Coast Guard suspends search
After searching for more than 12-hours, U.S. Coast Guard crews and ground searchers with Lane County and other local agencies suspended a search for a swimmer who went missing Friday night.
Friends of the University of Oregon Student said they were partying near the Siuslaw River entrance Friday night at about 8 PM when 20-year old Jack Charles O’Hollaren wanted to go swimming in the ocean near the jetty.
Witnesses told a 911 dispatcher that the Portland man was under the influence of drugs and alcohol when he swam 40 yards from shore and never returned.
Lane County Sheriff’s deputies, Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue and Florence Police aided in the search that continued through the night.
Coast Guard crews covered a 100-square mile area before discontinuing that search Saturday morning.SHS MASTER SITE PLAN_3 21 16
Sneak peak at one school possibility
Siuslaw School Board members got a look last week at one possible configuration of a new high school. G-LA-s Architects provided an artist’s rendering and a possible site plan to board members.
The architectural firm handled the design a new high school built in Waldport recently. They based their renderings on that building. The site plan shows the new school located in what is currently the north or student parking lot. That design would retain the automotive, band and art wing of the existing building along with both gymnasiums.
Voters in the Siuslaw School District are being asked to approve a $36.9-million construction levy to fund the new school.
District officials stressed last week’s presentation was purely hypothetical at this time and was intended only as a depiction of what might eventually be built.
Superintendent Ethel Angal will host another “listening session” at Siuslaw High School this evening to offer facts about the levy proposal… the session will also include a tour of the school. That’s at 5:30.
Community gardens to get free seeds
Free seeds for several community gardens are being offered by a local service club.
Ron Caputo with the Florence Rotary said their “hunger/first harvest” committee is donating flower, vegetable and herb seeds to the Siuslaw Elementary School gardens, Florence Food Share, St Mary’s Catholic Church gardens, Mapleton Elementary and the Florence Community Garden.
Caputo said garden managers will be able to select from a “vast variety” of seeds in unlimited quantities.
The seeds are donated to Rotary District 5110 by the Ed Hume Seed Company.
Elevated toxin levels lead to mussel harvesting ban on north coast
The Oregon Departments of Agriculture and Fish & Wildlife have jointly announced the closure of recreational and commercial mussel harvesting along the Northern Oregon Coast. Officials say increased levels of paralytic shellfish toxins have been detected.
The advisory does not affect mussels from Cascade Head in Tillamook County and south.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture will test toxin levels twice weekly as tides permit.
Rhody path part of overall system
Work on the Rhododendron Drive walking and bike path through the Greentrees area will get underway in June. The stretch between 9th street and Wildwinds is just one link in a larger chain.
Florence City Manager Erin Reynolds said about 75 people attended an open house last week to learn more about the plan.
Erin Reynolds – “This is a part of a system that will be a very nice connection to the 12th street bike path that goes between Rhododendron Drive and Kingwood Street. But also we’re planning to transition, if you head southeast through the hospital and back down to Highway 101. So there’ll be quite a bit of path added in the next six to seven months and we’re pretty excited to see that.”
The southern and eastern extensions are part of a larger overall water line project that will bring improvements to that stretch of Rhododendron Drive. Plans are in place to extend the path north all the way to Heceta Beach Road; but Reynolds said those parts will have to await funding before they can be installed.
7,8 AM
Tall ships the Lady Washington and Hawaiian Chieftan will be making their annual Coos Bay port call May sixth through the 16th. The two ships based in Grays Harbor, Washington will offer “walk on tours” while the ships are moored several times during the stay. There will also be five different sailing tours in the bay during the stay.
The visit in Coos Bay begins Saturday, May 7th with a “reconciliation ceremony” with local tribal elders.
The wooden hulled Lady Washington has appeared in several movies and TV shows, including the Pirates of the Caribbean and Star Trek: Generations.
The Hawaiian Chieftain is steel hulled. It specializes in hands-on educational programs for young people.
