LIHEAP Releases More Heat Money
Siuslaw Outreach Services here in Florence will be signing up individuals and families for additional money that has been provided by the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program. Lane County recently announced that more money was available for the program. Qualified applicants that did not receive benefits earlier this year or who have not received funds since November 1st of 2022 are again eligible. Sign-ups for the program will not be until May 1st, but beginning at 9am that morning you will be able to do so at SOS located on 12th street or by calling 997-2816. LIHEAP is a once a year assistance to low income households for their heating bills. For example a household of 4 cannot make more that $60,126 dollars to qualify.
Clean-up Results
More than 52-hundred volunteers participated in clean-up activities at 121 different events around Oregon last Saturday. In the process they picked up nearly 82-thousand pounds of litter and marine debris during the annual SOLVE Spring Beach Cleanup. Local results were not available but volunteers met at Siltcoos Outlet, beaches at the North and South Jetties, and at Washburne State Park. One intrepid volunteer even climbed down the cliff north of Sea Lion Caves, taking three trash bags with him, to clean up the remote beach there. The Siuslaw Alumni Association, which organized the Washburne effort, reported about three-dozen volunteers there. No noteworthy items were reported at that location, but volunteers did fill several trash bags, most with small bits of plastic and Styrofoam.
Gas Prices
Though Oregon gas prices have risen over the $4.00 mark and average prices are currently at $4.09 a gallon, Marie Dodds with AAA Oregon says it is likely that we are at or near the spring peak of higher prices. Dodds says prices for crude are starting to see a decline and should affect pricing. Locally prices for regular gas are averaging $3.64 a gallon about a 5 cent increase from last week. While Oregon prices have risen over the week the national average has slipped about two cents per gallon.
Habitat to Benefit from Ticket Sales
The Florence Habitat for Humanity is partnering with the Eugene Emeralds alternate identity The Exploding Whale. For Several games this season the Ems will wear uniforms patterned after the famous Florence Exploding Whale and the game on August 19th will be the game where Habitat will benefit. A portion of ticket sales for that game will go to Florence Habitat, but you will have to purchase your tickets directly from Habitat. There are two ways to do that you go to florencehabitat.org or click on the qr code that will be associated with this story on the coast radio website.