Spanning the Years…
The 104th Rhododendron Festival is on the cusp… and this year’s theme is focusing on the Diamond Jubilee of an important landmark for the Florence Area.
Kady Sneddon – “I wanted to point out I think it’s really cool how much of a tie in we’re doing this year with the 75th anniversary of the Siuslaw River Bridge.”
Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Kady Sneddon says it starts with the theme of the festival… “Spanning the Years”. The bridge was dedicated in May 1936 during the annual Rhododendron Day celebration 75 years ago. The Oregon Department of Transportation recently completed a 2 ½ year electrical, mechanical and esthetic renovation of the bridge and will be showing it off Sunday after the parade.
Kady Sneddon – “I think it’s worth picking up a Rhody brochure and checking out the fact that ODOT is actually going to be doing bridge tours, of the operator room on the bridge itself, on Sunday.”
Today’s Chamber of Commerce Noon Forum at Driftwood Shores will feature local author Judy Fleagle who, along with Dick Smith, recently completed a book about the construction of the landmark. That’s open to the public.
ODOT will also have a special display set up at the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum all Weekend.
The interim Lane County Administrator will fill that post permanently. Liane Richardson was approved yesterday by the Lane County Commission to succeed former administrator Jeff Spartz who left in December. Richardson was selected unanimously by the board at that time to fill in as interim. She received praise from the Commission Chair, Faye Stewart, who said he’s been – quote – “incredibly impressed” with her passion for the position and the organization. Her selection was not unanimous… Commissioners Rob Handy and Peter Sorenson both voted against the move. Handy said a national search should have been made. That would have cost close to $100-thousand however, at a time when county finances are extremely tight.
It’s nearly impossible to look anywhere in this area and not see a rhododendron… either a wild native variety… or a hybrid. Avid growers of rhodies and azaleas are getting ready for this weekend’s signature event for the Rhododendron Festival. Mike Bones said the Florence Chapter of the American Rhododendron Society puts on a big show…
Mike Bones -- "We have the largest flower show in the Pacific Northwest. Actually I could actually say all of the United States… and Canada. It's very well known around the Rhody world and people come just to see our flower show."
The show is open to more than Rhododendrons…
Mike Bones -- "Azaleas and Rhododendrons…
And, says Bones, you don’t have to be a member of the club. You don’t even have to know the type of Rhododendron that you’re entering.
Mike Bones -- "They don't have to know the name of them, we'll give them the little slip of paper… the name tag... they can go back and put it on their plant.
The late spring rains, while depressing to some, have been welcomed by others, especially the pink flowers that are just now beginning to open up.
Mike Bones -- "The macrophyllum, our native is just starting to bloom out, which is nice because by this weekend there'll be a lot of them."
He said there’s a special category just for them. Growers can bring cuttings to the Florence Events Center between 7 and 9 AM Saturday… the show opens to the public Saturday afternoon from one to five, then Sunday from ten to five.
Here is the latest Oregon news from The Associated Press
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Oregon State Police have released the name of
a man who died from a heart attack near the Oregon State Capitol
steps. The Statesman Journal says that 69-year-old Harold Pribble
Jr. of Myrtle Point was rushed to Salem Hospital, where he was
pronounced dead on Tuesday. Troopers say Pribble had been pushing a
cart full of rocks for an exhibit he was going to set up inside.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - A transient man has been indicted with
murder for the killing of a man 17 years ago in Portland.
Sixty-two-year-old Raymond Lee Johnson was found dead in his home
in 1994. Police reopened the case last year and developed
information that led to the arrest of 40-year-old Terry Lavell
Haynes when he was spotted Tuesday night in Portland. Haynes was
indicted yesterday.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Federal and local authorities are looking
for a husband and wife duo convicted of tax fraud last year after
they took off their electronic monitors late last month. Police say
53-year-old Tony Dutson and 48-year-old Micaela Renee Dutson were
sentenced in March to 10 years in federal prison for tax fraud, but
were released and an electronic monitoring system was placed on
them. Authorities say they took it off April 29. Police say they
have connections to Oregon and Arizona.
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - Retired bus driver Cynthia Willis is
waiting to hear whether she will have to choose between her pistol
and her pot. The Oregon Supreme Court is to rule this morning. The
Jackson County sheriff tried to take away her permit to carry a
concealed handgun after she acknowledged in a renewal application
that she also had a medical marijuana card. This is not a Second
Amendment case. Instead, it revolves around the question of when
federal law trumps state rights.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - The Oregon House Rules Committee today hears
public comment on a bill that would overhaul the state's medical
marijuana program. Among the proposed changes would be giving more
access by the state police to Oregon Medical Marijuana Program
records. The bill would also add more stringent regulations to the
qualifications for growers, including a broader criminal background
check.
SALEM, Ore. (AP) - Democrats in the Oregon House are trying to
revive a bill aimed at promoting cultural competency in health
care. The attempt comes a day after the measure failed in a
party-line vote yesterday. The bill would have required health
licensing agencies to come up with standards for teaching doctors
and other providers to respond effectively to people of all
cultures, languages and ethnic backgrounds.
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A Union Pacific employee in Oregon who helped
reduce the number of injuries where he works has won a national
railroad industry award for promoting safety. The American
Association of Railroads says John Kirwan won the 2010 Harold
Hammond Award. Kirwan is a machinist who helped lead the Hinkle,
Ore., shop where he works to a streak of more than 1,400
injury-free days.
BEND, Ore. (AP) - Three calves have been added to a one of the
largest herds of the rare white buffalo. The Oregonian reports that
the three calves were born over Mother's Day weekend at a sanctuary
near Bend. The additions bring the total number of white bison at
the sanctuary to 14. Bison ranchers estimate there are about 50
white buffalos in the U.S. So rare are the animals that Native
Americans considered them sacred.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
TAKING A LOOK INTO COAST RADIO SPORTS:
The Siuslaw Viking Softball squad will be in Central Oregon this evening where they’ll face the Crook County Cowgirls in the ‘play-in’ round of the OSAA playoffs. The winner of this evening’s game in Prineville advances to play again next week. Crook County is 18-7 overall, but ranked 21st in the OSAA’s performance rankings… Siuslaw is 12-13 and rated 27.
The Oregon Ducks completed their two game sweep of the Gonzaga Bulldogs on the diamond of PK Park yesterday afternoon, blanking the ‘dogs’ 9-nothing.
Just over 300 runners preregistered for Saturday’s Rhody Run and organizers expect at least another hundred to show up on race day. The 5 and 10 kilometer courses begin and end at the Florence Events Center… both races begin 9 AM Saturday.
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