Volunteers Needed
Volunteers plant seeds of kindness and that’s the theme on April 17th for the Florence Area Community Coalition’s annual volunteer recognition celebration. Monica Kosman says it’s something the F-A-C-C has done for several years.
“There are just hundreds of volunteers here in Florence. And we decided it would be great to have a volunteer celebration to honor all of the volunteers.”
It’s set for next Wednesday, April 17th, from one to three at the Florence Events Center. Florence Mayor Rob Ward is scheduled to speak.
“Is our keynote speaker and we have a special guest speaker this year; Miss Oregon Teen Volunteer, Haley Cole.”
Tables of eight must be pre-registered. Kosman says they’re just $75 and individual tickets are just $10.
“They can send a check to us at FACC, PO Box 1161, Florence.”
In addition to the speakers, a light lunch is also served.
PeaceHealth Oregon Network Chooses Leader
PeaceHealth Oregon Network has a new leader at the helm. Dr. Kim Ruscher had been serving as interim CMO after Jim McGovern was appointed chief hospital executive in February. In her new role, Dr. Ruscher will be accountable for quality, patient safety, medical staff and utilization management for acute care settings in the Oregon network. Dr. Ruscher will cover limited call and care for her existing patients with PeaceHealth Medical Group Pediatric Surgery. The group is now recruiting for an additional full-time surgeon. Dr. Ruscher joined PeaceHealth in 2013 as a pediatric surgeon.
SCOTUS To Hear Homeless Case
A case out of Oregon soon to be heard by the U-S Supreme Court could have a major impact on how cities treat homelessness. Oral arguments for ‘Johnson versus Grants Pass’ are scheduled for April 22nd. It concerns an ordinance in the City of Grants Pass that banned people from sleeping in public, including a prohibition on the use of blankets and pillows. Loren Naldoza is with Oregon Food Bank, which filed an amicus brief with 15 other organizations in the state in support of the plaintiffs. He says homelessness isn’t a lifestyle choice.
“It’s an involuntary state of being because there have been systems or crises – like our housing crisis, our cost of living crisis or personal crises – that are impacting people across the state, that converge together and make it harder for people to stay stably housed.”
The 9th District Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs that the Grants Pass law violates the Eighth Amendment against cruel and unusual punishment. Supporters of the Grants Pass law say cities should be allowed to decide their own policies rather than the federal government.
