December 3, 2012
Don’t ask for whom the bells glow…
This could be the final year for the familiar red and green Christmas bells that line Highways 101 and 126 in Florence during the holiday season. Changes in electrical code requirements and wear and tear will likely mean they won’t be back next year. That’s according to Florence Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cal Applebee who says the bells have far surpassed their life expectancy. They were originally purchased by area businesses, through the chamber, about 25 years ago.
At the time, they had an expected life of about five years. Applebee says they’ve been rehabilitated several times, and that could be done again. But, with changes to the electrical code it will likely be more cost effective to purchase new ones. At about $500 per bell, the total could reach into the $25-thousand range. Central Lincoln PUD, which with the assistance of Florence Public Works crews, hang the lights, says it will install the new brackets and wiring next year if the chamber can provide them.
Storm Damage
Heavy rains over the weekend in the southwestern portion of the state caused flooding, damage and disrupted travel in some locations. Highway 138 east of Roseburg was closed for a time yesterday after a Saturday night slide near Tokatee that left approximately 400 cubic yards of debris on the roadway. In Coos County, several slides and flooding caused problems. A 180-foot section of the Myrtle Point-Powers highway slumped into the South Fork of the Coquille River. Major highways weren’t exempt. Stormwater pushed an 8-foot diameter culvert straight into the air off the southbound shoulder of Interstate 5 between Central Point and Medford.
Public Safety Meetings
The first of a series of community meetings about public safety in Lane County will be held this evening in Veneta by West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich. He wants to hear from residents about what part of the public safety system is most important. He’s also looking, he says, for any ideas on improving service through either “revenue enhancements” or “cost savings”.
Lane County’s public safety system has been gutted because of a loss of federal revenue over the past several years, leaving only a handful of sheriff’s deputies to patrol 45-hundred square miles. Cuts have impacted the prosecutors office where the District Attorney generally will not pursue charges in any criminal case that involves only property loss. The jail is also being utilized at a fraction of its capacity… with staffing only provided to allow for only 135 of the more than 500 bed capacity facility.
Bozievich will be at Veneta City Hall this evening at 6:30; Santa Clara Thursday. Then, Monday he’ll be in Junction City before wrapping up Wednesday, December 12th at Siuslaw Public Library.
Boring Project
A street closure in Old Town Florence this week will be boring…. Literally. Work on Phase II of the Old Town Infrastructure project will leave Second Street for the block on each side of Highway 101 closed beginning tomorrow as contractors work on boring a tunnel under the highway. The small diameter hole will eventually be filled with a ten inch water main that will connect systems on either side of the highway and through Old Town with a “loop” that will provide a higher capacity of water for residents, businesses and, perhaps most important, fire protection.
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