Awareness event aimed at highlighting Blue Line
The Tsunami warning siren will blow at 11 this morning and that means if you live in a tsunami zone, you’re being encouraged to grab your “go-bag” and head for higher ground.
If you’re in Florence or Reedsport, you’ll know where the “safe” zones are. They’re marked by a blue line across the street.
Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio, along with Florence Mayor Joe Henry will host an event highlighting the Blue Line Project at 10:30 this morning at City Hall. When the sirens blow at 11, the entire group will walk four blocks north on Highway 101 to the nearest Blue Line… at Rhododendron Drive and Highway 101.
The whole point, say officials, is to maintain awareness of the risk of a tsunami on the Oregon Coast.
Following this morning’s observance in Florence, DeFazio will head to Coos Bay where he will host a small ports roundtable at the Coos History Museum and Maritime Collection. Ten representatives of Oregon Ports will be on hand, including Charmaine Vitek with the Port of Umpqua and Steven Leskin from the Port of Siuslaw.
Invasive species from 2011 not getting foothold… yet
Five years after a massive earthquake struck Japan and triggered a tsunami that is still washing debris onto the Oregon Coast, scientists are unsure whether or not the 200-plus non-native species that hitchhiked across the Pacific on that debris have gained a foothold.
Yet no populations are known to have established reproductive populations.
“Maybe we dodged the bullet”, said Oregon State scientist John Chapman, although, he added, “it’s still too early to tell”.
The magnitude-9 earthquake struck Japan March 11, 2011. It was the largest in that country’s history and generated a tsunami that had waves estimated at 133 feet. Debris from Japan is still washing ashore in the Northwest.
Heavy seas delay return of damaged vessel
After more than 23 hours under tow, the fishing vessel Ms. Nicani (nih-CONN-ee) reached the safety of Yaquina Bay just after one this morning.
The vessel had called for assistance at two a.m. Thursday, reporting that a rogue wave had broken the boat’s windshield and destroyed electronics.
A 47-foot motor lifeboat from Depoe Bay was able to take the boat into tow, keeping it away from the rocks. The vessel was towed to just outside the Yaquina Bay entrance, but crews were unable to cross the bar because of heavy seas.
A second motor lifeboat was dispatched from Depoe Bay and took over the watch at about three yesterday afternoon.
A Coast Guard Spokesman said they were able to cross the Yaquina entrance shortly after one this morning.
Robot Apocalypse set for City Lights
A 30-minute film written, shot and edited by students at Siuslaw Middle School will be shown on the big screen at City Lights Cinemas next week.
“Robot Apocalypse” is a product of the after school “STEAM” program… students who are interested in science, technology, engineering, the arts and mechanics. The group of students are also known as the “Siuslaw Nerd Squad”.
“Robot Apocalypse” features the robots created by the Nerd Squad. It was filmed last spring and edited earlier this school year.
The showing at City Lights is likely to be a one-time showing only. The movie begins at 5:30 PM Monday and the admission charge of $3 goes directly to the Nerd Squad.
The Cover of the Central Coast Connection
Photographers will have a shot at making the cover of the locally produced phone directory.
The 2016-17 edition of the Central Coast Connection, published in Florence since 1991, is set to be released later this year.
The cover of the popular directory alternates every other year between either an original painting, or a photograph.
Pacific Publishing’s Bob Serra says this year it is the photographer’s turn. Submissions must be original work in a vertical format; and depict some aspect of the central Oregon coast. They’re due no later than June 1st.
The winning work will become the non-exclusive property of Pacific Publishing and a brief biography of the photographer will be included in 20-thousand copies of the phone book. They are distributed between Winchester Bay and Waldport, then east to Swisshome and Deadwood.
