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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2020)
THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM WEDNESDAY EDITION | APRIL 1, 2020 | $1.00 R EMINDER : R ECREATION AREAS CLOSED TO TRAVELERS , LOCALS ALIKE Sports & Recreation Calendar All sporting activities at Siuslaw and Mapleton high schools have been cancelled through April 28 Salem — Many of the state’s top federal, state and local rec- reation areas are closed to all use following Governor Kate Brown’s Executive Order on Monday, March 23, that pro- hibits all non-essential travel. State and county health offi- cials say that Oregon has reached a critical moment in the COVID-19 health emer- gency, when limiting contact between people can save lives and flatten the infection curve. All state parks, parts of national forests and some city recreation areas shuttered their doors over the past week to reduce crowds and discourage travel. The closures also affect local use, and land management authorities acknowledge this will be frustrating. With parks and other public lands closed, safety-related services like restrooms are closed and trash collection is suspended, All use, whether originating locally or not, is prohibited in a closed park. The closures do not yet affect The closures do not yet affect the ocean beaches, though all state and many federal and local access points are closed. increasing the risk of injury when a person visits in viola- tion of the closure. Local health care profession- als are focused on using resources to prepare for COVID-19 care and cannot afford to spend limited time and resources on people injured during recreational activities. the ocean beaches, though all state and many federal and local access points are closed. If problems arise with people traveling unnecessarily or con- gregating there, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will reconsider its current decision for those areas to remain open. Some travel is necessary, and L IFE FROM A DISTANCE ODFW R EGIONAL F ISHING R EPORT www.dfw.state.or.us/RR Tide Tables Entrance Siuslaw River High Tide Low Tide April 1 5:39am / 6.5 8:11pm/ 5.2 1:14pm/ 0.8 April 2 6:56am / 6.4 9:17pm / 6.2 1:04am / 3.8 2:25pm / 0.5 April 3 8:16am / 6.6 10:08pm/ 6.0 2:31am/ 3.5 3:27pm/ 0.2 April 4 9:27am / 6.9 10:51pm / 6.5 3:41am / 2.8 4:21pm / -0.2 April 5 10:30am / 7.3 11:30pm / 7.1 4:39am / 1.9 5:09pm / -0.4 April 6 11:28am / 7.5 5:31am / 1.1 5:53pm / -0.3 April 7 12:08am / 7.7 12:22pm / 7.7 6:20am / 0.2 6:36pm / -0.1 CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS Although many parks are now closed to public access, beaches and waterways remain open and can still be nice places to go for a walk. With the new “Stay home, Stay safe” policy, people can still recreate in unpopulated locations in their own communities. However, practicing social distancing remains paramount. “Reducing contact between people is more important than recreation at the moment,” says Lisa Sumption, director of the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department. All daytime park services are closed statewide, including parking areas and restrooms. H ULT C ENTER HOSTING ‘S TAY H OME T ALENT S HOW ’ The Hult Center for the Performing Arts is seeking submissions for the first (and hopefully last) “Stay Home Talent Show” and are encour- aging all performers includ- ing musicians, actors, singers, dancers, comedians and more to submit a video no longer than 3-minutes for consider- ation. Finalists will then be announced on April 13, fol- lowed by a People’s Choice run-off. Prizes will be award- ed to finalists and the People’s Choice winner. This contest is open to all and we encourage artists both fresh and seasoned to get involved to help bring com- munities together through performance art during such isolated times. There are no age restric- tions, but participants under 13-years of age must have permission from guardians to participate. The Hult Center is encour- aging any performers who have been affected by the recent event ban to partici- pate so the arts community can celebrate their hard work and talent. The center is also encouraging participants to get creative and find ways to collaborate while maintaining all CDC safe distancing pro- tocols. That said, this is the arts so extra points will be awarded for creativity, flair and style. See HULT 2B Snowy plover nesting areas off limits to beachgoers Beachgoers are urged to help recovery efforts of the threatened western snowy plover by staying on the wet sand at snowy plover beaches during nesting season, which began March 15 and con- tinues through Sept. 15. Beachgoers will see signs and ropes that identify sensitive plo- ver nesting areas and list restric- state highway rest areas are open for travel-related needs. Some parks also serve as rest areas. While nearly all are available for rest area-type functions, they are closed to recreation. Some rest areas may have reduced service or may be dif- ficult to access. Parks that attract too many people seeking recreation rath- er than rest area services will be closed to all service. A map of state highway rest areas is available at TripCheck. com. People are encouraged to exercise as close to home as possible, including backyards and neighborhoods where social distancing is easier to maintain. tions to protect the small shore- birds during this period. Plover beaches remain open to foot and equestrian traffic on wet, packed sand throughout nesting season. All other rec- reation on plover beaches is off limits on both wet and dry sand, include walking your dog (even on a leash), driving a vehicle, rid- ing a bicycle, camping, fires and flying kites or drones. “We’re making great strides in reversing the downward slide of this species,” said Cindy Burns, Siuslaw National Forest wildlife biologist. “But it takes all of us, so we urge people to do their part to understand nesting season rules and to share the beach this spring and summer.” These small birds nest on open sand along Oregon’s beaches. Nests, and especially chicks, are well-camouflaged. During nest- ing season, human disturbances can flush adult plovers away from their nests as they attempt See PLOVER 2B COVID-19 precautions • To help protect you and others during the COVID-19 pandemic, take the following precautions when fishing: fol- low social distancing guide- lines when bank fishing, only fish from a boat with other members of your household, carry your own hand sani-tiz- er or soap/water, and, if a place is crowded, go some- where else. • Anglers have been catch- ing striped bass in the upper portions of tidewater of the Coquille River. Most of the fish are 20 – 26 inches long. • Fishing for recently stocked and holdover trout has been good in several area lakes and reservoirs including Ben Irving Reservoir, Cooper Creek Reservoir, Empire Lakes, Galesville Reservoir, Garrison Lake and Loon Lake. • Jackson County Parks and ramps are closed, Josephine County Parks day use and boat ramps are open. Learn more about the specific water bodies below. • There are limited boat ramps available in the Upper Rogue. • Lost Creek Lake is a great location to bank fish as trails are open and there is ample bank access. • Bank anglers willing to do a little walking on the Elk River have been very success- ful catching steelhead. • Surfperch fishing usually sees an uptick in spring and early summer. MID COAST LAKES Stocking of mid-coast lakes are scheduled through spring. Warmwater fisheries will start up again when we get some warmer weather later this spring. SIUSLAW RIVER: winter steelhead Winter steelhead fishing has slowed down on the Siuslaw system as well. The river is low and clear, making the conditions tougher for catching steelhead. Anglers are still catching fish around the Whitaker Creek area and things should improve when we get another shot of rain. SALMON RIVER: winter steelhead See FISHING 2B Hello fellow Florentians!! Hope you’re all well! I’ve been staying home and doing lots of cooking! I think I’ll be an extra 10 ponds by the time this is over. Last night was spaghetti and meatballs and a Caesar with homemade dressing. I’ve made banana bread twice and these won- derful fi nanciers that are small almond - browned butter cakes. I should print the recipe. Th ey’re bite sized and delicious. My house is cleaner and I’ve pretty much watched all the shows on demand. It looks like another month of social distancing but we can get through this. I know we don’t need this terrible fl u sweeping through our dear community! COAST REAL ESTATE Stay home and be well! We will make it! Lynnette Wikstrom Broker lynnette@cbcoast.com · Cell: 541.999.0786 100 Hwy. 101, Florence, OR • 541.997.7777 “We’re next to the Bridge.”
