City of Florence, Oregon - Government

09/03/2026

🌊 Whether it's a tsunami, wildfire, winter storm, power outage, or other emergency, being prepared can make all the difference. 🔥

The Beat the Wave Disaster Expo returns to the Florence Events Center on Saturday, September 12, from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., offering free resources, expert advice, and hands-on preparedness information for the entire community.

Presented by the West Lane Emergency Operations Group, the free event brings together local emergency responders, public safety agencies, healthcare organizations, nonprofits, and preparedness experts to help residents learn how to better protect themselves, their families, and their homes before disaster strikes.

The event is designed for individuals and families of all ages, whether they are just beginning to prepare or looking to strengthen their emergency plans.

Attendees can also enjoy free hot dogs, courtesy of the Rotary Club of Florence, while supplies last.

Thank you to event sponsor Three Rivers Casino Resort!

"Our goal is simple," organizers said. "We want every household in our community to leave more prepared than when they arrived. Taking a few simple steps today can make a tremendous difference during an emergency."

The Beat the Wave Disaster Expo is part of an ongoing community effort to increase disaster awareness and encourage residents to take proactive steps before an emergency occurs.

For more information about the event, call 541-590-9093.

09/03/2026

The City of Florence Environmental Management Advisory Committee (EMAC) and the Master Recyclers of Florence are hosting the first Florence Eco-Chat on Monday, September 14, from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The event will be held at Surfside Bistro at the Driftwood Shores Resort & Conference Center. People are welcome to purchase their own beverage or food in support of the restaurant hosting this event.

Attendees will be able to meet Kelly Bell, Lane County Master Recycler Coordinator and part of Waste Wise Lane County, and learn about updates to the statewide recycling program. This includes positive changes for local recycling.

Additionally, people will have the chance to meet "Squiggly," the new 12-foot Washed Ashore jellyfish sculpture permanently on display at Driftwood Shores.

Learn more at https://www.ci.florence.or.us/EMAC and
https://www.ci.florence.or.us/Florence-Recycling-Resources.

09/01/2026

Exciting news! 📰 The September 2026 edition of Focus on Florence is now available!

With summer coming to an end and another school year approaching, here are some quick safety reminders from Florence Police Department as you encounter school buses and drive within a School Zone.

08/28/2026

🚌 🚸 With summer coming to an end and another school year approaching, here are some quick safety reminders from Florence Police Department as you encounter school buses and drive within a School Zone. 🚸 🚌

When you see a school bus flashing its yellow lights, it indicates the bus is about to stop. Drivers should be cautious and begin stopping as students are about to exit the bus. Once a school bus starts flashing its red lights, all drivers near the bus must come to a full and complete stop. The bus routes are designed to optimize safety and time, meaning students may cross the road to get to their desired location. Students are also educated on the proper way to exit the bus and cross the street safely. When in doubt, slow down and just stop.

When entering a school zone, you will see that the signs have changed from “When Children are Present” to “School Days 7am-5pm.” This means that from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., the posted designated maximum allowed speed is 20 miles per hour on school days. This change was made to reduce confusion when driving in a School Zone. There are School Zone signs posted all along Oak Street and intersecting streets near the schools to help drivers know when they are in the school zone. Speed enforcement will be conducted by the School Resource Officer and other Police Officers to ensure the safety of our students in the school zone.

When a driver observes a pedestrian indicating that they want to cross a highway or street, the driver is required to come to a stop to allow the pedestrian to cross. A driver is also required to come to a stop when another vehicle is stopped at an intersection. If you are approaching an intersection and there is a vehicle stopped, you are also required to stop by law, as that vehicle is most likely stopped for a crossing pedestrian. Along Highway 101, a majority of the crosswalks are now equipped with lights to alert drivers that a pedestrian is in the crosswalk or about to be; again, you must come to a complete stop to allow them to cross.

With an increased number of electric bikes and scooters on the road, please pay extra attention as you drive, as these bikes and scooters may be in the bike lane or on the road. Driving is by far the most dangerous thing we do every day, so please pay extra close attention to help reduce the general dangers of driving and increase pedestrian safety in and out of the school zones!

For more information about public safety in Florence, visit https://www.ci.florence.or.us/Police.

08/28/2026

POLICE: The Emergency Alert that was received around 1:30 am Friday morning was NOT for Florence. The alert states the area of Elmira Road and Archie Street in Eugene. Please do not call 911 for information on this alert unless you are experiencing an emergency.

The nature of alerts like this are often broad in order to ensure it reaches as many of the intended recipients as possible. These alerts use geographic and cell tower connections that result in notifications going to larger areas. Please review notification information for situational awareness if you are not directly impacted.

08/27/2026

As Labor Day weekend approaches, the Florence Police Department will be participating in the nationwide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” high-visibility enforcement campaign. Through September 7, 2026. Officers will increase patrols throughout the holiday period with a focus on identifying and removing impaired drivers from our roadways.

This enforcement effort is supported through a federally funded traffic safety grant administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) Traffic Safety Office. Grant funding allows law enforcement agencies to dedicate additional patrol hours to impaired driving enforcement, helping keep Oregon's roads safe during one of the busiest travel weekends of the year.

Labor Day is one of the deadliest holiday weekends for impaired driving.

The Florence Police Department encourages everyone celebrating Labor Day to make responsible choices before heading out:

• Designate a sober driver before drinking.
• Use a rideshare service, taxi, or public transportation.
• Stay the night if you've been drinking.
• Never let a friend or family member drive while impaired.

If you see a suspected impaired driver, safely call 911 and provide as much information as possible.

The Florence Police Department reminds motorists that impaired driving includes alcohol, cannabis, prescription medications, and any other substance that affects a person's ability to safely operate a vehicle. Regardless of the source of impairment, driving under the influence is illegal and puts everyone on the road at risk.

Drive sober. Plan ahead. Help make this Labor Day a safe holiday for everyone.

For information about City of Florence Public Safety, visit:
https://www.ci.florence.or.us/Police or call the Florence Police Department non-emergency line at 541-997-3515.

08/27/2026

This is a good reminder from Lane County Sheriff's Office regarding phone scams impersonating Police Officers from the Sheriff's Office and other local law enforcement agencies, including the Florence Police Department.

8/26/2026 - Lane County Sheriff - Do not be a victim of scammers

Our community continues to be targeted by phone scammers identifying themselves as employees of the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, typically claiming to be sergeants. Scammers have in the past also used text and email.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office will NEVER ask for money by phone, text, or email!

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office will NEVER call you about missed jury duty!

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office will NEVER ask you to pay for someone to be released!

If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a deputy, sergeant or staff member, tell them you plan to call LCSO dispatch at 541-682-4150 to verify. A real deputy will understand, a scammer will not.

Scammers claim there are warrants, missed jury duty, or unsettled legal issues. They may also offer to take bail money so family members in our jail may be released. Scammers then ask for payment or personal information, often threatening arrest. They usually offer to take payment digitally, through cryptocurrency, phone apps, or at a kiosk.

In some instances, the scammers appear to call from official phone numbers or provide fraudulent callback numbers with official-sounding voicemail inboxes. They often already have some personal information based on the phone number they called.

If you are contacted by someone claiming to be a Lane County Sheriff's Office employee and you think you are being scammed, HANG UP.

Then contact our dispatch center at 541-682-4150 opt. 1.

The Lane County Sheriff’s Office wants to protect you and your property. Please share with your friends and family. This scam has been around for years, and people are still falling for it despite efforts by all local law enforcement to educate the public.

08/26/2026

This week, the City of Florence Street Sweeper has been out of commission for maintenance. Don't worry, Public Works will be back on the streets starting next week!

We appreciate your patience and understanding while we complete necessary repairs and work to return the street sweeper to its regular schedule.

Learn more about Florence Public Works and its efforts to maintain our street system and stormwater at https://www.ci.florence.or.us/517/Street-Division and https://www.ci.florence.or.us/518/Stormwater-Division.

08/26/2026

♻️ Recycling News ♻️

Help us prevent fires caused by improperly discarded rechargeable batteries.

08/22/2026

Happening now!

♻️ Hey Florence residents! The annual Black & White Recycling Event is happening this Saturday at the south parking lot of the Siuslaw Middle School from 10am until 1pm.

Questions? Email us at [email protected] 📨

See you there! ♻️