SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, MARCH 4, 2017
Field trip
from 1A
The response of the students
that make the trip is a source
of great pleasure to Grano,
who created the concept of the
Stream Team and wrote the
grant that continues to fund the
program.
“The students are so enthu-
siastic to be outside and they
are eager to learn about
salmon and their watershed,”
Grano said. “Local grants
from Rotary, Kiwanis and
STEP have enabled us to pur-
chase rain gear for the stu-
dents, so they can be out in the
weather and still have a posi-
tive experience.”
The fact that the students
enjoy their trip to Whittaker is
just one aspect of the program.
Another is academic, accord-
ing to Siuslaw Elementary
Principal Michael Harklerode.
“The Next Step Generation
Science Standards call for a
deep understanding of life
cycles and systems. The
salmon life cycle is a perfect
fit,” Harklerode said. “The
other big reason is a connec-
tion to our local ecology and
environment. We have a rich
network of waterways and our
kids really get to explore it in a
way that very few kids in other
regions ever could.”
STEP
volunteers
are
Robbery
from 1A
waited for the police.
When police arrived, Wilson
told them that he had
Huntington’s Disease that
involved in various programs
in other geographic areas, but
the focus of their efforts is
always on the fish. Monitoring
fish populations, restoring
stream habitats and producing
salmon, trout and steelhead for
Oregon fisheries are also
prime objectives.
The wonder and enjoyment
that the students feel while on
site is obvious, both in their
voices and the rapt attention
they pay to the demonstra-
tions.
The experience of going to
the river and seeing the salmon
inches away from them is one
they remember for years to
come, according to Grano.
“Former students of all ages
are quick to tell me the Stream
Team was a highlight of their
middle school years. Younger
students and parents always
comment about what a great
program this is. It also makes
science fun and it plants the
seeds for lifelong steward-
ship,” Grano said.
The student trips to the
Whittaker Creek Recreation
Site are overseen by OWEB, a
state agency that provides
grants to help Oregonians take
care of local streams, rivers,
wetlands and natural areas.
OWEB grants are funded
from the Oregon Lottery, fed-
eral dollars, and salmon
license plate revenue.
Students learn about the
life cycle and habitat of
salmon at Whittaker Creek
Recreation Site.
caused “uncontrollable move-
ment with his arms and body.”
The affidavit also said he was
difficult to understand, presum-
ably because of the disease.
The affidavit said Wilson
told Florence Police Detective
Brandon Ott that he robbed the
bank because, “He had no
where else to go and wanted to
go to jail for up to three years.”
Wilson’s plan had one prob-
lem. He was so intent on getting
arrested that he left the $2,000
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
Do your part and
volunteer today
to help support
these local
non-proft
organizations in
our community!
Volunteer•Get involved•Donate
CASA of Lane County
Court Appointed Special Advocate volunteers provide a powerful
voice for children in the child welfare system. CASAs investigate,
examine, and recommend to the Juvenile Court the best option for
a safe and permanent home for the children assigned to them. To
advocate for a child on our waitlist, call today!
541-984-3132, www.casa-lane.org
Florence Food Share provides food to those
who are hungry in our community. If you have
four hours a week available, we are in need of
volunteers to staff our Front Desk and also act
as Guides as clients walk through the pantry.
Please call our volunteer coordinator, Gina Yates,
@ 541-997-9110 (Monday – Friday, before noon)
to learn more about volunteering. info@lorence-
foodshare.org 2190 Spruce Street.
Food Backpack for Kids
www.backpackimpact.org
Together, No
Child Will Go Hungry
www.backpackimpact.org
Together,
No Child Will Go Hungry
Your tax deductible donations helped
us feed 79 Florence/ Mapleton area children in January.
Mail donations to: PO Box 3347, Florence, OR 97439.
For more information 541-997-2497.
Join the Peace Harbor Hospital Volunteers.
You will find an area of interest
in a caring organization.
Peace Harbor
Volunteers
400 9th Street, Florence, OR 97439
541-997-8412 ext. 209
on the counter and stepped out-
side the bank to quietly wait for
local police to arrive.
Apparently, he didn’t want to
disturb people at the bank any-
more than was necessary.
Florence police initially
attempted to hold Wilson on a
peace officer hold for mental
evaluation without charges, but
that was unsuccessful.
Florence Police Commander
John Pitcher said, “Wilson was
not kept by mental health on
our police officer hold, so we
did arrest him for Robbery II
and transported him over to
Lane County Adult Corrections
(LCAC).”
Wilson was able to spend
three nights in a warm bed with
hot meals, but his initial plan
had a flaw that put him back out
on the street.
Lane
County
District
Attorney Patricia W. Perlow
said, “(Wilson) was released
because the prosecutor who
reviewed the case found there
was insufficient evidence to
prove he intended to commit
the crime of robbery. He had no
intention of committing a theft,
having left the money on the
counter. His statement that he
was committing a robbery isn’t
sufficient to prove it was a rob-
bery.”
Wilson was released from
LCAC at approximately 8 p.m.
on Feb. 27.
He may have failed in his
first attempt to get arrested, but
he was learning how the system
worked.
Now, armed with a better
understanding of the legal sys-
tem, Wilson was ready to exe-
cute “plan B.”
According to the sworn affi-
davit of FBI Special Agent
Damara Schiltz, at approxi-
mately 10:20 a.m., Wilson
walked into the Banner Bank
branch at 169 West Sixth St. in
Eugene, (less than two blocks
from the LCAC facility) and
said, “This is a bank robbery,
this is a robbery.”
Wilson was given $1,300 in
$100 bills and this time, he
stuffed the money in his pocket
and left the bank.
He was arrested at 11:15 just
a few blocks from the bank.
Again, according to the FBI
affidavit, Wilson informed
Eugene police officers that he
had Huntington’s Disease. He
also admitted to the FBI that he
had tried to rob a bank in
Florence on Feb. 24.
The six-page affidavit con-
cluded with, “I have discussed
the foregoing information with
Assistant U.S. Attorney Bud
Fitzgerald who advises that, in
his opinion, the information as
related in this affidavit is legal-
ly and factually sufficient to
support the requested warrant.”
Wilson is once again in cus-
tody, in a cell with a warm bed
and three meals a day.
Bank robbery is covered
under Title 18, section 2113 of
the U.S. Code. If convicted,
Wilson could be subject to a
serious fine and up to 20 years
in prison.
He may have finally accom-
plished his goal.
240
HOURS
Is your family prepared?
Meals on Wheels are available to people over the
age of 60 who cannot get out much due to illness
or advanced age and who are not eating properly,
regardless of income. Cafe 60 is available for those
who prefer to make new friends in a dining room
setting.
7 A
1570 Kingwood • PO Box 2313, Florence
541-997-5673
laneseniormeals.org
Operating Monday, Wednesday and Friday
Saving men one
PSA test at a time.
541-997-6626
maribob@oregonfast.net
Someone to talk to...
who understands!
To include your organization in this directory,
please call us @ 541-997-3441
If an emergency happens in your community,
it may take emergency workers some time to reach you.
You should be prepared to take care of yourself and
your family for a minimum of 240 hours.
Siuslaw
News
+
Get your emergency kit started with
these essentials:
❑ Pen and paper
❑ Money
❑ Address and phone numbers
❑ Work gloves
❑ Basic tools
This message brought to you by the West Lane
Emergency Operations Group. www.wleog.org
IDENTIFY • PREPARE • SURVIVE
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