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128TH YEAR ❘ ISSUE NO. 10
❘ FEBRUARY 3, 2018 ❘ $1.00
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
FLORENCE, OREGON
‘ S u p e r b l u e b l o o d m o o n ’ r i s i n g
PHOTOS BY NANCY PRUITT
Florence photographer and Siuslaw Viewfinders member Nancy Pruitt went out in the “darn cold” early Wednesday from 3:30 to 5 a.m. to capture images of the “Super Blue
Blood Moon,” a rare astronomical event that hasn’t taken place in 152 years. Oregon’s next event is expected on Jan. 31, 2037.
B Y J ARED A NDERSON
Siuslaw News
T
he Siuslaw region
was dazzled early
Wednesday morning
by a “super blue blood moon”
an astronomical event that
hasn’t been viewed in North
America since 1866.
The spectacle was a convergence of
three phenomena, only two of which
have an effect on the look of the moon.
The “super” part occurs when a full
moon’s orbit is closest to the Earth.
Supermoons are big and bright — they
can appear 14 percent larger and 30
percent brighter than usual. January
had the rare instance of two super-
moons in one month, the first occur-
ring on Jan. 2. The next super full
moon will occur on Jan. 21, 2019.
The “blue” happens when two full
moons occur in the same month. A
full moon, where the Earth and the
sun are perfectly aligned, and the
moon is 100 percent visible, happens
12 times per calendar year, or three
per season. But, due to a quirk of the
Gregorian calendar, about every two
years an extra full moon happens in a
single month.
The term has nothing to do with its
color — “blue” is an old English term
meaning “betrayer.” The phrase
“once in a blue moon” dates back to
medieval England, but modern audi-
ences also recall it as the 1934 song
“Blue Moon,” written by Richard
Rodgers and Lorenz Hart and made
popular by a number of artists from
Billie Holiday to Frank Sinatra.
While rare, 2018 is a special year
where Wednesday’s blue moon won’t
be standing alone. Another “blue”
will occur on March 31.
The “blood” reference comes
from a total lunar eclipse that is
occurring. In this case, the moon
passes through the Earth’s umbra,
blocking all direct sunlight from
illuminating the moon.
See
MOON 7A
House fire
highlights
fireplace
safety
APPOINTS NEW
EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR
Siuslaw Valley
describes the ins and
outs of fireplace fires
Interim Director Janell
Morgan steps into lead
position of nonprofit
B Y J ARED A NDERSON
B Y D AMIEN S HERWOOD
Siuslaw News
Siuslaw News Intern
Siuslaw Fire and Rescue
(SVFR) responded quickly to a
chimney fire on Tuesday, which
had spread into an attic fire.
“The fire crew on scene made a
very quick stop and held the fire
so it didn’t do too much more
damage than the fire had already
done,” SVFR Division Chief of
Operations Jim Dickerson said.
“We had a great response from our
volunteer staffing and a quick
knock down that probably saved
the house.”
The exact causes of the blaze
have not been released — but the
risk for chimney and flue fires is
common this time of year, accord-
ing to SVFR Fire Prevention
Officer Tony Miller.
“When a fire does occur in the
flue itself or the fireplace, it will
start backing up and causing
smoke to come down inside,”
Miller said. “The flames can actu-
ally roll out of the fireplace. It will
start burning fire out the top of the
flue on the roof, as well. So, you’ll
see some warning signs when it
happens.”
Miller said chimney flues are
designed to draw air and heat up.
“So if that flue catches on fire,
then it’s not drawing the air like it
should be,” he said. “It impedes
that air flow, and then the flames
will start rolling out and the smoke
won’t go up the flue like it’s sup-
posed to.”
INSIDE
See
H ABITAT FOR
H UMANITY
PHOTOS BY CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS
Community members join current Florence city staff
for the beginning of the City Hall Remodel and
Expansion Project on Feb. 1
B REAKING
dig into
Council
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it
C
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c
way 101.
ren
250 High
s of Flo
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Four m
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GROUND ON
F LORENCE
C ITY H ALL
Current and former city representatives ‘move some dirt’ Thursday
B Y C HANTELLE M EYER
Siuslaw News
C
onstruction on Florence
City Hall officially began
Feb. 1 as current and former city
staff, counselors, mayors and city
managers ceremonially broke
ground. Representatives from the
contractor, Par-Tech
Constriction., and architect, HGE
Inc., were also present.
In addition, new City Councilor
Woody Woodbury also attended.
He is set to take his oath of office
next Monday, Feb. 5, at the
Florence City Councilor meeting
at the Florence Events Center at
5:30 p.m.
“We’re really excited to kick
off our City Hall Remodel and
Expansion Project,” City Manager
Erin Reynolds said. “We’re joined
today by people we look up to
and look back to for guidance and
mentorship in our roles at the
city, as well as current city staff
and our Florence City Council.”
Community members who had
a big impact on the city during
their times of service were invited
to attend the groundbreaking.
These included former mayor
Roger McCorkle, who also served
as interim city manager; former
city manager Craig McMicken;
former city councilor and Port of
Siuslaw commissioner Lynnette
Wikstrom; former city councilor
Dave Braley and former city man-
ager Rodger Bennett.
Current Mayor Joe Henry said,
“Many of you have been here a
lot longer than I have, and you
know that this building was built
some 60 years ago. It has served
us well as our library and as our
City Hall.”
See
CITY HALL 8A
Florence Habitat for Humanity
has appointed its new executive
director, Janell Morgan, to lead the
local chapter following six months
of interim management.
An Oregon native, Morgan
moved to California after high
school, working in the banking and
mortgage industry for over two
decades. A lasting affection for her
northwestern coastal roots drew her
to Florence last year and, after buy-
ing a house, she moved to the area
to live “full time.”
Her appointment to the nonprofit
organization comes with a fresh
perspective on Habitat for
Humanity’s role in the community.
“I want to focus on youth
involvement,” said Morgan.
Citing an abundance of skill sets
to be honed or taught at the non-
profit, Morgan sees part of the
organization’s role as a conduit for
young adults’ career development.
“Construction,
landscaping,
home repairs, retail, helping to per-
form repairs in our ReStore, gener-
al office skills, fundraising, grant
writing, data entry …” she listed as
areas open for volunteers. “And
graphic design. I could use some-
one to help create flyers.”
Florence’s Habitat for Humanity
chapter was founded in 1991 with a
mission to provide affordable hous-
ing to those in need, as well as offer
citizens opportunity for involve-
ment
in
their
community
FIREPLACE 8A
Boy Scout Tribute . . . . . . . .
Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Community . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
B5
B6
A3
A4
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Sideshow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B6
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
This Week on the Coast . . . . A7
See
THIS WEEK ’ S
TODAY
SUNDAY
MONDAY
TUESDAY
55 47
57 48
55 44
59 45
WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
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HABITAT 7A