4A |
SATURDAY EDITION
| NOVEMBER 24, 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; Display classified ads, Friday 5 p.m.
Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to publication; Regular
classified ads, Thursday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Thursday noon; Display classified ads, Wednesday 5 p.m.
Soundings, Tuesday 5 p.m.
NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES:
In Lane County — 1-year subscription, $76; 6-month in-county, $52; 10-week subscription, $23;
Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription,$99; 6-month out-of-county, $65; 10-week subscription,
$29; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $125; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year sub-
scription, $65.
Mail subscription includes E-Edition.
Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com
Letters to the Editor policy
Th e ripple eff ect of thankfulness
how we see each other and
anyone with a differing
viewpoint.
It’s a mindset that runs
completely counter to being
thankful — because it nar-
While I don’t necessarily
subscribe to the theory
behind trickle-down eco-
nomics, I have become a
firm believer in the trickle-
down effect of national dis-
course and its ability to per-
meate how we feel about
our lives — and, just as
importantly, in recognizing
the good in each other.
The overt divisiveness
that has arisen within our
society over the last few
years has conditioned us to
accept pessimism as a natu-
ral part of our daily per-
spective.
Forget about wearing
rose-colored glasses or beer
goggles; more often than
not, we have come to
instinctively reach for a
blindfold when it comes to
and toward a nebulous rela-
tionship with those we
hardly know.
The result is a growing
inability to live in “real”
time and in the moment
From the Editor’s Desk
Ned Hickson
rows our vision and mini-
mizes the chance of recog-
nizing any good that exists
within our peripheral.
To put it plainly, it’s hard
to appreciate a sunset while
facing east.
Admittedly, I’m no
exception. And not just
because I have a lousy sense
of direction.
In today’s constant bar-
rage of information, opin-
ion and analysis through
news outlets, social media
and notifications on phones,
computers and tablets, our
attention is constantly being
diverted away from real
interaction with each other
There will be several
opportunities this afternoon
to meet with friends and
community members during
the Florence Holiday
Festival, which kicks off at
3:30 p.m. with hay rides,
hot cider and cocoa and a
visit from Santa, along with
live music between 4:30
and 5:30 p.m., and the offi-
cial tree lighting at 6 p.m. in
Old Town.
It is within moments like
these that we are reminded
of the things that unite us as
people within a community
rather than partisanship.
My best wishes and sin-
cere thanks to our readers,
letter writers and communi-
ty for providing so many
moments each day for
which I am thankful.
with one another.
As we enter into the holi-
day season, and especially
the Thanksgiving holiday
weekend. 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, com-
munity and ultimately as
Americans.
I believe the trickle-down
Write Siuslaw News editor Ned
divisiveness around us can Hickson at nhickson@thesiuslaw
be diluted if we allow the news.com or P.O. Box 10,
ripple effect of thankfulness Florence, Ore. 97439.
to provide some much-need-
ed levity.
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.
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
LETTERS
50th anniversary of whale
demolition could be fun
Doing a 50-year anniversary re-en-
actment of the demolition of the whale
sounds like great fun. Hopefully, for the
sake of the town, they don’t find a way to
recreate the smell.
Then again, it will be an
election year...
—Dennis Smith
Florence
Don’t drag
disrespectful
symbols into
veterans parade
The Florence Veterans
Day parade on Nov. 11 had
a marvelous and memora-
ble beginning when a large
group of grade-school kids
came down the street hand-
ing out to hand-colored
pictures of the four branch-
es of the United States Mil-
itary services titled “Thank
You, Hero” to veterans.
And then those young
kids shook my hand. They
amazed me and made me
so proud.
And then the parade
came and the Siuslaw High
School band came by. They
were fantastic and lifted everyone's spir-
its. The veterans came next, driving their
legendary Jeeps and trucks.
Then a vehicle came by flying the Con-
federate battle flag and another came by
flying the “Don’t Tread On Me” flag.
It was insensitive and so inappropri-
ate to drag devisive, disrespectful and
generally offensive symbols into such a
beautiful parade honoring our service-
men and women.
— Gene Olson
Florence
WHERE TO WRITE
Pres. Donald Tremp
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 Coenty
Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
FAX: 541-682-4616
Email: Jay.Bozievich@
co.lane.or.us