Police Pick Up Razor Blades
For a brief period Monday afternoon Highway 101 North bound near Oregon Pacific Bank had to be closed while Florence Police rounded up razor blades. Les Schwab assistant Manager Luke Lyda said that over the past two days over 40 vehicles have come through their doors with blades stuck in their treads.
A large number of cars come in with the same identical type of razor blades in them yesterday and they’re trickling in today from yesterday.”
Commander John Pitcher with the Florence police department says they are investigating the issue to see if this was an accident or a deliberate criminal act. Pitcher said if they find evidence of a repeat incident it will give them more evidence to draw from. Lyda said that he did have a people come in that thought they might have gotten them on another Florence roadway.
“We also had some people, though, that were on oak between the school and Fred Meyer that picked some up, not a rhyme or reason to where it happened but a vast majority were coming north on 101.”
For safety, it is recommended that you check your tires if you traveled north bound on 101 Monday.
WEA/EAS Alert
At 11:18 this morning there will be a test of the national presidential warning system. The test of the wireless emergency alerts and emergency alert system will send out test messages. If your wireless carrier is participating in the alert you will begin to receive these messages on your phone. During this time, WEA compatible cell phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA should be capable of receiving the test message. Some cell phones will not receive the test message, and cell phones should only receive the message once. The WEA test message will have a header that reads “Presidential Alert” and text that says: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
Key Bill Passes Committee
A bill to protect thousands of acres and miles of river in Oregon has passed out of a key U-S Senate committee. The Oregon Wildlands Act, introduced by Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, would designate more than 200-thousand acres as wilderness and national recreation areas and add more than 250 miles of wild and scenic river protections to the state. Chris Daughters, owner of the Caddis Fly Angling Shop in Eugene, believes without protections, the region’s world-class fisheries are in danger. He also wants the next generation to enjoy these lands.
“We can talk about the immediate needs of the angler, we can talk about the immediate needs for the businesses and the critical outdoor industry in the state of Oregon from fishing, hiking, boating, etc. But I mean, we’ve got to look down the road for our children as well.”
The bill represents more than 20 years of negotiations and backers say it would conserve lands integral to Oregon’s recreation economy, which generates 16-point-4 billion dollars annually in consumer spending and supports more than 170-thousand jobs
Gas Prices Not Falling
Gasoline prices continue to climb despite the slower travel agenda for most families and vacationers. Cheaper winter fuels are hitting the pumps, but upward pressure on crude prices continue to hold the market hostage as prices creep up around Oregon. The current price for a gallon of regular gas in Florence is right at $3.00 a gallon up 3 cents over last week. The average for Oregon is up a penny at $3.26 a gallon.
Waldport Bus Collision
A head on collision of a school bus in Waldport reminds us to be cautious as children are back in school. A grey Chrysler mini-van crossed the center line in Lincoln county yesterday morning seriously injuring the driver of the bus, 60 year old Kenneth Hall of Waldport. Several children received minor injuries. There was no report of the driver of the mini-van. This serves as a reminder to follow all rules regarding bus operation and crosswalks as well as school zone speed limits.
