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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 3, 2018)
SIUSLAW NEWS | YEAR IN REVIEW | WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2018 3 Councilor Duke Wells said, “I liked Susan Snow because her résumé was very impressive. ... I think a fresh perception of what’s going on in Dunes City is a good thing. Th at was the main reason why I chose her.” Port fires Steten Leskin ‘with cause’ Th e Port of Siuslaw commis- sion unanimously voted to ter- minate the employment of Port Manager Steven Leskin with cause. Th e decision comes aft er allegations of insubordination and inappropriate behavior, fol- lowed by a three-month paid administrative leave due to an in- vestigation over a sexual harass- ment claim. In a statement regarding the dismissal, Port Attorney Jim Brewer stated, “Th e port has a policy not to discuss personnel matters, but it is fair to say that the port was unable to substan- tiate the sexual harassment com- plaint.” DECEMBER Public shows support for the Port of Siuslaw Public support for the Port of Siuslaw was in full display as commissioners and staff opened their doors to the community, asking for suggestions on how the port should shape its future in a public input meeting. Th e public suggestions covered a wide variety of topics, includ- ing the port’s campground, the marina, housing, tourism and working together with other local agencies. 2017 S NAPSHOTS Florence becomes Coast Guard City Th e City of Florence offi cially became the 24th American Coast Guard City on Aug. 16 in a cere- mony at Florence Events Center. “Th is is a really exciting day for the City of Florence,” Florence Mayor Joe Henry said. “I’m very proud and humbled by all the at- tention we’ve gotten and the sup- port of our local Coast Guard sta- tion, not just for this recognition but for the things they do on our river and miles of coastline.” U.S. Coast Guard 13th Dis- trict Commander Rear Admiral David Th roop was the presiding offi cial and dedicated Florence as the 24th Coast Guard City. Three Riters terminates top management Th ree top employees of Th ree Rivers Casino Resort were fi red on Wednesday, Aug. 9, including casino Chief Operating Offi cer Michael Rose, Assistant General Manager Bob Garcia and Chief Finance Offi cer Jim Herman. Th e decision was made by the Trib- al Council of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians. “Th e Tribal Council earlier this summer determined it was time to change the management team,” a statement from the Trib- al Council read. “Th e change in direction, however, is in no way associated with any security mat- ter.” Jerry West will take over as CEO. Special 3-Part Series: Are the kids still al- right? Examining teen alcohol use in Florence Th e community is taking part in the Healthy Directions initia- tive — an area prevention and health promotion coalition that was formed through Lane Coun- ty Public Health. Th e goal of Healthy Directions is to bring about awareness of, and attempt to lower, teen alcohol use in the Siuslaw region. Friends of the FEC receites $30,800 grant Oregon Cultural Trust an- nounced this week that Friends of the Florence Events Center (FEC) received a Cultural Devel- opment Capacity Grant totaling $30,800. Th e facility will get new LED stage lighting and an up- graded sound system. Mayor Rebecca Ruede passes away Dunes City is in mourning as Mayor Rebecca “Becky” Robin- son Ruede passed away on Aug. 17 aft er losing a year-long battle with cancer. She was 61. A tribute from Dunes City read; “Becky’s compassion for mankind, her level head and her kind heart made her a perfect mayor for our city during a time when healing was necessary and strong leadership a must. Her presence will be greatly missed as the city faces the new challenges presented to it every day.” On Aug. 25, Dunes City Coun- cil appointed Councilor Bob For- sythe as mayor. SEPTEMBER Summer remodels for Mapleton Elementary Mapleton Elementary School went through a cornucopia of remodeling projects, including updates to the classrooms, the gym, bathrooms and the outside grounds. Mapleton School District, which obtained more than $10 million in funding through bonds and grants, has also un- dergone a slew of safety changes Upriter community plans future of healthcare ALL STORIES AND PHOTOS © SIUSLAW NEWS including asbestos removal and drastic improvements in water lead levels. “I like this place because it’s new and it’s not as old. It’s much better than our old school,” said third-grader Lucie Burrus. Special 3-Part Series: A dream that won’t be deferred Aft er President Donald Trump ordered a six month phase out of the Deferred Action for Child- hood Arrivals (DACA) on Sept. 5, America — and Florence — has been grappling with the issues that surround Dreamers, those who were brought here illegally when they were children, and il- legal immigration as a whole. Much of the debate has been centered around the need for border security, and the role im- migrants play in the American workforce. Dunes City totes to ban future marijuana grows, keep existing ones On Sept 13, Dunes City Coun- cil voted unanimously to tem- porarily ban any future medical grow sites in the city, but allow existing grow operations to re- main. Ordinance 245, originally proposed in August, would have banned all processing sites, pro- ducers, dispensaries, processors and wholesalers from opening within city limits, including those facilities which are currently be- ing built. PeaceHealth announc- es leadership change PeaceHealth Florence has announced the hiring of a new Chief Administrative Offi cer for Peace Harbor Medical Center. Jason Hawkins will take over for current CAO Rick Yecny on Oct. 30. Coos Bay Rail Link hon- ors Mapleton Schools with custom train Students and faculty from Ma- pleton School District gathered with representatives from the Coos Bay Rail (CBR) for a spe- cial dedication. Students arrived to fi nd a full-sized train engine parked next to the recently paint- ed CBR utility shed that now wel- comes visitors to Mapleton and proudly proclaims the town as “Home of the Sailors.” CBR representatives revealed the latest addition to Mapleton’s proclamation of Sailor pride — an engine adorned with the Sail- ors’ logo, which will run between Coquille and Eugene. City works to bring ‘Hope for Housing’ From August to mid-Septem- ber, the City of Florence and its new Housing and Economic Op- portunities Project (HEOP) ran a survey asking residents for input on housing needs in the com- munity. Questions ranged from home ownership costs, rental rates and development expens- es — all tied in with current city code regarding the permitting process and building codes. Planning Director Wendy Far- leyCampbell presented on “Hope for Housing” at the Florence Area Chamber of Commerce. “Rent is too high, and home payments are too high,” she said. “When people cannot aff ord to live where they work, the entire community suff ers.” OCTOBER Special 3-Part Series: Millennials in Siuslaw Millennials are typically de- fi ned as adults between the ages of 18 to 35, with technological advancements and poverty from the Great Recession of 2009 de- fi ning their career choices. Millennials aren’t the fi rst thing that come to mind when the Siu- slaw region is discussed. With a median age of 57, Florence is the Oregon coast’s “retirement com- munity.” Because of that, the millen- nial population in the region is oft en ignored. While they own businesses, volunteer in the com- munity and form a major part of the workforce, they’ re somewhat silent in community leadership positions. Momentum continues with RAIN, detelopment Florence continues with its “City in Motion” theme this Oc- tober, with increased programs from Regional Accelerator and Innovation Network (RAIN), continued success with econom- ic development partnerships and even the sale of two commercial lots of land in the Pacifi c View Business Park. “Th e City of Florence is thrilled that our town has become a place of year-round entrepreneurial ac- tivity and enthusiasm,” said Flor- ence City Manager Erin Reyn- olds. “Our rural coastal region is now connected with resources more commonly found in met- ro areas that are essential to any startup business.” Special Two-Part Series: Beyond labels With no visibly active com- munity centers or major organi- zations in the community except for PFLAG, a high school gay/ straight alliance and small groups of meetups with friends, it seems that the old battle cry has come to fruition; LGBTQ is here, they’re queer and people have pretty much gotten used to it. An in- depth look into the area’s LGBTQ community and its many facets. OCHS inspection shows no abuse or neglect Th e ongoing controversy sur- rounding the Oregon Coast Humane Society has advanced signifi cantly, with two important new developments happening this month. An on-site inspection conduct- ed by Florence Code Enforce- ment Offi cer Dan Frazier on Oct. 6 found no signs of animal abuse or neglect at the Oregon Coast Humane Society. Th e inspection was prompt- ed by an Oregon Department of Justice inquiry generated at the Portland offi ce of the DOJ. Port looks to public to plan future It’s time to reach out to the com- munity to move forward in plan- ning the future, Port of Siuslaw Commissioners concluded during their Oct. 18, public meeting. “I think it’s time to bring the public in and get some ideas. I believe there are a lot of people in the community, within this dis- trict, that have good ideas that we can listen to,” Port Commissioner Mike Buckwald said. New recycling rules Residents of Florence are in the process of adjusting to major changes in the rules and materi- als that can be recycled in curb- side pick-up, and most seem to be responding well to these changes. New rules have been adopt- ed by waste haulers in town that prohibit consumers from putting any kind of plastic in their recy- cling and by reducing the materi- als that the companies will accept from consumers. Lane County has also announced that the only plastic that will be accepted at county landfi ll sites and at trans- fer locations, including Florence, will be clear plastic milk jugs. Dunes City’s marijuana debate raises questions of the city’s future As Dunes City Councilors sat in a special work session on Oct. 17 to discuss the future of current marijuana grow operations in the city, newly appointed Mayor Robert Forsythe posed a question to the council. “I think the question is, do we want to act like a city, do we want to become a county again or ‘Florence south’?” he asked Th rough a complex combina- tion of vague laws, coupled with an inability to reasonably en- force them, slim city coff ers and miscommunication between city offi cials, the recent marijuana debate made the city’s problems starkly clear. NOVEMBER Food Share in crisis “We are strapped for cash,” Florence Food Share Executive Director Norma Barton said in reference to the current fi scal health of the 37-year-old pro- gram. Food share’s fi nancial concerns come from a variety of problems, from unexpected changes and reduction in corporate donations of food, to a sizeable decline in general cash donations from the public this year. It found itself faced with an uphill battle, trying to fi gure out how it can provide Th anksgiving dinners to the pub- lic, keep the lights on, pay its em- ployees and continue to provide full pantries for the coming years. Community rallies around Food Share New corporate programs and a slew of donations help the local program Aft er Florence Food Share’s fi - nancial diffi culties were brought to light last week following a dearth of cash donations and changing corporate sponsor- ships, the nonprofi t has seen a rash of donations and support from local corporations. “Since then, people have stepped up and the donations have been pouring in all week,” Florence Food Share Executive Director Norma Barton said. “Th ank you, Florence community.” Voters pass local option lety by wide margin Florence voters had only one ballot measure to consider in the special election — the renewal of a local option levy for the Siuslaw School District, Measure 20-281. Th e funds generated by the passage of 20-281 will provide the money needed to fi ll in the fi scal gaps in a number of district programs. Special 10-week Series: Is coastal liting in jeopardy? While Social Security is sup- posed to help sustain shelter and basic necessities for the elderly, people in several age demograph- ics are fi nding themselves driven to sell donated items of clothing or panhandle just to pay the util- ity bills. Th ese are symptoms that many, including city offi cials, private business owners and nonprofi t organizations in the Siuslaw re- gion, are calling a housing and employment crisis; it crosses all ages and socioeconomic barriers and impacts residents of the re- gion in diff erent ways. Leating a legacy to be proud of Wesley Voth, long-time corre- spondent/columnist for Siuslaw News, died suddenly and left a permanent void in the fi elds and woods and alongside the beauti- ful river that served as the church and classroom for a son of the natural world. SVFR sends historic ‘Strikeforce 1’ Firefi ghters Tony Miller and Kyle Orozco presented a short video and report to the Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue Board of Directors. Th e two men, along with fi refi ghter Blair Campbell, were part of the fi rst-ever SVFR deployments to California. Th e group from Florence, Strikeforce 1, was part of a con- tingent of fi refi ghters and equip- ment sent from around the state to assist with suppression eff orts in northern California. 18th annual Pounding brings in record haul Hundreds of area residents help fi ll the pantry of Florence Food Share before the holidays Th e 18th Annual Pounding broke records this past Saturday as Siuslaw area residents donat- ed 13,088 pounds to be given to Florence Food Share. Th e event broke the all-time record by al- most 2,000 pounds, set last year. “I couldn’t be happier,” said Florence Food Share Executive Director Norma Barton. “We are incredibly grateful to this amaz- ing community.” Jason Hawkins transi- tions into lead role PeaceHealth Peace Harbor Medical Center (PHPH) of Flor- ence has installed a new Chief Administrative Offi cer. Jason Hawkins recently arrived in town to take over leadership of the or- ganization, as current CAO Rick Yecny retires. “We can’t accomplish our mis- sion just within the four walls of this hospital,” Hawkins said Susan Snow approted as Dunes City councilor In a special session of the Dunes City Council, the council voted unanimously to appoint Dunes City resident Susan Snow as the new city councilor. Th e lack of medical or mental healthcare contributes to many of the problems the Upriver area has, including behavioral health issues, poverty, geographic iso- lation and a lack of preventative care. Th ese issues were discussed at a town hall discussing the Western Lane Behavioral Health Network. Th e meeting’s purpose was to get feedback on the problems fac- ing the community, via the lens of healthcare, in hopes to build a blueprint on how to improve the lives of Upriver residents. Firefighters return to assist with wildfires Once again, fi refi ghters from Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue have left the district to assist in the wildfi re emergencies in Cal- ifornia. A total of seven fi refi ghters, including Kyle Orozco, Captain Jeff Larson and Colton Griswald in a Type-5 brush-fi re vehicle, and with Shannon Curry, Levi Green, Captain Andy Gray and P.J. Crescioni in a Type-1 engine assisted with structural protec- tion. SVFR Chief Director Jim Langborg said, “Th is is an op- portunity for some of our fi re- fi ghters to get experience they may never get again.” Crews complete mote- in to new facility Florence Public Works will be entirely moved in to its new Public Works Operations Fa- cility at 2675 Kingwood St. this month. Th e 2.75-acre lot now houses a 5,942 square-foot offi ce building and a 7,754 square-foot maintenance building. Public Works offi ce staff and crew members all have work- space in the new offi ce building, with room to spare. ‘Net’ gain from FCC decision unclear Net neutrality is the princi- ple that all data on the internet should be equally accessible and that internet regulators, such as governments or internet service providers (ISPs), should not be able to prioritize or degrade ac- cess to content. Th e loss of these precepts in eff ect entrusts the cable and wireless companies to adhere to net neutrality stan- dards on a voluntary basis. Siuslaw Vision Keepers support region’s people Siuslaw Vision 2025 held a public meeting at the Siuslaw Public Library to update com- munity members on current projects and progress of the Vi- sion Keepers. Th e Vision works in six cat- egories: jobs, health, learning, services, arts and recreation. It brings together input from a variety of community meetings and surveys. DRT draws focus of Small Business Retolution Florence’s Downtown Revital- ization Team (DRT) announced this month that the city is in the running to be featured in a web- based TV series that focuses on small businesses and a thriving main street. “Small Business Revolution — Main Street” may choose Florence aft er a site visit on Jan. 3. Ellen Huntingdon has led the initiative from initial query. “I think Florence spoke for itself,” she said. “Th e more you learn about this town, the more you want to be involved.”
