11 September 2014
Cougar Sighting Near Schools Prompts Warning
Superintendent Ethel Angal said it wasn’t really an emergency, but it was urgent. She’s talking about an automated phone call that went out to parents yesterday, telling them about recent sightings of bears… and even a cougar… near school grounds.
Ethel Angal – “We’re getting more reports of wildlife sightings. Not on school property, you know, up Kingwood.”
Angal said staff used the “emergency” setting on the robo-call in order to ensure the message went out immediately. She apologized to parents who may have become overly concerned when they heard the first part of the message.
Still, she says, more and more wildlife sightings are a very real concern.
Ethel Angal – “All schools have taken extra precautions with outside supervision. Families may choose to alter before and after school transportation arrangements for those students who walk within the vicinity of the schools.”
Bear sightings near schools are nothing new. Five years ago a bear was shot and killed two blocks away from the Elementary school. Angal also said Lane Community College, just north of the High School has been experiencing several conflicts with bears. But, this is the first cougar sighting reported.
Wiencek Agrees to Settlement
The on-going, but oft-unexplained saga of Siuslaw’s former school superintendent appears to have reached a conclusion last night.
In exchange for a full and complete waiver of any potential legal claims against the district for her dismissal last month, Shawn Wiencek will receive a $50-thousand settlement from the school’s insurance carrier. Siuslaw will directly share in that settlement by reimbursing the insurance company $20-thousand.
Wiencek had been placed on paid administrative leave, with no explanation, in June of this year before the firing in August.
Paul Burns was board chair in June. He read a statement in support of the agreement that said, in part, it was in the best interest of the district to avoid any future litigation and allows them to instead focus time and attention on providing the ‘best education possible’ for students.
Highway Repairs Restrict Traffic to the North
Four-and-a-half months of lane restrictions at different locations on Highway 101 north of Florence will begin this week as crews work on repairing damage from landslides, slope failures and an aging retaining wall.
The U.S. 101 Bray’s Point to Sutton Lake Road project will address geotechnical issues at three locations.
Rick Little with the Oregon Department of Transportation says the risk to the highway is high if the repairs are not made. That’s because there is no detour route available should the roadway fail.
First up will be a culvert replacement at milepost 177-point-5, just north of Heceta Head.
Lane restrictions will be in effect mostly during daytime hours Monday through Friday. Some weekend work may occur.
Remembering 9/11
Today is Patriot Day… the 13th anniversary of the devastating attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City; the Pentagon; and United Airlines Flight 93 which crashed in suburban Pennsylvania.
The day was established as a remembrance of the lives lost on that September morning in 2001.
Flags will be flown at half-staff at individual American homes, the White House and all U.S. Government buildings and establishments until noon today.
President Obama issued a statement asking all Americans to observe a moment of silence earlier this morning at 8:46 Eastern Time… that was 5:46 local… coinciding with the time the first plane struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.
