Airport to Close For Paving Work; Mayoral Search Goes Beyond Current Council; New Services; Money For Lahaina Refugees

Airport to Close For Paving Work

Maintenance requirements will cause the closing of the Florence Municipal airport for a week beginning Monday August 21st.  from 7 am Monday through the following Monday, August 28th at 7am the airport runway, taxiway and apron will be receiving repairs in the form of crack sealing followed by a chip seal coating that takes three days to cure before planes can resume traffic. Large X’s will be placed at both ends of the runway to indicate to pilots that may have not gotten notice of the closure and lights will be turned off during the process.  The project will cost just over a million dollars and the city’s portion after an FAA allotment and a COAR grant from the Oregon Department of Aviation will be $10,244.00.

Mayoral Search Goes Beyond Current Council

The search for a new mayor in Dunes City has been expanded.  Originally limited to current city councilors, The Dunes City Council opted this week to open applications for the position to any qualified elector in the city.  That’s any registered Dunes City voter who has lived there for at least the last 12 months. Applications, available at Dunes City Hall, must be submitted; along with a resume; no later than September 15th.  All applications will be reviewed by an Ad Hoc committee before being referred to the city council which could make a selection as early as their September 19th meeting.

New Services

Adults with developmental or intellectual disabilities who live in the Florence area have traditionally been left out of most training or services that might help them to eventually live on their own.

“There hasn’t been any kind of program that can help folks with disabilities access their communities; be a part of their communities; learn life skills.  They are very very much still isolated.”

Rosa Marchand is with Allies By the Sea, a group that is bringing some of those types of training programs to Florence.  As younger, school age, students age and turn 18 it’s even more important to provide the training and socialization that comes from Allies she says.  Most of the classes are paid for by government programs, but there are some that come with a very small cost.

“Such as like our cooking class.  That would just be ten dollars a month from each individual so that they can then learn how to cook.”

A “meet and greet” ice cream social to introduce people who need these services is being offered this Monday from 11 to 2 at the Cleawox picnic shelter at Honeyman Park.

Money For Lahaina Refugees

Cross Road Assembly pastor Dale Edwards says a fund to directly help the people of Lahaina, Maui has been set up.  Edwards says a former staff member is working at Kings Cathedral in Kahului outside of the destruction zone and is providing shelter and services to those displaced by the fire that ripped through the popular resort town.  Edwards says there is no administration cost to be taken out of the monies donated and all the funds will go directly to relief supplies for the citizens.  You can donate by writing a check to Cross Road Assembly and dropping it off or mailing it to p.o. box 3347 Florence 97439.  Be sure to include the word Lahaina in the memo line.