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WEDNESDAY EDITION
NEW TOURNAMENT
BEGINS FRIDAY
Flag Day
SPORTS — B
COAST LIFE — B
127TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 47
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
FLORENCE, OREGON
OUTPOURING OF SUPPORT
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Siuslaw News
O
n Saturday, June 10, hun-
dreds of Florence resi-
dents turned out in support for
the “Gifts of the Heart Auction:
An Evening of Giving,” held at
Siuslaw Middle School, and
raised $30,886.
The event was created by
concerned teachers and com-
munity members to assist the
family of Siuslaw fifth-grader
Malakai Kirk, 11 years old, in
preparing for the expenses
associated with the youth’s
❘ JUNE 14, 2017 ❘ $1.00
upcoming bone marrow trans-
plant operation.
In a statement, Malakai’s
mother Laurie Stone said, “You
know that saying ‘It takes a vil-
lage to raise a child?’ I had no
idea that in moving to Florence,
I would gain the most amazing
village to help raise my chil-
dren. I’m so blown away by the
incredible generosity of our
community and its commit-
ment to helping those in need.
What we have here is so special
and we’re so honored to be part
of it. Facing this challenge in
our lives is stressful enough.
Auction and raffle raises more
than $30,000 for Malakai Kirk
Not having to add financial
stress relieves us of a huge bur-
den.”
Siuslaw Middle School
Principal Andy Marohl was a
member of the steering com-
mittee for the event and instru-
mental in obtaining the use of
the middle school gym for the
auction.
“The outpouring of support
for this is very humbling. We
live in such a great communi-
ty,” he said.
The fundraiser was a combi-
nation silent auction, raffle and
bake sale. There were more
than 200 items donated by
retail establishments, artists
and craft people from the area
for the silent auction.
See
GIVING 8A
Eleven-year-old Malakai Kirk attended the “Gifts of the
Heart Auction” Saturday in his honor. Community mem-
bers banded together to plan the event and raise more
than $30,000 towards Malakai’s bone transplant fund.
MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
Florence adopts Siuslaw and Mapleton graduates take next step
first biennial
budget
Council also decreases
planned unit development
lot size from 5 to 2 acres
During Florence City Council’s June 12 meet-
ing, councilors voted to adopt the city’s first bien-
nial (two-year) budget,
B Y J ACK D AVIS
to begin July 1, in the
Siuslaw News
amount
of
$55,370,862.
City Manager Erin Reynolds said, “We are ask-
ing for the council to adopt a little bit smaller
budget in total. Instead of the $56 million that was
originally proposed, a $55.4 million budget — a
little bit less, primarily in the waste water fund.”
Councilors approved a proposed change to the
city’s Planned Unit Development code to reduce
the multi-single-housing tract size from the cur-
rent five acres to two acres to allow contractors
more flexibility in smaller developments.
Councilors also approved four expense propos-
als totaling $384,088.
The four include $27,500 to purchase two tax
lots from the Port of Siuslaw, totaling 3.1 acres
and located between the Siuslaw River and
Rhododendron Drive, just west of the city’s waste
treatment plant. The city plans to develop the
property into the Siuslaw River Beach Park.
According to Reynolds, an Oregon Parks and
Recreation Department grant and a federal grant
will cover all but $55 of the cost of the land acqui-
sition.
Councilors approved a bid for $191,000 from
2G Construction to remodel the 2,700 square-foot
Florence Justice Center round room in preparation
for moving the city’s administrative offices into
the building while City Hall is being remodeled
this fall.
The Florence Police Department will use the
remodeled round room space after the Florence
City Hall remodel is completed.
See
BUDGET 6A
PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
Nine graduates from Mapleton High School (left) and 88 graduates from Siuslaw High School attend ceremonies June 9 and 10.
B Y M ARK B RENNAN
Siuslaw News
S
enior students graduated from
both Siuslaw and Mapleton
high schools this weekend.
Siuslaw’s graduation was held on
Friday evening and Mapleton’s was
held on Saturday afternoon.
Siuslaw’s event honored 88 grad-
uates. The event was held in the
school’s gymnasium, with family
and friends of the graduates filling
the bleachers and upper seating
areas.
Siuslaw High School Principal
Kerri Tatum said this class in par-
ticular will move into the post high
school world well prepared for the
challenges that await them.
“The Class of 2017 has been an
amazing class to work with. They
are not just academically gifted, but
civically and athletically gifted as
well. Our three valedictorians are
not only exceptional scholars, all
above a 4.0 GPA, but each of them
is also an individual state champi-
on,” Tatum said.
SHS had three validectorians this
year, Cecelia Mans, Carissa Oliver
and Destinie Tatum.
The Mapleton High Graduation,
also held in the school’s gym, was a
more modest affair, with nine sen-
iors matriculating.
The Mapleton crowd, while
smaller, was no less enthusiastic in
support of the graduating seniors.
Mapleton Superintendent Jodi
O’Mara said the size of the graduat-
ing class allows the school to tailor
the ceremony to the fit the students.
“Each year we are lucky enough
to have graduation take on the per-
sonality of the graduating class.
From the decorations, the guest
speaker they choose, to their slide
show songs and comments, all of it
is representative of our nine amaz-
ing graduates,” O’Mara said.
“Being able to present the graduates
with their scholarship awards dur-
ing the graduation ceremony cre-
ates a focus on achievement and
honors the graduates who elect to
continue their education beyond
high school.”
Mapleton’s valedictorian was
MacKenzie Cleary and the salutori-
an was Dana Halverson.
The happiness of the graduating
students and family members was
evident in the hundreds of smiling
faces apparent in the crowds at both
ceremonies.
Student speakers at both Siuslaw
and Mapleton were well received.
Members of the staff and adminis-
tration added comments of support
for the students and pointed out the
many possible obstacles and suc-
cesses that lie ahead.
“This class is full of leaders that
will do great things in our world. I
am so pleased that I was able to
work with them for their four years
of high school,” Tatum said.
She said she believes the Class of
2017 has all the tools needed to suc-
ceed at the next level, what ever
that might turn out to be.
Overall, the weekend was a time
of celebration of high school days,
favorite classmates and inspiring
teachers, with an eye to the future.
Go to 9A for more photos.
C O O L P L A C ES
Oregon Coast Military Museum
oregon coast military museum
TO VISIT THIS SUMMER
2145 Kingwood St., Florence ❘ 541-902-5160
A celebration of the birth of the jeep in
WWII and the iconic vehicle it has become today!
INSIDE
S PECIAL F EATURE :
This summer we are
highlighting unique
spots that make the
central Oregon coast
one of the coolest
places to live and play.
A new location will be
featured each week.
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C6
Coast Life . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3
Kid Scoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . C5
A T A GLANCE : The Oregon Coast Military
Museum, a 501c3 nonprofit, opened its doors on
the Oregon coast, on July 4th, 2015, after a
seven-year effort by locals to build a museum to
honor the more than 20% of Florence-area resi-
dents who are veterans. Intended to honor all
eras of military heritage and all disciplines of mil-
itary service, the 3,000-square foot display space
is filled with life-sized dioramas depicting scenes
from WWI to Vietnam, plus a scaled diorama of
a typical Iraqi village depicting a US military
convoy traveling through.
The museum’s mission is To Honor Our
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Senior Calendar . . . . . . . . . . B8
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C
THIS WEEK ’ S
COURTESY PHOTO
Veterans by Educating Our Public.
In addition to a gift shop, the Museum also
features a small theater showing military docu-
mentaries, a USO Canteen and a lending library.
TODAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
61 51
60 54
64 52
65 54
WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
jeep junction
Saturday, June 17th, 2017 • 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Johnston Motor Co. on Hwy. 101
Sponsored by Banner Bank &
Johnston Motor Co.
S IUSLAW N EWS
3 S ECTIONS ❘ 26 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2017