22 June 2015
A balanced approach to economic development
Florence’s new Economic Development Committee will return to work tomorrow afternoon. Mayor Joe Henry said the seven member panel will split up into three sub-committees. One of those will focus on helping existing businesses to grow.
Joe Henry – “It doesn’t do any good to go out and create a hundred new jobs if you lose a hundred in the process, so that was the first goal. The second one was to develop a recruitment and marketing program to find new businesses once we decide what kind of businesses we want to come to the area.”
The third category, he said, will focus on creating an economic development foundation or non-profit corporation.
Joe Henry – “We had a couple of people who have been very successful in dealing with economic development foundations or corporations.”
Florence’s economic development committee meets at City Hall tomorrow at two.
Shaping Health Care in Lane County
Area residents will have a rare opportunity this week to provide a direct voice in how their health care system might look in the future. A simulcast meeting Thursday evening at Peace Harbor Medical Center will link other participants from Eugene, Springfield and Cottage Grove.
It’s part of the development of a Community Health Improvement Plan for Lane County. That’s a cooperative venture between United Way, Lane County Public Health, Peace Health and Trillium.
The goal is to improve overall health in Lane County. Rather than focus on medical health outcomes, the plan will take a comprehensive approach of looking at many different factors.
Thursday’s meeting is from 5:30 to 8:30 at Peace Harbor.
Pre-registration is required… you can find a link to that at KCST.com
Keep it safe… and legal
The fireworks sales tents and booths went up this weekend. The first day to legally sell permitted fireworks in Oregon is tomorrow. The Oregon State Fire Marshall has issued more than 700 retail fireworks permits and 131 display permits this year.
Retailers in Oregon cannot offer anything that flies, explodes or travels more than six feet on the ground or 12 inches in the air.
If you have illegal fireworks, the law says you can be fined $500 for each violation… plus you are subject to arrest.
Plus, if your fireworks cause damage or a fire, you can be held liable for the costs involved.
And, if you’re using legal fireworks… that still applies.