KFIR

A fun, favorite attraction at Wildlife Safari in Winston is being targeted by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). At the elephant car wash, visitors’ cars are doused by a blast of water from an elephant’s trunk. The attraction recently made the rounds of the worldwide media as a feature story. That got PETA’s attention. In a letter to Wildlife Safari, PETA is demanding that the park cease all forced animal interaction with humans like the elephant car wash. It says the elephants are forced to perform while controlled by chains and bull hooks. A park director says they follow standards set by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, and that the elephants are intelligent and like to play with water.

A funnel cloud appeared near tangent yesterday afternoon. It did not touch down during a brief thundershower. The national weather service said the teaser-twister was seen at about 4:10 in the afternoon. There were no reports of damage. Meteorologists say it was a cold-air funnel cloud. They usually do not touch the ground but they can cause considerable damage if they do.

An illegal alien Halloween mask has been pulled from the store shelves in the area. The mask shows a creature with a green forehead, large eyes, human-style nose and a busy black mustache. Hispanic groups have expressed outrage and gay groups object to the same company’s “Gaylien” mask. They say the masks are dehumanizing and present offensive stereotypes.

The legislature gave state workers and customers of state agencies some good news and bad news for October 16th (next Friday). The good news is that many state workers gets a day off but the bad news is that they don’t get paid and we cannot go to the DMV, get a hunting license, or apply for food stamps on that day. Most state agencies will be closed to save money Friday, October 16th. It’s the first of ten furlough days written into state agency budgets. It will be a day off for more than 26 thousand state workers. Schools, parks, and liquor stores will remain open that day.

Portland police cars carrying the crew of the TV show ‘Cops’ was in a head-on crash last night. Three people were injured and were taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Witnesses said both cars were totaled. One or both cars rolled. A police spokeswoman says a small car drifted into the patrol car’s lane. The police car was not responding to a call at the time.

A South Korean company plans to buy the closed Hynic semiconductor plant in Eugene and make solar cells there. Uni-Chem says it will eventually hire up to 1000 people. It’s buying the plant for 50 million dollars, according to a South Korean business newspaper. Uni-Chem is a leather manufacturer hoping to hop on the solar bandwagon. It plans to produce enough solar cells each year in Eugene to generate a gigawatt of power.

Squids are washing up on the Oregon Coast. They are also known as Red Devils which usually stay farther south, according to biologists. Fishermen say they are aggressive and delicious if caught live. There have been dozens of them turning up on central Oregon Beaches. A biologist says it’s common for them to wash ashore this time of year but it is usually farther north and south.