Florence to follow state law when it comes to immigration
Florence police officers have not and will not enforce federal immigration laws; and the agency does not participate in routine immigration investigation and enforcement activities.
That’s the Florence Police Department’s official policy. A city spokeperson issued a statement reiterating that policy over the weekend following several inquiries in the past weeks.
The statement said Florence police officers will follow state statute. That prohibits any law enforcement agency in the state
“from using agency money, equipment or personnel for the purpose of detecting or apprehending persons whose only violation of law” is that they are in the United States in violation of federal immigration law.
The police department’s policy manual also states they will not pursue immigration investigation and enforcement activities.
Mother and young child briefly trapped by slide
The hillside above an RV park east of Florence gave way Sunday morning, trapping a woman and her young child briefly.
Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue responded to Siuslaw Marina and RV Park on Highway 126 at 10:17 a.m. A woman reported a tree had fallen on the travel trailer she was living in and she couldn’t get out.
Firefighters discovered the slide and a large tree that had been uprooted.
Fire Marshall Sean Barrett with Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue said responders were able to force the door of the trailer open to allow the woman and her child to escape. The child was reported to be less than a year old. Neither were injured.
Barrett said an estimated three inches of rain fell in the area overnight Saturday, saturating the ground and causing the slide.
Heavy rains cause high water
More than six inches of rain were recorded in the Florence area between Friday evening and this morning, causing high water and localized flooding in many areas. Florence Public Works crews spent much of the day yesterday responding to overflowing storm drains. Several parking lots were flooded.
The Siuslaw River rose by ten feet in a twelve hour period, cresting just before midnight Sunday at 18.4 feet… just four-tenths of a foot above minor flood stage. By six this morning it had fallen to 14-feet and was expected to continue dropping through the day.
Other than a few trees down and debris on streets and roads in Western Lane County no other significant damage was reported.
Florence man airlifted with head injuries
A 37-year old Florence man was seriously injured when his eastbound vehicle struck a fallen tree on Highway 38 just east of Reedsport last week. Oregon State Police Sergeant Jeff Proulx (PROOL) said Johnathan Meier suffered a skull fracture and was initially transported to Lower Umpqua Hospital in Reedsport before being airlifted to Riverbend in Springfield.
ID of man killed on 126 released
Oregon State Police say it was a 48-year old Florence man who died last week when he stepped into oncoming traffic on Highway 126 three miles west of Mapleton.
Oregon State Police Sergeant Jeff Proulx (PROOL) said Michael Joseph Griffis died at the scene. Responding troopers said it appeared he had intentionally stepped in front of an oncoming 2015 Dodge commercial van driven by an Independence. Oregon woman. She was not injured.
Griffis had reportedly jumped in front of an oncoming dump truck just moments before his death, but the driver of that truck told police he missed him “by inches”.
Filing period opens for May election
The filing period for 29 different spots with ten different small government agencies on the May 16th ballot opens today in Lane County.
Candidates seeking election to the boards and commissions can file their candidacy forms with the agencies. There is no immediate rush to complete the paperwork however. The deadline is at five pm March 16th.
Local government agencies with openings on their elected bodies include Lane Community College, the Port of Siuslaw, Western Lane Ambulance District and Siuslaw Public Library. There are two school districts with available seats… Siuslaw and Mapleton; as well as three fire districts… Siuslaw Valley Fire; Mapleton; and Swisshome-Deadwood.
The Mapleton Water District rounds out the list.
Information on how to file can be had by contacting individual agencies or by going on line at www-dot-lanecounty-dot-org and clicking on elections.
