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About The Siuslaw news. (Florence, Lane County, Or.) 1960-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 2021)
SN THESIUSLAWNEWS.COM | WEDNESDAY EDITION | SEPTEMBER 8, 2021 | $1.00 Come in between September 8th and 16th to pick up your Envelope! 1745 W 15th St – Florence 541-991-3457 Siuslaw News Siuslaw News NEWS & VIEWS THAT DEFINE OUR COMMUNITY VOL. 131, NO. 72 S EPTEMBER 8, 2021 F LORENCE , O REGON WEATHER Partly sunny with a high of 64 and a low of 51. Full forecast on A3 COMMUNITY Your Surprise Deal Might Be: • 15%, 20%, 30% or 40% off your favorite item • $25, $50 or $100 Gi� Card • $5 or $10 DISCOUNT TOWARDS YOUR ENTIRE PURCHASE • Free Gi� ! Return your un-opened envelope and win one of many prizes! September 17th to October 1st – 10-5pm Mon-Sat Inside — C Market continues to grow through fourth season By Mark Brennan Siuslaw News The Florence Farmers Market continues to grow as its fourth sur- prisingly successful season winds down. The market has established itself among Florence consumers as a place where they can go to pur- chase locally grown, healthy pro- duce and food stuffs. This year, the market has success- fully incorporated state masking and social distancing regulations while operating their normal hours, from 3 to 6 p.m. on Tuesday after- noons from May to October. During the first year of the pan- demic, Florence Farmers Market safely provided the local community with an outdoor location to get fresh produce, baked goods, meats, eggs, Oregon to redistrict due to population increase fish and prepared foods. Last year’s drive-through model was able to return to an in-person market this summer. According to Market Manager Lia Rousset and Board President Mary Shaw the weekly average attendance during the peak season has been 500 shoppers. Funding from Western Lane Community Foundation also sup- ported the Supplemental Nutri- tional Assistance Program (SNAP) for the season. This program helps supplement monthly food budgets of families with low-income to buy the food they need to maintain good health. The market has been able COURTESY PHOTO to increase the buying power of the (From left) Florence Farmers Market Board President Mary Shaw program through Double Up Food and Market Manager Lia Rousset show the large capacity that the Bucks. market’s new wagons can carry. See MARKET page 6A LABOR DAY 2021 Siuslaw School Board prepares for public comment By Mark Brennan Siuslaw News City, FEC offer free meal at Miller Park INSIDE — A3 SPORTS Bowling alley closes in Florence INSIDE — B RECORDS Obituaries & response logs Inside — A2 TV GUIDE Inside — B3-B4 KIDS CORNER Activities for kids Inside — B5 CLASSIFIEDS Listings & notices Inside — B6 FOLLOW US FOR THE LATEST NEWS : /S IUSLAW N EWS @S IUSLAW N EWS T HE S IUSLAW N EWS . COM ‘We’re going to be listening’ The completion of the 2020 census and the anal- ysis of the data gathered from across the nation, and in Oregon, will be used for a number of purposes, includ- ing distribution of federal and state funds, assistance to the disadvantaged and, per- haps most impactfully, the redrawing of congressional districts. The process of redistrict- ing is constitutionally man- dated and the deadlines for incorporating the new popu- lation data was extended due to the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. The process of publicly discussing redistricting be- gan on Friday, Sept. 3, when the Oregon Legislature re- leased an initial redistricting draft plan. On that day, the state also held a statewide virtual forum to begin the process of determining ac- curate voter representation for the next 10 years. Article I, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution stipulates See DISTRICT page 5A By Chantelle Meyer Siuslaw News PHOTOS BY MARK BRENNAN/SIUSLAW NEWS Monday, Sept. 6, was Labor Day. In Florence, local Kiwa- nians and volunteers put out flags in honor of the contri- butions and achievements of American workers. Visitors kept local merchants busy, even while some restaurants and businesses were closed. In addition, new seating at the Port of Siuslaw docks is now open outside Novelli’s Seafood. A special meeting of the Siuslaw School District Board of Directors will be held Wednesday night specifically to accept public comment. This meeting was rescheduled from Sept. 1 and moved to better ac- commodate in-person and written comments. Siuslaw School Board Chair Bob Sneddon said, “It was intended to be a postponement, because we were concerned about the dramatic increase in COVID cases. So that’s why we’re doing it outside.” The meeting will be held at the Hans Peterson Memorial Field/South Grandstands, 2525 Oak St., on Sept. 8, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Masks will be required for in-person attendance, and the event will be lives- treamed through YouTube See MEETING page 5A Siuslaw welcomes new school district staff for 2021-22 By Chantelle Meyer Siuslaw News S IUSLAW N EWS 2 S ECTIONS | 24 P AGES C OPYRIGHT 2021 On Sept. 1, Siuslaw School Dis- trict held an all-staff meeting to kick off the 2021-22 school year, which began Tuesday with the first day back for sixth and ninth graders. The first day of school for the entire district is today, Sept. 8, with kinder- garten starting Sept. 9. The staff members gathered at the Siuslaw High School Grandstands on the football field. At the all-staff meeting, Siuslaw Superintendent Andrew Grzesko- wiak introduced some changes to the administrations of some of the buildings. This year, the Siuslaw El- ementary principal will be Amy Flo- ra, who joins Vice Principal Leonard Ulrich. The leadership at Siuslaw Middle will remain the same, with Principal Andy Marohl and Assis- tant Principal Nathan Green. Siu- slaw High School gained Principal Michael Harklerode and Assistant Principal Bev Scott, who join Assis- tant Principal Garth Gerot. “There’s a bit of hope at the school,” Grzeskowiak said. “It is nor- mal operations for the first time in a year and a half, having most every- body back together, and really mov- ing forward. We’ve got some great new staff coming on across all the buildings. It’s going to be a positive year. I think having everybody here, every day, is going to be good.” Other new staff members are also joining the district. Siuslaw Elementary New Staff • Angela Leverich, third grade teacher • Savannah Miller, first grade teacher • Chris Newlan, second grade teacher • Julie Steyding, licensed clinical social worker • Jessica Vasquez, kindergarten teacher • Alexandria Wachtel, first grade teacher • Wendy York, secretary • Janette Sapienza, secretary • Kristopher Keppol, educational aide See STAFF page 8A Get a COVID vaccine, get a $50 Visa card. Offer only available at Lane County Public Health vaccine clinics. Limited time offer. LaneCounty.org/COVIDvaccine