4 A
❘
SATURDAY EDITION
❘ APRIL 22, 2017
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
Opinion
❘ 541-902-3520 ❘
EDITOR @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
The First Amendment
C
ongress shall make no law respecting an estab-
lishment of religion or prohibiting the free exer-
cise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of
the press, or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a
redress of grievances.
From our newsroom to the community
Jenna Bartlett
By Siuslaw News General
Manager Jenna Bartlett and
Publisher John Bartlett
S
iuslaw News is publish-
ing a voter’s guide for
the May 19 Special
Election in our Wednesday,
April 26, edition. This guide,
like the usual Lane County
Voter’s Guide, will be an ad-
free space for western Lane
County candidates to detail
their background and stances
on issues pertinent to their
boards.
We have invited all 39 can-
didates of 10 boards to partic-
ipate and will include details
for each candidate.
completed publication when it
is published next Wednesday.
Siuslaw News encourages
its staff to be involved in the
community. Through partici-
pation in team sports, commu-
nity theater, youth clubs, vol-
unteering, nonprofit boards
and service groups, almost
every member of its staff
gives their time. In most
cases, these employees partic-
ipate because of a particular
enjoyment they receive or
belief they have in certain
organizations.
Most of this effort comes at
the expense of our employee’s
own time and commitment.
As an employer, we cannot
control what groups, if any,
employees choose for partici-
pation.
This year, we have a bit of
an unusual situation. Hickson
is running for a board position
that is election based, and he
happens to be the editor.
Though this is not a regular
The guide will also include
the following disclaimer:
Siuslaw News is not
endorsing any candidate or
measure included in this form.
Any views or opinions stated
are exclusively those of the
individuals themselves.
Siuslaw News cannot be
held responsible for the accu-
racy or reliability of informa-
tion submitted by the individu-
als.
By now, most people in the
community have learned that
Siuslaw News Editor Ned
Hickson is running for a posi-
tion on the Siuslaw Valley
Fire and Rescue Board of
Directors. Siuslaw News is
again affirming that it is by no
means endorsing him or any
candidate. Each candidate can
stand alone, and our Voter’s
Guide gives an equal opportu-
nity for each person to speak.
We also want to make clear
that Hickson, like every other
candidate, will only see the
occurrence for us, it is not
without precedence within our
company, or even within our
community. In November, a
News Media Corporation
reporter ran as a mayoral can-
didate in California.
In Florence, another media
professional has served many
years on an elected board. He
has been able to perform his
duties both to his board and
his community without
reproach.
We cannot ask employees
to give back to the communi-
ty, and then restrict how they
do it.
Siuslaw News takes great
pride in presenting fair, bal-
anced stories. To have an edi-
tor run for office has a few
people in the community
wondering how we will keep
our balance.
Before we made the deci-
sion to promote Hickson to
the position of editor last fall,
he announced his plans to run
for the position. He was very
up front about it. At that time,
we discussed with him how
the situation would be han-
dled.
Any stories having to do
with an employee’s election,
position or organization are
written and edited by another
member of the staff. The edi-
torial and publishing team
continues to write and edit
stories, regardless of the topic.
In some cases, an editor
from another News Media
Corporation newspaper is
asked to step in and oversee
controversial stories when the
views of an outside editor
help to balance a story and
give an unbiased opinion.
All of Siuslaw News’ front-
page stories and editorial
pages are reviewed by both
the general manager and the
publisher before they are
finalized for print.
This has not changed.
Siuslaw News has a 126-
John Bartlett
year history of integrity in the
Florence community. We will
continue to provide fair, bal-
anced coverage, no matter
where our employees volun-
teer.
Through letters to the edi-
tor, personal feedback, public
comment and more, we expect
our readers will continue to
interact with us and ask the
important questions.
Before voting in the May
16 Special Election, we
encourage people in the com-
munity to read the Voter’s
Guide thoroughly and pick the
candidates they feel are the
most qualified for each board
position.
LETTERS
E ASTER EGG HUNT THANK YOU
The grass was damp but the sun was shining
bright for the 2017 annual Florence Community
Easter Egg Hunt, hosted by the Siuslaw High
School Interact Club and sponsored by the
Rotary Club of Florence.
Hundreds of hardy youngsters were rewarded
L ETTERS TO THE
E DITOR P OLICY
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to
the editor as part of a community discus-
sion of issues on the local, state and
national level.
Emailed
letters
are
preferred.
Handwritten or typed letters must be
signed. All letters need to include full
name, address and phone number; only
name and city will be printed. Letters
should be limited to about 300 words.
Letters are subject to editing for length,
grammar and clarity. Publication of any
letter is not guaranteed and depends on
space available and the volume of letters
received.
Libelous, argumentative and anony-
mous letters or poetry will not be pub-
lished.
P OLITICAL /E LECTION L ETTERS :
Election-related letters must address
pertinent or timely issues of interest to our
readers at-large. The newspaper does not
publish partisan letters that promote or
endorse local political candidates based
solely on their record, reputation and qual-
ifications; this constitutes paid political
advertising.
Candidates themselves may not use the
letters to the editor column to outline their
views and platforms or to ask for votes.
This also constitutes paid political advertis-
ing.
As with all letters and advertising con-
tent, the newspaper, at the sole discretion
of the publisher, general manager and edi-
tor, reserves the right to reject any such
letter.
The newspaper is particularly sensitive
to organized “letter-writing campaigns.”
The newspaper reserves the right to reject
any such letter.
Write to: editor@thesiuslawnews.com
USPS# 497-660
with nearly 4,000 colorful Easter eggs filled
with treats and prizes to put in their baskets,
bags and boxes.
The Siuslaw High School Interact Club, in
conjunction with the Rotary Club of Florence,
want to thank the following businesses for their
contributions of goods and publicity in helping
this year’s Easter egg hunt be so successful:
Grocery Outlet, Wind Drift Gallery, Siuslaw
News and KCST Radio.
Our area youth continually benefit from these
and other generous businesses in Florence.
In addition, thank you to the community for
supporting our efforts by attending this event.
See you next Easter!
Jaidan Haley, Claire Waggoner, Kaylee
Graham and the Interact Community Easter
Egg Hunt Committee; Rotary Advisers Katie
Prosser and Jenna Bartlett; and SHS Interact
S UPPORT C HAPMAN
I am writing in support of Jesse Chapman
who is running for Siuslaw Shool Board-
Position 6. I have known him and his family for
several years. I know them to be God-fearing
and hard-working people.
Jesse graduated from Siuslaw High School in
1973, and his father, Robert, graduated from
SHS in 1943. He is a U.S. Army veteran and
favors school sports.
His slogan is “It’s all about the heart.”
I’m certain he will use his head as well as his
heart while serving on the Siuslaw School
Board.
Lita E. Edwards
Florence
O UTSTANDING
PERFORMANCES
I recently viewed the play “Love Letters” by
A.R. Gurney in Yachats.
I saw it three times.
One of Us Productions director Robbie
Schoonover cast this delightful play with three
different amazing couples, each of which have
brought to the stage their own style of delivery
and humor.
I plan to attend at least one more performance
this weekend, when there are three more
chances to see each of the couples.
Dean Peterson and Lorraine Barrett starred
last night (April 22), Bob Barrett and Johnni
Prince will star tonight (April 22) at 7:30 p.m.,
P AY NURSES WHAT THEY ARE WORTH
On April 6, I wrote a letter to Debra Miller,
who is currently the lead negotiator for
PeaceHealth in its contract talks with Peace
Harbor’s nurses. In my letter to her, I explained
that, as a retired Human Resources Executive
with 25 years experience in all aspects of
Human Resources including contract negotia-
tions in the San Francisco Bay Area, I did not
understand the corporate philosophy of under-
paying their nursing staff by 5 percent.
In her position, Ms. Miller should know that
the salary survey data she should be using to
determine what competitive salaries are
includes the Springfield/Eugene area.
In addition, recruiting for positions that are in
short supply requires paying more, not less, to
attract and retain quality employees.
From what I see, PeaceHealth’s corporate
philosophy appears to be trying to get the least
qualified for the lowest amount of money.
Recruiting for engineers and physicists in a
tight labor market for 25 years gave me lots of
experience in what you have to do to get good
people, and paying them less does not work
well.
Those of us who live in Florence know the
cost of housing in the immediate area has sig-
nificantly increased. Unless you are over 55
years old, there is almost no affordable housing
for nurses and doctors.
This includes rentals as well as home pur-
chases; there are waiting lists for the small num-
ber of apartments and home rental inventories
in Florence.
One nurse I know who was just hired by
PeaceHealth can’t start yet because she can’t
find a place to live.
As our local facility continues to be under-
staffed, PeaceHealth is making it more difficult
for our healthcare providers to stay here.
Without adequate personnel to cover vacations
or sick time, patient safety is compromised and
productivity declines.
Sleep deprivation does that.
We have seen over the last few years that
many aspects of our local operation is no longer
controlled locally, but by corporate offices in
Vancouver.
We hope that Peace Health Peace Harbor will
decide to do the right thing, negotiate in good
faith, listen to our nurses’ proposals and treat
them fairly and equitably.
That is all they — and we as a community —
ask.
Patricia Reno
Florence
W E MUST NOT BE DIVIDED
I want to thank Congressman DeFazio for
speaking in Florence last week. I am on his
mailing list and he has responded to every letter
I’ve sent.
After he spoke, I realized that Oregon is a
leader among states. We are very much in line
with what our nation is doing as a whole: re-
building our infrastructure and reclaiming our
jobs.
I agree with Peter DeFazio on the issue of
legal immigration and securing our borders as
we fight a war on terrorism.
I also agree with the congressman that what
we have done to expand Medicaid has proven
good for other states to do as well. Our health-
care system should not be defined as a nation
but instead, as the Constitution intended, by
each state — just like marijuana and liquor
laws.
Oregon should be commended for not relying
on a sales tax. I believe commerce thrives much
more when it’s not punished by sales tax.
However, I speak on behalf of President
Trump when I say the protests need to stop. We
need to get behind our president, who is putting
America first by buying and hiring American.
He is also working to eliminate government
waste and special interest groups.
The Earth will be much better off once big
gas and oil, big agriculture and big pharmaceu-
ticals are knocked off their thrones.
That alone will help with reversing climate
change by promoting clean energy.
A nation cannot be divided within itself. Let
us unite behind our president and let him help
us make America great again.
Guthrie Wilson
Florence
Copyright 2017 © Siuslaw News
Publisher, ext. 327
General Manager, ext. 318
Editor, ext. 313
Marketing Director, ext. 326
Office Supervisor, ext. 312
Production Supervisor
Press Manager
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WHERE TO WRITE
Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National
Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore.
Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax
541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com.
John Bartlett
Jenna Bartlett
Ned Hickson
Susan Gutierrez
Cathy Dietz
Ron Annis
Jeremy Gentry
with Greg and Barbara Covell performing at
Sunday’s 2 p.m. matinee.
I encourage anyone who has ever been in
love to attend. The performances by each of
these three couples is — simply put — out-
standing.
Carl Foster Miller
Yachats
Pres. Donald Trump
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
202-224-5244
541-431-0229
www.wyden.senate.gov
U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753/FAX: 202-228-3997
541-465-6750
www.merkley.senate.gov
Gov. Kate Brown
160 State Capitol
900 Court St.
Salem, OR 97301-4047
Governor’s Citizens’ Rep.
Message Line 503-378-4582
www.oregon.gov/gov
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio (4th Dist.)
2134 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
202-225-6416
541-269-2609/ 541-465-6732
www.defazio.house.gov
U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden
221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
State Sen. Arnie Roblan (Dist. 5)
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
FAX: 503-986-1080
Email:
Sen.ArnieRoblan@state.or.us
State Rep. Caddy McKeown
(Dist. 9)
900 Court St. NE
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1409
Email:
rep.caddymckeown@state.or.us
West Lane County Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email:
Jay.Bozievich@co.lane.or.us