8 September 2015
Lane County to open additional jail beds
An additional 41 beds at the Lane County Jail in Eugene will be re-opened beginning today, bringing the total capacity at the facility to 362; with 297 of those set aside for local offenders.
Lane County officials say the expanded capacity was made possible by a five-year public safety levy approved by voters two years ago.
Planning has been underway for several months to add up to 84 additional beds, but due to personnel constraints less than half were added as of today.
Sheriff Byron Trapp said last week when he was in Florence that it’s been a challenge to hire the Corrections Officers needed to supervise the additional beds.
Pre-trial release of people accused of crimes fell dramatically following the 2013 levy approval. But they’ve been on the rise recently.
Siuslaw School Board to begin annual evaluation
Members of the Siuslaw School Board will turn a critical eye towards a number of things tomorrow night.
They’ll review the goals they set for themselves, as well as for the district overall, and check progress made towards accomplishing them.
A review of the processes and forms of the performance evaluation of themselves as well as the Superintendent will be handled.
Ethel Angal is beginning her second year as Superintendent.
Additionally, the board will review several draft policies, as well as the protocol they will use to conduct their meetings.
The school board meets at the District Office on Oak Street, the second Wednesday of each month, at 6:30 PM. That’s tomorrow night.
Back to school
Most area students are back in the classrooms today as classes got under way at Mapleton and Siuslaw School Districts.
Classes for Kindergarten through grade 12 began today in Mapleton.
First graders through ninth graders were in their places, with their smiling faces, at Siuslaw today.
Ninth graders at Siuslaw High School had the building to themselves for an orientation. Tenth, 11th and 12th graders will hit the hallways tomorrow.
Siuslaw Kinders won’t be in the classrooms until next Monday. This week will be spent with parents and teachers getting together in family meetings.
Drivers in the area are urged to be extra alert now that school is back in session.
Siuslaw Bridge project could take 3 1/2 years
An open house tomorrow at Florence City Hall will give residents a chance to see what impacts an upcoming project on the Siuslaw River Bridge will have.
By the time it’s done, the bridge will look essentially as it does now, but for the next 3 ½ years there will be some temporary changes. Work begins this month on installation of new bridge rails and a cathodic protection system for the 79-year old structure.
Wednesday’s open house will provide details about the protection system as well as the construction of a temporary structure to be built beneath the bridge to provide a platform for work.
Traffic will also be impacted; limited to just one lane of traffic during much of the work.
Tomorrow’s open house is set for 5:30 to 6:30 PM at City Hall.
