Wednesday Mid-Day News Report With Kevin Hays (AUDIO)

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - (Audio transcript)

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

LENGTH: 2:35

A PORTION OF CENTER STREET NE WILL BE CLOSED THIS SUMMER THROUGH OCTOBER TO THROUGH TRAFFIC BETWEEN 17TH STREET NE AND 14TH STREET NE WHILE CREWS REPLACE AN OLD BRIDGE OVER MILL CREEK.

THE EXISTING NARROW BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1914.

THE NEW BRIDGE WILL BE WIDER, AND WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AUTOMOBLIES, BICYCLES, AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.

THE CENTER STREET CLOSURE BEGINS JUNE 13TH.

A DETOUR WILL ROUTE EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND TRAFFIC TO 12TH STREET, STATE STREET, AND 17TH STREET.

JOHN NASH WILL NOT BE BACK AS GENERAL MANAGER OF THE PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS, WHO FINISHED WITH THE WORST RECORD IN THE NBA THIS SEASON.

PRESIDENT STEVE PATTERSON WILL SERVE AS INTERIM GENERAL MANAGER.

NASH SPENT THREE SEASONS AS THE BLAZERS GM, A TIME OF RAPID DECLINE FOR THE ONCE PROUD FRANCHISE.

PORTLAND FINISHED 21-61 THIS SEASON, AND CLOSED WITH 19 LOSSES IN THEIR FINAL 20 GAMES.

PRICES FOR GAS HIT RECORD HIGHS IN OREGON OVER THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND.

OREGON`S STATEWIDE AVERAGE PRICE IS UP NINE-TENTHS OF A CENT TO $3.11 PER GALLON.

EXPERTS SAY CONSUMER DEMAND AND THE ONCOMING HURRICANE SEASON ARE JUST SOME THE REASONS WHY GAS PRICES ARE REMAINING HIGH.

OREGON`S AVERAGE PRICE IS THE 5TH HIGHEST IN THE NATION, BEHIND ONLY HAWAII, CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, AND WASHINGTON.

OKLAHOMA HAS THE NATIONS CHEAPEST FUEL PRICES.

THE KEIZER POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE HOLDING FREE SAFETY COURSES NEXT MONTH, THAT ARE DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF PERSONAL SAFETY FOR WOMEN.

THE COURSES, CONSIST OF INSTRUCTIONAL PRESENATIONS, TRAINING EXERCISES, AND DYNAMIC SIMULATIONS.

THE FREE SAFETY COURSE WILL BE ON THURSDAY, JUNE 15TH, AT 6:00 PM, AT THE KEIZER POLICE DEPARTMENT AUDITORIUM.

TOLEDO POLICE CHIEF DON DENISION IS IN SOME HOT WATER FOR USING A CITY OWNED BACKHOE TO HAUL HIS DAUGHTERS DEAD HORSE TO IT`S FINAL RESTING PLACE.

A STATE COMMISSION IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER DENISION BROKE ETHICS LAWS BY USING A PLOICE CAR WITH FLASHING LIGHTS TO ESCORT THE BACKHOE.

THE FUNERAL IS ONE OF SIX POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS BEING INVESTIGATED.

DENISION SAID HE IS BEING HARASSED BY A PAIR OF RESIDENTS WHO SIMPLY DON`T LIKE HIME.

PORTLAND RADIO TALK SHOW HOST AND ANTI-ABORTION ACTIVIST MARY STARRETT IS PLANNING TO SEEK THE NOMINATION OF THE CONSERVATIVE CONSTITUTION PARTY.

STARRETT COULD STEAL SOME KEY VOTES FROM REPUBLICAN NOMINEE RON SAXTON, WHO IS PRO-CHOICE.

THE CONSTITUTION PARTY HOLDS IT`S NOMINATING CONVENTION THIS WEEKEND IN LAKE OSWEGO.

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!