16 November 2015
Murder-Suicide Claims Two Lives in Florence
An apparent family dispute was at the heart of what police are calling a murder-suicide that claimed two lives early Sunday morning in Florence.
Police Chief Tom Turner said officers responded to a home at 403 Hemlock Street just before three AM Sunday. They found 51 year old Gary Circle of Dexter, Oregon dead in the front seat of his pickup. Turner said Circle had arrived at the home of his older brother, 55-year old Joseph Circle, at around 10:30 the night before. The two got into an argument turned deadly when the younger brother tried to leave.
Tom Turner – “He went out and got into his truck, Joseph Circle came out of his residence with a gun, broke a window out of the truck and shot Gary Circle once in the head, killing Gary while he sat in the truck. Joseph Circle then went back into the residence and shot himself in the head, later dying at Peace Harbor Hospital due to the injuries from that gunshot wound.”
Turner said a third person, whom he declined to identify, was at home and witnessed part of the altercation.
Police delaying release of information until today
Florence police have still not released the names of the two men who died in a shooting early yesterday morning in Florence.
Officers responded to 403 Hemlock Street at about 2:40 AM Sunday to find one man dead, and another inside the home mortally wounded.
The second man died a short time later at Peace Harbor Medical Center.
City of Florence spokesperson Megan Messmer said early this morning that autopsies on the two men were scheduled for this morning and further information would be released after that.
The incident was apparently isolated, with no danger posed to anyone else in the community according to Police Chief Tom Turner.
Airport Committee reactivated; FEC Committee going away
The Florence City Council will take steps to dissolve one city advisory committee and reestablish another this evening. City Manager Erin Reynolds said the Florence Events Center Advisory Committee will be disbanded because much of its work was already being duplicated by the volunteer group “Friends of the Events Center”.
On the other hand, the airport advisory committee, long dormant, will be reestablished.
Erin Reynolds – “There’s quite a bit of work to be done in the way of the airport and moving forward on the next round of capital projects. It’s just a very intense and detailed process to do anything out at the airport and we could really use the help of those airport committee members.”
In other business tonight the Council will consider the approval of the annual contract for operation of the Senior Center; as well as award an engineering contract of $88-thousand for preparations of a water infrastructure improvement project along Highway 101.
The council meets at six at City Hall.
Domoic acid causes closure of recreational crabbing
Recreational crabbing in bays, rivers, and the Pacific Ocean from Heceta Head south to the California border has been closed after authorities found higher levels of a naturally occurring toxin.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture also halted commercial harvesting of Bay crab in the area and the December 1st coastal crab season is up in the air.
Judy Dowell with the department said Sunday that no decision has yet been made on the commercial season.
Dangerous levels of Domoic acid prompted officials in California to delay their commercial Dungeness season last week. Washington State is waiting on further test results.
Recreational and commercial bay crabbing is still open north of Heceta Head, but people are urged to thoroughly clean the crab and discard the crab guts before eating.
Domoic acid or amnesiac shellfish toxin can cause minor to severe illness or even death.
Honoring educators
It’s American Education Week, something that will be observed by local school officials. Siuslaw Superintendent Ethel Angal says they are celebrating all school employees.
Ethel Angal – “I think unless you’ve been involved pretty closely with education or educators, you may not fully understand the scope of work that they do every day with kids. As society changes, jobs become more difficult. There’s more expected and we expect a lot of all of our staff members in trying to deliver the best that we can to our kids.”
Members of the community are encouraged to join in thanking teachers, aides, and other staff members.
Leukemia patient to benefit from community feed
A spaghetti feed, along with a silent auction will benefit a young teacher who was diagnosed with Leukemia on the first day of school.
McKenzie Perry wasn’t feeling well September 8th when she went to the walk in clinic. By that afternoon she was on her way to Oregon Health Sciences University to begin treatment for Leukemia.
Stacy Brown at the Little Brown Hen Café is hosting a spaghetti feed Wednesday night from four to eight pm. All proceeds will go to helping Perry, and her husband Max Perry, with medical and treatment expenses.
Volunteers will be hosting, cooking and serving. The cost is $13 for adults… eight dollars for kids.
