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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 13, 2021)
SATURDAY EDITION | FEBRUARY 13, 2021 | $1.00 JANUARY 31 to FEBRUARY 17 Have Your Say 0 202 VOTED F BEST O NOMINATE E SN THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM F LO E N C R YOUR FAVORITE FLORENCE BUSINESSES Siuslaw News Siuslaw News NEWS & VIEWS THAT DEFINE OUR COMMUNITY VOL. 131, NO. 13 F EBRUARY 13, 2021 F LORENCE , O REGON WEATHER Rain showers with a high of 49 and a low of 43. Full forecast on A3 COMMUNITY Basket program expands INSIDE — A3 LIFESTYLE New guidance for outdoor sports INSIDE — B RECORDS Go online today https://rebrand.ly/BestOfFlorence2020 to nominate! Rankin retires February 14 Sign of progress Longtime Siuslaw teacher wraps up 30 years By Chantelle Meyer Siuslaw News Later this F e b r u a r y, Siusl aw School Dis- trict fourth- grade teacher Vicki Rankin will be retir- ing after near- ly 30 years of Vicki Rankin teaching. Rankin first taught in California for two years before she got married and moved to the Florence area. She then became a substitute teacher for Siuslaw. “The old middle school was one of my favorite places to go. Then I got hired for an overload position. We had a big influx of first grad- ers, and I interviewed with Boomer Wright and got the job,” she said. When that position ended, Rankin was hired next to help in the third grade. “1997 is when I started full time teaching third grade. Then I taught first and second, then I went back to third, and now I’m at fourth,” she said. “I’ve moved around a lot in this school. I’ve been in a lot of class- rooms, too. I’ve been through lots of principals and lots of superinten- dents. All kinds of things.” She even taught previously in the same classroom she is currently cleaning of her possessions. “I’m trying to finish up here and pack my room after 30 years. It is kind of crazy,” Rankin added. In all her years of teaching, the past two years have been some of the greatest challenges. Like the rest of the school district, Rankin left for See RETIRE page 6A Story & Photos By Chantelle Meyer Siuslaw News F lorence Area Chamber of Commerce has installed a new LED sign to welcome people to the Florence Visitor’s Center, 290 Highway 101. “It’s a great way to promote our events,” said Chamber CEO/ President Bettina Hannigan. “With the wrap up of ReVision Florence, we want to remind people that Florence isn’t a drive-through town. It’s a place where you can stay and play.” The chamber’s goals are to promote tourism to the area and support economic development. Investing in the Daktonics Galaxy sign will also allow the chamber to promote events and photos of the area. “People have been contacting me telling me that it’s a beauti- ful sign, a good sign,” Hannigan said. For more information about the Florence Area Chamber of The chamber’s new sign on High- Commerce, visit florencecham- way 101 hopes to encourage peo- ple to “stay and play” in Florence. ber.com. New city council meets for work session By Mark Brennan Siuslaw News The Florence City Council met for a scheduled work session on Wednesday, Feb. 10. This was pri- marily focused on updating the council — particularly new coun- cilors Bill Meyer, Sally Wantz and Margaret Wisniewski — on cur- rent city work plans. Florence Mayor Joe Henry out- lined the purpose of the meeting and turned the facilitation of the work session over to City Manager Erin Reynolds. She let the council know there would be presentations from herself, City Recorder and Economic Development Coordi- nator Kelli Weese, Florence Po- lice Chief Tom Turner and Public Works Director Mike Miller. Reynolds began with a review of the city’s current work plan, high- lighting aspects of the many mov- ing parts of the comprehensive goals now in effect. The assignment of councilors to specific committees was discussed briefly, with a determination of Obituaries & emergency response logs Inside — A2 which candidates will serve on which committees, with assign- ments to be finalized at next week’s scheduled work session on Feb. 18. Reynolds then reviewed five ma- jor goals, approved by the previous councils. The overall city goals, with input from committees are used as a guide when developing the city’s final work plan. “Everything we are talking about and presenting is with one goal in mind: to help the city council put together a work plan for the next See CITY page 6A Otterly delightful SIDE SHOW Activities and comics every Saturday Inside — B4 Mapleton welcomes fifth and sixth grades back to campus CLASSIFIEDS Listings and public notices Inside — B5 Submitted by Mapleton Superintendent Jodi O’Mara for the Siuslaw News FOLLOW US FOR THE LATEST NEWS : /S IUSLAW N EWS On Wednesday, Mapleton Elementary School welcomed back the first group of stu- dents to on-site learning. Ma- pleton staff made a “Welcome Back” sign featuring otters with every student and staff member’s name in honor of the Mapleton Elementary Ot- ters. “It was a wonderful day @S IUSLAW N EWS T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS | 18 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2021 COURTESY PHOTOS to have students on campus all day, even just the small number of fifth graders,” said Mapleton Superintendent Jodi O’Mara. “Everyone was all smiles, including the stu- dents.” Mapleton is bringing stu- dents back to campus on a staggered start schedule See CAMPUS page 5A Staff at Mapleton Elementary welcomed students back to campus this week for on-site learning. C elebrating Over 30 Years in Real Estate JIM HOBERG Broker/Owner 9 201 VOTED F BEST O E SIUSLAW NEWS READERS CHOICE WINNER Voted Best Realtor for 6 Years! F LO E N C R 1870 Hwy. 126, Suite A • PO Box 3040, Florence, O
