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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 11, 2019)
4A | WEDNESDAY EDITION | SEPTEMBER 11, 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) 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 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 Bartlet Ned Hickson Susan Gutierrez Cathy Dietz Ron Annis Publisher, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 313 Multimedia Sales Director, ext. 326 Office Supervisor, ext. 312 Production Supervisor DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news, Monday noon; Budgets, four days prior to publication; Regular classified ads, Monday 1 p.m.; Display ads, Monday noon; Dis- play classified ads, Friday 5 p.m. Saturday Issue—General news, Thursday noon; Budgets, two days prior to pub- lication; 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 subscription, $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. Seven more minutes of childhood Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com Letters to the Editor policy I’ll never forget how I felt this day 18 years ago as an American, a volunteer firefighter and as a father — and how each held its own kind of hurt that has never completely healed. But of the three, being a father watching the sparkle in my then six-year-old daughter’s eyes noticeably fade just a bit continues to be the memory that lingers most. My alarm clock went off the same as it always did back then, coming to life with the morning news — my preference over the annoying, high-pitched alternative of chatter. In- stinctively, I swatted the snooze button and bought myself another seven min- utes of sleep. In the years since, I’ve thought a lot about those seven minutes, and how the simple push of a button postponed a bitter reality for just a little longer. When the news came on again, word of the first airliner crashing into the World Trade Center stopped my hand just short of another seven minutes of blissful ignorance — a time span that now seems like an eternity. Lying there, listening to the details, I regretted not pushing the button one more time. A hundred more times. A thousand. In that same moment, I also understood that the impassive gaze of terror- ism could only be averted for so long, and that, even- tually, I’d have to meet it — along with the questioning gaze of my daughter. As a parent, I debated whether I should shield her from these events, playground conversations as children put their own interpretive spin on the language of adults heard from the radio, television and from discussions be- tween parents after they thought their children were asleep. My daughter suddenly appeared in the doorway, and I realized that I was still poised — frozen really — with my hand over the snooze button, still listen- ing to the account of ter- rorism on the radio. From the Editor’s Desk Ned Hickson essentially pushing the snooze button to allow her at least a few more minutes of childhood before wak- ing her to this new, colder world. But how long, I won- dered, would it be before she discovered reality on her own? There are at least six news stands near our home, all with their front pages displayed at eye level for a child her age. I thought about the images that would be ap- pearing in those small plexi-glass windows in the coming days and weeks. I thought about what she might overhear during It was at this point that fragmented accounts of an attack on the Pentagon began, along with word of a downed jetliner some- where in Pennsylvania. And maybe a car bomb near the capitol — a story that was interrupted by word of a second airlin- er crashing into the trade center towers. “Dad, what’s happen- ing?” my daughter asked. She remained in the doorway, a departure from her normal routine of div- ing onto the bed. I noticed this instinctively, in much the same way she must’ve noticed my hand still hov- ering above the snooze button. Neither of us moved; neither of us wanted to. At different levels, we both understood that moving meant setting things into motion that could some- how never be turned back. Slowly, I drew my hand away from the alarm clock and gestured for her to join me on the bed. There was no running, no broad-smiled dive over the footboard. She approached with obvious hesitation, her eyes mov- ing between the radio and me. “What’s going on, Dad?” she asked again. Pulling her close, we listened to the radio as I struggled to find the words to answer her question. Af- ter a series of false starts, I decided there was really only one place to begin. As the events of that morning continued to un- fold from the radio, we al- lowed our voices to carry over the reports of terror- ism — and spoke, instead, of what it means to be an American. Today marks 18 years since I’ve stopped setting my alarm to go off with the morning news. I write this in memory of those innocent lives that were lost, as well as for the loss of innocence we all ex- perienced in some way or another… LETTERS Smaller than normal lots another option Will the City of Florence consider zero-lot-line homes on smaller than normal lots? These could be used for smaller, less expensive “starter homes,” with less house to clean and less lot to maintain. It could provide more af- fordable housing opportunities for those who need that option. —Paul Floto Florence Initially skeptical of North Jetty stewardship I am very appreciative of the hard work the Lane County Park rang- ers are providing in the North Jetty area. As a daily beach walker, I see firsthand the efforts that are being made by Dan Anderson and his team of rangers. So far, I have seen daily inspections of the parking area (and rangers picking up trash), improve- ments in the pothole situation of the lot itself, and the removal of large tracts of Scotch Broom. Trash receptacles have been in- stalled in the parking lot, which facil- itates myself and other walkers being able to remove trash from the beach without having to take it home to dis- pose of (some of which I would really rather not have in my car!) Yesterday I observed a ranger re- moving a dead and decaying sea lion to a more remote location and bury- ing it so that beachgoers (lots of chil- dren on the beach lately) would not be subjected to the possible spread of disease. Initially skeptical of the change in North Jetty stewardship, I could not be more impressed. Five stars to Ranger Anderson and his crew. —Cris Reep Florence Raising next generation of terrorists What more efficient way to breed the next generation of fanatical ter- rorists devoted to harming this coun- try than to separate children from their families and keep them in cag- es? As you sow, so shall you reap. God help us. —Edward Gunderson Florence Had enough TDS I agree with Ian Eales’ response to the Preislers letter “Have you had enough?” (Sept. 4). Well, I have had enough. Enough of “Trump Derangement Syn- 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: 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 drome” (TDS). If it’s not a Russian conspiracy theory or obstruction of justice, then it’s racism and sharp- ie-gate — all foisted upon the pub- lic with the help of the mainstream media’s wild, ignorant claims with little or no proof. I’ve always tried to believe in the words of Thomas Jefferson: “I nev- er considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause’ for withdrawing from a friend.” You may have seen these words before; they are written at the top of each “Opinion” page of this very newspaper. As an in- dependent voter, I investigate all sides, but the rampant TDS that fills our lives today can make Jef- ferson’s words nearly impossible to complete. Jefferson’s words also bring to mind another proverb from the past: “There are none so blind as those that will not see. The most de- luded people are those who choose to ignore what they already know.” Or, the biblical verse Jeremiah 5:21: “Hear this now, O foolish people, and without understanding; which have eyes, and see not; which have ears, and hear not.” —Michael J. Davis 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 @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
