4 A
The First Amendment
Letters to the Editor:
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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
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SATURDAY
M AY
2
•
2015
LETTERS
YESTERDAY’S NEWS
Support road fee
MOMENTS IN TIME
The History Channel
My brother-in-law survived a heart attack
because he was able to get medical treatment
quickly. I want to know that the roads will stay
open between my house and the hospital in
Florence.
If the $35-a-year fee fails on May 19,
staffing will have to be cut for road mainte-
nance. When a storm brings multiple fallen
trees and slides, rural residents will have
longer waits for roads to open. Less than a
dime a day seems worth it for the health and
safety aspect alone.
I suspect that my actual cost will not be $35.
I think this fee might just save me money.
With regular maintenance, there will be fewer
potholes so my alignment won’t go out as fast.
I could easily save more than $35 a year on
tires and alignment costs.
I will be voting “yes” for well maintained
roads.
Nancy Nichols
Deadwood
Students in good hands
It was sad to read that Oregon schools were
evaluated as close to last of 50 states in recent
reports. One reason was Oregon teachers and
students have to work harder with fewer
school hours and less money per student than
other U.S. states.
Following more reports of many Oregon
schools dropping out of “Common Core” and
quitting annual assessments that each state is
free to develop for their own schools, made
me wonder if Oregon was determined to be at
the bottom of the list.
So it was such a pleasure to see bright smil-
ing faces of Siuslaw fourth-grade students
proud of their efforts to understand how Lewis
and Clark and their small company of soldiers
survived with the help of American Indian
tribes to travel across the United States to the
Pacific Northwest coast in 1804 (“Classroom
Expedition,” April 18, A1).
The students studied how to plan an expedi-
tion, including food supplies, equipment,
keeping detailed accounts and figuring out all
the logistics of such an epic journey and
worked as a team to help educate other stu-
dents.
Teacher Gina Halpin understood how to
encourage her young students to use Common
Core principles of combining math, reading,
writing and critical thinking. Excellent prepa-
ration for the skills they will need as adults.
The STEM (Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math) program came to
Siuslaw schools with guidance from seventh-
grade teacher Andy Marohl. Students figured
out electrical circuits for robots for future
technology. Job preparation is vital to give our
students the best chance of success as working
adults with families.
Now I feel encouraged that Siuslaw stu-
dents are in good hands, learning and having
fun exploring new ideas and knowledge based
on Common Core values. Our students will
have every chance to be successful with the
help of caring educators and support services
for all students.
Jenny Velinty
Florence
Make Oregon safer
The Oregon Senate has passed legislation
that would require background checks for pri-
vate firearm sales and transfers, except for
close family, and there is an exemption for
borrowing guns. The legislation has gone to
the Oregon House of Representatives.
I think it should pass.
If you agree, please contact State Rep.
Caddy McKeown and ask her to back it.
I am for the right to own firearms, but there
should be exceptions for not allowing some
“war-type” weapons. Also, if a person is a
USPS# 497-660
• On May 5, 1877, nearly a year after the
Battle of the Little Big Horn, Sitting Bull and a
band of followers cross into Canada hoping to
find safe haven from the U.S. Army. By early
1881, Sitting Bull was the chief of only a small
band of mostly older and sick people, and he
finally agreed to move 187 Indians to the
United States, where they were assigned to the
Standing Rock reservation in South Dakota.
domestic abuse offender, a felon or those com-
mitted for mental health treatment, they
should have that right restricted.
This is already the law for sales from
licensed dealers and at gun shows.
In every population, I believe there is a
range of people, from a Timothy McVey on
one end, to a Mahatma Gandhi on the other,
and a “bell curve” of various types in between.
In a small group, there may or may not be all
types, but as the earth’s population grows,
those minor populations at the extremes, grow
in number.
I believe we have to try to protect others
from the actions of the most violent. This may
be an inconvenience and add cost to have the
checks done, but it may save lives. Statistics
show that the three groups mentioned commit
crimes with guns at a much higher rate.
We require licenses to drive a car and for
car owners to have insurance or proof of finan-
cial responsibility, so doesn’t it make sense to
try to lessen the risk from gun violence?
The phone number and email address of
Rep. McKeown is at the bottom of this page.
Please take the time to help make Oregon
safer.
James A. O’Connell
Florence
Endorse Ward
This is an endorsement for the election of
Rob Ward to the board of the Siuslaw Valley
Fire and Rescue District. The date of the elec-
tion is May 19.
Rob currently holds position No. 3 on the
board, and is running to be re-elected. He has
served two previous, four-year terms begin-
ning in 2006.
His experience on the fire and rescue board
includes vice-chair and secretary-treasurer.
He is well qualified for public service in
western Lane County as a former mayor of
both Florence and Dunes City.
Craig McMicken
Dunes City
Common sense
Several weeks ago I wrote about the
Affordable Health Care Act and the Oregon
House Bills being considered for transparency
of costs from the providers. Today I am writ-
ing about the unspoken and unintended bad
consequences of a poorly thought-through
ACA.
The generic drug industry has gone through
a consolidation and fewer producers for these
drugs exist today. Competition has decreased
and patents have been sold resulting in huge
price increases.
As an example, doxycycline generic has
gone from 9 cents to over $3 per pill. I use a
Noritate cream priced at approximately $75
two years ago. Late in 2014 the average price
Vote for Nancy
• On May 6, 1937, the airship Hindenburg,
the largest dirigible ever built, bursts into
flames upon touching its mooring mast in New
Jersey, killing 36 passengers and crewmembers
aboard the hydrogen-filled blimp. The “zeppe-
lin” flew at a speed of 6 mph, propelled by a
three-horsepower steam engine.
• On May 9, 1950, L. Ron Hubbard publish-
es “Dianetics: The Modern Science of Mental
Health.” With this book, Hubbard introduced a
branch of self-help psychology called
Dianetics, which morphed into a belief system
now known as Scientology.
• On May 8, 1972, President Richard Nixon
announces that he has ordered the mining of
major North Vietnamese ports to prevent the
flow of arms and material to the communist
forces that had invaded South Vietnam in
March.
Nancy Rickard has served the citizens of
Florence very well, as a member of the school
board for 15 years and the last two as a port
commissioner. She has taken an active role in
the city and the port, going to various meet-
ings in Florence, Mapleton and wherever
needed regarding port duties and learning the
needs of the community as well.
She is a good neighbor. I have often seen
her cleaning up the neighborhood park by her-
self. Please vote for Nancy Rickard, she is a
very good commissioner as well as a very
good person.
Ron Preisler
Florence
• On May 4, 1984, New Jersey rocker Bruce
Springsteen releases “Pink Cadillac” as a B-
side to “Dancing in the Dark,” which will
become the first and biggest hit single off
“Born in the U.S.A.”
Get a grip
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-
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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.
Email letters to:
Editor
@TheSiuslawNews.com
Oh my, all the problems.
The situation in the middle east is accelerat-
ing toward a regionwide conflagration.
Vladimir Putin is plotting toward re-establish-
ment of the Soviet empire. Radical Islamic
forces are gaining substantial followings
worldwide. The Chinese are rapidly approach-
ing hegemony in regional and eventually glob-
al economic influence. The United States is
literally bankrupt and can’t admit it, much less
agree to try and deal with it.
On and on the list goes.
And in the face of all this, the issue we seem
to focus on most intensely right now when
considering potential leaders is their position
on gay marriage. Now, I understand this is a
serious issue, but come on people; get a grip
on some priorities.
Of course this is not a problem for you and
I. We are, after all, very intelligent, well
informed and most reasonable. It’s those other
people. You know, “them.”
Jimmie Zinn
Florence
• On May 7, 1994, Norway’s most famous
painting, “The Scream” by Edvard Munch, is
recovered at a seaside hotel, three months after
it was stolen during the 1994 Winter Olympics
in Lillehammer. The thieves had left a note
reading “Thousand thanks for the bad securi-
ty!”
(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.
T
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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
for this was $780, and today the cash price in
Florence is $1,238. This is one half the price
of gold bullion.
Due to the fact that I have to purchase a HD
policy, my RX costs are not covered until I
meet the deductible of $7,500, and I face the
reality of paying the full cash price without a
prescription coverage.
Now the good news, I am fed up with the
inequality. My RX is made in Canada by
Valeant Corp. I signed up with a Canadian
online pharmacy and discovered the exact
same product cost, delivered through Canada
customs cost me a whopping $54.
This is another way you are being fleeced in
healthcare. Become a better-informed advo-
cate and consumer. Write your representatives.
We need a healthcare revolution, and common
sense.
Tom Payn
Florence
• On May 10, 1909, “Mother” Maybelle
Carter is born near Nickelsville, Virginia. From
the late 1920s all the way through the 1950s,
she was a familiar presence on radio and a pow-
erful influence on the course of country music.
She helped make the Carters the “First Family
of Country Music” and introduced songs like
“Wildwood Flower” and “Can the Circle Be
Unbroken.”
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