Author: paedwards

Sweet Lorane Community News, September 16, 2021

September 16, 2021Newspaper Columns, Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
September 16, 2021
By Pat Edwards

Big preparations are underway for the wedding on Saturday of our grandson, Kevin Stevens and his fiance, Jazmine Bangs, this week. My contribution will be the making of enough of my signature potato salad to feed everyone. Despite the fact that it’s an outdoor wedding and much-needed rain is predicted for Saturday, we’re going full-steam ahead with the preparations. Both Kev and Jazmine are being wonderful sports about their predicted damp event, but I keep reminding them that we’ll all be making memories on their special day.

I want to update all who either travel to, or through, Lorane of the progress that has been made on the Stony Point construction project on Territorial Highway this week. The laying of blacktop has almost been completed and as soon as guard rails are installed, we should be able to travel on the new surface without traffic lights or flaggers.

Becky Taylor, the Senior Transportation Planner for the Lane County Public Works Department sent out this short update last week:

“Paving is occurring on the new road alignment at Stony Point. This is a huge milestone for the project and signals that we are nearing the end of construction. We anticipate that construction will be completed in November.

“There is one remaining section of single-lane-gravel-travel on the north end of the project area where the temporary traffic signals will continue to be used. The traffic signal phases will be significantly be shorter and it will take less time to travel through the construction area.
“Your patience and cooperation is greatly appreciated! We continue to share our project updates through our project newsletter. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.”

Anyone who has had to travel that section of road in the past year, will know what a relief it is to finally be able to reach this point. It’s been a long-haul, but I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has been working long hours to get this competed before the end of the year.

Thank you, Becky, Sasha, and the whole construction crew. Your work is much appreciated.

Sweet Lorane Community News, September 9, 2021

September 9, 2021Newspaper Columns, , , , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
September 9, 2021
By Pat Edwards

Mother Nature has begun hinting at the possibility of fall in the air this past week. Not only are the temps a bit cooler, but I understand that a few drops of rain fell the night before last. Then, there’s the big red maple tree that stands guard over Jim’s tool shed beside our driveway. Many of its green leaves have turned bright red and are beginning to skitter away in the breeze. That “skitter,” I know, will eventually become an avalanche which I’ll have to deal with later on, but I will welcome the season change this year.

My poor, parched flowers in the beds around our house and at the bottom of our road are getting as much well-water as I feel comfortable giving them right now. We have a large storage tank that stays filled to supplement our water usage during the summer, but our neighbors who live on the hill above us have to haul water to their homes and I feel guilty for using any more than I have to, even though I know that, most likely, we aren’t connected to the same source. So, I’m managing to keep the flowers alive, but they’re not looking too happy right now. We will all welcome the first good rainfall, I know.

Labor Day has ‘come and gone’ this year and I understand that the Crow-Applegate-Lorane students are back in class again. I can only imagine how excited most of them were to get back to in-person schooling with their teachers and classmates and to a sense of normalcy, but I also understand what a strain this must be for the parents who are worried about the health and safety of their unvaccinated children under the age of 12 during these scary times. I admit to being a big proponent of the wearing of masks until a vaccine for these children is available or until we get a handle on the spread of the Delta variant of Covid. I dislike wearing masks in public everywhere I go, but even though Jim and I have been fully vaccinated since April, we understand that by continuing to wear them, we may prevent spreading the virus to someone who isn’t… including our local school children. That’s important to us, despite our own minor discomfort. If we can all get on board the “same train” with the goal of defeating this variant and preventing other, more harmful ones from developing, maybe we can all once again concentrate on making our lives and relationships a whole lot better than they have been this past year and a half.

In addition to the return to classrooms, our high school and middle school students have begun their fall sports schedules. Football and volleyball teams have been formed and have already started on their game schedules. Oh, how we miss the days of sitting on the benches or walking the sidelines, cheering on our children and grandchildren each sports season. The good news is that our oldest great-granddaughter, Harper Lorane Furlong, started her first week as a first grader at Glide and plans to enroll in soccer, I believe. We hope to make some of those games soon. We’re so excited to begin rootin’ for a new generation.

While we’re on school news, I want to alert our parents and other interested residents that the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School Board meeting on September 16, will be taking place at the Lorane Grange from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. If you have any concerns or just want to find out how the in-person classes and health and safety measures are doing in the district, plan on attending. It will be open to the public, and masks will be required.

In addition, the Lorane Grange will be sponsoring another family Dessert and Bingo Night on Friday, September 17 at 7:00 p.m. There was a good attendance last month even though masks were required. We had a fun evening with good camaraderie and lots of laughs. Please plan on joining us.

The Crow Grange, after a year’s hiatus, will be bringing back its own bingo nights beginning Saturday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m. There will be no dinner provided at this first one—only desserts—but the plans for the future events to be held on the first and third Saturdays of each month will include dinner. Contact Connie Suing csuing@hotmail.com or 541-556-2609 for more information.

Sweet Lorane Community News, September 2, 2021

September 2, 2021Newspaper Columns, , Leave a comment

Fern Ridge-Tribune News
Creswell Chronicle
Sweet Lorane Community News
September 2, 2021
By Pat Edwards

It seems like life has suddenly become a major challenge these days for many of us. What happened to the days of sitting down in the evening to watch the local news before “Wheel” or one of our favorite comedy or detective shows came on?—We used to spend our mornings before heading for work or tackling home chores by sitting down with a cup of coffee to read our substantial local daily newspaper to see what has been happening in our communities. It didn’t just contain vast amounts of international and national news with just a smattering of local news and obits as it does now. Yes… it detailed the news of horrific crime and tragic events close to home, but there were a lot of other “feel-good” stories of the exceptional talents and imaginative goals set by the people in our own Lane County community. Once the paper was read, we were able to put it aside and go about our personal lives and relationships each day.

In today’s world, we have allowed our lives to be enveloped by “the news”—24-hours a day. We’ve become slaves to our cell phones, computers and television with their “on the spot” coverage and endless discussions of what’s going on in our world. We’re deluged by opinions of others in the form of social media, talk shows and biased political networks that, despite their views, are encouraging us to “pick sides” and, collectively, are dividing us as a nation.

Is it too much to wish, despite all of the many advances in technology, that we can begin to realize what its overuse is doing to us as a society? Can we begin to back off a bit on our dependence on it?

As I write these words, a thought occurs to me—How can I justify advising others about their dependence on “instant” news when I’m guilty of it myself? After all, I am one of the administrators of the Lorane, Oregon Facebook page and, like others, I find myself not only scrolling through its postings, but also those of our neighboring communities. These community pages are beneficial, I believe. When used, as they are intended, in finding lost pets, connecting with neighbors, warning of hazards on roadways and updates on road construction, they provide a service to its members. As administrator, it’s my job to monitor comments to make sure they stay respectful and non-personal. For the most part, they are, and fortunately the negative ones are well in the minority.

I also love to follow Facebook as a means of connecting with family and friends who I don’t see often… hearing about their families, activities and travels and, best of all, seeing pictures that illustrate their stories. I love to share my own stories and be able to wish the special people in my life a “happy birthday” or “congratulations.”

What I object to most is that many are using social media, especially, as a means of spreading discontent with anything that they don’t agree with. For them, it’s become very political and combative with no room for compromise and, unfortunately, many are jumping on their bandwagons.

I want to use this means to express my appreciation to the weekly newspapers that carry my column, for the service each is providing to our local communities. They put faces to the names of our community members and keep everyone apprised of what’s happening in not only their own communities, but with their schools, organizations, businesses and residents. They reach out to neighbors and cover events that appeal to many in our rural communities and provide a breath of fresh air to their readers.

Thank you for allowing me to be a part of it.