Ready for the Rain? Florence Connection to Food Safety; New Carissa Salvage Tied to Costa Concordia; What’s Up For the Weekend?

Coast Radio News
Local News

27 September 2013

Get Ready for Some Rain…

Weather forecasters are predicting a – quote – “significant rainfall event” this weekend across Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Portland Meteorologist Steve Pierce says a strong September jet stream is consolidating across the Pacific Ocean and aiming its energy at the northwest beginning tonight.  That is expected to bring plenty of rain and some high winds over the next 72 hours as a series of weather fronts pass through the area.  Pierce said the most significant of the systems will arrive Saturday night.

He said remnants of a tropical typhoon will be in the mix, increasing the potential for the amount of precipitation.

Pierce said rainfall amounts could exceed six inches in the mountains and near three inches in the Willamette Valley.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service are issuing similar warnings and have posted a high wind watch for the possibility of southerly sustained winds of 25 to 35 miles an hour gusting to 60 beginning Saturday morning and running through tomorrow night.

27 September 2013

Get Ready for Some Rain…

Weather forecasters are predicting a – quote – “significant rainfall event” this weekend across Northwest Oregon and Southwest Washington.

Portland Meteorologist Steve Pierce says a strong September jet stream is consolidating across the Pacific Ocean and aiming its energy at the northwest beginning tonight.  That is expected to bring plenty of rain and some high winds over the next 72 hours as a series of weather fronts pass through the area.  Pierce said the most significant of the systems will arrive Saturday night.

He said remnants of a tropical typhoon will be in the mix, increasing the potential for the amount of precipitation.

Pierce said rainfall amounts could exceed six inches in the mountains and near three inches in the Willamette Valley.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service are issuing similar warnings and have posted a high wind watch for the possibility of southerly sustained winds of 25 to 35 miles an hour gusting to 60 beginning Saturday morning and running through tomorrow night.

Florence Food Safety Connection

An Oregon State University researcher landed a high-stakes grant to study a food safety issue that could have some high dollar ramifications for Oregon onion growers.

Joy Waite-Cusic, a Siuslaw High School grad and an OSU Associate Professor will be studying whether or not harmful organisms in contaminated irrigation water are killed when onions are processed and cured, partly by exposure to ultra-violet rays.

A proposed new rule by the Food and Drug Administration would impose strict irrigation water quality standards on onion growers.  Those growers, mostly in southeast Oregon’s Malhuer County, say they already ensure that no e-coli or salmonella bacteria make it to market with the onions.

In fact, no illnesses have been attributed to Oregon onions, but because irrigation water has been linked to outbreaks in other crops, the FDA is moving to implement the new rules.

Waite-Cusic’s study will mimic grower’s procedures in the lab and she hopes to prove the safety of existing processes.

Costa Concordia Ties With New Carissa

The Fort Lauderdale, Florida marine salvage company that successfully removed the remains of the New Carissa from Coos Bay’s North Spit in 2008, was also the primary salvager responsible for the refloating and removal of the wrecked cruise ship Costa Concordia in Italy this month. The cruise ship partially sank in January 2012 after hitting a reef, killing 32 people. The New Carissa was a 640-foot long wood-chip carrier that ran aground during a Pacific Ocean storm back in February of 1999. Titan Salvage brought two jack-up barges in to serve as working platforms for the crew to cut up and remove the 1500-ton stern section which was embedded on the South Oregon Coast beach.

What’s Up For the Weekend?

Rain or shine there will be plenty of things to keep you occupied this weekend in the Florence area.

There’s the third annual Florence Festival of Books, Saturday from ten to four at the Events Center.  Admission is free and there’ll be dozens of authors on hand… as well as a handful of publishers.

The annual Florence area Septoberfest makes the move to Old Town this weekend under the tent at the Port of Siuslaw Boardwalk.  It will feature authentic German food, dance, giveaways and live music from noon until six Saturday and Sunday… One new attraction this year will be the weiner dog races at 11 Sunday morning.