ODE New Update
With the COVID-19 pandemic waning and changes set to come regarding mask mandates on the 12th of March the Oregon Department of education sat down with school superintendents yesterday to go over the updates to the RSSL resiliency framework. The extensive document distributed goes into detail about the upcoming changes and new framework for dealing with COVID-19 in school settings. Actively ill individuals will need to isolate for 5 days after the first sign of symptoms or a positive COVID-19 test. Lunch settings will still allow for some distancing and students occupying every other seat. For this reason Siuslaw School Superintendent Andy Grzeskowiak says they have order more tables, and removed dividers, but students that still want a divider would be provided one. Another item stressed by the ODE is maintaining protection for those individuals that want or need to keep wearing a mask for health reasons. The ODE is concerned that there may be some instances of harassment by non-mask wearing individuals. The Siuslaw school board is slated to meet on March 9th to make their final decisions regarding mask wearing in the schools.
COVID-19 Update
For the first time in many weeks the count of new COVID-19 cases for Florence was zero. Yesterday’s report issued by Lane County Public Health indicated that there were no positive test results rendered. It did not include the test results from the Lane County Public Health’s mobile testing that was at the Florence Events Center. Those results will come in today’s report from LCPH. County Numbers for COVID-19 continue to be flat with 77 new cases reported yesterday. The Oregon Health Authority reported 696 cases a new low for recent reports. Hospitalizations also continued a downward turn with 36 fewer individuals hospitalized yesterday bringing the total to 424.
Reedsport Gets New Phone System
The City of Reedsport will be getting a new phone system installed today. The switchover is not expected to create any issues with phone operations, but the city officials ask for patience if you happen to run into some difficulties today.
Florence Home and Garden Show
Tomorrow begin the 24th annual Florence Home and Garden Show. Coast Radio’s Jon Thompson has been working on organizing the show during the pandemic. Thompson has said he waited to see where the current omicron variant was going before deciding to move forward with the event. More than 40 vendors have signed up for the annual show that had to take a hiatus last year due to restrictions and heavy virus numbers. This year’s show will have free admission and will have vendors from home repair to hemp products and home financing. The Florence Home and garden Show begins at noon tomorrow and runs until 6 pm and then reopens on Saturday morning at 10 am and completes at 6 pm.
