18 August 2015
Tighter restrictions imposed
The little bit of precipitation that fell over parts of Western Oregon late last week has come and gone… leaving things just as dry as ever. Triple digit temperatures are forecast for most parts of Western Oregon over the next few days. That, and the fact that every available firefighting resource in the region is already committed to one of the dozens of blazes burning, has prompted the Oregon Department of Forestry to call for a Fire Protection Level Four restriction in Lane, Douglas and all Southern Oregon Counties.
That means no industrial activities and very few recreational activities on public land. It also means no mowing or weedeating of grass or brush, and no chainsaws or other activities that might produce a spark, on private lands outside city limits.
Most of Northwest Oregon is still at a protection level three. That’s Lincoln, Tillamook, and Clatsop Counties. But that could change quickly as temperatures spike again over the next few days.
Local resources tapped out
Siuslaw Valley Fire Chief Jim Langborg says he’s been deluged with calls for assistance from other agencies across the state.
Jim Langborg – “For the past three days I have received phone calls for out of county requests because the entire state of Oregon and the State of Washington is tapped for fire resources.”
He would like to oblige, but the list of available firefighters for calls inside the district is already abbreviated. Langborg says several of his volunteers work for private wildland fire contractors and have been gone for several weeks. He did send a small crew of three and one engine to the Madras area over the weekend.
But all that leaves him worried about what may happen if something were to strike closer to home.
Jim Langborg – “But the worry for me is if we get something, because the state is so tapped for resources, it could be awhile before help arrives so we’re really asking people to be careful and smart right now.”
Langborg is asking residents to use caution when dealing with anything that might spark a fire. He said humidity may be up in the mornings, but with heavy afternoon winds and lots of sunshine… things can dry out quickly.
Real estate market rebounds
Average home prices in Lane County have reached their highest levels since the months before the Great Recession.
The Register-Guard reports the county’s housing market was improving slowly between 2012 and 2014 but remained lackluster.
Regional Multiple Listing Service data showed sale prices went up an average of 6.7 percent a year during that time but remained far below what they were before the recession.
Following a flood of sales and new listings since October, however, the beginning of 2015 proved to be the best first half for home sales in eight years.
There were 2,092 closed sales between January and June. The median sale price hit $229,000 in June — the highest since July 2008.
Florence to consider debt for improvements
The Florence City Council will hold a special meeting next Monday evening to consider a financing agreement that would help fund street improvements, water infrastructure and a new facility for the Public Works Department.
The $7.8-million includes $3.7-million for the Florence Urban Renewal Agency.
According to a report issued to the City Council yesterday, about half of the Urban Renewal portion is existing debt that would be refinanced. But it would provide slightly less than two-million in new funding.
Repayment of that portion would come from tax increments collected by the agency on property within the core downtown area of Florence. The public works, water and street portions would be repaid using expected revenue from transportation funding and utility fees.
According to the report, the proposal from Banner Bank would cost the city approximately $45-thousand less each year than what initially expected.
Retired police vehicles cause concerns
Florence Police Chief Tom Turner is concerned about the reported behavior of several people driving retired police vehicles.
Tom Turner – “That’s been a concern of mine for a little bit here. We’ve had a couple of… uh, everything from facebook to other reports about some of the misbehavior. They look like retired police cars.”
There is nothing illegal about driving a retired police car. But when the driver acts like a law enforcement officer or simply leads someone else to believe he or she is… that crosses a line.
Tom Turner – “Call the police department and tell us about it. The other thing I also encourage is to get the license number because that was very beneficial to us. That’s going to be huge in tracking that down.”
If you are suspicious, don’t hesitate to ask for identification. Turner encourages residents to call his office if they suspect something going on.
