6A | WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2020 | SIUSLAW NEWS
Oregon Health Plan online application system getting an upgrade
SALEM–The
Oregon
Department of Human
Services (DHS) and the
Oregon Health Authority
are upgrading the eligibil-
ity system Oregonians use
to apply for health cover-
age.
The upgrade is the first
milestone in a larger proj-
ect to make it easier for
Oregonians to apply for
health and human services
benefits.
As the agencies transi-
tion from the old system to
the new one, there are two
important considerations
to be aware of:
1. The online application
will be unavailable from
July 2 to 5 while the up-
grade is in progress.
2. Online applications
that are not submitted by 4
p.m. PDT on July 2 cannot
be transferred to the new
system during the upgrade
and will have to be restart-
ed.
For Oregonians applying
for Oregon Health Plan
benefits online, it is im-
portant to complete those
applications by July 2 or
wait to start the applica-
tion after July 6. Paper ap-
plications and applications
completed over the phone
are not impacted.
Oregonians can contact
customer service at 1-800-
699-9075 (TTY 711) to
apply over the phone or re-
quest that an application be
mailed to them. They can
also download, print and
mail a paper application.
Both options are available
in multiple languages.
After July 6, Oregonians
can apply for the Oregon
Health Plan online at one.
oregon.gov.
The Oregon ONE sys-
tem will continue to be up-
graded, in phases, through
February 2021. Once the
system is fully updated, all
Oregonians will be able to
use a single online appli-
cation to apply for cash,
childcare, food and medi-
cal benefits. They will also
have the option to apply
for any of these programs
over the phone or in per-
son at any local Aging and
People with Disabilities,
Area Agency on Aging or
Self-Sufficiency Programs
office that provides those
benefits.
“This upgrade is just
the first step in improving
Stocks. Bonds. CDs.
IRAs. Mutual funds.
PAC releases finalists for next round of Art Exposed
The City of Florence
announced that there are
11 finalists for the five lo-
cations of the Public Art
Committee’s Art Exposed
program, a rotating out-
door art gallery in Histor-
ic Old Town Florence. The
finalists represent artists
from the Florence area,
as well as from across the
State of Oregon, Pacific
Northwest region and in-
ternationally.
The Public Arts Com-
mittee is interested in
hearing from the commu-
nity about the proposed
finalists.
Art Exposed is an out-
doors, rotating art gallery
with sites located along
Bay Street in the heart of
Old Town Florence. Cur-
rently, the program has
four pieces that are on
display, which are due to
be replaced in Summer
2020. A fifth Art Exposed
location is being added at
Maple Street Park.
The Public Arts Com-
mittee had originally
planned to make these
decisions at the Public
Arts Committee meeting
in March, but, due to the
COVID-19 public health
emergency, all city com-
mittee meetings have been
cancelled up until now.
The Public Art Com-
mittee will now be mak-
ing these decisions at its
meeting on Monday, July
27, at 5:30 p.m.
Due to safety precau-
tions related to the virus,
the meeting will be held
virtually through the
GoToWebinar platform,
but the committee wel-
comes and encourages
the public to submit pub-
lic comment prior to the
meeting.
To view the finalists,
people can visit the proj-
ect webpage at www.ci.
florence.or.us/bc-pac/art-
exposed-program-final-
ists.
Comments on the final-
ists can be submitted via
email to Sarah Moehrke,
Community & Economic
Development Assistant at
Sarah.Moehrke@ci.flor-
ence.or.us or by mailing
comments to Florence
City Hall, 250 High-
way 101, Florence, OR
97439.
Art Exposed has been
one of the most successful
programs of the Florence
Public Art Committee,
providing members of the
local arts community to
display their work, as well
as international artists.
The art chosen will be
displayed for two years
and the chosen artists
will be given a stipend of
$1,000. The pieces, while
on display, are for sale to
locals as well as the es-
timated 750,000 people
that visit Florence annu-
ally. Thirty percent of the
proceeds from every sale
from the Art Exposed
program is reinvested into
the public art program for
future projects.
The Committee has
been successful in selling
work from the first wave
of Art Exposed.
For more information
on the Art Exposed pro-
gram and the current piec-
es on display, visit www.
ci.florence.or.us/bc-pac/
ar t-exp os ed-f lorences-
r o t a t i n g - o u t d o o r- a r t -
gallery.
the way the state delivers
health and human services
benefits to Oregonians and
their families,” said DHS
Director Fariborz Pak-
seresht.
Please visit the DHS
Benefits and Assistance
page to learn more about
the programs available to
qualifying Oregonians.
Andy Baber, AAMS®
Financial Advisor
Ryan Hitchcock
Financial Advisor
1010 Highway 101
Florence, OR 97439
541-997-8755
Member SIPC
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Siuslaw Watershed hosts online stream of ‘The Story of Plastic’
Join Siuslaw Watershed
Council online for a virtu-
al screening of “The Story
of Plastic” with a live Q&A
on Wednesday, July 1, at 6
p.m. This film is present-
ed in partnership with the
Siuslaw Chapter of Sur-
frider Foundation.
“The Story of Plas-
tic” brings into focus an
alarming, man-made cri-
sis and the heroes who are
working every day to rise
up against big plastic.
After the film, people
can learn more from pan-
elists about efforts under-
way in Oregon to reduce
plastics and ways that you
can get involved.
Spanning three conti-
nents, the film illustrates
the ongoing catastrophe:
fields full of garbage, ver-
itable mountains of trash,
rivers and seas clogged
with waste, and skies
choked with the poison-
ous emissions from plastic
production and process-
ing.
The July 1 panel in-
cludes:
• Kelly Bell, Lane Coun-
ty Master Recyclers
Coordinator
• Britte
Kirsch,
Lane
County Master Recycler
• Megan Ponder, The Sto-
ry of Plastic Producer
• Charlie Plybon, Oregon
Policy Manager for Sur-
frider Foundation
The panel discussion
will provide an opportu-
nity for the community
to ask local experts about
plastic pollution issues
and solutions.
Tickets are by dona-
tion and benefit the Siu-
slaw Chapter of Surfrider
Foundation.
Registration is required.
Then, 48 hours before the
panel discussion, attend-
ees will receive a link to
stream the film on their
own. The link will be de-
livered to the email ad-
dress used to register. In
that same email, people
will also receive Zoom
info for the panel discus-
sion. Everyone should
watch the film before the
panel discussion.
For more information,
v i s it w w w. s iu s l aw. org /
events/.
Deadline for Press Releases Is Every
Monday and Thursday by Noon.
Email PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com.
We are open and
ready to assist you!
Johnston Motor Company
Since 1939
2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence
(541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475
Local Eats
Your guide to great
locally owned restaurants.
Hours: M-F, 8am-3pm
541-997-2422
We Are Open For Dine-in
1285 Bay Street
Old Town
Florence
(541) 902-8338
9
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All types of roofing and
repairs. Single Ply and
Composition Specialist.
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541-972-1818
V ISIT US ONLINE :
TheSiuslawNews.com
Surfside Restaurant
at Drift wood Shores Resort
is off ering a breakfast, lunch and dinner
menu to go with curbside pick up,
Wednesday through Sunday. We accept credit
and debit cards for advanced purchase.
Call
541-902-6447
and listen for
the Surfside
Restaurant prompt.
Drift wood Shores Resort
88416 1st Avenue, Florence
Regular menu available for dine-in or take out.
Enjoy your favorites or try something new.
Our coff ee and tea bar is open.
Loose leaf teas, coff ee and treats!
Relax in a comfy chair or take it to go.
Traditional English pub fare, clam chowder, salmon bisque along
with cream teas, unique desserts and baked items.
195 Nopal St.
541-902-0502
Open Wed-Sat
11:00-5:00pm