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❘ JANUARY 6, 2016 ❘ $1.00
Hauling water
to Collard Lake
INSIDE — A3
SPORTS — B
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
FLORENCE, OREGON
FRIGID TEMPS SPARK OPENING OF COLD WEATHER SHELTER
Siuslaw News
The temperature dipped to 32
degrees last Saturday, triggering the
opening of the Florence Emergency
Cold Weather Shelter, located in the
Masonic Lodge at 89510 Highway
101 south of town.
“We had 10 guests who were local
folks needing food, a warm bed and
safety,” said Florence Emergency
Cold Weather Shelter committee sec-
retary Judy Preisler.
The shelter has been operational at
the Masonic Lodge since November
2014. It opens when the wind chill is
below freezing temperatures.
Signboards were set up Jan. 2 at
designated van pickup locations at
Fred Meyer, Siuslaw Public Library,
Safeway, the Old Town Marina and
the parking lot south of the Siuslaw
River Bridge.
In addition to offering protection
on frigid nights, the shelter serves a
hot dinner and breakfast the follow-
LEGISLATION
ing morning to guests. The shelter
also provides dog-kenneling facilities.
According to Preisler, there were
three women among the 10 guests,
and one dog.
“Our talented food committee
whipped up a hot and nourishing
meal, including a homemade choco-
late cake. One member of that crew
told me that she thought the night
went superbly well,” Preisler said.
Preisler was also encouraged to
find that the shelter was fully staffed.
“Despite the fact that it was a holi-
day weekend, we had a full crew of
welcoming volunteers,” she said.
For more information, call Bob
DuBose at 541-590-3371.
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
B Y J ACK D AVIS
SKY’S THE LIMIT
New year
brings
new laws
2016 legislation includes
changes to voter registration,
port telecommunications
and birth control
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
As 2016 kicks off, a series of new laws go
into effect in Oregon. Sen. Arnie Roblan and
the Oregon House Majority compiled a list of
some of the new rules and laws that went into
effect Jan. 1.
“I look forward to returning to the Capitol to
continue working for Oregonians living in
District 5,” Roblan said.
He will be in Salem from Tuesday, Jan. 12,
to Friday, Jan. 15, for Organizational
Legislative Days. The 2016 Regular Session of
the Oregon Legislative Assembly will convene
on Monday, Feb. 1.
Roblan said he hopes to “continue fighting
for constituents in Senate District 5 and
advance our local business priorities.”
Following are some of the state’s new laws:
House Bill (HB) 2177 is Oregon’s new uni-
versal voter registration law, Oregon Motor
Voter. According to Roblan, Oregon is the first
state in the nation to implement automatic
voter registration.
“This pioneering new program builds on
Oregon’s leadership in expanding access to
voting,” he said.
Automatic voter registration is available if
you are eligible to register to vote and you
apply for your original, renewal or replacement
license, permit or ID card at the Department of
Motor Vehicles.
Oregon Motor Voter will then send informa-
tion for voters to register with a political party,
remain unaffiliated or even decline to register
to vote.
“While other state legislatures are working
to limit voter participation, Oregon is moving
in the opposite direction by removing unneces-
sary, outdated barriers to voting,” Roblan said.
“This program will modernize voter registra-
tion in Oregon and provide a secure, simple
and convenient way for more Oregonians to
become registered voters.”
HB 2879 and 3343 both work to expand
access to birth control. HB 2879 allows phar-
macists to prescribe birth control, which will
reduce the need for women to visit a doctor for
their contraceptive prescriptions. HB 3343
requires insurers to cover a full year of birth
control, reducing gaps in coverage and access.
HB 3104 allows rural ports, like the Port of
Siuslaw, to establish telecommunications capa-
bilities. It expands the statutory authority of
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LAWS 7A
Rotary members take part in a flight aboard the “Rotary
International” during a skit Tuesday announcing the
March 12 Rotary Auction theme, “The Sky’s the Limit.”
CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS
Rotary Club of Florence announces 55th annual auction theme
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
Rotary
Club
of
Florence announced yes-
terday that the Rotary
Auction on Saturday,
March 12, will have a
unique theme: “The Sky’s
the Limit.”
The club revealed this
year’s theme during an
airline skit showcasing
tourists and flight atten-
dants boarding an airplane
for exotic locations.
“Welcome aboard the
Rotary International,” the
captain said.
Table sponsors at the
55th
annual
Rotary
Auction will be able to
select a country, city or
continent to feature at
their tables.
More than 250 people
attend the auction each
year. Last year’s auction
raised $101,000 for com-
munity events and schol-
arships for area youth.
Since the beginning of
the auction, the club has
raised more than $1 mil-
lion for scholarships.
Ringing in the
New Year
Florence’s Salvation Army drive nets $15K
S TAFF R EPORT
I
t appears that the community in
Florence — all volunteers — have
raised approximately $15,000 in
the Christmas Kettle Campaign.
“Congratulations donors and sup-
porters. Together, we raised 2.5 times
the national average donated to The
Salvation Army,” said Bill Olson,
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THIS WEEK ’ S
director of planned giving for The
Salvation Army — Cascade Division.
The City of Florence’s population is
about 8,500, according to 2014 statis-
tics. The 97439 zipcode has a popula-
tion of nearly 15,000.
“If every zip code area did the same
thing as 97439 in their Red Kettle
See
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FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
COURTESY PHOTO
Red Kettle volunteer Paul Rumca (pictured above with
12-year-old “elf” Zoya Dietz) raised more than $4,000
at the Fred Meyer location by donating time every day
from Thanksgiving to Christmas for the campaign.
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