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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 28, 2019)
4A | SATURDAY EDITION | DECEMBER 28, 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 Bartlett 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. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com Letters to the Editor policy Moving into 2020 and 130 years of Siuslaw News With the new year looming, it was once again time to sort through the past in order to benefit our news- room’s future. Over the course of a few hours, one can time-travel through what will soon be 130 years of local history captured in aged clippings, folded newspaper pages and pamphlets. They are things you’ll never find with a Google search, which exist now only in the memories of those who wrote the sto- ries, lived the experience or, in this case, remain preserved in the archives of our small newsroom. I have to admit, I am coming into the New Year without any con- crete resolutions aside from the usual — and ongoing — intentions of eating healthier, exercis- ing more and procrasti- nating less (something I invariably keep putting off). However, a trip through the past serves to reinforce the unique responsibility and privi- to continue striving for your trust and partner- ship on these pages each week. “Integrity” is a term that has come into ques- tion within the realm of journalism far too often over the last few years, particularly at the national level where the need to be “first” with in- tions we’ll have together on the phone, through emails, visits here in the office or while waiting for a cup of coffee. It’s these conversations that build trust and partnership — and the integrity I hope you will feel is reflected on these pages with each edition. Over the course of the past year, we’ve seen some changes here at The From the Editor’s Desk Siuslaw News, including Ned Hickson a new page design and a bigger presence online. The changes were lege we have, as a news- formation is sometimes made to improve what paper, to be the keepers more important than the we do as your communi- of the past, chroniclers of responsibility of provid- ty newspaper. the present and initiators ing facts and context. Some day, when anoth- of conversation for the And while we aren’t er editor for The Siuslaw future — all while serv- perfect, we certainly try News is reading through ing as a reflection of our — even if it means hold- and organizing the ar- community’s hopes, chal- ing a breaking news story chives of our history, like lenges and accomplish- to make sure the infor- me they will be moved ments at this particular mation is complete and by the same sense of re- moment in time. not based on speculation, sponsibility and privilege That being said, I’m assumption or rumor. that now rests in past not making a resolution As we head into 2020 archives, as well as the as much as offering you and our 130th year of archives yet to be written. our resolve, as your the Siuslaw News, I look community newspaper, forward to the conversa- LETTERS Gas gouging again Once again I find myself com- plaining about gas prices here in Florence. Over the years, the price of gas in Florence is often 10c/gal cheaper than the price in Eugene; Current- ly, we are currently paying an aver- age of 23c/gal more than Eugene. In the whole of western Oregon, it is easier to count the towns with more expensive gas than Florence than those with cheaper gas. Towns that generally have more expensive gas are now cheaper. There may not be collusion be- tween fueling stations but there is certainly no competition amongst them; if no station drops its price the others seem to be happy to keep the status quo. Next time you are buying gas, ask why we are paying more than most of Oregon. Better yet, send an email to customer service of the gas station’s head office. Maybe a few complaints will show that gouging does not make happy customers. —Frank Keavy Florence ‘Talking politics’ is part of every American’s responsibility Lets talk politics — but who cares you say? All citizens should. A review of civics, which is the study of the rights and duties of citizenship, can be found on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigra- tion Services website (www.uscis. gov/citizenship/learners/citizen- ship-rights-and-responsibilities) which reads: “Citizenship is the common thread that connects all Americans. We are a nation bound not by race or religion, but by shared values of freedom, liberty and equality.” And then, it continues to say that all U.S. citizens have a voice in how our nation is governed. However, along with the many benefits there are also equally important respon- sibilities: “Rights include the freedom to express yourself, freedom to wor- ship as you wish, right to a prompt, fair trial by jury, right to vote in elections for public officials, right to apply for federal employment requiring U.S. citizenship, right to run for elected office, freedom to 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 pursue ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness’.” Those responsibilities include supporting and defending the Constitution; staying informed of the issues affecting our communi- ties; participating in the democrat- ic process; respecting and obey- ing federal, state and local laws; respecting the rights, beliefs and opinions of others; participatimg in our local communities; paying in- come and other taxes honestly and on time to federal, state and local authorities; serving on a jury when called upon; and defending the na- tion if the need should arise.” If we ignore “politics” and as- sume or “trust” that elected offi- cials are doing what is best for us by participating in the democratic process? Are we assuring we have a voice in how our nation is gov- erned if we stay on the sidelines? To pursue “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” we must take our rights and responsibilities as citizens seriously. It is time for every citizen to “talk politics.” —Beverly Sherrill 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
