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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 2017)
4 A ❘ WEDNESDAY EDITION ❘ SEPTEMBER 6, 2017 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 NED HICKSON , EDITOR Opinion ❘ 541-902-3520 ❘ NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM The First Amendment C ongress shall make no law respecting an estab- lishment of religion or prohibiting the free exer- cise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. USPS# 497-660 Copyright 2017 © Siuslaw News Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the National Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore. Postmaster, send address changes to: Siuslaw News, P.O. Box 10, Florence, OR 97439; phone 541-997-3441; fax 541-997-7979. All press releases may be sent to PressReleases@TheSiuslawNews.com. Oregon Group Publisher 541-265 8571 Publisher, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Consulting Editor 831-761-7353 Email: echalhoub@register-pajaronian.com Marketing Director, ext. 326 Office Supervisor, ext. 312 Production Supervisor Press Manager James Rand Jenna Bartlett Ned Hickson Erik Chalhoub Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Jeremy Gentry DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Monday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Monday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Friday 5 p.m. Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to publication; Regular classifiedad,sThursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Boxed and display classified ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $71; 10-weeks subscription, $18; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscrip- tion,$94; 10-weeks subscription, $24; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $120; Out of United States — 1-year subscription, $200; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $65. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: www.TheSiuslawNews.com L ETTERS LETTERS K UDOS TO O REGON D EPARTMENT OF F ORESTRY I have been a fan of Smokey Bear ever since I visited the forest in south- ern New Mexico where the original Smokey was found. This past Labor Day weekend, I was privileged to see Smokey at Harbor Vista Park along with the children and families who spent the three-day weekend at the park. I wish to thank the team of firefight- ers from the Oregon Department of Forestry in Florence for bringing Smokey and one of their fire trucks. Smokey greeted all the children with hugs and lots of photos were taken by smiling parents. The team leader, Tom, described the important role his department plays dur- ing this dangerous fire season, described fire prevention tactics and displayed his firefighting equipment. A big treat for the children was when a team member and Smokey helped chil- dren spray down a mock fire with water from a fire hose. The event ended with children select- ing mementos to take home. I also want to thank Mike Stewart, the Park caretaker, for his thoughtful invitation to the ODF. This was a sec- ond event put on at the park this sum- mer, the first being a presentation by Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue. Mike has involved the Friends of Harbor Vista Park in these events and several local residents helped with greetings to the campers. The event ended with everyone remembering Smokey’s famous charge: “Only you can prevent wild fires.” —Michael Allen Friends of Harbor Vista Park Florence W HAT I APPRECIATE IN A NEWSPAPER EDITOR Do you know what I appreciate in a newspaper editor? Accuracy and fairness, and adher- ence to facts. That is what I appreciate about Ned Hickson. I was shocked to read about Pamela Richardson’s declaration that he was unfair about calling the president’s response to Charlottesville “ambigu- ous.” Although she may find support among the 28 percent of Americans who support the President’s speech and actions, there are about 56 percent who disagree with them. Some of the promi- nent conservatives who were appalled at President Trump’s response include Sen. Orrin Hatch, Sen. Cory Gardener, Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. John McCain, Charles Krauthammer, Karl Rove ... should I go on? Those are facts, real news, and I applaud Ned Hickson for connecting the dots that a majority of people plain- ly see. I must assume Ms. Richardson sup- ports who I believe is a deeply flawed man and incompetent President. That is just an opinion — my opinion — based on the facts of his actions. Ms. Richardson’s analysis that Ned Hickson was unfair is her opinion — not a fact. Having many prominent conserva- tives say that the President’s response was insufficient is also fact. So our edi- tor has tied his assertion to an idea, though not popular with you, that is based in factual consensus. And, by say- ing it was ambiguous, Ned Hickson was actually being diplomatic (It was called worse). I’d like to add that Sen. Hatch tweet- ed that his brother did not fight Nazis in WWII so that their ideas would go unchallenged here at home. Neither did my uncle Gilbert, who gave his life in the Push, KIA Nov 7, 1944, the Netherlands (104th, Timberwolves out of Camp Adair). He rests there in the American Cemetery at Margraten. When our country asks our young men to lay down their lives to fight Nazis, their sacrifice should never be disrespected by not condemning Nazis and all they represent. That’s something I will never let any- one forget. I feel it was remarkably underhand- ed to call for conservatives to think twice about advertising in the paper. A dishonorable threat, in my opinion, that smacks of intimidation and the stuff of bullies. Personally, I think Ned Hickson leans to the right, to my consternation. But he is always fair and deals in facts. That is what good editors do, to the consternation of bullies. —Stephanie Spradling Florence A RPAIO PARDON AN ABUSE OF POWER “Remember, I can do anything to anyone.” This was the precept by which Caligula ruled Rome in disregard of its governing institutions and traditions. In my opinion, it might well be the open- ing words of the Arpaio pardon. Before my wife and I moved to Florence 15 years ago, Joe Arpaio, America’s self-proclaimed “Toughest Sheriff,” was our sheriff. He bragged about housing prisoners (mostly Hispanic) in Army surplus tents next to garbage dumps in Arizona’s summer heat, dressing them in prison black and white stripes (and pink underwear) while sending them out to work in chain gangs, feeding them green bologna sandwiches and making racial profiling Standard Operating Procedure. His “toughness” got him reelected five times, even though it cost Maricopa County taxpayers $140 million in court judgments and legal fees, including $6 million and $8.25 million to the fami- lies of two men killed while in Arpaio’s custody. We moved back to Scottsdale eight months ago. Sheriff Joe had just been voted out. But, he still faced federal charges for his refusal to enforce a 2011 court order to discontinue racial profil- ing practices. Two months ago, a feder- al judge found Arpaio guilty of criminal contempt of court. Meanwhile, President Trump has insulted judges because of their ethnici- ty, disparaged their rulings, attempted to interfere with a federal investigation and tried to have the Justice Department drop Arpaio’s prosecution. However, the Arpaio pardon sets a new standard of disrespect for the courts and the rule of law. Arpaio’s pardon demeans the role and authority of the judiciary that, as chief executive, he is constitutionally bound to uphold. Yes, the U.S. Constitution gives the president power to pardon people con- victed of federal offenses, even an elect- ed official who has violated people’s constitutional rights. But, it is an abuse of that power when the offense for which Arpaio was par- doned was being contemptuous of a federal judge’s order. President Trump’s abuse is being contemptuous of the interdependence of separate but equal branches. It is an affront to every federal judge, whether nominated by a Republican or Democrat. With his pardon, the President has essentially told us, “Remember, I can do anything to anyone.” —Arnold Buchman Florence/Scottsdale D ISLIKE OF HATE MAKES ME EXTREMIST ? In response to the letter from Stephen Johnson (Sept. 2) about liberal extrem- ism (“Liberal Extremism Destroying Our Fabric,” Sept. 2), it is not accept- able for my neighbor, or anyone else, to suffer even one incident of hate — and sadly, it has not been only once. It is just wrong that in this country anyone would be subject to an ugly comment based on race or culture. This happens in school with bullying, racist jokes in social settings and many places where one may not feel safe with some hateful remark. Way back in my mother’s family is a grandfather, John Rolfe, who married Pocahontas. They had one son, Thomas Rolfe, in 1611. My father’s parents came from Istibna, Austria, which is now Poland. My father was born in Wyoming in 1915. On this side of my family I am only a second generation American. So, I don’t appreciate slurs against people who are different in any way by name or looks. If my dislike of hate of any kind makes me an extremist liberal, than I would wear that badge with honor. —Nancy Rickard Florence See MORE LETTERS 5A TO THE P OLICY E DITOR The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor as part of a community discussion of issues on the local, state and national level. Emailed letters are preferred. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. All letters need to include full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Letters should be limited to about 300 words. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Libelous, argumentative and anonymous letters or poetry, or letters from outside our readership area will only be published at the discression of the editor. P OLITICAL /E LECTION L ETTERS : Election-related letters must address pertinent or timely issues of interest to our readers at-large. Letters must 1) Not be a part of letter-writing campaigns on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) Ensure any information about a candidate is accu- rate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hearsay; and 3) explain the reasons to support candidates based on personal experience and per- spective rather than partisanship and campaign- style rhetoric. Candidates themselves may not use the letters to the editor column to outline their views and plat- forms or to ask for votes; this constitutes paid polit- ical advertising. As with all letters and advertising content, the newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publisher, general manager and editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above crite- ria. Send letters to: nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com WHERE TO WRITE Pres. Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 TTY/TDD Comments: 202-456-6213 www.whitehouse.gov Gov. Kate Brown 160 State Capitol 900 Court St. Salem, Ore. 97301-4047 Governor’s Citizens’ Rep. Message Line: 503-378-4582 www.oregon.gov/gov U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden 221 Dirksen Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-5244 541-431-0229 www.wyden.senate.gov U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley 313 Hart Senate Office Bldg Washington, DC 20510 202-224-3753/FAX: 202- 228-3997 541-465-6750 www.merkley.senate.gov U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio ( 4 th Dist.) 2134 Rayburn HOB Washington, DC 20515 202-225-6416 541-269-2609 541-465-6732 www.defazio.house.gov State Sen. Arnie Roblan ( Dist. 5 ) 900 Court St. NE - S-417 Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1705 FAX: 503-986-1080 Email: Sen.ArnieRoblan@ state.or.us State Rep. Caddy McKeown ( Dist. 9 ) 900 Court St. NE Salem, OR 97301 503-986-1409 Email: rep.caddymckeown @state.or.us West Lane County Commissioner Jay Bozievich 125 E. Eighth St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-682-4203 FAX: 541-682-4616 Email: Jay.Bozievich@ co.lane.or.us
