Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (June 8, 2019)
SN Siuslaw News SATURDAY EDITION | JUNE 8, 2019 | $1.00 TH THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM A THLETES OF THE Y EAR 2019 I NSIDE — S PORTS S IUSLAW ’ S A THLETIC E XCELLENCE A WARDS VOL. 129, NO. 46 Veteran recognized nationally NEWS & VIEWS THAT DEFINE OUR COMMUNITY F LORENCE , O REGON Local volunteer receives award, trip to Washington D.C. Story & Photos There are some individuals service plays a prominent role who have a mission in life. These today in his life, framing the By Mark Brennan people have a sense of purpose actions he takes and the way in Siuslaw News and a tenacity that allows them which he chooses to contribute to overcome the obstacles life his time. presents while continuing to fulfill that mis- “Primarily, I was in electronic countermea- sion. Many of us also tend to let the important sures working on B-52’s. During my tour in moments of life happen and then let them slip Vietnam, I flew backend crew on a C-130, away to become a memory or an afterthought which is a recon bird. We flew over Cambodia in a discussion years later. Others take those and Laos and Vietnam,” Swantz said. meaningful moments and incorporate them One of the most rewarding efforts Swantz into the lives they lead from that time forward. is involved in has garnered him attention for Jim Swantz is one of those people. his service and dedication working to support Swantz served in the Air Force for 20 years area veterans with disabilities. and at the age of 81 continues to serve the Flor- ence community in many ways. His time in See VETERAN page 5A WEATHER Mostly sunny skies with a high of 62 and a low tonight of 49. Full forecast on A3 COMMUNITY Solo flight Heyday at the farm Siuslaw named Brain Bowl Champions INSIDE — A3 MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS SPORTS Elijah LaCosse and Terry Tomeny 16-year-old Air Academy graduate pursues flying By Mark Brennan Siuslaw News ODFW Fishing Report INSIDE — SPORTS RECORDS Obituaries & emergency response logs Inside — A2 SIDE SHOW Activities and comics every Saturday Inside — B4 CLASSIFIEDS Listings and public notices Inside — B5 FOLLOW US FOR THE LATEST NEWS : /S IUSLAW N EWS @S IUSLAW N EWS T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS | 16 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2019 Planning for the future is not usually a quality associated with youth. Many young people are still learning about life and the world at large as teenagers and push concerns regarding careers to the back burner. That is not the case for Elijah LaCosse, a 16-year-old who has just com- pleted a solo airplane flight that will bring him closer to his long- term goal of becoming a profes- sional pilot. LaCosse has always had an in- terest in planes and flying and took an opportunity provided to him by local aviators Terry Tomeny and Sam Spayd two years ago to explore this interest. “I was always interested in building things, but then I start- ed running with a guy who was a retired airline pilot and he turned me onto flying. I had planned on going to the Air Force Academy for a long time — I’m still think- ing about doing that — and this is a good way for me to get started,” LaCosse said. LaCosse, who has been primar- ily home schooled, is finishing his junior year studies and plans on pursuing some type of avia- tion-related career, the nature of which will be determined by the costs associated with flight train- ing and related educational and certification requirements. Earlier this week, LaCosse and Tomeny took an extended trip around the state for the purpose See PILOT page 6A Story & Photos By Chantelle Meyer Siuslaw News Siuslaw first-graders spent two days at a farm as part of a longstanding tradition of school visits. Below, the Elliott family descendants wave to the departing schoolbus, the last to visit the farm. Elliott’s Hilltop Acres concludes school visits after 55 years O n May 29 and 30, Siuslaw Elementary School first-graders attended a field trip at Elliott’s Hilltop Acres Farm, the last school visit after 55 years of tradition. Accord- ing to the remaining Elliott family members (many with different last names), the farm will continue although public access will be limited to family and friends. Loni Schofield, granddaughter to the farm’s founders George and Leona Elliott, ran the field trips with four generations of Elliott family descendants. Her husband Paul drove the tractor for the hay rides and Megan, her daughter, showed students how to gently hold bunnies, ducks and chicks. “In 1957, my grandmother took animals to the school,” Loni told a group of students. “In 1964, one of the teachers asked if they could bring the kids up here, so we start- ed bringing kids to the farm. That was 55 years ago, and sadly it is our last year.” On the farm visits, students got to run, play and get an up-close view of life on a farm. Their day was split into lunch when they arrived at 11 a.m. followed by an hour of group activities: Paul’s hayride, a brief loop on horseback, a visit with Scottish Highland cows and the chance to hold soft baby animals. “We got to hold babies,” first-grader Trindle said. “My fa- vorite was holding the duck, be- cause ducks are my favorite ani- mal.” Violet’s favorite part was hold- ing the bunnies. Stu- dents were able to sit down and hold the bun- nies on their laps, tak- ing turns for the most part. One little girl, Adri- enna, “hoarded the bunnies” the family joked, saying that she was “a bunny whisper- er” by how much the bunnies seemed to en- joy her. “She did not want to leave the bun- nies,” Loni said. Afterwards, the kids climbed a grass-covered hill — avoiding the wild tom turkeys — and rolled down. “It’s a heyday for them, rolling down the hill,” Loni said. The day ended with adventure play in the farm’s unique play- ground, consisting of three tire swings, a swing set, seesaw, slide, merry-go-rounds and tether ball. Barb Rowland, Loni’s aunt and one of three daughters of George and Leona, was on the first first- grade field trip to the farm in 1964. “It’s kind of cool because so many of our friends grew up out here with us,” she said. “They re- member the fun times being on the farm.” See FARM page 7A