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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 22, 2017)
4 A ❘ WEDNESDAY EDITION ❘ NOVEMBER 22, 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, $76; 6-month in-county, $52; 10-weeks subscription, $23; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription,$99; 6-month out-of-county, $65; 10-weeks subscription, $29; Out of State — 1- year subscription, $125; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $71. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com L ETTERS Thankfulness is the levity we need often than not, we have come to instinctively reach for a blindfold when it comes to how we see each other and those around us. It’s a mindset that runs counter to the idea of being thankful because it narrows While I don’t necessarily subscribe to the theory behind trickledown econom- ics, I have become a firm believer in the trickledown effect of national discourse and its ability to permeate how we feel about our lives and in recognizing the good in each other. The underlying divisive- ness within our society over the last year has conditioned us to accept pessimism as a natural part of our daily per- spective. Forget rose-colored glasses or beer goggles; more analysis through news out- lets, social media and notifi- cations on phones, computers and tablets, our attention is constantly being diverted away from real interaction with each other and toward a nebulous relationship with From the Editor’s Desk N ED H ICKSON our vision and eliminates the good that exists within our peripheral. To put it plainly, it’s hard to appreciate a sunset while facing east. I’m no exception. And not just because I have a lousy sense of direction. In today’s constant barrage of information, opinion and those we hardly know. The result is a growing inability to live in “real” time and in those moments with one another that remind us of the things for which we are thankful. As we enter into the holi- day season, and especially the Thanksgiving holiday tomorrow, I hope we can all take time to gather around the table and talk about what we’re thankful for in one another; the things that unite us in appreciation; and the common good that defines us as a family, community and ultimately as Americans. I believe the trickledown divisiveness around us can be diluted if we allow the rip- ple effect of thankfulness to provide some much-needed levity. My best wishes and sin- cere thanks to our readers, letter writers and community for providing so many moments each day for which I am thankful. Write Siuslaw News editor Ned Hickson at nhickson@the- siuslaw news.com or P.O. Box 10, Florence, Ore. 97439. LETTERS T HE TIME TO ACT ON HOUSING IS NOW Kudos to Jared Anderson and Siuslaw News for the exceptionally well-written article “Is Coastal Living in Jeopardy?” (Nov. 15). The article was well researched and its sources site and address a city in crisis. The lack of affordable housing and the ramifications it could cause is unfortu- nately just recently coming to the atten- tion of the citizens of the Florence com- munity. The Florence City Council recognizes that we have a housing issue. The amaz- ing city staff, City Manager Erin Reynolds, City Recorder Kelli Weese and Planning Director Wendy FarleyCampbell have been working incredibly hard to define the problem. In addition, the city has formed the HEOP committee and hired consultants to formulate solutions. However this is only a beginning. The real work will come after the consultants finalize their study. It is my understanding the HEOP Committee was formed as a response to the State of Oregon’s requirement to update the City of Florence’s Comprehensive Plan. Updating compre- hensive plans and changing land use and zoning ordinances can be a long and frus- trating endeavor. It requires a plethora of meetings both with the City Council and the Planning Commission and various subcommittees. These meeting and hearings can easily go on for many months if not many years. Sadly, the City of Florence housing crisis doesn’t have the luxury of time; it is here and it is happening now. The City Council has to have the will and the creativity to think outside that old box and make changes now. Change can be done by looking at reducing system development fees, reducing permit fees and expediting zoning variances, as well as pursuing relationships with various state, federal, county and private housing development organizations. Our housing need is urgent, and I believe the actions of the City Council and superb city staff must be totally focused on the biggest challenge the City of Florence has ever faced. —Eric D. Hauptman Florence G UN VIOLENCE IN U.S. VS . I SRAEL In light of the gun violence we are experiencing over and over again here in the U.S., I took the time to check the facts and found what I already know — that gun violence in Israel is negligible. And it is not because people in Israel are better or less violent, it is because of the culture and the enforcement of regula- tions. Owning a gun in Israel is considered a great responsibility and a privilege. In a country where almost everyone serves in the army, and in which guns are associat- ed with the country’s endless battle to stay alive, the weapon culture that emerged is one of responsibility rather than rights like in the U.S. Israel keeps a registry of all of its gun owners, who must pass a background check that considers criminal, physical and mental health records. In addition, they must also take shoot- ing courses at a licensed gun range and 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 discretion 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 provide a specific reason for needing a gun, like working in security or living in the settlements, where Israeli security is limited and the rate of attacks against Jews is higher. If approved, Israeli gun owners must retake their license exam every three years. So for anyone that thinks regulations are not effective, please think again. —Liat Meller Florence L EAD BY EXAMPLE In response to Dana Rodet’s Letter to the Editor (Nov. 10): I have lived on Mitchell Loop Road for 50 years, and I pick up all kinds of trash when I see it. I also pull Scotchbroom plants. When I see trash in the ditch on Highway 101, next to our road, I pick it up, too. When our kids were little, we used to go to Washington and they would ask why there was so much trash on the side of the road. I told them some parents do not teach their kids not to litter. I took my kids and grandkids on “garbage patrols,” so it upsets them to see trash thrown on the roadside. We can’t — and shouldn’t — expect the county to do everything for us. There is an old saying, “monkey see, monkey do.” Maybe the people who litter will think twice about throwing trash every- where if more people would set a good example for them. I hope Oregonians will take pride in their communities. — Virgle Bechtold Florence 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
