Homeless Coalition ~ Debit & Credit Card Security ~ Walk For Trevor

Hands hoping to help homeless…
There’s no exact count of just how many people there may be in Western Lane County that are homeless. They’re difficult to keep track of, because they could be living just about anywhere.

209 – “There’s a lot more than most people realize. Probably any wooded area there’s probably somebody there camping out.”

Debbie Hamilton is with a group called Helping Hands Coalition. They recently came together and opened a center aimed at providing services for the homeless.

210 -- "We just started the first part of May. We opened the doors to a day center for the homeless and others in need."

Those services include a hot shower, a telephone, maybe a place to use as a mailing address; or a hot meal every now and then. Right now they’re in a space provided by the Florence Christian Church. But, says Hamilton, they’re eager and anxious to get out on their own. In order to do that, they need cash. The coalition is nearing completion on their non-profit status with the IRS and is actively fund-raising. One of those… a concert July 15th.

211 -- "James Twyman is known as the international peace troubadour. He has given concerts in a lot of war-ridden countries like Serbia and Iraq. He has done concerts for the UN.

He’s also written a dozen books and recorded numerous CDs, all with his message of peace. Tickets for the July 15th concert at the Florence Events Center are $25. $50 includes a VIP reception and reserved seating.

When it comes to ripping people off, hackers, scammers and con men change their tactics to meet the modern day realities. A recent case affected hundreds of people in Oregon when hackers got access to the credit and debit card transactions at Michaels Crafts… Many of those who had fraudulent charges live in Western Lane County. In that case, it was likely a computer hacker that got the information electronically. But, says Siuslaw Bank Chief Operating Officer Carl Hultenberg, the bad guys are capable of just about anything. One method uncovered recently, is an attachment that scammers put over the card slot on a walk-up ATM.

212 -- "If you walk up to a, like say an ATM machine or something like that, and you notice that there might be an attachment to it, you certainly wouldn't want to use it… if there was a device hooked onto the machine."

The device reads the information on the card’s magnetic stripe and a nearby camera, focused on the keypad, records the PIN. After several hours, scammers can collect their tools and walk away with information that is very valuable. Hultenberg says its imperative that consumers keep a close eye on their credit and debit card transactions and call their financial institution immediately if they spot something amiss.

It’s estimated that more than 600 people turned out Tuesday night for Trevor’s Walk, an opportunity for friends and neighbors of 15-year old Trevor Denning to show their support. The 15-year old Florence boy suffered a spinal injury a week ago when he was thrown from an ATV he was driving. Walk organizer Shannon Graham said the turnout was great, but perhaps as important was the amount of money raised to help with family expenses. She said they collected $10,629.34 between nine pm and midnight. That does not include deposits made directly into an account in Denning’s name that has been set up at Oregon Pacific Bank. A spaghetti feed will be held at the Little Brown Hen Café July 7th to raise money as well. Denning’s condition was upgraded from critical to serious earlier this week and has already transferred from Doernbecher’s Children’s Hospital to the rehab unit at Legacy Emanual Hospital in Portland. He’s expected to be there about 90-days before coming home.


TAKING A LOOK IN TO ASSOCIATED PRESS REGIONAL NEWS…

BLY, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say a motorcycle rider is dead after she rear-ended a car that had stopped to make a left turn on Highway 140E near Bly, east of Klamath Falls. The 51-year-old woman was thrown from the cycle and died at the scene.
No one in the car was hurt.

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) - A man charged with rape and sex abuse was acquitted in a trial before a judge in Corvallis. The Gazette-Times reports 22-year-old Fernando Antonio Gonzalez of Hillsboro had been accused of raping a woman he met at a 2009 party.

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - The Josephine County sheriff's office says the body of a 26-year-old Crescent City, Calif., man has been recovered from the Rogue River near Grants Pass, Ore. The body of Robert Allen Grevious Jr. was found Wednesday about a mile downstream from where he was last seen.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The defense team of an Oregon terrorism suspect has asked for the FBI surveillance records of their client as part of his due-process rights. The federal public defenders representing 20-year-old Mohamed O. Mohamud have argued in a brief filed late yesterday afternoon that they need to see the classified surveillance material gathered by the FBI so they can decide whether the surveillance was legitimately obtained and properly used.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A man rescued by firefighters from a burning Portland apartment was taken to Oregon Burn Center with life threatening injuries. Firefighters say they were met by heavy smoke when they responded to the fire last night, and found one bedroom door blocked. Firefighters had to force their way inside
where they found the 72-year-old victim suffering from smoke inhalation. Another adult who lived in the apartment is OK.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Starting July 1 Portland firefighters will start their shifts with a 10-to-15-minute stretching exercise. The Oregonian reports the Portland Fire Bureau is requiring the program in an effort to reduce injuries. The city's public safety disability fund is giving $23,000 to support the program. About 25 peer fitness trainers will encourage the morning stretching at each station.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Salem police say a man sought on arrest warrants crashed his pickup truck into a police patrol car, then led officers on a 12-mile chase before crashing in some brush and being arrested. Lt. Dave Okada says police detectives and patrol officers had tried to box the man's vehicle in with their patrol cars Wednesday but he accelerated and plowed into the front quarter panel of Cpl. Mark Croll's car.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Decathlete Trey Hardee describes the state of his sport in the United States as "a tsunami of talent." Hardee, along with veteran Bryan Clay and newcomer Ashton Eaton, are the decathlon's current stars, and they are competing at this week's national championships at Hayward Field in Eugene.

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Washington Nationals found yet another novel way to keep their winning ways going, beating the Seattle Mariners 2-1 last night with a pair of unearned runs off Erik Bedard. The Nationals scored in the first and fourth with the help of errors against the game's top interleague pitcher to win for the 10th time in 11 games.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The Three Rivers Sandblasters are at home this afternoon for American Legion action against Springfield. Airtime over Coast Radio Sports is 4:45, first pitch between the Blasters and Titans is set for 5 o’clock at Jiggs Dodson Field…


A late inning rally lifted the Emeralds past the Volcanos last night in a 4 /3 comeback victory. Eugene center fielder Donovan Tate carried two of the Em’s four hits, including the game tying RBI double in the eight inning and the winning run. Tonight’ the series continues with game two of three at Volcano Stadium.

Brubaker Tourism ~ Gas Prices ~ The Prophet of Doom Road Show

City to instigate economic recovery efforts…
Phil Brubaker believes Florence residents should take matters into their own hands and try to spur their own economic recovery. The Florence Mayor convinced the city council Monday night to allocate $50-thousand in room tax money in the coming year to help devise a plan to draw more visitors who might be likely to become permanent residents.

200 – “I’m hoping to go back to basics, with what, as far as I can see until was the transition that Florence made, uh, well now it was over 20 years ago, from a wood products and fishing town to a tourism and retirement town.”

With a good hospital, plenty of services, reasonable real estate prices and a mild climate, Florence became a magnet for retirees through the 1990s. Brubaker wants to take some of the 50-grand and use it to survey recent arrivals.

201 – “The idea is to find out first hand from people that have been here a while but never-the-less are new: why the decided on Florence in the first place?”

The mayor says an economic recovery is beginning to take hold in other parts of the country… he wants to capitalize on that and draw some of that business to the central Oregon Coast.

The prophet of doom is coming to the Oregon Coast. James Roddey has been recognized nationally for his expertise in earthquake and tsunami readiness. The Oregon Department of Geology spokesman will be in Florence July 6th, then again the next night in Reedsport, with what he calls an “eye-opening multi-media presentation” about getting ready for the “big one”. Roddy will recount native American folklore and talk about ‘ghost forests’; both of which provide very real evidence that the Oregon Coast has been subjected to a massive earthquake and tsunami more than once over the past several hundred years. He also says the Japanese quake and wave in March provides some “real lessons” that will apply to us in the northwest. The Florence presentation is set for seven PM, Wednesday July 6th at the Florence Events Center. The entire road show will move to the Pacific Auditorium in Reedsport the next night.

Retail gas prices continue to fall as summer officially begins and the driving season shifts into high gear. The national average for regular unleaded gasoline fell six cents this past week to $3.64; while the Oregon average price, according to Triple-A, slipped by about a penny and a half and is at $3.83. The average price in Florence continues to track considerably lower than the rest of the state. It dropped by about two cents this week and is at $3.68. That’s still sixty cents a gallon higher than it was at the first of this year… but it’s 16-cents below this year’s high recorded last month. Marie Dodds with Triple-A says recent high prices may have helped reduce overall demand.

TAKING A LOOK IN TO ASSOCIATED PRESS REGIONAL NEWS…

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A judge says a Eugene, Ore., man accused of killing his landlady and burying her body in her backyard is competent to stand trial after more than two months in Oregon State Hospital. Circuit Court Judge Debra Vogt has scheduled a July 6 hearing to set a trial date for 24-year-old Miguel Angel Chavez, who is charged with murder in the December death of 55-year-old Deborah Ann Stone.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon man has been sentenced to nearly a half century in prison after earlier pleading guilty to federal child pornography charges related to photographing his sexual abuse of his 6-year-old stepdaughter and 14-year-old disabled stepson. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Ancer Haggerty sentenced the
43-year-old man from the Portland suburb of Aloha to a 49-year term. The Associated Press is not identifying the man to avoid identifying the sex abuse victims.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The National Insurance Crime Bureau reports auto thefts declined about 6 percent last year in Oregon to about 9,200 vehicles, nearly 75 percent of them in the Portland area. That auto theft rate - the number of thefts per 100,000 population - ranks Portland 65th in the nation, up from 77th the
year before. The auto theft rate also climbed in Bend but dropped in Eugene and Salem.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Zoo is singing the praises of a caracal named Peggy, who recently gave birth to three healthy kittens. Senior Africa zookeeper Asaba Mukobi says Peggy is protective, makes sure all three get fed and "sets boundaries for the kittens now that they're moving around."

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Salem police say they've arrested a woman who apparently drove through a parking lot with a person clinging to the hood of her car. Police say three people tried to leave a T-Shirt Outlet with stolen items after they were confronted by security. They got into a car but a store employee followed, and
Lt. Dave Okada tells the Statesman Journal it appears that the car was driving around the parking lot with the employee hanging onto the hood.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon House and Senate have both passed a series of education bills that will provide more money for schools and significantly remake the structure of education in Oregon. The bills are now on their way to Gov. John Kitzhaber, who has said he will sign them.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A national civil rights group has sued the state of Oregon, claiming it denied insurance coverage of a medical procedure for a transgender state worker. Lambda Legal filed the suit in Marion County for Alec Esquivel, a law school graduate who is an Oregon Court of Appeals clerk. The group said Esquivel is a
woman who is making the transition to a male gender identity. Doctors recommended that Esquivel undergo a hysterectomy to cut the risk of uterine and ovarian cancer but their request for insurance coverage was denied.

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A Soldotna, Alaska, man has taken the lead with a 350.5-pound whopper in the Homer Halibut Derby, which runs through September and offers more than $190,000 in prizes. The Anchorage Daily News reports that Chad Aldridge caught the fish Sunday while with his father near Seldovia.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The University of Oregon has released documents related to its use of recruiting services that suggest the school paid for information that was outdated. The documents include a "2010 National High School Evaluation Booklet" that
actually includes prep athletes who were part of the 2009 recruiting class. It was part of a package that purportedly was for athletes entering school in 2011.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Three Rivers split games last night with the Salem Highwaymen in Florence. The Blasters opened the afternoon double header with a 7 / 1 victory. Kyle Davis threw 9innings for the W with 6 strikeouts and added a three run Home Run to help his cause. The Highwaymen back in game two with a 9 /6 final. Mike Bennett went 3 for 4 at the plate for the Blasters, Ryan Smith scored a two run home run, while Joey Jacques and Jake Thompson two hits each. The Sandblasters return to the diamond Thursday for action against the Springfield Titans.

The Em’s might have taken the opening series of the young Northwest League season, but it was the Boise Hawks who took game five at PK Park last night 11 / 6. Eugene’s first year coach Pat Murphy worried at Eugene’s inability to get guys home, saying, “ A few guys left a small village on base.” It’s the first road series for the Emeralds tonight as they move up I-5 for the first of three games against the Salem Keizer Volcanos.

Gathering To Sypport Injured Teen ~ Port Of Coos Bay Railway ~ Wet Spring

Community event to provide emotional support for injured teen.
When the news came that 15-year old Trevor Denning had been seriously injured in an ATV accident last week, many members of the community instantly began looking for things they could do to help.

205 – “I think that’s what’s so great about Florence is that everybody feels affected by it and, you know, we love the family and we love Trevor and everybody just has the feeling that we want to do something.”

Shannon Graham, a friend of the extended Barnett and Denning Family said one of the things that came to mind was an event that would show their emotional support, as well as provide some economic support. Many of Denning’s friends will be converging on the track at Hans Peterson Field tonight… from nine pm to midnight. Graham says there’s no cost to get in.

206 – “We’re just encouraging people that if they would like to help the Denning-Barnett family there’ll be a donation jar, but also there’ll be an opportunity for people to videotape a message to Trevor and they can sign posters for Trevor as well as write a message that we’re going to put in a book.”

She said the late evening time frame was intentionally designed to target other youth in Denning’s age-group. Doctors have told family members that the active 15-year old will likely never walk again… but he has been able to use his arms and that, say friends… is a positive sign.

The wet spring in Oregon has made it to number 2 in the record books. Acording to information released this week by the National Climatic Data Center this has been the second wettest spring in 117 years of record keeping. It’s also been the fifth coolest. The springtime weather included mountain snowpacks that kept growing well into May this year… when they usually peak by April 1st. Oregon was not alone for wet weather. Montana also had the second wettest spring in recorded history, while Washington and Wyoming had the number one wettest springs on record.

Governor Kitzhaber signed legislation yesterday allowing the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay to own and operate the rail link between Danebo, just West of Eugene and Coquille in southern Coos County. It’s a good thing, because the port has already spent millions of dollars on acquiring and repairing right of way and tunnels along the route. The legislative move is the latest in a series of actions that have been under way since the previous rail operator… Central Oregon and Pacific… embargoed the line in September of 2007. Other than completing the physical repairs and restorations, the legislative approval is one of the final requirements before the port can begin operating the Coos Bay Rail Link and providing freight service to several different central and south coast manufacturers.

TAKING A LOOK IN TO ASSOCIATED PRESS REGIONAL NEWS…

COOS BAY, Ore. (AP) - An Oregon man who police say suffered a severe head wound in a fight with an acquaintance has died in a Portland hospital. The World newspaper says 45-year-old Kelly Mintz of Coos Bay died Sunday. Coos County District Attorney R. Paul Frasier told the newspaper yesterday that he planned to upgrade a charge against the man arrested in the case from attempted murder to murder.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Relatives and friends plan a candlelight vigil for a 20-year-old Springfield man killed in a personal watercraft crash. KEZI says the vigil for Shea Slayton is scheduled for 8:30 tonight on the North Eugene High School football field.
Lane County deputies say Slayton was killed Saturday at the Blue River Reservoir when his watercraft slammed into a tree stump sticking four feet out of the water.

NEWBERG, Ore. (AP) - Newberg police say a man who accidentally shot himself in the groin with a .40-caliber pistol is expected to recover. Capt. Jeff Kosmicki says the shooting happened yesterday in the parking lot of an auto supply store. Newport-Dundee Fire Department medics happened to be inside the store and quickly located
and treated the man once they got the emergency call.

ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) - Searchers have been looking for an 18-year-old Roseburg man who disappeared while swimming in the Umpqua River while swimming with friends on Sunday. Douglas County deputies say the missing man and some friends decided to swim
across the river 11 miles northwest of Roseburg. KVAL reports that Drake Wallace was pulled into swift water, went under and never came back up.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Gov. John Kitzhaber now has control of a bill he requested offering low-cost loans to retrofit schools with energy efficient technology. The Oregon Senate approved the measure yesterday, sending it to Kitzhaber, who says he will sign it. The measure is known by supporters as Cool Schools.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Legislatures went home for the night without passing any of the major education bills that were supposed to consume the day yesterday. The state House deadlocked on a compromise plan to vote on 14 education bills after one Republican priority died in a 30-30 split. The bill would expand access to online charter schools, and lawmakers will take up the measure again today.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Legislature will try again to vote on a slate of education bills. House lawmakers vote on 14 bills today, a day after the first effort flamed out. Altogether, the bills would provide more money for schools and would significantly remake the structure of education in Oregon.

SILVERTON, Ore. (AP) - Marion County sheriff's deputies have seized two malnourished horses that had been kept in a 15-by-40-foot pen near Silverton, east of Salem. Mud in the pen was a foot deep and the horses had no shelter. Deputies and animal
rescue workers say the animals are also suffering from skin ailments, muscle loss and hoof rot. The property owner called deputies, saying he rented the space to the horses' owner but she failed to care for them. He told deputies he tried to reach the
owner, but she blocked his calls.

SEATTLE (AP) - The Mariners start a three-game series today against the Washington Nationals on the road. The M's left home after a 2-0 victory over the Phillies. At 37-and-35, the Mariners are just a half-game behind Texas in the American League West.

SEATTLE (AP) - Qwest is becoming CenturyLink, and that applies to the Seattle stadium where the Seahawks and Sounders play. The company says the new logo for CenturyLink Field will be unveiled at a news conference Thursday at the stadium.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A group of NFL Hall of Famers is backing a class-action lawsuit against the NFL, demanding better benefits for former players. Defensive end Carl Eller is one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit and he says the league has not done what is "fair and right" in supporting the financial and medical concerns of
former players.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Three Rivers swept both halves of a double header against the single A - Salem Senators in Florence, 6-4 and 5-2.The Blasters are on the diamond this afternoon in Florence for a double header against Salem Post 9. Airtime for game one is 1:45 over Coast Radio Sports…

It was a wild game last night that included 13 runs on 22 hits and three errors. But a seventh inning rally lifted the Emeralds past the Hawks 9 / 4. Now at 3 and 1, the victory secures the first series of the season for the Ems. The series closes out tonight at PK Park in Eugene. The Em’s move up I-5 tomorrow for the first of five games against the Salem Keizer Volcanos.

ATV Accident ~ DMV Office Closure ~ Coho Salmmon Regulations ~ Firework Sales open Thursday

ATV Crash causes severe injuries…
A 15-year old Florence boy remains in critical condition in a Portland hospital after an ATV accident Thursday afternoon. Trevor Denning, his brother and a friend were riding in a field when Denning was thrown from his four-wheeler, landing on his head. The boy was air-lifted to Doernbecher’s Children’s Hospital where he underwent emergency surgery Thursday night. Doctors have told his family he will likely never walk again. There were encouraging signs over the weekend however when he said he did have some feeling in his arms. The injuries have prompted an outpouring of support for the popular and athletic boy. A 9 PM walk to raise money for his care and support has been organized for tomorrow night at the track at Hans Peterson Field. An account has also been set up in his name at Oregon Pacific Bank. Donations can be made at any branch.

Oregon Coastal Salmon will retain threatened status under the Endangered Specied Act. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheris announced a ruling Friday reiterating the status for coastal coho, originally listed as threatened in 2008. Because of the decision, critical habitat designations and related regulations for the popular game fish will remain in effect.

Looking to renew your drivers license or vehicle registration later this week? Do it early… or online. Repairs to the Florence DMV office will require closure of that facility Thursday. Officials have not specified what repairs will be made during the closure but they say the Coos Bay office will be closed this week as weel. Located at 1155 5th Street in Coos Bay it will close today at the end of the business day and then reopen Friday morning…

The Oregon State Fire Marshall is urging residents to “keep it legal and keep it safe” when it comes to fireworks. June 23rd is the first day to legally buy and sell fireworks in Oregon. That’s when more than 800 retailers will begin selling the goods. Many of those will be from temporary tents and booths just for the occasion. It’s legal to sell fireworks in Oregon only between June 23rd and July 6th. Oregon law forbids possession, use or sale of fireworks that fly, explode or travel more than six feet on the ground or 12 inches in the air… that means bottle rockets, roman candles and firecrackers are illegal in the state.

TAKING A LOOK IN TO ASSOCIATED PRESS REGIONAL NEWS…

ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) - The city of Seaside has fallen short in its bid to be designated an "All-America City." The city was among 26 finalists for the national award given to communities that demonstrate the ability to solve problems with the assistance of residents, organizations and city officials. Seaside representatives talked about accomplishments that include creating a skate park, building a library and developing a tsunami evacuation plan.

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - An abandoned well unearthed during the construction of a Medford car dealership headquarters turned up some unusual finds from the 1800s. Among them were test tubes, beakers, a bottle marked "poison" and shards of a chamber pot. Archaeologists from a Eugene firm say they could have likely turned
up more artifacts, but the digging crews hit a water table about 15 feet under street level.

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) - A 25-year-old Pilot Rock hunter whose truck got stuck on a mountain road last month came away with a pretty good reward. Chris Harer took a shortcut up the mountain to find a place where his cell phone would work and stumbled upon a pair of six-point, roughly 360-inch bull elk sheds with 22-inch
sabres. He says he has been offered a truck, two guns and $1,000 cash so far for the elk sheds.

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) - Plans for an elder-housing complex on the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation are going green. The East Oregonian reports the Umatilla Housing Authority is considering sustainability and energy efficiency in its plans for the 27,000-square-foot complex. Some of the sustainability plans
include using refrigeration lines to transfer warm air between rooms instead of using air conditioning.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Police have arrested a man suspected of firing 16 shots into a Portland house. Four people were inside the home at the time early yesterday but no one was injured. Officers stopped a vehicle minutes later and arrested a 33-year-old man for investigation of attempted murder. Police say they also recovered a semiautomatic rifle.

REDMOND, Ore. (AP) - For months, police in Redmond, Ore., got calls about a tall stranger roaming the highways of central Oregon. He was shaggy, unkempt and wily enough to evade his pursuers. But yesterday, the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office reported a capture. Bahama the llama is in custody. Callers had reported seeing the llama on Oregon Route 126 for at least two months.

ROSEBURG, Ore. (AP) - Searchers are looking for a 19-year-old Roseburg man who disappeared while swimming in the Umpqua River. The Douglas County sheriff's office says the man and some friends yesterday decided to swim across the river about 11 miles northwest of Roseburg. KVAL reports one of them was pulled into swift water,
went under and never came back up.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A handful of teachers in the Salem-Keizer school district were given a few days to clean up and say goodbyes as the district cut 248 of their positions. A total of 420 district jobs were eliminated to help plug a $54 million budget shortfall. The layoffs were long awaited.


ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - A former University of Alaska Anchorage runner is the winner of the 2011 Anchorage Mayor's Marathon. David Kiplagat covered the 26.2 miles in two hours, 30 minutes and 52 seconds. He won by nearly 16 minutes and earned two round-trip tickets anywhere Alaska Airlines flies. More than 4,300 runners entered in the 38th annual Mayor's Marathon & Half-Marathon, which also features a marathon relay and half-marathon.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Dwayne De Rosario scored on a penalty kick in stoppage time and New York played to a wild 3-3 draw against the Portland Timbers last night in a match that saw the ejection of Red Bulls captain Thierry Henry. Portland (5-6-3) got goals from Jack Jewsbury and Kevin Goldthwaite (GOLTH'-wayt), and benefited from an
own goal by the Red Bulls (5-2-8).

SEATTLE (AP) - Jason Vargas tossed a three-hitter for his second shutout of the season, outdueling Philadelphia left-hander Cole Hamels to lead the Seattle Mariners to a 2-0 win over the Phillies yesterday. Vargas (5-4) not only kept pace with Hamels, he exceeded and outlasted him in his third career complete game. He allowed
just two singles and six base-runners.

Taking A Look Into Coast Radio Sports:

Three Rivers Sandblasters won Friday’s nightcap at the Grant Smith Baseball Tournament taking down the Eugene Challengers 6 to 4. Ryan Smith and Logan Goins had one hit each for the team. Jake Thompson scored three of the six runs for the sandblasters. Kyle Davis went all 7 innings on the mound. He struck out 3 batters, gave up only 5 hits and only allowed 1 earned run. Sunday the Blasters fell 9 to 2 to Springfield in the semi finals. The Sandblasters are at home this afternoon for a double header at Jiggs Dodson Field against the Salem Senators. Game open begins at 2 o’clock.

The Northwest League Baseball season opened Friday night at PK Park, the Eugene Emeralds taking the opening game with a 5 – 4 walk off victory over the visiting Boise… The Hawks came back Saturday night to claim the win after scoring eight runs in the fifth inning to take down the Em’s 10 / 2….Eugene took game three of the five game series Sunday night with an 8 / 1 defensive victory over Boise. The series continues tonight at PK Pakr in Eugene.

Chainsaw Carving - Backyard Burning Ban & Butterflies

The chips they are aflyin’

44 pro and semi-pro chainsaw carvers are in the midst of showing off their work in the 11th annual Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championships in downtown Reedsport this weekend. The chips actually began to fly yesterday as the artists began working with a blank log on their main sculpture. A panel of judges will evaluate that work Sunday afternoon. Daily ‘quick-carve’ sculptures are produced between 10:30 and noon, then auctioned off each day. Most of the artists are from Oregon and Washington, but the event draws from across the country… Tennessee, Missouri, and California are represented. It’s an international event as well, with one contestant from Denmark; another from Australia. The weekend is not all saws, chips and art… there is also a craft and vendor fair, as well as a food court and beer garden. Evening ceremonies are at 5:30 tonight and tomorrow… with Sunday’s set for 2:30.

Believe it or not, the wet season is coming to an end. Backyard burning in areas outside the city limits of Florence were halted Wednesday evening by the Lane Regional Air Protection Agency. LRAPA spokesperson Sally Markos said rather than burn, property owners should consider recycling yard debris. The City of Florence accepts yard and woody debris the third Saturday of each month at the north end of the airport. Access is available through 27th street at Kingwood. The cost is only $5 per pickup load. Burning out of season can cost a lot more than that… Siuslaw Valley Fire Marshall Sean Barrett said fines can range from $50 to $2,500… with the average being around $300.

A project to help restore habitat for an endangered butterfly is set to begin along the coast north of Florence this month. Contractors working for the Nature Conservancy will begin removing trees and brush along Big Creek, just north of Washburne State Park to create open meadow habitat. The Oregon Silverspot Butterfly is a federally protected species that thrives only in a few remaining Oregon coastal grasslands. Nature Conservancy Ecologist Debbie Pickering said they’re ‘excited’ to be expanding the native prairie in that area. It will be based on historic aerial photos from 1943 that show about 100 acres of meadow have been lost due to encroachment by trees and shrubs. The Nature Conservancy purchased the 193 acre preserve two years ago. Much of the work is being funded by grants from the U.S. Forest Service and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board.

TAKING A LOOK IN TO ASSOCIATED PRESS REGIONAL NEWS…

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - The Linn County sheriff says a fourth man has been arrested in the death of a Eugene man found fatally beaten in a sleeping bag off Interstate 5 near Harrisburg. Sheriff Tim Mueller said 37-year-old Abiu Antonio Padilla was arrested yesterday in Salem. The sheriff says the man is charged with murder in the death of Jose Felipe Hernandez Leiva on April 30 or May 1. The sheriff says Padilla and three other men arrested earlier had worked with Leiva at area farms.

BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) - A fire official says a 12-year-old boy in Beaverton who was using gasoline to light plastic army figurines on fire was seriously burned when he was engulfed by fuel vapors last night. Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue spokesman Brian Barker says a police officer driving past a home saw the boy on fire outside. He was taken to Portland's Legacy Emanuel Medical Center.

BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) - Dozens of teens milled around last night in the Southridge High School parking lot in Beaverton and others drove by, but it never developed into a game of fugitive - an extreme form of tag said to be an end-of-year tradition. The Oregonian reports attention from the media and police who were at the scene apparently squelched the game that had been promoted on Facebook. In the game, drivers chase runners who are typically given a five-minute head start to reach a destination several miles away.

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - Authorities say they've been unable to locate a Crescent City, Calif., man missing after he tried to swim across the Rogue River near Grants Pass. Josephine County authorities say they were alerted Wednesday that 26-year-old Robert Allen Grevious Jr. went under while trying to swim the river with two juveniles. Crews searched late Wednesday and again yesterday.

HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) - A defense lawyer has entered a not guilty plea on behalf of an Oregon woman accused of fatally strangling her 11-year-old daughter. Kristina Buckley of the Portland suburb of Sherwood was arraigned yesterday in

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - A 30-year-old Medford man has been sentenced to life in prison for killing his girlfriend's toddler in
a brutal wrestling match. A judge yesterday sentenced Benjamin James George for murder by abuse and first-degree assault in the death of Kacy Sue Lunsford. Prosecutors say previous incidents of abuse ended in one night of "ultimate wrestling moves" by the 230-pound man that left the 30-pound child with collapsed lungs, a lacerated liver, internal bleeding and massive head wounds.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say the wife of a former Astoria city councilman has died of injuries she suffered when a pickup truck driven by her husband was hit by a loaded log truck in Astoria. Lt. Gregg Hastings says 83-year-old Anna Morden died yesterday at a Portland hospital where her husband, Donald Morden, remains hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Kyle Singler, the Oregon native who helped Duke to a national title in 2010, has worked out for the Portland Trail Blazers in advance of next week's NBA draft. Singler says the Blazers are the 10th team he's worked out for, with two more to go. He is expected by many to go late in the first round of next Thursday's draft. Singler previously played for South Medford High School.

SEATTLE (AP) - Prized Seattle prospect Dustin Ackley will likely make his big league debut today as the Mariners host Philadelphia, the top team in the majors. For Seattle fans, the matchup will initially take a back seat to his debut, which has been anticipated since the sweet-swinging second baseman was snagged No. 2 overall in the 2009 baseball draft. Ackley was added to Seattle's roster yesterday.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Three Rivers split games on the opening day of the Grant Smith Baseball tournament in Eugene. The Blasters opened the day with a 3 run shut out of the Mid-Valley Albany Rockets. Casee Case was 2 for 3 with a run scored. Mike Bennett was 2 for 3 with a double, Josh Iabichello was 2 for 2 with a run scored and Ricky Ballentine was 2 for 3 with 2 rbi and 2 doubles. Mike Bennett tossed a complete game with a six hit shutout with 7 k's…. The Sandblasters fell in their second game of the day to North Eugene who combined for 16 stikeouts in six innings. Sandblasters gave up just 5 hits but struggled defensively and had 4 errors – Mid-Valley Rockets 9 /1 over the Blasters. Tournament action continues through Sunday at North Eugene High School.

The Eugene Emeralds open the Northwest League short season this evening with the first of five games against the Boise Hawks. Game time at PK Park is set for 7:05, Sunday’s game is a 1:05 matinee.

Bozievich demands apology - fundraising for fireworks - top tourism exec in Florence - gas $3.70

Lane County Commissioner demands apology…

West Lane Commissioner Jay Bozievich is demanding a retraction and an apology from North Eugene Commissioner Rob Handy. Bozievich says the board was having a discussion on scheduling and planning a team-building and goal setting retreat when Handy accused him and two other commissioners of violating the open meetings law, saying there were – quote – “more decisions made in the hallways”. Bozievich immediately asked for clarification and facts to back up Handy’s allegations… or a retraction and apology.
208 – “You know I find it very difficult to accept being accused of breaking the Oregon Open Meetings Laws by someone who was found to have willfully violated them by a Circuit Court Judge. Especially someone who’s testimony under oath was determined to be not credible numerous times under the judge’s opinion.”

Bozievich says he doesn’t believe Handy will respond to his demands.
209 – “If he doesn’t I’m going to move on and assume that the public holds as much credibility to his testimony as Judge Gillespie did.”

Handy and South Eugene Commissioner Pete Sorenson were found to have violated the law in orchestrating a budget decision made two years ago. In his decision, Judge Michael Gillespie chastised Handy especially for his role in the matter.

Revelers in Old Town Florence on the Fourth of July will have a public fireworks display to look forward to after all. A two week fundraising campaign to collect the final money needed to pay for the 20-to-30 minute show was more than successful. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cal Applebee said they’ve actually exceeded the initial $4-thousand target by $700 and will likely receive more. Dozens of individual donors and businesses have kicked in anywhere between $25 and one anonymous individual donation of $500. The future of the annual fireworks display was in doubt three weeks ago when the public plea for assistance first went out. The Chamber had budgeted $4-thousand and had asked traditional donors and the public to kick in.

Consumers are continuing to get a little relief at the pumps as gas prices dip. The national average for regular unleaded, as measured by Triple-A, fell six cents this past week to $3.70…. the local average fell by three cents and is at the same mark. Oregon’s average price also went down by a cent-and-a-half. It’s now at $3.84.

Drivers on Highway 101 just south of Yachats are encountering one lane traffic this week as a contractor for the Oregon Department of Transportation continues work on grinding and repaving a five-mile stretch. Flaggers are regulating traffic through the zone between 7:30 AM and 8 PM through Friday.

The Florence Area Chamber of Commerce will host the Chief Strategy Officer for Travel Oregon tomorrow during their monthly Noon Forum at Driftwood Shores. Scott West was instrumental in passage of the Oregon Tourism Investment Proposal during the 2003 legislative session. The Chamber Noon Forum is open to the public.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Senate has approved a bill
doubling the cost of a medical marijuana card. Senators approved
the budget for the Oregon Health Authority yesterday. The budget
relies on an extra $7 million from the medical pot program to
subsidize other public health services. The plan would make the
price of a medical marijuana card $200 a year. The bill now heads
to the House.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Senate has approved a bill
requiring the state to develop performance standards for teachers.
The Senate's 25-0 vote yesterday sends the measure to the House.
School districts would have to include the standards in performance
evaluations. Gov. John Kitzhaber says it's a big step toward
creating a more accountable and innovative education system.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Most of Oregon's budget for the next two
years has been approved or is working its way smoothly through the
Legislature. But lawmakers have so far been stumped on how to
finalize a spending plan for public safety programs. Filling a $21
million gap in spending on those services is the biggest obstacle
left to finishing the budget as lawmakers race to adjourn the
session.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Police have arrested a man in connection
with a north Portland burglary in which the intruder was stabbed in
the abdomen during a fight with the homeowner. Police say a
26-year-old man surrendered last night after officers were sent to
a north Portland residence. The suspect was taken to a hospital for
treatment. The Oregonian reports the homeowner wasn't seriously
hurt.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - The Eugene Civilian Review Board isn't
objecting to the ruling that an off-duty detective acted
appropriately when he stopped a group of teens trespassing near
Churchill High School. One board member said the incident last
December drew an inordinate amount of attention because of cell
phone video the teens released to the media. The parents of two of
the teens filed complaints with the police auditor's office.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Public universities in Oregon may establish a
campus police force - possibly armed - under a bill that just
cleared the Legislature. A spokeswoman for Gov. John Kitzhaber says
he's not against it but wants to make sure all is in order before
he signs it into law.

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - Blame the rain for a fire at an Albany
welding supply business. Fire officials say the Sunday night fire
at Industrial Welding Supply was apparently caused by moisture
reacting with a drum of calcium carbide, which is used in making
acetylene gas. After fire hoses only made things worse,
firefighters used a dry chemical to put out the flames.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Two Columbia River ports in Oregon could
be used to ship coal to Asia. The Oregonian reports the Port of St.
Helens is talking with a coal export developer and the Port of
Morrow near Boardman recently signed a lease option with Ambre
Energy to handle coal arriving by train from Montana and Wyoming.

Taking a look at Coast Radio Sports…

The Eugene Emeralds are set to open their third season at PK Park this Friday when they begin a five game homestand against the Boise Hawks. 29 players report for work for the first time today in Eugene. Two of those are first round draft picks by the San Diego Padres. Shortstop Cory Spangenberg was selected 10th overall out of Indian River College in Florida; Jace Peterson, of McNeese State, was drafted 58th overall in the compensation first round. The Emeralds will be led by an all new coaching staff, including first-time manager Pat Murphy who previously spent 15 seasons at Arizona State and went to the College World Series four times.

The Three Rivers Sandblasters are at home in Florence this afternoon where they’ll face the Roseburg Doc Stewarts. First pitch at Jiggs Dodson Field is set for three, the pregame show on Coast Radio Sports will be at 2:45.

House District lines move in Florence area - Flag Day ceremonies - Fire Season - Duck punt returner, too much speed.

Shift in House District Lines

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber joined officials from both the Democrat and Republican Parties yesterday in signing a bill that will set the boundaries for legislative districts in Oregon for the next ten years.
Kitzhaber – “No one’s every totally happy with the result, but this is the first time, I think actually since 1911, that we actually have a true bi-partisan redistricting product here to sign and I think that’s a real tribute to the Oregon Legislature and to it’s leadership.”

The new map looks very much like the previous one, set by then-Secretary of State Bill Bradbury in 2001. He drew the lines because lawmakers in the House and Senate following the 2000 census were unable to come to an agreement. Most of the changes are in the Portland Metro area and Deschutes County. But, there is a shift in Western Lane County. Current boundary lines divide areas north and east of Florence, including the Mapleton area, away from the rest of the south-central coast. The dividing line between House Districts 9 and 10 will be now shifted north to the Lane-Lincoln County line.

It’s Flag Day, the observance of the date in 1777 that the Continental Congress recognized the original Stars and Stripes as the official banner for the fledgling United States of America. It’s also the day that the local American Legion post gets together to retire flags that are worn out.
Bones – “The American Flags that you have that are getting a little tattered and torn, we do retire them in a nice proper manner.”

Mike Bones says flag etiquette spells out the manner for disposing of worn flags. American Legion members will begin (began) the retirement ceremonies at four this afternoon on Bay Street across from the Veteran’s Memorial Park. Last year, Bones says, they retired more than 500 flags.

It may not feel like it, but the official start of fire season is this Thursday. That means the last day for any open burning, other than through a special permit, outside the Florence City Limits is tomorrow.
Barrett – “We’ve had a lot of late spring rains and stuff which has brought a lot of new growth and quick growth, underbrush growth, that could become a problem late in the summer, August-September.”

Siuslaw Valley Fire Marshall Sean Barrett says while there may not be much of a threat right now, once the weather does dry out the small fuels… those grasses and light brush, could increase risks. He says anyone who lives in or near forested areas should take pains to keep their property cleared.
Barrett – “That’s where the fires start, is on the ground. And most of the fires are human caused, one way or another.”

Right now many Oregon wildland firefighters are honing their skills out of state in areas like Arizona and Colorado. Officials say as things warm up and dry out in Oregon, those crews will be recalled and ready to go to work.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) - Two Washington state men and an Oregon
woman have been killed in a small plane crash in a rugged mountain
area of Eastern Oregon. The Umatilla (yoo-muh-TIHL'-ah) County
sheriff's office yesterday identified the victims of Sunday's crash
as the 74-year-old pilot, Gerald Hunter; 53-year-old Ned Kayser and
51-year-old Janice Davis. Both Hunter and Kayser were from
Klickitat County, Wash., and Davis was from Hermiston, Ore. The
plane went down near Ukiah, Ore.

ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) - A former unsuccessful candidate for Utah
governor accused of paragliding off the 125-foot Astoria Column
overlooking Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River was arrested
after he was spotted at an Oregon beach. The Daily Astorian says
41-year-old Dell Schanze was accused of violating city code and
booked into jail yesterday. He's since posted bail and been
released.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon House has unanimously approved a
bill that would offer low-cost loans to retrofit schools with
energy efficient technology. The House's approval yesterday sends
the measure to the Senate. The measure is known by supporters as
Cool Schools and is aimed at helping school districts afford the
high upfront cost of energy efficient technology.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - The Lane County Public Health office says
elderly residents or those with chronic diseases and reduced
immunity should call a doctor if they develop a severe cough and
fever. Health officials say several clusters have been reported in recent weeks of a
respiratory infection called human metapneumovirus. They say the
best way to prevent the disease from spreading is to wash your
hands, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze, and stay home
when you're sick.

BEND, Ore. (AP) - The Deschutes National Forest says it's taking
safeguards to prevent the spread of a deadly bat disease at Lava
River Cave south of Bend. When the cave opens July 1, visitors will
be asked not to wear clothing or use gear that has been used in
caves or mines outside Oregon and Washington. Officials hope to
limit a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome that has killed
more than a million bats over the past five years.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Police have stepped up their response to
complaints of illegal car camping in Eugene. They say that any
officer, instead of a few designated officers, will check out a
complaint when they are not busy with another call. The Register
Guard reports that in the first three months of the year police
received 359 complaints about illegal street camping, compared to
161 complaints in the same period a year ago.

BEND, Ore. (AP) - At age 90, a Bend man now has a high school
diploma to go with the Medal of Honor he earned for heroism in
World War II. Bob Maxwell received a Bend High School diploma last
weekend, honoring his status as a highly decorated veteran. While
fighting in France in 1944, Maxwell threw his body on a hand
grenade to shield his fellow soldiers. After the war, he earned his
GED and did some teaching in Oregon.

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


TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Oregon Football Coach Chip Kelly likes speed, but probably not like this… University of Oregon officials are withholding official comment on a speeding citation issued to punt-returner and cornerback Cliff Harris for driving 118 miles an hour early Sunday morning on I-5 near Albany… Harris was also cited for driving with a suspended license. It’s apparently not his first such offense. According to court records Harris has been ticketed for speeding and driving without a license three times in the past 18-months.

The ten-mile Cape Mountain Trail Run is set for this Saturday morning. Organizers call it one of the toughest, but most beautiful courses a runner will ever experience. The loop course runs on the U.S. Forest Service Coast Horse Trails System, 10 ½ miles north of Florence. It offers panoramic vistas of the Pacific Ocean from several places as it climbs 1,850 feet before the turn-around at Cape Mountain. The $35 early registration fee… five dollars more on race day… benefits the Siuslaw Cross Country program. To find the start… turn east on Horse Creek Road, just a half mile south of Sea Lion Caves, and follow the signs 3 ½ miles to the race start.