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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (March 14, 2015)
4 A The First Amendment Letters to the Editor: C ongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com Press Releases: PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com SATURDAY MARCH 14 • 2015 VIEW FROM UPRIVER YESTERDAY’S NEWS One mystery solved W ESLEY V OTH For the Siuslaw News I t continues to be the winter that wasn’t, with many early spring plants ahead of schedule. Coral currant blossoms join with the magen- ta salmonberry and pale green Indian plum petals along our waterways. Nearer the ground are the first yellow wood violets, striped Siberian miner’s lettuce and pale pink oxalis flowers. Trilliums and fern fronds, stinging net- tle shoots and the large cow parsley leaves race to survive the assaults of the non-native invaders, such as reed canary grass and Scotch broom and the various Asian knotweeds. Ants stir forth in number, as do flying pollinators in such strength as they have left. Vultures are back, and large flocks of small northward- bound birds of many kinds pass every day with the noisy enthusiasm of kids on a field trip. I have read with interest an article in the cur- rent National Wildlife magazine in their section on backyard habitat about why birds need native trees. Below a photo- graph of a chickadee with a caterpillar is the astonishing statement that “96 per- cent of all terrestrial birds rear their young on insects.” So while many birds eat seeds and berries and nectar — some of which can be provided by backyard feeders — it is the proteins from the animal kingdom that ensure nesting success. Those proteins come primarily from insects and their larvae, which the birds find primarily on native trees and plants, some- thing disappearing from urban areas rapidly being developed. The article says that about 80 percent of North American urban landscaping is done with Asian plants, plants that do not host the insects with which the birds are familiar and on which they are dependent. Sometimes it takes me a long time to fathom what is causing a particular change or pattern. A small herd of elk has been in and around Brickerville this past winter, and I have been curious what draws them here, especially won- dering what they have been eating as it does not appear that they have been grazing lawns much nor damaging shrubbery or trees, at least not yet. The one thing they’ve eaten from our yard other than grass is sword fern, something I had never noticed elk browsing much before. At the same time I noticed that someone — I assumed it was a someone — had been trim- ming the ivy leaves from ground level up their inadvertent host trees to 6 or 8 feet, about the reach of hand tools. Gradually this has contin- ued throughout our area, until every ivy- adorned tree of the hundreds we have here bears the same neat manicure. A week ago it suddenly clicked for me that these two things were related — elk are brows- ing the ivy. Much as I hate the invasive ivy, and that it is so established here that I expect it will never be eliminated — especially along the rail- way corridor that the elk, bear and coyotes use as a favored path or at least bathroom — it is nice when native species can find some benefit. Over the weekend the name “Siuslaw Valley” was removed from our bank and the banner of the new corporate entity put up. Sad to see the end of the use of the regional name. I guess I should focus on being grateful that banking services in some form are still being provided here, and by a regional (Pacific Northwest) rather than national or bigger bank, one that at least claims to be local community-minded. We will see. NEIGHBORS Hawaiian adventure — Part VIII B OB J ACKSON N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENT For the Siuslaw News T he daily journals continued exulting about the wide variety of entertainment offered on this luxury ocean liner. It was noted that we had gone to something called “casino night.” It was like being in Reno, except that the chips were free, courtesy of the ship, with prizes at the end of the evening for the players with the most chips — lots of fun (especial- ly for a cheapskate like myself). Because of the big ground swells, Peggy was feeling bad again, so she retired early. Thursday, Nov. 4, it had been rough all night. We had our coffee and breakfast buffet on the shel- tered deck by the pool as usual. Water was slopping out of the swimming pool again; so it was definitely rough! However, the sun was shining and the sea was getting a brighter blue each and every day. Because of the napkin cartoons I had done at the bar, Kaui, the beau- tiful Hawaiian cruise director, scheduled me in the daily ship’s paper for a session teaching draw- ing to the children on board while Peggy was taking our dirty clothes to the laundromat. Suddenly I had become Captain Kangaroo! However, I suddenly discovered I was out of my class. Running out of ideas, I had asked these kids if they would like to learn about simple perspective and the vanishing point. One little girl, perhaps 7 years old, raised her hand and inquired: “Mr. Jackson, would that be one, two or three- point perspective?” This definitely took the wind out of my sails. The drawing lessons were a near disaster, the sea was getting rougher and the wind blew a lot of their drawings into the pool. I had a hard time controlling the little ras- cals, as they were trying to retrieve their pictures from the water that was sloshing violently like an open washing machine! A large number of passengers were not showing up in the dining room, and drawing lessons had been canceled due to the rough seas. One of the bartenders remarked: “It’s not rough,” and I was left wondering: Why have they stretched ropes across the foyers and along the passageways if it is not rough? More people were using the elevators instead of braving the stairs. Incidentally, the bartenders on board were quite taciturn (unusual- ly so for bartenders). They spoke when spoken to, and that was about it. However, they seemed quite pleased with the unflattering nap- kin cartoons I did of them, vowing to frame them when they got back home. There were two ladies, perhaps in their late 50s, quite short and quite fluffy, who could be seen at the bar any time of the day or night, and whose contagious laughter could be heard at any function. They took particular delight in shocking these hapless bartenders. I overheard one of them say, “John, how would you like to snug- gle up with me in a deck chair?” Upon observing his predictable shocked countenance, both ladies indulged in a fit of uncontrollable laughter. Although outwardly appearing sort of raunchy, we found that both of them were actually nice ladies who were imbued with a wonder- ful, unrestrained sense of humor that contributed much gaiety, whether they were taking hula les- sons or in the plush genteel atmos- phere of the dining room. One night I made a cartoon of laconic John: He was wiping the bar with a disgusted expression, while his thought balloon was thinking “Oh God! Not that broad again.” The lady saw it, and liked it so much, she kept it — which in my mind, was being really “broad- minded!” More to come. LETTER End of an era I’m sure that by now most of the good peo- ple of Florence and its environs have heard that 3-2-1 Video is closing at the end of March. This is not only the end of an era for the town, but the beginning of an empty space for me. I enjoyed going to the store because it was always a happy place. A plethora of great movies to choose from, but more importantly, an opportunity to chat with Don or Anna Huntingdon or the sweet young ladies that manned the counter so competently. I’ve said for years that 3-2-1 Video was the best-run business in Florence. USPS# 497-660 In an era that is dominated by corporate greed and various scams to perpetrate on the 99 percent, 3-2-1 Video was our neighbor, Don and Anna working hard to please their patrons. If they didn’t have a movie that you wanted, they would get it. At least once every month I would get a phone call telling me that this was my “lucky day.” A free movie was mine to pick up. As a testimony to the integrity of the own- ers, they refused to let their friends and cus- tomers replace the defunct popcorn machine. The machine was an icon, and when it went down, I talked to the ladies at the counter and the customers in line, “Hey, if money’s a little tight for Don, how about we set up a collection • On March 16, 1751, future President James Madison is born in Virginia. Madison, one of the key drafters of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights, became America’s fourth presi- dent in 1809 and is considered the Father of the Constitution. • On March 21, 1804, French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte enacts a new legal frame- work for France, known as the “Napoleonic Code.” The Code strengthened the authority of men over their families, deprived women of any individual rights and reduced the rights of illegitimate children. • On March 20, 1861, President Abraham Lincoln’s youngest sons, Willie and Tad, are diag- nosed with the measles. The boys recovered, but in 1862, Willie died from typhoid fever. Tad died at age 18 in 1871. Lincoln’s second son, Eddie, died before his fourth birthday. Only the first born, Robert, lived to an advanced age; he passed away in 1926 at age 82. • On March 17, 1905, future president Franklin Delano Roosevelt weds his fifth cousin once-removed, Eleanor Roosevelt. After losing her mother when she was 8 and her father when she was 10, Eleanor was raised by the extended Roosevelt family. She met her future husband when she was 2 years old and he was 4. • On March 18, 1911, Irving Berlin copy- rights the biggest pop song of the early 20th century, “Alexander’s Ragtime Band.” The song was easier to play than Joplin’s “The Entertainer,” which encouraged sheet music sales. Those topped 1.5 million copies in the first 18 months. • On March 19, 1953, the movie world’s most prestigious honors, the Academy Awards, are telecast for the first time, on NBC. Previously, audiences at home could only listen on the radio. The sealed envelope system began 12 years earlier after a newspaper printed the results prematurely. • On March 22, 1983, the Pentagon awards a production contract to develop 55,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles (HMMWV), nicknamed the Humvee. In 1992, a 10,000-pound civilian version, known as the Hummer, went on sale. (c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc. he Siuslaw News wel- comes letters to the edi- tor on subjects of general interest to its readership. Brevity is mandatory, and let- ters are subject to editing. Libelous letters and poetry will not be published. Thank- you letters are generally inap- propriate. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed. Handwritten or submitted letters via mail must be signed over the writer’s name. All letters must include an address and phone number of the writer for verification. 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Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: www.TheSiuslawNews.com WHERE TO WRITE Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore. Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439. Phone (541) 997-3441 (See extension numbers below). FAX (541) 997-7979. John Bartlett Jenna Bartlett Ryan Cronk Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry to buy the store a new popcorn machine?” The girl at the counter said others had mentioned it, but Don had adamantly refused. That’s when I began to suspect that the store might be closing. You see, Don and Anna wouldn’t accept the gift from their friends knowing that the end of the business was near. That would not be hon- orable. Say a silent moment of goodbye to the good folks at 3-2-1 Video. So again, another sad story that is created by the inexorable march of “progress.” I’m not sure I like progress so much anymore. Eric Hauptman Florence MOMENTS IN TIME The History Channel Pres. Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213 www.whitehouse.gov Gov. Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. Salem, OR 97301-4047 Governor’s Citizens’ Rep. Message Line 503-378-4582 www.oregon.gov/gov U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 541-431-0229 www.wyden.senate.gov FAX: 503-986-1080 Email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997 541-465-6750 State Rep. Caddy McKeown (Dist. 9) 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1409 Email: rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.) 2134 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6416/ 800-944-9603 541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732 www.defazio.house.gov State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5) 900 Court St. NE - S-417 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1705 West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich 125 E. Eighth St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-682-4203 FAX: 541-682-4616 Email: Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us