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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 12, 2016)
4 B SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2016 C AMPING RESERVATIONS FOR TOTAL ECLIPSE WILL OPEN Beginning Thursday, Nov. 17, state park campers can make reservations for camp- sites, yurts and cabins to enjoy the Aug. 21, 2017 total solar eclipse. The normal advance camp- site reservation window opens nine months before the first night of a visitor’s stay, but a temporary change to the reser- vation system will affect peo- ple who want to make a 14- night reservation, the maxi- mum allowed in Oregon’s State Park system. The state park system accepts reservations nine months in advance, but it would normally be possible to get a reservation for Aug. 21 by booking the maximum 14-night stay on Nov. 17, 2016. Given the expected high demand for sites around the eclipse, and to prevent over- booking that could interfere with other visitors’ summer vacation plans, state parks along and near the eclipse path will not accept reservations for Aug. 17-21, until Nov. 17. This is 10 days after OPRD’s standard rolling nine-month reservation window would nor- mally allow a camper to make a long reservation. On Nov. 17, the normal rolling nine-month window will resume for all sites that accept reservations at parks along and near the eclipse path. “We made this change to accommodate all visitors, both those planning for the eclipse and those who are planning an unrelated camping trip,” said Chris Havel, OPRD spokesper- son. “We encourage eclipse campers to extend their stay with us for a day or more before and after the eclipse to reduce the congestion on the roads.” The Nov. 17 reservation opening date applies to the fol- lowing campgrounds inside the path of totality: Devil’s Lake, Beverly Beach, South Beach, Silver Falls, Detroit Lake, The Cove Palisades and Farewell Bend. Campgrounds that are up to 30 miles outside the path of totality are also affected by the temporary change to reserva- tion rules, including Washburne (yurts only) and Honeyman. OPRD is making plans to temporarily convert first-come, first-served state park camp- grounds to reservation-only for the eclipse, so additional camp- sites will be made available at a later date. “We are also working on ways to open more state park areas to camping for the event,” Havel said. “We want to make sure people can make solid plans well in advance to avoid congestion.” Customers can make reser- vations for any stay that N OV . 17 includes Aug. 17-21 beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Nov. 17 at ore- gonstateparks.org, and 8 a.m. by phone at 1-800-452-5687. Campgrounds run by the US Forest Service will start taking reservations six months in advance, in February 2017. The eclipse will begin at 9 a.m. and end at 11:30 a.m. on Aug. 21, 2017. The 60-mile wide path of totality — when the moon completely blocks the sun — will last for about two minutes starting at 10:15 a.m. on the coast between Newport and Lincoln City. For more information about the eclipse, visit www.Oregon StateParks2017Eclipse. ‘Whale Watching Spoken Here’ program seeks volunteers for Dec. The Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) is seeking whale- lovers to participate in its annu- al Whale Watching Spoken Here program. The program places trained volunteers at 24 whale-watch- ing sites along the Oregon coast during winter and spring watch weeks, when approxi- mately 20,000 gray whales migrate on their way to and from feeding areas off the Alaska coast and birthing areas near Baja, Mexico. Volunteers who complete the one-day training may select a whale-watching site where they will be stationed to assist visi- tors in spotting gray whales and maintain a count of whales spotted. The dates for upcoming whale watching weeks are Dec. 27 through 31, and March 25 Winter sports registration end Monday at SMS, SHS Winter sports registration is due Monday, Nov. 14. Participation fees for high school sports are $100 and the Ian Foster Scholarship pays for $75 of that fee. Participation fees for middle school sports are $75 and the Ian Foster Scholarship pays for $40 of that fee. School offices and coaches have these forms available, or download one online at www.siuslaw athletic boosterclub.com. The Ian Foster Fund was established shortly after the death of Ian Foster in the sum- mer of 2005. With the help and support of the Foster family, a plan was developed to set aside donated monies to be used for students who might have difficulty paying the total cost of athletic participation fees. For more information, con- tact the Siuslaw Athletic Booster Club via email at sabc _1972@hotmail.com. through 31, 2017. New this year, volunteers can register for the training online at www.whalespoken. wordpress.com, as well as select a watch site. The training is required for new volunteers. Returning vol- unteers are encouraged to repeat the course every few years to learn the latest gray whale research results. The first of three sessions is set for Saturday, Dec. 3, at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. The training will be deliv- ered by Dr. Bruce Mate, an expert on whales and director of the Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute. Additional volunteer training is scheduled for Jan. 14, 2017, at the Oregon Institute of Marine Biology in Charleston, and also Feb. 11, 2017, at the Warrenton Community Center in Warrenton. Whale Watching Spoken Here has been around since 1978 and is one of the most organized onshore whale- watching programs in the United States. For more information, call 541-765-3304. Do your part and volunteer today to help support these local non-proft organizations in our community! Volunteer•Get involved•Donate Florence Food Share Ask us about volunteer opportunities. 2190 Spruce Street • P.O.Box 2514 Florence, Oregon 97439 (541) 997-9110 info@fl orencefoodshare.org Food Backpack for Kids Let Paul show you a new car or truck. Stop by today! Together, No Child Will Go Hungry Help us feed the hungry children in our community with your tax- deduction donation. Your help is needed & greatly appreciated. Mail donations to: PO Box 3347 Florence, OR 97439. Call 541-997-2497 for more information. Meals on Wheels and Cafe 60 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475 ...need a friend? Meet Butch Siuslaw News + Hi, my name is Butch Cassidy. Our group of kittens were named after the wild bunch as we were found in the woods near the South Jetty. We were very shy when we fi rst came in, but every day we are getting more and more friendly with our care givers. Please come in and meet us in the Kitten Adoption Room at OCHS. If you would like to meet Butch or any of his friends, please visit us at: OREGON COAST HUMANE SOCIETY 2840 Rhododendron Drive • Florence • 541-997-4277 www.oregoncoasthumane.org This message brought to you by: Meals on Wheels are available to people over the age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness or advanced age and who are not eating properly, regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those who prefer to make new friends in a dining room setting. 1570 Kingwood PO Box 2313, Florence 541-997-5673 laneseniormeals.org Peace Harbor Volunteers Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers, you will fi nd an area of interest in a caring organization. 400 9th Street, Florence 541-997-8412 ext. 209 Us Too Florence Saving men one PSA test at a time. “Someone to talk to...who understands!” 541-997-6626 maribob@oregonfast.net www.ustoofl orence.org PHIL’S SAW SHOP 399 NOPAL, FLORENCE www.shoppelocal.biz 541-997-9767 To include your organization in this directory, please call us @ 541-997-3441
