Dairy Queen Rebuild
Since 1979 the Dairy Queen in Florence held a prominent spot on Highway 101 next to the Siuslaw River. A devastating fire August 18th, 2021 gutted the building and since that time, the local owner, Michelle Burke, has been working hard to rebuild. The City of Florence granted “design review” approval in January of this year and re-construction began last month. Burke says by August first she expects to see walls and a roof on the structure with final completion expected in the fall. Even though the new restaurant will occupy the same footprint as its predecessor, visitors will find a new layout. The entrance to the dining room will be on the north end and the drive-through window will occupy the space formerly held by the entrance. That will improve circulation in the parking lot. Burke said it’s been a struggle since the fire but she has been working hard to reopen.
CROW To Move Maze Location
The CROW Kids are back at it again. Their annual Twisted Haunted Maze is returning in October after a three year absence. CROW director Melanie Heard says this year it will be at a new, larger, location.
“We’re going to be located at the Florence Events Center this year, which I’m saying is more than double the space and quadruple the scares. Ha-ha-ha.
While it may be at a different location, Heard says it will reflect the “production values” that are typically found in any CROW production.
“We are keeping our amazing high quality professional experience if there’s some individuals or businesses out there that would like to contribute to our operating costs.”
Because it is also a fund raiser, Heard says sponsorship opportunities are available. Anyone interested can contact her directly at 541-999-8641. The haunted maze will be open on four dates in late October. The 27th, 28th, 30th, and 31st.
Lotus Building/Starbucks
From time to time a business will close leaving and empty shell. When work on these buildings begins to happen, questions arise. Bob Sneddon has looked in to some of work.
“Thanks George. A lot of people are asking about what’s going on in some of the several vacant commercial buildings in town. Probably the most-asked-about is the former Lotus Seafood Restaurant on the west end of Bay Street. Work on the roof has been going on for several months now and Wendy Farley-Campbell, the City’s Community Development Director says there have been no “change of use” or other development permits issued and says it is most likely the building owner doing work to maintain their investment. One other vacant building however will be getting a makeover inside and out. Farley Campbell says Starbucks is planning to open a full-service facility in the former Pizza Hut building on Highway 101 at 19th Street. I’m Bob Sneddon reporting with Coast Radio News.”
Crab Pots Endanger Whale Population
A conservation group is calling on Oregon to do more to protect whales from fishing gear. Ben Enticknap is the Pacific campaign manager and senior scientist with the organization Oceana. He says Dungeness crab pots off the coast of Oregon entangle whales. There were 333 confirmed whale entanglements off the west coast between 2012 and 2022, according to federal numbers. Enticknap notes many of these incidents are fatal.
“Sometimes the animals will continue to swim and feed while they’re wrapped in the pots for up to about six months before the entanglement ultimately becomes fatal. It’s a long and slow and sometimes agonizing way for these magnificent creatures to go.”
On August 4th, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider taking action to reduce entanglements. But Oceana says the proposed measures don’t go far enough. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife implemented the new measures on a trial basis in 2021 and 2022, but didn’t see a drop during that period.