Funny Money
It may or may not make its way to Florence but the Newport police are reporting that a vehicle break in last week resulted in a million dollars in fake movie money was stolen from a vehicle. The money is clearly marked movie money and copy, but the bills are very realistic and can be mistaken for money if not carefully looked at. The Newport police say the denominations are in 10, 20 and 100 dollars. businesses are asked to be on the lookout and to call local police if you come across one or more of the notes.
City Staff Recognition
Last night’s city council meeting started off with a recognition of many new hires for the city. Due to the pandemic the city has not been able to recognize 15 new employees that have been hired. There were also some years of service recognition. Communication’s officer Yolanda Ross was recognized for 25 years of service. Sergeant Leonard Larson with the Florence PD was recognized for 20 years of service. Sarah Prien, Mike Miller and august Murphy were recognized for 15 years of service and city Manager Erin Reynolds and Communications officer Joshua Thomas were recognized for 10 years of service.
Ukranian Scams
Many people are looking for ways to help Ukrainians affected by war. However, they should be on the lookout for scams. Lynn Heider with the Northwest Credit Union Association says unfortunately, emergencies breed fraud. She says credit unions in the Northwest have been heartened by the outpouring for Ukraine, and so there are a few tips to keep in mind with donating. Heider says people should look for well-established charities.
“Consider charities that have global reach, that have experience going into situations like this and providing on-the-ground services that are very effective.”
Heider points to two organizations based in the Northwest – Mercy Corps and World Vision – as examples of charities already in Ukraine providing assistance. The Better Business Bureau says it’s already seeing scams pop up. Heider says the organization is a good resource for looking into charities’ legitimacy.
Davis Carnival set to make 70th appearance at Rhododendron Festival
A sure sign that the Rhododendron Festival is just around the corner is the news that advance tickets for the Davis Show Carnival are now on sale. The festival itself takes place the third weekend in May… the 20th, 21st and 22nd. But the Davis Carnival will be set up and ready to go by Thursday the 19th. Bettina Hanigan, the CEO of the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce says inflation and higher fuel costs have led a slightly higher prices this year. But, since they haven’t been here for three years there should be a large demand. Advance tickets will be sold only through Wednesday, the 19th of May. They’re $30.00 each and can be purchased online at Florence chamber dot com. Just click on the events tab and scroll down to the Rhododendron Festival Schedule. Except for the past two years, Davis Shows has been setting up in Florence on the third weekend in May since 1951.
Cafe Seating to Return
The pandemic brought many creative ways for restaurants in particular to do business when indoor seating was restricted. The outdoor café program was a way for restaurants to seat customers in the roadway. The city of Florence has decide to extend the program into 2022 and possibly beyond. Last night the council was given the details which include a date of May 1st through October 30th 2022 date. The café permit would have a $110.00 fee per year. City staff approached businesses that took part in the program last year and say they have good support moving forward. One concern brought forth by Mayor Henry was the impact to parking the program has. One business owner spoke in favor of the resolution, Kady Sneddon of NOSH eatery.
“I would say that I think this is really successful and maybe outweighs that negative impact.”
The council also heard from Florence Police Commander John Pitcher regarding issues experienced from last year’s event.
“it does work as long as you don’t have those divisions in between and we’re worried about cars trying to get in between, but it did work and we didn’t have any issues.”
Council approved the resolution unanimously.
COVID-19 Update
There has only been one COVID-19 case reported for the 97439 zip code in the past two weeks, but Lane County is reporting a week over week increase in cases of 26.1 percent. There were 41 more cases reported than the week ending March 27th. the Oregon Health Authority is urging caution and to stay diligent with safe practices particularly for those who have not been fully vaccinated.
