BRIEFLY.

Byline: The Register-Guard

LTD workers postpone giving notice of strike

If members of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 757 go on strike against the Lane Transit District, the walkout won't happen until Jan. 31 at the earliest.

After mediation efforts failed Wednesday, the union indicated that it would file its 10-day notice of intention to strike on Thursday, but it did not, according to a news release issued late in the day.

"The negotiating team is discussing that notification, but no decision, as yet, has been made" about filing the notice, the release said.

However, the transit district filed its intention Thursday to impose on workers the conditions contained in its last offer before negotiations between the two sides reached impasse in December. The conditions include putting into effect on Feb. 1 a new health plan opposed by the union.

Based on that action, the union said, "a strike appears inevitable."

The two sides will meet with a professional mediator again Wednesday.

Eugene sets another record for temperature

Make it three for three.

For the third consecutive day, Eugene set or tied the record high for the date. On Thursday, the thermometer at the Eugene Airport hit 64 degrees, equaling the high set in 1968.

The city also set records on Tuesday with 67 degrees and Wednesday with 66 degrees.

But don't expect another record today. The weather forecast, according to the National Weather Service, is for a high of 53, short of the record of 60 set in 2003, and lows around 43. Those temperatures continue through Monday, with rain coming and going during the weekend.

Suspect in bank robbery arrested on city street

Police have arrested a suspect in the Wednesday morning robbery of the US Bank branch at 800 Willamette St.

A police officer spotted a man who had been identified as the robbery suspect walking on a sidewalk near Sacred Heart Medical Center about 9 p.m. Wednesday.

The officer arrested Shane Randy Watson of Eugene, who turned 50 Thursday. He was placed on a federal offense hold.

At 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, a man with a teardrop tattoo under one eye entered the downtown bank branch, demanded cash from the teller and left without displaying a weapon.