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WEDNESDAY EDITION
CHAMPS IN
THE MAKING
❘ JULY 6, 2016 ❘ $1.00
New preschool
play structure
INSIDE — A3
SPORTS — B
126TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 54
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
Drowning,
fires reported
over holiday
weekend
FLORENCE, OREGON
FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND 2016
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Multiple incidents keep
local response agencies
busy in Florence area
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
Emergency personnel responded to
several incidents in the area — including
a drowning in Mapleton, illness on the
dunes and several brushfires — over the
weekend as the sunshine and
Independence Day holiday brought
many people outdoors.
Western Lane Ambulance District,
Mapleton Fire District, Siuslaw Valley
Fire and Rescue and Oregon State Police
responded Sunday to the report of a
missing swimmer in the Siuslaw River
in Mapleton around 3:24 p.m.
Matt House, paramedic and supervi-
sor with Western Lane Ambulance, said
a 23-year-old male, from the Eugene
area, was swimming with friends when
he got separated from them and disap-
peared from sight.
House said the agencies expended “all
their efforts” but could not get to the
swimmer in time. As of Tuesday after-
noon, no further details were available.
See
FOURTH 7A
Chamber shifts
focus to better
market Florence
FREE AS A BIRD
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
Florence Area Chamber of
Commerce is taking steps this year to
move the economy of Florence and the
surrounding areas forward.
At a recent Florence City Council
meeting, members of the chamber
board and staff presented the annual
marketing report.
“This past year we’ve seen a few
changes. We’ve hired a new executive
director as well as a new events coordi-
nator, a very daunting task,” Chamber
Board President Jenna Bartlett said.
“We’re very excited for the team we’ve
assembled.”
See
PHOTOS BY JACK DAVIS, NED HICKSON AND CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS
Florence celebrates Independence Day with fireworks,
Wings and Wheels, eating contests and more
special visit from a World War II P51 Mustang Warbird, which
flew into Florence Municipal Airport Friday, started a week-
end of celebration and merriment for the Fourth of July. On
Saturday, the airport hosted the annual Wings and Wheels
Fly-In and Car Show and Oregon Coast Military Museum celebrated its
first anniversary. Monday’s activities included Yachats’ La De Da Parade
and Florence’s pie- and watermelon-eating contests in Old Town and a
fireworks show on the Siuslaw River. More photos are on page 7A.
A
CHAMBER 7A
C O O L P L A C ES
South Jetty Area
TO VISIT THIS SUMMER
South Jetty Road, Florence ❘ 541-750-7000
A T A GLANCE : Crabbing, clamming, surfing,
paddle boarding, fishing, wind surfing, beach
walks, bird watching and dune buggy adventures
are all waiting for you down Sand Dunes Road, just
south of the Siuslaw River Bridge.
Turn west off Highway 101 onto South Jetty
Road, which turns into Sand Dunes Road, and
enter the most fun-packed stretch of the entire
Oregon coast. You will need a license to crab, clam
or fish, but everything else is free for the taking,
with the purchase of a $5 day pass.
The best spot for crabbing is off the public crab-
bing dock near the end of the road.
INSIDE
S PECIAL F EATURE :
This summer we are
highlighting unique
spots that make the
central Oregon coast
one of the coolest
places to live and play.
New locations will be
featured each month.
Birth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Impound . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Library Tidings . . . . . . . . . . .
A2
B6
A2
A5
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
Scoreboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . B2
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
Weather Data . . . . . . . . . . . A2
THIS WEEK ’ S
SIUSLAW NEWS PHOTO
TODAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
66 55
64 56
63 55
62 54
WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
S IUSLAW N EWS
2 S ECTIONS ❘ 16 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2016