School Behavioral Health Services; Home and Garden Show; Monument Plans

School Behavioral Health Services

The emotional and behavioral health of our children in the community got a boost in January as centers opened up in both Mapleton Schools and Siuslaw Schools.  The centers are operated by Peace Harbor Hospital in conjunction with the schools, Heather Bailey is the behavioral health counselor for both centers and she says that while students can come directly to the center, visits are often done through referral.

“They’re referred through their teachers or the counselors or their parents.  We do have a process for being referred through the counselors but most of the referrals, so far, have really come directly through the parents.”

The centers are currently being funded through a grant that will last until May of 2021, but Cheri Payne says that when the grant ends, they will likely be able to be fully sustainable, and in fact even grow.

“Our next potential need will probably be adding additional counseling services.”

Visits to the center are confidential, and at Siuslaw Elementary there is a separate entrance for older students that may need to come from the middle or high school, allowing for anonymity.

Home and Garden Show

The 2020 Florence Home and Garden show is this weekend, beginning Friday, and event organizer, Jon Thompson says the show has everything a home show should have to be called a home show.

“It’s one of our better type shows when it comes to staples regarding construction, we have a lot of those types of vendors in the show so it’s very home and garden show oriented.”

The show will even include an electrician, which Thompson says is a first for the show.  He also says that some of the favorites from the past will also be returning and there will be plenty of giveaways during the event including several Nest thermostats that will be given away by Central Lincoln PUD.  The show will run from Friday at 2 pm and will continue until Sunday at 3pm.  Admission is two dollars, but discount coupons for the show are available from the local bi-mart store.

Monument Plans

One of the major pieces of the revision Florence project to be completed is the monument that will adorn Maple Street. City Manager Erin Reynolds says the preliminary work  is underway and actual construction should follow.

“They’re going to come and do a site visit here in the next week or so once we have the contract signed and notice to proceed and they’ll determine all the specifics for that construction project.”

Reynolds says she believes that the monument will be constructed on site, but that could change once the site visit is done.