Mom Accuses Baseball League of Discrimination
An incident involving the Florence Littlefoot baseball program locally became an issue for one Florence mom on racism and awareness. Teri Webb whose son participates in youth baseball on the local team was upset that the uniforms were printed with a flag containing a single blue line. She promptly pulled her son from the team stating that she believed the image to be racist. Coast Radio spoke with the Littlefoot coach Rich DeSantis, and he said he completely understood the mother’s concerns and that the team was willing to place an American flag patch over the symbol and that there was no open or covert intention to promote racism, only to support local law enforcement, many of whom support the team. DeSantis said that the important thing was the child be supported through this and he said no matter what the team had his back.
“We sat down and talked, probably for about an hour and a half, and shared our experiences, our life experiences, our perspectives and there’s a lot of common ground there and we are in a good place. I do encourage her to keep fighting for what she believes in and let her know that we are here to support that and that my team is definitely here to support her child.”
DeSantis said at this point her son has not returned to the team, but he is hopeful that he will be at Tuesday’s practice.
Postal Job Fair
If you have ever thought about a change in jobs, the United States Postal service is hiring. This Thursday, April 13th there will be a job fair at the Florence location 770 Maple Street from 11 am until 3pm. The postal service is looking to fill nearly 2000 positions according to Oregon District Manager William Schwartz. He says there is an urgent need for mail carriers, clerks, and mail handlers. Average job pay ranges are from $19 to $20 per hour. You can also receive an application through the postal website at usps.com. Most jobs require you be 18 years of age, but there are some exceptions. There are positions available for 16 year olds with a high school diploma or a GED.
PeaceHealth Receives Advanced Designation for Heart Work
PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at Riverbend is the first Oregon Hospital to receive designation as a Certified Transcatheter Valve Center according to a press release from the hospital. The certification comes from the American College of Cardiology. The certification allows the hospital to perform advanced heart procedures. Dr. Paul Koh, co-medical director of the Structural Heart Program for Oregon Heart & Vascular Institute (OHVI) at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend says the recognition is a testament to their commitment to delivering exceptional cardiovascular care in the region.
Flu Season Wanes
According to a recent report from the Oregon Health Authority the annual flu season has basically come to a completion with 8 consecutive weeks with few incidents of flu. This past week there were 20 cases in all of Oregon reported and the majority of cases were in southern Oregon. Central Oregon had zero reported cases. The low incidence of flu cases was partly the reason for the dropping of the mask mandate for health care settings along with lower reported cases of COVID-19. The state of Oregon is currently listed as a minimal risk candidate for the flu.
Reedsport Street Clean-up
This Saturday, April 15th the City of Reedsport will be having their third Saturday Cleanup in preparation for the arrival of their spring baskets. The event will begin at the corner of 5th street and Highway 38 at 10 am. Coffee will be provided. They do ask that you bring your own gloves.
