AP-OR–1st NewsMinute,322
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
ASTORIA, Ore. (AP) – The U.S. Coast Guard says power has been
restored on a 648-foot car container ship that was drifting without
power off the Oregon coast southwest of the Columbia River mouth.
The Coast Guard says the Singapore-flagged Morning Spruce reported
late yesterday morning the engine lost power about 12 miles from
the river’s entrance. Coast Guard officials say the vessel engineer
restored power about 3:30 p.m. The ship was to be escorted to the
river by a tug. No fuel spilled.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon lawmakers will make one final push
this week to find an agreement that would allow all of them to
declare victory and leave town before Wednesday’s self-imposed
deadline. With the budget and Gov. John Kitzhaber’s Medicaid reform
plan all but crossed off the list, the focus turns squarely to
other issues. Those include: A health insurance exchange,
Kitzhaber’s education initiatives and Republican efforts to
increase logging and take more water from the Columbia River.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) – Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber is set to receive
legislation requiring university employees and coaches, as well as
youth-organization workers, to report child sexual abuse to police
or the state Department of Human Services. The Senate unanimously
approved House Bill 4016 on Friday. Oregon’s bill was prompted by
the child sexual-abuse accusations against Jerry Sandusky, a
retired assistant football coach at Pennsylvania State University,
and accusations that two school officials failed to properly report
abuse allegations.
PHILOMATH, Ore. (AP) – Voters in Philomath in Oregon’s Benton
County will decide next month whether to restore fluoride to the
city’s municipal water supply. Philomath’s water had been
fluoridated since the early 1980s, but the City Council decided
last May to stop adding fluoride to the supply. Measure 02-76 on
the March 13 special election ballot would reverse the council’s
decision, if approved. The Corvallis Gazette-Times reports that
only 39 public water systems in the state deliver fluoridated
water.
(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
AP-NY-02-27-12 0400EST