Art to be main topic of August Our Town on Coast Radio
The old model of economic and community development centered around trying to attract one or two large employers who would move to town, set up shop and employ a large number of people for many years. That’s all changed according to Florence Economic Development Coordinator Kelli Weese.
Kelli Weese – “It’s not just about outright recruiting new businesses. It’s about creating a community that people want to move their businesses to, start up new businesses in and then just live in.”
Many of the traditional strategies are still in play. But creating that community “livability” means using strategies such as public art.
In addition to giving a boost to local artists, it provides one more attraction for the visitor industry to build on. And, says Weese, it can make the community more attractive to the type of people who want to do business here.
Weese, along with City Councilor Joshua Greene, and the chair of the city’s Public Art Committee, Harlen Springer, will talk about public art on this week’s Our Town, Wednesday, 4-6 on KCST. Then again Thursday from ten to noon on KCFM.
County eyeing limiting rural trash transfers
The draft of a proposal that would close half of Lane County’s 16 rural waste transfer sites… two of them western Lane County… prompted an energetic response from residents last week in Creswell. After hearing of the plans to make the closures in order to free up $1.5-million for future expenses, residents told officials they would rather pay higher fees or even increased taxes before being forced to drive several extra miles just to haul their own trash and recycling.
Commissioners will hear a consultant’s report Tuesday that is suggesting shuttering the Mapleton Transfer site just off Highway 126 near the Petersen Tunnel; the Swisshome transfer site on Highway 36; as well as 6 others around Lane County.
Seeking salmon
Twelve tips for successful salmon fishing will be discussed this week during the monthly Salmon Trout Enhancement Program meeting in Florence.
This month, Florence STEP President Ron Caputo will talk about his own recipes for success on and off the water.
Caputo will also talk about how he brines his own herring for bait. He has been fishing the Siuslaw for decades and will talk about his favorite fishing holes, strategies and more.
The STEP group is organized under the auspices of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. It’s a citizen based, all-volunteer organization with the mission of returning fisheries to historic levels through habitat restoration, education and a broodstock program. The Florence group meets this Wednesday evening, seven pm, at the Florence Elks Lodge in Florence.
Peace Harbor ranked with majority of Oregon Hospitals for customer service
Florence’s Peace Harbor Medical Center rated three out of five stars in a recent customer service ranking released by the federal Centers for Medicare Services. The rankings were based on surveys of patients in 2014.
There were no five-star facilities in the 61 hospitals in Oregon. Ten received four stars and 35… including Peace Harbor… were rated with three stars.
According to CMS there are ten two-stars, including the Sacred Heart University Medical Center in Eugene.
Only one hospital was given a single star: That was Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay.
Several smaller hospitals, including Lower Umpqua in Reedsport, were not given a rating because the number of surveys returned was not large enough. Survey results for them and all 61 Oregon hospitals are available on medicare-dot-gov-slash-hospital compare-slash-results. (medicare.gov/hospitalcompare/results)
Peace Health Medical Group Medical Director Ron Shearer said it’s important to note that ratings are based on surveys taken two years ago. He says Peace Harbor has already been working hard on raising customer service scores since then and if they were resurveyed now, he believes the ratings would be higher.