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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 1, 2015)
THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM ❘ / SIUSLAWNEWS ❘ @ THESIUSLAWNEWS SATURDAY EDITION Surfing the sand ❘ AUGUST 1, 2015 ❘ $1.00 ‘WIGGLY’ DOG ADOPTION SPORTS — B INSIDE — A3 SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890 FLORENCE, OREGON Officials issue emergency order to limit fire-prone activities along coast S TAFF R EPORT Siuslaw News With record-breaking temperatures scorching the state this week, Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue and Oregon Department of Forestry have issued restrictions for all fire-prone activities in the Florence and Dunes City areas. “Due to the current fire weather forecasts, and to bring the entire dis- trict into the same precaution level, I am issuing the following emergency order,” Fire Chief Jim Langborg said Thursday. “I hereby order the follow- ing restrictions for all lands protected by Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue, including the City of Florence and Dunes City.” Progress in ‘motion’ Effective immediately until further notice: • No open flames are allowed out- doors, including campfires, warming fires, cooking fires or ceremonial fires. Fires are only allowed at pub- lic-owned campgrounds with devel- oped fire pits. Gas powered barbe- ques are allowed, but are restricted to use on hard, nonflammable surfaces such as patios, driveways or green irrigated lawns. • No power equipment, such as mowers, chainsaws, stump grinders, etc., may be operated on or near dry grass, brush or trees at anytime. Mowing of green, irrigated lawns is allowed before 1 p.m. and after 8 p.m. • No smoking outside of buildings or vehicles in any area with dry grass, brush or trees. • No operation of welding or metal-cutting equipment outdoors in areas with dry grass, brush or trees. • All logging operations, includ- ing power saws, cable yarders, trac- tor/skidder, feller-buncher, forwarder or shovel logging operations, are pro- hibited. • All construction operations involving dozers or graders are restricted to streets or roads, devel- oped building sites or other areas of nonflammable surfaces. • Lot clearing is allowed with fire- fighting capabilities on site. This includes 200 gallons of water with pump and hose. One hour of fire watch is required. See HEAT 9A ULTIMATE ROAD TRIP Florence council checks in on 2015 city goals B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Siuslaw News F INSIDE lorence City Manager Erin Reynolds presented a mid-year update on Florence City Council’s 2015 City Goals at the council meeting on July 20. She evaluated each of the city’s seven goals in light of recent additions to city staff, new committees, physical plant maintenance and the beginning of two Rhododendron Drive improvement projects. In light of Florence’s mission — to meet community expectations for municipal servic- es, provide a vision for civic improvements, maintain a quality environment and to posi- tion Florence to have an economically viable and sustainable future — the five city coun- cilors chose seven main goals at the start of their terms. According to Reynolds, a management team “polished the initial goals.” “We’re reiterating that we are sustaining and improving seven areas that already make Florence ‘Oregon’s Premier Coastal Community,’” Reynolds said. The seven goals deal with such issues as city service delivery, economic development, livability and quality of life, financial sustain- ability, organization and operations, trust and communication and public safety. “The Economic Development goal required a twist (in our phrasing), emphasizing that we must first create a strategy and then sustain and improve that effort once created,” said Reynolds. So far this year, the city council appointed a new city manager and a chief for the Florence Police Department; new committees were formed to address economic development and public arts; the city and other agencies have strengthened intergovernmental relations; numerous volunteer opportunities donated many hours of work; city staff and the council finalized a 2015-16 budget; and created an online social media presence on Twitter and Facebook. Reynolds added that city staff, elected offi- cials, volunteers and the community achieved the goals by having a strong mission state- ment and direction. “I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge your hard work as public servants and elected officials who are unpaid,” Reynolds said to the councilors. “The mayor and council have provided us with their vision and direction. Along with community support, we are together able to put our ‘city in motion.’” Moving forward, Reynolds is positive about maintaining this motion. “We are excited to work with our commu- nity in sustaining and improving city opera- tions on all fronts,” she said. Ambulance . . . . . . . . . . . . . Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 B7 A2 A4 JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS J oe and Betty Swann from York, Pa., arrived in Florence on Monday in their rebuilt 1912 E-M-F touring car. At 5,011 miles traveled, Florence is the midway stop on a 10,000-mile odyssey that will circumnavigate the United States. The Swanns left York on May 30. To date, they have traveled through Pennsylvania; New York; Ontario, Canada; Michigan; Wisconsin; North Dakota; Montana; Washington; Vancouver Island, B.C.; Juno, Alaska (by ferry); and Oregon. They plan to arrive back in York in October. While in Florence, they stayed at the home of Rudy and Ursula Dittl. Blue-green algae concerns addressed at meeting Tim Otten, a microbiology researcher at Oregon State University, discusses the rise in toxic algae blooms around the state to a full house at Woahink Lake meeting hall. Increase in toxic algae blooms threaten water, people, marine life B Y J ACK D AVIS Siuslaw News More than 40 concerned residents braved the heat Wednesday evening to hear a presentation by Tim Otten of Oregon State University on the risk assessment of toxic blue-green algae (microcystis) blooms. The presentation, spon- sored by the Siuslaw Watershed Council, was held at the Woahink Lake community yurt. Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 SideShow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B Word on the Street . . . . . . . A9 Otten, a microbiology researcher who has been studying toxic blue-green algae blooms for several years, told the group that outbreaks were happening more frequently and often with more intensity now than in previous years. “There are three factors that promote algae growth,” Otten said. “First, there is too much nitrogen and phosphorus.” According to Otten, nitrogen and phosphorus THIS WEEK ’ S JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS increase track population growth. More people require more food, which requires more fertilizer that is prima- TODAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 72 57 70 56 72 57 70 57 WEATHER Full Forecast, A3 rily made up from nitrogen and phosphorus. He explained that adding nitrogen or phosphorus to an algae bloom sample will S IUSLAW N EWS 125 TH Y EAR ❘ I SSUE N O . 61 C OPYRIGHT 2015 increase the growth. Adding both will cause the greatest amount of growth. See ALGAE 9A CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK FIRE USE RESTRICTED DURING HEAT WAVE