6 March 2015
Port Reapplies for Floating Potty
Another proposal for a ‘barge-mounted’ restroom to be moored in the Siuslaw River during peak sport fishing seasons is being floated by the Port of Siuslaw.
The seasonal restroom would serve boaters and anglers between June and October. It would be moored about a quarter mile upstream from the public boat launch on Harbor Street, on the far side of the river channel. During the off-season and winter months, it would be towed to the Port’s marina and closed.
The original proposal was denied last fall by the Florence Planning Commission because it was in a “scenic view area” as designated by the Florence Comprehensive Plan. The new location is approximately 800 feet east of the original.
Written testimony has been submitted in opposition to the application; based on the negative impact on esthetics. Several others have written in support.
The Florence Planning Commission will conduct a hearing on the matter Tuesday evening at City Hall.
Economic development more than recruiting outside business
When Florence Mayor Joe Henry says he wants to change things up in Florence, he means he believes City Hall should be more active in helping local businesses prosper. One way is by involving more community members in finding ways to do that.
Joe Henry – “We’re going to invite 25 or 30 people, and it’ll be sometime toward the end of March I believe. We’re going to try to provide them with an outline of what we’re trying to accomplish, but it’s really a fact finding mission.”
But for Henry, it’s not just about holding meetings and creating a “vision” for the future. That’s been done before and previous officials haven’t followed through. He and other elected officials are now looking back at some of that work before and putting some of it into action.
Joe Henry – “The downtown revitalization team that’s just recently got approval from the council to help improve the signage and direct people to old town and help improve the 101 corridor. That’s just the first step. That’s something that was talked about ten years ago. It came to the council last year and got voted down.”
Economic development efforts on the part of the city, he says, won’t simply be about focusing on bringing in new businesses, but more on helping the ones that are already here grow and prosper.
19th Florence Home and Garden Show
Mike Wilbur started building outdoor furniture when he was in the seventh grade. He worked part time for Paddock and Bower Nursery in Springfield through high school, building garden swings and patio furniture.
He never outgrew the love of working with wood. Throughout his career with the Oregon Department of Transportation, Wilbur continued to build gliders, Adirondacks, and planters, selling them on the side. When he retired in 2008, he turned it into a second career.
MJ Custom Woodworking is just one of the 41 different exhibitors who will be displaying their wares at this weekend’s 19th Florence Home and Garden Show.
The doors open Friday afternoon, the show runs through Sunday at the Florence Events Center.
El Nino arrives, brings little impact
A long anticipated El Nino has finally arrived, but meteorologists say you may not even notice.
The National Weather Service proclaimed the weather phenomenon is now in place. It consists of a certain patch of the central Pacific that changes weather patterns worldwide. It’s associated with flooding in some places, droughts elsewhere, a generally warmer climate and fewer Atlantic hurricanes.
But Mike Halpert of the weather service’s Climate Prediction Center said this is a “weak, weird and late” version of El Nino. So don’t expect too many places to feel its effects.
Last year, some experts were hoping El Nino would help the southwestern droughts because moderate-to-strong events bring more winter rain and snow to California. This El Nino is arriving at the end of the rainy season and is quite weak.
Spring forward and check your smoke detectors
This Sunday marks the beginning of Daylight Savings Time and the Oregon State Fire Marshal says it’s also a good reminder to check your smoke detectors.
Jim Walker says many new alarms come with ten-year batteries, so your best option is to test your alarms to make sure they’re working properly.
If your smoke alarms are the older type with the rectangular nine-volt batteries, you’re better off investing five dollars in a new battery and discarding the old one.
Daylight Savings Time begins at two AM Sunday morning…. Be sure to set your clocks forward one hour.
