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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 7, 2017)
THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM ❘ / SIUSLAWNEWS ❘ @ SIUSLAWNEWS SPECIAL EDITION ❘ JANUARY 7, 2017 2016 Siuslaw News’ annual Year in Review looks back at some of the Florence area’s top stories from 2016 S TAFF R EPORT __________________ JANUARY Putting music on the map The Winter Music Festival began its first year under a new name, bringing fresh headliners and groups, as well as favorites from previous years, to the Florence Events Center’s stage. According to festival coordinator Rachel Pearson, Cabin Fever Northwest and True North were audience favorites. “Every one of the groups was fun in their own way,” she said. Festival headliners Jonathan Edwards and the Shook Twins performed before a full house Saturday night. Bartlett, Future First Citizen, as well as Oregon Pacific Bank, the quite the show at the second annual Share Your Heart City of Florence’s Siuslaw River Bridge Interpretive Center, fundraiser at the Florence Events Center. Seven students, ages Hoagland Properties, Sand Master Park, 9 to 15, performed pop Kiwanis Club of Florence and Gary songs, musical renditions “We promised you that we would be a Foglio Trucking. and even a tune from city in motion. I think especially recently Sesame Street in front of a full house. Filmmaker launches campaign to you have seen that there are a whole lot The event brought in fund film series of things going on in town, and some more than $20,000 in ticket Sean Sisson is a local artist and film- sales, lively games and maker who is working to “place Florence great ideas being planned.” three auctions that featured on the map” of the film world. His most —F LORENCE M AYOR J OE H ENRY dozens of items donated by recent project involves expanding his 3- the community. minute award-winning short film “Glorious” into an episode in a new film noir series. “Glorious” first premiered on screen at the Eugene Film Society’s third annual 72 Hour Horror Film Competition last October. When the film won second place in the juried competi- tion and first place in the audience vote, Sisson had to decide what to do next. “I just wanted to tell the story,” Sisson said. “I thought it would be kind of a waste to just make a 15-minute piece. If I’m going to go through that effort, I really want to do it right.” Sisson decided to not only create one 15-minute film, but to develop a seven-episode series called “The Fabulist’s 7.” A man named Bob Longtime Siuslaw News columnist Bob Jackson, 94, died early Jan. 7. Jackson had been undergoing treat- ment for cancer. Jackson was born Sept. 19, 1921, in Westlake, south of Florence. He remained a resident of the greater area for most of his life, later moving to Greentrees Village off Rhododendron Drive. Jackson described himself as having a lifetime obses- sion with fast boats, cars and airplanes. Besides his love for cars, which began on the shores of Siltcoos Lake in the early 1930s, he loved his wife Peggy. In December 2015, they celebrated 71 years of marriage. They had three chil- dren together. Siuslaw Awards honors citizens, businesses Florence Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cal Applebee welcomed community members to the ninth annual Siuslaw Business Awards on Jan. 20. The event honored the 14 businesses nominated for six presti- gious awards and eight people nominated for the Florence First Citizen and Future First Citizen awards. The event honored Gayle Waiss, First Citizen, and Hannah FEBRUARY Sea lions arrive for FEC’s 20th anniversary Porter the sea lion took the stage at Florence Events Center as the 21 life-sized sea lion fiberglass statues arrived in Florence. The stat- ues are part of the FEC’s 20th anniversary celebration, “Dancing with Sea Lions.” New port manager takes charge Newly hired Port of Siuslaw Manager Steven Leskin began his five-year contract with the port on Feb. 1. “I look forward to working with port staff and commissioners,” Leskin said. Leskin was the project manager for the Port of Bandon. Prior to that, he worked as an intern assistant to the general manager of the Port of Cascade Locks. Fire, ambulance districts look into combining admin Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue and Western Lane Ambulance District began looking at ways to increase effectiveness and effi- ciency, and that might mean combining administrative services. “The concept we’re working with at this point is establishing a common administration and oversight, but still maintaining some separation between the entities. ... This might be a step in the direction to get us into some kind of mutual arrangement that would be complementary and beneficial, as well as beneficial to taxpayers,” WLAD Board President Mike Webb said. Under the potential Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) between the two districts, administrative services already provid- ed by finance and human resources manager Julie Brown would expand to include director’s oversight by Fire Chief Jim Langborg. New vision underway for Old Town, Highway 101 The City of Florence and the Florence Urban Renewal Agency (FURA) hosted the Economic Strategy and Highway Streetscape Open House, featuring representatives from the agency’s consult- ing group and architects who presented their vision for Historic Old Town and the Highway 101 corridor. Members of the community were invited to learn about FURA’s work toward an economic strategy for the Urban Renewal District and designs for local highways. According to City Manager Erin Reynolds, the entire process could take two to three years. “We promised you a year ago that we would be a city in motion. I think especially recently you have seen that there are a whole lot of things going on in town, and some great ideas being planned,” Florence Mayor Joe Henry said. CROW melts hearts Children’s Repertory of Oregon Workshops (CROW) put on See REVIEW page 2 CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK YEAR IN REVIEW
