Election Results
As the dust settles on the May 17th primary election there are some close races for several of the positions available. 189 votes are all that separate west Lane County commissioners Dawn Lesley and Ryan Ceniga. Despite a stout commercial campaign from Ceniga he only leads by 189 votes over Lesley. Candidates needed at least 50 percent of the vote to avoid a November runoff, but as it stands now it looks as both will be heading to November. The race for 4th District congressional seat will come down to democrat Val Hoyle and republican Alex Skarlatos. Hoyle recorded 31779 votes more than quadrupling her closest adversary Doyle Canning. Skarlatos ran unopposed for the republicans. The governor’s seat will come down to democrat Tina Kotek who narrowly defeated opponent Tobias Read and the republican seat is close with 587 votes separating Bob Tiernan and Christine Drazan. Ron Wyden will represent the democrats for the senate with Darin Harbick his republican opponent in November.
Rhododendron Festival
One long dormant event is making a return to the Rhody Festival Schedule this year; plus there’s a brand new one. Brand new this year to the 115th Rhododendron Festival is a pinewood derby race. It’s set for Saturday alongside the Car Show and Shine at Siuslaw Middle School. Habitat for Humanity Executive Janell Morgan said the track will be set up under the covered area on the south side of the school.
“Weigh in starts at nine o’clock, races start at eleven.”
The entry fee is just ten-dollars per car and Morgan says if you already have an official Pinewood Derby racer you can enter that. If need a new one, you can pick up a do-it-yourself kit for just $10 at Habitat Restore. The returning event will take place Saturday evening on Bay Street. It’s the Rhody Mosey. For just ten bucks you can walk through Bay Street in your civilian attire or dress up in your finest. Morgan says registration for the Mosey is set for 4:30 next to Veteran’s Park on the West End of Bay Street. The Mosey itself begins at five. The official Pinewood Derby Track had been purchased by Dr. Brian Holmes for the local Boy Scout Troop. When it disbanded he donated it to Habitat For Humanity.
EMS Week
This week is EMS week and there is traditionally an Open House as part of the recognition of local EMS workers. Matt House with WLFEA says they will be forgoing that tradition this year as concerns about the coronavirus are still part of the equation. This year is the 47 annual recognition after being implemented by President Gerald Ford to celebrate Emergency Medical Service practitioners and the work they do in our communities.
Click It or Ticket
After Rhododendron Festival comes memorial weekend and local, county, and state Law enforcement will be participating in a click it or ticket campaign. Enforcement focus will be through May 23rd and June 5th.
Turner Memorial Announced
The Lane County Sheriff’s department has announced that they are planning a memorial service for former Florence Police Chief and former Lane County Sheriff Tom Turner who passed away last week. The service is planned for June 14th. the service will be in Eugene at First Baptist Church at 3550 Fox Meadow Rd. at 1 pm. Turner’s family is asking in lieu of flowers a donation to a charity is appreciated. According to his family he favored Siuslaw Outreach Services, the Jazz Station and National Night Out/City of Florence. The service is open to the public dependent on available seating.
