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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 23, 2015)
4 A ❘ WEDNESDAY EDITION ❘ SEPTEMBER 23, 2015 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 RYAN CRONK , EDITOR ❘ 541-902-3520 ❘ EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM Opinion 1 2 5 T H A N N I V E R S A R Y F L A S H B A C K 1890 ❙ T T HE W EST F LORENCE T IMES T HE S IUSLAW O AR T HE S IUSLAW N EWS S IUSLAW N EWS ❙ 2015 his year marks Siuslaw News’ quasquicentennial, our 125th anniversary, a remarkable achievement for any business in a small community like Florence. To commemorate this milestone, throughout the year we’ll feature some of the town’s history as origi- nally published in the newspaper, including historic articles and photos from more than a century ago. —Editor COMMUNITY TO SEE FIRST GAME ON LIGHTED FIELD O RIGINALLY P UBLISHED S EPT . 21, 1951 T HE S IUSLAW O AR , V OL . 24, N O . 16 First game under the lights at Hans Petersen Memorial Field will be played tonight at 8 o’clock when Elmira High brings its football team here for a non-league encounter with the Siuslaw Vikings. Long anticipated by the community is use of Hans Petersen Memorial Field, designed for all athletic events and sporting a turfed field, batteries of lights for night playing and 196-foot bleachers, capable of seating 1,000 people. More work is yet contemplated to give Florence one of the best athletic fields on the coast. The game tonight promises to be a real test of power as the locals will have a lot of untried manpower added to its standbys coached by R.F. Richardson, head coach, and E.L. Neal, assistant, who are new to the school this year. In order to build future teams, junior var- sity games have been scheduled with Reedsport and Newport junior and fresh- men. Neal will coach the Siuslaw team. Its first game will be played at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 15, at Reedsport, then to Newport Oct. 22 and Reedsport plays here 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 5. The first league game for the Vikings will be next Friday at Newport. Expected to see action in the game tonight are: Darrel Swigert QB, Dean Small RG, Jim Wilson G, Richard Swigert C, Norland Fautek LE, Len Tabor RH, Merle Tipler C, Wesley Strahm E, Ronald Harmon RH, SIUSLAW NEWS FILE PHOTO Jerry Fitzpatrick LH, Keith Herring E, James Faulkner LG, Kim Saylor BF, Larry Dier LT, Bud Miles RT, Jack Dante FD, Leon Coit RG, Ray Roberts E, Dean Price OB, Pat Buckley FG, Dick Jone RT, Darrel Moullet RT, Francis Frost LT, Bruce Richardson HB, Frank Jackson TFB, Richard Frock G, Harold Pearce E, Paul Lane RT and Mike Buckley. Elmira’s men will probably include Frank Armstrong E, Jim Beardslee E, Jerry Cristoffer FB, Wayne Dinnel HB, Pat Glenn T, Larry Hargan G,Bob Heile Q, Melvin Hockley E, Marion Hunter G, Verne Ivy G, Ervin Linblom T, Dave McKinner FB, Harvey Michael C and H. Plowman E. Officials from Eugene will be Williams, Parker and Blankensop. NEIGHBORS Memories from the Skunk Works B OB J ACKSON N EIGHBORHOOD C ORRESPONDENT For the Siuslaw News I t seems to me that the tree-lined residential neighborhoods of this ever expanding “River City” called Florence contain an inordi- nately large number of residents who at various times in their lives have been deeply involved in pursuits far beyond the ken of the average hoi polloi (like myself). He introduced himself as Leland (Lee) Fowler, 75 years young. He told me that he lives off Willow Loop, a nondescript collection of comfortable homes east of Highway 101. He wanted to share some per- sonal experiences prior to and during the Cold War of the 1960s. Lee spent a brief period of basic training in the Army before going to Glendale College, where he began studies in technical illustration. This led to employment under government contracts for Lockheed Aircraft in Burbank, Calif., as a technical illus- trator that continued for nearly 10 years. He started on F-104 fighters, going on to do schematics on the Lockheed P-3 Orion sub hunter, which led in 1964 to advancement in a top secret area known as the Skunk Works, which was headed by famed Kelley Johnson until 1975. A definite genius, Johnson had designed the P-38, which was the first operational twin-engine fighter plane and also designed the first pres- surized airliner. This was before going on to his work on the legendary U-2 spy plane and the Blackbird. Special clearance was required at that time for the original nine illustra- tors. FOD (foreign object damage) was a constant concern whenever boarding these high-tech aircraft. Even pocketed and supposedly harm- less pencils and ballpoint pens could set off alarms and bring security onto the scene. Skunk Works employees were a select group of non-union people who were under extreme stress because they were under constant surveillance at all times. Their mechanical illustra- tions were occasionally supplemented by free-hand sketches. Kelley Johnson designed 500 mph, U-2 single-jet engine spy plane, with 103-foot wingspan, cruised at 70,000 feet, and was eventually shot down by a SAM missile over the Soviet Union with Gary Powers at the con- trols. (I recall Powers’ capture by the Russians making international news at the time). Working as an illustrator on the world’s fastest airplane, the SR-71 Blackbird was exciting. With a 55- foot wingspan, the Blackbird flew at 2,200 mph and was able to outrun missiles and fighter planes. Lee Fowler related that the SR-71 Blackbird had been transported secretly to Edwards Air Force Base for final assembly. He even did illus- trations of the secrecy tent that cov- ered the airframe during construction. After perhaps six years with the SR- 71, he never did get to actually see one fly. They were flown out secretly in the dead of night. However, he was able to work with both Gary Powers and Kelley Johnson. The Blackbird is prominently dis- played at sites like the Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Ariz., Evergreen Aviation Museum in McMinnville, Ore., and the Air Museum at Balboa Park in San Diego, Calif. More proof that Florence, Ore. — right here in “River City” — is pop- ulated with citizens who retain a valuable repository of historical memories. LETTERS Citizenship to those who work for us I grew up in Southern California in a blue- collar home as a preteen in the early 1950s. We were fortunate in that we lived in an area where food was available if you worked for it. My father and I would go surf fishing and hunt- ing for quail and dove, so we always had some- thing in the small freezer. We also raised chickens and rabbits in the backyard to add to the freezer. The only red meat we ate was liver or, once a year, a steak at the company barbecue that my father worked for. Beans and cornbread were always on the menu with a nice slice of onion. I took for grant- ed everything that either grew in our yard or that was produced in the state. Almonds, wal- nuts, corn, peaches, plumbs, figs, avocados, artichokes and strawberries were a given. It was a few years later that I discovered that under-paid and ill-housed migrants from Mexico were doing all the labor to put things on our table and also on the East Coast. In high school, I became friends and neigh- bors with first-generation Mexican American citizens, whose “illegal” parents still worked the fields. Now, on the news someone said that we should step up like Germany and other European countries and allow about 10,000 immigrants from Syria into our country. Let’s first give citizenship to those from Mexico who have lived and worked here for years and have made their families here a chance to become Americans before we accept the importation from other countries. Win Jolley Florence Beyond Obamacare event Anyone interested in how Oregonians can jumpstart comprehensive and affordable health care might consider attending the live perform- ance of “Mercy Killers” Thursday at 7 p.m. at City Lights Cinemas. This event will be more than a nationally well-regarded one-man performance by Michael Milligan built around a medical tragedy that shaped his own life. Representatives from Health Care for All Oregon, a state-wide organization of physicians and others, will offer a brief, detailed status of efforts moving the Oregon Legislature and gen- eral public toward a “Unified Payer” health delivery system. The governor signed a major law in July: HB 2828. So tales of Vermont succumbing to polit- ical pressures and backing away from its initial openness to implement “single-payer” (better referred to as “Unified Payer”) need not become the end-game for moving beyond the Affordable Care Act. Oregonians can work toward dumping our dystopian dependence on insurance company fine-print and enjoying significant administra- tive savings. For starters, we create one com- mon-sense risk-pool in order to reduce com- plexity and insurance profits, while better con- trolling costs. Enjoy this well-regarded dramatic theatrical event, and come up to speed on how we can all help shape health care delivery before its too late. Tickets are available at City Lights Cinemas. Rand Dawson Siltcoos Lake L ETTERS P OLICY The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the edi- tor concerning issues affecting the Florence area and Lane County. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters should be limited to about 300 words and must include the writer’s full name, address and phone number for verification. Letters are subject to editing for length, gram- mar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Libelous and anonymous letters as well as poetry will not be published. All submissions become the property of Siuslaw News and will not be returned. Write to: Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2015 © Siuslaw News John Bartlett Jenna Bartlett Ryan Cronk Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry Publisher, ext. 327 General Manager, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Advertising Director, ext. 326 Office Supervisor, ext. 312 Production Supervisor Press Manager DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Monday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Monday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Friday 5 p.m. Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Thursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $71; 10-weeks subscription, $18; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription, $94; 10-weeks subscription, $24; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $120; Out of United States — 1-year subscription, $200; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $65. 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; fax 541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com. 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