has been encouraging to him. He feels good about the current makeup of commissioners and is confident they’ll keep public safety high on the list.
The Oregon International Port of Coos Bay has selected an Arizona company to operate the 110-mile rail link between the Willamette Valley and the Oregon Coast. ARG Trans will operate the line, hauling freight for American Bridge in Reedsport and several wood products companies in Coos County. The former owner, Central Oregon and Pacific, embargoed the line 3 ½ years ago because of safety concerns. At the time, they wanted to abandon it and sell the rails for scrap. But, with federal and state assistance the port bought the line for $16-million and has spent nearly the same amount on rehabilitation of several tunnels and several miles of right of way. Limited freight service is expected to resume by early summer.
Today is Good Friday, the beginning of the three-day Easter weekend. For many that brings to mind visions of Easter egg hunts. There are at least two opportunities for kids on the Central Coast to ‘get their egg on’. Tomorrow at Miller Park in Florence will be the Community Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by Florence Rotary and the Siuslaw High School Honor Society. Children aged two-to-nine will scramble for eggs and prizes at ten sharp… In Western Douglas County, the Lions Club and the Winchester Bay Merchants Association have teamed up to present a 1:15 Sunday afternoon hunt at Jim Barrone Park.
This past week has been much drier than most in recent months… and that means the dirt and grime that has accumulated on your car is much more noticeable. The 2011 Project Graduation can take care of that, along with any mold, moss or pine needles that have built up over the winter. They’ll be hosting a car wash tomorrow from ten to two at Mini Pet Mart. Organizers say hardworking teens will be aided by parents and friends… and accepting donations towards their safe, sane and sober party set to follow graduation in June.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
NEWPORT, Ore. (AP) - The Corps of Engineers plans to install a
gate Tuesday on the south jetty of Yaquina Bay at Newport to stop
cars from driving into danger.
The corps says the path on top of the jetty was intended for
maintenance, not public access, and dangerous sinkholes have opened
underneath.
The Oregonian reports the corps doesn't want people walking on
the jetty, either, but it's popular for fishing, sunbathing and
picnics.
Two people were washed away during a November storm and drowned.
Two people also were swept from the jetty in 2008 and one drowned.
---
Information from: The Oregonian, http://www.oregonlive.com
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon federal judge has ruled that the
Vatican must respond to certain requests for information from a man
who says he was molested by a priest in the 1960s. The man known in
court documents as John V. Doe filed suit in 2003. He seeks to hold
the Vatican liable for abuse he says he suffered from the Rev.
Andrew Ronan. Doe's lawyer calls the order an "historic step."
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Gov. John Kitzhaber (KITS'-hah-ber) has
signed two school spending bills after reaching a deal with
legislative leaders to fund early childhood and higher education
programs at his requested levels. The bills cover spending over the
next two years and draw on $100 million from an education savings
account. He was lukewarm about taking another $100 million from the
stability fund.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A state Senate committee has advanced a bill
that would make Oregon the first state to ban single-use plastic
grocery bags. The panel voted 3-2 along party lines to send the
bill yesterday to the Senate floor. The bill by Democratic Sen.
Mark Hass of Beaverton aims to encourage the use of reusable
shopping bags. Stores would have to charge at least 5 cents each
for paper bags.
BEND, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon state medical examiner's office
confirms a body found in a backyard was that of 72-year-old Sandra
Meyer. Bend Police say an autopsy also determined her death was a
homicide but detectives didn't release any details about the exact
cause of death. Her husband John Meyer's body was found in March,
and investigators believe he committed suicide and was responsible
for his wife's death.
MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Legislature's budget committee
will be hearing from the public in southern Oregon tonight. The
Ways and Means Committee hearing will be at the armory in Medford.
The committee is responsible for crafting a two-year budget at a
time when the state is more than $3 billion short of funding
services at their current levels.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The 2011 ocean salmon season is due for a
decision today by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. The
commission will be asked at its meeting in Salem to adopt
regulations for ocean coho and chinook salmon fishing in state
territorial waters from the shore to three miles out.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
The number three Beavers won their tenth straight game, downing the Washington State Cougars 4-2 yesterday afternoon in Corvallis. James Nygren worked eight innings on the mound, giving up two runs on seven hits while striking out eight. Oregon State and the Cougs meet again today in Corvallis before wrapping up the series tomorrow.
In Eugene, the Diamond Ducks upset 23rd ranked Arizona 4-2 to continue their turnaround. Oregon has now won three straight and six of their last eight games. The Ducks and the Wildcats continue their series today and tomorrow at PK Park.
On the prep schedule…. Viking Baseball is at home this afternoon for a double-header against the North Bend Bulldogs…. Both games will air on Coast Radio Sports with the pregame show at 2:45. The Lady Vikings will be in North Bend for two games against the Bulldogs. On the Track, Viking Freshman Mitchell Butler will be running the three-thousand at the Oregon Relays in Eugene tonight. The full Viking squad will be on the track at Marshfield tomorrow for the Prefontaine.
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