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
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Published every Wednesday and Saturday at 148 Maple St. in Florence, Lane County, Oregon. A member of the
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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