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WEDNESDAY EDITION
❘ MAY 31, 2017 ❘ $1.00
L IONS HOST E LLIOTT B ASS MAY SCHOOL
ZONE
F UN T OURNAMENT J UNE 3-4
SPORTS — B
126TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 43
INSIDE
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
M e m or i a l D a y ac t iv i ti e s ho n or fa ll e n v e ts
FLORENCE, OREGON
PORT OF SIUSLAW
Port places
Leskin on paid
administrative
leave
Complaint from tenant causes
commissioners to act
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
(Top) The Florence community salutes as a bugler plays “Taps” while U.S. Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River lays memorial
wreaths on the river. (Lower left) Kyung Peterson and son Lance from Florence Cub Scout Pack 721 hammer in crosses at the
graves of veterans at Pacific Sunrise Cemetery on Saturday morning. Local Boy and Cub Scouts set approximately 500 crosses.
Ceremonies
recognize the
sacrifices
made by
veterans
M
emorial Day in Florence is always a
somber occasion, as it is in many
small towns across America.
A large number of veterans from all four
branches of the military
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
have retired here and
Siuslaw News
made Florence their
home. Many of these
individuals and patriotic community members
were involved in veteran-related ceremonies
during the Memorial Day weekend.
Events took place at local cemeteries and
parks to honor and recognize the ultimate sac-
rifice made by the more than 1 million
American soldiers who died while serving in
the military.
See
CEREMONY 6A
During a special
meeting held
Tuesday, Port of
Siuslaw commis-
sioners voted unan-
imously to place
Port Manager
Steven Leskin on
paid administrative
leave.
Port of Siuslaw
Board of
Commissioners
met in an executive
JACK DAVIS/SIUSLAW NEWS
session before the
Port Manager
special meeting.
Steven Leskin
President Ron
Caputo said, “You are being put on paid admin-
istrative leave while we check on a complaint
we have from Amber Novelli concerning some
sexual advances that she perceived that you
made.”
Novelli and her husband Kyle operate
Novelli’s Crab and Seafood market located on
the Port of Siuslaw docks. The Novellis also
operate a commercial fishing vessel.
Also attending the special meeting was
Special Districts Association of Oregon
Assistant General Counsel Spencer Rockwell.
Leskin was hired as port manager in
February 2016.
No further information was available at press
time Tuesday.
Sen. Ron Wyden speaks to packed town hall Sunday J ENNA B ARTLETT TO
LEAD AS PUBLISHER
President, healthcare, immigration among topics discussed at Sunday forum
B Y J ACK D AVIS
Siuslaw News
More than 200 people turned
out for Sen. Ron Wyden’s 41st
town hall meeting of the year
Sunday at the Florence Events
Center.
Topics ranged from healthcare
and immigration to the Electoral
College, privatization of the
Bonneville Power Authority and
the president’s tax returns.
More than 20 people were able
to ask Wyden questions during the
90-minute town hall. Participants
were offered raffle tickets to
determine who would be chosen
to address the senator.
State Sen. Arnie Roblan and
Florence City Councilor Joshua
Greene, who filled in for Mayor
Joe Henry, drew tickets and read
out the numbers.
Prior to the start of the question
and answer session, Wyden pre-
sented Florence resident Steve
Olienyk with a flag that was
flown over the U.S. Capitol in
recognition of his military and
humanitarian service.
Wyden serves on the Senate
Intelligence Committee and is a
ranking member of the Senate
Finance Committee and the
Energy and Natural Resources
Committee.
As a member of these commit-
tees, Wyden is in the thick of cur-
rent congressional inquiries and
investigations.
“This town hall speaks to the
legitimacy of our government,”
Wyden said. “What has happened
with Russia has raised real ques-
tions about whether our govern-
ment is for us or if it is really
beholden to special interests, and
maybe doing things with foreign
powers that shouldn’t be done.
“This administration has
moved on Russian policies dra-
matically differently than other
administrations, Democrats and
Republicans.”
He added, “Much of the
Trump portfolio, by their admis-
sion, not mine, really was
Russian investments. In the
Russian investigation, I’ve taken
the lead in what I call the ‘follow
the money' issue.
See
TOWN HALL 7A
SVFR, Department of Forestry respond to ‘controlled’ burn Friday
Small burn pile fire grows to engage 20 acres off Clear Lake Road
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Siuslaw News
INSIDE
On May 26, Siuslaw Valley
Fire and Rescue (SVFR) respond-
ed to a call for assistance at a con-
trolled burn off of Clear Lake
Road, south of Florence.
According to Fire Chief Jim
Langborg, the incident had not
been expected to be unusual or to
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Community . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kid Scoop . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Library Tidings . . . . . . . . . . .
B9
A3
B8
A5
require SVFR support.
“On my arrival, I found a large
slash fire that was in attendance of
a responsible person, who had
obtained burn permits and con-
tacted Oregon Department of
Forestry (ODF) to ensure it was a
safe day to burn,” Langborg said.
“After lighting the fire, he noticed
spot fires popping up and called
us. ODF was also notified and had
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Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
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an overhead person on-scene
approximately 40 minutes after
my arrival.”
The initial attempts at suppres-
sion of these spot fires were not
successful and the blaze grew to
the point where additional
resources were required.
“In total, approximately 25
SVFR firefighters were on-scene,
along with mutual aid resources
THIS WEEK ’ S
from Reedsport and Gardiner.
Approximately 27 ODF personnel
were on-scene with three private
bulldozers and a water tender,”
Langborg said. “A unified com-
mand structure was utilized and
the incident was large enough to
split into north and south divi-
sions.”
See
FIRE 6A
TODAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
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60 50
63 49
61 49
WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
As of May 22, Siuslaw News has a new pub-
lisher as Group Manager John Bartlett focuses
his efforts in California. General Manager Jenna
Bartlett now assumes
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
the role of publisher.
Siuslaw News
John said, “I am so
excited for News Media
Corporation to promote Jenna to a publisher
position in Florence. This is a well-deserved pro-
motion and long overdue.”
As publisher, Jenna will manage operations in
Siuslaw News’ editorial and marketing depart-
ments and continue to oversee the Central Coast
Publishing Press Plant in Coos Bay. She will tend
to many of the day-to-day operations of the busi-
ness, including the hiring process, budget, com-
munity response and more.
Jenna will also work with Editor Ned Hickson
to direct the style and content of the Siuslaw
News’ printed and online publications.
Besides working at Siuslaw News, Jenna is the
current Florence Area Chamber of Commerce
Board President and is active with the Rotary
Club of Florence, Boys and Girls Club of
Western Lane County and other area nonprofits.
“Jenna is so active in the community and has
done a wonderful job leading the Siuslaw News
these past three years. She has been a leader in
the digital transformation of the newspaper to a
daily online paper and I have no doubt she will
continue to grow this media leading publication,”
John said. “I am also very proud of her as any
father would be.”
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