WEDNESDAY EDITION | JANUARY 15, 2020 | $1.00
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Florence,
Threat of violence
at SMS quickly
deemed ‘prank’
Siuslaw News
NEWS &
VIEWS THAT
DEFINE OUR
COMMUNITY
Student who made threat
could face expulsion and
criminal charges
VOL. 130, NO. 4
F LORENCE , O REGON
WEATHER
By Jared Anderson
Siuslaw News
The Siuslaw School District was
on alert Monday night as the dis-
trict and local police responded to
a threat of violence against students
at Siuslaw Middle School and a staff
member. However, the threat turned
out to be a hoax and the district re-
scinded any safety notices regarding
the incident by Tuesday morning.
The threat was made Monday
evening at 5:48 p.m., according to
school officials.
“The threat was made after school
through an anonymous texting
app., and directly related to those
students,” Siuslaw Superintendent
Andy Grezskowiak said Monday
evening, stressing that the police
were looking into the issue.
“The threat of violence, if it were
to occur, would most likely be to-
morrow [Jan. 14] when the students
are at school.”
The family of any students named
directly or indirectly were notified,
as well as the staff member. Police
began a quick investigation, and au-
tomated calls went out to all parents
just before 7 p.m. on Monday.
“If you or your child may be able
to identify the person that made
such a threat, please contact the
Florence Police with that informa-
tion,” the district asked in the robo-
call, which also stated “an enhanced
police presence” would be at the
building and that all student bags
would be searched prior to entry.
“If parents feel a need to keep stu-
dents home on Tuesday, please call
your child’s school to register the ex-
cused absence for the day,” the call
stated.
By 11 p.m. that night, the perpe-
trator had been identified by police,
who found no credible threat at the
middle school or any other school
facility.
“In essence, it was a hoax,” Grzek-
sowiak said. “The student does not
have the ability or means to com-
plete any threat but was ‘pranking’
their friends and it went too far.”
See
THREAT 7B
Rain and wind with a
high of 49 and a low
tonight of 38.
Full forecast on A3
COMMUNITY
MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS
C
oast Guard Station Siuslaw River held its Auxiliary Change of Watch on Saturday, Jan. 11,
at The Pier Point Inn. The annual Change-of-Watch is often the only formal gathering of
Division and Flotilla members during the year. The ceremony itself is patterned after the
Coast Guard’s formal, time-honored Change-of-Command ceremony. Tom Divis was reinstalled
as Commander of Division 5 and Steve Mathis was also re-installed as Vice Commander. Division
5 covers all of the Southern Oregon Coast, from Depoe Bay to Brookings. Division and Flotilla
Commanders are elected each year by their membership and can serve up to two terms. The
Flotilla Commander, and the Vice, serve as the leadership for their unit. While the event was
about the auxiliary, active-duty members attended to show their support for the countless
hours volunteers serve as members of the local auxiliary. The Change of Watch ceremony also
serves as time to remember members who have passed on and those POWs that will never come
home.
Local brewery taps
first batch of beer.
INSIDE — A3
SPORTS
Court decision allows homeless to sleep in public spaces
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
with Damien Sherwood
Cottage Grove Sentinel
A Dec. 16 Supreme Court de-
cision to deny a petition to re-
view Martin v. City of Boise has
finalized a significant holding
by the 9th Circuit Court of Ap-
peals which protects the right for
homeless people to sleep in public
spaces without reprisal.
The 9th Circuit reviews cases
from 10 western districts includ-
ing Oregon, Idaho, Washington
and California.
The plaintiffs in the contro-
versial case, supported by the
National Law Center on Home-
lessness and Poverty, were indi-
viduals that were homeless.
The decision not to hear the
appeal filed by the Boise case im-
pacts not only locations under
9th Circuit Jurisdiction but could
have a significant impact nation-
ally.
The impact in Florence will be
less dramatic as there are few in-
stances here where the homeless
are actually arrested or cited for
vagrancy or loitering in city lim-
its.
Commander John Pitcher is
the point person for the Florence
Police Department, and he re-
ports the FPD does not target the
homeless for sleeping in public
places, but they do enforce other
laws that may be broken by indi-
viduals without a permanent res-
idence.
“We have been complying with
the 9th Circuits order for some
time now and have not been en-
forcing prohibited camping on
public property,” Pitcher said.
“We do enforce other ordinances
and crimes that are public nui-
sance issues such as offensive lit-
tering, criminal trespass, crimi-
nal mischief, blocking a sidewalk,
disorderly conduct, etc., that are
committed by a variety of people
See
COURT 6B
The Florence 101 Hostel takes
its cue from a popular European
style of lodging.
vate and semi-private rooms.
Florence has recently joined cit-
ies offering the public the opportu-
nity to save some money and meet
others, with the opening of
Florence 101 Hostel, located at
1495 Eighth Street.
The Florence Hostel is the brain-
child of local businessperson and
entrepreneur Marianne Brisbane,
who has owned and operated a
See
COURTESY PHOTO
Obituaries &
emergency
response logs
Inside — A2
SIDE SHOW
Activities and
comics every
Saturday
Inside — B5
HOSTEL 6B
Listings and public
notices
Inside — B6
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2 S ECTIONS | 16 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2020
The idea of a less traditional
lodging experience is one that
many countries in Europe have
adopted and embraced for decades.
The concept of a less insular travel
experience has spread and been
adapted to many different cultures
around the world over the years.
Known as “Hostels,” these lodg-
ing establishments generally have a
shared kitchen, bathroom and
meeting space alongside rooms
that range from dormitory style
sleeping quarters to those with pri-
RECORDS
CLASSIFIEDS
Florence now home to hostel experience
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
Siuslaw open league
play this Friday
INSIDE — SPORTS