01 July 2015
ABC follows QCCF
The Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County is now officially out of the child care business and back to their “core mission” of providing programs to children between the ages of six and 18. That’s according to interim Executive Director Chuck Trent.
ABC Preschool, one of the club’s entries into providing services for children under the age of six, will cease operations this week. The club took on the Montessori school at ABC two years ago.
The club’s other “under six” program, Quality Child Care of Florence, closed yesterday.
Trent said the club owes $59-thousand to suppliers and vendors… most of them in Florence… and he said they have to – quote – “make it right with the community”. The club also has about $200-thousand in secured debt. That’s on the QCCF building next to the Middle School, and the club’s headquarters on Airport Road.
The Boys and Girls Club is now down to just one administrative employee, everything else is run by volunteers; most of whom are on the board of directors.
Trent says despite the ABC and QCCF closures, the future “looks bright”. They’ll continue to offer youth sports programs and the Elementary after school program.
Vessel sinks; Coast Guard rescues two
A 27-foot fishing vessel sank near Winchester Bay yesterday. The master and a crew member who were on board were safely recovered.
The 27-foot vessel Rosanna contacted the Coast Guard about 1:40 yesterday afternoon, reporting she was disabled and adrift between the Siuslaw River and the Umpqua. A motor lifeboat crew from the Siuslaw responded and took the Rosanna in tow. Because of safety considerations, they opted to head south for Winchester Bay.
A motor lifeboat from the Umpqua River met them and took over the tow. During the transfer, the Roseanna began taking on water. The Siuslaw crew provided dewatering equipment, but the water kept rising.
The vessel sank shortly before 8 PM just 200-yards north of the entrance to Winchester Bay. Both crew members were recovered safely by a rescue boat. The cause of the incident is under investigation. The Coast Guard reported there was some debris and a light sheen of oil on the water, but no major spill was reported.
Recreational Marijuana
What’s legal? What’s not legal? Those are the questions many Oregonians are asking today. Recreational use of marijuana, approved last fall by voters, became legal in the state earlier this morning, but you still can’t buy it or sell it.
Using the slogan “educate before you recreate”, the Oregon Liquor Control Commission has a website to help in understanding the basics of Measure 91.
According to Steve Marks, the executive director of the OLCC, more than 50-thousand people visited the website in the first week.
Marks said the information on the website will continue to be updated so that it’s relevant.
The Oregon Legislature is working on a plan to allow medical marijuana dispensaries to sell to the general public by October 1st.
Gas prices up in Florence, down nationwide
The average price for a gallon of regular gas is the highest it has been all year… but it’s also the lowest in five years during the Fourth of July holiday.
This morning’s average cash price in Florence is $2.96 a gallon. That’s up ten cents in the past week. But it’s also a buck and a quarter less than it was on this date in 2008.
Oregon’s average price held steady this week at $3.15… the national average, as measured by Triple-A, went down two cents. It’s at $2.77 a gallon.
Drivers in Medford are paying on average of $3.23 a gallon; in Eugene the average is 3-16 and in Portland the average price is $3.14.
Marie Dodds with Triple-A says Oregonians are paying some of the highest prices right now in the country.
Fire Danger
Red flag warnings will fly in most areas of Northeast Oregon over the coming days as wildland firefighters brace themselves for what could be a challenging weekend.
More thunderstorms, bringing lightning, are possible in that region. The National Weather Service is also calling for a hot and dry air mass to settle back into the Willamette Valley and over Portland through the end of the week. A high pressure system is also expected to bring high temperatures, dry weather and a slight chance of thunderstorms over Southern Oregon.
Cynthia Orlando with the Oregon Department of Forestry says fire conditions being experienced this week are usually those expected during late July or early August.
With the approach of the 4th of July, Orlando also pointed out that due to fire conditions, the use and possession of fireworks in forested areas is illegal.
Fatality on Highway 38
A crash nine-miles east of Reedsport on Highway 38 Sunday afternoon claimed the life of a California woman. According to Oregon State Troopers 35-year old Sarah E. Wright of Palm Springs, California was driving westbound when her Nissan Cube crossed the centerline, striking a Dodge Ram Pickup towing a fifth wheel.
The Nissan came to rest on its roof. Wright and her passenger, 28 year old Evan Fass, also of Palm Springs, were transported by ambulance to Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay where Wright was pronounced dead.
The driver and two passengers in the Dodge were uninjured, but the occupants of a third vehicle that was following the Dodge were also transported to Bay Area Hospital.
Highway 38 was closed for several hours Sunday afternoon for the ensuing investigation.
