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WEDNESDAY EDITION | JULY 25, 2018 | $1.00
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INSIDE
128TH YEAR | ISSUE NO. 59
SPORTS — B
FLORENCE, OREGON
SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890
Celebrating
125 years
PE O PLE POW ER
Community volunteers describe the methods, meaning of Power of Florence
City of Florence honors
history with Block Party
By Chantelle Meyer
Siuslaw News
“Can you believe that Florence is 125
years young?” asked City Recorder Kel-
li Weese during the July 16 Florence City
Council meeting.
Yes, it is true — the City of Rhododen-
drons turned 125 this year. To celebrate, the
Siuslaw News has published a special com-
memorative publication in today’s edition of
the newspaper.
It was an effort several years in the mak-
ing for the small town of Florence to become
a recognized city.
In The West, an early precursor to the Siu-
slaw News, the editor wrote, “This town is
now on the eve of a great revival of business.
There is not a locality on the coast where
there is more inquiry made about property
and business locations.”
The article, dated Nov. 27, 1891, also said
that: “Farmland can be bought here at rea-
sonable rates, and according to location,
amount and quality of improvements, they
are lower than elsewhere in Lane County.
… Then we have fine fir forests and varied
mineral resources, all commanding atten-
tion when properly set forth. Our climate
is phenomenal for its mildness. Frost never
does any damage to crops; a flake of snow
seen in Florence is the exception, not the
rule. But further than these, the government
work being done here, the railway enter-
prise, the new mills and the fast-growing
population would awaken an interest that
would result in a permanent benefit.”
Siuslaw Pioneer Museum can provide
further insight into the Florence area, in-
cluding information on the Siuslaw Indians
as the area’s original residents and how the
population of nonnative settlers grew after
the government opened the valley for settle-
ment in 1876.
See 125TH page 6A
PHOTOS BY JARED ANDERSON AND CHANTELLE MEYER/SIUSLAW NEWS
Power of Florence brought volunteers all over the Florence
area to tidy up, give back and support the community.
By Jared Anderson
Siuslaw News
A
s the eighth annual
Power of Florence
event was in full
swing July 21, five groups
of volunteers spoke about
what the event means to
them. They ruminated on
how volunteering enriches
their lives, the commu-
nity and the city they live
in, with stories of perfect
pancakes, Zen weeding,
secret valleys, leveling
bark and the importance
of apple pie.
P ERFECT P ANCA KE
Rosie Goodwin stared at the elec-
tric griddle with determination.
While a group of companions worked
diligently around her, with the sounds
of sizzling bacon and pots and pans
clanging, Rosie had one purpose:
Making the perfect pancake.
“I guess I’m known as the pancake
flipper, that’s my fun job,” Rosie said.
“I love it.”
For the past eight years, Rosie
wakes up at 4:30 a.m. and works her
way to the United Methodist Church
to serve a hot breakfast to ready vol-
unteers for the Power of Florence.
She doesn’t have to be at the
church till 6 a.m., “but I have to do
my hair,” she said.
Rosie believes that taking the time
to create a warm and hearty breakfast
for those toiling in the warm summer
‘Eyes and ears’ of Florence Municipal Airport
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
Story & Photo
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
INSIDE
Florence runs on vol-
unteers. Almost all of the
public organizations in
town would not be able to
operate as they do without
the help of volunteers and Members of the Airport Volunteer Group introduce the new
their contributions of thou- hybrid vehicle available to pilots who visit the airport.
sands of dollars in fund-
ing and thousands of volunteer many in the community are un- provide a presence at the Flor-
hours.
acquainted with has taken on ence Municipal Airport, both to
One group of volunteers that the responsibility of helping to
See AIRPORT page 8A
Library Tidings . . . . . . . . . . . A5
Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A4
Records . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A2
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B
THIS WEEK ’ S
The early onset of fire sea-
son, and a high number of
serious automobile accidents,
resulted in multiple call-outs
for both Siuslaw Valley Fire
and Rescue and Western Lane
Ambulance District over July
20 to 22, according to Chief
Director Jim Langborg.
“Western Lane Ambulance
and Siuslaw Valley Fire and
Rescue had a busy weekend.
Combined, both districts re-
sponded to over 30 emergency
TODAY
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
SATURDAY
69 54
71 54
68 54
70 54
WEATHER
Full Forecast, A3
Service Calls our Specialty
Free Quotes
Licensed
Bonded
Insured
“You see, I make little ones. For little
kids, I like to make little bears. They
like those, but we’re cooking for big
kids now, so I’ll make them a big one.”
The key to making pancakes is all
in the batter, she said. You can’t make
it too thin. That’s the first part. The
second part is all about the flipping.
See POWER page 7A
Emergencies keep weekend ‘busy’
Volunteers
provide support
Business Quarterly. . . . . . Inside
Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4
Community. . . . . . . . . . . . . A3
Kid Scoop . . . . . . . . . . . . . B3
morning is her way of giving back to
the community. Plus, it’s the quint-
essential way to showcase her innate
talent.
“You learn how to do it by being a
mother,” she said.
It just comes naturally.
“I started making pancakes way
back, probably, golly, in 1955,” Ros-
ie said. “I was doing it for my whole
family. I was young when I first made
pancakes. It was usually Saturday
morning when my sister and I were at
home and my mother worked. I fixed
it for us. My friends usually stayed,
and I had to cook. Nobody wanted to
do it but me.”
She walked in front of the hot grid-
dle, spatula in one hand, a scoop for
the batter in another.
“Let me make you a big one,” she
said, scooping the batter on the grill.
Offi ce (541) 997-6977
Offi
ce here
(541)
997-6977
(541)
“We’re
when (541)
you
need us!”
997-6977
999-0896
“We’re here when you need us!”
P.O. Box 31,000
Serving the Florence
Community for 38 years!
P.O. Box 31,000 • Florence, OR 97439
calls,” Langborg said. “These
calls included multiple serious
vehicle accidents, ATV acci-
dents on the dunes, a house
fire, a water rescue and multi-
ple critical medical calls.”
In addition, Langborg said
that Siuslaw Valley personnel
were sent to help with both
the Substation Fire in Moro
and the Garner fire near
Merlin.
Last week, Oregon Gov.
Kate Brown declared a state-
wide wildfire emergency,
which allows the Oregon Na-
tional Guard to utilize heli-
copters and troops to battle
fires if they are needed.
The high risk of ongoing fire
danger was also reflected in a
decision issued last Thursday
by The Oregon Parks and Rec-
reation Department (OPRD)
to ban all campfires and open-
flame cooking until further
notice.
The campfire and open
flame ban includes camp-
grounds, day-use areas and all
areas of the ocean Shore and
beaches managed by OPRD.
See HAZARD page 6A
S IUSLAW N EWS
3 S ECTIONS | 18 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2018
“We’re here
when you
need us!”