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WEDNESDAY EDITION | JUNE 16, 2021 | $1.00
THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM
Siuslaw News
Celebrating the Class of 2021
Siuslaw News
NEWS &
VIEWS THAT
DEFINE OUR
COMMUNITY
F
or the senior
classes of
Mapleton and
Siuslaw high schools,
last weekend marked
a milestone as the
community came
together to honor
student accomplish-
ments and celebrate
the commencement
of the Class of 2021.
VOL. 131, NO. 48
J UNE 16, 2021
F LORENCE , O REGON
WEATHER
Photos by
Mark Brennan,
Zeahna Young
& Chantelle Meyer
Siuslaw News
Sunshine with
a high of 68 and a
low of 50.
Full forecast on A3
See more graduation
pictures on page 9A
Mapleton’s
Siuslaw High School honors Seniors graduate
with community support
94 in graduating class
COMMUNITY
By Chantelle Meyer
Siuslaw News
On Friday, June 11, more than 70
Siuslaw seniors filed into the high
school gym for their last proces-
sional as high school students. The
ceremony was a little different this
year, with a masked audience, chairs
placed six feet apart and a reduced
number of guests. However, more
than 800 people were able to view
the event through a livestream host-
ed by KCST/KCFM Coast Radio and
available to view on YouTube.
Commentary throughout the cer-
emony was provided by Bob Sned-
don, a member of Siuslaw School
Board and radio host, and Steven
Moser, high school counselor.
Local groups award
scholarships
INSIDE — A3
SPORTS
Siuslaw teams
defeats Falcons
INSIDE — B
“This is just a very great group
of students,” Moser said. “I know I
say it every year, but this particular
group is very special and I will miss
them.”
Sneddon announced the grad-
uates as they walked into the gym
and under the balloon arch with the
school colors. The students wore
the traditional graduation regalia,
along with facemasks required for
indoor gatherings under safety re-
quirements of the COVID-19 pan-
demic.
“I feel they’re all happy to be here,
but occasionally you’ll see one of
them walking down the aisle and
you can tell when they have a huge
smile on their face,” Sneddon said.
See SIUSLAW page 6A
By Chantelle Meyer
Siuslaw News
On Saturday, June 12, the Maple-
ton High School Class of 2021 held
an in-person graduation ceremony
outdoors on the football field. Nine
seniors gathered, with family and
friends seated in the bleachers, be-
fore taking their final walks as stu-
dents on campus.
“If I had to pick one thing that
came out of the pandemic that was
a positive, it’s that graduation was
outdoors,” said Mapleton Superin-
tendent Jodi O’Mara. “It was beauti-
ful and the seniors graduated! It just
had such a positive, community vibe.”
People were able to sit in the
stands or at marked overflow areas
to listen to the event, which was
also livestreamed on YouTube.
“They were just there to celebrate
the seniors,” O’Mara said.
At the start of the ceremony, the
students entered the field in small
groups. Senior Emily Stevens gave
the welcome and led the attendees in
the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag.
Then, Senior Jordan Simington
gave her salutatorian address.
“First off, I would like to thank all
of you for joining us today to cel-
ebrate this major achievement,” she
said. “You all have held an impact-
ful position in our lives since we
were children. Every one of you has
taught us new things and helped us
reach important milestones.”
See MAPLETON page 9A
Flag Day ‘honors the American spirit’ Warmer, dryer
Florence community
trends point
resumes Flag Day
to fire risks
ceremonies
June 15 was final day
for outdoor burning
in Lane County
Story & Photo
By Mark Brennan
Siuslaw News
@S IUSLAW N EWS
T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM
The community, including veterans from the American Legion
and Disabled American Veterans, as well as members of Florence
Elks Lodge #1858, participated in a number of events Monday
recognizing June 14 as Flag Day.
S IUSLAW N EWS
2 S ECTIONS | 24 P AGES
C OPYRIGHT 2021
the U.S. on all federal govern-
ment buildings during that time.
The day is in observance of
when the first version of the
American flag was adopted, less
than a year after the 13 colonies
declared their independence
from England, on June 14, 1777.
The American flag has been
modified over the years as more
states were established. Since its
adoption, the flag has become a
symbol of freedom, justice and
hope for Americans and millions
of others around the world.
There have been 27 versions of
the Flag and the current version
was created by 17-year-old Robert
G. Heft, as a class project for which
he received a B-. His design was
chosen by a special commission
See FLAGS page 6A
Y
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Fire season has arrived and with
drought conditions in several areas
of the state, fire authorities are wor-
ried this summer may see more in-
tense burns.
The season came as early as May 15
this year for some areas of Southern
and Central Oregon, such as Klamath,
Jackson, Josephine and Lake coun-
ties. It was also declared in Prineville
and as far north as The Dalles, mak-
ing it the earliest start in 40 years.
The Oregon Department of For-
estry declared the start of the fire
seasons due to fuel conditions, lack
of spring rains, extreme drought and
continuous fire activity.
On June 15, the Lane Regional Air
Protection Agency (LRAPA) issued
a burn ban in Lane County.
See BURN page 5A
at
Listings & notices
Inside — B6
By Damien Sherwood
For the Siuslaw News
us
CLASSIFIEDS
On June 11, U.S. President Jo-
seph Biden proclaimed June 14 as
Flag Day, within a National Flag
Week.
“I encourage the people of the
United States to observe with
pride and all due ceremony those
days from Flag Day through In-
dependence Day, set aside by
the Congress (89 Stat. 211), as a
time to honor the American spir-
it, to celebrate our history and
the foundational values we strive
to uphold, and to publicly re-
cite the Pledge of Allegiance to
the Flag of the United States of
America,” he stated in his procla-
mation.
The U.S. Congress first desig-
nated June 14 as Flag Day in 1949.
At the time of passage, Congress
further requested that the presi-
dent issue an annual proclama-
tion calling for public observance
and for the display of the flag of
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iuslawL
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