Crash Claims Life of Florence Man
An accident on Highway 126 yesterday afternoon claimed the life of a well-known Florence man. Details on the crash have not yet been released by the Oregon State Police, but at about 4:40 PM, a red Ferrari driven by Victor Cianci left the roadway near milepost 8. A witness nearby reported hearing the vehicle quickly shifting through gears, though it is unclear if speed was a factor. Cianci, who had recently purchased the Ferrari 296, was a prominent figure in the Florence community. He made his fortune in the 1990s and early 2000s by owning and operating a successful chain of Blockbuster Video stores. In addition to his business success, Cianci was an active member of the local Elks Lodge and well-regarded for his community involvement. Cianci’s son, Vittorio, posted a heartfelt message on his father’s Facebook page, sharing the profound impact his father had on his life. This tragedy comes less than a year after the passing of Cianci’s wife, Susan, in June 2024. Highway 126 was impacted for several hours as authorities responded to the accident.
Gas Prices
Gas prices are ticking up in the early days of 2025, driven by a rally in crude oil prices. In Florence, the average price for regular gas is $3.07 a gallon, while the Oregon average stands at $3.47, up just a penny from last week. Nationally, prices are up three cents to $3.07. Marie Dodds of AAA Oregon says crude oil prices have hit a three-month high due to severe winter weather and optimism about China’s economy. She warns pump prices may rise intermittently before seasonal increases later in the year. For now, drivers in Florence are enjoying prices near seasonal lows.
Record Rains?
Looking back on 2024 it was definitely a very wet year in Florence. 93.6 inches of rain were recorded which was well over the 69.3 inches on average since the City of Florence began keeping records in 1957. But believe it or not, there have been four other years when we’ve had more. 1968 was the wettest year on record with 98.1 inches of rain, followed by 2012 with 97.6, 1996 with 96.9 and 1998 with 96.4 inches. Florence was above average in the rainfall department 9 out of 12 months in the year that just ended. December was one of the three “below average” months, but just barely, slipping just one tenth of an inch below the 11.9 average. We did start the year off very wet with nearly 21 inches of rain in January, but that still ranked as the third most rain in that month, but just barely, falling behind 2006 and 1965 by a couple tenths of an inch. Even with all the rain in 2024, we’ve only seen above average rainfall in eight of the years out of the past 25. Since the city has been keeping records, 2013 saw the least amount of rainfall recorded here with 43.5 inches, nearly 26 inches below the average.
Commissioners Select Leadership
The Lane County Board of Commissioners began its first regular meeting of 2025 by appointing Commissioner David Loveall as chair and Commissioner Ryan Ceniga as vice chair. Chair Loveall, representing District 2, emphasized his goal of fostering consensus among the board through open communication and collaboration. Vice Chair Ceniga, representing District 1, expressed pride in serving and highlighted his dedication to local politics and community responsibility. Outgoing Chair Laurie Trieger was honored for her leadership in 2024 with a ceremonial gavel from fellow commissioners. The chair and vice chair oversee meetings and set agendas for the year ahead.
