Coast Needs Weather Station
If you have ever heard a weather forecast for the central Oregon coast and wondered why it is Eugene is saying something different than your local station there may be a very good reason for that. American Meteorlogical Fellow Dr. Paul Ruescher says it is because currently no one has eyes on the central Oregon coast when it comes to weather. Ruescher says Portland is the closest radar station near us.
“The Problem with that is by the time it hits Florence that beam of energy is about 14000 feet above the earth’s surface which is taller than some of the clouds that are generating the precipitation to begin with.”
Rueshcer explained that could mean a forecast of sunshine when closer to the earth’s surface there are actually clouds. There are advances in technology that continue to improve radar coverage, but he says that the proximity of that technology is still the most reliable source. The closer the better
“Which can help us in flooding situations or flash flooding. It can help us to detect rotating thunderstorms which can spawn tornados, they can help us to detect and discern the difference between rain and freezing rain and snow, something many of us experienced this last winter for example.”
Ruescher is working to encourage the Federal Government to add weather stations along the coast. According to maps generated by NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the Oregon Coast from Lincoln City to Brookings has no significant coverage. That anomaly occurs nowhere else in the United States.
Kids to Learn ‘Game of Life’
The Florence Kiwanis is putting together a service project that is designed to teach some basic economics to 8th graders. There is an idea that we have lost some of the basic skills in this new technology era and kids are not adequately prepared for the realities of life. So Kiwanians are recreating the Game of Life, a 60’s era Milton Bradley game to teach them. Mapleton and Siuslaw middle school students will gather at Siuslaw Middle School on October 19th to learn some life lessons. Incoming Kiwanis President, Jean Murphey
“There are 22 different stations and they literally are going through expenses that they can expect to have in life”
Students will be given an occupation based on interests and their grades and what that occupation can expect to earn and they will have to budget their money to include car payments, insurance, doctor bills, children. And possible catastrophic events or even windfalls can occur with the wheel of life.
“What that is is just a wheel that they spin, but there are 24 options on that wheel. 12 are positive and 12 are negative.”
Local business people and volunteers will be manning the different stations. Murphey believes that students will leave with a new understanding of the realities of life.
Wine and Chowder Trail
The 7th annual wine and chowder trail will be filling the streets of Florence with visitors and residents the weekend of October 6th. Historic Old Town will host live music, shopping, food and beverages as people can taste a dozen different chowders and sample some of Oregon’s best wines. The Florence Area Chamber puts on the event each year and includes a treasure hunt that will net some residents and visitors a beautiful glass float. This year there will be an addition of a music event on Saturday evening with some Jazz Fusion from Airto Moreira at the Florence Event Center. More information is available at the chambers website, florencechamber.com
