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WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ MAY 25, 2016
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
RYAN CRONK , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
F LORENCE F LASHBACK
1890 ❙
T HE W EST
F LORENCE T IMES
T HE S IUSLAW O AR
T HE S IUSLAW N EWS
S IUSLAW N EWS
❙ 2016
PARADE COLORFUL, SUCCESSFUL
O RIGINALLY P UBLISHED M AY 26, 1966
T HE S IUSLAW N EWS , V OL . 6, N O . 21
Sunny skies and near perfect coastal weather com-
bined with true festival spirits last Sunday to help make
Florence’s 59th annual Rhododendron Festival a suc-
cessful and outstanding one. It was estimated some
25,000 persons attended the event.
Thousands of spectators lined the parade route at
noon Sunday to watch the 90-minute parade which fea-
tured 23 floats, 35 bands and marching units, and
many colorful entries.
Grants Pass Cavemen captured the imagination of
the crowd and some of the crowd itself, as they kid-
napped persons along the parade route and locked them
in a mobile jail. Coos Bay Pirates also threatened
parade watchers with a dunking in a portable tank of
water.
The Upsilon Theta Rho No. 20 float “When You
Were A Tulip,” won the $100 sweepstake award, with
organization division winners including floats entered
by Cub Scout Pack 110 of Florence, 1st; Women of
the Moose, 2nd; and Cub Scout Pack 377 of Florence,
3rd.
Commercial division winners were floats entered by
Grady’s Super Foods, 1st; Peterson’s Drug Centre,
2nd; and Emery’s IGA Foodliner, 3rd. “Melodie
SIUSLAW NEWS FILE PHOTO
Rhododendron Festival Grand Marshal Slim Pickens,
movie and TV personality, places the crown on radiant
Princess Judy Shelton, making her Florence’s 59th
Queen Rhododendra.
Memories” was the parade theme of the Rhododendron
Festival for 1966.
Boosters estimated that they served 6,000 bowls of
free clam chowder before and during the parade, and
hosted record crowds to such events as the Sand Dune
Buggy Hill Climb, boat show and Reedsport-Florence
Aqua Ducks. Crowds also continued throughout the
day to visit scenic areas in and around Florence and
take advantage of the Open House aboard the 52-foot
Coast Guard Cutter from Coos Bay.
For the fifth consecutive year since 1961, the
Oregon contingent of the Horseless Carriage Club of
America was represented at the parade. Sixty antique
and vintage cars brought delight to both young and
older viewers.
Melodie Memories passes into history. As has been
the case in the past years, this year’s festival exceeded
the success of the previous festivals.
The cooperation of the community in making the
annual Rhododendron Festival is something that every-
body can take pride in. To the Booster Club goes the
major credit for spearheading this great community
activity.
Through the club and community’s combined effort,
the annual festival is a major festival in the state.
The large number of people that attended reflects the
outside interest the festival commands. It can be safely
said that the 59th annual Rhododendron Festival drew
more than its share of spectators.
Once again, a pat on the back and a “well done” to
the Boosters and the community for another glorious
and successful festival.
LETTERS
Sound of silence
“The Sound of Silence” by Simon and
Garfunkel: “Hello darkness, my old friend. I’ve
come to talk with you again. ... Within the
sound of silence.”
Now, this is just a segue into noise and dark-
ness.
In 2000, we moved to Florence to escape the
constant noise and lights of the San Francisco
Bay Area. We purchased a house in Shelter
Cove and discovered we were in a sound-free
zone. By this I mean that with my cup of coffee
in hand I have been able to walk out in the
morning on our backyard deck to dead silence,
wondering if I am deaf.
Once the birdfeeder is out, the silence is
interrupted by the sounds of stellar jays, doves,
bushtits and chickadees. At times I can hear the
fog horn or the high surf and occasionally the
sound of an auto going down Rhody Drive.
Now for darkness. In the evening I can once
again experience dead silence but also darkness.
Since Florence has few city lights that disturb
the night sky, I can go outside, turn off the lights
in the house and explore the heavens.
Years ago I thought I could only experience
this in places like Montana or New Mexico. I
have a jewel in my backyard.
Win Jolley
Florence
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Celebration of life
I would like to thank everyone involved in
helping me take care of Nan Osbon in her final
months along with the Celebration of Life serv-
ice and reception:
PeaceHealth Home and Hospice, Dr.
Khurram Naqvi and Nan’s caregivers for their
compassion, empathy and care; Burns Riverside
Chapel for their sensitive handling of final
arrangements; Pastor Randy and Resurrection
Lutheran Church for the loving service;
Florence Events Center for their kindness in
handling the reception; Alan Campbell for the
beautiful video of her life; and Kyle along with
the students from Siuslaw Culinary Art for their
delicious catering services.
Thanks again to all of you for making Nan’s
final wishes come true.
Pam Henry
Florence
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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
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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