4 A
❘
WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ OCTOBER 5, 2016
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
Together, we are more than words, ink and paper
Whether it comes from your
laptop, tablet, phone, local
news stand or mail box, home-
town newspapers are still a
crucial part of a community’s
shared experience.
What it actually is, of
course, is a wallpaper stretch-
er.
Ok, I’ll stop.
The cranks, gears and
rollers on this Redington
Printer first came off of a
Chicago assembly line in
1908. It eventually made its
way to Oregon, where it trav-
eled the coastline by boat
between Coos Bay and
Florence, printing and deliver-
ing the latest news.
It stopped from port to port,
offering those communities a
shared experience through
words, ink and paper.
More than 100 years later,
that same combination of
words, ink and paper is being
distributed on a grander scale
but with no less importance
than it did in the early 1900s.
In the lobby of our front
office sits the ultimate conver-
sation starter, a large mechani-
cal device with giant gears,
cranks and rollers that I’ve
convinced one or two tourists
is the very first industrial pasta
maker.
I might’ve even told a few
that it’s a taffy puller.
And maybe a mechanical
massage chair.
I’m sure there’s a photo on
someone’s Facebook page
somewhere to that affect.
What accomplishments we
need to remember and which
mistakes not to repeat.
Today marks the 1,560th
time I’ve been a part of pro-
ducing this shared experience
From the Editor’s Desk
N ED H ICKSON
They inform, inspire and
chronicle the aspects of our
lives that define who we are as
a community — and do so in a
way nothing else does.
And just as importantly,
they provide a look into the
past for future generations,
offering a snapshot in time.
Who we were.
How we got here.
we call Siuslaw News. And
every time I walk into the
office on Wednesday morning
and see it sitting on my desk, I
marvel at how so many people
come together on a deadline
twice a week — from
reporters and ad designers to
office staff, sales people and
pressmen — to contribute to
the experience we all share
between these pages of words,
ink and paper.
But it’s not just newspaper
staff that makes the experience
complete. It takes community
involvement and support.
Without it, the pages are one
dimensional rather than a
reflection of its readers — the
key component to a true com-
munity newspaper.
For this reason, as we cele-
brate National Newspaper
Week (Oct. 2 to 8), I want to
thank you, our readers and
subscribers, for helping make
this newspaper what it is
through your letters to the edi-
tor, press releases, phone calls,
bacon-gingersnap cookies,
Guest Viewpoints and com-
munity
columns
like
“Neighbors” and local arts
reviews.
Did I mention bacon-gin-
gersnap cookies?
I’m very proud to be a part
of the tradition at Siuslaw
News for nearly two decades
now — and a member of this
special community for even
longer.
And even though that
Redington printer (pasta
maker, taffy puller, etc.) is no
longer making its way up and
down the coast, inspiring com-
munity conversation with the
latest news, it remains a sen-
tinel to that tradition — inspir-
ing its own conversation that
continues today.
Write Siuslaw News editor Ned
Hickson at nhickson@thesiuslaw
news.com or P.O. Box 10,
Florence, Ore. 97439.
L ETTERS TO THE
E DITOR P OLICY
The Siuslaw News welcomes let-
ters to the editor concerning issues
affecting the Florence area and Lane
County.
Emailed letters are preferred.
Handwritten or typed letters 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,
grammar
and
clarity.
Publication of any letter is not guaran-
teed and depends on space available
and the volume of letters received.
Libelous and anonymous letters or
poetry will not be published.
All submissions become the prop-
erty of Siuslaw News and will not be
returned.
Write to:
Editor@TheSiuslawNews.com
LETTERS
In defense of
Donald Trump
Try to keep this in mind: Donald Trump did
not steal your money. Donald Trump did not
raise your taxes. Donald Trump did not quadru-
ple the price of food.
Trump is not stirring a race war. Trump did
not leave any U.S. soldiers in Benghazi to be
slaughtered and desecrated.
Trump did not shrivel our military, and betray
our veterans. Trump did not cripple our econo-
my.
Trump did not increase our debt to 20 trillion
dollars. Trump did not ruin our credit, twice.
Trump has not destroyed our Social Security
Department, making it impossible for
Americans to retire.
Trump did not double African American
unemployment.
Trump did not set free all of terrorists in
Guantanamo Bay. Trump did not steal your
rights, violate U.S. Constitutional law or com-
mit treason.
Yet Trump is being ripped apart in the news,
nonstop.
USPS# 497-660
Barrack Hussein Obama, Hillary Clinton and
the criminals occupying our government, are
not.
The media is the Democratic Party. Save our
culture.
Stop listening to them.
Dianna Allison
Florence
Powerful message
There was a wonderful display on the walls
in the entrance to the library for the month of
September and I hope that people were able to
take a few moments to reflect on the power of
the message presented by Birgit Lyon, the pho-
tographer.
It makes me think of the trouble that is hap-
pening right now in this country. We are being
torn apart by the divisive climate of our politics.
We are a nation of immigrants and all have
made this country what it is. Granted, there are
flaws and troubles like in every family.
It takes all of us working together to get a
government that works for everyone to be
strong and fair to address the needs of every cit-
Thanks for the change
The fall Single Mom’s Oil Change at the
Nazarene Church was a great success. The team
changed the oil in 20 cars.
A big, big thanks goes to Napa, which pro-
vides the oil filters at a deep discount, and to
Shell Oil who provides all the oil used.
Thank you so much.
Elisa Gray
Florence
Talk is cheap
In response to Stephanie Spralding’s
“Thoughtful, Sane Letter...” Thank You for your
voice of reason. Seems to me, America has lost
her moral compass. We are in the midst of mass
hysteria on both sides.
Is Hillary perfect? A resounding no! Is Trump
perfect? No!
However awful Clinton’s actions were, they
pale in comparison to Trump’s.
Talk is cheap.
Actions speak louder than words. Please look
closely at the experience of both candidates.
America is not a for-profit business where we
can just claim bankruptcy whenever we like.
Vote your conscience, watch the next two
debates closely.
Listen carefully.
Who will attack and tell lies?
Who has actual plans for America’s future?
God Bless America.
Please...
Gail Hanson
Florence
Copyright 2016 © Siuslaw News
Publisher, ext. 327
General Manager, ext. 318
Editor, ext. 313
Advertising Director, ext. 326
Office Supervisor, ext. 312
Production Supervisor
Press Manager
DEADLINES:
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WHERE TO WRITE
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.
John Bartlett
Jenna Bartlett
Ned Hickson
Susan Gutierrez
Cathy Dietz
Ron Annis
Jeremy Gentry
izen in our country.
We need to make sure that we are not build-
ing a new wall that will divide us for years.
This family needs to be strong and tolerant of
each other and work for all. Things can not be
fixed by making new classes of people to hate
and fear.
The world is still suffering from those years
of hate when the Berlin Wall was built. We
must be better than that.
Each vote counts and each person in this fam-
ily is important.
Nancy Rickard
Florence
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
900 Court St.
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