Thursday Night/Wednesday Morning News Report (Audio)

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - (Audio transcript)

HERE ARE TODAY`S TOP STORIES FROM SALEM-NEWS,COM, WITH KEVIN HAYS REPORTING…..

LENGTH: 2:35

OREGON OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN TOUTING A DROP IN THE STATE`S HUNGER RATE, AND NOW OSU RESEARCHERS BACK THAT UP.

FOR YEARS OREGON HAD THE NATION`S HIGHEST HUNGER RATE.

OSU ASSOCIATE SOCIOLOGY PROFESSOR MARK EDWARDS SAID THE DECLINE FROM 1999-2000 LEVELS MEANS ABOUT 19-THOUSAND FEWER PEOPLE IN THE STATE FACE HUNGER ISSUES.

THE OSU STUDY SAYS THE ONLY GROUP THAT INCREASED IN REPORTED HUNGER WAS SINGLE MOTHERS.

THE MARION COUNTY SHERIFF`S DEPARTMENT IS SET TO DEBUT AN AGGRESSIVE DRIVER ENFORCEMENT VEHICLE.

THE VEHICLE, MAY APPEAR TO BE AN AVERAGE FORD MUSTANG, BUT LOOK AGAIN AND IT WILL BE DRIVEN BY A MARION COUNTY SHERIFF`S DEPUTY.

MARION COUNTY DEPUTIES IN 2005, ISSUED MORE THAN 16,000 TRAFFIC CITATIONS, NEARLY 9,000 OF WHICH WERE MOVING VIOLATIONS.

DEPUTIES ALSO INVESTIGATED OVER 13-HUNDRED TRAFFIC CRASHES, MORE THAN 200 OF THOSE INVOLVED THE INJURY OF DEATH OF AT LEAST ONE PERSON.

PRESIDENT BUSH HAS SIGNED FEDERAL LEGISLATION TO HELP PRESERVE STATE VETERANS HOME LOAN PROGRAMS.

THE LEGISLATION INCLUDES A QUALIFIED VETERANS MORTGAGE BOND PROVISION THAT WILL REMOVE CERTAIN SERVICE DATE RESTRICITIONS AND HELP MAINTAIN A SOURCE OF LENDABLE MONIES FOR STATE VETERANS HOME LOANS.

THE NEW LEGISLATION ALSO ALLOWS FOR THE USE OF TAX EXEMPT QUALIFIED VETERANS MORTGAGE BONDS FOR MAKING STATE VETERANS HOME LOANS AVAILABLE TO YOUNGER VETERANS IN CERTAIN STATES INCLUDING OREGON.

BE AWARE! SCHOOL ZONE SPEED LIMIT LAW CHANGE IS COMING SOON.

HOUSE BILL 2840, PASSED BY THE 2005 LEGISLATURE, WILL CHANGE THE LAW IN SOME SCHOOL ZONES AS OF JULY 1ST.

DRIVING JUST 5 M-P-H OVER THE 20 M-P-H SPEED LIMIT INCREASES THE RISK OF HITTING A CHILD, AND INCREASE THE SEVERITY OF THE INJURY WHEN A CHILD IS STRUCK BY A VEHICLE.

THE U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS IS ADVISING BOATERS TO BE AWARE! OF FLOATING DEBRIS WHILE RECREATING IN WILLAMETTE VALLEY RESERVOIRS THIS MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

EARLIER THIS WINTER, LARGE AMOUNTS OF WOODY DEBRIS WERE CARRIED DOWNSTREAM BY UNUSUALLY HIGH FLOWS AND DEPOSITED HIGH ON THE BANKS OF RESERVOIRS.

OREGON`S BRIDGES AND TAXPAYERS WILL BENEFIT FROM MONDAY`S SUCCESSFUL SALE OF OREGON HIGHWAY USER REVENUE BONDS.

THE SALE, BROUGHT IN NEARLY 302 MILLION DOLLARS TO REPAIR AND REPLACE BRIDGES AROUND THE STATE.

SUMMER HOURS ARE SET TO BEGIN AT THE SALEM PUBLIC LIBRARY ON SUNDAY.

THE LIBRARY WILL BE CLOSED ON SUNDAYS FROM MAY 28TH THROUGH LABOR DAY.

SUMMER HOURS ARE 1:00 TO 5:00 PM.

THE LATEST SALEM-AREA NEWS, WEATHER, SPORTS, AND TRAFFIC IS ON DEMAND AT SALEM-NEWS.COM.

I`M KEVIN HAYS REPORTING FOR SALEM-NEWS.COM, HAVE A SAFE AND WONDERFUL DAY!