26 June 2015
Body of drowning victim recovered
Searchers recovered the body of a 17-year old Florence boy who drowned after a swimming accident in Woahink Lake yesterday afternoon.
Jose Dela Mora and friends were swimming to a popular sand bar in the north end of the lake near Honeyman State Park around five pm Thursday. Dela Mora said he was too tired to continue. A friend tried to help, but the young man slipped beneath the water and did not come back up.
Lane County Search and Rescue along with a Coast Guard Helicopter searched the deep water until late last night. Divers were back out this morning and located his body around ten AM.
Dela Mora was a popular student and outstanding wrestler at Siuslaw High School where he would have been a senior this fall.
Friends and classmates are expressing shock and sadness at the news of his death. Siuslaw High School principal Kerrie Tatum said she is working on organizing grief counseling at the school. Final details have not been completed.
Lawmakers move to allow earlier retail pot sales
Retail sales of recreational marijuana in Oregon could begin as soon as October 1st… that’s sooner than expected.
A joint House-Senate legislative committee voted unanimously yesterday to start the early sales through existing medical marijuana dispensaries. The measure heads to a vote in the Senate, likely next week.
Under a law approved by voters last year, marijuana use and possession becomes legal July 1st, but regulators say it may be almost a year before they start to issue retail licenses. Until then, users would have to grow their own, get it from a friend, or buy it on the black market.
Advocates say the early sales measure will also ensure a legal avenue to distribute a large amount of marijuana expected from the fall harvest.
Watch out for fire
High temperatures and predicted lightning have wildland fire fighters in Oregon on edge. Tom Fields is the Fire Prevention Coordinator with the Oregon Department of Forestry. He’s pretty sure everyone is aware of the heat wave predicted for the next few days. But, he says, if you’re looking for someplace to keep cool, “now is not the time to be careless”.
ODF meteorologists have predicted record warm weather with afternoon temperatures in some inland areas reaching between 95 and 105 degrees. Fire danger is at a “mid-august” level right now. There may be some lightning in the coming days; but most fires are human caused. Out of the 301 fires fought by Department of Forestry personnel so far this year, humans have been responsible for 227 of them.
Lead volunteer named at military museum
A volunteer chief of staff has been selected to oversee operations at the Oregon Coast Military Museum when it opens formally next week.
Judy Murphy has been the “creative impetus” behind the life sized dioramas depicting World Wars One and Two, Korea and Viet Nam. Murphy and her team of artists are hurrying to finish as much as possible before the July 4th Grand Opening.
Museum spokesperson Pat Sapp said as Chief of Staff, Murphy will work with the board of directors to oversee “day-to-day” operations until the group can hire a formal director.
A grand opening is set for a week from tomorrow… on July 4th from 11 to 2 PM at the museum on Kingwood Street.
126 delays to continue next week
It’s going to be a short week of construction on Highway 126 next week near Walton because of the upcoming holiday.
Motorists on that section should still expect overnight and daytime delays of up to 20 minutes between Sunday night and Friday morning.
Mike Stennett with the Oregon Department of Transportation says paving work will be predominately between 7 PM and 7. Other work will likely continue through daytime hours, but delays are not expected to be as long.
Heceta Water PUD
Lunch is on the Heceta Water PUD today. It’s part of an open house that begins this morning at 11 o’clock. District staff and board members will be on hand to explain how the PUD operates. Tours of the water filtration plant will be offered every half hour between 11:30 and 1:30 and there will be demonstrations of backflow devices; fire flows; and the distribution system’s main tap.
The lunch… that’s free hot dogs and chips.
Heceta Water PUD headquarters is just one mile north of the Florence City Limits on Highway 101.
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