4A |
SATURDAY EDITION
| MARCH 13, 2021
Siuslaw News
P.O. Box 10
Florence, OR 97439
NED HICKSON , EDITOR
| 541-902-3520 | NHICKSON @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM
Opinion
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to assemble, and to petition the Govern-
ment for a redress of grievances.
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Siuslaw News
Office:
148 Maple St./PO Box 10 Florence, OR
87439
Life as we knew it
least in small steps — to-
ward a semblance of “busi-
ness as usual.”
It’s not over, however.
The federal and state gov-
ernments are still asking us
to follow safety guidelines
On March 17, 2020, of-
for the COVID-19 pan-
fices across the state closed
demic. We still have to wear
at the request of Oregon
From the Features Editor’s Desk
masks, sanitize often and
Gov. Kate Brown, initiating
socially distance ourselves
Chantelle Meyer
a switch to working from
from others.
home and holding online
It’s hard not to jump back
meetings virtually over-
in, to embrace our new al-
night.
lowances — and our friends
the virus in our stories and online parties.
Students throughout
We all got used to talking — and celebrate.
posts.
Oregon left for spring break
But we have to remember
Some stories covered the through computer screens.
and ultimately stayed in
These were the new ways that the restrictions are ulti-
“big” aspects of a global
distance learning until just
mately a way to save lives.
that the communities in
pandemic. These includ-
a few weeks ago.
Moving into the 13th
Florence, Dunes City, Ma-
ed climbing case counts
In the meantime, restau- and shifting guidelines for
pleton and upriver support- month of the pandemic,
rants closed.
Siuslaw News will con-
ed each other.
health and safety across
People lost their jobs.
tinue to be here with our
Now, a year into the
every industry, as well as
Life as we knew it
pandemic, life as we know it COVID-19 coverage as
the first local outbreaks,
changed dramatically, and
we document additional
is changing once again.
first deaths and first access
no one knew what would
vaccination opportunities,
More and more of us
to vaccines.
happen next.
county metrics, local cases
But looking over the past are getting vaccinated
A lot has happened in the year, I was reminded of not — thanks in part to two
and more.
year since, which I chroni-
The time we have spent
only the big stories, but also large-scale clinics held at
cled in Siuslaw News’ recent the many human moments. the Florence Events Center, together as a community
“COVID-19: One Year in
under COVID-19 has been
where more than 2,100
Already in the first
Oregon” (March 3).
— and continues to be — a
doses were administered
month of the pandemic,
From the state’s first
people were making masks by Lane County Search and tough time.
reported case of the novel
But the unique com-
Rescue.
and asking for fabric and
coronavirus Feb. 28, 2020,
In addition, our students munity we’ve built in the
monetary donations so they
to the recent rollout of three could help equip hospital
Siuslaw Region pulled
are going back to school
different COVID vaccines,
through.
and sports are once again
and frontline workers.
Siuslaw News has joined
Now, we need to just hold
appearing in our B section.
Local organizations
other news outlets in cov-
on a little longer.
Restrictions are easing and
collected other personal
ering not only the virus but protective equipment (PPE) we are heading back — at
Together.
its effects on every aspect of
life in our area.
In fact, if you go to our
website (www.TheSiu-
slawNews.com) and search
“coronavirus,” you will find
more than 400 mentions of
to help fill in the gaps.
Groups stepped in to
provide meals for their
neighbors.
The community helped
celebrate milestone achieve-
ments with parades and
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Some history is in order for Idylwood concerns
(Editor’s Note: Viewpoint sub-
missions on this and other topics are
always welcome as part of our goal to
encourage community discussion and
exchange of perspectives.)
make an informed decision.
New regulations may have been
addressed over years-gone-by due to
evidence of flooding in not only Idyl-
wood but other subdivisions as well.
A recent Guest Viewpoint by Ken-
neth Chips regarding the CCRs for
Idylwood reminded me of the years
of construction in the Idylwood sub-
division.
I remember that it was the new and
upcoming area with upscale homes
that was cheered by many for bringing
new homes to Florence. It was sort of
out of the way from the city “core” and
somewhat mocked at for being “way
out there in the boonies.”
(The building of Bi Mart was con-
sidered so far out of town that some
wondered who would go that far to
shop.)
Folks who bought in the Idylwood
subdivision were happy as a lark to
purchase such nice homes. And, at
that time, the CCRs were “just the way
it was” in Florence. Since then, I am
not aware of changes in the CCRs reg-
ulated by City of Florence, but there
may have been.
And remember: No one forced any-
one to buy a home in Idylwood.
If they didn’t like the terms they
didn’t have to buy. No doubt, most of
the buyers were educated enough to
Guest Viewpoint
By Dana Rodet
Florence
I remember at Heceta Beach Road,
there was never a lake until it flooded
due to blockage and no one bothered
to release it. So, it now has the unoffi-
cial moniker of “Heceta Beach Lake.”
(Very funny.)
My point is that the older streets in
Florence that do not have sidewalks
and gutters were probably before Flor-
ence “modernized” itself in the 1980s.
Highway 101 was two lanes and any-
thing north of about 36th Street was
“way” north of town.
As far as flooding goes, there are
many areas of Florence that “flood”
due to extremely heavy rains — per-
haps once a year or once every few
years. And there is not a lot that can be
done about it without extreme costs
that get passed on to the consumers
and residents.
Mr. Chips does use a bit of hyper-
bole when using such words as “wet-
lands” and “discrimination.” Almost
all of Florence is “wetlands.”
Also, I honestly doubt Benedick
Holdings is using the pandemic as a
tool to get annexation passed. It is go-
ing a bit too far to insinuate that re-
altors share in some responsibility for
supposed damages that may or may
not occur .
As to the statement that “many se-
niors are not tech savvy,” I agree some
may not be. But I know dozens of se-
niors in Rotary that use Zoom every
Tuesday. I think most seniors (includ-
ing myself) know how to use a com-
puter. And, if Idylwood is such a close
community — and if folks from that
community read the Siuslaw News —
then I would suspect neighbors talk to
each other about this issue quite fre-
quently. Perhaps the more tech savvy
neighbors could help those less tech
savvy — not just for this particular
issue but simply as a good neighbor.
Perhaps the question of why a ballot
is not available to vote on annexation
could be directed to the city manager
so she can clarify the rules.
That all being said, I do believe the
city better get it right in dealing with
this issue. They better get it right with
the construction of roads and gutters
and flowing water.
Lastly, check what socialism is.
I don’t think it applies here.
WHERE TO WRITE
President Joseph Biden
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500
Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
TTY/TDD: 202-456-6213
www.whitehouse.gov
900 Court St. NE - S-417
Salem, OR 97301
503-986-1705
Email: Sen.DickAnderson@
oregonlegislature.gov
Oregon Gov.
Kate Brown
State Rep.
Boomer Wright (Dist. 9)
State Sen. Dick
Anderson (Dist. 5)
160 State Capitol 900 Court St.
900 Court St. NE
Salem, Ore. 97301-4047
Salem, OR 97301
Message Line:
503-986-1409
503-378-4582
Email: Rep.BoomerWright@
www.oregon.gov/gov
oregonlegislature.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
Lane County Dist. 1
Commissioner
Jay Bozievich
125 E. Eighth St.
Eugene, OR 97401
541-682-4203
Email: Jay.Bozievich@
co.lane.or.us
313 Hart Senate Office Bldg
Washington, DC 20510
202-224-3753 | 541-465-6750
Florence City Council
www.merkley.senate.gov
& Mayor Joe Henry
Florence City Hall, 250
U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio Highway 101, Florence, 97439
(4th Dist.)
541-997-3437
2134 Rayburn HOB
ci.florence.or.us
Washington, DC 20515
Email comments to Florence
202-225-6416
City Recorder Kelli Weese at
541-269-2609 | 541-465-6732 kelli.weese@ci.florence.or.us
www.defazio.house.gov