Bill Dies…for Now A bill that would have given Oregon cities more flexibility with local lodging tax revenue has died in the Legislature. House Bill 3962 passed the House earlier this month but stalled in the Senate Finance and Revenue Committee before the session adjourned on June 27th. The measure […]

Florence Police Enact Two Warrants On June 25th, two separate search warrants were executed in Florence—one in the Skookum Drive area and another at the Wayside Mobile Home Park. Florence Police and the Oregon Department of Justice collaborated, each taking the lead on one of the operations. According to authorities, […]

Operation Dry Water The Oregon State Marine Board, State Police, and Sheriff’s Offices statewide will participate in Operation Dry Water, July 4th through 6th. The national campaign targets boating under the influence of intoxicants—whether alcohol, marijuana, prescription meds, or other substances that impair safe operation. Environmental stressors like sun, wind, […]

WLCF Grants Western Lane Community Foundation has awarded $97,750 in scholarships to 24 graduating seniors from Siuslaw and Mapleton High Schools. Among this year’s recipients: Kamorah Lake received the $5,000-per-year Dr. Brittany Hartzell-Baguley Scholarship; Addison and Macy McNeill each earned $4,000-per-year Harold Nusbaum Scholarships; and Macali Lade was awarded both […]

Life Flights to Continue In Mapleton The Mapleton School Board has formally reaffirmed support for Life Flight helicopter use on school grounds following complaints from local residents Martin and Sarah Millard. The couple raised objections to the noise from air transports after an incident in October 2024 and again in […]

Recycling Changes Curbside recycling in Oregon will be going through a big change next week.  Britte Kirsche is the chair of Florence’s Environmental Management Advisory Committee known as E-MAC.  She says the Recycling Modernization Act has been in the works for several years.  “Passed in 2021 and it’s coming into […]

Wildfire: Mapleton A wildfire that sparked around 1:42 p.m. Wednesday at the junction of Highways 126 and 36 near Mapleton prompted swift evacuations and an extensive firefighting response. The Rice Road Fire burned on private land and quickly grew to an estimated 8 acres by early evening. Firefighters from West […]

Bill Passes to Law For Medical Debt Relief A bill prohibiting credit reporting on Oregonians’ medical debt has been signed into law by Governor Tina Kotek. Hailed as a significant victory for consumer rights advocates, the bill (SB 605) also removes existing medical debt from credit reports, including debt from […]