DHS Budget - Ure gets 35 Year Sentences - Flroence Talk dot com

Oregon Legislature spares senior services… for now.

Advocates for Oregon seniors and people with disabilities got a "good news - bad news" message from the state Legislature last week. The Department of Human Services budget made it through the Joint Ways and Means Committee, preserving the current funding levels for long-term care, in-home care and Medicaid providers...at least through the end of this year. Rick Bennett with A-A-R-P Oregon calls that a "significant achievement." However, he says, it addresses only part of the next two years.

200 – “There is still a significant risk in this budget. While they’ve managed for the most part to maintain the current funding levels in the first year of the budget, there is a need to find additional funds or savings to maintain those services in the second year of the budget.”

Compared to the original budget, in which providers faced rate cuts of 16 to 19 percent for their services, advocates say this one looks great. Those who voted 'no' in committee voiced concerns that they hadn't had enough time to study it. The D-H-S budget still needs Senate and House floor votes before going on to the governor.

A 35-year old Reedsport man is facing no less than 35 years in prison, plus lifetime post-prison supervision for sexually abusing two 12-year old boys during late night video game sessions at his apartment in 2007 and 2008. Following a six-day trial in April, Justin Vail Ure (YU-ree) was convicted of four counts of Sodomy, plus one count each of Sex Abuse and Attempted Sodomy. Each sodomy charge carries a minimum 300-month sentence, but Douglas County District Court Judge Ronald Poole determined that a portion would run concurrently, but did require 420 consecutive months. Ure also faced several other charges in April of which he was found not-guilty. A final charge of Endangering the Welfare of a Minor ended in a hung jury.

Florence area residents have an online place to go and talk about anything, anytime.

210 -- "They can go on there and they can talk about anything they want. They can talk politics, they can talk what's happening in the city, they can talk about events, uh, breaking news stories across the nation. Anything, anything."

Ave Bernard, the founder of the site, says there are few restrictions… there are certain words that are off limits and you can’t make it personal. Other than that… it’s whatever visitors to the site want to talk about. He hopes to have ongoing discussions at the site about local restaurants, local politics and local events.

TAKING A LOOK IN TO ASSOCIATED PRESS REGIONAL NEWS…

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - Embers buried deep in the insulation of an
Albany home reignited a fire that had already consumed much of the
home. Neighbors called 911 early yesterday to report the fire had
broken out again, about 16 hours after the initial blaze did about
$60,000 worth of damage to the building and $40,000 to the home's
contents. Authorities say the house wasn't damaged much more in the
second fire. No one was injured.

ALBANY, Ore. (AP) - A collision east of Interstate 5 near Albany
left four people injured, one critically, and an Alaska driver now
faces charges. The Albany Democrat Herald reports 29-year-old
Alimpiada Kalugin of Homer, Alaska, faces two counts of
second-degree assault and one count each of fourth-degree assault,
reckless driving and driving under the influence of intoxicants.

BEND, Ore. (AP) - A hiker who injured his ankle and tried for
several hours to crawl off of the trail finally gave in and called
911. The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office reports the 23-year-old
was hiking near Boyd Cave when he got hurt. Five deputies were
dispatched to the scene and the hiker was taken from the cave area
by ambulance.

GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - The discovery of dozens of marijuana
plants in a Selma woman's home has not only led to busts in
southern Oregon. Authorities say they now have an accounting of
marijuana prices on the East Coast and an admission from the woman
that she packaged and sent marijuana to Boston. The Grants Pass
Daily Courier reports the 45-year-old woman has not been charged,
but information she gave to police led to raids, arrests and the
discovery of her diary, in which she is alleged to have thanked God
for a safe pot delivery.

KENNEWICK, Wash. (AP) - The FAA is headed to the wreckage of an
airplane that crashed in rugged terrain in eastern Oregon. The
Tri-City Herald reports that the plane was reported missing early
yesterday with three people on board. The Civil Air Patrol found
the wreckage near Ukiah, about 50 miles south of Pendleton.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say a Forest Grove
driver clocked at 103 mph narrowly avoided plowing his car into a
herd of mule deer. A state trooper used his siren and horn to scare
the deer off Highway 138E moments before 21-year-old Ji Wang sped
through the area. He was charged with driving in excess of 100 mph
and faces a $1,100 fine.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Portland police have arrested a suspect in
a gang-related shooting on the city's northeast side. Police say
19-year-old Pierce D. Woods has been charged with attempted murder,
second-degree assault and unlawful use of a weapon. He is being
held on a $775,000 bail.

SCAPPOOSE, Ore. (AP) - The man who fell out of a moving pickup
and died near Scappoose has been identified at Alex Montoya, the
dean of enrollment services at Clark College in Vancouver, Wash.
The Columbian reports Montoya fell Saturday night from a truck
driven by Nicholas Kay of Vancouver. He was booked into the
Columbia County Jail on suspicion of criminal negligent homicide
and DUI. The school said Montoya and his wife, Clark associate vice
president of planning Shanda Diehl, had twin sons earlier this
year.

Sandblaster Baseball:
The Three Rivers Sandblasters opened the American Legion Baseball season with a split of games in Redmond yesterday. The Blasters opened the double header with a
4 / 3 victory, then dropped game two 6 / 1. The Sandblasters return to the diamond Wednesday against Roseburg.

Oregon State Beaver Baseball:
Their NCAA post season appearance ended for the Oregon State Beavers over the weekend. Friday night OSU fell 11 / 1 to the Vanderbilt Commodors. On Saturday Parker Berberet drove in two, but Oregon State saw its 2011 season come to an end with a 9-3 loss to Vanderbilt Saturday night at Hawkins Field. The win advanced Vanderbilt to the College World Series, which starts June 18 in Omaha, Neb. Oregon State saw its season come to an end with the loss, dropping to 41-19 on the year.

Senate approves Oregon redistricting - Timber industry bounces back - Flag retirements set for Flag Day

Legislature comes up with redistricting plan

A compromise plan for new legislative districts has been approved. The joint House and Senate Redistricting Committee approved the plan yesterday, sending it to the floor of the Oregon House and Senate today. The Senate passed the measure on a 27-3 vote this morning, sending it on to the House. The plan is based largely on the existing plan, which Republicans say was ‘gerrymandered’ ten years ago to benefit Democrats. House GOP Leader Kevin Cameron says in a statement that the plan is – quote – “neither fair nor balanced”. But, he said, Republicans agreed to support it because they’re concerned they would end up with a plan that was even worse if the task fell to the Democratic Secretary of State. Democrats say election results show the existing boundaries are fair. The state is required to draw new boundaries every 10 years to reflect shifting population. The Oregon Legislature has been able to come up with a workable plan only once in the past 60-years. That was in 1981, but it was challenged in court and the Secretary of State wound up redrawing the boundary lines, as that office has done every ten years since 1951.

June 14th, 1777 the Continental Congress endorsed the design of the national flag for the fledgling United States of America. In 1916 President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the day would be set aside each year to honor the flag. In addition to displaying the flag, many organizations use the opportunity to talk about flag etiquette and formally retire flags that have become worn and tattered. Locally, the American Legion has done just that. Mike Bones is in charge of the local ‘retirement’ observance.
Bones – “It’s quite a moving ceremony.”

Five fires will be built and maintained, with honor guards laying each banner on the flames in a respectful manner. Last year, says Bones, the group retired 500 flags in one evening. Residents can drop flags for retirement off at Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue or the Old Cedar Tree Woodworking.
Bones – “Or you can bring them on down to the flag retirement ceremony itself which is going to be down on the vacant lot below the Dairy Queen, right there across from the Veteran’s Memorial Park.”

The ceremony begins at four pm Tuesday. Bones said seating will be provided for spectators.

Forest products industries in Oregon are still struggling, although there is a glimmer of hope say officials with the Oregon Department of Forestry. The 2010 timber harvest in Oregon was 3.2 billion board feet… an increase of 17 percent over the 2009 historic low of 2.7-billion board feet. An increase in harvest numbers was recorded for every ownership class except lands controlled by the Bureau of Land Management. Private lands generate the most timber harvested in Oregon, last year… just under 70-percent of the total harvest. Western Oregon accounts for the lion’s share of all logging activity in the state… 2.8 billion board feet were taken west of the Cascades.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

BEND, Ore. (AP) - A Deschutes (duh-SHOOTS') National Forest
spokeswoman says Forest Service law enforcement officials have
identified and interviewed five suspects in the recent vandalism of
a central Oregon cave. Spokeswoman Jean Nelson-Dean said yesterday
the Hidden Forest Cave case has been referred to the U.S. Justice
Department. She declined to provide details on the five.

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) - A 22-year-old Medford man was robbed of
$4,000 cash by an armed stranger who arranged a purported car sale
on Craigslist. The Eugene Register-Guard reports the victim met the
suspect Wednesday evening at a Springfield apartment complex and
drove him to another address. When they arrived, police say the
suspect drew a handgun and robbed the victim of the cash he
intended to use to pay for the car.

SPRINGFIELD, Ore. (AP) - Symantec says it plans to add 50 to 65
people to its 1,150-person workforce in Springfield in the next few
weeks. The software company hosted a career fair yesterday at its
Springfield campus and drew almost 400 people. The Symantec jobs
are a little good news after high-tech firm Datalogic announced
late last month that it plans to move production to Vietnam.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - A Marion County sheriff's deputy has pleaded
not guilty to charges of theft and official misconduct. Robert
Arnsmeier is accused of using office resources for his personal
use. The Statesman Journal reports he was placed on leave in
December for the investigation.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A member of the Independent Police Review
Division will now respond to police shootings in Portland and cases
where suspects die in custody. The Oregonian reports the division
worked out an agreement with Portland police for the additional
oversight. Consultants recommended the additional response in a
report six years ago. Members of Portland's Citizen Review
Committee learned about the agreement at its meeting Wednesday
night.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Another 30 Eugene police officers will be
equipped with Tasers by the end of the year. The department has
$80,000 available for the equipment and training from a federal
grant and city funds. The Register Guard reports patrol officers
have the option of carrying stun guns. About 40 officers began
carrying Tasers in 2008.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Police are looking for a robber they call
the Civil War Bandit who has hit three banks in three months in the
Portland area. KGW reports in one robbery he wore a University of
Oregon T-shirt and an Oregon State University cap. The schools'
annual football match is known as the Civil War game.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The road to Omaha goes through Nashville for the Oregon State Beavers. They’ll visit Vanderbilt beginning today for a ‘best of three’ super regional in the NCAA college baseball playoffs. Game one is this evening; game two tomorrow; and game three, if needed, is set for Sunday afternoon. The winner advances to the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska.

Triple-A American Legion Baseball gets underway this weekend when the Three Rivers Sandblasters, under head coach David Deutschman, takes the diamond in Redmond for two games Sunday afternoon. Both games will air on Coast Radio Sports with the pregame getting underway at 1:45.

Commencement Excercizes - Body-Ology - Let the chips fly

Wrapping up the high school years…

15 of the area’s 144 high school seniors have already received their diplomas, the rest will get theirs tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon as the school year wraps up in Western Lane and Douglas Counties. Mapleton graduation was last weekend. Valedictorians Saturday afternoon included Lindsey Logan, Timothy Sherrett and Shayna Stevens; while the Salutatorian was Isaiah Hennell-Nussman. Tomorrow night, three student speakers will stand and deliver their thoughts their years at Siuslaw. Commencement begins at eight pm. 77 Grads are set to receive their diplomas. Salutatorian is Keenan Bishop; Valedictorians Blair Pearson and Megan Connor. 58 diplomas are prepared for Sunday afternoon in Reedsport. The Braves have invited Tom Wright to address the graduates at their two pm commencement. He’ll be joined at the podium by two students… Valedictorian Rebecca Hedges; and Salutatorian Taylor Ladd.

It’s being billed as ‘five afternoons of interactive fun’… a medical adventure for middle school students set for July 25th through the 29th at Lane Community College in Florence.
Kuhar – “It’s called Body-ology and Ms Smith, the Science Lady, is going to be our lead teacher and kids will have a chance to learn about different body systems and also they’ll be able to learn a little about the health care system and opportunities for careers in that.”

LCC Florence Dean, Dr. Mary Jeanne Kuhar, says the camp is intended to deliver a better understanding of human biology.
Kuhar – “This is a great camp because we’ll be able to partner with the Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County and I think that’s going to be a nice partnership for us.”

The Science Lady, Laura Smith, familiar to many Siuslaw Elementary and Middle School Students already, will coordinate the curriculum. Kuhar says there are only 20 spots available. Registration information is available at the Florence Center or the Boys and Girls Club.

Visitors and residents in Reedsport will see why that community is called the “Chainsaw Carving Capital of Oregon” June 16th through the 19th. That’s when the Oregon Divisional Chainsaw Sculpting Championships let the chips fly for the 12th straight year. “Oregon Heritage” is the theme and carvers from around the world will participate in several different events that will culminate in final judging on Father’s Day, June 19th. Daily ‘quick-carve’ events will be held at 10:30 on Thursday, Friday and Saturday next week. There’s also a vendor and food fair, along with a classic Corvette Car Show on Saturday.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The mayor of a city that prides itself on
its bike-friendliness has been involved in a collision with a
bicyclist. The rider reportedly suffered only some scraped
knuckles. A spokeswoman for Portland Mayor Sam Adams says Adams was
driving a city-owned Prius yesterday afternoon when he braked for a
pedestrian and felt a bump on the back of his car. Bicyclist Tasia
Bernie tells The Oregonian that Adams "came to a really quick
stop" and she crashed to the pavement.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The U.S. Department of Justice has opened
an investigation into allegations of excessive force by Portland
police after a series of incidents in the past 18 months involving
the mentally ill. Assistant U.S. Attorney General Thomas Perez says
federal investigators will determine whether there is any pattern
of civil rights violations by Portland Police Bureau officers.

LAGRANDE, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police say a multiple vehicle
crash involving a cattle trailer has killed one man and injured at
least four other people in northeastern Oregon. Eight cows and nine
calves were also reported killed, with other cattle injured. The
crash yesterday near the Union-Wallowa county line closed State
Highway 82 for hours. The truck driver's name wasn't immediately
released.

VENETA, Ore. (AP) - An alert letter carrier in the Willamette
Valley community of Veneta did more than deliver the mail on her
route - she summoned help for an older woman trapped in her home.
When carrier Carol Huddleston rang the doorbell to deliver a
package at one house yesterday, she just heard muffled calls. KEZI
says the woman inside had had some sort of accident and been
trapped in her home for three days. Huddleston found the front and
rear doors locked, so she called 911. Emergency crews say the woman
is in stable condition.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Multnomah County Marine Patrol says
some of Portland's homeless have moved onto its rivers. Lt. Bret
Elliot says "Skid Row has moved to the water," telling KGW the
number of people living aboard cheap or abandoned boats has tripled
or quadrupled in the past couple of years. He says it's hard to
make a trespass case. The problem is that most of the boats don't
have toilets.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Salem Hospital is unhappy with the work of a
private contractor, so it will use the commercial laundry at the
Oregon State Penitentiary to clean its microfiber mop heads. The
hospital says mop heads were coming back smelly and crusty from
Aramark Uniform Services and couldn't be used. A spokeswoman for
Aramark in Philadelphia says it stands behind the quality of it
service.

BROOKINGS, Ore. (AP) - Saturday marks three months since the
tsunami from the Japanese earthquake hit the harbor at Brookings.
The wave smashed boats, snapped pilings and wiped out docks. The
Oregonian reports damage is estimated at $7 million and repairs are
likely to continue into October.



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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The “Best in the West” will be playing in the second annual Les Schwab Tires South-Coast All-Star Basketball Series at Marshfield High School Monday night. Prep players from several central coast schools, including Siuslaw and Reedsport will be in action. Local players invited include Kasey Strenke from Siuslaw and Eden Huebner (HEEB-nerr) from Reedsport; they’ll be coached by Aaron McNeill from Siuslaw. On the boys’ squad… Siuslaw’s John Johnson.

Stream Team sparking interest in science - Write in Tally finalized - Gas prices down again - Free Fishing!

Stream Team Students getting involved…

Andy Marohl looks forward to it every year… and so do his students. Marohl teaches science to seventh graders at Siuslaw Middle School, and for the past several years he’s continued the “Stream Team” curriculum.
Marohl – “This year I've, we got about 75 of the kids through. Next year I'm hoping to get every single seventh grader through.”

Earlier this week he had about 20 students with him at the Salmon Trout Enhancement Program hatchery, marking 3-month old Coho Fry in preparation for releasing them into the wild. The students worked side-by-side with STEP members and fish biologists.
Marohl – “They get to come out and work with scientists in the field and do some real meaningful work and, I think, give them some ownership to their environment and the, you know, the area that they live in.”

The Stream Team program begins in elementary and primary school. Second graders get to watch salmon eggs hatch in their classroom… then release them into the wild. Other students get involved in counting fish at one of the group’s traps, and other more intensive work in the field.
Marohl – “We do habitat restoration, out at like Enchanted Valley for example. I have a crew that goes out and works at Knowles Creek with the Forest Service.”

Stream Team backers say it’s a very important way to instill an appreciation in students for not only science, but the outdoors in general.

Former Lane County Commissioner Bill Fleenor amassed more than three times the votes of his nearest competitor in a recent write-in election for an open seat on the Port of Siuslaw Commission… or just under twice as many… it depends on how you look at it. Fleenor had a confirmed count of 533 votes in the May 17th election. John Murphey, with an “e-y” at the end, had 161 votes, while John Murphy, without the ‘e’ had 149 votes. Elections Supervisor Cheryl Betschart says because there are registered voters with each of the spellings in the port district, tabulators had to separate the count. Only one of the two were actively seeking the spot, but even if the two tallies were combined Fleenor still would have come out on top by a fair margin. A third declared candidate, Bianca Hein, had 85 votes. Betschart said there were dozens and dozens of different names listed… 15 pages worth. That dramatically increased the amount of time spent counting votes. After hand counting write-in votes for two-dozen different races in Lane County with no declared candidate, Betschart had some advice for voters… “next time you think of writing in your friend’s name for fun… don’t”.

Pump prices for regular unleaded continue to ease downward across the country. According to Triple-A, the national average price declined by two-cents this past week and is at $3.78 a gallon. Oregon’s average price also dipped by two-pennies and is now at $3.86. Drivers in Florence continue to pay some of the lowest prices in Oregon. The average price for all seven stations in the city is at $3.73 a gallon this week… ten cents less than the average price in Eugene and Springfield.

Headed fishing this weekend? Forget your license. For two days in June each year there are no permits required to fish, crab or clam any where in Oregon. Those two days this year are this coming Saturday and Sunday. Rick Hargrave with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife says it’s intended to help beginning anglers get a start. ODFW has partnered with several other groups, including the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, to offer events for all ages throughout the state. Free fishing events are planned for Lake Marie near Winchester Bay and at Cleawox Lake just south of Florence.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) - Circuit Court jurors took just an hour
to convict an Oregon City couple of felony criminal mistreatment
for relying on faith healing instead of taking their infant
daughter to a doctor. Timothy and Rebecca Wyland's daughter Alayna
developed an abnormal growth of blood vessels that covered her left
eye and threatened her vision. She has improved under state-ordered
medical care and was returned to her parents under state
supervision. Sentencing is set for June 24.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A 64-year-old Texas man who fell about 30
feet into a ravine while hiking in the Bridal Veil area of the
Columbia River Gorge is reported in critical condition. A Multnomah
County, Ore., sheriff's spokeswoman says rescuers recovered Benton
Springer of San Marcos, Texas, after his fall yesterday afternoon.
The Oregonian says he was eventually airlifted to a Portland
hospital.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Relatives of a man who died frozen and
starving in a pickup truck in Oregon's Cascade Mountains say they
tried to find him for 30 years. Jerry McDonald's children and a
brother were stunned to learn of his fate last month. They hadn't
seen him since he walked out on them three decades ago. McDonald
spent his final 68 days in the vehicle during a brutal winter.
Family members say they tried unsuccessfully to send letters
through a forwarding program offered by the Social Security
Administration.

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - An effort to revive a bill that would allow
some illegal immigrants to pay in-state college tuition has failed
in the Oregon House. Democrats tried to force a floor vote on the
measure, but they were five signatures short when a deadline passed
last evening. Democrats also failed to revive two other bills,
including one to name a National Guard armory after former Gov. Ted
Kulongoski

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon Legislature has voted to create a
health insurance exchange to connect individuals and small
businesses with more affordable health care. The House passed the
measure yesterday and sent it to Gov. John Kitzhaber who says he
will sign it.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - An FBI agent says it was just a mistake when
he failed to disclose payments to an Ashland couple who provided
information and testimony in the long-running legal battle over an
Islamic charity and its leader. Agent David Carroll said yesterday
in federal court in Eugene he believes that disclosing the payments
wouldn't have changed the outcome of the tax-fraud trial of Pete
Seda. But Seda's lawyers want a new trial, saying it was misconduct
not to disclose money given to Richard Cabral. He died before he
could testify against Seda.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A judge has found that the 56-year-old woman
accused of killing a Eugene police officer is not mentally fit to
stand trial. A Lane County judge ordered Cheryl Kidd of Springfield
to the Oregon State Hospital on Monday for up to three years of
treatment. If she becomes able to assist in her defense she would
face an aggravated murder charge in the April shooting death of
Officer Chris Kilcullen during a traffic stop.

NEWPORT, Ore. (AP) - The Lincoln County sheriff's office says
one Lincoln City teen was killed and another injured when their car
crashed into a tree yesterday afternoon off a gravel road south of
town. Eighteen-year-old Jordan H. Johnson was pronounced dead at
the scene and the 16-year-old driver was airlifted to Legacy
Emmanuel Medical Center in stable condition.

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



Taking a look at Coast Radio Sports…

The initial class is set to be inducted August Sixth into the Siuslaw Athletic Hall of Fame. Already announced was a list of 11 former student athletes and two coaches. Another addition to the hall is the first ever state championship team. In May 1960 five boys from the Siuslaw Track Team participated at the state meet… and incredibly scored enough points to bring home the first place trophy. That team included Lee Hazen, John LaDuke, Jerry Scott, Gary Conley and Bob Woodard. Conley was killed in an accident in December of 1978; Members of the Hall of Fame Committee have contacted Hazen, La Duke and Scott, but say they’ve been unable to locate Woodard.

City-Tribes extend policing contract - No good deed goes unpunished - Wild Coho seasons set - Athletes of the Year

Policing Contract to be extended

A three-year trial policing agreement between the City of Florence and the Confederated Tribes of the Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians had been set to expire at the end of this month. But, says Florence City Manager Bob Willoughby, it’s worked out well.
Willoughby – “That’s being extended for five years with an automatic five year renewal for that where the city provides some policing services in exchange for a payment by the tribes.”

Florence Police will continue to respond, when requested, to Three Rivers Casino and Hotel to assist tribal police. The revision to the original agreement has been in the works since January of this year and could net the city nearly $1.5-million over ten years. The terms of the agreement spell out when Florence police would be dispatched; which would be when no Tribal police are available or at their request. It also specifies that Florence officers would be in command unless they specifically turn it over to another agency. The new deal would go for five years and if neither side objected, would automatically extend another five.

No good deed goes unpunished. Oregon State Police say several people who stopped to help out at a car crash four miles north of Florence Sunday evening found themselves under attack. Police had been tracking a report of a blue Dodge pickup being driven recklessly on Highway 101 when they got a fresh report that the vehicle had crashed… and the occupants were fighting people who had stopped to help. One trooper arriving on the scene moments later witnessed the driver of the pickup punching a ‘good Samaritan’. 22-year old Thomas James Stansbury of Vidor, Texas was arrested but his troubles with the law didn’t end there. After being placed in the back seat of a cruiser, police say he kicked out a rear window. Also arrested was 26-year old Amber Bisterfelt of Veneta. She’s facing four counts of assault. A third arrest was made… 27-year old Britani K. Bertrand of Texas was charged with endangering the welfare of a minor. Her 9-year old son was a passenger in the pickup and was temporarily taken into protective custody. Bisterfelt and Bertrand were released yesterday morning… Stansbury was transported to the Lane County Jail.

Salmon fishermen will have more chances to take and keep Chinook and endangered Wild Coho on the Central Coast this coming fall. The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted bag limits and season lengths for a variety of fisheries last Friday. Anglers will be able to keep one wild Coho per day, and no more than five on the season, on 11 coastal rivers, including the Siuslaw and Umpqua. Efforts on those rivers have yielded increased fish runs adequate to handle some angling. The new fisheries are in addition to previous Coho seasons that have been in effect on Siltcoos and Tahkenitch Lakes. They must also gain federal approval before they go into effect.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Lawmakers in Oregon want to give egg-laying
hens more room to stretch their wings and move around. The state
House voted 51-8 yesterday to impose new requirements on egg
producers, sending the measure to Gov. John Kitzhaber
(KITS'-hah-ber). The bill requires the state Department of
Agriculture to come up with new standards for cages, lighting and
ventilation based on data from the American Humane Association.
Violations of the requirements would mean a $2,500 fine.

UNDATED (AP) - Oregon's state veterinarian says it appears a
recent outbreak of a potentially fatal horse virus has been
contained. Dr. Don Hansen says any horse that hasn't tested
positive for the neurological form of the equine herpes virus, or
exhibited symptoms or been exposed to a confirmed positive horse,
should be OK to travel and take part in events. One Oregon horse
died from the virus.


EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Eugene police say they're looking for a
missing 14-year-old boy with a functional mental age of about 7
years old. They say Victor Dunn has a history of walking away and
did that yesterday morning from his school. Officials say the boy
has a tendency to seek out crowds. He also has a medical condition
that requires medication he does not have with him.

MCMINNVILLE, Ore. (AP) - More than 200 children helped christen
a new waterpark at the Evergreen Aviation and Space Museum in
McMinnville yesterday. At Wings and Waves, kids can climb out of an
actual Boeing 747 jetliner to slide down a 62-foot water slide.
Eight winners of a school water science essay and drawing contest -
and their classmates - were special guests yesterday during the
first hour the waterpark was open.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - Eugene City Councilor Mike Clark, who was
elected in 2006, says he always wondered why the council didn't
start its meetings with the Pledge of Allegiance. He says he'll ask
his seven colleagues and the mayor on June 20 to begin starting
their meetings with the pledge.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The city of Portland is asking the state
for a variance from water quality standards that aim to protect the
public from a parasite called cryptosporidium
(crip-toe-spor-ID-ee-um) that causes diarrhea. The Water Bureau
says extensive testing shows there's no cryptosporidium in the
water from the Bull Run watershed and the city doesn't need to
build a $100 million treatment plant or cover water reservoirs.

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) - A defense lawyer has told jurors that
an Oregon City couple are the victims of inflexible bureaucrats and
religious persecution because of their faith-healing beliefs.
Timothy and Rebecca Wyland are accused of failing to seek medical
care for their infant daughter when an abnormal growth of blood
vessels engulfed her left eye, nearly blinding her. In closing
arguments yesterday, prosecutors said the law doesn't expect
parents to be doctors, but does expect them to know when their
children need medical care.

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

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

The Coast Radio Sports’ Athletes of the year have been announced… Raelyn Robinson wrapped up her prep athletic career with a full-ride athletic scholarship at Oregon State University… that’s despite missing her final track and field season due to injury. The Viking senior ended her career with two individual state championships… one in Cross Country, the other in the 1500-meters… and set four school records, three of which still stand. Robinson holds records in the 5,000-meter Cross Country as well as the 800 and 1500 meters. She also proved to be a leader on the court, playing basketball all four years and earning all-league Honorable Mention this year, despite injuring her knee late in the year.

Siuslaw Junior Sonny Tupua has proven to be one of the toughest running backs in the history of Siuslaw football. Tupua earned 2nd team All League honors on both sides of the ball for running back as well as defensive lineman. Tupua carried the ball 197 times for a net 1,246 yards last fall, placing him in second place for career rushing yardage. He didn’t limit his accomplishments to the gridiron. In only his third year of competitive wrestling he duplicated his 2010 success, finishing 3rd at the OSAA 4A State Meet at 215 pounds.

Fin Clipping Coho - Andy G named VP - Tami Wagner Natural Area - Council to decide business license appeal

STEP and Seventh Graders work to help restore fish runs

10,810 two-inch long coho salmon fry were marked Friday morning in the space of just under two hours. The project was organized by members of the local Salmon-Trout-Enhancement-Program… STEP. The 18-or-so volunteers were joined by a dozen and a half members of the seventh grade ‘Stream Team’, using nail scissors to clip the adipose fin from each of the young fish. The loss of the fin doesn’t impact the fish in the wild and serves to make of them clearly identifiable as coming from a hatchery.
Armer – “The ultimate goal here is to fin-clip so we have the fishermen out there that can actually keep a coho. Allright? You take a fin-clipped coho you can keep it.”

STEP Hatchery manager Jack Armer says This batch of fish, about three-months old, will be returned to the wild this week.
Armer – “They’re going to be set free either Monday or Tuesday in Ackerly Creek which feeds into Munsel. We have a spawning bed up there we can take the truck up, dump’em right down on the old spawning bed where the other fish have went up and spawned.”

It will take about two-years for these coho to make their way to the Pacific Ocean where they’ll feed and grow, eventually returning to spawn two years after that. Only three-or-four percent of the fish, about 300 says Armer, will actually make the ultimate return. Fish biologists say the work aided by volunteers has helped rebuild fish runs on the Siuslaw River and eventually, once native runs are restored adequately, anglers just could get to keep unmarked fish as well.

A new vice principal has been named at Siuslaw High School. Co-principal, and former VP, Matt Henry says Andy Greszkowiak (griz-KO-ee-ack) will move into Henry’s old office in the fall. Greszkowiak, an Oregon State grad, has been teaching advanced math and science classes since 1995. He also served as Athletic Director for four years before returning full time to the classroom last year. Henry has been sharing co-principal duties with Larry Martindale who will be stepping down at the end of this school year.

A formerly unnamed 141-acre natural area long the Yachats River will be named to honor the memory of Tami Wagner, a highly regarded employee of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Wagner was killed in a traffic crash near Toledo last year. During her career with ODFW she helped coordinate volunteer efforts to maintain the Yachats River tract. The area was initially purchased by the agency in 1970 to provide forage for elk and help reduce damage to surrounding agricultural land. It also offers several wildlife viewing opportunities, hunting, and public access to the nearby Siuslaw National Forest.

Florence City Councilors will hear an appeal tonight on a business license denial. John Cianci (chance) applied for a license in April to operate an “art print and poster” business from the Florence Business Center on 12th street. That was denied by City Recorder Kelli Weese for two reasons. Weese said zoning regulations prohibit retail uses at the former hospital site… and Cianci (chance) had an outstanding warrant for ‘failure to appear’ in court A subsequent review by the city’s attorney overruled Weese on the warrant issue, saying that wasn’t suitable grounds to deny the license. In his appeal, Ciance (chance) clarified his business was focused on “tattoo body art”… in essence a tattoo parlor… that also offers prints of tattoo art for sale. Weese says tattoo parlors are considered a ‘service’ business and are allowable at the business center. She’s presenting three options to the council this evening… they can deny the appeal outright; deny the appeal and allow Cianci (chance) to re-apply as a ‘service’ business’; or grant the business license based on new evidence. The council meets this evening at seven.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

FORT CLATSOP, Ore. (AP) - Authorities say a pilot has died after
his small plane lost power and crashed Saturday night shortly after
taking off from Warrenton-Astoria Regional Airport on Oregon's
north coast. The Clatsop County Sheriff's Office tells KATU that
Kevin Dooney of Ilwaco, Wash., died in the crash. Dooney was the
only person aboard the single-engine Piper Comanche registered to
him.

CLACKAMAS, Ore. (AP) - Authorities say alcohol was a
contributing factor in a rollover crash that injured five men early
yesterday. Clackamas firefighters responded around 5 a.m. to the
wreck in rural Clackamas County. Spokesman Jed Wachlin says the BMW
carrying the five men failed to negotiate a turn, rolled, and
landed in a Christmas tree farm. All five were transported to a
hospital.

MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) - Officials with the Rogue River-Siskiyou
National Forest have delayed the annual opening of many mountain
roads to prevent the spread of a tree disease. Phytophera
lateralis, commonly known as Port Orford cedar root disease,
spreads through transportation of infected water, soil and root
grafts. The Mail Tribune reports that soil from the tires of
motorized vehicles, particularly trucks and off-road vehicles, is
thought to have spread the disease. The roads usually open June 1.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Oregon's farmworker union plans to donate
its historical records to the University of Oregon. The
organization is called Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, or
PCUN, the Spanish acronym for Northwest Farmworkers and
Treeplanters United. Oregon Public Broadcasting says PCUN has
accumulated papers, pictures, tape recordings and other
documentation of its work. The materials will be housed at the
University of Oregon's Knight Library. The donation will occur
today.

BEND, Ore. (AP) - Police say a 69-year-old Redmond man exposed
himself to workers at Bend-area coffee stands at least four times
in the past month. They are investigating him in three other
similar incidents and suspect there are more. Police say when the
man was stopped yesterday by a Deschutes County sheriff's deputy he
was wearing clothing that matched the description of a man who had
exposed himself.

BEAVERTON, Ore. (AP) - Sprinklers helped control a fire
yesterday in a paper recycling facility near Beaverton. But the
fire went to two alarms as Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue called
in firefighters from Portland to help douse hot spots. Firefighters
used thermal imaging technology to locate the area where the fire
was burning. They also had to cut holes in the roof of the Far West
Fibers building to help clear smoke. The cause of the fire is still
under investigation.
SEATTLE (AP) - Miguel Olivo (oh-LEE'-voh) hit a tiebreaking
three-run homer off Joel Peralta in the eighth inning and the
Seattle Mariners rallied for a 9-6 win over the Tampa Bay Rays
yesterday. Ichiro (EE'-cheer-oh) Suzuki and Greg Halman each drove
in two runs for Seattle, which has won six series in a row and 14
of 18 games overall. Brandon League pitched a scoreless ninth for
his 16th save.

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

Taking a look at Coast Radio Sports…

The Oregon State Beavers won three straight games, sweeping the Corvallis regional in the NCAA Baseball tournament over the weekend. The Beavers advance to their first ‘super regional’ since 2007 this weekend and will head to Nashville where they’ll face Vanderbilt in a ‘best of three’ series. Oregon State came from behind Friday night to down Arkansas-Little Rock 7-4; Beat Creighton 5-1 Saturday evening and then got by Georgia yesterday, 6-4.

The inaugural class of the Siuslaw High School Athletic Hall of Fame was announced over the weekend. It includes two former coaches, 11 former student athletes and the first ever state championship team at Siuslaw. Former Viking football coach Len Lutero and longtime girls PE teacher and former Track and Field Coach Liz McCain will be inducted into the hall August 6th. Along with them will be the 1960 Track team. The individuals on the list include Steve Savage, Mary Jacobson, Joe Hill, Shannon Gates McClellan, Mike Roe, Kelli Stonelake, Curtis “Tooey” Emery, Lee Hazen, Kevin Anderson, Bob Duncan and Wes Hines.

Fireworks fund drive - LCC Florence Summer Term - Water Safety

Fireworks fund drive underway to preserve local display…

One of the first tasks new Executive Director Cal Applebee faced when he took over at the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce was planning for the organization’s next big event.
Applebee – “Traditionally the fireworks display that we’ve done in the last several years ranged from nine to eleven thousand dollars and historically other organizations, such as MOOT, have helped with the funding.”

But, the Merchants of Old Town and other groups have eliminated their contributions and the Chamber is faced with meeting the financial obligations alone.
Applebee – “The Chamber only has $4000 allotted towards the fireworks, so for the fireworks to continue to happen this year we’ve gone out to our membership and to the community asking for donations.”

Applebee sent out a letter to Chamber members last week and has already added $2,000 to the tally. But, he says they need at least that much more to make the July 4th fireworks a reality this year.
Applebee – “Within the next couple of weeks we need to make sure that we have a minimum of $8,000 because that’s what we’ve determined that would at least give us a, uh, adequate show.”

He said a decision as to whether or not to have the July 4th fireworks show will be made by June 15th.

For the first time in a decade there will be summer term offerings at Lane Community College in Florence. Mary Jeanne Kuhar, the Dean at the Florence Center says it won’t be a full array of courses, but they are designed to fit the needs of students who may be considering career enhancement… or first time students that need something to prepare them for fall term.
Kuhar – “We have a CNA course, so if students want a particular set of skills to help them be a nursing assistant, we have that. Then we also have some introductory courses in writing and math and then a planning course.”

Since the center will be open in the summer, Kuhar says there’ll also be some non-credit offerings as well as other services.
Kuhar – “We’re offering some adult enrichment courses as well and I’m very please that we’ll continue to have academic counseling and placement testing services through the summer.”

Registration opens Monday and classes are set to begin June 20th.

Favorable weather forecasts for this weekend have prompted officials to issue a word to the wise about water safety. The warmest weather so far this year is expected in much of Oregon, and along with high temperatures there will continue to be high water. Several northwest rivers and streams are running high with snow-melt. Swift flowing water brings a unique set of hazards. The cold water brings hypothermia dangers; there is more debris submerged than usual; as well as submerged landing areas that create danger getting in and out of boats.

Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Multnomah County sheriff says a task
force investigating the disappearance of 7-year-old Kyron Horman
will disband as of July 1. Sheriff Dan Staton says a detective will
still work full time on the case, with help from the FBI, Oregon
Justice Department and county prosecutors. The sheriff says the
investigation into the boy's June 4, 2010, disappearance from
Skyline School will remain active until he's found, there's an
arrest or there are no further leads.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The owner of a Portland modeling company
is scheduled to be arraigned today after his arrest on sex charges
involving a 16-year-old girl who was a client and intern. Police
said 41-year-old Michael William Fox is charged with 10 counts each
of sex abuse and contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor.
Investigators said Fox is the owner of Vault Model and Artist
Management Co.

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) - Relatives of an Oregon couple charged
with criminal mistreatment in the medical care of their infant
daughter have testified that Timothy and Rebecca Wyland were
devoted, ideal parents. Jamie and Gary Crone are Timothy Wyland's
sister and brother-in-law. Like the Wylands, they belong to an
Oregon City church that relies on faith healing. Jamie Crone
testified yesterday that she thought the golf-ball-sized growth
over Alayna's eye was a "birthmark" that would go away.

PENDLETON, Ore. (AP) - Investigators are trying to determine the
cause of a fire that destroyed a small house about 10 miles from
Pendleton, killing two adults. Umatilla County authorities say it
appears the victims are Denton Kaufman and his wife, Kristina
Kaufman. Fire Marshal Tyler Nokes tells the East Oregonian the area
is a "no man's land" that's outside any fire department's
jurisdiction.

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) - A Springfield woman accused of smothering
her newborn baby will remain behind bars until her aggravated
murder trial in October. A Lane County judge has refused to free
Angelica Swartout. The Register Guard reports her lawyers argued
the state lacks evidence. No body was found and there's no medical
evidence she was pregnant. Prosecutors played a video recording of
a police interview in which Swartout said she wrapped her newborn
son so tightly he stopped breathing.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - More than 150 people attended an Oregon
Insurance Division public hearing on the request of Regence
BlueCross BlueShield to raise individual premiums by an average of
22 percent. The increase would affect nearly 57,000 people in
Oregon who are not insured through employers. Regence CEO Jared
Short said at Thursday's hearing in Portland the increase is needed
to cover rising costs related to the federal health care law.

OREGON CITY, Ore. (AP) - The Clackamas County Jail was locked
down for a time yesterday while guards dealt with an inmate who had
covered himself with feces and refused to leave his cell and
shower. Jail Lt. Lee Eby said emergency responers subdued the man
with pepper spray and put him in medical care for mental health
counseling.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A Portland nonprofit says it has developed
bedbug resistant beds for homeless shelters. The metal frame beds
at Central City Concern have splayed legs to keep them from
touching walls where bugs crawl. Mattresses are sealed in
medical-grade nylon to keep the bugs from digging in and hiding.

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

Taking a look at Coast Radio Sports…

Number 15 ranked Oregon State will open up the NCAA baseball playoffs at six this evening in Corvallis against Arkansas-Little Rock in a four-team regional. Creighton and Georgia get together at one. The losers of today’s games meet tomorrow at one and the loser of that contest is done. Winners meet at six tomorrow, with play continuing Sunday… and possibly extending into Monday. All games of the Corvallis regional will be broadcast on ESPN3.

Coaches for the 2nd annual Les Schwab Tires South Coast Basketball All-Star series have been announced. Siuslaw Girls’ coach Aaron McNeil will share coaching duties with Jen Sproul of Coquille for one girls squad. They’ll go up against Chris Schofield of Brookings-Harbor and Ben Stallard of Pacific High School in Port Orford. Coquille boys’ coach Dan Cumberland will coach the south boys squad against Tom Nicholls of North Bend. The boys and girls all star games are set for June 13th at Marshfield High School.