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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (July 9, 2016)
THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM ❘ / SIUSLAWNEWS ❘ @ SIUSLAWNEWS SATURDAY EDITION ❘ JULY 9, 2016 ❘ $1.00 Sand drag racer finishes strong VIEW TO A BRIDGE INSIDE — A3 SPORTS — B 126TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 55 SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890 FLORENCE, OREGON WATER CURTAILMENT ENDS FOR COLLARD LAKE AREA B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Siuslaw News Heceta Water People’s Utility District (PUD) posted notice on door hangers and on its website that the seven-month water curtailment for 95 residences in the Collard Lake area ended Friday. The PUD’s board of directors called for the curtailment on Dec. 23 after a landslide on Dec. 18 left one woman dead and reduced the PUD’s capacity to fill the Mercer Lake tank. Residences on View Road, View Cul-de-sac, Ocean Way, Collard Lake Road, Collard Lake Loop and Collard Lake Way had to reduce water usage by 30 percent during the curtailment. “Everyone was very good about curtailing their water usage,” said HWPUD Office Manager Vickie Kennedy. “We are very happy with our customers.” The curtailment ended with the completion of a new line to the Mercer Lake Reservoir, suc- cessful water testing and the installation of a temporary pump. The permanent pump will be completed once the final components arrive. “The PUD’s heartfelt thanks go to the incredi- bly patient water users in the Collard Lake area and the untiring Siuslaw Valley firefighters who have hauled water for over six months,” a news release said. Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue formed an intergovernmental agreement with the PUD to deliver water in one of its two water tenders. Fire Chief Jim Langborg said the agreement was a “win-win” for both agencies as it allowed ‘Canoe’ in the making See WATER 7A Coos Bay Rail Line awarded $11M grant Historic tunnels along route to be repaired B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Siuslaw News JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS D irector Barri Chase (center) discusses the next scene with actors and crewmembers of “The Watchman’s Canoe,” an independent feature-length film currently being shot around Florence, including Ada Fishing Resort (above) and the North Jetty area, through July 13. The film — written, produced and directed by Chase — is a coming-of-age story about a young girl who moves to a reser- vation in the 1960s. It stars both local talent and mainstream Hollywood actors that include Roger Willie (far right) and Adam Beach. Boys and Girls Club earns high marks from members Police offer $500 reward for info on stolen guns B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Local club outperforms others in youth survey B Y J ACK D AVIS Siuslaw News INSIDE Boys and Girls Club of Western Lane County members recently participated in a National Youth Outcomes Initiative survey conducted by the Boys and Girls Club of America (BGCA), and the results showed the club far ahead of other Oregon, regional and national clubs in most categories. The survey asks a series of questions on many topics including academics, graduation expectations, overall experi- ence, staff expectations, safety and fun. Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coastal Events . . . . . . . . . . . Courts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B5 A8 A2 A4 This is the first year the club has par- ticipated in the annual survey that polled 46 local elementary and Teen Center members ages 9 to 18. Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Chuck Trent said, “The kids answered these questions on their own. The elementary program used a written booklet that was placed into a sealed box after it was completed and then shipped to BGCA. We don’t see any of the data and have no way of telling who the kids are.” See Religion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A5 SideShow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B Word on the Street . . . . . . . A7 SURVEY 7A THIS WEEK ’ S Siuslaw News F lorence police and the City of Florence continue to seek information about stolen guns from a burglary at True Value Hardware store in Florence on June 30. An AK-47 rifle, a short-bar- reled shotgun and three Glock handguns were missing after the burglary in the Dunes Village Shopping Mall was reported early that morning. Florence police are offering a $500 reward for information leading to the arrest and con- viction of the suspect or sus- pects involved. City of Florence Public Information Officer Megan Messmer said the serial num- bers from the guns have been uploaded to a national data- base and that the police are reviewing the video surveil- lance. “We’re working through this,” Messmer said. “We need the public to help us find who did this.” Anyone with information is asked to call 541-997-3515. See TODAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 62 55 66 52 66 52 65 51 WEATHER Full Forecast, A3 U.S. Department of Transportation awarded the Port of Coos Bay and Coos Bay Rail Line $11 million this week to rehabilitate nine crumbling tunnels along the rail link between Eugene and Coquille. The rail line will receive the money by mid- September. The grant money will help Coos Bay Rail Line restore 82 miles of line and nine tunnels along its route from Coquille to Eugene, passing through Cushman and Mapleton, east of Florence. All nine of the rail line’s tunnels are at or near 100 years old and in need of repairs, maintenance and rehabilitation. Coos Bay Rail Line connects with Union Pacific Railroad near Eugene and with rail shippers in the western Lane, Douglas and Coos Counties region of southwest Oregon. John Burns, chief executive officer for the Port of Coos Bay, said, “We are absolutely delighted that the U.S. Department of Transportation recog- nized the vast support we have for our rail line and the economic oppor- tunity it brings to the region.” Coos Bay’s application was one of only 18 selected for funding among a total of 212 submitted from across the United States. “This is great news for southwest Oregon,” said U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, member of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. “This funding will greatly improve the safety and relia- bility of train operations, result in a reduction in emissions and highway congestion as more cargo switches from truck to rail and offer a long- term, low-cost option for shippers.” DeFazio and U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley supported Coos Bay’s application to the FAST- LANE (Fostering Advancements in Shipping and Transportation for the Long-term Achievement of National Efficiencies) grant program. “The success of the port’s grant application could not have been pos- sible without the tremendous support from our federal delegation, commu- nity members and elected officials,” Burns said. S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS ❘ 18 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2016 RAIL 7A CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Heceta Water PUD restores service to 95 residences