14 July 2015
Florence Events Center Celebrates 20 Years
The management of the Florence Events Center has opted for an innovative approach to celebrating that facility’s 20th anniversary in 2016. Marketing Specialist Jennifer Connor says they are going to do that with 20 life size fiberglass sea lions.
Jennifer Connor – “In about eight weeks we should have our very first sea lion. So at that time, we’ll do a call for artists and they can come into the Events Center and look at our one prototype, get some ideas generated and then we’ll give them some time to sketch those out, turn those in, and then we’ll do a selection from there. “
By April of next year, she says all 20 will be completed. Most will be in the Florence area, but some will travel up and down the coast.
Jennifer Connor – “We draw from Reedsport. We draw from up the coast, Yachats, Newport.”
The 7 ½ foot long sea lions will remain on display for about six months.
Jennifer Connor – “We’re trying to make sure that we commemorate the 20-years the Florence Events Center has been here in the community. And the ripple effect of the arts on the community; visual arts, performing arts, and also a meeting space.”
By October 2016, the sea lions will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to pay the artists commissions. The remainder will go to the Friends of the Events Center.
Arrests made in Bridgewater Burglary
At seven o’clock Sunday morning Florence Police received a report of a burglary at the Bridgewater Restaurant on Bay Street.
By the end of the day they had several solid leads and by midday yesterday they had three suspects in custody.
Lieutenant John Pitcher said entry had been forced into the building sometime Saturday night. A laptop computer, cash and a checkbook were reported stolen.
25 year old Roland Julien Bocquel, 24-year old Jon Austin Gorman, and 33 year old Jasmine Leah Meltzer, all of Florence, are each facing a variety of charges including burglary, theft, criminal mischief and trespass.
Pitcher said Lane County Search and Rescue is assisting officers in the possible recovery of stolen items and the investigation is continuing.
*** a press release from the Florence Police had originally misidentified the arrested woman.
Folk Duo to perform at library
The Siuslaw Public Library is offering members of the “Adult Summer Reading Program” a chance to “escape the ordinary” this weekend.
The folk-duo of Laurie Jennings Oudin and Dana Keller will be performing at the library Saturday evening beginning at six pm.
Jennings is a Shakespearian actress turned café owner and is now a traveling troubadour with an extensive repertoire.
Dana Keller has an “extensive resume” as a Nashville session player. He’s performed with Marvin Gaye, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs and Stevie Wonder.
The pair will not only sing original songs, but will also explore the history and impact of early folk singers on today’s music.
Another scam warning issued
A Florence based bank says several of their customers have fallen victim recently to phony “computer tech support” scams.
In all of the cases, the victims have been contacted by phone from someone purporting to be from Microsoft or Windows, telling the person it’s been detected their computer has been “breached”. For a small fee, the caller can fix it.
Ellen Huntingdon with Oregon Pacific Bank says that’s when the caller asks for debit or credit card information.
They don’t “fix” the computer because there is likely nothing wrong with it in the first place. But, by the time the call is concluded, the victims have wound up with several charges against their account from all over the world.
Huntingdon says never give your personal information to someone who calls you unsolicited. She also says computer companies don’t monitor your computer to make sure it’s operating properly.
Official say to skin those clam necks
Oregon health officials are warning people to take caution when eating soft shell clams after siphons, or the “neck” of the clam, have been found in tests to carry high levels of arsenic.
The warning, from the Oregon Health Authority, recommends removing the skin from the siphon before eating them.
Soft-shell clams are found primarily in estuary and intertidal regions along the coast… including the mud flats on the Siuslaw River.
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality performed tests on a variety of shellfish species along the coast as part of the Toxics Monitoring Program. The DEQ tests found the clams contain unusually high levels of inorganic arsenic… but primarily in the skin.
The study shows clams on the south coast have the lowest levels… the highest concentrations are on the north coast… and the central coast clams are in between.
Local man wins two elections in one
There was a clear cut winner in the May election for all five spots on the Siuslaw School Board. The only problem is, one person won two of the races.
Nobody filed for position seven or three and Eric Rines ran as a “write-in” candidate.
He received more votes than anyone else in those two spots, so Lane County Elections was required by law to declare him a double winner.
Rines was sworn in to one of those spots last week, leaving the other still vacant.
Three others were sworn in last week. Guy Rosinbaum was elected for the first time, Suzanne Mann-Heintz and Tammy Butler were reelected.
The School Board is soliciting applications from qualified electors to fill the vacant spot. Interviews will be conducted next month. Information on how to apply can be found at the School District’s Website, or by calling the district office.
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