SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, APRIL 24, 2021 | 5A
Construction begins on Ninth Street for waterline, roadway improvements
Reedsport-based con-
tractor Laskey-Clifton
Corporation began con-
struction of the Ninth
Street Waterline and
Roadway Improvement
Project on Tuesday (April
20). The contractor will
complete exploratory ex-
cavation in several loca-
tions along Ninth Street
between Rhododendron
Drive and Kingwood
Street to verify under-
ground utility locations.
Actual installation of the
new 16-inch water main
and other construction
activities will begin Mon-
day, May 3.
The $2.027 million
project will replace the
small diameter water
lines within Ninth Street,
between Rhododendron
Drive and Kingwood
Street, with a new 16-
inch water main; install
18-inch and 12-inch
stormwater lines; install
two new stormwater curb
inlets; improve a 42-inch
diameter
stormwater
line; replace 30 sidewalk
curb ramps in order to
meet current Ameri-
can with Disabilities Act
(ADA) standards; replace
3,030 square feet of side-
walks; and replace 1,500
lineal feet of standard
curb/gutter.
Once the water, storm-
water,
curbs/gutters,
ADA ramps and side-
walks have been com-
pleted, the contractor
will complete a full width
grind and inlay of new
road surfacing material.
Underground utility
providers have already
been out on Ninth Street
marking the location of
their utilities. The project
is schedule to be complet-
ed by the end of October.
Please proceed cautiously
through the work zones
or take alternate routes
when necessary.
“We’d like to extend
our thanks to the public
for their patience as we
begin this very import-
ant project that will bring
improved water supplies
for fire suppression to the
hospital and surrounding
area,” said Public Works
Director Mike Miller. “Al-
though we have planned
the construction well
and have worked hard to
minimize any inconve-
nience, due to the nature
of this construction proj-
ect there will be slight
inconveniences. The City
sincerely apologizes for
any inconvenience we
or the contractor might
cause during this project
and we will certainly try
to minimize those incon-
veniences.”
For more information,
contact the Public Works
Department at 541-997-
4106.
Peace Harbor volunteer will leave legacy of service to veterans, families
For 11 years, Florence
resident Mel Lewis has
performed a special kind
of volunteer work that
probably can’t be repli-
cated.
A retired pharmacist
who served as a staff
sergeant with the U.S.
Air Force Strategic Air
Command, Lewis signed
up to be a Hospice and
Palliative Care volunteer
with PeaceHealth Peace
Harbor Medical Center
a few years after moving
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Hospice and Palliative Care volunteer Mel Lewis with PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center was with
the program for 11 years. He will soon be leaving to live closer to family in Salt Lake City, Utah.
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He soon found his
niche: Providing sup-
port to local veterans
and their families.
“Mel is always some-
one we could count on
to support our vets,” said
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Karin Guy, Hospice vol-
unteer coordinator. “His
ability to care and empa-
thize with them has been
a gift from the heart.
They have appreciated
his capacity to ‘just be’
while listening to their
stories.”
April 18-24 has been
National Volunteer Rec-
ognition Week — and it
happens to have coin-
cided with Lewis break-
ing the news to Peace
Harbor that he’ll soon be
moving to Salt Lake City
to be closer to family.
“He’s been one of our
most dedicated volun-
teers and this program
will miss him greatly,”
Guy said. “We want to
share our immense grat-
itude to Mel, and also
highlight how important
our volunteers are to our
patients and their fami-
lies. They bring so much
comfort and support to
many in our community
during a time of need.”
Lewis said he appre-
ciated being able to give
back to people who have
served the country.
“I enjoyed being of
some service to someone
who needed help, and
I enjoyed Hospice and
the people who work for
Hospice,” he added. “The
patients liked the added
attention from having a
volunteer there.”
PeaceHealth Harbor
Hospice volunteers pro-
vide various kinds of
support: companionship
to the patient, respite for
loved ones, care for pets
and gifts of hand-made
flower arrangements.
They keep tabs on
what supplies families
need, and call bereaved
loved ones to offer sup-
port and resources.
Unfortunately, the vol-
unteer program had to
be paused in March 2020
due to the COVID-19
pandemic, but Guy is
hopeful Peace Harbor
can soon welcome back
these invaluable mem-
bers of the team.
“We look forward to
when we can have vol-
unteers be back at the
bedside of a patient,
providing a listening
ear and an opportunity
for a loved one to take a
break.”
Lewis’s absence will be
felt even more once the
program resumes, Guy
added.
“We are always in need
of more Hospice and Pal-
liative Care volunteers,”
she said. “No experience
is required—just a heart
to be there for someone
in need.”
For information about
volunteering with Hos-
pice, call Guy at 541-
997-3418.
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