News tidbits: Highway 101 south of Port Orford which was closed for four days is nearing the completion of the new road. The new section of road is scheduled to open before the Memorial Day weekend, largely due to incentives given to the contractors. 60,000 cubic yards of material was removed from the slide area and has been replaced by more than 100,000 tons of stone embankment rock. All the paving has been completed and all that remains to be done is new guardrails, curbing, and the removal of the temporary bypass.
Crabbing Pots: The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is scheduled to meet to set new restrictons on the number of crab pots which can be used during the commercial fishing season. Currently, they allow between 200,000 and 235,000 pots.
The proposal under consideration will reduce the number of pots to 150,000. It's been two solid good years for the fishermen and they have seen record numbers of Dungeness Crabs.
Earthquake: A magnitude 6.9 earthquake hit Indonesia on May 16th, but fortunately for everyone no Tsunami was created. A small rise in the waters was noticed, but nothing untolerable. To those of you new to my website I have a page dedicated to Tsunamis and it can be seen at www.coos-bay.net/oregon_tsunami.html .
Wildfires: Property owners along the Southern Coast are being asked to pay special attention this year when burning debris. Fire crews have already responded to 15 fires this year and most of them could have been prevented only if the property owners were following proper burn procedures. Officials say that if the current weather conditions persist the fire season could be declared earlier than normal.
Wind: Two Oregon State University oceanographers will focus on the west coast using very sophisticated satellites. They will measure wind speed and direction by scattering microwave beams. The central Oregon Coast has "dead zones" which are pockets of warm water without oxygen. The lack of oxygen has been responsible for killing many fish, crabs, and other sea creatures.
Southwestern Community College: The school's first running track is near completion. Contractor's are making an all-weather track. The base for the track has been completed, and next week the surface will be installed. The College is also building a student activity center and a soccer field.
Marine Safety: It may seem like common sense to wear a lifejacket, and they are required but very sadly this month three fishermen died when their 16ft. boat overturned. Lifejackets were on board, but none of the fishermen were wearing them which left them little chance of surving in the very frigid waters which are normally about 55 degrees. The Coast Guard offers boating safety classes, and I strongly urge anyone going out on the ocean to attend their classes. It could mean your life!
The Website: I've been trying to add new pages as time permits. I've added a satellite map which is interactive, and I've also started a new page for featured photographers. I urge all of you that would like to see your photos posted to send me a few examples. Please limit your photographs to landscape scenery. Also, indicate in your email how you would like the pictures watermarked. You still retain 100 percent copyright ownership of your pictures, and should I get any emails inquiring about them I will be sure to inform you. I had one of my photographs of the Charleston Jetty chosen to be used for Portland's main T.V. station, and I also have pictures which are being evaluated (which if chosen) will be published in some major airline brochures. The site is doing very well in all the major search engines and the money I make helps me cover expenses and equipment. The site will soon be five years old. Just another sign how time flys.
About Myself: I have fully recovered from my recent neck surgery, and the brace came off last Sunday. It's nice having the use of both arms again, and even nicer being pain-free. I am becoming more active within the Church each week and will begin teaching their after-school computer class this fall. My current goal is to become a Soldier for the Salvation Army, but as with most things worthwhile in life it will take time. I have a host of Christian friends helping me along the way, and our Bible Study Group meets each Thursday for dinner, study, and then dessert. The Church has been working on the Treasure Principle. The idea is to take $20 and use your talents to make the money multiply. The Coos Bay target goal is $8,064 and the total to date is $3,279.00. I would like to thank my parents for their generous contribution to the Coos Bay Salvation Army. They live in another State just as many of you do, so please help support your local Salvation Army or one in the city of your choice.
Your Photograph: In the past I was resizing my pictures that I send to you, but I've realized that with my new equipment that resizing the photos just won't give you the quality I would like you to have should you decide to print it or use it as wallpaper on your computer. This month's photo was taken a few days ago near the boardwalk in Coos Bay. I actually got up very early and looked to the east and saw a lot of color in the sky. I jumped in the truck and headed east (yes east - I only have three directions to go from where I live) towards the McCullough Bridge. The sun wasn't quite over the moutain but the orange sky was just beautiful. I actually got some of my best photographs that morning which I've been featuring this week. Downloads are only available to subscribers. Thank you all!