After two years of trying to find a way to pay for a required digital upgrade, it appears that owners of the Florence Cinemas have given up the fight.
The four-screen cinema at the Grocery Outlet Center on highway 101 closed this week. A sign on the door, as well as the message on the answering machine, said they were closed temporarily.
But, Patric Campbell with the Campbell Commercial Real Estate Group in Eugene confirmed he received a message from the theater manager Tuesday saying indeed they were closing for good.
Campbell called the news a – quote – “Shock”, saying he had been working with the tenant to reduce or even forego the rent in order to help them afford the conversion.
According to one industry source out of the 39-thousand screens available in the U.S., only about 2,900 have not made the change brought about by the switch from film to computerized delivery. At the cost of more than $60-thousand per screen… the move can add up to an insurmountable obstacle for small operators like Florence Cinemas.
Campbell said he hadn’t had any direct contact with Florence Cinemas, but would do what he could to help keep them open… although at this point it may not seem a likely prospect.
The head of the main organization providing medical care in the Florence area is having his role expanded.
Rick Yecny, formerly the Chief Executive Officer of PeaceHealth Peace Harbor is now the Chief Mission Officer.
The new title carries all of the old responsibilities of the CEO position, but it also reflects a change in the way the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace are doing business. That’s the Catholic order that founded Sacred Heart Hospital in Eugene and others like it. Over the years, they’ve grown to provide health care in a number of communities in Oregon, Washington and Alaska, including Florence.
At the same time, the number of members of the order have declined. That’s meant a corresponding increase in the number of lay leaders like Yecny who have a formal mission of committing themselves to foster, nurture and sustain Catholic identity and the desired culture of PeaceHealth.
If you’re interested in pulling weeds, cutting brush or otherwise cleaning up you’ll have at least eight different options Saturday during the annual Power of Florence day of volunteering. Groups will begin working on landscaping as early as 9 AM at Siuslaw Elementary School, Lane Community College and at the High School. Rolling Dunes, Miller Park, the Veteran’s Memorial Park and Gallagher’s will get some “sprucing up” and St. Andrews Episcopal will be doing a “power cleaning” that day. A special pancake breakfast to “power up” participants will be offered at the Methodist Church beginning at seven AM with proceeds going to help out the Boys and Girls Club… Child care will be provided for Power volunteers from 8 to 3 at the New Life Lutheran, and then the “Party in the Park” will wrap things up at 4 o’clock that afternoon at Miller Park, featuring the music of David Wiegan and other. Already nearly 30 different events have pre-registered at the Power of Florence.org.