Another Call Scam Reported
Lane County Sheriff’s Deputies say they’re being impersonated on the phone and residents are being warned to watch out for another scam.
Sergeant Carrie Carver said numerous residents have reported receiving calls from people claiming to be with the Sheriff’s office or the U.S. Marshal’s Office Civil Division.
In each case, the caller claims the recipient has either an outstanding warrant; unpaid citations; or has missed jury duty.
The caller than says the matter can be remedied by purchasing a gift card, then giving them the redemption number, allowing them to access the funds on the card.
Carver said the scammers are calling from what appear to be local numbers.
She said calls to residents demanding payment in the form of gift cards are never legitimate. She urges you to call and report if you’ve been a victim.
The calls have not been limited to Lane County. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Department was reporting a similar scam just last week.
Cost of driving headed up in the new year
Retail gas prices have been going up for most of the past 30-days around the country. The increase locally however, has been limited to just the past week. The average cash price for a gallon of regular gas in Florence went up four cents this week, it’s now at $2.22. That compares with the national average that also increased four cents, but is at $2.28.
Matthew Conde with Triple A of Oregon says the statewide average only increased by two cents this week, but it’s still considerably higher at $2.43 a gallon.
Conde said recent supply issues have impacted gas prices and may offset the reduced demand typically seen this time of year.
Dental care covered by Oregon Medicaid
Many Oregonians who qualify for Medicaid may not know they’re also eligible for dental care. Although Medicaid at the federal level doesn’t offer it, Oregon has taken a different path toward providing oral health. Alyssa Franzen, executive dental director for CareOregon, says the change was big and there still are barriers to getting the message out.
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Every region has its set of challenges according to Franzen. On the north coast, providers are more spread out, making it harder for people there to get to a provider. The number of Oregonians affected by this can be sizable in some areas of the state. In some communities, one in four is eligible for the Oregon Health Plan.
Siuslaw Award nominations due
This is the final week to submit nominations for the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce’ annual Siuslaw Awards. The presentation ceremony is coming up February 8th at the Florence Events Center.
That’s when the Stu Johnston Business of the Year award will be presented, along with awards for Excellence in Customer Service; Curb Appeal; Community Caring; and Innovation in Business. A special Non-Profit Achievement award will be presented that night, along with the Florence First Citizen and the Florence Future First Citizen.
Nominations for any and all must be submitted to the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce by this Friday. They can be submitted online at www-dot-florencechamber-dot-com, or at the Chamber Visitor Center near City Hall on Highway 101.
Small quake flutters on sea floor
Geologists say another mild earthquake was recorded Tuesday morning off the Central Oregon Coast. This one was at 7:51 am and was a 4.1 magnitude. The U.S. Geologic Survey says it was pinpointed 200 miles west of Newport and was about six miles beneath the ocean floor.
No impact was reported on shore, and the quake was not of the type that would trigger a tsunami.
Call for tax volunteers
The call is going out once again for seasonal tax counselors. Frank Williams is a local AARP volunteer. They’ll begin providing free tax preparation assistance to low income and senior residents in February. But Williams says they’re looking for potential helpers right now.
He said they can always use more tax counselors and says as long as you have some tax knowledge and are “computer literate”, they can teach you to become a counselor.
Classes for the volunteers will begin January 11th and continue over a three week period. Williams said anyone interested in helping out can call him at 541-997-7836.
