School board to hear positive behavior; lots of rain so far; Port Commission to discuss auction; Toxins in shellfish; PTA goes around the world

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School Board to hear positive behavior presentation

Members of the Siuslaw School Board will meet twice this week in special sessions.

The first meeting, tomorrow afternoon at Siuslaw Middle School, will be to view a presentation of a program called Positive Behavior Support Intervention.  That’s a program aimed at improving the “social culture” and “behavioral climate” of classrooms and schools using prevention.  The core concept has been around for more than two decades.  Board Chair Bill McDougle will lead that presentation at four pm tomorrow.

On Wednesday at six pm, the board will gather at the District office to review board-members’ self evaluations… and to discuss the annual review of Superintendent Andy Grzeskowiak.

That is a public meeting, but the personnel-review portion will be closed to the public as provided for under state law.

Rainfall breaks 22 inches in February… so far

One and a quarter inch of rain fell in Florence between midnight and six this morning, bringing the total accumulation so far this month 22-inches.

That has saturated soils in several locations… and was the cause of a landslide on Highway 36 just west of Triangle Lake last Wednesday.  Oregon Department of Transportation crews were able to clear that slide yesterday morning and reopened the highway just after noon.

Forecasters are saying a storm making its way onshore this morning is expected to bring more heavy rains and high winds through the area… with heavy rainfall expected to continue for a couple of more days.

Paralytic Shellfish Poison and Domoic Acid found in shellfish

Two forms of shellfish along the southern Oregon coast are currently off limits due to high levels of toxins.

Officials closed recreational and commercial mussel harvesting from Cape Arago, south of Coos Bay, to the California border because of elevated levels of paralytic shellfish toxins.  Oregon Department of Agriculture officials say mussels gathered from Coos Bay north are ok to eat.

The mussel closure is combined with another that includes razor clams along the entire Oregon Coast.  Elevated levels of domoic acid, a different type of toxin, continue to be found in razors.

Oregon ag officials say commercially harvested shellfish products remain safe for consumers, including Dungeness crab.

Port discussing auction of boat for unpaid moorage

Port of Siuslaw Commissioners will hold a special meeting Monday afternoon to discuss the fate of the fishing vessel Tenacious.  Owned by Gordon Owen, the boat was the subject of a conversation by the commission January 30th.  During that discussion, commissioners acknowledged that the vessel is not sea worthy, is not being maintained, and moorage payments are past due.

The Tenacious is slated for public auction February 24th.

The commission will meet at four pm today to continue a discussion on the situation.

PTA multi-cultural event

Around the world in one day is the theme this Saturday during a special event coordinated by the Florence PTA.

Organizers say the goal is to bring the community together and provide education on cultures from around the world.  That will help build social connections between the community and schools.

There will be a selection of food from different cultures around the world, along with cultural activities.

The Multi-Cultural Event is at Siuslaw Middle School from 11 to two Saturday… it’s free and open to the public.