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WEDNESDAY EDITION
HUFF WINS
STATE
❘ MARCH 1, 2017 ❘ $1.00
Home & Garden
Show opens Friday
INSIDE — C
SPORTS — B
127TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 17
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
S PECIAL S ERIES ( PART
FLORENCE, OREGON
III )
Despite drawbacks, ODDA unlikely to change
T
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Siuslaw News
(Editor’s note: This is the conclusion of
a three-part series focusing on Oregon’s
Death With Dignity Act, and the gaps with-
in the ODDA that many fall through when
it comes to those who can make the choice
to die and those who can’t under the cur-
rent rules.)
he Oregon Death with Dignity Act
(ODDA) was enacted 20 years ago.
During that time nearly 2,000 people
have used the medications provided by the state
to end their lives.
There are, however, a number of other indi-
viduals who were unable to utilize the law to
legally end their own lives.
This is due primarily to the requirements of
the act, which mandate that the requesting indi-
vidual’s physician has determined a date specif-
ic for their death. The individual requesting the
legal right to die must also be judged to be of
sound mind at the time of their request.
As highlighted in the first two parts of this
series (Feb. 15 and Feb. 22), there are numerous
circumstances that may preclude someone from
being able to meet these requirements.
The choices for these people are less than
appealing. They are often left to their own meth-
ods to end their lives.
However, there is one organization that
attempts to assist individuals who fall through
the gaps in the act. Known as The Final Exit
Network, members of the group are put into
contact with those suffering a terminal or life-
threatening disease.
The group’s work in assisting those who wish
to take their own lives is an illegal act. The “exit
guides,” as they are known, have undergone
extensive training to determine the best methods
to help with “self deliverance.” There are state-
based exit guides who are contacted by residents
of their state to assist with suicide.
These actions, by both the stricken individual
and the guide, are also considered illegal under
current ODDA rules.
Oregon’s Final Exit Network exit guide is a
Portland resident who goes by the name of
“Peter.”
For reasons of confidentiality, he was unwill-
ing to go into the specifics of either the proce-
dure used for assisted suicide or the diagnoses
See
FINAL EXIT 7A
Home and
Garden Show
returns in
magical new
ways Friday
F r a ud v i l le
so f in e
Vendors feature large and
‘tiny’ offerings at Florence
Events Center March 3 to 5
W
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
Boys and Girls Club’s seventh annual Fraudville kicked it up with lip sync routines and more at Three Rivers Casino Resort.
Fraudville
sets new O
fundraising
record
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Siuslaw News
n Saturday, Boys and Girls
Club of Western Lane
County held Fraudville, its
primary fundraising event of the
year, at Three Rivers Casino
Resort. The event consists prima-
rily of a lip sync contest, copious
amounts of food of all types and
both a silent and live auction. This
is the seventh year of the highly
popular event.
Lip sync competitors are from
local businesses and organizations
that want to support the Boys and
Girls Club and have some fun at
the same time. Their performances
are judged by a panel of “celebri-
ty” judges who determine the best
act, which this year was returning
winner Hal’s Electric.
Boys and Girls Director Chuck
Trent said the large turnout for
Fraudville is indicative of the car-
ing nature of the Florence commu-
nity.
“From the board’s perspective,
you can’t imagine the joy we felt
to see the community stand along-
side us to make sure every child in
this community has the opportuni-
ty to have a great future.
See
FRAUDVILLE 9A
hen the 21st annual Florence Home
and Garden Show opens Friday, be
prepared for a variety of new exhibits
and delectable treats in many sizes. From Mid-
Valley Tractor, with
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
three
full-scale
Siuslaw News
Kubota models on
hand, to Laurel Bay
Gardens’ signature “Taste of Spring” display,
complete with fairy gardens, there is something
for everybody March 3 to 6 at the Florence
Events Center.
Jon Thompson, owner of Coast Radio and
founder of the Home and Garden Show, said,
“The highlights for me this year are that we have
a tiny house, that Mid-Valley Tractor is showing
with us for the first time and Laurel Bay Gardens
will be there, as always.”
See
HOME AND GARDEN 7A
‘Tenacious’ owner
N URSES ENDURE THIRD ROUND OF NEGOTIATIONS avoids foreclosure
PeaceHealth representatives ask for mediation before end of talks Tuesday
auction at port
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
eace Harbor Medical
Center nurses and Oregon
Nurses Association (ONA)
union representatives met with
PeaceHealth corporate represen-
tatives on Monday and Tuesday
for a third round of negotiations
to try and reach agreement on a
new contract.
The nurses have been working
without a contract since Jan.
31.
During a noon rally held
Tuesday at the Peace Harbor
cafeteria, RN Elaine Beers said,
“Peace Harbor has been good to
us. I don’t want you to think that
we have problems with the local
administration.”
INSIDE
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Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B7
Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3
Home and Garden Show . . . . C
Entertainment Review . . . . . . A5
JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
Peace Harbor Medical Center nurses gather during a noon
rally before the start of the Tuesday afternoon negotiations
with PeaceHealth management over a new contract. The two-
day negotiation did not resolve the differences. Both sides will
begin mediation April 10.
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Scoreboard . . . . . . . . . . . . . B2
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
THIS WEEK ’ S
Beers talked about the overall
loss of medical staff, both doc-
tors and nurses, that Peace
Harbor has been experiencing
over the past several years.
She said most nursing school
graduates were going to metro-
politan rather than rural areas
because of better pay and more
opportunities.
“We have a fabulous facility.
The community has given gener-
ously,” Beers said, and then ref-
erenced the $5 million raised to
remodel and expand the emer-
gency department.
“The staff and the community
are very tied together. You sup-
port us and we take care of you,”
Beers said.
See
CONTRACT 7A
TODAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
50 41
49 44
50 43
46 39
WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
Gordon Owen, owner of the 40-foot sailboat
Tenacious, avoided a foreclosure sealed-bid auc-
tion Friday, Feb. 24,
B Y J ACK D AVIS
by paying the Port of
Siuslaw News
Siuslaw
almost
$3,900 in back moor-
age, late fees, attorney fees and an impound fee.
Owen had not made a moorage payment to the
port since last April.
Port of Siuslaw put Owen on notice of intent to
foreclose and hold a sealed-bid auction in
November.
By the Feb. 24 bid deadline, the port had
received 27 sealed bids, some from as far away
as Hawaii, Alaska, Michigan and California.
Owen paid the bill in full just hours before the
4:30 p.m. Friday deadline.
Port Manager Steven Leskin said, “I am happy
to say that on Friday afternoon, Gordon Owen
S IUSLAW N EWS
3 S ECTIONS ❘ 30 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2017
See
TENACIOUS 9A
CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK
‘Self Deliverance’ may be some individuals’ only option to end suffering