Weiner dogs and Natural Gas…

Coast Radio News
Local News
1 October 2015

Humane Society looking for more than 14-K

It’s turned out to be a pretty good formula… start with some wine, add a little chocolate and some hors d’oeuvres and you end up with a major fund raiser for the Florence Area Humane Society.

This year’s Wine and Chocolate Gala, the 23rd, will be Friday evening at Three Rivers Casino and Resort.

In addition to the wine and chocolate there will be a silent and live auction. Event coordinator Jackie Allen said last year the event raised $14-thousand for the society. She hopes to raise more this year.

The Florence Humane Society is a “no-kill” shelter, meaning that animals brought to the facility are not euthanized unless they are unhealthy and can’t be healed.   100 percent of the proceeds from the gala go directly to shelter operations and services.

Advance tickets are available at several locations around Florence for $20. Ticket prices at the door Friday night, beginning at six PM, are $25.

Environmental OK granted to Jordan Cove

A $7-billion project expected to bring hundreds of jobs to the south and central Oregon Coast gained another approval this week.

Proposed port facilities and a pipeline for shipping Rocky Mountain natural gas to Asia won the final environmental approval from federal regulators.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission… FERC… issued notice yesterday that its final environmental impact statement found the Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas terminal on the north spit of Coos Bay and the Pacific Connector Gas Pipeline across southwestern Oregon would cause some environmental damage.

But, regulators also said the damage would be reduced to “less than significant” with mitigation measures proposed by the project developers.

The project is being led by Calgary, Alberta based Veresen, Inc.

Final project approval is expected by the end of this year. But, gas is not likely to begin flowing for several years.

Dachsund Derby

Dachshund owners in the Florence area will be lining their pets up for the third annual Oktoberfest Wiener Dog Races this weekend at the Florence Events Center.

They begin at three o’clock Saturday afternoon.

Registration is $15 per racer and opens an hour before post-time. There are three categories… puppies up to two years; youth, which is two to five; and adult dogs, six years and older.

An overall Grand Champion will also be named. Last year’s was Ellie… she belongs to Jayne and Steve Smoley.

Oktoberfest opens at 8:30 Saturday morning with the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast until 11. The live music with German food and, of course, beer, runs through seven pm.

Report of pipe bomb unfounded

A worker at the Lane County Solid Waste Transfer Site in Florence spotted what looked like a pipe bomb Tuesday, prompting a shutdown of the facility.

The area was isolated by emergency responders and the Eugene bomb disposal squad was called. One member of the team; a Lane County Sheriff’s Deputy; responded and determined it to be unfounded.

One responder said it was a piece of pipe, but it was also better to be cautious.

The cost of driving keeps diminishing

After last week’s dramatic drop in the average cash price for regular gas, it wasn’t clear how much lower it could go.

But, the local average fell by another nickel this week to $2.17.

The statewide average price, as measured by Triple-A, dipped the same amount this week, but it remains 30-cents a gallon higher than locally. The national average held steady at $2.28.