Port Commission schedules special meeting
A variety of issues have arisen around the alleged manner in which Port of Siuslaw Manager Steven Leskin conducts business.
The Port Commission will hold a special meeting Friday afternoon to hear some of those charges. Commission President Ron Caputo called for the meeting, partly in response to an email containing several allegations directed at Leskin by David Swinney and Michelle Culwell.
Under Oregon law, complaints against the manager of a public agency such as the Port would be held in private. But, according to the notice issued Wednesday by the Port, “Leskin has requested this discussion be held in open session.”
The special meeting will be Friday afternoon, four pm, at the Port of Siuslaw commission office.
Three clams will get you a buck off of chowder during the 110th annual Florence Rhododendron Festival
For about 40-years following World War II, festival organizers printed and distributed metal campaign-style commemorative pins each year. The committee also spearheaded a giant community clam chowder feed on the day of the Grand Floral Parade. The Chowder went away by the late 1970s and about ten years later, the metal pins made way for the heavier cloisonné style buttons.
The metal pins are making a comeback this year and they can be used to get a discount on a cup or bowl of chowder at participating restaurants the entire month of May.
Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Scott Steward says the pins are three dollars and can be purchased from members of the Rhody Festival Courts… or at many local businesses.
This year’s Rhododendron Festival is the 110th and the theme is “Always Ready to Rhody”, a nod to the motto of the festival Grand Marshals: members of the U.S. Coast Guard who are celebrating 100 years of service in the Florence area this year. The festival is May 19th through the 21st.
Coastal Fire Chiefs Meeting in Florence
If you see a lot of emergency vehicles in Florence Thursday, don’t panic. It’s only because the Oregon Fire Chief’s Association will be hosting a “Coastal Fire Chief’s Round Table” at Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue.
Fire Chief Jim Langborg says the meeting is a chance for coastal chiefs to “network” and discuss things of common interest and mission.
Today’s discussion will include ocean rescue.
More than 40 people will be in attendance. The Round Table begins at one, then wraps up Friday morning. They’ll include a private dinner for participants Thursday evening at the Florence Events Center.
Langborg called it a “big honor” to be asked to host the event and he hopes it will become an annual function.
Oregon Author to speak
Oregon author and essayist Robert Leo Heilman will in Florence Thursday evening where he’ll share selected works from his recent collection of writings about life in Oregon.
The World Pool: A Literary Variety was published in 2016 and is a collection of short pieces written by Heilman over the past 30 years.
His writings are rooted in rural Oregon, specifically Myrtle Creek where he lives. Heilman has received the Andres Berger Award for nonfiction and a previous collection of his was a runner-up for a 1996 Oregon Book Award in the nonfiction category.
He will be at Siuslaw Public Library in Florence Thursday evening at six pm.
PeaceHealth lab layoffs to be more than expected
It’s not known how many jobs in Florence will be affected, but PeaceHealth announced this week that an additional 85 Oregon workers will be laid off.
Documents filed with the State of Oregon in February showed PeaceHealth planned to lay off 186 Oregon workers as the result of the sale of the health care provider’s laboratory operations to New Jersey based Quest Diagnostics.
At that time, only one of those 186 positions was in Florence and a PeaceHealth spokesman said that was a manager’s position that had been vacant for several months.
A statement issued by PeaceHealth Wednesday said the number of layoffs in Oregon will now be 271… of which most are in Lane County.
Florence-Yachats Connector in planning stage
Proposed passenger transportation between Florence and Yachats will be discussed Friday afternoon at Florence City Hall.
Florence Associate Planner Glenn Southerland said that service is under consideration and a “stakeholder’s” meeting is planned at Florence City Hall Friday at three pm. Southerland said they’re looking for feedback from the public and other interested parties.
A coastal Greyhound Bus Route used to run the entire length of the Oregon Coast, but that service ended more than a decade ago.
