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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (July 5, 2017)
THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM ❘ / SIUSLAWNEWS ❘ @ SIUSLAWNEWS WEDNESDAY EDITION SUMMER HOOPS ❘ JULY 5, 2017 ❘ $1.00 New music festival opens Friday INSIDE — A8 SPORTS — B 127TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 53 S PECIAL S ERIES ( PART II ) SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890 FLORENCE, OREGON FLORENCE WINGS & WHEELS 2017 Labels highlight complex topic of ‘Helping’ Rolling in and lifting off B Y J ARED A NDERSON Siuslaw News (On June 27, at the Florence Planning Commission denied a permit for Helping Hands to lease a commercial building at 1790 Highway 101. The decision brought to light some of the complex issues regarding the homeless, businesses and service organiza- tions. This is Part II of a two-part explo- ration.) Five months after becoming homeless, Nomada Lawson was sitting in the Helping Hands dining room at Florence United Methodist Church while finishing her careful- ly prepared warm meal, talking about her con- cerns about the community she is a part of. “The garbage is bad. It’s unbelievable. They have no ability to clean up after themselves. They’re out there panhandling for alcohol and I’m not okay with that,” she said. Since discussion on the new lease for the Helping Hands Coalition began, strong accu- sations have been bandied about by both sides of the issue. Those who live and work around the pro- posed lease label “the other side” as “heart- less” or “uncaring” for not considering their economic and safety concerns for the residen- tial and commercial areas off Highway 101. Proponents of the lease label the other side as heartless, in turn, because they refuse to help those in need. “I don’t necessarily disagree that people are heartless,” an employee who works next to the proposed site, and who asked to remain anony- mous, said about those who oppose the lease. She believes they are using their financial concerns as a facade and don’t want to admit they just don’t want “vagrants” around their nice homes. Those who oppose the relocation strongly disagree with that characterization. See HELPING 5A PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON AND MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS A record 138 classic cars roared into the Florence Municipal Airport on Saturday, July 1, as the annual Wings & Wheels showcase was held to benefit the Florence-Siuslaw Lions Club. From vintage Model Ts to 1950s era hot rods and fire trucks to small aircraft, hundreds of visitors lined the airport taxiway to thrill at the spectacular display of the precision engineering and artistic design of history’s most memorable automotive and aero- nautic feats. The piece de resistance was the World War II SBD Dauntless, an American Navy scout plane and dive bomber that zoomed into Florence. Two lucky raffle ticket winners were able to take the Dauntless on a journey into the skies. Next door, Oregon Coast Military Museum celebrated its second anniversary with an open house, raffles and Smokin’ Pops Carolina Bar-B-Que food cart. For more photos, go to 5A Power of Florence celebrates strength in numbers Student’s desire to help others has grown beyond expectations B Y M ARK B RENNAN Siuslaw News The Power of Florence is cel- ebrating its seventh birthday on Saturday, July 15. The 2017 schedule lists a full lineup of activities and projects for com- munity participation. Over the last seven years, the brainchild of Kaylee Graham, 17, has grown from the desire of a young girl to emulate her brother’s example of volun- teerism to an event that involves hundreds of individuals helping dozens of organizations who assist thousands of community members. Shannon Graham, Kaylee’s mother, said the effect the Power of Florence has had on the community is considerable, and the service-oriented event continues to grow. The high level of public visi- bility and the significant impact it has made on the city has cata- pulted the Power of Florence to national prominence. Numerous stories on television and in print over the past few years praise Kaylee’s efforts to reach out and help people that can use a little assistance. This is the last year that Kaylee will be coordinating the Power of Florence, and Shannon feels the effort will continue in good hands. See POWER 5A MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS Kaylee Graham shows Siuslaw Elemen- tary School’s Kindness Club how to pre- pare ice cream floats for the benefit held in June for Malakai Kirk. MAPLETON SCHOOL DISTRICT ENTERS 21ST CENTURY Students returning to Mapleton School District at the end of summer will find many new features to the schools, including seismic upgrades to this gym. Additional changes include student requested community spaces. Upgrades made possible by school bond mean safety, opportunity for students B Y J ARED A NDERSON Siuslaw News The year was 1957: Sputnik I was launched by the Soviets, the first electric watch was introduced and the Mapleton School District campus was built. While satellites and watches have vastly improved since then, the Mapleton schools have remained exactly the same. Until now. From seismic improvements, decreases in water lead levels and changes to the flow of the entrances and gathering places, Mapleton’s campus is moving into the 21st century. “It’s been a lot of work on the forefront, but I think it’s great,” said Mapleton School JARED ANDERSON/SIUSLAW NEWS on the central coast C O O L P L A C ES Birding Various locations ❘ www.oregoncoastbirding.com TO VISIT THIS SUMMER A T A GLANCE : There are hun- dreds of spots along the Oregon coast popular with birdwatchers. In fact, more than 18 million peo- ple visit the coast annually to see the dozens of native species of birds that make the Florence area their home. Visit the South Jetty area to view the marshes, dunes and tidal flats. A cormorant rookery can be seen from the port. Both Cleawox and Woahink 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. New locations will be featured each month. Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kid Scoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . Library Tidings . . . . . . . . . . . B6 A3 B5 A7 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4 Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B Weather Data . . . . . . . . . . . A2 lakes provide freshwater and mature forests for a diverse community of bird species. At Siltcoos Lake, all seasons provide views of an abun- dance of ducks and coots. To the north, Cape Perpetua and Sea Lion Caves are popular viewing points for shorebirds. To the east, head to the PAWN Trail along the upper North Fork of the Siuslaw River, THIS WEEK ’ S to the buildings will be making them seismically safe. “Everything has to be res- heared and connected to the building,” explained the pro- ject’s general contractor, Randy Myers, about the process. See UPGRADES 6A THE VAN FANS ANNUAL ICE CREAM SOCIAL Saturday, July 15, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Florence Events Center. Please, come spend a relaxing aft ernoon, enjoy the ice cream, the music and do something that will help a neighbor or friend. Tickets are available at the door Sponsored by: Th e Friends of Florence Van Fans MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS or further east to Sweet Creek Falls, for birds big and small, from eagles to finches. TODAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY 64 53 64 52 65 52 68 53 WEATHER Full Forecast, A3 District Superintendent Jodi O’Mara. “Having students learn in a safe environment, where there’s no lead based paint or asbestos, gives our kids a sense that they are worth this. That can carry on into how they do in school and where they plan to go in life.” One of the biggest changes (a non-political volunteer organization). S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS ❘ 16 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2017
