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