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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (July 8, 2017)
6 A SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, JULY 8, 2017 VIEW FROM UPRIVER Watching people treasure their wildlife W ESLEY V OTH For the Siuslaw News Yellowstone, we saw more posted warnings than actual wildlife. But as we were near- ing the western gate late in the afternoon, five Rocky Mountain elk cows and three calves were crossing a river and heading for high ground across the road. Shortly after, we pulled off in a small park- ing lot to watch. Hundreds of other cars stopped and crowds of people milled along the road and down into the meadow. Gridlock for such wildlife is apparently common in the park. The calves frolicked, the cows called back and forth nervously, and people crowd- ed around, excited to see their wildlife. It was half an hour before people moved on, traf- fic dissipated and the elk I t is nice to be back home, although richer for the expe- riences of travel and ever more appreciative of this beautiful place we live in. One of the great things about travel is that you learn things that help you see the place where you live in a dif- ferent light. A highlight of this trip was watching people respond to wildlife, particularly in Yellowstone National Park but in many other parks as well. When we were in S HERIFFS RUN could graze in peace high on the hill. Among my own memorable wildlife firsts on this trip was hiking into Yellowstone early in the morning, drawn by the lark-like call of hermit thrush- es, and suddenly hearing wolves howling. I’ve always enjoyed listen- ing to coyotes, but the sound of wolves touches a much deeper primal chord some- where at the base of my spine. As we exited the park the day before, we saw a healthy, exu- berant grizzly shaking off water as it emerged from the river and ran across the road. I learned from the Internet the next day, and shortly fol- lowing hearing those wolves, that the Yellowstone grizzly is being delisted from protected status. Here in Oregon, we have allowed the same to be done to our handful of wolves. O REGON C OUNTRY F AIR VENETA—Lane County Sheriff's Office (LCSO) will be conducting high visibility traf- fic enforcement patrols in the Veneta area during the Oregon Country Fair, held July 7 to 9. Deputies will be focusing on DUII enforcement, as well as speeding, seat belt and cell phone use violations. Patrols began July 6 and will continue through Monday, July 10, as attendees remain in the area at campgrounds. The funding for these patrols is provided to LCSO through two Oregon Department of Transportation Traffic Safety grants administered by the Oregon State Sheriffs’ Association, aimed at reducing the number of vehicle crashes and related injuries. The grants are federally funded grant programs to pro- vide overtime funding to par- ticipating sheriff’s offices for DUII and traffic enforcement. Annually, the Oregon Country Fair brings extremely high volumes of vehicle and pedestrian traffic to the area. Due to the resulting conges- tion in the area surrounding the Oregon Country Fair, speed limits have been reduced and posted as such. Restrictions are also posted for no parking and no U-turns along Highway 126 and Suttle Rd. in the area. SATURATION PATROLS Drivers attending the event or traveling through the area should anticipate heavy traffic congestion. Flaggers will be present on Highway 126, near milepost 45, at the fair’s main entrance during peak times to control traffic flows through the area. LCSO wants to remind motorists to buckle up, drive safely and drive sober. With the passage of Oregon’s marijuana laws, this is also a reminder of the impairment marijuana creates of drivers, impacting their abil- ity to safely operate a motor vehicle. Driving Under the Influence WEATHER DATA D ATE H IGH June 27 June 28 June 29 June 30 July 1 July 2 July 3 63 65 67 63 54 66 66 Rainfall Month: 0.08” L OW R AIN 50 44 43 50 50 49 52 of Intoxicants (DUII) applies to drivers under the influence of marijuana, as it does with alco- hol. In the course of the pos- sum’s extensive and regular grooming, they find and swal- low the ticks that are on their coats and skin. Their nimble fingers and thumbs allow for more thor- ough removal than other species targeted by ticks — such as deer, dogs and mice — because possums can reach places most animals find unreachable. I was raised to believe that possums had found their way to Oregon on their own, which I did not question because they are contiguously present in Washington and California. However, according to the ODFW, they are an invasive species. Released in greater Portland in the early 1900s, perhaps by people who found them to be poor pets, they have slowly spread through much of the state. Be that as it may, as Lyme disease associated with ticks becomes more common in Oregon (3 cases confirmed, 28 considered probable by the Center for Disease Control as of 2015), the presence of pos- sums may have an upside. Washington State’s DFW even goes so far as to post this testimonial for them: “Opossums are inhibited animals, especially in daylight or under artificial light, but are by no means stupid. Results from some learning and dis- crimination tests rank opos- sums above dogs and more or less on a par with pigs in intel- ligence.” So much for other conven- tional wisdom I was raised with, if true. Get Results...List With Melody. Melody Beaudro Principal Broker 541 991-2151 4842 Seapine Dr – 1989 Mo- bile on 0.36 acre. Natural greenbelt provides privacy. Kitchen with ample cupboards, dishwasher, oven & refrigera- tor. 2 bdrms, 1 bath. Laundry, ramps for wheelchairs, and pellet stove. Enclosed porch off living room; back deck to enjoy the outdoors. $138,000. #2700-17432823 Deadlines for press releases are Mondays and Thursdays by noon. Email them to: P RESS R ELEASES @T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM . 1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200 Do your part and volunteer today to help support these local non-proft organizations in our community! Volunteer•Get involved•Donate 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.08 0.00 0.00 Florence Food Share provides food to those who are hungry in our community. If you have four hours a week available, we are in need of volunteers to staff our Front Desk and also act as Guides as clients walk through the pantry. Please call our volunteer coordinator, Gina Yates, @ 541-997-9110 (Monday – Friday, before noon) to learn more about volunteering. info@lorence- foodshare.org 2190 Spruce Street. Week: 0.08” Year: 71.98” Courtesy of Roger Cunningham I was staying in the town of West Yellowstone, known in some circles as “ground cen- tral,” for opposition to protec- tions under the Endangered Species Act. You’d never know this by looking at the town, the names of its businesses and the quite wonderful wildlife sculpture gracing buildings both public and private — and even the banks. Judging from these dis- plays, wildlife could rightly be considered the town’s bread and butter. Less iconic wildlife some- times turns out to be remark- able in its own right. Among the astonishing things I learned on this trip — while in New York of all places — is that possums consume ticks better than any other species of animal according to the Carey Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Let Paul show you a new car or truck. Stop by today! Breaking news, photo galleries and MORE! Visit the Siuslaw News online at WWW.THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM Food Backpack for Kids www.backpackimpact.org Together, No Child Will Go Hungry www.backpackimpact.org Together, No Child Will Go Hungry 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475 Your tax deductible donations helped us feed 86 Florence/ Mapleton area children in June. Please mail donations to: PO Box 3347, Florence, OR 97439. For more information 541-997-2497. Assisting those in need in our Community. Free Hot Meals Mon-Wed-Fri, 11:30 AM - 1 PM NEW LOCATION SOON! FRAA ART CENTER HELPING HANDS COALITION 120 Maple Street Phone: 541-997-4435 Hours Open: Wed-Fri noon-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm, Sun. noon-5pm United Methodist Church, 333 Kingwood, Florence Call 541-997-5057 to Volunteer Classes and Workshops Open Studio at FRAA, Thursdays No registration required. Drop-in, bring your materials, and create. All artistic mediums welcome. Every Thursday, 1-4 pm Ceramics Classes: Kids Summer Clay Camp w/ Ben Cahoon July 24th, 25th, 27th and Art Show on 28th 2nd - 8th grade. $55/student. All supplies included. To register: benjaminjcahoon@gmail.com Whimsical Hand Building Ceramics w/ Alissa Clark Creative Writing Workshops - Writers on the River w/ Catherine Rourke Sat July 22nd, 9 am to 11 am All writing levels and genres. Contact: 541-708-2120; CJReditor@gmail.com Peace Harbor Volunteers 400 9th Street, Florence, OR 97439 541-997-8412 ext. 209 Stay Tuned: Literary Salon coming Featured Author & Writers Open Mic Free; Open to public; $5 suggested donation, Call 541-708-2120 w/ questions. Painting with John Leasure Wednesdays, 3-5 pm and Thursdays, 6-8 pm No classes from July 3rd - 19th Saturdays 9 am - 12 pm July 8, 15, and 29 Contact: jnleasure@hotmail.com or 541-991-2754 for details and fees. Open Lab Ceramics on Saturdays Drop in, work at own pace. Sat 12-5 pm No classes from July 3rd - 19th Oil Painting with Michael Wood All ceramics classes held at Alissa’s Studio. 180 Laurel Street. Call Alissa with questions: 503-857-5222 Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers. You will find an area of interest in a caring organization. Wednesdays 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm Contact: fmwood@msn.com for fees and more information. For more information about classes, visit fraaoregon.org. To register for these classes, please call or visit FRAA at our art center on Maple Street. 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 Operating Monday, Wednesday and Friday Saving men one PSA test at a time. 541-997-6626 maribob@oregonfast.net Someone to talk to... who understands! To include your organization in this directory, please call us @ 541-997-3441
