High speed and unsafe passing may have led to motorcycle fatality
A 19-year old Wyoming man died yesterday afternoon just north of Florence after the motorcycle he was riding crashed into the side of a car as it pulled out onto the highway.
The crash happened just minutes before two pm at milepost 185 near the Twin Lakes Store. Witnesses told Oregon State Troopers that the man on the motorcycle was traveling northbound on 101 at “a high rate of speed”, using the center lane to pass other vehicles. At the same time, a 2012 Hyundai sedan driven by 28-year old Blaine L Kahle was pulling out of Sutton Lake Road to go south on 101.
The motorcycle struck the side of the Hyundai, ejecting the rider.
Witnesses also told police the motorcycle did not have a headlight and visibility in the area was limited.
The name of the man killed has not been released pending notification of family.
Home sales signal economic turnaround
Third quarter home sales in the Florence area were down slightly from the same period last year. 140 homes were sold between July and September this year, compared to 152 last year.
But, says Tawfik Ahdab with the Pacific Valuation Group, 2016 is shaping up to be the best real estate year in Florence since 2004.
Ahdab says through September 30th there were 346 sales recorded, that means the market is – quote – “poised to reach 511 sales by year-end.” By comparison, there were 485 sales last year.
According to Ahdab, the “seemingly interminable recession is now well behind us”, adding that pent-up demand has created a resurgence in home sales at increasingly higher prices.
Home sales in the higher sale price ranges… above $300-thousand… are on the rise, but there is still a great demand for moderately priced homes.
Gas prices steady in Florence
Retail gas prices are holding steady in Florence, while they’re edging up across the west and in Oregon.
That’s according to Marie Dodds with Triple-A of Oregon who says seasonal refinery maintenance is reducing the supply of regular gas on the west coast, putting upward pressure on prices.
In Oregon, the average price increased three cents in the past week to $2.55 a gallon. In Florence, it held steady for the second week at $2.36; while nationally, the averages price slipped a penny to $2.23 a gallon.
Dodds says the cheapest gas in the country can be found in Oklahoma and Missouri where the average price is $2.02 a gallon… Hawaii at $2.89 and California at $2.78 are the highest prices. Washington State has an average of $2.73 and Alaska is at $2.65. Oregon’s price is the fifth highest in the country.
Elliot State Forest sale to be announced
State regulators say they will announce the successful buyer of the Elliot State Forest in December.
The Oregon State Land Board will announce the accepted bid at a meeting in Salem December 13th.
The board, comprised of the Governor, the Secretary of State and the State Treasurer, put the state forest land southeast of Reedsport up for sale earlier this year.
State law requires it to be managed for the benefit of the Common School Fund. Because of restrictions on harvest, it has cost more money to manage than it has generated, creating a drain on that account.
The asking price tag was $220.8-million for the 82,500 acre property.
Four dozen entities formally expressed interest in buying the property, including timber companies, conservation groups, local governments and tribes.
Penultimate performance for duo on Florence
One vanguard of the early 60s British Invasion was the musical duo of Chad and Jeremy. Their first hit… Summer Song… peaked at #7 on the U.S. charts in 1964. Since then Chad Stuart and Jeremy Clyde have been regularly touring the country. Clyde says that may be coming to an end.
Jeremy Clyde – “I am an actor in England, when I’m not with Chad. And I’ve got a play to do in the West End, which is like Broadway, next year. And I’m not going to be available, really, for a year and a half. What… how things will look by that time I don’t really know, but I think we’re going to pack in the big stuff.”
The pair will be in Florence Saturday evening for what could be their second to last ever performance. A limited number of tickets for “An Evening with Chad and Jeremy” are still available at the Florence Events Center. Their final performance is set for Sunday evening in Tacoma, Washington.
BallotTrax available
Voters in Lane County can now track the status of the ballot after they’ve marked it and sent it back.
There has been increased attention on the security of ballots and the election process this year. BallotTrax offers a free service to let voters know their ballot has been received and counted.
Lane County Elections Supervisor Cheryl Betschart says a record number of registered voters will get ballots in this election. She adds the BallotTrax system provides a “great way for those voters to be even more engaged in the process”.
Signing up is simple. Betschart says just go to the Lane County Elections website and click on the “Track Your Ballot Alerts” link and follow the steps.