Council Meeting
The Florence City Council will continue its public hearing March 2 on proposed amendments to the city’s Flood Damage Prevention code under Ordinance No. 9. The changes would update Title 4, Chapter 4 to comply with FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program and pre-implementation compliance measures tied to the Endangered Species Act. The amendments are intended to ensure “no net loss” of key floodplain functions, meaning no net increase in fill, no net increase in impervious surfaces, and no net loss of trees within special flood hazard areas. Councilors face several options: adopt the ordinance, continue the hearing to a future date, or postpone action. City staff note that adopting the code would ensure FEMA compliance, but additional revisions may be required depending on the outcome of ongoing federal environmental review and related litigation.
Hoyle Ask PeaceHealth to Reconsider Decision
Congresswoman Val Hoyle is calling on PeaceHealth to reconsider its decision to transition emergency department physician management at Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend from Eugene Emergency Physicians to ApolloMD. In a letter to hospital leadership, Hoyle raised concerns about continuity of care at the region’s only Level II Trauma Center and urged a delay to allow for greater transparency and community dialogue. PeaceHealth has said the change follows a comprehensive review process and is intended to strengthen patient access, throughput and quality amid rising emergency department volumes. The hospital system has stated that emergency care will continue uninterrupted during the transition.
Land Community College and Labor Union Reach Agreement
Lane Community College and the Lane Community College Education Association have reached a tentative four-year contract agreement following months of negotiations. The deal includes annual cost of living increases ranging from 3.0 to 3.1 percent, a longevity step increase for top-scale faculty, annual parity raises for part-time instructors, and updated language on workload, privacy and anti-discrimination policies. If ratified by union members and approved by the LCC Board of Education, the agreement would apply college-wide, including satellite campuses such as the Florence Center, providing contract stability and consistent faculty compensation across the entire LCC network.
