Urban Renewal grants fix up money; Dunes City Council vacancy filled; Honk Junior takes stage

Urban Renewal program improving street image…

Smoother sidewalks in old town, more attractive light poles on Bay Street and a new entry way for a Highway 101 restaurant will be funded by $25-thousand in Urban Renewal money. The Florence Urban Renewal Agency awarded five separate grants of $5-thousand each this week. Richard and Carol Holcomb own three commercial rentals on Bay Street and will get five grand for each of them to replace uneven sidewalks and entries for Traveler’s Cove, Incredible and Edible Oregon and the former location of Old Town T-Shirts. The Merchants of Old Town will receive funding to pay for painting and sealing of 40 vintage light poles and purchase additional hanging flower baskets. One Highway 101 project will improve appearances at the Little Brown Hen Restaurant. Stacy and Ron Brown will use their grant to replace the entry and add brick flower beds on the front of the building. This week’s awards were the second round of a program announced earlier this year. That’s when Florence Urban Renewal set aside $100-thousand to improve the ‘street-image’ of businesses in the district. So far seven projects have been approved totaling just over $33-thousand… leaving $66,625 available.

The Dunes City Council is whole once again. Troy Sathe (SAYTH-ee) was sworn in during a special ceremony Wednesday afternoon by Mayor Eric Hauptmann (HOWPT-munn). Sathe, a self employed home security specialist, was the only applicant for the position left vacant by the resignation earlier this year of Rob Quandt. Under the city’s charter he’ll serve through the end of this year.

Do you have a lot of old pesticide, paint thinner and fluorescent tubes in your garage? The Spring Household Hazardous Waste Collection event is today and tomorrow at the Lane County Transfer Site off Rhododendron Drive. From noon to five, and then tomorrow from eight to two area residents can take up to 35 gallons of hazardous liquids… although no single container can be more than five gallons. They’re even exchanging mercury fever thermometers for new ‘non-toxic’ ones. The event is sponsored by Lane County Public Works and the City of Florence.

It’s a story familiar to many of all ages, with a bit of a twist. The Last Resort Players ‘Storybook Theater Production’ of Honk Junior this weekend at the Florence Events Center.
210 – “It’s a contemporary retelling of the story of The Ugly Duckling set to music and there’s lots of dancing and 32 of our local children are in this production.”

Director Melanie Hurd said the cast and crew have been working for weeks. Their effort will show when the audience finds their seats and the lights go down.
211 – “It’s a hilarious show, it’s great for children of all ages. Your little ones will really enjoy it, all the way up to adults. There’s lots of humor for the older folks as well.”

Honk Junior has four performances set this weekend… seven pm tonight and tomorrow, then two pm matinees on Saturday and Sunday.