Florence taking steps to regulate medical marijuana

Coast Radio News
Local News
21 January 2015

City Council to talk medical marijuana Monday

The Florence City Council will conduct a public hearing and discuss a series of agenda items related to the sales of medical marijuana Monday evening.

The Council imposed a moratorium on permits for legal medical marijuana dispensaries in Florence last spring on the eve of a deadline for doing so.

Since then, staff at City Hall has been working on how best to integrate any dispensaries while keeping them away from schools, parks and other “sensitive areas”.

The Planning Commission recently signed off on the proposal that would allow the dispensaries in most areas zoned for retail sales. An exclusionary zone around so-called “gateways” to the city would be imposed… that would prevent them from being sited near the 101-126 intersection and close to the bridge in Downtown Florence

The City Council will hear testimony on the revisions Monday evening. The council meets at six.

Homeless count in Lane County

A number of public service groups and agencies in Lane County were out in force Wednesday night to count homeless people.

The annual census is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which provides nearly $3-million in housing and services to the homeless in Lane County.

Last year’s count included only those who seek refuge in shelters. It tallied 649 individuals. Two years ago a more comprehensive count included people sleeping under bridges, in parks and other non-traditional shelters. It totaled 1,102.

Siuslaw Outreach Services, Siuslaw School District, the Helping Hands Coalition, the Veterans Administration and Florence Food Share participated in the count.

The total figures for the homeless in Lane County will be tabulated and released in March.

Designate a driver this Sunday

It’s probably the biggest football day of the year… Super Bowl Sunday.

It’s also one of the days when impaired drivers help make it one of the most dangerous days to be on the highway.

That’s according to figures compiled by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration which show about 48-percent of traffic fatalities on that day are alcohol related.

Oregon State Police, Lane County Sheriff’s Deputies and local police will be paying special attention to possible impaired drivers in order to reduce the risks.

Cooking your catch

Local sports anglers can get some tips on how to prepare their catch next week during the monthly meeting of the Florence Salmon Trout Enhancement Program.

Mark Stephens, a chef at Three Rivers Casino will share some of his techniques and recipes for preparing local fish including salmon, steelhead, trout, rock fish, ling cod and halibut.

Before Stephens’ demonstration STEP club members will hear an update on steelhead returns at the Whittaker Creek fish trap and at the Coho hatchery the group runs in Florence.

STEP meets at the Florence Elks Lodge Wednesday at seven p.m.

Roby’s day of service to SOS

Roby’s Furniture in Florence was closed all day Wednesday this week, but employees didn’t have the day off. The nine people, led by local manager Dustin Herring spent the day at Siuslaw Outreach Services working inside and outside the building.

One crew painted the conference room inside, while others were outside raking leaves, trimming shrubs and spreading bark.

SOS executive director David Wiegan said it was a – quote – “tremendous donation of service” and added the building “looks great”.