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❘ APRIL 22, 2017 ❘ $1.00
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P EOPLE : Ginny Kelly
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INSIDE — A5
127TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 32
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
FLORENCE, OREGON
KXCR celebrates three years of broadcasting
Local nonprofit, volunteer-run radio station has a variety of shows to ‘educate, inform and entertain’
F
lorence’s non-profit radio station
KXCR is inviting the public to its
third anniversary celebration
today at noon. The station’s anniver-
sary coincides
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
with Earth Day.
Siuslaw News
KXCR’s
programming
schedule has grown steadily since tak-
ing to the air and now has a wide vari-
ety of shows for listeners to enjoy.
There has also been a change in the
leadership of KXCR’s board, with
Rick Ulrich taking over the helm as
the station moves into its fourth year
of broadcasting.
Ulrich is a retired educator, having
taught at Lane Community College
and worked at the Mapleton School
District prior to his retirement.
He has been involved at KXCR
since the station’s inception and has
recently taken on new duties.
“I started out as chief operator
when the station first started. That
was the one position required by the
FCC (Federal Communications
Commission) for the station to go on
the air,” Ulrich said.
As chief operator, Ulrich kept logs
for the emergency alert system, pub-
lic records and other official docu-
ments.
“After having been a board member
for the past three years, I was asked to
fill the position that is required for our
501c3 status, president of the Board of
Directors, and I agreed to take on that
responsibility,” Ulrich said.
When asked why he was willing to
expend such a great deal of his time
and energy in this effort, Ulrich point-
ed to the organization’s mission state-
ment: KXCR is broadcasting to “edu-
cate, inform and entertain.”
Ulrich believes they have made
great strides in meeting that lofty
goal.
See
STATION 7A
Nonprofit radio station KXCR is
dedicated to providing a platform
for community members to dis-
cuss pertinent issues or explore
topics. DJs also host music
shows and other entertainment.
MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
Honoring the spirit of volunteerism Procedural gaffes
FACC recognizes the efforts of those who volunteer to make Florence better
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Port votes to settle with Abel Insurance
over insurance agent of record issue
Siuslaw News
he
Florence
Area
Community
Coalition
(FACC) hosted its annual vol-
unteer appreciation luncheon
on Wednesday, April 19, at the
Florence Events Center.
The event, “Cheers for
Volunteers,” recognizes the
individuals that give freely of
their time and talents to
enhance the quality of life for
all the residents of Florence.
The FACC is tasked with
“Improving the quality of life
in Western Lane County
through partnerships, network-
ing, volunteerism, community
involvement, education and
awareness.”
This may sound like a large
order but FACC President
Karen Earshaw says the goal is
only reachable due to the
efforts of the individuals that
volunteer in Florence.
“Our members and our
entire community benefit from
the act of volunteerism. Not
only do agencies benefit from a
financial aspect, many times
they are also gaining a commu-
cost Port of Siuslaw
T
uring the April 19 Port of
Siuslaw meeting, com-
missioners voted 3 to 2 to
approve res-
B Y J ACK D AVIS
olution 4-19-
Siuslaw News
78 to resolve
an insurance
agent of record protest letter
submitted by Abel Insurance.
Commission President Ron
Caputo said, “Basically, Abel
Insurance filed a protest
against (the port) for choosing
an insurance agent of record. It
has been in the hands of our
attorneys and our attorney at
this present time suggests that
we pay Abel and Swank
$8,866.62
for
damages
because of the way we did the
resolution for insurance agent
of record.”
Caputo and commissioners
Nancy Rickard and Mike
Buckwald voted to approve
the resolution. Commissioners
Terry Duman and Dave
Huntington voted no.
The protest letter was the
result of a contentious port
D
MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
Florence Area Community Coalition held a volunteer appreciation luncheon, “Cheers
for Volunteers,” April 19 at the Florence Events Center. More than 200 community
members attended the event.
nity member that has a skill or
knowledge that is quite valu-
able,” said Earnshaw.
The FACC counts among its
members and participating
agencies many high profile
organizations including Habitat
for Humanity, the Siuslaw
Library District, Florence Food
Share, PeaceHealth Peace
Harbor and KXCR radio, all of
whom sponsored tables at the
G R A V E C O M E DY
event for their volunteers.
The luncheon was well
attended, with about 200
volunteers from local agencies
See
VOLUNTEERS 7A
meeting held Nov. 16, when
Duman,
Buckwald
and
Huntington opposed Port
Manager Steven Leskin’s rec-
ommendation to appoint Abel
Insurance as the port’s insur-
ance agent of record.
Duman rejected the recom-
mendation.
Duman, Buckwald and
Huntington then voted to
approve Coast Insurance
Services as the port’s insur-
ance company of record. Both
insurance companies and a
third company had applied to
become the port’s insurance
agent of record for the next
three-year contract term.
All three companies would
receive the same commission,
so price was not a considera-
tion.
Because Buckwald did not
tell commissioners that Coast
Insurance Services was a ten-
ant in a building owned by
Ourown Investments LLC, a
See
INSURANCE 7A
Nurses vote for informational picket
May 1 picket to be held at Highways 101, 126
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
eaceHealth Peace Harbor
Medical Center nurses
voted to authorize an informa-
tional picket to be held May 1 at
the intersection of U.S.
Highway 101 and Oregon
Route 126.
According to Oregon Nurses
Association (ONA), an infor-
mational picket is not a strike.
Nurses continue to work their
scheduled shifts, but walk the
picket line on breaks and their
days off.
ONA is required to give
PeaceHealth a 10-day notice
prior to a picket.
According to ONA Comm-
unications Manager Kevin
Mealy, the nurses voted in favor
of the informational picket after
P
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
hildren’s
Repertory
of
Oregon
C
Workshops (CROW) held two outreach
performances of “The Addams Family
INSIDE
Musical” for area elementary schools at the
Florence Events Center (FEC) Thursday. The
show runs at 2 and 7 p.m. Saturday, April 22,
and at 2 p.m. Sunday, April 23, at the FEC,
715 Quince St. Visit eventcenter.org or call
541-997-1994 for more information.
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A3
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Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
This Week on the Coast . . . A8
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
Weather Data . . . . . . . . . . . A2
THIS WEEK ’ S
TODAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
57 48
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52 49
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WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
an unsuccessful contract media-
tion session with PeaceHealth’s
corporate administrators earlier
this month.
Mealy said, “Despite signifi-
cant efforts by nurses and the
help of a federal mediator,
PeaceHealth’s corporate admin-
istrators made limited conces-
sions and refused to make
meaningful progress on a fair
contract that addresses nurses’
primary community health con-
cerns; including ending exces-
sive call requirements, correct-
ing below-market wages and
increasing patient and staff
safety.”
The 75 Peace Harbor nurses
have been working without a
contract since Jan. 31. After
more than three months of
unsuccessful negotiations, both
sides agreed to federal media-
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2 S ECTIONS ❘ 20 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2017
tion. The first mediation session
held April 10 ended with limit-
ed progress reported.
Community members and
supporters are invited to join
nurses at the informational
picket Monday, May 1, at the
intersection of Highways 101
and 126 in Florence from 8 to
10 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., and 4 to
6 p.m., Mealy said.
ONA member and emer-
gency department nurse at
Peace Harbor Toby Knight-
Meigs said, “We appreciate the
support we’ve received from
people up and down the coast
and throughout Lane County.
It’s clear our community recog-
nizes the vital role nurses play
in keeping our friends and fam-
ily members healthy.”
See
PICKET 7A