Coastal Residents get up close and personal with Senator
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden spoke to overflow crowds in Florence and Reedsport yesterday afternoon. They were Town Hall meetings number 606 and 607 since he was first elected 16 years ago.
Ron Wyden – “What I’m trying to do is to throw open the doors of government to deal with exactly what you’re talking about. Make sure that people don’t walk away and say the only body who’s got a voice in government are these powerful moneyed interests.”
Wyden’s town halls all have the same pattern.
Ron Wyden – “For 90-minutes we just open the doors and everybody gets a chance to say their piece and I don’t make any speeches.”
Anything can come up, and usually does. But, he says, there are generally three dominant themes.
Ron Wyden – “Jobs and the economy is certainly first and foremost.”
A strong number two…
Ron Wyden – “Certainly health care and medicare has come up frequently.”
And the third is one that he’s taken to heart himself… legislation backed by the recording and movie industries to more tightly control the internet.
Ron Wyden – “And, not surprisingly, an enormous amount of concern about this very ill-advised legislation that would do a lot of damage to the internet.”
Wyden says the effects of either the House or the Senate version could have a chilling effect on personal liberties. He promises a full-blown filibuster to block the Senate version… something he says he’s never before engaged in.
Fire Destroys Home
A stubborn and fast-moving fire destroyed a home on Canary Road Friday evening, destroying nearly everything belonging to the long-time resident. The alarm came from 9-1-1 at 5:25 PM that the home at 6353 Canary Road was in flames. Siuslaw Valley Fire Marshall Sean Barrett said the first crew on scene came from Station Five, over the hill at Canary.
Sean Barrett – “And they were able to knock it down in 20 minutes. I would have to say at least it was ten more minutes before an engine from town would have made it out there.”
The home and most of the contents are considered a total loss. The owner and occupant, Pat Circle, told investigators she had left a pan on the stove when she went out to feed her cows. 15 minutes later, she heard a ‘popping’ noise and saw flames and smoke coming from the house. She told firefighters she said she thought the stove was off. Nobody was injured.
Commissioners Asked to Take Personal Cuts
Lane County is expected to face even steeper cutbacks in the coming years if no long-term replacement can be found for the expiring federal timber payments program. West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich is asking his four fellow commissioners to join him in making cost reductions personal. He’s proposed that commissioners give up their deferred compensation; cut expense budgets for their offices and reduce the Commissioners’ General Expense Fund. His proposal would yield savings of just under $40-thousand. The expected funding gap for next year is estimated to be just under $8-million.
