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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (March 9, 2016)
THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM ❘ / SIUSLAWNEWS ❘ @ SIUSLAWNEWS WEDNESDAY EDITION RACING FOR THE GREEN ❘ MARCH 9, 2016 ❘ $1.00 View more photos COMMUNITY — B SPORTS — C SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890 Reaching higher ground FLORENCE, OREGON D UNES C ITY F LORENCE H OME & G ARDEN S HOW Triathlon running strong Garde ns Galore Florence participates in Tsunami Walk Out Drill Friday at City Hall B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Siuslaw News Sponsorships exceed last year; volunteers still needed F See DRILL 8A Neighborhood watch forms in Old Town Community members ‘observe and report’ B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Residents in Old Town Florence have come together to begin Old Town East Neighborhood Watch after a series of crimes over the last months caused alarm. They presented safety ideas to the Florence City Council Monday and plan to continue to meet. Bill Meyer, chairman of the neighborhood watch steering com- mittee, said the group formed after a crime in the area concerned resi- dents. Bridgeport Market, 75 Harbor St., hosted the meeting where the watch formed and will host its next meeting at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 15. INSIDE WATCH 8A Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C6 Coast Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B Library Tidings . . . . . . . . . . . A6 Siuslaw News T 20th annual show a success B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Siuslaw News A bove-average attendance, coupled with a unique blend of vendors, made the 20th annual Florence Home and Garden Show last weekend a gala event. “It was one of our best shows ever,” said Home and Garden Show coordinator and founder Jon Thompson, owner of Coast Radio. Interactive displays and a variety of vendors filled the Florence Events Center March 4-6 with products and services and greeted guests as they approached the building. Inside, Florence Garden Club, supporters of the Home and Garden Show since the beginning, wel- comed all who entered. “It was a really great turnout with positive feedback CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS from guests and vendors. I always hear how friendly this show is. All those things pulled together to make it one extraordinary weekend,” Thompson said. The yearly event is presented by Coast Radio and the Siuslaw News and is sponsored by Three Rivers Casino Resort, Bi-Mart and Central Lincoln PUD. View more photos on page B1. Grzeskowiak signs superintendent contract School board set to ratify current middle school principal tonight Siuslaw News See B Y J ACK D AVIS JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS or those who travel the area’s streets, new blue lines painted on Rhododendron Drive, Quince Street and Heceta Beach Road now mark high ground at the end of tsuna- mi zones. To celebrate Florence’s participa- tion in the Blue Line Project, the city will participate in the 2016 Tsunami Walk Out Drill on Friday, March 11, at 10:30 a.m., beginning at Florence City Hall, 250 Highway 101. City staff will lead community members and visiting partners on a drill to get to safe ground. “We will be doing a highlight of the Blue Line Project, and celebrating it with a walkout evacuation to get to high ground. It will be a practice of what it would be like should tsunami sirens sound and you need to get to high ground,” said City Manager Erin Reynolds at the Florence City Council meeting on March 7. The community is invited to attend. The Oregon Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is presenting similar drills at Reedsport, Coos Bay and Gold Beach. “The neat thing is they have chosen to be come to Florence to make the opening remarks,” Reynolds said. Florence Mayor Joe Henry will open the event and introduce Congressman Peter DeFazio, OEM Director Andrew Phelps and OEM Geologic Hazards Coordinator Althea Rizzo, along with other city, county and state officials who will also be in attendance. B Y J ACK D AVIS Siuslaw News C urrent Siuslaw Middle School Principal Andrew Grzeskowiak has signed a $105,000 one-year contract with the Siuslaw School District to replace retiring superintendent Ethel Angal on July 1, 2016. The Siuslaw School Board will ratify the contract at its regular meet- ing tonight, March 9, at 6:30 p.m. Grzeskowiak, 46, has been in edu- cation for 22 years and has spent the last 20 years at Siuslaw School District. He graduated from Oregon State University with a Bachelor of Science in general science with a Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Record . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C Weather Data . . . . . . . . . . . A5 minor in zoology in He was selected to 1993. be assistant principal Grzeskowiak was for the high school and hired in August middle school in 2011. 1996 to teach phys- The position became ical science, biolo- full-time at the high gy and field studies school in 2012. at Siuslaw High In 2013, School. He taught Grzeskowiak was multiple science appointed interim prin- classes, coached cipal at the middle football and assist- school. That post Andrew Grzeskowiak ed with technology. became official later He also was the that school year and he high school athletic director for five has been the principal at Siuslaw years. Middle School since. While teaching, Grzeskowiak During his time as administrator, completed his Initial Administration he completed his Continuing License at the University of Oregon Administrator License through in 2002. Lewis & Clark College. THIS WEEK ’ S TODAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 58 50 54 45 56 47 52 45 WEATHER Full Forecast, A3 he fourth annual Dunes City Triathlon and Duathlon, Saturday, May 7, at Honeyman State Park, continues to grow in participants and spon- sorships. Last year, more than 200 athletes participated in the Olympic-certi- fied triathlon’s sprint race and swim, bike and foot race. This year’s event is expected to exceed last year’s numbers. Participants from as far at Virginia will compete this year. “It’s exciting to think that we could have the next U.S. Olympic medalist right here in our community,” said Dunes City Mayor Rebecca Ruede. This year’s sponsorship par- ticipants far exceed last year and should put the event in the black for the second time in four years. “Our athletes do not travel alone,” said acting city administra- tor Jamie Mills. “They come with an entourage of family and friends and usually stay for the whole weekend. The event has proven to be a windfall for businesses in both Florence and Dunes City, filling motels and campgrounds and pack- ing local eateries.” Three Rivers Casino Resort has committed to being a $4,000 pre- senting sponsor. PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center and the City of Florence are $1,000 gold spon- sors and Darlings RV Resort and Marina, Old Town Inn and Mo’s Restaurant are $500 silver spon- sors. In addition, more than 13 $100 community sponsors have signed up to support the event. According to Mills, as of this week, community sponsors include Florence Yamaha, The Shippin’ Shack, Old Cedar Tree Woodworking, Oregon Pacific Bank, Vend West, West Coast Media Group, Sandland Adventures, Sand Master Park, C & M Stables, Grocery Outlet, Coast Insurance and Dunes City resident and city councilor Sheldon Meyer. “Sponsorships at all levels are still available,” Mills said. “But time is running short for those at a higher level to get logos included S IUSLAW N EWS 3 S ECTIONS ❘ 26 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2016 See RACE 8A CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK 126TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 20