Port of Siuslaw selects new manager

Coast Radio News
Local News

Name to be released later

Three of the five Port of Siuslaw Commissioners met in a special meeting yesterday to finalize a job offer for a new manager.

Port Commission President Ron Caputo was joined by Nancy Rickard and David Huntington in approving the draft of a contract that would be extended to the man who has asked to not be publicly identified until he can review contract terms.

He was one of two interviewees Monday, he is not from the immediate area.

The man’s application was submitted after Port commissioners could not reach agreement on which, if any, of the initial job applicants to hire.

Caputo and Interim Manager Dina McClure will handle salary and contract negotiations. The job was advertised with an annual salary range of 50-to-70-thousand-dollars.

Feeding the taps

Firefighters have been helping residents keep the water flowing in the Mercer Lake and Collard Lake areas. A landslide last month undermined water lines that supply drinking water to the Heceta Water PUD’s reservoir above Mercer Lake. Emergency water restrictions expected to last through March were implemented as officials explored ways to keep the tank filled.

Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue, working with the water utility and Oregon Water Resources were able to get one of their water tenders certified for potable water. The tanker truck has been making daily trips to refill the reservoir.

The December 18th slide killed 70-year old Delores Miller and damaged two homes.

Oregon’s senior Senator to stop in Florence

U.S. Senator Ron Wyden will hold four coastal town hall meetings in the next two days.

He’ll start off at 12:45 tomorrow at Siuslaw High School in Florence before heading to Newport and the Oregon Coast Community College at 4:30.

Saturday morning Wyden will be at the Port of Tillamook Bay for an 11 o’clock meeting before wrapping up his coastal swing at Clatsop Community College in Astoria at 3:30.

Wyden holds annual town halls in each of Oregon’s 36 counties. Tomorrow and Saturday will hit four of six coastal counties.   The Democrat Senator calls town hall meetings the “best way to ensure direct communications” with the people he represents.

Lane leadership announced

East Lane Commissioner Faye Stewart was selected Tuesday to serve as chair of the Lane County Board of Commissioners. North Lane Commissioner Pat Farr will be his vice-chair.

This will be Stewart’s fourth stint heading up the Commission. He led the panel in 2007 and 2008, then again in 2011.

He was recently elected to his third four year term.

Salmon and climate at Cape Perpetua discovery series

Salmon are very adaptable and can handle a variety of environments… they get their start in small freshwater streams; spend most of their lives in the depths of the ocean; then return to the streams to start the cycle over again.

But how well can they adapt to changing climate conditions?

Dr. Rebecca Flitcroft is a fish biologist with the U.S. Forest Service. She will share her latest research and offer her assessment Saturday during the next edition of the Cape Perpetua Winter Discovery Series. Dr. Flitcroft will talk about the salmon ability to “survive in times of change” at two PM.

Cape Perpetua offers weekly wintertime discussions at the visitors’ center. January 16th will feature Paul Engelmeyer talking about the Ten Mile Creek coastal conservation program.