Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive
The U.S. Postal Service and the National Association of Letter Carriers are once again asking Florence residents to help “Stamp Out Hunger” tomorrow during the nation’s largest single-day food drive. Residents should have received a blue donation bag in their mailbox this week. People are encouraged to fill the bag with non-perishable food items such as canned goods, pasta, rice, cereal, and peanut butter, then leave it by their mailbox before regular mail delivery on Saturday. Local donations collected in the Florence area will benefit Florence Food Share and Mapleton Food Share. The annual drive, held every second Saturday in May, has collected more than 1.9 billion pounds of food nationwide since it began in 1993.
Debris Collection
If you’ve been sprucing up your property this month, the City of Florence is reminding residents that the monthly yard debris collection is happening a week earlier than usual because of the Rhododendron Festival. Tomorrow, residents can bring yard debris to the collection site at the north end of the Florence Municipal Airport near Kingwood and 27th Street from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Accepted materials include leaves, weeds, brush, grass clippings, prunings, and small tree clippings. The city says no stumps, large limbs, household garbage, construction debris, plastics, animal waste, rocks, dirt, or hazardous materials will be accepted. Fees begin at $18 for a truck bed load.
Humane Society Joins With OSU Veterinary School
The Oregon Coast Humane Society is helping train the next generation of veterinarians. OCHS is hosting fourth‑year veterinary students from Oregon State University’s Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine for required clinical internships, known as preceptorships. Students gain hands‑on experience in wellness exams, spay and neuter surgeries, dental work, and emergency care at the OCHS Veterinary Clinic. Executive Director Elizabeth Thompson said the clinic’s hybrid model, serving both shelter animals and community pets, offers students a rare learning environment. OCHS has additional students scheduled through April 2027. Community members can support the program by volunteering or donating meals for visiting students.
Whitmore Academy Announces Teacher Lineup
In honor of Teacher Appreciation Week, Whitmore Classical Academy has announced its founding group of teachers for the school’s Fall 2026 opening, serving grades K through 3. Whitmore Classical Academy is a public, tuition‑free charter school open to all students. The school’s mission focuses on developing students in mind and character through a classical education emphasizing virtuous living, traditional learning, and civic responsibility. Instructional Principal Dr. McKinsey said the educators bring strong skills, a love for students, and a commitment to literacy and the classical education model. The founding staff includes teachers for kindergarten through 3rd grade, along with special education services.
