SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015
Rhody
from 1A
Perhaps
Rhody
Fest’s
biggest draw is the annual
Grand Floral Parade that goes
down Highway 101, through
Bay Street and up Nopal Street
in Old Town. The rhododen-
dron parade is the second old-
est floral parade in Oregon.
“We typically get more than
80 entries into the parade. ... I
fully expect it to be really
packed this year,” Applebee
said. “People are getting their
second wind after the slow-
down in the economy and
we’re having a lot more fun.
It’s a fun theme this year.”
The chamber asked for com-
munity involvement in picking
the festival’s theme, “Rock ’n’
Rhody.” Then, local graphic
designer Susan Johnson won
the contest to create the logo
Fest
from 1A
someone like Amy Clawson as
our grand marshal,” stated
Chamber Board President and
Committee Chairman Brian
Castleman. “With Amy’s
musical background as a
cross-over artist, and our own
‘local girl made good,’ she’s a
great fit.”
Clawson, a native of
Arkansas, began her music
career as a teenager in
Nashville and has performed
or recorded with legends such
as Sawyer Brown, Exile and
David Frizzell. She met her
husband Darby in the industry,
found on commemorative pins
for sale around town.
Parade participants include
bands, equestrian units, classic
car clubs, military vehicle
clubs, the Siuslaw Valley Fire
and
Rescue
and
the
Rhododendron Court float,
which will feature this year’s
King of the Coast and Queen
Rhododendra as well as the rest
of the court.
Applebee hopes for more
parade entries by commercial
businesses and nonprofits this
year.
“I know we have one guy
that has already submitted a
pirate ship float. It’s a cool
float. There’s a lot of talk about
the float for the Rhododendron
Court. It’s going to (show) rock
‘n’ roll of some sort,” he said.
Floats do not have to be built
around the theme.
There will be judges around
the parade route to award win-
ners in several categories.
Florence mayor Joe Henry, the
Rhododendron Court and the
grand marshal also will bestow
awards.
“We’re really excited,”
Applebee said. “We like having
the engagement of the commu-
nity.”
The chamber is accepting
parade applications until May
8. Applications received after
Friday, April 17, will be
charged a $15 entry fee.
The chamber also is accept-
ing vendor applications until
May 1. Booths for the two-day
vendor fair start at $250 for a
10-by-10-foot space.
For more information about
Rhody Fest and to download
vendor and float applications,
go to www.florencechamber
.com/chamber/108th-rhododen
dron-festival.
and they moved back to his
hometown of Florence in the
mid-2000s.
“Florence is a very welcom-
ing community and has made
me feel like it’s my home-
town,” Clawson said with a
slight Arkansas accent. “I’ve
enjoyed the privilege of per-
forming a lot in Florence.”
In addition to her music
career, Clawson also stays
busy working with Chamber
Underwriter Three Rivers
Casino Resort as a spokesper-
son and booking talent for one
of the Casino’s entertainment
venues.
In 2009, she and her band
Coltrane signed on with Bi-
Mart to be the Artist
Ambassadors for their music
festivals, Willamette Country
Music Festival in Brownsville
and Cape Blanco Country
Music Festival on the south
coast. Clawson also finds time
to co-host a weekly country
music radio program, “In a
Nashville Minute,” with coun-
try legend Pam Tillis.
“Partnering with Pam is
dangerously fun,” she admit-
ted.
Clawson will lead the 108th
Grand Floral Parade on
Sunday, May 17, as it heads
down Highway 101, and will
make other appearances dur-
ing the Rhody festivities.
Port manager donates to art project
COURTESY PHOTO
Bob Forsythe (far right) presents a personal check for $5,000 to project steering committee
members (from left) Jennifer French of Backstreet Gallery; Kelli Weese, City
Recorder/Economic Development; Bettie Egerton, FRAA vice-president; Sharon Stiles, Lane
Community College; Ron Hildenbrand, FRAA Board member/Public Art committee chair-
man; and Harlen Springer, FRAA president.
The Public Art Steering
Committee recently announced
that Bob Forsythe, Port
Manager at the Port of Siuslaw,
has made a personal donation
of $5,000 toward the purchase
of the outdoor artwork that is
planned for the western end of
Port property.
This donation, in combina-
tion with a grant from the
Western Lane Community
Foundation, will provide the
funding for this piece, which
will depict a nautical theme.
A “call to artists” has been
sent out, and a selection will be
made by June 15. The plan is to
have the artwork in place this
fall.
The Public Art Steering
Committee, which is a sub-
committee of the Florence
Regional
Arts
Alliance
(FRAA), is currently working
with the Florence City Council
to form a permanent Public Art
Committee to place public art
in several locations around
Florence. This is consistent
with the City of Florence’s
work plan to improve the city’s
livability and quality of life.
L ET ’ S G ET H EALTHY , F LORENCE !
YOUR BETTER
HEALTH STARTS
APRIL 17-19!
AT THE
F LORENCE E VENTS C ENTER
Chief
from 1A
Reynolds and Henry pre-
sented Lamm with a photo-
graph taken by Councilor
Joshua Greene. Greene took
the photo from an airplane
flown by Sam Spayd, of Aero
Legends.
“It’s been a real unique
experience having you come
back to Florence and serve as
our police chief for the last year
and a half. ... We’ve been so
thankful for everything you’ve
done for our department,”
Reynolds said to Lamm.
“It’s really been an honor to
be back,” Lamm said. “The
success that we’ve had at the
police department this last year
has solely been due to the level
of people you have in the
police department there. They
do a great job and I stand
behind them 100 percent.”
Lt. John Pitcher said, “I just
PUD
from 1A
“Growth started to taper off a
bit with the economy, but now
we’re starting to see it pick back
up. We think it’s time to com-
plete the project,” Lovelin said.
“Anything that says fewer
outages always gets people
excited,” Chandler said.
While the mild coastal winter
meant fewer outages overall,
Florence is nearing the capacity
for the two CLPUD substations
servicing the area.
Right now, the Florence
Substation, located near Three
Rivers Casino and Resort, and
Heceta Beach Substation to the
north of Florence provide serv-
ice to the entire area. The third
substation will form a loop with
the other stations.
CLPUD estimates 9,000 peo-
ple will be positively impacted.
“If the power goes out, like if
a tree goes into a line ... the
relay systems will automatical-
ly isolate the line. All you’ll see
is a blink of the lights, and there
won’t be an outage at all. All the
customers served by all three
substations will stay ener-
gized,” Lovelin said.
“It will improve our reliabili-
ty,” Chandler added, referenc-
ing a “golden triangle” of busi-
nesses and residences that will
benefit from the substation.
“The only reason we exist is
for our customers. We don’t
have investors so it’s all about
the customers. When our cus-
tomers aren’t happy with us, we
feel that very keenly,” she said.
can’t tell you how much
you’ve meant to me and the
department. I really appreciate
you.”
Lamm will remain chief
until Turner or another replace-
ment begins.
Turner recently notified
Lane County officials that he
plans to take the Florence
police chief position.
“We expect to have a report
from the investigator by the
end of this week, April 10.
We’ll compile that, along with
the pieces of the contract nego-
tiation,” Reynolds said.
If Sheriff Turner joins the
Florence Police Department,
his position with the county
will need to be filled.
Lane County is accepting
applications for the position of
county sheriff.
“Sheriff Turner has provided
exceptional service to the resi-
dents of Lane County,” said
Lane County Administrator
Steve Mokrohisky. “As he pre-
pares to take this next step, we
are embarking on an open and
public process to appoint a
strong new leader to serve as
Lane County sheriff.”
On Tuesday, March 31, the
Board of Commissioners
directed county staff to begin
accepting applications for the
sheriff position.
The position closes on April
17 at 12 p.m.
Applicants who meet the
minimum qualifications under
state and county law will have
an opportunity to address the
Board of Commissioners at a
public meeting on April 22.
The Board of Commission-
ers will select a sheriff to serve
until the May 2016 election, at
which time the voters will elect
the sheriff.
For additional information
about the Lane County sheriff
position and to apply, go to
www.lanecounty.org.
Reliability for current cus-
tomers and expansion for new
customers were a big part of the
decision to begin the project
now, according to Lovelin.
Other benefits include upgrad-
ing and modernizing equipment
and enhancing efficiency.
At the same time, CLPUD
work crews from Florence,
Reedsport and South Beach
also are working on a new
transmission
line
along
Highway 101.
“We’re working on the north
part of town right now and we’ll
be working south. We’re put-
ting up new poles. Because of
that, there’s going to be work
zones. We’ll do it safely and try
to minimize the inconvenience
for the people driving through
the area,” Lovelin said.
Crews will work four 10-
hour shifts a week, Monday
through Thursday, installing 55
utility poles. They are projected
to finish this fall.
A third project is the planned
upgrade to the Heceta Beach
Substation in 2016.
Although the crews work
along the highway, Chandler
said that they will not be work-
ing Thursday, May 14, during
Rhody Days.
“They won’t impede traffic
as we know people are coming
in droves,” she said.
In fact, CLPUD has several
entries into the Rhody Parade
this year.
“We’re going to be having an
electric car in our entries, along
with our bucket truck and our
Tootsie Roll people. We’ve got-
ten a couple of Teslas to come
down. They’re gorgeous,” she
added.
CLPUD coordinated closely
with Florence and other utilities
to work on the public rights of
way.
Besides benefiting the city,
the Port of Siuslaw will benefit
as well.
“They are hopeful that it will
support their economic devel-
opments,” Chandler said.
Central Lincoln PUD can be
reached in Florence at 966
Highway 101, by calling 541-
997-3414 and by going to
clpud.org.
MEET AND TALK WITH EXPERTS!
LOTS OF FREE INFORMATION!
• Women’s health • Men’s health
• Senior health • Kid’s health
• Pet health
Friday, April 17, Noon-5 p.m.
DOZENS OF FUN EXHIBITS—FRIDAY ONLY!
Get answers from more than 30 exhibitors
offering valuable information on health-
related services, products, and trends for
women, men, seniors, kids…even pets! Lots
of door prizes too! Free heart-healthy lunch
provided by the Bridgewater Restaurant
to fi rst 100. Free CPR/AED training
course for fi rst 20 who sign up by e-mail:
fl orenceorhealthfair@gmail.com.
Saturday, April 18, 1-6 p.m.
LOTS OF FREE SEMINARS—SATURDAY
ONLY!
MEET THE EXPERTS!
Free heart-healthy lunch provided by the
Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church
for the fi rst 100. Then choose from a wide
variety of insightful 30-minute seminars
beginning at 2:00 with relevant, easy-to-use
tips for a healthy new you! Refreshments by
Nature’s Corner and Fresh Harvest Bakery.
Sunday, April 19, 9 a.m.
5K (3.1 mi.) FAMILY FUN RUN/WALK
On-site registration begins at 7:30 a.m.
Entry forms also at Coastal Fitness.
Pre-registration required to receive
commemorative t-shirt. $20 adults, $15
kids under 18. E-mail fl orenceorhealthfair@
gmail.com. Portion of registration fee
supports the Friends of Florence Cancer
Van!
FREE HEART-HEALTHY LUNCH
FRI. noon & SAT. 1:00 pm
TO FIRST 100 PEOPLE!
Friday Exhibitors:
Korando Dental Group
Dynamic Hearing Solutions
Osburn Veterinary Clinic
Florence Chapter Oregon
Right to Life
SAPPSA
90by30
Studio Florence
Pro-Fit Clinic
New Horizons In-Home Care
Us Too Florence
Elderberry Square
Shorewood Retirement
Residences
McKenzie Willamette
Medical Center
CERT
Whiskey Creek Organics
Dreamscape Massage, LLC
Coastal Fitness
TOPS Take Off Pounds
Sensibly
Waves Spa
Best For Hearing
Peace Harbor Medical Center
Peace Harbor Home Health &
Hospice
Lane Blood Center
Sonshine Christian School
Florence Seventh-day
Adventist Church
Fred Meyer
Saturday Seminars
Dr. Charles W. Korando, DDS,
“Dental Hygiene and
Pregnancy”
Joan Taber, Dietician,
“Gluten Intolerance &
Celiac Disease”
Lucas Stang, PA-C “Infectious
Disease”
Dr. Gina Wilson, OB/GYN
“Water for Life”
Frank Nulty, CERT
Coordinator
“Emergency Food Secrets
for Your Survival Kit”
Karen Hazelwood, Certifi ed
Holistic Nutritionist
“Nutrition for Health and
Wellness”
Jim Archer, Running
Enthusiast
“Running, A Lifetime
Practice”
Emmanuel Beaulieu, B.S.,
BC-HIS
“Coping With Hearing
Loss”
April Dumus,
“Choosing Healthy Living
by Refusing Addictive
Substances”
Amy Tanikawa,
“Reducing Child Abuse”
The 5 th Annual Community Health Fair is presented by the
Florence Seventh-day Adventist Church
and underwritten by The Korando Dental Group.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
8 A