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WEDNESDAY EDITION
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❘ JULY 20, 2016 ❘ $1.00
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INSIDE — A3
SPORTS — B
126TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 58
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
FLORENCE, OREGON
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
Feel the
Residents give back at Florence’s annual day of service
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
undreds of people reflected the
“power of one” by joining the sixth
annual Power of Florence on
Saturday. Community members band-
ed together to raise money for nonprofit groups,
clean up parks, paint buildings, increase awareness
on important issues and beautify Florence.
Founder Kaylee Graham, Mayor Joe Henry and
Florence Police Chief Tom Turner started the event
with the Power Walk through Old Town.
“I can’t believe it’s already the sixth year,”
Graham said. “We have 40 events lined up, and I
know it’s going to be great.”
Graham and fellow Power of Florence leader
Ava Glowacki led youth, city officials and commu-
nity members on the walk.
“These girls exemplify what the Power of
Florence is all about,” Henry said.
Many events took place early Saturday, starting
with the annual pancake breakfast at United
Methodist Church and ending with the Party in the
Parking Lot at Grocery Outlet, where many organi-
zations gathered for their projects, fundraisers,
sales, donation collections and more.
Groups also hosted work projects around
Florence’s parks, streets and businesses.
Graham said, “Every year it amazes me how this
community comes together. Let’s go make a differ-
ence!”
H
PHOTOS BY CHANTELLE MEYER
& JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
Clockwise from top left:
Florence Police Chief Tom
Turner, Power of Florence
founder Kaylee Graham and
Mayor Joe Henry kick off the
event Saturday; Cub Scouts
and their families spruce up
Veteran’s Memorial Park; and
participants take a Power
Walk through Old Town. View
more photos on Page 7A.
New Public Works building process enters next step
$3.5M project’s first phase to include
maintenance building, office structure
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
Florence City Council recently
approved changes to the architec-
tural services contract for the new
Public Works Operations Facility
to allow simultaneous construc-
tion of an office building and the
maintenance building.
On July 11, City of Florence
Project Manager Megan Messmer
presented details on the 8,000-
square-foot maintenance facility
and 5,870-square-foot office
building set to be built at 27th and
Kingwood streets.
“In October we presented you
with an architectural services con-
tract for what we called at that point
Phase I, which included the opera-
tions facility with a temporary office
solution,” Messmer said. “However,
we saw several cost savings areas
— if we created the permanent
office structure at the same time as
the maintenance facility, we would
save upwards of $900,000.”
Phase I initially called for mov-
ing the administrative department
See
Dunes City announces
Volunteers of the Year
Dunes City
2016 Volunteer
of the Year
Judy Martin
accepts a
plaque honor-
ing her and
her husband
Norman’s
volunteerism
from Mayor
Rebecca
Ruede during
the July 14
city council
meeting.
Council also refers city marijuana tax
to voters and plans community expo
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
INSIDE
During the July 14 Dunes
City Council meeting, Mayor
Rebecca Ruede recognized
local residents Norman and
Judy Martin as the 2016
Volunteers of the Year.
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kid Scoop . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Library Tidings . . . . . . . . . . .
Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B6
B5
A5
A2
“The Martins have consistent-
ly shown their loyalty to the citi-
zens of Dunes City,” Ruede said.
“Both have served on the plan-
ning commission, on numerous
committees, and Judy served on
the city council for a time.”
See
COUNCIL 7A
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
Police . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
Weather Data . . . . . . . . . . . A2
CITY 7A
New Siuslaw
superintendent
outlines priorities
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
New Siuslaw School District Superintendent
Andy Grzeskowiak took over this month from retir-
ing superintendent Ethel Angal.
During his 20 years with the
district, 46-year-old
Grzeskowiak spent 10 years
teaching high school, five
years as athletic director, two
years as assistant high school
principal and three years as
middle school principal.
“I’ve been a teacher, coach,
Andy
athletic director, assistant prin-
Grzeskowiak
cipal, principal and now super-
intendent,” he said. “That is an odd thing for some-
one to do, especially all in one school district.”
Grzeskowiak sees two issues having priority for
the coming school year: revamp the push for a new
high school building and improve chronic absen-
teeism and its negative effect on graduation rates.
See
JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
THIS WEEK ’ S
TODAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
68 54
63 52
68 52
68 52
WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
S IUSLAW N EWS
2 S ECTIONS ❘ 16 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2016
SCHOOL 7A