4A |
SATURDAY EDITION
| JUNE 22, 2019
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
| 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
The First Amendment
C
ongress shall make no law respect-
ing an establishment 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 Govern-
ment 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)
Thank you for supporting local journalism
Dear Readers,
The Siuslaw News is our com-
munity’s most widely read news-
paper for many reasons. Some
read our paper for coverage of
local news, public meetings, so-
cial events, local sports and in-
formation on area organizations
and fundraisers; others enjoy our
articles, special features, editori-
als and coverage of people and
places that make the Siuslaw Re-
gion so unique.
In addition, a great number of
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both long-established and newly
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includes the Siuslaw News classi-
fied ad section, which is a popu-
lar source of information on ev-
erything from garage, yard and
estate sales, to personal ads, legal
listings and a television viewing
schedule with our accurate TV
Listings.
The Siuslaw News’ team of
journalists work every day cov-
ering the news and local events
in order to provide in-depth,
fact-based news stories to keep
our community informed, ed-
ucated and inspired. Readers of
the Siuslaw News know they can
count on balanced reporting of
local government, committee
and board meetings, communi-
ty news, and interesting feature
stories on local residents and the
arts, along with in-depth investi-
gative pieces.
Now in our 129th year, we look
forward to continuing or com-
mitment to offer “The News and
Views That Define Our Com-
munity.”
If you are a current subscriber,
reader or advertiser with the Siu-
slaw News, we’d like to thank you
for supporting your community
newspaper and local journalism.
And to those receiving today’s
complimentary edition, we hope
you will enjoy it and consider be-
coming a subscriber.
—Sincerely,
Jenna Bartlett, Publisher
Ned Hickson, Editor
USPS# 497-660
Copyright 2019 © Siuslaw News
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 Pub-
lishers 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 Bartlet
Ned Hickson
Susan Gutierrez
Cathy Dietz
Ron Annis
Publisher, ext. 318
Editor, ext. 313
Multi-Marketing Director, ext. 326
Office Supervisor, ext. 312
Production Supervisor
DEADLINES:
Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publica-
tion; 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, $79; 6-month in-county, $56; 10-week subscrip-
tion, $25; Out of Lane County — 1-year subscription, $102; 6-month out-of-county, $69;
10-week subscription, $35; Out of State — 1-year subscription, $134; E-Edition Online
Only (Anywhere) — 1-year subscription, $65.
Mail subscription includes E-Edition.
Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com
Letters to the Editor policy
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the edi-
tor 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 sub-
ject to editing for length, grammar and clarity.
Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and
depends on space available and the volume of let-
ters received.
Letters that are anonymous, libelous, argumen-
tative, 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 pub-
lished at the discretion of the editor.
Political/Election Letters:
YOUR LETTERS
Commissioners, remember
your duty to democracy
Tuesday night, June 18, Lane
County residents addressed the
county commissioners on the pro-
posed spray ban initiative and the
right to local community self-gov-
ernment initiative (which legally
authorizes citizens to write and
pass laws to protect our health,
safety and welfare, such as the
spray ban).
Proponents of the ban told per-
sonal stories of health harms en-
dured due to aerial herbicide spray
exposure, and the science that
backs up their heartbreaking sto-
ries.
Timber industry advocates refut-
ed their claims.
The real issue here, regardless
of where you stand on the practice
of aerial herbicide spraying is that
15,000 county residents signed two
petitions to refer these measures
to the voters. If you don’t want to
ban sprays, vote against the ban,
but don’t suggest that the people
should be denied access to the bal-
lot box; to be the decision-makers
this country so desperately needs
us to be.
As a part of democratic govern-
ment decision-making, the initia-
tive system is the people’s voice. It’s
how we legislate, especially when
elected officials don’t listen to us.
Yes, Commissioners, it is well
within your duties to refer these
initiatives, so do it.
Democracy itself is at stake here.
—Michelle Holman
Deadwood
Lucky to have reality of
President Trump
The Guest Viewpoint submitted
by Mr. Buchman (“Unitary Exec-
utive Theory and Congressional
Subpoenas,” June 12) is pure pop-
pycock. I suggest he go through the
Constitution and just cross out all
the words and phrases he doesn’t
like or don’t meet his agenda.
In an alternate reality, Hillary
Clinton won; we are lucky we have
President Trump in this one.
I didn’t see a Guest Viewpoint for
Obama’s resignation when he called
the Constitution “...an old piece of
parchment that needs changing.”
—Martin Cable
Florence
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
campaigns on behalf of (or by) candidates; 2) En-
sure any information about a candidate is accu-
rate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge
or hearsay; and 3) Explain the reasons to support
candidates based on personal experience and
perspective rather than partisanship and cam-
paign-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
newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publish-
er, general manager and editor, reserves the right
to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above
criteria.
Email letters to:
nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com
WHERE TO WRITE
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
@oregonlegislature.gov
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