Hydrant Sheared
A distracted driver on Wednesday took out a fire hydrant on Rhododendron Drive near the water treatment plant. The accident caused a temporary shutdown of the water main and broke a 6 inch pipe that was connected to the larger water main. Assistant city manager Megan Messmer said the line was quickly repaired and nearby water customers were notified that there may be some temporary brown water in the lines. She said there was no call for a boil water notice as the repairs merely stirred up sediment in the lines and no contaminates were involved. Police were called to the scene.
Sand Art
The Beachfront at driftwood shores will be the location of some sand art tomorrow. Two artists will be creating a mandella and a maze in the sand. The creations will begin coming together at noon and visitors are invited to watch. Karen Chalmers of Spinning Sands will create the sand art and Jade Rehder of crystal bowls will be playing her classic crystal bowls between one and two pm.
Nye Beach Warning
The Oregon Health Authority is reporting that Nye beach in Newport is under a health advisory for high levels of fecal bacteria in the water. This is also affecting nearby creeks and standing water pools in the area. It is considered dangerous to get it on your skin or if you ingest it. The warning is expected to continue through the Memorial Day Holiday.
Flag Retirement Ceremony
Every year on Flag Day, American Legion Post 59 in Florence holds a flag retirement ceremony for worn, soiled or tattered flags. Post Commander Mike Nielson says Wednesday June 14th will see the ceremony return to its traditional location on Bay Street, just west of the bridge and across the street from Veteran’s Memorial Park.
“The ceremony’s gonna start at four o’clock in the afternoon. We’ll be getting there about two to set everything up and get the fire pits going. People can drop flags by anywhere from two o’clock on.”
Nielson says the process follows the U.S. Flag Code.
“It’s actually cleansing by fire, is the proper terminology for that. The flags are brought out one at a time by two people, one on each end, they’re presented to the Marshal at the flag pit. He salutes the flag, the people put it down on top of the fire, they salute it.”
In addition to bringing your flags that afternoon, the Oregon Coast Military Museum is accepting them up until June 13th.
OSP Enforcement
The Oregon State Police are reporting that there will be increased presence on the roadways this weekend. The “all Patrol Day” is a day that all sworn members of the OSP will be traveling the highways to help ensure that motorists get to their destinations safely. More than ½ a million Oregonians alone are expected on state highways this weekend.