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ongress shall make no law respecting an
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Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com
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SATURDAY
MARCH
21
•
2015
FOSTER HOPE, FOSTER TEENS
Lane County Child Welfare is
looking for people with the right
skills to parent teens. More than
130 teens are living in Depart-
ment of Human Services (DHS)
certified non-relative foster
homes, and there are about 37 cer-
tified families. In order to best
meet the needs of those 13 to 20
year olds, DHS must have addi-
tional safe, stable and caring fos-
ter parents.
A campaign called “Foster
Hope. Foster Teens” is launching
in Lane County with a goal of cer-
tifying 10 new foster families
GUEST VIEWPOINT
B Y L OIS D AY
D IRECTOR , O REGON DHS C HILD W ELFARE
exclusively for teens. The addition
of 10 homes will improve DHS’s
ability to make the best fit,
enhancing the teens’ experience in
care.
When children cannot safely
reside with their parents, DHS
strives to place them with safe rel-
atives. If that is not possible, we
look to non-relative foster parents
trying to keep them in their home
community and school. Like any
child, teens need a loving family
in which to learn life skills.
Being a foster parent for a teen
is different than fostering a
younger child, and yet, much the
same. These adults-in-training
need life coaches and role models
who provide stability and can
become lifelong relationships.
Most of us remember the
advice and support we received
from our own families growing
up. We all need someone with
whom to share our life dreams
and achievements. Every child
needs someone who will help
them see how special they are.
Are you that someone? Please
consider becoming a foster parent.
For more information on how
to become a foster parent in Lane
County, call 541-726-6644, ext.
2248, or e-mail holly.a.steer@
state.or.us.
LETTERS
Family history
of immigration
For whatever reasons, the
Republican powers to be in
Washington are against immi-
gration reform or allowing
those that have been in our
country for years to be legal-
ized. They should look back
on their own family histories.
Immigrants have come to
our country legal or illegal for
years. First came the
Europeans on the East Coast
that brought us the Italians,
Irish and Jews who intro-
duced the country to both new
foods and crime. On the West
Coast we imported the
Chinese who brought their food and were
exploited to do hard labor on our railways and
in our goldmines.
Later on, and especially in California, we
imported Mexicans who introduced us to their
food only to do the low-paid manual labor in
the California fields and orchards. I will not go
into the exodus of Japanese from Japan to our
shores and the incarceration of Japanese
Americans.
My father, as an 18-year-old young man,
escaped the the Oklahoma Dust Bowl in 1932
ahead of the rest of his family. He ended up in
the San Joaquin Valley in California and was
fortunate to find work around Visalia and
Tulare where he worked in the fruit orchards
and picking cotton.
His parents, sister and three younger broth-
ers followed him and they all worked the
orchards and fields and actually found a shack
to live in. At that time I think my older sister
and myself were conceived beyond a sheet
that separated the rest of the family from my
parents bed. Proud to be an Okie was a mantra.
Fast forward. Just after World War II in
1945, the extended Jolley family moved to
Ventura, Calif., and found work in the oil
patch and in the trucking industry. In 1952,
when I was 12 years old, it was not uncommon
for kids my age to pick and bag walnuts from
a local orchard and get stained fingers or pick
avocados for a bit of spending money. I ran
around with Mexican kids, and I soon discov-
ered that their grandparents and parents were
still working in the fields and did not speak
English.
The Mexican kids I grew up to know and
went to school with were not only friends but
worked as busboys in restaurants and were the
best dressed guys in school and also good stu-
dents. There was still a bit of Mexican in the
air and our slang and dress was based on the
fringe.
In the early 1950s, Ventura County still had
places like Oxnard, Santa Paula, Camarillo,
Fillmore and Saticoy, where the farmers still
had sub-par housing and low wages for their
workers. Then came along Caesar Chavez and
the struggle still continues.
USPS# 497-660
Now, I am not for an open-door policy
because it is no longer individuals from across
the border but from South America who have
invaded our country, and we are no longer able
to cope with the influx. I do think that we
should accept those who have been here, were
born here and have been good non-citizens.
What we really need to do is not build walls
along the San Diego border or those like in
Palestine or something like the Berlin Wall.
The Near East seems to be in the forefront of
all discussions, but on our doorstep we have a
larger problem with drug cartels and a corrupt
Mexican government that we have supported
for years.
How about putting sanctions along with
Iran and on Mexico and actually pay attention
to our neighbor.
Win Jolley
Florence
Unscrupulous building
contractors
My sister recently answered a “cold call”
from a construction company that asked if she
needed any new windows, roofing or siding.
She is a 69-year-old widow whose husband
passed last year. Before he passed, he had a
new roof put on the house and my sister had
new energy efficient windows installed earlier
this year.
The salesman persuaded her into letting him
give her a bid for new siding and, since she
arranged to have the windows installed (with
my help in contractor selection), she felt con-
fidant that she could arrange for the siding job
“on her own.” Did I mention that I am a retired
general contractor, having been licensed for
over 40 years?
Long story short; she ended up paying, by
taking out a loan, $37,000 for a job that should
have cost $18,000. When she told me, I
thought she was joking. When I found out
about it, the job was already done (it took
them four days, start to finish) and she had
paid them and they were gone.
So this is what I want to say to anyone even
Valentine success
The Peace Harbor Volunteers’ Valentine’s
Day fundraiser, held at the local Bridgeport
Market, was a great success again this year.
The wine, food and raffles were wonderful-
ly received by all in attendance. The function
was sold out in advance. Even a few other
people stopped by, while shopping in Old
Town, and joined in the festivities.
Thanks to everyone for helping to make this
a fun event. Hope to see you there next year!
Brittany Goldberg
Peace Harbor Volunteers Publicist
Florence
MOMENTS IN TIME
The History Channel
• On March 24, 1765, the British Parliament
passes the Quartering Act, outlining the loca-
tions and conditions in which British soldiers
are to find room and board in the American
colonies. The New York assembly refused to
comply with the law.
• On March 28, 1774, upset by the Boston
Tea Party and other blatant acts of destruction
of British property by American colonists, the
British Parliament enacts the Coercive Acts,
which included closing the port of Boston and
giving immunity to British officials in criminal
prosecution.
• On March 26, 1804, President Thomas
Jefferson attends a public party at the Senate
and leads a crowd in consuming an enormous
loaf of bread. The giant bread was baked to go
with the remnants of an enormous 1,200-pound
block of cheese given by a group of Baptist
women two years prior.
• On March 25, 1958, Sugar Ray Robinson
defeats Carmen Basilio to regain the mid-
dleweight championship. It was the fifth and
final title of his career. Robinson is considered
by many to be the greatest prizefighter in histo-
ry.
• On March 23, 1962, Pakistan’s governor,
Ayub Khan, gives first lady Jacqueline
Kennedy a horse named Sardar because of their
common interest in horses. In her memoirs, the
first lady referred to Sardar as her “favorite
treasure.” She nicknamed the jet gelding
“Black Jack.”
• On March 27, 1973, Marlon Brando
declines the Academy Award for Best Actor for
his performance in “The Godfather.” American
Indian actress Sacheen Littlefeather attended
the ceremony in Brando’s place, stating that the
actor could not accept the award, as he was
protesting Hollywood’s portrayal of Native
Americans in film.
• On March 29, 1982, the University of
North Carolina wins the NCAA men’s basket-
ball championship with a 63-62 defeat of
Georgetown University. With 15 seconds on the
clock, Georgetown point guard Fred Brown
accidentally threw the ball to Carolina’s James
Worthy, mistaking him for a Georgetown team-
mate. Worthy dribbled out the clock.
(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
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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
thinking about having con-
struction work done.
First, never sign a contract
with any contractor without
getting at least two other bids.
Any legitimate contractor will
be glad to give you a free esti-
mate/bid, it’s part of doing
business.
You can go to the Oregon
Construction
Contractors
Board and check on a con-
tractor’s license. They list any
complaints against a contrac-
tor, but still be diligent. Listen
to your gut. If it doesn’t feel
right, it probably isn’t.
Always ask for at least four
references that you can check
out. Ask friends and neigh-
bors if they have heard anything about the
contractor, good or bad. Check the Better
Business Bureau website, it can’t hurt, but
don’t rely on it for the final say.
Check out the specifications in the contract
as to what material the contractor is going to
use. It needs to be spelled out as “CDX ply-
wood or OSB,” not “underlayment,” and it
should read like “Underlayment to be CDX
plywood, nailed per building code.”
Siding should read, “Hardiplank with (6”)
reveal,” not “siding to be installed.” It may
sound like nitpicking but, believe me, it’s
worth the time, and everyone involved needs
to have no misinformation or confusion as to
what the “scope of work” is.
There is no set amount for a deposit,
although one third to one fourth of the contract
price is common practice. I prefer to spell out
the payment schedule: this amount of money
when such and such is completed. Make sure
you don’t pay ahead of the work that is com-
pleted. Personally, I don’t like to pay more
than $1,000 as a down payment and then refer
to the payment schedule.
Finally, have someone you trust look over
the contract before you sign it. That person
should be an attorney or, at the very least, a
retired contractor.
Lord knows there are enough of us around
with time on our hands.
Mike Nielsen
Florence
YESTERDAY’S NEWS
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