3 November 2015
Interim manager expected to be named
A special meeting tomorrow afternoon will allow the Port of Siuslaw Commission to review applications from hopeful candidates to replace retiring manager Bob Forsythe. Commission president Ron Caputo:
Ron Caputo – “We have ten applications and we’re going to whittle that down to probably four and then have interviews with those four people and hopefully within a month, anyway, we’ll hire a new manager.”
Forsythe originally said he would be stepping down by the end of this year. The Commission will consider tomorrow whether or not to move that date up.
Ron Caputo – “We are going to let him retire now rather than wait until December 23rd.”
If the commission approves of that, Caputo says Administrative Assistant Dina McClure would be named interim manager.
That meeting tomorrow will be at the Port office in the RV Park and Marina at four pm.
Lane’s Short Mountain Landfill expected to last another century
Approximately 400-million pounds of garbage goes into the Short Mountain Landfill south of Eugene each year.
Even at that rate, Dan Hurley, the manager of Lane County’s Solid Waste Division, says there’s still plenty of room.
Dan Hurley – “We’re pretty lucky we have over a hundred years left in the life of our landfill; one cell at a time, every ten or so years. But the more we can make that last, the better.”
Lane County recently opened a new “cell” or section at the landfill. It’s expected to last about ten years. Hurley says he won’t be around by the time Short Mountain reaches capacity early in the next century so he’s not sure where the next landfill will go.
Dan Hurley – “I do not think we’ll find one in Lane County. It’s very hard to site a landfill.”
Changes in technology and attitudes about waste and recycling could extend the life of the landfill.
Hurley will talk about Lane County’s waste stream this afternoon, then again tomorrow morning on Coast Radio’s Our Town.
Local gas prices bounce up slightly
After a steady progression of weekly decreases, the average cash price for a gallon of regular gas in Florence went up slightly this week.
At $2.11 a gallon, it’s six cents higher than it was last week.
But, it’s still well below the national and statewide average prices as measured by Triple-A.
Both held relatively steady this week. Marie Dodds said the national average is $2.19; the Oregon average is $2.32.
Clean that crab well
The Oregon Department of Agriculture is advising anyone who may have gone crabbing on the south coast to thoroughly clean your catch before eating it. Levels of Domoic Acid, a naturally occurring toxin, in the viscera of Dungeness caught south of Cape Arago are at a dangerously high level. According to information published this week by the department, the acid does not affect the crab meat, but it will settle in the gills and internal organs.
The agency also issued a reminder that mussels on beaches, jetties, rocks and bay entrances between the California border and Yachats also have elevated levels of Domoic Acid and should not be eaten.
Domoic acid, also called “Amnesiac Shellfish toxin” can cause minor to severe illness and even death. It cannot be removed by cooking, freezing or any other treatment.
Bridge repairs to restrict overnight traffic
Overnight delays crossing the Siuslaw River Bridge in Florence will possibly extend into next week.
Beginning tonight, traffic will be restricted to one lane, controlled by pilot cars, between six pm and the early morning hours.
Mike Stennett with the Oregon Department of Transportation says motorists won’t see any work going on, because crews will be underneath the bridge and inside the containment structure sealing cracks on the under-side of the span.
The sealant is very sensitive to vibrations until it sets up, so the pilot car will control the speed of vehicles crossing the bridge.
Stennett says this phase of work will wrap up by Friday morning, but additional delays may extend into next week.
Coos County voters approve gun control controls
Voters in Coos County this week overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure that seeks to prohibit enforcement of new gun laws. That measure passed by a nearly two-to-one margin.
It follows a state law approved earlier this year requiring background checks for private, person-to-person gun sales. The measure seeks to prohibit the use of Coos County funds to enforce the background checks mandate, or other new gun restrictions that may pass in the future. It also directs the sheriff to determine whether or not gun laws violate the state or U.S. constitutions.
The Lane County Board of Commissioners approved a similar ordinance earlier this year. But, it stops short of ordering the sheriff to determine the constitutionality.
Legal experts say the courts are the proper venue for sorting that issue out.
