Enjoy the Weather, Keep Your Distance
Florence City Manager, Erin Reynolds says that even though a lot of things are closed, there are still opportunities to get out. With temperatures expected to be close to 70 degrees today in Florence, people will want to get out and take advantage of the sunshine. Reynolds encourages people to be safe and that there are places to go.
“Any place that you can maintain that physical distance from people outside of your household is open and available for your use.”
While some parks within the city have had to shut down, the walking trail at miller park remains open as well as singing pines dog park. Still closed is the skate park and all playground and sporting facilities around the city.
Latest Number of COVID-19 (UPDATE 10:30 am)
A new case COVID-19 was reported in Lane County the latest was this morning from Lane County Public Health. Bringing the number of Coronavirus cases in Lane County to 46. Todays patient is a female in her 50’s from the Eugene/Springfield area who is medically stable at home and is a result of what health authorities call a household transmission, Statewide 30 more cases were revealed by the Oregon Health Authority bringing the total to 1,663 with over 33 thousand tests administered. To date hospitals have received over 400 patients with the coronavirus which is also blamed for 58 deaths. 140 patients with COVID-19 are currently hospitalized. Unfortunately 3 more deaths have accrued due to the virus: an 82 year old man from Marion County, an 84 year old woman from Multnomah County and a 92 year old woman also from Multnomah County. All three had underlying medical conditions.
Despite Stocked Shelves, Continue Giving
The Florence Food Share is brimming with supplies of food, according to city officials. Visitors seeking supplemental food has dropped off recently according to City Manager Erin Reynolds, and they want those in need in the community to know food is available. Mayor Joe Henry asked that citizens not be lulled into a false sense of security and continue to be generous.
“Don’t forget as this crisis goes forward there will be more and more demand, so if you can support them please do so.”
Mayor Henry was not only speaking of Florence Food Share, but other non-profits like Siuslaw Outreach Services.
Siuslaw Grad Passing Out Free Lunches
Siuslaw High School graduate Matt Davidson has traveled the world as an engineer and just over a year ago decided to come home to Oregon. Davidson landed in Portland where he was encouraged by a college classmate to open a restaurant. Davidson says he agreed only after several glasses of wine, but the next day he made good on his commitment and the Botanist House in Portland’s Pearl District was born. Davidson recently had to shut the doors on the business, due to the coronavirus pandemic, but said that he was committed to make it through and kept his staff working to provide free lunches for service industry people and others that he considers family.
“It really stems from the name. Botanist House, we are a big house and we treat our restaurant like it’s everybody’s home, and we have a great community of people not only in the restaurant industry and the service industry around us but outside of that that we call family.”
Davidson and his staff have made over 7000 meals through the Botanist Meal Assistance program and he says that number will continue to grow throughout this crisis.
