Record rainfall in February; Fraudville brings real cash; Water improvement on Rhody; Crash injures one.

Coast Radio News
Local News

Wet enough for you?

Florence receives an average of just under nine-inches of rain each year during the month of February.  That’s according to statistics compiled by the City of Florence and going back to 1957.

Those charts also show the previous record rainfall in February came in 1999 when 18.99 inches were recorded at the city’s water treatment facility.

That record fell sometime last week because as of six this morning the amount of rainfall collected since February 1st is just a smidge over 22-inches.

For the past five months, Florence has received well over the average amount of rainfall in typical years.  We usually get about 47-inches of rain between October 1st and the end of February; about two-thirds of the annual rainfall.  But this winter, the amount of rain will be more than 71-inches.

Meteorologist Al Peterson with KVAL in Eugene says he’s been forecasting the weather in western Oregon for nearly 30-years and he says he has seen summer temperatures rise… and winter rainfall increase… over the past decade.

Peterson will be on this month’s Our Town on Coast Radio… Wednesday afternoon on KCST and Thursday morning on KCFM.

Fraudville fundraising the real thing

Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Chuck Trent made an announcement at the beginning of last week’s Fraudville fund-raiser for the club.  He said John and Patricia Hardison had written a check for $35-thousand.  But, he could only keep it if they raised an equal amount that night.

Fraudville producer Jean Murphey was a little unsure.

Jean Murphey – “I was nervous, I was very nervous.  I did feel like we needed to do this and the Hardisons were giving us an opportunity and we did go tell people if you give me a dollar it’s actually two”.

According to Murphey, last year they raised $26-thousand so she knew it was going to be a real challenge.  But… she said… it was a challenge that was met.

Jean Murphey – “They stepped up, they participated, they opened up their checkbooks.  And we actually, right now we have $35,073.50.”

That brings the total raised this week to $70-thousand.

Hal’s Electric swept the competition, winning the judges award and the “buy-a-vote”.

Water improvement project also brings sidewalks and bike lanes

If you’ve driven along Rhododendron Drive between Highway 101 and 9th street, you know it’s really torn up right now.   But, says Florence City Manager Erin Reynolds, that project is expected to be done by this time next month.

Construction crews have been installing larger water lines along Kingwood Street between Second and Ninth, as well as along the entire stretch of Rhody from the Highway to Peace Harbor Medical Center.  When the underground work is completed, they’ll finish with fresh, new pavement.

Erin Reynolds – “But the really neat thing is to get not only the resurfacing of the street but also to put in continuous segments of sidewalk where necessary, where it’s on both sides, and then of course continuing and adding sidewalk towards and around to Ninth Street on Rhododendron Drive.”

The water line improvements will provide more water to firefighters if they need it, as well as improve reliability of service to households.  The stormwater improvements will help keep things drier in periods of heavy rain… and the sidewalks and bike lanes will improve accessibility and safety for walkers and bikers.  The work is scheduled to be completed by March 31st.

Single vehicle crash leaves one injured

Rescue crews from Siuslaw Valley Fire and Western Lane Ambulance worked to rescue the driver of a vehicle that had gone off the roadway north of Florence.

Fire Chief Jim Langborg said the single vehicle crash was reported about two pm Monday near milepost 181 on Highway 101.  The vehicle had apparently lost control, went through a guard rail and travelled down a steep embankment.

Medics had to immobilize the lone occupant’s spine and rescuers used ropes and a basket stretcher to carry him to the road.  He was transported to Peace Harbor Medical center with minor injuries.  Officials did not release the man’s name.