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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2019)
SN Siuslaw News WEDNESDAY EDITION | FEBRUARY 13, 2019 | $1.00 THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM TH Happy Valentine’s Day — Thursday, Feb. 14 Community VOICES I NSIDE — A5 Crash claims life of Mapleton woman New bill seeks VOL. 129, NO. 13 SERVING WESTERN LANE COUNTY SINCE 1890 F LORENCE , O REGON Weekend’s icy conditions cause fatality, severe injuries By Jared Anderson Siuslaw News On Saturday, 52-year-old Jamie Jones of Mapleton died due to in- juries sustained in a car accident, a result of a collision located just north of Honeyman State Park on Highway 101 at milepost 193 at ap- proximately 11:07 a.m. The accident occurred during a particularly severe bout of snow and ice that hit the region over the weekend. “The road was absolutely slick from Rhododendron all the way up,” said Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue Interim Chief Director Steve Able. “It just went from a little mist of rain to hail.” According to investigators, the green 1999 Ford Explorer driven by Jones was northbound on Highway 101 when the vehicle lost control on the snow and ice-covered roadway, crossing into the southbound lane of the highway. Jones’ Explorer collided with a white 2015 Isuzu delivery truck for American Mattress, operated by 25-year-old Daniel Crump of Reed- sport, which had been southbound on Highway 101. “The crews were actually out at that end of the district training when the call came in, so the crews respond- ed immediately,” Able said about the response, which found two units re- sponding. “The first unit arrived on WEATHER Rain and clouds with a high of 46 and a low tonight of 38. Full forecast on A3 ANNIVERSARY Celebrating love with Leo and Shirley Stapleton INSIDE — A2 SPORTS By Mark Brennan Siuslaw News COURTESY PHOTOS scene and saw that we had two vehi- cles, one blocking, one in the ditch, and people trapped in both vehicles.” Crews first administered attention to Jones, who was unconscious. Her companion dog, Loki, was found de- ceased at the scene. See accident page 9A On the morning of Feb. 9, Jamie Jones of Mapleton was driving north on Highway 101 toward Florence when slick road conditions after the day’s rain, hail and snow caused her vehicle to cross into the southbound lane. Her Ford Explorer collided with an American Mattress delivery truck, occupied by Daniel Crump and Nicholas Housego. The two men “remain in stable but seri- ous condition,” according to Western Lane Ambulance Chief of Operations Matt House. ‘A small picture of homelessness’ The difficulties in serving the region’s homeless community on the streets.” Is the homeless population in the Siuslaw decreasing? The fact is, no one really knows. The search for the answer to this pressing ques- tion brings up a whole host of issues when it comes to helping the home- less — The difficulty of tracking the population, federal versus local laws, difficulties with promoting services, in rural and urban areas. The county has just finished the 2019 count and is still working on “Last year we would pick up a the data — set to be released in dozen people or more with the van,” May — but staff was able to provide Pastor Greg Wood said. “The four 2018’s numbers for the Siuslaw re- nights we’ve been open this year, I gion: one sheltered homeless and 22 think we’ve picked up two people. unsheltered. Three people is about the biggest “But I will caution you that it is all night.” volunteer-based, as far as how many It was Monday, surveys we get back,” Feb. 4, at 5:30 p.m. It said Human Services was 36 degrees at the “It matters what they’re doing. If it’s a matter of Supervisor Alexan- moment and would city ordinance, then they get citations. If it’s a crim- dria Dreher at Lane dip to 30 by mid- inal offense, then they could get arrested or give ci- County Health and night. Wood, who Human Services. is the president of tations. It matters what the situation is. If it’s some- “The Point in Time the Florence Emer- thing we can handle and not have to take them to count is a snapshot, gency Cold Weather jail and it won’t happen again, then we’re not going and the best snap- Shelter, was driving shot we can get. It’s to take them to jail.” around Florence, only a small picture — Commander John Pitcher, of homelessness.” picking up homeless Florence Police Department guests from various As to why the locations to bring count is not more to the Presbyterian robust, Dreher said, Church of the Siuslaw for a warm perceived prejudices against the “Sometimes the people trust gov- meal and the chance to spend the homeless community and the cur- ernment. If they’re homeless, and night out of the bitter cold. rent state of housing. they’re in a crisis and not interested But on Monday, Wood was having While the conversation begins in completing a survey, or they don’t difficulty finding people. The Fred with an inquiry surrounding num- trust the system, it’s not worth it to Meyer pickup station, which usually bers, it ends with a debate on what give information.” brings in people walking from the the future of homelessness in the re- The county has only begun re- north, was empty. So too were the gion will become. porting region-specific numbers in Siuslaw Public Library and Safeway 2018, so Dreher was unable to see pickup locations. By the numbers if there was a downward trend in Wood ended his drive without One of the major problems fac- the Siuslaw’s homelessness by press any takers. ing those who work to alleviate the time. “I just don’t think there’s as many issue of homelessness is finding “But I do know that between people living out there right now,” exact numbers, as demonstrated 2017 and 2018, all across Lane he said. “I could be mistaken about by the Lane County Point in Time County we saw a seven percent that. There just doesn’t seem to be Count, which looks to create a the same number of people living count of unsheltered individuals See Difficulties page 8A By Jared Anderson Siuslaw News Viking wrestlers advance to state INSIDE — SPORTS RECORDS Obituaries & emergency response logs Inside — A2 KID SCOOP Newspapers in Education every week Inside — A7 CLASSIFIEDS Listings and public notices Inside — B4 FOLLOW US FOR THE LATEST NEWS : /S IUSLAW N EWS @S IUSLAW N EWS T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM major changes to Oregon’s gun laws S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS | 18 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2019 The introduction into the Oregon Legislature of a bill primarily crafted by students in Lake Oswego has created a firestorm of debate that is quickly sweeping through the nation. Senate Bill 501 was introduced in Jan- uary by District 19 Democrat Sen. Rob Wagner and has drawn the attention and ire of gun rights groups in Oregon and across the country. Cosponsored by fellow Democrat from District 38, Rep. Andrea Salinas, the bill would require any individual that wished to purchase a firearm to obtain a permit before receiving a gun of any type. However, most controversial about the proposed law is that it would also severely restrict the number of rounds an individual could purchase each month. The legislation was written with input from Ceasefire Oregon, a student-led advocacy group that is working to reduce gun violence. The group was formed in 1994 and has re-emerged as a national voice on the subject of gun violence. Of concern for gun owners is the rollback of laws that have been in place since Oregon adopted its constitution in 1857. The National Rifle Association’s (NRA) Institute for Legislative Action has targeted SB 501 as “the worst of the laws introduced since the seating of leg- islators elected in the 2018 mid-terms.” According to the NRA’s online analysis, “In Oregon, we see just how extreme the anti-gun legislative agenda has become, thanks to Sen. Wagner and his proposal, which … seeks to enact a number of draconian restrictions on Oregon’s law-abiding gun owners. … When you turn over the responsibility of creating new laws to children, you can expect some real doozies — and SB 501 delivers in spades. This truly extreme bill, should it become law, would establish magazine capacity limits and ammunition restrictions that only a child with little knowledge of the practical, lawful use of firearms could envisage.” One of the most contentious elements of the legislation would require anyone that wished to purchase a firearm to fill out and submit an application, which would then be investigated by a mem- ber of the local sheriff ’s department. The loose protocols and flexibility that the legislation gives to the investigating officer to reject an application is also of particular concern to gun rights supporters. If the investigation revealed no cause for rejection, of which there are many, then the applicant could buy one hand gun. This process seems to many gun owners to be clearly unconstitutional, as it restricts the right of citizens to arm themselves as they see fit. There are also major concerns with sections of SB 501 that require valid state identification to purchase am- munition and limit legal purchases of ammunition to 20 individual rounds per month. See Gun Laws page 6A BOOK YOUR DREAM VACATION NOW – CALL FOR LIMITED TIME SAVINGS Grand Alaskan Cruise & Tour $ 12 days from 1,849 * $ 1,599 Departs June - September, 2019 * Enjoy a spectacular cruise & tour between Seattle and Alaska including 7 nights aboard Holland America Line’s ms Westerdam and 4 nights on land. You’ll cruise the Gulf of Alaska and the Inside Passage—a sea lane teeming with marine wildlife, where you’ll pass glaciers, towering mountains, and lush forests, with stops in Ketchikan, Skagway and Glacier Bay. 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