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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 2016)
4 A ❘ WEDNESDAY EDITION ❘ APRIL 20, 2016 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 RYAN CRONK , EDITOR ❘ 541-902-3520 ❘ EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM Opinion E XTRAORDINARY P EOPLE C ATHERINE J. R OURKE For the Siuslaw News _____________ Geraldine Lucio trusted friend. Sometimes I’m more of a therapist than a barber.” Her grandfather cut hair until his 80s and his shop has remained open for 65 years. Her dad still operates a barber shop in San Antonio as well. “They both wanted the freedom that comes with being your own boss,” Geraldine said. “I guess it runs in the family, and I’m following their footsteps.” So did her brother Raymundo, who sought that same freedom and found it by opening his own barber shop in their hometown. “I tried working at corporate jobs, but my heart wasn’t into it,” she said. “So I attended a Sassoon Academy but didn’t care for the pre- tentious salons. I had an interview scheduled at one and never made it through the front door. It lacked family atmosphere.” That’s when the familiar barber pole called to her. With the family entrepreneurial spirit in her bones, Geraldine realized she was born to be a barber. “I definitely carry the family DNA for cutting and styling,” she said. “Seeing how happy my family mem- bers were in their barber shops, I want- ed to enjoy that same camaraderie I experienced there as a child.” T he lady is a barber. And a pilot. AND a motorcycle rider. With a heart and smile as big and wide as the skies she flies, Geraldine Lucio also remains dedicated to charitable causes. Earlier this year she was nominated for the 2015 Florence First Citizen Award for her active support of the Can Hunger Concert, the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Campaign and others. She has also donated haircuts to veterans and various fundraisers. “Community involvement is really important to me,” she said. “I’m also into anything that gets my heart rac- ing.” While it takes a lot to slow down this free-spirited adventurer and bar- ber, the city of Florence stopped Geraldine right in her tracks during a road trip in 2008. “I saw Old Town and knew I had a fit like Cinderella into her slipper,” she said. “It was the perfect historic setting for my dream to honor my family tradition by opening an old- fashioned barber shop.” “A barbershop offers more than just Geraldine grew up in Floresville, a haircut. It’s a gathering place for Texas, with two conversation with a trusted friend.” barbers: her father —GERALDINE LUCIO and grandfather. She spent Saturdays at her dad’s shop sweep- Geraldine found a position with a ing floors and enjoying the “family- popular barber shop in Austin ranked oriented feeling” as generations of as the “Best Haircut” by Texas media. families shared chatter and laughter While Geraldine felt right at home, she in between snips and clips. didn’t know at that time that her real “A barbershop offers more than home awaited her on the Oregon coast. just a haircut,” she said. “It’s a gath- Once she discovered Florence, she ering place for conversation with a never looked back. “There’s a true homey feeling here,” she said. “It’s totally down to earth.” Geraldine opened the Old Town Barbershop on Bay Street in 2015 after completely remodeling the space. Vintage fixtures and furnish- ings include antique barber chairs, the oldest dating back to 1901. “They’re like thrones,” she said. “Essentially what I’m doing is bring- ing my grandfather’s barber shop back to life. Anyone who comes in here will enjoy a classic barber shop experience, with authentic chairs, personalized cuts, a cup of coffee and good conversation.” Geraldine looks to the future with the latest styles, but also guides clients to choose the most attractive cut for their features instead of new trends. “I want everyone to be satisfied,” she said. “There are no cookie-cutter approaches here — only personal- ized cuts. I plan to keep a balance between the past I want honored and the future I hope blooms.” As a Lucio barber, Geraldine now contributes to the family’s 90 years of combined experience in the hair business, a legacy in which she takes great pride. Her plans include sup- porting local artists by displaying their art on the shop walls. “The freedom of the job is what I really love,” she said. “For me, bar- bering offers the freedom to express myself creatively and to be who I really am. I love meeting so many people and working with different hairstyles each day. It’s more about my personality than the job itself.” That independent streak also lured Geraldine into the seat of a Cessna 172 where she’s working on her pilot’s license. “I love the freedom of drifting through the clouds, with no traffic lights,” she said. “It’s a total escape — just me and the sky and my rac- PHOTO BY CATHERINE ROURKE Bay Street offered “the perfect historic setting” for Geraldine’s old-fashioned barbershop in her family tradition. ing heart.” Geraldine slows down that heart by practicing yoga, but opens it up for the needs of the Florence com- munity. Her next fundraising event will take place at her barbershop on Friday evening, May 6, when she hosts the “Green Carpet” fashion show and clothing drive. The gala will showcase clothing by area designers and artists to benefit Helping Hands Coalition, just one of many local causes dear to her heart. “I want to cut hair for generations of families,” she said. “I’ve already become acquainted with so many wonderful hearts and souls here. I want to create memories and fun events for the Florence community that help people at the same time.” ______________________ Catherine J. Rourke is an award- winning writer, journalist and book editor who teaches creative writing at the Florence Regional Arts Alliance. She may be contacted at CJReditor@gmail.com. LETTERS left — it is only 46 years old. It seems the only tax base in this town is property taxes since we do not have any industry or large commercial com- panies supplying taxes. How much more is the taxpayer sup- posed to take on and still be able to afford to live in their own home? Don’t think because you are a renter that this does not apply to you because it does. As soon as your landlord gets an increase in taxes, that amount will be passed on to you. I urge everyone to vote no on this school bond. James McCoey Florence Choose a political party While I applaud Lane County’s public service voting announcement (“Check Voter Registration as May Elections Near,” April 16, page 6A), it is misleading. Oregon’s Primary Election for president, May 17, is a closed election. You must not only be registered, but must be a member of a candidate’s particular political party to vote for them. All registered voters will get ballots to vote for local candi- dates. But, if you are registered as Non-affiliated, Independent, Green, Libertarian or any of the other parties and want to vote for a presidential candidate, you must switch your registration by April 26. You can always switch back before the General Election in November, if you feel strongly about your affiliation. Don Patton Florence Vote ‘no’ on school bond In the upcoming election, Florence voters will again be asked to approve another school bond. This one is for a new high school. The Siuslaw School Board is telling us that “we won a federal lottery in the sum of $4 million” for our schools. Now all we have to do to receive that sum is come up with another $36.9 million. So all we now have to do is to tear down the existing high school and build a new one. According to the “Siuslaw School District Bond — Just the Facts,” they want the taxpayer owning a $200,000 assessed value home to believe they will only pay $20/month or $240/year toward the bond. When in reality, that’s only the first Elect Woodbury year assessment. In the 25th year of the bond, that same homeowner will pay $496/year. This is due to an increase in assessed value of your home at 3 percent compounded each year. Since the board does not know what percentage rate they will get on the bond, the total cost for this bond could go as high as $70 million when all is said and done. On your current tax statement, there are currently six separate taxes and bonds that total approximately 44.8 percent of your total tax bill. I personally pay $2,031 a year for our schools. So I urge you to review your current tax statement so you can see how much actually goes to the schools now. I urge you to go to the high school and take one of the walk- abouts that will show you this school still has many years of life Woody Woodbury is running for Lane County Justice of the Peace. I have known Woody for nearly 10 years. His honesty and integrity are beyond reproach. I have always found him visible in the community, approach- able in all settings, and accessible — if you need Woody, he is there for you. This is exactly what he brings to the people of Lane County. As a retired law enforcement officer, it is critically important to have a magistrate with those three qualities not only for the community he serves, but for local law enforcement who need an approachable and accessible magistrate to do their jobs effectively. Please join me in voting for Woody Woodbury for Lane County Justice of the Peace. Maurice K. Sanders Retired Florence Chief of Police USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2016 © Siuslaw News 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. 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Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: www.TheSiuslawNews.com L ETTERS TO THE E DITOR P OLICY The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor concerning issues affecting the Florence area and Lane County. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed let- ters 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 vol- ume of letters received. Libelous and anonymous letters as well as poetry will not be pub- lished. All submissions become the property of Siuslaw News and will not be returned. Write to: Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com.
