10 June 2014
Incumbents Avoid Runoff Elections
Lane County Commissioners Faye Stewart and Jay Bozeivich will retain their seats on the Lane County Board of Commissioners.
Final, certified results of the May 20th Primary were released Friday by the Lane County Elections Department.
Those show the final margin between Bozievich, the incumbent West Lane representative on the board, and his opponent Dawn Lesley to be just 75 votes… 7,708 to 7,633. There were 37 write-ins, leaving Bozievich with 50.12 percent of the vote… a cushion of 13 votes preventing a required runoff election in the fall.
Lesley issued a statement yesterday afternoon conceding the race and congratulating Bozievich on running “a race well fought”.
In the East Lane District; Cottage Grove, Creswell, Pleasant Hill and Oakridge, Stewart hung on with 50-point-oh-five percent of the vote… 6,998. His closest opponent in the five-way race, Kevin Matthews, had just over 35-percent… 4,931 votes. The Oregon Secretary of State’s office is currently considering whether or not the margin is close enough to require a publicly funded recount.
Wiencek on Second Leave
Siuslaw Superintendent of Schools Shawn Wiencek is on paid administrative leave for the second time in four months. School Board Chair Paul Burns declined to say whether Wiencek requested the leave, or if she was placed on leave by elected officials. He said Assistant Superintendent Ethel Angal will be the “acting interim” superintendent.
Burns declined to answer any questions about the leave, saying only that the board had “been advised” not to speak about it.
The board is scheduled for their regular monthly meeting tomorrow night. Burns said they “may or may not” discuss Wiencek’s leave at that time.
Wiencek has been head of Siuslaw Schools for one year and has been praised by officials and staff for her work. She was on leave in March due to a personal matter.
She was not present at last week’s high school graduation.
Fire Danger On the Rise
Lots of sunshine and afternoon high winds have combined to raise fire danger in Western Lane County. Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue Fire Marshall Sean Barrett says crews have already seen more brush fires than they usually do at this time of year.
Sean Barrett – “We have had a few controlled burns that have actually crept away. Luckily enough it wasn’t on windy days, but we have had some brush fires already this season.”
He said the high winds we’ve experienced the past few weeks has been especially worrisome.
Sean Barrett – “Not only does it dry things out, if a fire does get started it’s kind of like a blow torch. Definitely the wind is the biggest factor we would have around here for fires.”
Barrett says he and others are hoping this will be a mild year along the coast… but…
Sean Barrett – “Overall the fire season in Oregon is looking horrendous.”
He says burning restrictions in the Lane County will go into effect as scheduled June 15th… and from there he hopes it doesn’t get too hot and dry.
Oregon Ag Goes Direct to Consumers
Farmers and ranchers in Oregon are at the head of a nationwide trend to take their products directly to consumers.
According to the Oregon Department of Agriculture, producers of Oregon agriculture are more likely than their counterparts in other states to cut out the middle man and sell their wares at farmers’ markets; roadside stands; or Community Supported Agriculture groups… also known as CSAs.
Oregon currently ranks sixth nationwide with 6,274 farms reporting direct sales to individual consumers. Only California, Texas, Pennsylvania, New York and Ohio have more farms with direct sales.
Direct farm marketing, according to the Ag Department, is worth more than $44-million in Oregon each year.
