Habitat Fund Raising a Walk on the Beach; Pursuing Legal Pot; City to talk Trans and Events; Old Mother Hubbard

Coast Radio News
Local News

13 September 2013

No Hammers or Nails, Just Dreams and Pails

For many folks on the Oregon Coast there’s nothing quite like a walk on the beach in September.  The temperature’s just right and there’s usually little wind.

The only improvement would be knowing you’re helping an organization that has built two-dozen homes in Florence over the past several years.

Tomorrow will be the 14th annual Florence Habitat for Humanity Beach Walk and organizers are hoping to quietly raise $55-thousand.  That’s enough money to buy the materials for the organization’s next house.

Habitat Executive Director Kate Redwine said last year they had 250 walkers and raised $25-thousand… this year they’re hoping to draw 350 walkers and more than double the income.

Each walker is encouraged to collect $100 in donations and Redwine says many bring in more than that.

You don’t have to walk to join in the fun.  She says there will be a sand sculpture contest as well as entertainment, kites and refreshments.

Walkers can start at the North Jetty at nine AM… all the other activities are a mile up the beach at Driftwood Shores… and run through one PM.

Lawmakers Talk Legal Pot

The momentum has been growing behind the idea of legal marijuana in Oregon and that’s led some leaders in the legislature to call for a bill to be run through that body.

Even opponents of legalization say that would be a better course than risking voter approval of a poorly written measure.

Last year, Oregon voters rejected a measure written by pot activist Paul Stanford – the same year voters in Colorado and Washington passed legalization measures.

Stanford’s measure was criticized as poorly drafted. Backers who poured money into the Colorado and Washington campaigns shunned his measure.

An aide confirms that House Speaker Tina Kotek has told leaders in the House that Oregon risks having a bad law if the Legislature doesn’t write its own proposal.

Rhody Express and Events Center

Florence City Councilors will deal with two high-profile items Monday night… first they’ll hear a report from the Florence Event Center Special Committee.  The group has met several times over the past four months in order to find a sustainable funding source for the center.

Also on the agenda will be consideration of proposed changes to the routes of the Rhody Express bus service.  Usage of the weekday service has been low at some stops prompting a call to discontinue service to those locations.  At the same time, there has been a request by tribal representatives to extend service to the Three Rivers Casino.

The council meets at seven pm Monday at the Florence Events Center.

Empty Shelves at Food Share

2013 Sept food share
With apologies to Mother Goose… the shelves are sparsely filled at Florence Food Share prompting the non-profit emergency food pantry to cut back on the amount they’re giving in each food box. (contributed photo)

Old Mother Hubbard went to her cupboard to get hungry families some chow.

When she got there, the cupboard was bare and volunteers said holy cow!

A summer of need brought more people to feed for old Ma than ever before.

She had to cut back, for canned goods she did lack, reducing distributions even more.

Old Mother Hubbard and her bare cupboard are actually Florence Food share.

If you go there, there’s no real despair, but their shelves are dangerously bare.

June Clingenpeel, a spokesperson so real, says contributions are never too small.

Whether it’s macaroni, canned fruit, a few dollars or soup, Food Share could sure use it all.

Florence Food Share, area’s non-profit food pantry, is accepting food and cash donations at their office at 2190 Spruce Street between 8 AM and 1 PM weekdays.