New DA says she wants the post despite challenges

Coast Radio News
Local News
24 August 2015

Patty Perlow will seek election next spring

Earlier this month, Governor Kate Brown appointed Patty Perlow to take over as Lane County District Attorney. Before that, she served as the Chief Deputy to former DA Alex Gardner. He left the job last month, mostly because he had grown weary of dealing with chronic funding shortfalls.

Patty Perlow took over as Lane County DA earlier this month.  She says despite funding challenges she's committed to the position.
Patty Perlow took over as Lane County DA earlier this month. She says despite funding challenges she’s committed to the position.

Based on that, why would Perlow want the job in the first place?

Patty Perlow– “I get asked that a lot. This is where I’ve spent my entire adult career and the stability of the office is very important to me. I have done pretty much every job in the office on some level.”

She believes she can make a difference; and that’s why she’s making no secret out of the fact that she will ask voters next spring to keep her in the job.

Patty Perlow – “It is true, I will be running.”

One of the things Perlow said her office will be focusing on in coming months will be in prosecuting lower level felonies, such as drug possession. Her hope is that they can increase the number of cases that make their way to parole and probation… and garner a larger share of the state’s community corrections dollars.

Tight fire restrictions expected to be in place at least a month

Until much of Oregon gets “significant” rain, local fire restrictions will remain in place. That’s according to Siuslaw Valley Fire Chief Jim Langborg.

Jim Langborg – “It’s important that people in our community know, firefighting resources on a statewide level are extremely low and if something happens here it could be a little bit before we get help.”

 

The cadre of local firefighters is much thinner than usual. Many of of the local volunteers that would normally respond work for other firefighting agencies in the summer. They’ve been on the fire lines already for several weeks.

Jim Langborg – “We’ve had good responses to fires, but at the same time, we’re a volunteer organization and we only have so many resources.”

That’s why Langborg ordered very strict guidelines… Mowing of lawns must be done by 11 AM; absolutely no campfires anywhere; and commercial and industrial activities in forested areas is severely constrained.

Smokey conditions prevail

Smoke and haze began filtering into the Florence area Saturday afternoon. While some of it may have come from a wildfire near Highway 101 just north of Gardiner that was extinguished quickly; most of it is likely coming from dozens of blazes burning across the northwest.

It’s expected much of the smoke is coming from fires in and around the Cascades, but some of could be coming from as far away as Washington State and Northeast Oregon.

The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency rated air quality yesterday in the Eugene and Springfield area as being “unhealthy”. Likewise, the National Weather Service issued an alert over the weekend.

Forecasters say conditions are expected to improve in the Willamette Valley and along the coast today.

Buckle up, slow down, hang up, and drive

Extra police patrols aimed at reducing the number of drivers who use their cell phones or don’t buckle up will begin Monday in the Florence area. Officer Denton Tipler with the Florence Police Department said one other focus will be on child safety seats and making sure kids are properly secured.

The extra patrols will be provided because the Oregon Department of Transportation is paying for officer’s overtime.

Denton Tipler – “Each officer works a different shift, so it’s gonna throw a lot of different time frames out there. With any shift, you know day shift, swing shift and graveyard shift, some of the highest traffic times for that particular shift.”

Tipler said the statewide traffic enforcement “blitz” begins Monday and runs through Sunday, September 6th.

Charity tournaments net $20K

Three golf tournaments this month in Florence helped raise more than $20-thousand for charitable causes.

Florence Rotary hosted the sixth annual “Cool at the Coast” scramble at Ocean Dunes August 1st. Local Rotarians forwarded a check this week for $4-thousand to the Rotary International “End Polio Now” campaign. It’s the sixth year the local club has sent cash to help eliminate polio world wide.

The second annual Viking Cup, at Ocean Dunes August 8th, raised $9,345 that was split evenly between Western Lane Baseball and Siuslaw Youth Volleyball.

Another charity golf scramble, the fifth annual Siuslaw Open was held Saturday at Sandpines.  SOS Director David Wiegan didn’t have an exact total, but said the tournament netted more than $7,000.

Council to review financing options

The Florence City Council is expected to approve a financing agreement this evening that will provide $7.8 million for a variety of public improvements.

A special meeting was called at six this evening in order for the Council to deliberate and take action.

Just under half of the money would go to the Florence Urban Renewal Agency; the other half will provide for a variety of public improvements, including $1.3-million to construct a new Public Works headquarters on Kingwood Street at 27th.

The special meeting is at six at City Hall.