4A |
SATURDAY EDITION
| OCTOBER 6, 2018
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
Opinion
| 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
C
The First Amendment
ongress shall make no law respecting an es-
tablishment of religion or prohibiting the
free exercise 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.
“I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend.” —Thomas Jefferson (1800)
USPS# 497-660
Copyright 2018 © 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.
Jenna Bar tlett
Ned H ickson
Erik Chalhoub
Publisher, ex t. 318
Editor, ex t. 313
Co n s u l t i n g E d i to r 8 3 1 -7 6 1 -7 3 5 3
echalhoub@register-pajaronian.com
M ar k e t i n g Di re c to r, e x t . 3 2 6
O ffice Super visor, ex t. 312
Pro d u c t i o n Su p e r v i s o r
Pre s s M a n a ge r
Su s a n G u t i e r re z
Cathy Dietz
Ron Annis
Je re my G e n t r y
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, Wednes-
day 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 subscrip-
tion, $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
Celebrating National Newspaper Week
ing compared to many of their Siuslaw News. And while each
large metro and national coun- brought their own style and
focus, there has been one
terparts.
“Community papers are important understanding that
doing better than many large, continues to define us as a
daily papers because they pro- community newspaper:
To our readers, we are not
vide news coverage about
things that matter to their local just the newspaper; we are
t least once a week, community that would other- their newspaper.
some 7,500 community
newspapers — those
with a circulation of less than
30,000 — land on porches,
Ned Hickson
inside mail boxes or at local
supermarkets and coffee
counters across the United
USC professor Judy Muller
wise be overlooked without
States.
According to a survey con- them,” said Al Cross, director told the Stanford University
ducted by the University of of the Institute for Rural Press that, while local journal-
Missouri-Columbia, more than Journalism at the University of ism is certainly about police
blotters, obituaries, bake sales
three-quarters of respondents Kentucky.
In fact, in 2017, the com- and club meetings, “The best
said they read most or all of
each edition of their local bined readership of those community newspapers also
newspaper — with 94 percent 7,500 non-daily newspapers hold local governments and
of those people holding sub- was almost 20 million more institutions accountable by
than that of daily newspapers, covering meetings, asking
scriptions.
Locally, on Wednesday and with non-dailies tallying 65.5 questions and recognizing the
Saturday mornings, you can million subscribers — com- good as well as the not-so-
see the front page of the pared to 45.5 million daily-pa- good because ... if not them,
then who?”
Siuslaw News suspended in per subscribers.
While we’ve received equal
This is according to the
front of faces in coffee shops,
restaurants and markets around N a t i o n a l N e w s p a p e r amounts of accolades and crit-
Florence and Mapleton as peo- Association (NNA), which icism regarding our coverage
ple inform themselves about also noted that 70 percent of of controversial issues ranging
what’s happening in our com- those small non-dailies have a from housing and the home-
munity — from upcoming fes- circulation of less than 15,000; less, to gun law and hate crime
tivals and events, to recaps of Siuslaw News is among that over the last two years, our
the latest board meetings and smaller group, with a circula- almost-daily story meetings
are underscored by the notion
features on local issues and tion of just over 6,000.
When I became editor here of “If not us, then who?”
residents.
I am reminded of my first
While there is a notion that in September 2016, I’d had the
print journalism is dying, the good fortune of working with day as a journalist covering
truth is that many community three terrific editors over the sports here at Siuslaw News in
newspapers are actually thriv- past 20 years I've spent here at November 1998 — and how
A
From the Editor’s Desk
intimidated I felt sitting at my
desk listening to the constant
sound of keyboard hammering
eminating from behind parti-
tions on either side of me.
Twenty years later, it’s a
sound that I have come to love
in the same way a mechanic
appreciates the sound of an
engine hitting on all cylinders,
or the way a music conductor
savors the convergence of
musical notes into a singular
harmony.
(Keep in mind I still type
with two fingers, so my contri-
bution to that harmony is more
like the cow bell, but still...)
As we head into National
Newspaper Week (Oct. 7-13),
I’d like to thank you, our read-
ers, for supporting your local
newspaper. Not only with your
subscription or twice-weekly
trip to the office to buy your
copy, but also for your partici-
pation and contributions —
through letters, emails, phone
calls and conversations in my
office — that help make the
Siuslaw News one of those
7,500 non-daily community
newspapers that is continuing
to grow.
In the words of Thomas
Jefferson in a letter to Col.
Edward Carrington on Jan. 16,
1787:
“Were it left to me to decide
whether we should have a gov-
ernment without newspapers,
or newspapers without a gov-
ernment, I should not hesitate
a moment to prefer the latter.”
My friend and I were driving through
Deadwood a couple of weeks ago (on va-
cation) and had a flat tire on Highway 36,
just before sunset. There was no spare in
my rental car, only a small air compressor.
Since the tire was gashed, the compressor
did no good. We were out of cell phone
range and it was starting to get dark. We
were concerned for our safety and hoping
someone would drive by with a working
phone to call AAA.
And who would appear but Tammy
Sheppard, who works for the Wilbur fam-
ily. Tammy took us to the Wilburs’ house,
where Johnette Roane and Don Wilbur
were hosting the Deadwood Cemetery
committee meeting. Johnette immediately
let us use their phone and Tammy left to
find us a spare tire.
She returned later to make sure the tow
truck driver took good care of us.
What could have been a dangerous and
stressful event turned into a lot of fun! We
had apple pie in the Wilburs’ home and
a friendly welcome from the committee
members. We felt very cared for and safe.
AAA tow truck came to the rescue and got
us back to Yachats.
Just wanted to give a big shout out to
Tammy, Johnette and Don for their most
wonderful assistance and hospitality to
two strangers in distress on a dark and
winding road.
Thank you kindly.
—Linda McDill, Santa Fe, NM
Donna Hightower, Pt Arthur, Texas
Political/Election Letters:
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 cam-
paigns on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) Ensure any
information about a candidate is accurate, fair and not
from second-hand knowledge or hearsay; and 3) ex-
plain the reasons to support candidates based on per-
sonal experience and perspective rather than partisan-
ship and campaign-style rhetoric.
Candidates themselves may not use the letters to the
editor column to outline their views and platforms or to
ask for votes; this constitutes paid political advertising.
As with all letters and advertising content, the news-
paper, at the sole discretion of the publisher, general
manager and editor, reserves the right to reject any let-
ter that doesn’t follow the above criteria.
Emal letters to:
nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com
WHERE TO WRITE
LETTERS
A thank you to Deadwood
Letters to the Editor policy
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, gram-
mar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaran-
teed and depends on space available and the volume of
letters received.
Letters that are anonymous, libelous, argumentative,
sarcastic or contain accusations that are unsourced or
documented will not be published.
Letters containing poetry or from outside the Siuslaw
News readership area will only be published at the dis-
cretion of the editor.
be ashamed, of his crass words and insen-
sitivity in both of these situations.
—Judy Kinsman
Florence
President’s crass words
are shameful
Illegal is illegal. Period.
Yesterday I watched as President Trump
unnecessarily ridiculed a female reporter
in the rose garden of The White House.
Last night, I watched as he made hateful
disparaging remarks about Christine Bla-
sey Ford, seemingly just to rile up his rally
supporters.
I am appalled at both acts of blatant
cruelty and misogyny. To all who think
he was totally justified in what and how
he spoke, I address his rally comments.
There are millions of we women out here
who remember exactly the trauma of the
sexual assault but have long ago forgotten
the peripheral details surrounding it.
We can remember the smell of his
body, his breath, his laughter of enjoy-
ing the dominance, the terrifying fear we
felt. Most of us never talked about it until
much much later, not even to our friends
or family. We talk about it now because
we are finally empowered and no longer
ashamed.
We do not relinquish to you the right
to shame us, or Christine Blasey Ford.
President Trump is the one who should
I believe there was a misprint on the
front page of the Siuslaw News (Oct.
3) with the headline “Groups Organize
March to Support Immigrant Rights.” I
believe the word “immigrant” was mis-
used as the article went on to talk about
illegal immigrants. As far as I know, all le-
gal immigrants — such as my own father
— have rights ... legal rights.
An illegal entry person should not be
classified as an “immigrant.” He or she is
an illegal entry person. Period. The arti-
cle stated their only violation of the law is
that of federal immigration law.
Isn’t that enough? Can any of us legally
here, native born or legal immigrant, ex-
pect to violate laws and expect no punish-
ment? We all know the answer to that.
I am glad the names of people and or-
ganizations that support the illegals were
published for all to know. For all of you,
look up the word “illegal” in the dictio-
nary and see the definition — in case you
have conveniently forgotten.
—Tony Cavarno
Florence
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
Oregon 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
(4th 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@
oregonlegislature.gov
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