SIUSLAW NEWS ❚
YEAR IN REVIEW
MARCH
Home and Garden
Show turns 20
The 20th annual Florence
Home and Garden Show
returned to the Florence
Events Center in a celebration
of the 20th show and its rela-
tionship to the community of
Florence.
Jon Thompson, owner of
Coast Radio and founder of
the Home and Garden Show,
said, “The seed was first
planted in the planning of the
FEC. We’ve been doing it
every year since it has been
open.”
Lisa Walter-Sedlacek, co-
owner of Laurel Bay Gardens,
has been a vendor at the
Home and Garden Show since
the event opened in 1997.
“It was a true celebration of
our community that so many
people came out,” Walter-
Sedlacek said.
Florence kicks off
new tsunami
preparedness program
The City of Florence and
three other coastal communi-
ties are starting a new line of
tsunami preparedness: the
Blue Line Project, from the
Oregon Office of Emergency
Management.
Oregon’s Geological
Hazard Program Coordinator
Althea Rizzo started the Blue
Line Project in Oregon.
“This blue line lets people
know when they can stop run-
ning,” Rizzo said.
Rotary takes flight
For the 2016 Rotary
Auction, the sky was the
limit! Extravagant costumes
fit the travel-the-world
themed auction at the
Florence Events Center, with
more than 300 people dressed
to match the destination of
their choice — from Italy to
Ancient Greece to post-apoca-
lyptic Australia to Hawaii,
and many more.
Guests bid on hundreds of
silent auction items, desserts
and 50 live-auction items, net-
ting $108,000 for area schol-
arships and community proj-
ects.
APRIL
Siuslaw River Bridge
rails to be donated,
repurposed
As part of the Siuslaw
River Bridge Restoration
Project, Oregon Department
of Transportation and its con-
tractor Hamilton Construction
are donating the bridge’s old
rails, which are being
replaced with new rails of a
similar design.
The goal is for the rails to
be enjoyed and re-used for
decorative purposes, and for
none of them to be crushed or
destroyed.
The City of Florence and
other entities are receiving
hundreds of feet of the railing
and Eugene-based nonprofit
BRING Recycling will sell
the remainder.
Local DAV chapter
dedicates highway sign
to veterans
Disabled American
Veterans (DAV) Chapter 23
held a ceremony April 5 to
celebrate the unveiling of the
Persian Gulf, Afghanistan and
Iraq Veterans Memorial
Highway 101 sign, which was
later installed at milepost 184.
Making a splash!
More than 750 people
‘danced’ with sea lions for
Florence Events Center’s
Splash Off! Dancing with Sea
Lions event. The event center
commemorated its 20th year
with the public art program
featuring 21 hand-decorated
fiberglass sea lions from
Reedsport to Newport and
locations throughout Florence.
About 750 people viewed
the sea lions during the two-
day Splash Off.
It’s not easy being green
❚
SATURDAY, JANUARY 7, 2017
Children’s Repertory of
Oregon Workshops (CROW)
presented “Shrek the Musical,
Jr.” to hundreds of local ele-
mentary school students in
two free shows at the
Florence Events Center.
CROW’s production contin-
ued on the main stage
throughout the weekend.
MAY
SHS band invited
to OSAA competition
For the first time in nine
years, Siuslaw High School
band has been invited to com-
pete in the Oregon School
Activities Association (OSAA)
2016 Band/Orchestra State
Championships next week.
Under the guidance of
Director of Bands Chris
Rowbotham, the Siuslaw band
will compete with 10 other
bands for the 4A OSAA state
championship.
Triathlon nets profit
for the first time in
its 4-year history
Oregon Dunes Triathlon and
Duathlon event, held earlier
this month, turned a profit for
the first time in its four-year
history.
The event netted approxi-
mately $4,000 after expenses,
according to Dunes City
Mayor Rebecca Ruede.
She attributed the significant
increase in revenue to the
overwhelming financial spon-
sorship support provided by 34
local businesses, organizations
and individuals. Athletic par-
ticipation was also up for the
fourth straight year, with more
than 300 athletes competing.
Voters pass Mapleton
bond, defeat Siuslaw’s
Mapleton School District
voters approved a $4 million
bond measure for school
improvements, while Siuslaw
School District voters rejected
a proposed $36.9 million new
high school in the May 17
Primary Election.
Siuslaw was the only Lane
County school district bond
measure to fail, with 53 per-
cent voting against it and 47
percent in favor. Of the four
Lane County school district
bond measures, Mapleton
School District’s $4 million
bond had the highest voter
approval with nearly 63 per-
cent in favor. The last bond
measure passed by the school
district expired in 1961.
JUNE
Archie Knowles
Campground reopens
Lane County, the U.S.
Forest Service (USFS) and
Oregon State Parks hosted a
grand opening ceremony on
June 17 to mark the reopening
of the Archie Knowles
Campground and Day Use
Area. The campground is
located about 18 miles east of
Florence on Highway 126.
The USFS closed the popu-
lar 4.5-acre campground in
2012 because it was deemed
too expensive to renovate and
maintain. The park infrastruc-
ture, including septic and
water systems, had been dete-
riorating for years. An $84,976
grant from the Oregon Parks
and Recreation Department
and a $58,838 grant from the
Siuslaw National Forest made
the rehabilitation possible.
Ambulance, fire
districts to share
leadership
At their June meetings, the
boards of directors of Siuslaw
Valley Fire and Rescue and
Western Lane Ambulance
District signed an intergovern-
mental agreement (IGA) for
shared administrative services.
Fire Chief Jim Langborg
became the head of operations
for both agencies on July 1.
The signed IGA is a policy
decision by both boards to
share and combine administra-
tive services in an effort to
improve organizational effi-
ciencies and save taxpayer
money.
rates top priority
Siuslaw School District
offers free summer
lunches for youth
Under the supervision of
Siuslaw School District Food
Services Manager Dave Bitner,
a new mobile lunch program
runs Monday through Friday
this summer for local youth
under age 18.
Food for Lane County ran
the program for years, accord-
ing to Bitner, but because they
are located in Eugene, manag-
ing the Florence program
became problematic and the
program’s manager asked
Bitner and the school district
to take over.
JULY
Boys and Girls Club
earns high marks
Boys and Girls Club of
Western Lane County mem-
bers participated in a
National Youth Outcomes
Initiative survey conducted
by the Boys and Girls Club
of America, and the results
showed the club far ahead of
other Oregon, regional and
national clubs in most cate-
gories.
The survey asked a series
of questions on many topics
including academics, gradua-
tion expectations, overall
experience, staff expecta-
tions, safety and fun.
This is the first year the
club has participated in the
annual survey that polled 46
local elementary and Teen
Center members ages 9 to 18.
Real Food co-op closes
After recent closures due
to a lack of patrons and vol-
unteers, Real Food Co-op has
announced that it will perma-
nently close, pending next
week’s outcome of a resolu-
tion approval by its members.
During a special meeting
July 8, the board voted to
adopt a resolution to approve
dissolution and to submit it
to the co-op’s members.
According to Oregon Revised
Statutes (ORS), the voluntary
dissolution of a co-operative
requires a two-thirds majority
vote from members to
approve it.
Siuslaw Elementary and
Middle schools selected
Leonard Ulrich as the new
assistant principal.
Ulrich, 39, said, “My job
responsibilities will range
from evaluating teachers, to
discipline, to helping
improve attendance here at
the schools.”
SEPTEMBER
Mapleton schools
find lead in water
Mapleton School District
found that 10 of its 35 food
prep sinks and drinking foun-
tains exceeded the minimum
acceptable lead levels of 20
parts per billion established
by the Environmental
Protection Agency.
“I was pleased that we
were able to address all of
the issues quickly to ensure
that when students and staff
return to school they have
safe drinking water,”
Superintendent Jodi O’Mara
said. “The health and safety
of our students and staff is
our No.1 priority.”
That especially means
printed books — hundreds of
them — that were on display
for purchase and signing at
the Festival of Books. An
Author’s Panel allowed
Northwest writers to talk
about “The Path: Idea to
Book.” Author Phillip
Margolin presented the
event’s keynote address,
emphasizing “write what you
know.”
Seventy authors and 10
publishers from Oregon,
Montana, Idaho, California
and Washington featured
tables full of their books.
Boys and Girls Club
membership grows
From struggling to open its
doors last September to
enrolling more than 100
members starting this school
year, the Boys and Girls Club
of Western Lane County ele-
mentary and Teen Center pro-
grams are targeting the needs
of members and the commu-
nity.
Boys and Girls Club
Executive Director Chuck
Trent said, “We are doing
everything we can to support
the school district to make
sure we create ladders of
opportunities for these kids.”
OCTOBER
Sea Lion Caves
undergoes
major upgrade
One of the Oregon coast’s
most popular tourist destina-
tions, the Sea Lion Caves,
conducted a major renovation
and upgrade of its elevator
that takes visitors to the
caves.
Access to the sea lion
caves was closed for about 7
weeks as construction crews
changed the historic elevator
for a newer, “green” design.
The caves’ walking paths and
the gift shop remained open.
See
REVIEW page 3
Coldwell Banker
Coast Real Estate, Inc.
61 Years of Proven Business Leadership and Success
Hickson becomes
Siuslaw News editor
Siuslaw News entered a
new era when Editor Ryan
Cronk moved to take a new
News Media Corporation
position in California and
Sports Editor Ned Hickson
took the editorial helm.
The shuffling in the office
included promoting Chantelle
Meyer to features editor and
hiring Mark Brennan as the
community reporter. Jack
Davis shifted his focus to the
city beat.
Florence Festival of
Books caters to lovers
of written word
“The whole point of
Florence Festival of Books is
to celebrate the written
word,” said event organizer
Judy Fleagle.
See all of Florence’s listings at cbcoast.com
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541-997-7777
New Siuslaw
superintendent
outlines priorities
New Siuslaw School
District Superintendent Andy
Grzeskowiak took over this
month from retiring superin-
tendent Ethel Angal.
“I’ve been a teacher,
coach, athletic director, assis-
tant principal, principal and
now superintendent,” he said.
“That is an odd thing for
someone 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 absenteeism and its
negative effect on graduation
rates.
Always Something Happening
541.997.1994 | 888.968.4086
715 Q UINCE S TREET | F LORENCE , OR 97439 |
Great
Performances
AUGUST
Festivals
PeaceHealth holds
healthcare town hall
Musicals
Hundreds gather to hear
local and corporate officials
answer questions, explain
doctor recruitment process
Almost 300 local residents
attended a town hall meeting
jointly sponsored by
PeaceHealth Medical Group,
Peace Harbor Medical Center
and the City of Florence at
the Florence Events Center
Thursday to talk about the
current primary care physi-
cian shortage at Peace
Harbor, affecting approxi-
mately 6,000 patients.
PeaceHealth Medical Group
addressed the audience about
the problems the physicians’
shortage has caused the
Florence community.
Assistant principal
makes graduation
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