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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2020)
SIUSLAW NEWS | WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1, 2020 | 5A Changes to local blood drives By Jared Anderson Siuslaw News The Red Cross will be holding a community wide blood drive on April 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., while the blood drive that was scheduled to be held at the Siuslaw Middle School on Tuesday, March 31, and Monday, April 6, through Blood Works Northwest has been cancelled. Regarding the Red Cross blood drive, the event will be held at Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue’s Main Sta- tion, 2625 Highway 101. The drive comes after 386 blood drives have been can- celled this month, resulting in more than 10,277 fewer blood donations, though the Red Cross states that the drives are a vital and essen- tial service. Blood donations are needed for a variety of pro- cedures, from chemother- apy to assisting in the care of patients with the novel coronavirus, COVID-19. In addition, the Red Cross stated that there will be added safety precautions, including social distancing, at the drive, and Ore. Gov. Kate Brown has encouraged Oregonians to give. “It’s still safe, and allowed, under my “Stay Home, Save Lives” executive order to donate blood — in fact, I encourage it,” she wrote in a statement. “Sign up to donate with the Red Cross today.” The previous blood drive, which was sponsored by Bloodworks Northwest, was cancelled because the organization could mitigate transmission more closely at one of their regular dona- tion centers. To donate in Eugene, schedule an appointment online for the Eugene Do- nor Center, 2211 Willamette St., visit www.bloodworks nw.org/donate/locations/ lane. RHODY from page 1A According to Hannigan, because so much has changed so quickly with respect to the COVID-19 situation, the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce is working hard for member businesses and the commu- nity. The chamber is pro- moting and advancing the cause of commerce and do- ing all it can to make Flor- ence the best place to live, work, shop, eat, play and stay — both now, and as the crisis passes. “We must be vigilant in adhering to Gov. Kate Brown’s recent edicts to ‘stay home, stay healthy’ and, for now, to discourage the rec- reational travel and tourism we all depend on for a vi- brant economy,” said Han- nigan. “A healthy, vibrant community is essential for everyone’s success. As a chamber of commerce, and as a community at large, our top priority should be pre- venting further spread of COVID-19 and taking care REGION from page 1A The Chamber is community. community. On Friday, March 27, Siu- slaw News received a phone call regarding a rumor circu- lating that an individual who worked at a grocer in Flor- ence had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and was currently in isolation. LCPH debunked the claim, stating that there are currently no confirmed cas- es of the virus in the Siuslaw region. The process of informing the public begins immedi- ately after a test is confirmed, according to LCPH. Once Unite for the greater good at florencechamber.com/chamber/join FEDERAL from page 1A We are devoted to making our community a great place to live, work and raise families. Everything we are and everything we do is in the service of a stronger Catalyst. Convener. Champion. © 2020 W.A.C.E. Western Association of Chamber Executives When the world careens out of control, The Siuslaw News is a calming source of facts and information. first and foremost, Oregon’s request for more personal protective equipment (PPE) from the nation’s stockpile.” The lack of PPE has been an issue faced by medical first responders in the Flor- ence area as well as across the state and the nation. There are millions of PPEs on order but the availabil- ity of the most basic of the protections — masks and of each other through these uncertain times. “Still, we cannot wait to welcome visitors back to en- joy all that Oregon’s Coastal Playground has to offer as soon as any restrictions are lifted, and it is safe to do so.” Hannigan is working with civic and business leaders to continue doing their best to diligently walk that fine line between overreacting, un- der-reacting and respond- ing to the latest changing guidelines. She asks the public to “carefully and safely support businesses that are able to stay open, and to give each other grace, respect, and en- couragement and a lot of so- cial distancing as we all try to walk that line with them.” The Chamber’s Visitors’ Center will remain closed and in-person chamber events such as Business After Hours and Noon Fo- rum have been cancelled until further notice. Mem- bers and the community are encouraged to watch F l o r e n c e C h a m b e r. c o m for virtual events from the chamber that will provide new and updated resources for businesses impacted by the virus. The chamber will continue to communicate with the community and stakeholders through its weekly email newsletter, the website, press releases and social media. The Florence Rhododen- dron Festival is Oregon’s second-oldest floral festival, bested only by a year by the Portland Rose Festival, and sees thousands of visitors from around the state and across the country. “Generations of families have enjoyed the annual Florence Rhododendron Festival by attending, enjoy- ing the Davis Shows carni- val, exhibiting their rhodies, showing off their classic cars and motorcycles, being in the parade and shopping and dining in Old Town and all-around town,” adds Hannigan. “It’s a family tra- dition, an Oregon institu- tion. And it’s heartbreaking to have to cancel it this year.” family members are notified of the case by the county, LCPH will then notify local authorities of confirmation. Soon after, LCPH will re- lease the information they have publicly through daily briefings. Despite there being no confirmed cases in the Siu- slaw region, that does not mean that the virus is not present in the community. PeaceHealth Peace Har- bor representatives recently stated that it is “likely” that COVID-19 is in the region, and an Oregon Health Au- thority report stated that for every one confirmed case in the state, there is a minimum of four unconfirmed cases. Both organizations warn that if residents ignore social distancing policies, a steep rise in COVID-19 cases will occur. “It is imperative that all residents stay home now, re- gardless of the areas where the positive tests are located,” said WLEOG spokesper- son Megan Messmer. “Stay home, save lives. If you do need to go out for essentials, social distance and have a two-week supply of supplies. Be prepared, don’t hoard.” gowns — are still difficult to purchase given the world- wide need. Brown also wanted to highlight issues that are not covered by the declaration. “In addition, a significant part of our disaster declara- tion request was for individ- ual assistance for all Oregon counties and tribes, includ- ing childcare assistance, cri- sis counseling, disaster case management, disaster legal services and disaster un- employment assistance for Oregonians. That request is still also pending and would provide significant relief to Oregon families if approved.” U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden was a signatory to a letter sent to Trump last week by the Oregon Congressional delegation and reiterated his belief in an email to the Siuslaw News that the dec- laration was an important step in the battle against the COVID-19 pandemic, but much more remains to be done. “The COVID-19 public health crisis has hit Oregon hard, and I am gratified the delegation’s bipartisan sup- port of Gov. Kate Brown’s statewide disaster declara- tion was successful,” Wyden said. “While I am glad this news means FEMA-relat- ed disaster relief is on the way to our state, I am de- termined to keep pulling out all the stops to access all suitable equipment from all sources to make sure work- ing Oregonians, small busi- nesses, health care provid- ers, first responders and so many others get what they need in response to this global pandemic.” While party rancor con- tinues on some level in state politics, as evidenced by last month’s legislative debacle at the state house, there is a shared sense of purpose at the federal level, according to Brown. “This is an unprecedent- ed public health crisis that demands a coordinated national response, backed by the full resources of the federal government. I will continue to work with the White House and Oregon’s Congressional Delegation to fight for access to every tool available to keep Orego- nians safe from COVID-19,” said Brown. Michael F. O’Hare has been named the federal co- ordinating officer for feder- al recovery operations in the affected area. The full text of Brown’s statement can be read at Or- egon.gov as can her request to the administration for the declaration of emergency. Cel 70 ebrat + Y ing ear s! Hoberg’s Complete Auto Repair www.hobergsautorepair.com New Service d Offere At its core, the COVID-19 pandemic is a deeply personal story. We want to know that our family, friends and neighbors are safe. SPECIAL SUBSCRIPTION PRICING 4 WEEKS $10.00 13 WEEKS $16.25 26 WEEKS $36.40 52 WEEKS $51.35 CALL US TODAY! That’s where your local paper delivers. We are reporting what’s going on in our schools, our churches, our hospitals. We are answering your questions every day. Factually and fairly. To keep doing this, we ask for your support, now more than ever. It’s always been costly to gather and distribute the news. It’s even more challenging when our advertisers face uncertainty. You can help keep the news fl owing by starting or renewing your subscription. The journalists and other staff at our family-owned paper are working harder than ever to serve you. Together, armed with the facts, we will get through this crisis. Thank you for your trust in us. It’s an obligation and honor we hold dear to our heart. Siuslaw News 148 Maple Street Florence, Oregon thesiuslawnews.com You can renew or re-start your subscription online at www.thesiuslawnews.com or by calling 541-902-3524. Expiration date 4/30/20 FREE Taxi Ride via: River Cities Taxies Florence City Limits Only From our shop to your home or work Kevin McMullen 345 Hwy. 101 • P.O. Box 357 Florence, OR 97439-0012 3rd Generation Owner hobergsautorepair@gmail.com 541-997-2413 Serving Your Auto Needs Since 1945 We’ve got you COVERED Serving Florence since 1990 business • homeowners • auto • life • health • medicare plans A SK US ABOUT M ULTIPLE P OLICY D ISCOUNTS ! 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