Wright Wants to See 110 Revised
Oregon State Representative of District 9, Boomer Wright says the upcoming short session in the Oregon House will be focused on fixing the bill that legalized small amounts of illegal substances and according to Wright saw a rise in homelessness and addiction.
“Right now, Oregon, percentage wise has more homeless people with drug addiction than any state in the union.”
Wright says the overall philosophy in the congress is that they want to help people through compassion and protection that are experiencing problems with drugs, but that the way in which that happens needs to be looked at further.
“We’ve got to combine compassion, yes, and support, yes, with the concept of getting them clean.”
Wright says he would like to see correctional facilities with a behavioral wing and a substance abuse wing for offenders that are serving a drug sentence. The Legislature meets next in February and he says that HB 110 will be a major focus for both parties.
Water Line Construction
Completion of a major water line upgrade along Heceta Beach Road is still at least two months away. The project got underway in July of last year and since that time crews have replaced lines on 2nd and 4th Avenue in the Heceta Beach Area, along with the utility’s main line along Heceta Beach Road between Rhododendron Drive and Highway 101. Heceta Water P.U.D. General Manager Carl Neville says the final link will be to connect to the main water plant on Highway 101, just north of Heceta Junction. The upgrade, according to Neville, is due to two different factors. One is to accommodate future growth and development on the northern edge of Florence; the others is because the line on Heceta Beach Road was nearing the end of its expected life. Over the next several work days the delay of traffic is expected to encroach on Highway 101 as cars are backing up on Heceta Beach Road close to the intersection. Flaggers will continue to control traffic over the next several weeks as they work on completion.
Story-telling Time
A story-telling event coming up next month aims to bring people together that might otherwise be divided by a difference in philosophy. It’s called “Florence Story Bridge: Home”. It will take place Thursday, February 22nd at the Laughing Crab Gallery and Tasting Room in Old Town Florence, says Reverend Dr. Jennifer Yocum.
“We think that it’s imperative to find ways for people who might have different points of view to see each other as fellow human beings, as neighbors, as community members, despite whatever think divide us.”
Dr. Yocum says the intention is to tell a story, up to five minutes long, without using notes.
“Could be about finding home, losing home, building a home. Anything around that topic area.”
Yocum, who wrote her doctoral dissertation on storytelling says there is something special that happens when “we give people to tell their own stories.”
Sneaker Waves
The threat of sneaker waves along the coastline will be back this weekend. Beginning tomorrow morning at 4 am the threat of dangerous waves will be in effect and last until Sunday at 4pm. visitors to the beach are asked to respect the shoreline and stay away from water. Sneaker waves can come on swiftly and carry large pieces of debris. There have been two reported cases of injuries locally due to a sneaker wave. The latest involved a man that was knocked down and had to be taken to the hospital. He has since been released.
