4A |
SATURDAY EDITION
| MAY 15, 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)
USPS# 497-660
Copyright 2021 © 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
Cathy Dietz
Ron Annis
For Advertising: ext. 318
Publisher, ext. 318
Editor, ext. 313
Office Supervisor, ext. 312
Production Supervisor
For Classifieds: ext. 320
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
Siuslaw News
Office:
148 Maple St./PO Box 10 Florence, OR
87439
Office Hours:
Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Friday: 8 a.m. to noon
Letters to the Editor policy
LETTERS
Thankful to anonymous
heroes at Sutton Ramp
We would like to give a big
shout out to the two young boys
who saved the day when we were
launching our pontoon boat at the
Sutton Lake boat ramp on Tuesday
(May 11).
Anyone who has launched a
boat there knows of the dangerous
“cliff ” at the end of the ramp.
Our trailer fell into the hole and
lurched so bad it threw the boat
cockeyed on the trailer. We could
not move forward nor back.
It was these two heroes that
jumped in the water and pushed
and pulled until the boat was free
from the trailer. Even then, it was
difficult to pull the trailer out of the
hole.
We did not get their names but
can’t thank them enough for help-
ing us out of a very precarious and
scary situation.
—Sandy Ramsey
Florence
Miltenberger has the
experience needed
Who knew when Maureen
Miltenberger and I rode the stu-
dent bus to cheer for the Newport
Cubs (back when Newport and
Florence were in the same division)
here at the old football field on
Quince Street, that she would now
be running for Director No. 4 for
Siuslaw School District.
Over the years, we kept in con-
tact but it wasn’t until Maureen
chose to live in Florence that I be-
came aware of her work in the field
of education.
I’ve seen her in action while tu-
toring at Lane Community Col-
lege. I believe in her earnest efforts
to promote schooling for special
needs children.
She will put her educational
background and experience to
work for the Siuslaw District.
When you read her list of goals
and issues she wishes to address,
you will see a lady who is not afraid
of challenges.
Please, vote for Maureen Milten-
berger; our schools and students
will truly benefit from her leader-
ship.
—Jennifer White
Florence
COVID facts worth noting
Unfortunately, COVID-19 has
been a dangerous disease — but
also the most political for politi-
cians and the press.
Let’s take a look at just the num-
bers supplied by the CDC and Or-
egon Health Authority. Then you
make up your own mind.
State of Oregon (5/1/21):
• Oregon Population: 4,218,000
• Ore. Adult Population:
3,353,310
COVID-19 Data (5/1/21):
• Ore. Fully Vaccinated people:
1,190,912
• Ore. Partially (1 dose) Vacci-
nated people: 1,870,231
• Ore. People with positive cases:
185,621
• Ore. Pop with some immunity:
3,246,764
• Percent of U.S. popula-
tion with some immunity:
282.24M./332M or 77 percent
Above are the facts unless you
believe these numbers are fab-
ricated by states, CDC and the
federal government. We can draw
some conclusions (this is where
we may all disagree):
1) We are well past the middle of
herd immunity (usually from 40-
75 percent).
2) Those still catching COVID
have not been vaccinated and are
most likely between the ages of 18
and 45. Catching COVID is not
all bad at this stage because most
of these cases now are not deadly
and do give these people a natural
T-cell immunity. Many of these
folks do and did not intend to get
vaccinated.
3) It is really ignorant at this
point to close businesses and lock
down because 77 to 85 percent of
people have some immunity. It
would be better and more scientif-
ic to keep things open and those
with no immunity to wear masks,
stay at home, etc.
4) It is up top you to protect
your life and to feel comfortable,
so wear a mask, social distance,
etc., as you see fit. But please do
not get upset with others who do
not wish to do so as they have their
rights as well.
—Tim Salisbury
Florence
The Siuslaw News welcomes letters to the editor
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 in-
clude full name, address and phone number; only
name and city will be printed. Letters should be
limited to about 300 words. Letters are subject to
editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publica-
tion of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on
space available and the volume of letters received.
Letters that are anonymous, libelous, argumen-
tative, sarcastic or contain accusations that are un-
sourced or documented will not be published.
Letters containing poetry or from outside the Siu-
slaw News readership area will only be published 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 accurate,
fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hear-
say; and 3) Explain the reasons to support candi-
dates based on personal experience and perspective
rather than partisanship and campaign-style rhet-
oric.
Candidates themselves may not use the letters to
the editor column to outline their views and plat-
forms or to ask for votes; this constitutes paid politi-
cal advertising.
As with all letters and advertising content, the
newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publisher,
general manager and editor, reserves the right to re-
ject any letter that doesn’t follow the above criteria.
Email letters to:
nhickson@thesiuslawnews.com
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