Phase 2; City Council Meeting; Scammers Target Community; Graduation; COVID-19

Phase 2

Lane County has been approved for Phase 2 of the reopening plan under Governor Kate Browns directive.  Restaurants and Bars are the biggest winners in this section as they will be able to stay open later.  They will still need to close by midnight.  Outdoor gatherings can increase to 100 people with social distancing precautions and movie theaters can begin showing films but are limited to 250 people and must provide seating restrictions to maintain proper distancing.  People are still asked to limit travel to local destinations although some travel outside of the area is now permitted for essential needs and services. Bowling alleys, museums and mini golf courses as well as pools can now open.  Phase two will require more contact tracing.  Lane County COVID-19 incident commander Karen Gaffney says she is confident that the county will be able to meet and exceed the states requirements for Phase 2.

City Council Meeting

Florence City Council will meet on Monday evening and will be trying out some new technology to enhcance the meeting.  Prior to this Monday’s meeting the councilors were meeting only by phone, but will add video and and a few other features according to Mayor Joe Henry.

“We’ve been working on a platform where we’ll be able to be more inclusive, have more technology, be able to see people, be able to look at slide, be able to respond to comments.”

On the agenda for Monday’s meeting will be several considerations of resolutions including well rehabilitation, volunteer insurance, and imposing and categorizing Ad Valorem taxes.  They will also consider the low bid from Cascade Civil Corporation in the amount of $166,735 for a mid-block pedestrian crossing as part of the Safe Routes To School Program funded by ODOT.  Information on how to access the meeting is available at ci.florence.or.us.

Scammers Target Community

The Lane County Sheriff’s office says that phone scammers are at it again.  Scammers have been posing as Sheriff’s Office employees, and using names of actual employees.  They are telling people that they have missed Jury duty and can either submit themselves to the sheriff’s office to serve 12 hours in jail, or pay a $1500 fine.  The person is asked to stay on the phone so that they will not be able to contact the agency directly or receive guidance form a loved one.  Sgt. Carrie Carver with the sheriff’s office reminds individuals that they will never ask for payments over the phone and if there is a problem, you would be visited in person.  If you suspect the call is a scam, hang up immediately and call the agency back at the publicly listed number.

Graduation

This evening is the graduation ceremony for Siuslaw High School.  the event will be broadcast live on KCST beginning at 5:45.  It will also be simulcast on Facebook through coast radio kcst kcfm.  The school will also be providing a feed of the ceremony.  Due to attendance restrictions people are being asked not to visit the school in person this evening and to not line the streets adjacent to Hans Peterson Field.  Under Oregon Department of Education rules during the COVID-19 pandemic the schools are limited to 24 people on premise, regardless of what phase of reopening the county or state is currently in.

COVID-19

Lane county COVID-19 Numbers are at 80 for positive cases.  One of those is a presumptive case.  The latest is an individual from the Eugene/Springfield area.  There are currently 13 active cases of the virus and 67 inactive.  There are also currently 2 people hospitalized.  Lane County has tested more than 12,500 individuals.  The state overall has 4.474 cases and no new deaths to report.