8 April 2015
School Board to hear Kindergarten update
The Siuslaw School Board will hear an update on the move to full-day kindergarten. In the fall, five and six year olds will spend six hours a day at school, as opposed to just three. Siuslaw Elementary Principal Mike Harkelrode has been leading the efforts to get ready.
Mike Harkelrode – “We have an implementation team that’s been working on what we want the kindergarten model to look like. One of the edicts we’ve had from the beginning is if we simply double the day we’ve missed an opportunity. We have a chance to really make kindergarten instruction and education look an awful lot different.”
The district is in the process of constructing a new building that will house up to five classrooms for kindergartners. The school board authorized spending just over $400-thousand for that. The modular building is expected to be completed in time for the first day of school.
Mike Harkelrode – “This is a great change and a long time coming and we’re thrilled to be offering it next year.”
Harkelrode will give a program update on the Kindergarten process to the School board this evening. The School Budget Committee meets at 6:30 this evening, followed by the board meeting.
Rotary fundraiser tops $101,000
The Florence Rotary Club finalized the tally from their annual March fundraiser this week. Auction co-chair Bobbi Brubaker said it was the highest amount they’ve ever raised.
Bobbi Brubaker – “The Rotary Auction net rose to over a hundred thousand dollars.”
$101-thousand to be exact. But it took a couple weeks to get there. The total immediately following the March 14th auction was just under $94-thousand. Then, said Brubaker, an anonymous donor added another six-thousand.
Bobbi Brubaker – “Brought us to 99-thousand, 589. And when we announced that at the Rotary Club a Rotarian stood up and said he would take it to $100-thousand. And another stepped up and said he would make it a hundred-and-one.”
The 101-thousand beat last year’s total by about five-grand.
Bobbi Brubaker – “It’s an unbelievable community and it just gives and gives and gives. It’s amazing.”
Brubaker said all of the money stays in the community. About half funds several scholarships for local high school and LCC students. The rest goes into community programs operated and funded by Rotary.
Gas prices up locally, down regionally
Retail gas prices around the country and in Oregon continue to move lower as refineries complete their annual spring maintenance. The national average price, as measured by Triple-A, slipped three cents this week to $2.38 a gallon, while Oregon’s average price dipped four cents to $2.71.
Locally however, the price edged up a nickel a gallon. The average cash price increased this week to $2.68 a gallon.
Marie Dodds with Triple-A says April can be a volatile month for gas prices as refineries switch to the more expensive summer-blend fuels. But, she added, she expected prices to continue to slide over the next few weeks as wholesale prices remain low.
Culvert exploration to disrupt Florence travel
The Oregon Department of Transportation says there will be some lane closures while a contractor does some “exploratory work” on culverts in and around the Highway 101.
Rick Little with ODOT says closures will occur on Quince Street, north of 126, between 10th and Highway 101. Closures are also expected on Highway 101 between 12th and 28th street between 7 AM and 5 PM Thursday, then again on Friday between 7 AM and three.
Little says electronic reader boards will direct travelers to available lanes of travel. He said the exploration work is associated with a project to replace the storm drain liner beneath Quince Street and that stretch of Highway 101. That work is expected to begin in the fall.
