12 November 2014
Tuesday night search yields no results
The report of a man jumping from the Highway 101 bridge into the Siuslaw River last night just after six pm prompted a full response from local emergency agencies.
A 9-1-1 call was received at 6:15 from a Bay Street restaurant advising of a suicidal subject. Witnesses told police they saw a man with long hair, wearing a red fleece jacket, blue jeans and a hat jump from the bridge.
The Coast Guard dispatched a rescue helicopter from North Bend, along with a motor lifeboat from the Siuslaw River station. They were assisted by a boat from Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue.
The search continued until just after nine pm, yielding no results.
Florence Police Lieutenant John Pitcher said there was some uncertainty as to just what the witness who reported the incident saw. He added as of this morning, nobody was reported as missing.
Barge Umpqua II “rediscovered”
Researchers in California’s Monterrey Bay recently made an interesting discovery tied to the central Oregon Coast. Scientists with the Monterrey Bay Aquarium and Research Institute were mapping earthquake faults in the 13-thousand foot deep Monterrey Canyon when sonar detected a large, rectangular object.
On closer examination by an autonomous underwater vehicle, it was determined that it was the barge Umpqua II. It was built in Reedsport in 1970 and was damaged a dozen years later near Monterrey. Owners of the barge reportedly towed it to the deepest portion of the Monterrey Canyon in 1982 where it was scuttled and forgotten until researchers rediscovered it this fall.
Underwater photos show very little deterioration of the vessel and the name is still clearly visible. There are no plans to salvage it.
Crash cause could take months to determine
Oregon State Police say it could take several months before they can determine the cause of last week’s fatal crash that claimed the lives to two Mapleton High School students.
But there’s a chance they may not ever be able to determine the cause.
The identity of the driver last Thursday morning, as well as the two other students who were seriously injured, have not been released by authorities because they are juveniles.
All five were headed to a nearby restaurant before classes began for the day when the car left the road, landing on its top.
Both 17-year old Abby Boydston and 16-year old Weston Bowman were riding in the back seat of the car; they died at the scene.
Cities facing marijuana tax challenge
Dozens of cities in Oregon, including Florence, passed local sales taxes on marijuana in the event that Measure 91 passed.
There’s just one problem.
The ballot initiative legalizing recreational use and sales of marijuana also expressly prohibits local municipalities from levying additional taxes.
Organizers say that exclusion, along with a relatively low state sales tax on marijuana was intentionally designed to keep prices low and deter the illegal market.
Cities and counties in Oregon that have already passed local taxes are hoping they can withstand legal challenges.
Gas prices continue free fall
Oregon Drivers are benefiting from the nation’s largest monthly drop in gas prices.
The average price, according to Triple-A, for a gallon of regular unleaded in Oregon is down 47 cents in the past month to $3.07.
The average cash price in Florence held steady this past week, but remains 15-cents less than the Oregon average at $2.92… that’s also a penny a gallon below the national average price.
Prices are just under three dollars a gallon in the Medford area. In Portland the average is at $3.04.
Declines have been fueled by a drop in crude oil prices. The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries; OPEC; is expected to decide later this month whether to cut production in order to strengthen prices.
Pelicans learn to rely on humans
One of the most distinctive birds on the Oregon Coast is the brown pelican. Its famous large throat pouch and gregarious personality make it a favorite; but, that gregarious personality can cause humans to endanger the birds unnecessarily.
Brown pelicans usually feed by scooping up small fish in their large bills while swimming in the ocean. This time of year, they should be headed south to winter breeding grounds in Baja California.
But, the opportunistic feeders can learn to beg for food, prompting people to feel sorry for them. Doug Cottam, a biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, says feeding the beggars can be unhealthy for the birds and even discourage them from continuing their migration.