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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 2, 2017)
THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM ❘ / SIUSLAWNEWS ❘ @ SIUSLAWNEWS SATURDAY EDITION ❘ SEPTEMBER 2, 2017 ❘ $1.00 O PE N S E A S ON COAST CENTRAL SPORTS — B A&E — INSIDE L A D Y V I K S About C&M Stables C&M Stables opened in the spring of 1981. We are located on the Oregon coast just north of Florence. We can match most rider experience levels, and try to make sure everyone has the most enjoyable and memorable experience possible. Today, horse-riding enthusiasts enjoy breathtaking scenic adventures along the beach and through portions of pristine forest service land. Our wranglers at C&M Stables try to make sure that every visitor has the ride of their lifetime. Th e beautiful beach, sand dune and ocean setting is one of the fi nest horseback operations on the Oregon Coast. To book your ride today, give us a call at (541) 997-7540. Let’s ride! www.CandMStables.com • 90241 Hwy. 101, Florence 127TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 70 SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890 City of Florence gains eminent domain of right of way FLORENCE, OREGON A p l ac e i n t h e s u n ReVision Florence Streetscape Project begins negotiations for right of way easements F lorence City Council met Monday night to go over a variety of topics, including ease- ment negotiations for ReVision Florence. Resolution No. 18, B Y C HANTELLE M EYER Series 2017, authorized Siuslaw News the City of Florence to exercise the power of eminent domain for the ReVision Florence Streetscape Project, which will make street and safety improvements to Highways 101 and 126 from Spruce Street to the Siuslaw River Bridge. The project will include repaving, restriping, making sidewalk improvements and construct- ing other aesthetic and safety features. Florence Project Manager Megan Messmer said, “This is a resolution relating to ReVision Florence. We touched on this at the Urban Renewal meeting last week, if you were there. The topic of the resolution does seem a little scary, so I’ll explain it. “As we go through the right of way process, we need temporary construction easements and permanent easements for the right of way along the sidewalks, for ADA improvements and for some of our gateway treatments.” Florence Urban Renewal Agency and City of Florence have an intergovernmental agree- ment for right of way services for ReVision Florence. Besides working with the 36 owners who own 45 tax lots within the ReVision desig- nation, the agencies can exercise eminent domain to condemn certain properties to use for the project, especially relating to sidewalks and access. Law books describe eminent domain as “the power of the government to take private proper- ty and convert it into public use.” See DOMAIN 11A MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS F lorence experienced clear skies this week as cool coastal breezes chased away the smoke from the Chetco Bay fire, south of Florence near Brookings, and kept away smoke from fires in Eastern Oregon. In honor of the better air quality, recreationists took to the Port of Siuslaw Boardwalk and docks to admire the view and go crabbing. Siuslaw forced to cut after school programs in 2018 Trump’s executive order eliminates all funding for Community Learning Centers B Y M ARK B RENNAN Siuslaw News S iuslaw School District has announced major cuts to the district’s after-school “Twilight” programs for the upcoming school year. Information provided on the district’s website highlights the changes to the program, which were prompted by a proposed 13.5 percent reduction in public school funding by President Donald Trump’s administration. The 2018 Department of Education budget proposes cut- ting more than $10 billion from 2017 spending levels for educa- tion. One of the most dramatic and far-reaching reductions proposed is the complete elimination of funding for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers grants (CCLC). See PROGRAMS 10A Dredge Yaquina returns Help for Hurricane Harvey Aid organizations suggest financial donations most needed B Y M ARK B RENNAN Siuslaw News H JARED ANDERSON/SIUSLAW NEWS T INSIDE he Dredge Yaquina came back to the Siuslaw River this week, working to remove up to 100,000 cubic yards of gravel, sand, sediment and a whole host of other debris that settles on the bottom of the river throughout the year. The 200-foot long, 58-foot wide ship uses two long arms that suck up the riverbed material, which then gets dumped a mile or two off the shore. The Yaquina is a fed- erally owned and operated dredge that returns annually to the West Coast, though it will be taking a break next year. The Port of Siuslaw allocated $746,000 for the proj- ect this year, but didn’t work it into the budget for 2018. Having a year gap is nor- mal, however, as the Siuslaw’s swift current acts as a natural cleansing agent for the river. The ship arrived on Aug. 27 and is expected to finish on or around Sept. 3. Chamber Business Beat . . . . . Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A8 B6 A3 A4 Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B Sideshow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4 This Week on the Coast . . A10 THIS WEEK ’ S urricane Harvey slammed into Houston, Texas, last weekend with devastating results. The aftermath of the storm left large portions of the city flooded and the residents of those areas without homes, food or water. The impact of the storm was greater than anticipated, but relief agencies and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been on scene since Harvey hit land on Saturday, Aug. 26. The American Red Cross is also deeply involved with the recovery effort, and has asked the public to support the relief work being done at this time. According to Director of Communications for the Cascades Region of the American Red Cross, Monique Dugaw, residents of Florence who want to assist in the recov- ery can be most helpful by sending cash. “The best way for people to help recovery efforts is to make a financial donation,” Dugaw TODAY SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY 78 56 76 58 78 58 72 55 WEATHER Full Forecast, A3 said. “The Red Cross has launched a massive response to this devastating storm and needs financial donations to be able to provide immediate dis- aster relief. ... A financial dona- tion helps the Red Cross to respond quickly and get the exact supplies needed to help people who have been devas- tated by this disaster.” People can help those affect- ed by Hurricane Harvey by vis- iting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS or texting the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation. More local options for assisting with relief support are limited. City of Florence Public Information Officer Megan Messmer reports that the city has not undertaken any organ- ized effort to assist the storm victims at this time. In addition, local civic organizations such as the Florence Elks Lodge and area churches have not organized in response, but are considering ways in which they can assist in relief efforts moving for- ward. S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS ❘ 20 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2017 Nationally based assistance efforts that are accepting con- tributions for Harvey relief include Disney/ABC, which has produced programming to encourage donations, and National Football League pro- fessional player JJ Watt, who has started a funding drive for residents of the stricken city. Watt has already raised $15 million this week and attracted considerable support from pro- fessional sports franchises. Watt’s drive can be contact- ed at You.caring.com. These, and several other confirmed organizations can be contacted online. Donations will be sent directly to Harvey relief efforts in Texas. Dugaw said that while Harvey is the highest profile disaster at the moment, other situations exist that should be receiving assistance. “Our local Red Cross is working hard here in Oregon to help people affected by wild- fires,” Dugaw said. “Red Cross responders have been operating a wildfire relief shelter in See RELIEF 11A
