Campaign Ads Heat Up
If you are registered to vote you should have received you ballots in the mail over the weekend. Ballots started arriving on Friday in Florence. Campaigning is ramping up with some of the most critical ads aimed at the 4th congressional seat. Attack ads from democratic candidate Val Hoyle are painting challenger Alek Skarlatos as less of a hero and more of a republican insider who made some damaging comments about women in a 2018 podcast. Skarlatos has responded with an apology and promises that he is not the same individual from that video. He contends that he will fight for all members of the congressional district. With two weeks left to go there is likely to be more contentious ads from the candidates. Meanwhile in Florence candidates are stating their cases for a seat on the city council with 2 seats up for grabs as well as the Mayoral seat.
LCPH Temporarily Closes Community Access Office
Lane County Public Health has announced that it has closed its community access center as of Sunday the 23rd. the closing is temporary as necessary changes are made which will improve the service offering and promote greatest success according to a news release. LCPH communicable Disease community response program supervisor Elizabeth Miglioretto says while they prefer not to close the time is needed to refocus their efforts. They are hopeful that they will reopen on November 7th.
Air Quality
Despite the rains the air quality for the coast continues to be in question. The Air quality alert that has been ongoing since early last week is expected to lift today by 6 pm and is currently posted mostly for eastern Lane County. Light smoke is expected in the region with the air quality maintaining a moderate level. The Lane Regional Air Protection Agency says most of the smoke is east of the Cascade range and all other counties alerts have been lifted. Air quality is not expected to escalate throughout the day.
Monkeypox Vaccine
The Oregon Health Authority says if you have received a dose of the monkeypox vaccine, you should consider getting another dose. Dr. Tim Menza, senior health advisor for the OHA says there are currently 6000 individuals that are eligible for the second dose, but have not yet gotten it. Menza says at least 28 days needed to have passed to be eligible. He also says second dose recipients have a 14 fold lower risk of contracting the virus.