Winter Storm
Weather issues continue along the coastal region for the Florence area today with several warnings in effect throughout the day. The high wind warning remains in effect through 7 pm this evening. Due to the high winds Central Lincoln PUD reported outages in Florence, Dunes City, north to Sutton Lake and into the Mapleton area. There were about 1000 customers without power before sunrise. There is also a lot of debris on roadways, mainly secondary roads. Winds today are forecast to reach gusts up to 70 miles per hour making it difficult again for high profile vehicles and the potential for more power outages. The National weather service is also predicting up to 5 inches of rain could fall in the coastal range today with the opportunity for flooding until about 6 pm this evening. the high surf warning for the area expired at 6am this morning. water levels could exceed 1 foot above ground level in some areas. There is also the potential for large items like logs to be in the surf.
First Hike
Once again Jessie M. Honeyman State Park is hosting a “first day hike” on New Year’s Day. Park manager Ryan Warren says the three mile route includes a lot of historical features.
“You never know what you’re going to find. I think some of our history of the Civilian Conservation Corps is rooted here at Honeyman. A lot of people don’t know or realize some of the historic structures and rocks and things like that they walk by every day. That could be interesting.”
The hike itself is three miles long and begins at ten AM January First. Warren says how long it takes is dependent solely on the individual.
“Everybody’s speeds are a little bit different and so, you know, how fast you can walk. The terrain is fairly uneven. And I’d say a medium difficulty, probably about three miles long.”
He says be sure to dress in layers, wear comfortable shoes and it’s ok to bring the dog… as long as you keep it on a leash. The First Day Hike is a national initiative to welcome in the coming year in the outdoors. Day use fees are waived that day.
Flu Update
Flu rates across the state have shown a slight decrease over the previous three test cycles. Rates began a rapid increase in late November peaking in mid December, but the latest report from the Oregon Health Authority show positive cases of influenza A are declining slightly following an annual trend, however several weeks earlier than in the previous record with the exception of the 2020/2021 flu season which had virtually no influenza cases. The OHA is also reporting that almost half of the cases are being discovered in the over 65 population. Long Term Care Facilities as well as schools and daycares share the majority of cases.