4A |
WEDNESDAY EDITION
| APRIL 7, 2021
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)
Help keep emergency medical services public
(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.)
The Mission of Western Lane
Ambulance District (WLAD) is
to provide quick, efficient, profes-
sional transport services and com-
munity education with the highest
standards of excellence. WLAD
provides Emergency Medical Ser-
vices (EMS) to the citizens and vis-
itors of Western Lane County, an
area of roughly 1,000 square miles
of cities, towns, forests, beaches and
sand dunes.
We are a public agency, governed
by a locally elected board of direc-
tors who live in the district. Our fo-
cus is on providing the best service
possible for the residents of — and
visitors to — our district because we
believe quality and timely service
coupled with our experience and
modern equipment saves lives.
Though we regularly staff two
ambulances 24 hours a day, seven
days a week, there are times we have
four ambulances actively respond-
ing at one time — and still there is
Guest Viewpoint
By Mike Webb and Rick Yecny
WLAD board directors
a demand for more services. Last
year, WLAD staff worked more
than 53,500 hours for the people of
western Lane County.
Our staff is of the highest quality:
experienced, well equipped and well
trained. Our medics know the area
and often know our patients per-
sonally. The district’s Paramedics
and EMTs are trained to the highest
national levels. WLAD employs full
time: 11 Critical Care Paramedics,
3 Paramedics and 2 EMTs. We also
employ 9 part-time EMTs, along
with our Mobile Integrated Health-
care Paramedic. Our full-time em-
ployees average nearly 13 years’
experience with the district. Sever-
al have been with us more than 20
years and one has 37 years’ experi-
ence with WLAD.
We are funded by both taxpayer
dollars and by patient service fees.
Our tax rates have not changed
since 2012, and there are no plans
to change them now. Through our
operating levy, property owners
help support our operation by pay-
ing .45 cents per $1,000 of assessed
valuation. For a typical home with
an assessed value of $250,000, the
levy costs just .31 cents a day.
This fall, we will be asking the
citizens of our district to support
the renewal of our current operat-
ing levy at the same rate it has been
since 2012. We hope you will con-
tinue to support Western Lane Am-
bulance.
LETTERS
Stand with mayor against
climate alarmists
I am writing this in great oppo-
sition to the alleged Florence “cli-
mate crisis.”
When we moved here some 28
years ago, this was the most peace-
ful, well-organized and genuinely
friendly town. It was thriving and
we were — and still are — privi-
leged to live here with, among oth-
er things, clean air and magnificent
weather.
We have gradually managed to
move from a joyous, caring, gener-
ous, blessed and stable town to one
that fears nonconformance to ev-
ery single complaint, observation,
thought and expression of political
and other points of view.
Everyone is entitled to their
opinion, but common sense must
prevail. Florence does not have a
climate crisis and has not added to
the global climate situation.
Florence contributes only a mi-
nuscule fraction of the .7 percent
of total carbon output for the entire
state of Oregon. Expending time,
money, valuable city and volun-
teer energy, as well potential tax
dollars to create a subcommittee
to deal head on with — and gener-
ate a resolution for — the Florence
“climate crisis” is illogical and does
not merit more than a short-range
consideration.
Our city is still trying to cope
with the coronavirus and our city
managers have more than enough
with which to concern themselves
in the commission of their duties.
I stand with our Mayor for de-
nying to conform to the wishes of
just a few who feel Florence has a
climate crisis.
As the old saying goes: “If it ain’t
broke, don’t fix it.” There is no crit-
ical turning point in our magnifi-
cent climate here in Florence and
surrounding areas as much as glob-
al warming alarmists may think.
Gentlemen, please consider the
many more current and important
issues for our wonderful city first
rather than a potentially destruc-
tive, counter-productive and what
I see as a fabricated Florence “cli-
mate crisis.”
—Linda Farrell
Florence
and kindness from hospice.
Bless you.
—Patsy and Jack Cowden
Florence
Cancellation of EMAC
meeting ridiculous
First, I’d like to apologize to any
Environmental Management Advi-
sory Committee (EMAC) member
that was sick or unable to attend
the recent meeting because of any
personal or family problem — this
is not addressed to you.
However, it is addressed to the
members that chose to be absent
because of their own agendas,
those who do not represent the en-
tirety of the citizens and public in
the Florence area. If those EMAC
members openly state that their
attendance will not be present at a
meeting because an issue might be
adverse to their beliefs, then they
have no business being on a com-
mittee that represents any commu-
nity body, large or small.
All public/citizen representatives
(committees) have a duty to listen
to their constituents — this was
simply a discussion meeting, not
a mandate to enact laws. If non-at-
tending members are so threatened
by a mere discussion of how pos-
sible evidence of climate change
could affect the area, then they
should not be on any committee
related to that subject — that’s plain
common sense.
It’s time to get rid of individuals
that attempt to control directions
for short term gain; our very exis-
tence on multiple levels depends on
it. We seem to be represented in our
area by individuals of the mindset
of a “no-limit restriction mentali-
ty” on growth and development at
the expense of our environment, be
it caused by climate change or oth-
er human interactions.
This is producing what we are
currently witnessing/experiencing
all over the planet in the form of
horrific storms, loss of life sustain-
ing species (salmon, etc.) and hu-
mans ourselves.
Let us hope that, skill and sci-
ence eventually trumps brawn and
superstition.
—Jeff Talbot
Florence
Thankful for
compassionate care
Boycotting EMAC meeting
is grounds for removal
I would like to thank the fan-
tastic group from PeaceHealth
Hospice care. They did so much
for my mother-in-law, Ruth Elo-
ise Cowden, while she was going
through so much pain.
They also helped me and my
husband while we were so stressed.
Dr. Kerner is a fabulous doctor
with so much compassion.
The caregivers taught us so much
and special thanks go to Joanie
Krandall for her skill and compas-
sion; we appreciated all the help
Regarding the front page arti-
cle “EMAC Meeting Cancelled
After Failing To Reach Quorum”
(April 3), those members of the
Environmental Management Ad-
visory Committee who boycotted
the March 30 special session of
the EMAC — specifically, Michael
Titmus (Chairman), Ronelle Kurt
(Vice-Chairperson), Sherry Har-
vey, Josh Haring and Daniel Berry
— should be ashamed of them-
selves.
Those individuals were appoint-
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Letters to the Editor policy
ed by the Mayor to represent the
interests of the citizens of Florence.
Their failure to address the con-
cerns of the community — in this
case merely a recommendation to
form a climate change subcommit-
tee — is a blatant abandonment of
their duties.
Regardless of their personal po-
sition on the issue, they accepted
the charge of the EMAC to sustain
and improve the city’s livability and
quality of life. Failure to do so by
boycotting this important planning
meeting is malfeasance.
The Mayor should demand the
resignation of these five individuals
and appoint new members who are
willing to work on behalf of all cit-
izens. Failure to do so can only be
interpreted as Mayor Joe Henry’s
tacit agreement with their actions.
The net result is the community
is left without even the chance to
discuss a strategy for the future.
—Dolly Brock
Florence
Stigma of suicide can
only be erased through
open discussion
The “From Editor’s Desk” ed-
itorial “We Must Agree To Hear
The Deafening Silence Of Suicide”
(April 3) should be a call to arms
for our community.
As someone who had both a
sister and mother attempt to take
their lives, although long ago, I can
tell you the stigma has not waned
over the years.
While we cannot affect change in
the rest of the world, we absolutely
can here in our own community.
We all need to learn the signs of
someone who is in trouble. True,
not everyone will display signs. But
for those who do, we need to care
enough to ask them how they are
doing and be willing help them.
I am not saying we should try to
counsel them. However, we should
know where to get them profes-
sional help and make sure they get
it.
That is the easy part.
The hard part is to regularly
check in with them, let them know
that confiding in you is safe and
that you care about them.
Someone who takes their own
life is someone that, for reasons
known only to them, can no longer
live in their own skin.
Ned is right: the stigma can only
be negated by honest, open discus-
sions.
Unfortunately, we seldom learn
the “why” because the family,
rightfully so, is in too much pain to
talk about it.
However, talking about the
“why” can help us all to become
better educated and more sensitive
to the struggles of those who are in
trouble.
—Graham Ross
Florence
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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