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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (May 27, 2017)
THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM ❘ / SIUSLAWNEWS ❘ @ SIUSLAWNEWS SATURDAY EDITION ❘ MAY 27, 2017 ❘ $1.00 SPECIAL PUBLICATION INSIDE 126TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 42 UTILITIES City votes to increase waste collection fees Councilors also approve money to convert Florence Events Center to LED lighting During the May 15 Florence City Council meeting, councilors unanimously voted to approve an increase to B Y J ACK D AVIS the current solid waste Siuslaw News collection rates, begin- ning July 1. Current rates will be adjusted by using a for- mula based on 80.6 percent of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) increase for 2016. The 2016 CPI was 2.1 percent. This year’s rate increase will be 1.7 percent — 80.6 percent of the 2.1 percent CPI increase. The rate increase will be applied to all resi- dential and commercial solid waste collection rates, excluding roll-off container fees. Councilor Ron Preisler asked how much the weekly rate increase would cost the average customer. Mayor Joe Henry replied, “Less than a dol- lar.” In addition, the resolution calls for fees charged to Central Coast Disposal to increase from 3 percent to 3.5 percent beginning July 1. UTILITIES 7A See Lane County hears ReVision Florence pitch County asked to fund a larger portion of project’s $1.3 million funding gap Four of five Lane County Commissioners joined Florence City Councilors and Florence Urban Renewal Agency B Y J ACK D AVIS (FURA) board mem- Siuslaw News bers May 17 at the Florence Events Center to hear a status report on the ReVision Florence project. Commissioners Jay Bozievich, Pat Farr, Sid Leiken and Gary Williams attended the meet- ing. ReVision Florence is a multi-year project to improve safety and beautify the streetscape along Highway 101, from the Siuslaw River Bridge to Ninth Street and several blocks along Highway 126. The interagency project, currently estimated at $7.4 million, will include financial participa- tion from Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), FURA, Lane County and the City of Florence. The final design will be presented to ODOT for approval in January. The bid opening is scheduled for mid-March. City Manager Erin Reynolds said construc- tion is projected to begin next year after Rhody Days and will continue through August. The last phase of the project, the ODOT repaving of Highway 101 from the Siuslaw Bride to Ninth Street, is scheduled to happen from August to Sept. 30, 2018 — the end of the ODOT paving season. Reynolds said, “We believe that this is a project that warrants a look by the commis- sioners to consider investing and funding some portion now and over the future.” INSIDE See Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . REVISION 7A B7 A3 A4 A2 SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890 FLORENCE, OREGON Pulling together for Malakai Kirk Florence community plans fundraiser for Siuslaw fifth-grader diagnosed with rare disease B Y M ARK B RENNAN Siuslaw News A coalition of teachers, administrators and concerned parents have announced that a combination auction and raffle fundraiser will be held at Siuslaw Middle School on Saturday, June 10, from 5 to 7 p.m., to benefit Malakai Kirk, a fifth-grade student at Siuslaw Elementary School. Malakai, 11 years old, has been diagnosed with DOCK8 Hyper lgE syndrome, a very rare disease of the immune system that doctors believe will require a bone marrow transplant to address. The cost of the surgery and related expenditures could reach $1 million, which the family does not have. The fundraising event is called “Gifts of the Heart Auction — A Night of Giving,” and it will consist of a silent auction of items donat- ed by local businesses, artists and craftspeople and a raffle for a weekend stay at Heceta Head Lightstation Bed and Breakfast. Siuslaw School District instructor Shannon Graham was instrumental in initiating the fundraiser. The event is being held at the school on an open day to reduce any costs associated with the auction and allowing all the funds raised to go directly to Malakai’s family. This joint effort by school staff members and the public is somewhat unusual, according to Siuslaw Elementary Principal Mike Harklerode. “This is really the schools and community coming together,” he said. “The middle school was an open venue that fit the timeline for the auction. The middle school is being used at no cost, which allows all of the proceeds to direct- ly support the family’s need.” Laurie and Mark Stone are Malakai’s par- ents. The illness of their son is something that has been an ongoing concern for the couple for much of Malakai’s life. The initial symptoms of Malakai’s disease were not life threatening and originally mani- fested as skin irritation and a lack of hair. After putting Malakai through a battery of MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS Mark Stone, Malakai Kirk and Laurie Stone are hoping for a robust turnout for the Gifts of the Heart Auction on June 10 at Siuslaw Middle School. Community members stepped forward to plan the event and help raise money to help the Stones afford a bone marrow transplant for Malakai. tests, which included a bone marrow biopsy, doctors determined that the youth did not have cancer or other more invasive and immediate- ly life-threatening diseases. “Malakai couldn’t grow hair and eventually we found out that his lymphocytes were attacking his hair follicles, which prevented him from growing hair. It was obvious he was sick,” Laurie Stone said. “My mom had lived here in Florence and we would come up and visit her when he was sick, when he was little, and we noticed that his symptoms would lessen. We couldn’t quite make sense of it, but we knew that this environment was better for him, which was part of the drive to move up here.” The decision to move to Florence wasn’t easy, but it turned out to be wise. Malakai’s symptoms immediately started to diminish in severity upon his arrival. See MALAKAI 7A Completion of striping means new traffic pattern Look for a big traffic pattern change on Rhododendron Drive, between Highway 101 and Hemlock Street, now that striping has been completed. With the city contractor com- pleting the Rhododendron Drive Water and Roadway Improvement project, one of the final steps was street strip- ing last Thursday. The section between Highway 101 and Hemlock Street is now striped to accom- modate two bicycle lanes, two travel lanes and on-street park- ing along the north side of the roadway. Florence Public Works Director Mike Miller said,“In accordance with the City Transportation System Plan and the existing roadway width, this section of Rhodo- dendron Drive will only have on-street parking along the north side of the street.” Next to the on-street parking area will be a 6-foot bike lane and then a travel lane. The cen- terline of the roadway will shift a bit to the south in order to accommodate the parking area and bike lane as you trav- el to the west. East bound, there will be a 6-foot bike lane next to the curb and then a Side Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6 This Week on the Coast . . . . A8 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B Weather Data . . . . . . . . . . . A2 THIS WEEK ’ S vehicle travel lane. In addition, the striping in this area will also provide what Miller called a “traffic calming effect,” since the striping will provide visual cues that the roadway is narrower. West of Hemlock Street, the street section will only accom- modate two 6-foot bicycle lanes and two 11-foot vehicle travel lanes. There is also a new sidewalk along the north and east side of Rhododendron Drive between Hemlock and Ninth streets. This project, along with the Rhododendron Drive shoulder extension project between Ninth and Wildwinds streets, improves pedestrian, bicyclist and driver safety along the PHOTO BY CHANTELLE NEWS entire corridor from Highway MEYER/SIUSLAW –––––– GRAPHIC COURTESY CITY 101 to Wildwinds. OF FLORENCE The section between Hemlock and Wildwind is New road much wider than before. striping on Motorists are asked to watch Rhodendron their speeds in area between Drive indicates Hemlock and Wildwinds, bike lanes, on- since this area will remain street parking posted at 30 mph. and regular traf- For more details about street fic routes driv- striping operations and this ers can now project, contact City of expect. Florence Public Works at 541- 997-4106. TODAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 64 51 62 50 65 50 61 50 WEATHER Full Forecast, A3 S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS ❘ 22 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2017
