Bomb Threat: Hoax; Setting Back Time; Free Rides on Halloween; Lane County: Healthy Employer

Bomb Threat: Hoax

According to reports received by Coast Radio early yesterday morning someone posted a bomb threat on the Florence Police Facebook page.  The threat indicated that there was a bomb in the trunk of a corvette housed in the parking garage beneath the Bridgeport Landing Condominiums adjacent to the boat launch on Harbor Street.  Commander John Pitcher with the Florence police department said that after locating the vehicle they contacted the owner, upon searching the vehicle it was determined that the threat was a hoax.  Florence Police say that they have a possible suspect and are investigating.  The owner of the vehicle is not a suspect in the investigation.

Setting Back Time

At 2am Sunday morning it is time to set the clocks back one hour as most of the country ends daylight saving time.  According to the national safety council even though it seems that we are getting an extra hour’s sleep it is still one of the most dangerous times of the season as the change can interrupt a person’s circadian rhythm.  Which simply put is the clock that regulates our bodies.  The change can have a significant impact on mental, physical, and behavioral health aspects.  Disturbance of this cycle, according to the National Safety Council, is a key risk factor for safety incidents. Including but not limited to automobile accidents.

Over the past five years in Oregon, 51 people have died in 48 crashes where drowsy driving or fatigue was a factor. 2016 was an especially bad year, when 15 people died in 12 drowsy driving-related crashes. Research shows that adults generally need seven to nine hours of sleep to achieve peak performance, but research indicates 3 in 10 get less than six hours, according to NSC. Everyone knows you don’t drive after drinking, and it should be the same when you are tired: take personal responsibility and don’t get behind the wheel in the first place.

Free Rides on Halloween

Halloween is generally thought of as a holiday for children, but many adults take this time to dress up and go to parties.  It is this reason that Greentrees Village is sponsoring free fides on the Rhody express on Halloween.  Pick up and drop off areas will remain the same as will hours of operation, 10 am to 6pm, but this assists in keeping vehicles off the road while the majority of kids are trick or treating.  For route maps or more information you can visit www.ltd.org/rhody

Lane County: Healthy Employer

Lane County is number 40 in the list of the top 100 healthiest employers in the United States and is the third healthiest government entity in the country behind Wake County, North Carolina and the City of Westminster, Colorado.   According to Lane County administrator Steve Mokrohisky part of the recognition goes to the increased focus on health and wellness.  In 2015, the County successfully shifted to a self-funded health insurance plan, invested in wellness and preventative care for employees, as well as other wellness-related efforts – reducing budgeted expenses by approximately $2 million. Other efforts have increased the number of wellness programs offered to employees, including organization-wide healthy eating and physical activity competitions, as well as an emphasis on tobacco cessation.