News from last week!

Soup’s On April First… no foolin!

Homelessness and the imminent threat of homelessness is a problem in the Florence area
200 -- "We probably see... I'm going to say ten people a day that come in for one service or another. That doesn't mean that they're all homeless. They could be on the verge of homelessness or they could just be having a bad time, or, they, you know they just have some kind of a need."

That creates a real need for Siuslaw Outreach Services according to director Bettie Egerton (EDJ-ur-ton). Not all of the people who come to them for assistance are homeless, but, she says, many are very close.
201 -- "Getting eviction notices or can't pay their utilities and it's, it's tough. With this economy so many people have lost their jobs and they just are on the verge so we are trying to work with these people and keep them in their homes."

One solution to help S-O-S raise money... a fund-raiser, April First, at the Florence Church of the Nazarene called... no fooling... "Soup's On". It's an all you can eat soup dinner, including dessert, for ten bucks.
202 -- "And also there is a gourmet soup contest, there's going to be about ten contestants. We're going to have a silent auction of all kinds of kitchen gadgets, and we have an apron fashion show."

Egerton (EDJ-ur-ton) says it's a 'drop-in' type event that runs from four to seven pm Friday.

Saturday’s wet weather along the Oregon Coast didn’t help the turnout for the 27th annual Oregon Spring Beach Cleanup, but it appears that it didn’t really hurt it either. Thousands of Oregonians made the trek to the beach to pick up trash and debris deposited by the waves and other visitors. A SOLV spokesperson estimated nearly 44-thousand pounds of trash was picked up by 32 -hundred volunteers.

Organizers say they’re building on the success of last year’s inaugural run. The first 500 people in the door at this Saturday’s second annual Green Fair will get a three-pack of energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs courtesy of Central Lincoln PUD. This year the Saturday show will feature information on adopting a ‘greener’ lifestyle. There’ll be demonstrations on sustainable activities like composting, reusing and recycling. The doors are open from ten to five Saturday at the Florence Events Center.

Long time Reedsport educators and coaches Jim and Mary Ann Wells will be honored at the April 16th Reedsport Athletics Benefit Auction. Reedsport High School Alumni are expected to converge on that community for a variety of weekend events including a golf tournament and the headline event, a dinner and auction that is expected to raise several thousand dollars for Reedsport athletics. Athletic Director James Hixenbaugh says the event is “crucial” in order for them to continue to provide a variety of athletic opportunities for students. Tickets for the April 16th event are $25 and are available at Reedsport Community Charter School.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An investigation by The Oregonian has
found the vast majority of people suspected of sexually attacking
residents in one of the state's 2,300 nursing homes,
assisted-living centers or other long-term care facilities are
never arrested or prosecuted. And the state rarely penalizes
facilities. Since 2005, the newspaper says state workers who
monitor the safety of the elderly and disabled received some 350
reports of possible sex abuse, ranging from unwanted kissing to
rape.

WALTERVILLE, Ore. (AP) - One man is missing and presumed dead
after a boating accident on the McKenzie River. Rescuers spent
hours Saturday afternoon and evening in the river and along its
banks following a boat accident that two other men survived. The
Register-Guard reports McKenzie Fire & Rescue crews responded to
the scene. Authorities say none of the men were wearing life vests.

BEND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon Fish and Wildlife officials say a
significant number of landowners enjoying tax breaks through a
state conservation program are violating contracts they'd agreed
on. Larry Pecenka, a habitat biologist with the state Department of
Fish and Wildlife, began inspecting participating properties years
ago and found about a third of participating landowners were
violating their contracts. The Bulletin in Bend says an expansive
motorcycle play area and replacement of a 924-square-foot house
with a 3,500-square-foot one were among those found to be
contradicting the plan.

BEND, Ore. (AP) - A Bend woman and her 17-year-old son have been
rescued from deep snow where they became stranded yesterday while
driving on a Forest Service road. Deschutes County deputies say
they were able to send text messages to their family who called for
help. Searchers on snowmobiles reached them last night on China Hat
Road and took them to waiting family members. Janet Louise Hazelton
and her son Toby Hazelton are uninjured.

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - Medford-based Harry & David's is filing for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The provider of fruit baskets and
other gifts said today it agreed with some senior noteholders on
terms of a reorganization plan that will eliminate "substantial"
debt and provide equity financing to restructure its balance sheet.
Harry & David has been struggling as consumers cut back on their
spending in the weak economy.

COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) - Some descendants of the Chetco and Tututni
Indians in Oregon want Congress to restore what they say is the
state's 10th Indian tribe. They've formed a coalition called the
Confederated Tribes of the Lower Rogue. The effort could reshuffle
tens of millions of dollars that flow into Oregon through the
Bureau of Indian Affairs to siphon funds from other recognized
tribes in Oregon, including the powerful Confederated Tribes of
Siletz, which runs the Chinook Winds Indian Casino.

CANNON BEACH, Ore. (AP) - A University of Washington
seismologist says the Pacific Northwest isn't nearly as prepared
for the effects of a megaquake as the Japanese, who have been
overwhelmed by a magnitude-9 earthquake and the resulting tsunami.
Scientists say it's inevitable that the coast will be hit by an
offshore megaquake. But in rough economic times, the money to
complete projects to prepare for such an event is hard to find.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Supreme Court has upheld a Marion
County jury's decision to sentence a former Eugene man to death row
for murdering a fellow inmate at the Oregon State Penitentiary in
Salem in 2003. The Register-Guard newspaper reports Jason Van
Brumwell may now ask the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn his death
sentence.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency has
issued a disaster declaration for an Oregon county where the
Japanese tsunami caused millions of dollars in damage. Yesterday's
announcement frees up federal funding for the repairs in Curry
County, where the March 11 tsunami damaged docks, boats and other
infrastructure at the Port of Brookings-Harbor.

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

Taking a look at Coast Radio Sports…

In Prep Softball the Siuslaw Vikings swept both halves of a double-header Friday afternoon at home against the Philomath Warriors, winning 5-2 and 9-1. In game one, the Warriors scored first, but the Vikings tied it on a throwing error, then Kati Thrall broke the tie with a two-RBI drive to left field to put Siuslaw up for good. In game two, a suicide-squeeze bunt by Sadie Wells scored Thrall in the second inning to start things off well… Lady Viking Softball is back on the diamond this afternoon in Elmira for one game at five… Friday’s games had been scheduled for Saturday but were moved up to beat the rain that wound up postponing Viking Baseball.

Oregon men’s basketball coach Dana Altman says Creighton wouldn’t have been his first choice for an opponent in the College Basketball Invitational championship series. Altman had 11 consecutive 20-win seasons and seven NCAA tournament appearances in his 16-years as head coach for the Bluejays. He left them last April to take the Oregon Job. Oregon and Creighton tip off in Omaha this evening at five in game one of the best-of-three series. The pregame show is at 4:30.