Mega Quake Could Strike Oregon Coast; Dalai Lama to visit Oregon; Governor given additional time to comment on Coquille Tribe casino; What’s raised in Florence, stays in Florence.

11 March 2013

Coast Radio News
Local News

Japanese Disaster Two Years Ago Today

Today is the 2nd anniversary of that devastating magnitude nine quake in Japan that caused the death of nearly 20-thousand people, caused untold millions of dollars in damage and spawned a tsunami that was more than 40-feet high in many areas on the Japanese coast.  Oregon’s top geologist, Dr. George Priest, says there is a distinct possibility of a similar disaster occurring off the Oregon Coast.

George Priest – “The U.S. Geological survey has, in press conferences, quoted it at 10-percent in the next 50-years.  The other way to look at it is there’s a 90-percent chance that it won’t happen and the message to policy makers is we really do have time, probably, to prepare for this event and do some changes in the infrastructure and make sure that we’re resilient.”

Priest was in Florence Saturday where he spoke at the monthly disaster preparedness class presented by the West Lane Emergency Operations Group.

What’s given in Florence stays in Florence.

That’s according to members of the Florence Rotary Club who are gearing up for their annual fund raising auction this Saturday evening.

The club raises approximately $60-thousand at the event, most of which will go to local students in the form of scholarships.  But, there are several other local causes that benefit from the money.  The Interact Club at Siuslaw High School receives financial support from the donations raised at the club level.
For the past three years the club has also provided fellowships to local teachers to assist them in developing further educational prospects for local students.

There are also dictionaries for third graders, backpacks filled with school supplies, and books for pre-schoolers.

Additional time granted for casino comment

The U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs has granted Governor John Kitzhaber’s request for an extra 60-days to weigh in on the Coquille Indian Tribe’s application to build a casino in Medford.

The tribe that runs the Mill Casino in North Bend has proposed a casino at the Roxy Ann Lanes bowling center in Medford.  The Coquilles have purchased that center, along with an adjacent property and agreed to lease the nearby Bear Creek Golf Course.

The tribe is asking the Bureau of Indian Affairs to place the 2.4 acre property in trust on their behalf.  That would begin the process that could ultimately lead to reservation status for the site.

Governor Kitzhaber has previously opposed efforts by other tribes to build second casinos in Oregon.

Dalai Lama to make first visit to Eugene

Tickets to the Dalai Lama’s May 10th visit to Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene go on sale today.  It will be the first visit to Eugene by His Holiness Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet.  He’s scheduled to speak on “The Path to Peace and Happiness in the Global Society.

Tickets are $20 each and there is a two-tickets per person limit.  They’re available at the Mathew Knight Arena online box office or at TicketsWest outlets.