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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 26, 2019)
2A | SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2019 | SIUSLAW NEWS On The Record Lane County Public Health urging communities to protect against measles Numerous cases of mea- sles in Southwest Washing- ton have prompted Lane County Public Health (LCPH) to issue a health alert to health profession- als, as well as the general public. At present, 22 cases are confirmed, all Washington residents. Because the cas- es traveled widely in the Portland metro area during their communicable peri- od, additional cases may occur in Oregon. Known public exposures continue to be updated on Clark County’s site, linked below. Check this website for the most up to date list of public exposures: www.clark.wa.gov/pub- lic-health/measles-investi- gation “Given the proximity of these cases to Lane County, the amount of travel that happens daily between us and the greater Portland Metro area, and the partic- ularly contagious nature of measles, we are concerned about the risk of exposure,” said Lane County Senior Public Health Officer, Dr. Patrick Luedtke. Measles is a potentially severe viral infection which in rare cases can cause en- cephalitis (infection of the brain), pneumonia and low birth weight in babies born to infected women. The symptoms of mea- sles generally appear about seven to 14 days after a person is infected. Measles typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose (coryza), and red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis). Two or three days af- ter symptoms begin, tiny Lane County to increase number of curve warning signs Lane County continues to be among the counties with the highest number of an- nual traffic fatalities in the state. Most traffic fatalities in Lane County occur on rural roads or highways where ex- cessive speed and distracted driving are especially dan- gerous on curving roads. In an effort to increase driver safety and comply with new Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) standards, Lane County is in the process of upgrading curve warning signs on sev- eral of its roads. “We know that most fa- talities are roadway depar- tures that involve excessive speed,” said Lane County Supervising Traffic Engi- neer Steve Gallup. “Making curves more visible — espe- cially at night — can help us save lives.” The upgrade includes more frequent use of reflec- tive “chevron signs” at cor- ners to better delineate the curve of the road. Signs like these have been shown to reduce fatal and injury col- lisions by 20 to 35 percent. In 2015, 57 people died in traffic collisions in Lane County; a 35-percent reduc- tion would have resulted in 19 fewer deaths that year. Examples of the upgraded curve warning signs can be found at: • Deerhorn Road, espe- cially from milepost 5.12 to milepost 5.93 • River Loop #2 at mile- post 0.27 • North Fork Siuslaw Road, especially from mile- post 2.02 to milepost 2.87 Transportation safety is a significant public health issue and priority in Lane County. In 2017, Lane County joined the Nation- al Strategy on Highway Safety, known as Toward Zero Deaths, and adopted a countywide Transporta- tion Safety Action Plan to proactively respond to fatal and severe-injury collisions. Most fatal collisions are roadway departures involv- ing excessive speed and are preventable. More information about Lane County’s efforts to improve road safety can be found at lanecounty.org/to- wardzerodeaths. white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually be- gins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread down- ward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. Small raised bumps may also ap- pear on top of the flat red spots. When the rash ap- pears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit. After a few days, the fe- ver subsides and the rash fades. “Fortunately, we have a very good vaccine to protect against measles (MMR), and there is no shortage of that vaccine here in Lane County,” add- ed Luedtke. the community to the Board of County Commissioners. The Committee meets in the evening of every fourth Wednesday of every other month. There are a total of seven members — one from each commissioner’s district and two at-large members. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 31. Applications are available at w w w.lanecounty.org/ volunteer and in the Board of Commissioner’s Office located at the Lane County Public Service Building, 125 East Eighth Ave. in Eugene. For more information about TrAC, visit www.lane county.org/cms/one.aspx- ?pageId=5832100. WEATHER DATA D ATE Jan. 15 Jan. 16 Jan. 17 Jan. 18 Jan. 19 Jan. 20 H IGH 50 50 51 55 46 48 L OW R AIN 38 38 45 44 40 32 0.00 0.13 0.65 0.93 0.69 0.05 Rainfall Week: 2.75” Month: 5.40” Year: 5.40” Courtesy of Roger Cunningham at preventing measles; one dose is about 93 percent ef- fective. Children may also get MMRV vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps, rubella and vari- cella (chickenpox). This vaccine is only li- censed for use in chil- dren who are 12 months through 12 years of age. In addition to vaccina- tion, community members can help prevent the spread of measles by staying home if they’re sick, covering their cough or sneeze, washing hands frequent- ly, and disposing of tissue paper used for coughing or sneezing. In order to decrease ex- posure to others, anyone who might show symp- toms of measles should call for medical advice before going to an emergency de- partment, doctor’s office, urgent care office, or the public health department. For more information about measles, visit www. cdc.gov/measles/about/ signs-symptoms.html. APPLY NOW TO SERVE ON LANE COUNTY’S TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE Help provide and gather community input into the County’s transportation system and its safety improvements. BIRTH H A M I LT O N — L o i s Ann Hamilton, a female weighing 7 lbs., 6 oz., was born to Amanda Johnson and David Hamilton on Jan. 22, 2019 at Peace Har- bor Hospital. Two volunteer positions available – preference given to coastal residents. Apply by 5:00 p.m. on January 31, 2019. www.lanecounty.org/volunteer The City of Florence would like to invite you to attend the: 2019 State of the City Address January 30, 2019 • From 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. At the Florence Events Center, 715 Quince Street Come share some refreshments, learn more about the accomplishments of the City over the past year, and share in what’s next for our ‘City in Motion’. For more information, visit the City of Florence website at www.ci.florence.or.us PRESENTING SPONSOR: SEA LION CAVES Eleven Bands! Three Days of Food & Fun! Vacancies open on Lane County Transportation Advisory Committee The Lane County Board of Commissioners is seek- ing applications from com- munity members to fill two current vacancies on the Transportation Advisory Committee (TrAC). “Members of our Trans- portation Advisory Com- mittee play an incredibly important role in our efforts to improve road safety,” said Transportation Planning Supervisor Sasha Vartanian. “Serving on the Committee means that you get to help prioritize and provide direct input on important safety measures for Lane County roads.” The vacant positions are for District 1 in West Lane County and an at-large po- sition. To qualify, applicants for the District 1 position must live or own property within District 1. Applicants for the at-large position must live or own property within Lane County. Preference will be given to applicants from the coastal area. The TrAC acts as a fo- rum for public input into the County’s transportation system and serves as a liai- son group in representing transportation concerns of The MMR vaccine pro- tects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and ru- bella. LCPH recommends children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. Teens and adults should also be up to date on their MMR vaccination. The MMR vaccine is very safe and effective. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97 percent effective Winter Music Festival ! .TWZMVKM7ZMOWV JOHN McEUEN, NITTY GRITTY DIRT BAND FOUNDING MEMBER “ W I L L T H E C I R C L E B E U N B R O K E N ” T O U R C H R I S J O N E S & T H E N I G H T D R I V E R S • C H R I S KO K E S H + L J B O OT H NORTH COUNTRY • KATIE JANE LUBIENS • TRUE NORTH • ELI WEST • CABIN FEVER NW COM M U N ITY G OSPE L CHOI R • MARTY ADAMS ROLLI NG R IVE R QUARTET AN D I E L B R OWN & TH E U of O G O S P E L C H O I R • K IWAN I S K I D S C O N C E RTS FRAA Winter Arts Festival ~ Jam Sessions Pie Sale ~ Good Food ~ Libations P e r f o r m e r M e r c h a n d i s e JANUARY 25, 26, 27, 2019 Art & Jean Koning/Terrace Homes Elks Lodge #1858 Le Bouchon Wine Bar & Kitchen Oregon Pacific Bank WinterMusicFestival.org WMFFlorence@gmail.com The Friends of the Florence Events Center 715 Quince St., Florence, Oregon
