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❘ SEPTEMBER 2, 2017 ❘ $1.00
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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