Coast Radio News – WLAD Levy – Marbled Murrlet – Black and White Event

Polling shows support for Ambulance Levy Continuation

Recent polling conducted on behalf of Western Lane Ambulance District shows area residents are favoring continuation of an operating levy for another five years.

Interim District Manager Brian Burright said before moving forward with the renewal, the district reached out to residents to find out how they felt about the emergency services provided by the agency.

Burright said they also wanted to hear whether or not property owners would favor an extension of the 45-cents-per-thousand-dollar levy that helps provide the service.

Respondents said yes in a big way. Burright said of the 753 surveys returned, only 12 said no.  That’s about one-percent.  He added about 7-percent… 52 respondents… said they weren’t sure.  But an overwhelming 92-percent… 690… said they would vote yes on a potential renewal measure.

Burright pointed out the levy renewal would not increase taxes… simply continue a levy that was approved by voters five years ago.

Western Lane Ambulance responded to more than 35-hundred calls for assistance during fiscal year 2015-16. They serve more than 20-thousand residents, plus thousands more visitors.

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After a year-long review of more than 1.5-million acres of critical habitat for the Marbled Murrelet in Oregon, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has determined the habitat still is integral to the species’ long-term survival. The Murrelet, also known as the “fog-lark”, is a small, potato-shaped seabird that nests in old-growth forests along the Oregon Coast.  It was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in 1992.  Elizabeth Materna from the Oregon office of Fish and Wildlife says the decision won’t hurt the interests of private landowners on the coast.”

203 – “Fish and Wildlife Services continues to find collaborative solutions to conserving wildlife resources while also supporting strong local economy.”

The service conducted a voluntary review in 2015 of more than 3.5-million acres of critical habitat in west coast states in response to litigation and the redefinition of the term “critical habitat”. Most of the land designated is federally owned.

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Tires, automotive batteries, rusty propane tanks and old appliances will be accepted for disposal later this month during the City of Florence’s annual “Black and White Recycle Event”.

The intention is to encourage disposal and recycling of the items that may be cluttering your property… and could possibly pose an environmental threat.

The items will be taken at Siuslaw High School between ten am and two pm, Saturday, August 27th.   There is no cost for disposal, but it limited to non-commercial parties only.

Florence Planning Director Wendy Farley-Campbell said several local businesses are assisting members of the Florence Environmental Management Committee.

For more information, you can visit the city’s website at www-dot-ci-dot-florence-dot-or-us, or call the planning and building department at 541-997-8237.

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Oregon State University is moving ahead with plans to build a $50 million expansion to house its marine science initiative in a tsunami inundation zone in Newport. That’s despite warnings from a state geologist that the site could make it vulnerable to a major earthquake and put it in the path of a subsequent tsunami.

President Ed Ray, the dean of Oregon public university presidents, believes the 100,000 square foot expansion at the mouth of the Yaquina Bay will be a “national and global showcase” for seismic design standards.

OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Center sits at about 15 to 18 feet above sea level.

The school needs final approval from the City of Newport to start construction, which could begin next year.