E
AT I N G 1 3
Planning
Commission
approves two
design review
applications
By Lena Felt
Siuslaw News
The Florence Planning
Commission met virtually
on Tuesday, Aug. 11, to
consider two design review
applications — one for a
drive-thru coffee kiosk (PC
20 13 DR 01) and the other
for a drive-thru carwash
(PC 20 14 DR 02).
In October 2019, prop-
erty owner Sean Randall
received conditional use
permits and front yard
setback variances for two
adjoining lots located on
the east side of Highway
101 between Fifth and Sixth
street, on the west side
of Old School Furniture.
Tuesday night, Randall was
seeking approval of the
design reviews.
Senior Planner Roxanne
M. Johnston gave a 40-min-
ute staff report that covered
everything from building
design, landscaping, traffic
and parking reports, storm-
water management, hours
of operation and noise
ordinance concerns.
Following Johnston’s
presentation, Chairperson
John Murphey called on
each commissioner for
questions, with Commis-
sioner Sandra Young posing
questions of significant
concern.
“The OD [Origin-Desti-
nation] study talked about
new standards and we have
two left-hand turns into
the site — left off of 101 on
Fifth and left of 101 onto
Sixth,” Young said. “The
one on Sixth practically can
stack because of left turns
into Safeway. Does the
study speak to what hap-
pens when those left turns
stack too much and im-
pedes the flow on Highway
101? Is that something we
need to look at to make sure
we don’t have a problem?”
See PLANNING page 7A
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2020
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INSIDE — A7
Siuslaw News
Taco
trucks
keep on
truckin’
NEWS &
VIEWS THAT
DEFINE OUR
COMMUNITY
VOL. 130, NO. 65
F LORENCE , O REGON
WEATHER
Sunny and hot with a
high of 78 and a low
tonight of 55.
Full forecast on A3
Story & Photos
By Lena Felt
Siuslaw News
COMMUNITY
Florence’s two new food trucks thrive in pandemic economy
T
he coronavirus pandemic has
forced many entrepreneurs to
press pause on their business
pursuits. But not Matt Donnelly or
Eddie Osorio, Florence communi-
ty members and owners of two new
food trucks in town.
“I don’t think there is any better
option than food trucks in the world
of COVID,” said Donnelly, classical-
ly trained chef and owner of Game
Thyme taco truck. “I mean, you see
restaurants failing because they’re
losing over a third of what they’re
normally allowed for seating. That’s a
major loss to a lot of restaurants.”
Osorio, owner of Tacos Maria’s
food truck, echoed Donnelly’s senti-
ment. “I think it’s a great idea because
you’re not actually sitting around
everybody, you just grab your food
and you’re gone. It’s more like a drive-
through and people like it, which is all
that matters.”
Both Donnelly and Osorio were
surprised by how well their food
trucks have been doing during the
coronavirus pandemic. However,
they both ran into similar struggles
when initially starting up their busi-
nesses.
Donnelly bought his food truck,
which serves globally inspired tacos,
from his friend, the owner of Eatwell
Organic Noodle, in late March, just
before everything shut down. But
when he tried to register the business
a few days later, it was already too late.
See TRUCKS page 7A
PeaceHealth donates
to Florence Food
Share
INSIDE — A3
LIFESTYLE
The direction we’re going Pt. II
A summary of the region’s current political climate and how we got here
trust purposely sown by partisanship.
It’s these smaller steps that we will be
covering over the next few months as
In the second part of the two-part we examine specific moments that
introduction of Siuslaw News’ inves- have led to where we are today.
tigative series that began with a front-
page editorial Aug. 8, we want to
The Summary
remind readers that we have chosen
The following summary is a very
to eliminate references to specific in- general overview of the current polit-
dividuals and groups, with those spe- ical climate, with more specific inci-
cifics coming in subsequent install- dences omitted. In this format, we felt
ments of this series. We have chosen it would be unethical to print with-
this approach so that our readers can out the full context. Future reporting
first get a clear understanding of the in this series will delve more deeply
broad issues related to partisanship in to include specific events, meetings,
our community and its impacts on lo- groups, individuals and outcomes
cal government, and hopefully do so based on extensive information gath-
without creating additional fractur- ered over the past year.
ing between specific groups, individ-
Since 2016, local political groups
uals and our community.
have, in some way or another, at-
Florence has come to this moment tempted to influence the outcome of
because of a series of small steps, mis- multiple elections in the region, in-
communications and levels of mis- cluding the City of Florence, the Port
By Siuslaw News
Editorial Staff
of Siuslaw, Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Rescue, Western Lane Ambulance
District, Siuslaw School District,
Lane Education Service District and
the Lane County Board of Commis-
sioners.
This has included the use of thou-
sands of dollars’ worth of funding,
political action committees and help
from out-of-town political organiza-
tions.
Groups on both sides have used
a wide range of tactics to gain an
advantage over the other. Though
during the 2017 local elections more
traditional means were used — such
as campaign signs, Letters to the Edi-
tor, radio spots and online media sup-
port — those tactics changed drasti-
cally in 2018, with parties successfully
pushing out some candidates from
the race to avoid “splitting the votes.”
See PARTISAN page 6A
#LoveLaneArt launches to promote
engagement with the arts in Lane County
RECORDS
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emergency
response logs
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The #LoveLaneArt social media cam-
paign seeks to promote local artists
and artwork, including Florence’s
“Stitching Time, Weaving Cultures”
mural by Marino Heidel Studios.
Love Lane County? Love the By Chantelle Meyer
According to the Lane Arts
arts? Then Lane Arts Council’s new
Siuslaw News
Council, the goal of the initiative is
“#LoveLaneArt” is the perfect op-
to raise awareness of how vibrant,
portunity to interact with local art-
diverse and valuable local artists
work and post about it on social media.
and arts spaces continue to be for local commu-
Using the hashtag #LoveLaneArt, artists, arts nities, and how the arts are embedded into the
organizations and community members are en- culture and identity of Lane County.
couraged to post on social media, sharing about
“#LoveLaneArt is really contributing to that
their favorite local artists or works of art, calls to shared identity of how we’re all one — one place,
buy art pieces, opportunities to participate in arts really,” said Lane Arts Council Interim Executive
experiences and promotions of public art tours Director Stacey Ray.
and arts spaces.
See ART page 5A
Groups supports
upriver students
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in Real Estate
JIM HOBERG
Broker/Owner
9
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BEST O
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SIUSLAW NEWS READERS CHOICE WINNER
Voted Best Realtor for 6 Years!
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