Albany Democrat-Herald from Albany, Oregon • 5

A5" CZECCN www.democratherald.cora ALBANY DEMOCRAT-HERALD, FRIDAY, JANUARY 5, 2007 KulomigosEin bwidgete $30 niilliioii for green energy BY AARON CLARK ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER SALEM Oregon Gov, Ted Ku-longoski's eyes light up when he starts talking about the benefits that windmills, solar panels and biofuels could bring his state. Though the $30 million Kulongoski allotted in his two-year budget proposal for green energy is dwarfed by the billions he wants to spend on education and health care, the governor thinks it's the first step in freeing the country from its dependence on fossil fuels. Governor taps aide PORTLAND (AP) Gov. Ted Kulongoski said Thursday the former head of Pixelworks will be his deputy for technology and energy. Allen Alley guided the Tualatin company from its beginning in 1997 until December, when he resigned as chief executive officer saying he wanted to spend more time on Oregon affairs.

to pass legislation that would require utilities to draw 5 percent of their energy from renewables by 2011 and 25 percent by 2025 would place Oregon firmly alongside neighboring Washington and California. Both states have already passed similar goals. Oregon has traditionally generated cheap electricity through its extensive dams system. Ferrioli said the state should focus on expanding its existing hydropower capabilities, rather than pumping money into renewables that have yet to turn a profit in the open market. "I think Oregon can bc.this national crucible for the development of this industry," the governor said this week in an interview with The Associated Press.

"The state government can be a model for the private sector." To that end, his budget includes $5.2 million for the nation's first in-water wave generation and demonstration research facility, $2 million to the state's energy department to place solar panels on top of schools and $10 million to foster geothermal projects at Oregon universities. Another chunk of money, $3.7 million, would provide tax breaks for businesses that use and make products that consume biofuel. But the governor's goals are already drawing sharp criticism from some Republicans who warn that pouring money into technologies that have yet to turn an economic profit isn't sustainable. Kulongoski, though, said investing in renewable energy will pay off in the long-run because it reduces America's reliance on foreign oil and associated energy spikes that could hurt Oregon residents and businesses. Kulongoski's goals for the session Sunriver snow Valley sites on list for new state hospital 4v 1 v- si if fVTr.V-' V' Associated Press DURING A STROLL through the Sunriver Village Mall with her family, Alexa Phillips, 6, of Orange County, stops to make a snow angel in the freshly fallen snow in Sunriver.

could open by 2011 at a total cost of between $324 million and $334 million. The properties being considered in Springfield for the southwestern Oregon hospital are between the McKenzie River and Interstate 5, northwest of the PeaceHealth River-bend hospital. One is about 68 acres and was purchased in September from the Knox family by an investor group. The other, estimated at between 92 and 100 acres, is owned by the Wicklund family. "We didn't buy it in anticipation of offering it to the state," he said.

The state would face significant challenges if it sought to convert either of these properties into a state psychiatric hospital. Both parcels are outside the urban growth boundary and are zoned for exclusive farm use. The Junction City property is owned by the state Department of Corrections, so the state wouldn't face a land-acquisition expense. The 242-acre parcel was designated in 1997 as the site for a large prison to be built in two stages one this decade, and one later if needed. The first stage, a medium- and minimum-security lockup, was planned for 2003, but put on hold.

SALEM (AP) State officials are looking at sites from Junction City to Jackson County to house one of two new psychiatric hospitals. The state announced in June that it would replace the crumbling Oregon State Hospital in Salem with two new facilities a 360-bed hospital in southwestern Oregon and a 620-bed hospital in the northern Willamette Valley. The Department of Administrative Services is looking at six properties to house the 620-bed hospital. Three are in Hills-boro west of Portland and three are in Salem, including the site of the current hospital. Officials are looking at 10 sites as potential locations for the southwestern Oregon hospital.

Five of the properties are in Jackson County, two are north of Springfield, one is east of Roseburg, one is in Co-quille and another is near Junction City, about 15 miles northwest of Eugene. The locations were named in documents obtained by the Register-Guard newspaper of Eugene, which got them under the state public records law. Administrators will complete site evaluation's this month. Next month, Gov. Ted Kulongoski and lawmakers will begin studying the sites.

The hospitals Wyden urges health care reform at economic summit OREGON IN BRIEF Eugene man sentenced to 15 years in prison for slashing 3 people EUGENE A homeless man who retaliated with a knife after someone dumped water on him was sentenced to 15 years in prison. Tony K. French, 42, was standing below a parking garage last March when someone from above tossed water that fell on him. French mistakenly concluded that a man standing nearby had done it and attacked him with a box knife, putting two long cuts on the man's back, said Erik Has-selman, the deputy district attorney for Lane County. Two people came to the victim's aid and French slashed them, inflicting minor cuts, Hasselman said.

All three recovered from the late-night attack. French, who said nothing in court, pleaded guilty to assault in a plea deal that requires him to serve every day of the 15-year sentence. Italian company inks concession deal ROME Autogrill SpA, the world's largest manager of airport restaurants, said Thursday that it reached deals to operate airport don-cessions in Hawaii, Ohio and Oregon expected to bring combined revenues of more than $450 million. Autogrill's U.S. subsidiary HMSHost Corp.

renewed a concession to operate 18 food shops in Honolulu, Hawaii's international airport. The company expects that deal to generate revenue of more than $300 million from 2007 to 2014. Timber payments blamed for layoff plans COQUILLE Coos County may lay off nearly a quarter of its 410 full- and part-time employees by March 1, County Commission Chairman John Griffith said. Congress has let lapse a timber payment bill that meant millions in revenue for the county over the past six years. The last payment, for $6.8 million, arrived in October and covers ex-' penses through June.

The law known as the Secure Rural Schools and Community Self Determination Act was approved in 2000 after logging on federal forests was cut back. The law expired in September, and Congress has yet to renew it. So, Griffith said, the county has no choice. "You can't spend money you don't have." Associated Press electronic health records, incentives for consumers to make cost-effective decisions and sharing information on cost and Sen. Ron Wyden quality.

matic reduction in the cost of health," Leavitt said. "But we need to slow the rate of growth." The set of common standards, which could limit health care costs, are intended to set the bar for health care plans and "Until now, we have not had the federal government making this a condition of doing business," Leavitt said. "We need standards." Health care is the top cost concern for Oregon employers, according to the Oregon Business Council, which hosted the event. Wyden has proposed a major federal health reform package that he will introduce later this month. BY SARAH SKIDMORE ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER PORTLAND Businesses and organizations representing more than 1 million Oregon workers-signed a Bush administration pledge Thursday to push for improved quality, information and cost-effectiveness in health care.

The pledge was delivered at the fifth annual Oregon economic summit, where Democratic Sen. Ron Wyden outlined his own proposals for reforming health care. By pledging to the federal initiative, the employers agree to provide or demand that health plans meet basic standards, including the use of health care technology such as President Bush signed an executive order in August to commit the federal health programs to the quality standards. Since then, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt has been traveling the country getting states and employers to sign on to similar concepts.

"I don't have illusions we are going to have a dra Giant Sitka spruce will be allowed to fall ter figure about how far we need to keep people away in case this tree falls," Meshke said. Clatsop County commissioners will decide in the next two weeks what to do. ing number of concerned visitors at a safe distance. It attracts about 100,000 visitors a year to the Klootchy Creek County Park near Seaside. "We wanted to get a bet Get IT STARTED Package (couple) PORTLAND (AP) Oregon's weakened giant Sitka spruce has been remea-sured so that park officials can keep visitors safely away in case the tree falls which now seems its likely fate.

Using laser beams, 00 Only 150 FREE ESTIMATES' Initial Fee First 2 months of Membership Equipment Orientation VINYL WINDOWS Certainteed Jeld-Wen for2 One Hour of Group Personal Training for 2 people county workers Thursday determined the Klootchy Creek Giant to be 200 feet tall. A mid-December storm knocked a section of rotted wood out of the trunk, aggravating damage from a lightning- strike decades ago. The tree, estimated at up to 750 years old, is cordoned to keep the grow "am SMITH Corvallis OA 2-week Buddy Pass trt eh am usith ft friarv4 III I m. 1 926-4446 QnTAVSlSl 753-9175 CCB43663 www.smith-glass.com 111 i uw.ii.Aiit.u.nmi ifKfiislGiicol immmmiB Mil JHb mmmwi 1 Ja4 nrrrnrijl ir 5S Sil ZZ rH ft lij i I jrj ih i).