Searchers on Siltcoos looking for man who dove from boat
The search for a 78-year old man who dove into Siltcoos Lake from a boat late Thursday afternoon was expected to resume this morning.
Sean Barrett with Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue said the man, whose identity has not been released, dove from a boat and didn’t resurface. Local fire and medics responded initially. They were joined by a U.S. Coast Guard helicopter and Lane County Search and Rescue.
Efforts to find the man centered around the northeast section of Siltcoos Lake until about 11 pm.
Barrett said Lane County was slated to return to the search this morning, but they have not yet done so.
Winchester Bay capsizing leaves boy critical
The condition of a six-year old boy pulled from the Umpqua River near Winchester Bay is unknown this morning.
Coast Guard crews responded to a report of a vehicle adrift near the Umpqua River entrance Thursday. Before they could get there, the 21-foot pleasure boat struck the jetty and capsized.
The boy’s father and grandfather were quickly pulled from the water unharmed. A rescue diver eventually found the boy trapped beneath he overturned vessel.
He was wearing a life vest, but was unresponsive.
CPR was begun immediately and he was taken to an area hospital.
Crosswalk enforcement action delayed
A Florence youth was injured earlier this summer while crossing Highway 101. The boy was in a marked crosswalk, with flashing warning lights near 18th street. Despite that, an oncoming car struck him, threw him into the air and across the pavement. Florence Police Commander John Pitcher said thankfully the boy was not hurt badly. But it does point out the need for drivers to be aware of pedestrians. The law gives those walking across the roadway in a crosswalk the right of way. That right of way begins the moment they put their foot on the curb.
John Pitcher – “It’s at the curb. The crosswalk extends to the curb to curb. And once they’re, they are, they are, initiating their entrance into the crosswalk you have to stop.”
All vehicles traveling both directions must come to a complete stop… but, he says, you don’t have to wait until they are completely across before you can resume your journey.
John Pitcher – “The law actually says you have to give them their lane and one lane. If they’re in, let’s say the middle lane, you have to give them that lane and then both lanes on each side.”
Officers had intended to run a crosswalk enforcement today, but cancelled this morning. They have another scheduled for Monday, Labor Day, September 5th.
Rhody Inlay Today
Crews will begin repaving a short stretch of Rhododendron Drive just north of 35th Street this morning. Florence Public Works Director Mike Miller said Ray Wells Incorporated will do a “grind-inlay” the full width of the roadway from just north of 35th street to Eden Lane. Crews use a special machine to grind away the existing road surface, and immediately replace it with a two-inch layer of fresh asphalt. It’s the final step in a sewer replacement project in the area.
They are not extending the new pavement directly to the 35th street intersection, Miller says, because another sewer project in the area will ultimately wind up tearing up the roadway right there within the next two years.
Paving should be completed by later today; striping will take place next week.
Watch for Disaster Scams
Relief efforts for the extreme flooding in Louisiana have drawn hundreds and hundreds of relief workers from around the country. The American Red Cross in Oregon has already sent at least three different crews of volunteers to the area.
Thousands of people are still in shelters and the Red Cross has already received nearly $8-million in pledges and donations designated for that effort.
But, according to Amy Shlossman, the CEO of the Red Cross Cascades Region, the recovery costs are expected to exceed $30-million. She says you can call 800-red-cross to donate or go online.
Already there have been alleged scammers on the prowl seeking to take advantage of the situation. Several residents in the Florence area have reported getting suspicious sounding phone calls from people seeking donations… when questioned strongly, they hang up.
