Food Share Receives United Way Grant
The Florence Food Share has been awarded the Community Investment Grant Award from the United Way of Lane County. Food Share Director Colin Morgan says the investment in the organization will definitely make a difference for individuals that are still suffering from inequities brought on in part by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. According to Morgan, individuals have had tough choices to make between making rent and utility payments to making good food choices. The Florence Food Share makes it an easier decision. the $10,000 grant supports the operations end of the food share while it still depends on donations from the community to keep the shelves stocked. Morgan says multiple streams of income help to keep the lights on
“The Pounding is a big help the funds we raise at the pounding are not designated to any one purpose so it allows us the flexibility to spend it where needed.”
Morgan says it is not the big corporations or the grants that keep the food share going.
“Overwhelming majority of our funds that keep the lights on come from mom and pop donors that donate 25, 50, a hundred dollars here there and everywhere.
Morgan says he is thankful for the efforts of such a giving community.
Bridge Work Ire
The long lines at the entrance to the Siuslaw River Bridge on Friday cause a flood of calls to the Oregon Department of Transportation. Some complained that the long waits were unnecessary and caused undo hardship as people showed up late for vaccination reservations at the Florence Events center and others that were just upset at the long waits. Coast Radio even received complaints that there was not enough information going out over the air waves regarding the delays, but the Oregon Department of Transportation says the Friday congestion was not expected giving the type of work being done. Don Hamilton with the Oregon Department of Transportation says things were going smoothly for most of the day.
“These delays at the Siuslaw River Bridge are supposed to be minimal, we’ve had one lane open at a time and flaggers controlling it north bound your turn, southbound your turn going through now if there were some lengthy delays it means something was going wrong in there.
Hamilton said he had not heard about the complaints and that two of the individuals that normally handle the complaints were not available on Friday. He says sometimes thing don’t always go as planned.
“We do everything we can to minimize the disruption but we realize when you are doing the work like we’re doing on the bridge there, there is going to be some disruption.”
People have expressed their ire in the forms of emails and phone calls. One email to coast Radio was regarding wait times at the bridge, while the majority of delays were limited to 5 to 10 minutes there was a lengthy delay during the mid-day on Friday that went un-reported. While there is no set traffic reporting for the Florence area, listeners are encouraged to call and give updates. Hamilton says the bulk of delays on the bridge work are done and all work should be completed by next Friday.
COVID-19 Numbers
While cases continue to drop overall for Lane County, Florence recorded another 8 cases yesterday for a total all time of 680. While Lane County numbers continue to get better, the rest of the state is showing sharp decreases, with the exception of Multnomah, and Washington counties. The three day weekend total for the state was 3,276 with 24 new deaths reported. Weekend numbers for new vaccinations was also lower and dipped below the 10,000 mark for the first time in 10 days.
