H1N1 Vaccine due this month; local prep for swine flu; Florence Cinema to reopen and OSAA redistricting committee releases report

Swine Flu Vaccine to be released later this month…

There will be enough vaccine for the H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu, so that widespread vaccinations can begin by the middle of October.
215 -- "The distribution of the vaccine, both between states and then within states, is basically done on a per capita basis so Oregon will be receiving a share based on our population."

Dr. Mel Kohn, the State’s Public Health Director, says the first shipments will go towards vaccinating ‘priority’ segments of the population: pregnant women, health care workers and others. Surprisingly, people over the age of 65 are not on that list.
216 -- "The folks who are getting sick, have tended to be younger than what we see in a typical flu year. And the kind of illness that they're having is a little bit different and perhaps a little bit more complicated. But in general, the severity of illness appears to be the same as what we see in a seasonal flu year."

Kohn says people born before 1957 have already been exposed to the virus and have some natural immunity.

The swine flu and a possible pandemic will be the subject of this afternoon’s KCST Community Forum. Dr. Sarah Hendrickson, Lane County’s Public Health Officer, will talk about preparations for the onset of flu season. She’ll also talk about efforts to organize a quick and efficient means to distribute the H1N1 vaccine. Today’s program, on 106.9 FM, begins at 4:05 with the first half hour devoted to domestic violence awareness. The show is extended by an hour with Dr. Hendrickson and a panel of local emergency and health officials talking about swine flu between 4:30 and 6 pm.

Coming soon, to a theater near you… The Florence Cinema has been dark since July and it’s set to reopen October 23rd. Ray Welch of Dayville, Connecticut will operate the four-screen cinema. Welch has 25-years in the industry and says he’s not the type to simply sit in the box office and collect admissions.
217 -- "The key to my success, I had to get involved with the community. I showed movies for the schools, I got involved with going to the local hospitals, I handed out passes, anything I had to do, I did it. I got involved with the chamber of commerce, my key to my success was being involved with the community."

Welch says he anticipates ticket and concession prices will generally be lower than what people might expect to pay at other movie theaters.

A fund raiser is set for tonight at Abby’s Pizza where 20-percent of profits on sales between 5:00 and 7:30 will go towards a fund to benefit Izzy Stratton. The volunteer firefighter suffered head injuries in an off-duty car crash on Highway 36 near Mapleton in August. Pete Warren says Stratton will be on hand for this evening’s activities.

TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:

Under the final recommendations of the Oregon School Activities Association Classification and Districting Committee there will be little change for area schools. Siuslaw and the other five teams currently in the 4A Far West League will remain there. The current all-3A Sunset League will become a 2A/3A hybrid with Reedsport continuing to play in that conference. The Mapleton Sailors will also stay put. The 1A Mountain West League will see no changes. Most of the realignments proposed by the committee are based on enrollment changes and travel times projected for central and eastern Oregon schools. Although one major revision in the 4A ranks. Schools in the mid-Willamette Valley and the Central Coast will be reshuffled with many being shifted into adjoining leagues and a core group will make up the “Capital-Coast”. The committee’s recommendations will be taken up by the OSAA Executive Board October 26th.

On The Schedule Tonight:
Reedsport takes to the road for volleyball action in Medford against Cascade Christian… the Mountain West League volleyball schedule has Mapleton at home with Alsea.