Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 1, 2021)
4A | WEDNESDAY EDITION CHANTELLE MEYER , EDITOR | SEPTEMBER 1, 2021 Siuslaw News P.O. Box 10 Florence, OR 97439 | 541-902-3520 | CMEYER @ THESIUSLAWNEWS . COM Opinion The First Amendment Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibit- ing the free exercise thereof; or abridg- ing the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people peace- ably to assemble, and to petition the Government 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 Chantelle Meyer Front Office For Advertising: ext. 318 Publisher, ext. 318 Editor, ext. 314 541-997-3441 For Classifieds: ext. 310 DEADLINES: Wednesday Issue—General news releases, Monday noon; Classified line ads, Monday 10 a.m.; Legal Notices and Display Ads, Friday noon. Saturday Issue—General news releases, Thursday noon; Classified line ads, Thursday 10 a.m.; Legal Notices and Display Ads, Wednesday 5 p.m. NEWSPAPER SUBSCRIPTION RATES: In Lane County — 1-year, $84; 6-month , $61; 3-month subscription, $37.50; Out of Lane County — 1-year, $107; 6-month, $74; -month subscrip- tion, $50; E-Edition Online Only (Anywhere) — 1-year, $65; 6-month, $35; 3-month, $15. Ask about our senior discounts. Mail subscription includes E-Edition. Website and E-Edition: TheSiuslawNews.com Siuslaw News Office: 148 Maple St./PO Box 10 Florence, OR 87439 LETTERS (Editor’s Note: View- point submissions on these and other topics are always welcome as part of our goal to encourage community discussion and exchange of perspectives.) Unconscionable Decision As a longtime resi- dent of Dune City, I was very disappointed to read about the city council’s re- action to Councilor Bob Orr’s very reasonable sug- gestion on mask proto- cols for in-person council meetings. Since all public school and other civic admin- istrators are willing to wear protective masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is uncon- scionable that our local elected officials would re- fuse to do likewise. — Mike Babcock Florence What Will You Do? To the “medical free- dom” protesters and the anti-vaccine community: What will you do — what will you do when you or a loved one gets the virus (and you will)? Will you buy some ani- mal dewormer, or will you call 911 and ask the ER doctor if it’s not too late to get vaccinated as they put you on a ventilator? The state’s healthcare system is collapsing be- cause of you. People are going to die or be financially wiped out (perhaps you will be one of them). So when your lungs fill up with fluid because of your “freedom,” don’t call the overburdened hospi- tal — call hospice. If that seems extreme, I have some skin in this game. My daughter is the head of an ICU unit in the only hospital in a county in this state, and she has been the last human con- tact for dozens of people exactly like you — peo- ple dying convinced that COVID-19 doesn’t exist. It has affected her phys- ically, mentally and emo- tionally, same with her staff, same with every healthcare worker in this country. So fine, don’t get vacci- nated — just don’t ask for help when you get sick. — Edward Gunderson Florence Why I Support Public Over For Profit When it Comes to Ambulance Service in Western Lane County for the district. Since its inception, the board has established high goals and service expectations. Meeting those expec- tations is not free. It requires an in- vestment in both people and equip- While I have been on the Board ment. WLAD works to attract and retain of Directors for Western Lane Am- bulance District (WLAD) for the last 16 years, this letter represents Guest Viewpoint my opinion, not that of Western Lane Ambulance District or its By Mike Webb Board of Directors. Community Member Currently, WLAD collects property taxes to help support the emergency medical service (EMS) highly skilled employees to serve the needs of Western Lane County. The people of the district. The district’s total amount is $0.77 per $1,000 tax pay scale is on par with other Ore- assessed value. Last year, WLAD gon Public agencies that provide fire taxes accounted for 7% of my prop- and paramedic services. It needs to be to attract and retain the quality erty tax bill. WLAD’s service area is large. It our taxpayers expect. In addition, employees participate runs from the Lincoln County line to the north to Douglas County line in ongoing training programs and to the south. To the east, we service take advantage of opportunities of- beyond Swisshome and Deadwood fered to improve skills and advance on Highway 36, and to milepost 26 certifications. This encourages the on Highway 126. Switching to pri- some of the very best to come to vate for-profit ambulance service work for WLAD, and to stay. As a result of extensive training, might reduce our property tax bill a the majority of Western Lane’s Para- little, but what would we lose? The district is governed by a medics are certified as Critical Care board of directors elected from our Paramedics, which meets Peace- local area to represent the citizens of Health standards for transporting high-risk patients to RiverBend in the district. Private ambulance services are Springfield, Ore. With taxpayer as- privately owned and operate to sistance, the district is also provid- make a profit. They are not locally ed modern, well-maintained am- controlled by the people of the dis- bulances and additional lifesaving equipment, tools considered neces- trict. With local control, we can re- sary to the quality expectations of spond to changing demands of our taxpayers. With the assistance of your tax the community. Would a private, for-profit entity be as responsive? dollars, the District is also able to Would they make decisions related maintain staff at levels needed to to staffing levels, equipment and the cover expected demand, even when like based on the need of the com- the demand doesn’t meet “prof- munity, or on their need to make a it” expectations. Normally, WLAD staffs three ambulances 24 hours a profit? The WLAD Board of Directors day, 7 days a week. If it’s quiet, staff provides management oversight and remains in place and dedicated to establishes goals and expectations responding when the need arises. (Editor’s Note: Viewpoint submis- sions on this and other topics are al- ways welcome as part of our goal to encourage community discussion and exchange of perspectives.) Our district is somewhat unique- when calls come in; they tend to come in bunches. Sometimes three ambulances aren’t enough. There are times when the district has five calls at once. Working closely with Siuslaw Valley Fire and Rescue, we have access to additional resources that help maintain service levels even during periods of extreme demand. In 2020, our response time met standard of cover expectations, an industry response time measure- ment, 98% of the time. A nearby private ambulance provider met the same standard of cover expectations less than 80% of the time during the same period. Serving to this level may cost more, but I strongly be- lieve it helps save lives. Western Lane also serves the out- lying areas of Mapleton, Deadwood, Swisshome and beyond. The up- river areas have volunteer fire de- partments with no full-time staff. WLAD works with the volunteers to provide training to help with them with initial medical response, but they still depend on WLAD to pro- vide medical treatment and trans- port. Calls to the outlying areas of the district stretch resources, tak- ing medics away from the popula- tion centers for extended periods of time. Our taxpayer dollars help the district cover the service area and help save lives. I would like to find a way to dedicate more service to the upriver communities. Would a for-profit ambulance be able to cover the outlying areas? Would it cause an undue burden on the volunteer fire departments? I’m not in favor or privatizing the ambulance service. Personally, pay- ing under $200 in annual property taxes to assure me and my family that we will have quality emergency medical service seems like a pretty good deal. Office Hours: Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday: 8 a.m. to noon Letters to the Editor Policy The Siuslaw News welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Viewpoints as part of a community discussion of issues on the local, state and national level. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received. Email letters to cmeyer@thesiuslawnews.com To be considered for publication: Letters must address pertinent or timely issues of interest to our readers at-large. In addition: • Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Siuslaw News cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Authors should ensure any information is ac- curate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hearsay, and include sources where possible. • Letters have a suggested 300-word limit and may be edited for grammar and clarity. • Authors must sign their full name and include their street address (only city will be printed), as well as a daytime phone number and/or email address for verifi- cation. The person who signs the letter must be the ac- tual author. Siuslaw News does not accept anonymous Letters to the Editor. • Siuslaw News will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poet- ry, open letters, letters espousing religious views with- out reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters also may not be part of letter-writing campaigns. • Writers are limited to one published letter every two weeks. To submit to the Siuslaw News: Emailed submissions are preferred. All letters need to include full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. The newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publish- er and editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above criteria. 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