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SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
Ready
for
RAIN?
FLORENCE, OREGON
CRIME
G REAT P UMPKIN G IVEAWAY
Rise in car
break-ins
reported
Network targets
entrepreneurs
in Florence area
Police remind motorists
to lock their doors
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
Florence residents and visitors are being
encouraged to take a proactive approach in
protecting their valuables after a recent
spate of car break-ins.
According to Florence Police logs,
thefts from vehicles began occurring in
groups last week, starting with three sepa-
rate incidents on Oct. 14.
Seven counts of vehicle-related theft
happened Oct. 20, with two more reports
of unlawful entry into vehicles. Most were
reported between 5 and 9:30 a.m. in the
Rhododendron Drive area.
Florence Police Department reminds
motorists to always lock their doors.
“We always want people to be aware of
their surroundings,” said Lt. John Pitcher.
“Park in well-lit areas and don’t leave
packages or valuables in plain sight in
your vehicle.”
The City of Florence,
Lane Community College
Florence Campus and the
local Chamber of Commerce
have started working with
Oregon Regional Accelerator
and Innovation Network
(RAIN) to add a new ele-
ment to economic develop-
ment in the area.
The next public meeting
with RAIN will be a “Call of
Interest” on Wednesday, Oct.
28, from 5 to 7 p.m. at City
Lights Cinemas. This event,
which requires preregistra-
tion, will reach out to not
only entrepreneurs, but also
to an under-utilized resource
in Florence: mentors.
“This is the piece that
focuses on our innovators,”
said Florence City Manager
Erin Reynolds at the Oct. 19
city council meeting. “It’s
just one aspect of our eco-
nomic development initiative
to help bring together the
network and the ecosystem
that will help stimulate inno-
vative thinking.”
RAIN coordinates with
traded sector companies to
connect mentors and investors
with new ideas in technology,
the sciences, mobile device
applications, fabrication and
other industries.
“We want to wrap
resources and services
around you,” said Caroline
Cummings at the first RAIN
meetup at Homegrown
Public House on Oct. 14.
Cummings is the venture
catalyst for RAIN in the
Lincoln, Lane, Benton and
Linn county areas. Its first
Florence meeting was
attended by 17 residents
seeking more information.
“We help entrepreneurs
who are building traded sec-
tor companies. That is,
someone who creates a busi-
ness and the majority of the
revenue comes from out of
the area into the area,”
Cummings said.
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POLICE 11A
Odor closes
hospital clinic
Primary Care services
relocated temporarily
PHOTOS BY CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS
M
ore than 3,000
pounds of pumpkins
were handed out to
local youth Thursday
during KCST Coast Radio’s
annual Original Great Pumpkin
Giveaway. Families from the area
received a pumpkin per youth
aged 17 and under, a bag of
candy and hot dogs. Volunteers
from Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Rescue and Florence-Siuslaw
Lions Club helped with the
event held in the parking lot of
The Saw Shop on Sixth Street.
Local chainsaw artist Ryan
Anderson carved pumpkins
for a giveaway. One of his
pumpkins will be on display
at Florence True Value. More
photos are on page 7A.
RAIN 11A
S TAFF R EPORT
An unidentified odor has temporarily
closed one of the clinic facilities this week
at PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical
Center in Florence.
According to staff, the 390 Primary
Care clinic was evacuated Oct. 21 due to
reports of an odor from an unknown
source. Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue
responded to perform air quality tests but
could not identify any present threat.
The fire department also was unable to
locate the source of the odor.
“We are engaging with experts to con-
duct further testing to help identify the
source and resolve the issue,” said Rick
Yecny, chief administration officer of
Peace Harbor Medical Center.
Until the source of the odor is identified
and the issue resolved, the Primary Care
clinic will remain closed, he said. Services
have been temporarily relocated to the 380
Primary Care clinic.
“We apologize for any inconvenience
this may have caused our patients,” Yecny
said.
High school seniors urged to apply for new Oregon Promise grant
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
INSIDE
Starting Nov. 1, all high school
seniors who plan to attend an in-state
community college and who meet the
grant requirements may apply for the
new Oregon Promise grant.
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According to Lane Community
College Florence Center (LCC)
Interim Director Russ Pierson, the
one-time grant may be used to cover
the cost of tuition, fees, room, board,
transportation or books.
This is a one-time grant that is only
available to high school seniors who
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have not yet attended college.
“The Oregon Promise grant pro-
gram was passed during the last leg-
islative session,” Pierson said. “It was
signed into law in July. The legisla-
ture was trying to find a way to make
up the gap in college financing, par-
ticularly community college financing
THIS WEEK ’ S
by providing $1,000 grants to eligible
students. One thousand dollars is the
minimum. It can be more.”
To qualify, seniors must graduate
from an Oregon high school or com-
plete a GED by summer of 2016 with
a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA;
have been an Oregon resident for at
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least 12 months prior to enrolling in
community college; enroll in an
Oregon community college within six
months of graduation; and be enrolled
in at least six or more credit hours in
an eligible program.
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