Florence area residents can participate in Lane County Hearing…
The second reading and a public hearing at Lane County on amendments to the Florence Comprehensive Plan is set for tomorrow afternoon at Harris Hall in Eugene. West Lane Commissioner Jay Bozievich says residents in the Florence area who want to participate in the hearing will be able to do so without having to make the trip to the valley.
Jay Bozievich – “Well they can go to the Florence Justice Center and we have a video link set up there where it’s going to be two-way and they’ll be able to actually testify from there in the public hearing.”
Bozievich says the amendments retain protections for property owners who may not want to be forcefully annexed into Florence. The main reason for the amendment is to fix an inadvertent error that would have made it impossible for the owners of vacant land to seek voluntary annexation. That hearing is set for 1:30 tomorrow afternoon.
Florence City Council
The Florence City Council is expected to endorse a letter to the Lane County Board of Commissioners supporting adoption of the changes to the Comprehensive Plan when they meet tonight at City Hall. There are few ‘action items’ on the agenda, but they’ll hear reports on the purchase and installation of a new emergency generator at the Florence Events Center and a run down of bills approved by the last legislative assembly. Assistant City Manager Jacque Betz will also talk about an Old Town project that is moving forward.
Jacque Betz – “And our Siuslaw Interpretive Center Project is set to probably go to the Planning Commission in early January.”
That center will be paid for primarily by a state transportation grant and also includes a storm water runoff demonstration project.
Brown Pelicans in Trouble
One of the most distinctive birds along the Oregon Coast is the brown pelican… it’s easily recognizable with the famous large throat pouch and a gregarious personality. But it was listed as a threatened species many years ago because of the impacts of pesticide use. Since DDT was banned in 1972 the bird has made a comeback and was ‘de-listed’ in 2009. But, the pelican faces a different kind of threat now… potato chips. With climate changes the birds have been staying along the Oregon and Washington Coasts later in the year. But, with stormy weather making it difficult for them to forage naturally, they turn to humans for handouts… Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Biologist Herman Biederbeck urges residents to resist the temptation to feed the birds. He says they fare much better on live fish than they do junk food.
Marine Storm Warnings Posted
National Weather Service forecasters are saying high winds are expected to blow through the rest of the day and into tomorrow. A second storm front is expected along the central Oregon Coast late tonight, bringing with it south winds 30 to 40 miles an hour, gusting as high as 60. Wind gust to 70 miles an hour are possible tomorrow.
Siuslaw Vikings to face Central in Cottage Grove
The Baker Bulldogs turned an early Siuslaw fumble into a touchdown in the first quarter Saturday afternoon, but the Vikings took the lead three minutes later and held on to it for an eventual 35-18 quarterfinal win in the OSAA 4A football playoffs at Hans Peterson Field. Five different Vikings found the end zone in a balanced attack in which the Vikings posted 317 yards total offense.
Sonny Tupua had 100 of those yards rushing on 19 carries. John Johnson completed 7 of 12 passes for 118 yards. The Viking defense held the Bulldogs to 77 yards rushing… and 63 yards in the air. Siuslaw will face Central High School Saturday morning, 11 AM at Cottage Grove High School for one semi-final game. The other will feature La Salle and Elmira at 5:30 that evening in Hillsboro.