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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 14, 2021)
SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, AUGUST 14, 2021 | 5A BUS from page 1A “We’re excited to make this vehicle available for the Florence community. This vehicle was ordered in June 2020 and was delivered in May 2021,” he said. The new vehicle is a 25- foot Ford Eldorado Aero- tech cutaway, with has space for 10 ambulatory passen- gers and comes equipped with space for two addition- al passengers using mobility devices. “The minimum expected useful service life of vehicles of this type is seven years, but we’re hoping it will last even longer,” Ahlen said. number will increase as The cost of the vehicle the new bus is added to was $102,539 and was the vehicle mix. made possible because Josh Haring owns Riv- of the Statewide Trans- er Cities Taxi, the Flor- portation Improvement ence company which Fund in 2017. These holds the contract for funds encourage and mass transist service in support projects that Florence. He explained meet local needs while how the Rhody Express aligning with state public benefits the community. transportation priorities. The new Rhody Express is a 25-foot Ford Eldorado Aerotech “It is really good to have “The Rhody Express cutaway with space for more than 10 people. this new bus. And even serves as a central fixed Yachats buses,” Ahlen stat- through RideSource.” though we are doing about route service and key trans- ed. “While wheelchair ac- Ridership numbers for half of the ridership we nor- portation hub in the city cessible and outfitted with a the first half of the year mally do, it shows the real of Florence and provides a 1,000-pound lift, Rhody Ex- show that 3,111 individuals need the people that are us- connection point with other press services also include used the Rhody express in ing the express have. These services such as the Flor- a complementary ADA and around Florence. people rely on the bus for ence/Eugene and Florence/ paratransit service offered Organizers hope that making it to the store and to the doctor’s office,” Haring said. “The Rhody Express is essential for many older people in town who have no other way to get around and take care of themselves. It is great to have a new, reliable bus for the folks that really need it.” The Rhody Express op- erates Monday to Friday between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. Fares are $1 for a single trip, $2 for a day pass and $20 for 20-Ride ticket book. Ticket books are sold only at River Cities Taxi, 1699 Pine St. For more information, call 541- 902-2067 or learn more at www.ltd.org. the construction and future closures. Jon Tipple has been surf- ing at the South Jetty for years. “This is a major tourist attraction and there are a lot of surfers that come down here as well,” he said. “I just don’t understand what is happening out there. There was a major repair a couple of years ago at this same spot, and I just hope they get it right this time. I was told that the repair might take months and that is to- tally unacceptable!” Tipple’s questions about the timeline and project, along with inquiries from other users of the area, have prompted a response from the Forest Service on the repair and the time expect- ed for the construction. According to Holman, “Funding for the South Jet- ty Road project came at a crucial time. For nearly 20 years we’ve been making temporary fixes aimed at slowing down erosion from ocean and river currents, which has been undercut- ting the road. At this point, without this project, our engineers don’t think the road would endure much longer.” The project will close the final mile or so of the road leading to the South Jetty beginning on Aug. 16, and there will be limited access to the crab docks and the South Jetty for an undeter- mined period of time. “We recognize the in- convenience it creates for some visitors, but in the long run we’ll finally have a more stable and long-last- ing road,” Holman said. “The northern portion of the South Jetty Road will be rerouted, restricting all access to the crab dock and two beach day-use sites for the duration of the construction. Visitors will continue to be able to use beach access points 1 to 5 and the South Jetty and Goose OHV staging areas for most of the con- struction period. We look forward to reopening the South Jetty Road as soon as safely possible.” In addition to the South Jetty Road repairs, the Great American Outdoors Act is helping fund repairs of the Carter Lake Camp- ground access road. Start- ing Sept. 7 and ending in late October, Carter Lake Campground Road will be closed, along with the campground, day-use area and Carter Dunes trail- head. Visitors will be able to access the Carter Dunes Trail by foot from the Taylor Dunes Trailhead, which will remain open for most of the construction period. Parking at the Tay- lor Dunes trailhead may be limited by construction equipment; the trailhead will close entirely for ap- proximately two weeks, likely in October. The Great American Outdoor Act was passed by US Congress in 2020 as a response to the growing backlog of deferred main- tenance for critical facilities and infrastructure on feder- al lands, including national forests and grasslands. For more information, visit www.fs.usda.gov/rec main/siuslaw/recreation. Arts, Culture Roundtables continue with ‘Finding Our Why’ JETTY from page 1A As part of a continuing series of Arts & Culture Roundtables, Lane Arts Council and partners pres- ent “Finding Our Why — a Discussion Facilitated by Sarai Johnson and Pattrick Price” on Monday, Aug. 16, from 5 to 7 p.m. virtually through Zoom. “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion work can feel overwhelming at times. Where do we begin?” the discussion asks. “What can we shift in our work as art- ists or organizational lead- ers? How do we get others on board to contribute to this important work?” In this workshop John- son will guide participants through an exploration of Visitors will have access to beach access points 1 to 5 and South Jetty and Goosepasture OHV stag- ing areas throughout most of the construction period. Sites north of beach access #5, which includes the crab dock and two additional beach access points, will be closed to all traffic (vehicle, bicycle, foot) for the dura- tion of the project. The entire road will be closed for up to a week, likely in October; the tim- ing of that closure will be posted online once the dates are identified by the contractor. For some residents, the Forest Service hasn’t done enough to alert travelers to their motivation and goals to drive equity-minded work and craft personal- ized inspiring “why” state- ments. Participants will walk away with a greater understanding of where to start and how to vali- date the importance of this work to their collaborators and constituents. Lane Arts Council en- courages people to tune in and identify how they can best strive to be an advocate and/or ally from their place within the community. Participation in Arts & Culture Roundtables is free and open to all, but regis- tration is required. Register at http://lanearts/roundta- bles/. Johnson is a best-selling author, speaker and execu- tive coach, now parlaying her experience working to transform lives, organiza- tions and systems. She has two decades of experience managing businesses, non- profits, people, projects, and as a creative entrepre- neur. Price was born and raised in southeast Alaska, where his life has been cul- turally enriched. This is re- flected in his art and when creating murals, paintings, wearable art and in sto- rytelling. He is currently a teaching artist for Lane Arts Council and a resident artist for the Ritz at the Or- egon Country Fair. Let me Showcase your property. Wendy Krause Broker 541 999-7765 Big Fish Café & Dinner House 345 Riverfront Reedsport • 541-361-6331 Daily Fresh Seafood Specials Steaks • Salads • Homemade Desserts Pastas • Vegetarian/Vegan • Full Bar Heceta Dunes – Beautiful gated community with seven lots ranging in size from 5 to 6.47 acres. Building pad is cleared, utilities available, and the lot has septic approval. Build your dream home within minutes of dunes, lakes, and ocean! Prices range from $180,000 to $240,000. #3234- 21271610 All Occasion Catering Private Parties • Beautiful Riverview Open Tuesday - Saturday 4:00-8:30pm Reservations Suggested 1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200 FLORENCE HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE COLLECTION It’s easy. It’s free. Friday, August 20 Noon - 5pm Saturday, April 21 8am - 2pm LEGACY PORTRAITURE Portraits that will show your innermost self. Florence transfer site, 2820 N. Rhododendron Drive Many common household products contain hazardous ingredients. Anything with a caution label such as Danger, Warning or Caustic can become a pollutant to groundwater and streams. Avoiding these products saves money and protects people, wildlife and our environment. BRING: DON’T BRING: Limit to 35 gallons from each household • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Arts and crafts products Car care products Cleaners Fluorescent tubes Lawn and garden chemicals Paints and solvents Other household hazardous waste Keep products in original labeled container or label known items. Asbestos Drums Electronics Empty containers Explosives Infectious waste Pressurized cylinders Radioactive waste RODGER BENNETT PHOTOGRAPHY 1234 Rhododendron Drive #7 | Florence, Oregon 97439 541-991-0777 | www.photobyrodger.com We are open and ready to assist you! For information about how to dispose of these materials, call (541) 682-4120. Year Round Disposal Options: Batteries & Sharps—accepted at all transfer stations. Electronics—accepted at 9 transfer stations or, visit www.oregonecycles.org 1-888-5-ECYCLE (532-9253). Fluorescent Lamps—visit, www.lanecounty.org/lamps. Paint—visit, www.paintcare.org. For more information on any of the above, visit www.lanecounty.org/hazwaste or call (541) 682-4120. Johnston Motor Company Provided by Lane County Waste Management Division in partnership with The City of Florence. For More Information, call (541) 682-4120 or (541) 997-8237 Since 1939 2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence (541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475