Hundreds take home holiday food baskets
The line of cars went almost out of sight Dec. 14 as hundreds of people arrived at Siuslaw Middle School to fill food baskets, compliments of Sorpotimist International of Florence. The 50th Annual Christmas Food Basket Project giveaway provided food for 459 families, or over 2,200 people, according to a post on Soroptimist’s social media.
“Each year, the Soroptimist International of Florence Club purchases the food that is distributed with the help of monetary donations from local organizations and individuals,” the post stated. “For the 2024 giveaway, the food totaled approximately $40 000. Nearly
all the food was given away on Saturday, with any leftover food being taken to Florence Food Share. It takes the community to make this event possible.”
The post thanked 21 local business for their help, and said that over 100 volunteers came together at the donation site to direct traffic, load baskets, fill boxes, accept donations and simply spread good holiday wishes.
Donations to the food basket program can be sent to Soroptimist of Florence (SI Florence) at PO Box 1209, Florence, OR 97439
Please note on the donation check that it is for the Christmas Basket Project. Monetary contributions may be tax deductible.
Giving tree brightens teens’ holiday
By TONY REED Siuslaw News
Sutton Lake Fire Station’s engine bay overflowed with holiday colors and sounds Dec. 19 as presents were passed out to 49 area teenagers.
The Giving Tree is a program founded by Vicki Ambrosio which compiles the names of teens in the Sutton Lake area before Christmas. Through her work, community donations and the help of others, the effort culminates into a party at the fire station where stacks of
See GIVING, Page A8
Oregon Coast UFO sightings gain national attention
Objects remain unidentified
By TONY REED Siuslaw News
While much of the country has been hearing the news, rumors and outcry about drones
in the northeast, some unusual reports from the Oregon Coast have also come to light. An oftcited recording of pilots communicating with control towers in Oregon and Washington disclosed reporting of fast moving flying objects, one of
which was said to be directly over Florence on Dec. 7. The recording went public Dec. 8 on the Avocado Flight Youtube channel and has attracted the attention of media and others
See UFO, Page A8
Oceanside Veterinary Hospital to close
Other local vets not taking pets
By TONY REED
One of two local veterinary clinics in Florence will be closing at years end, unless a qualified veterinarian would like to buy/operate an already established office with an extensive client list, built-in housing and state-of-the art veterinary equipment.
Dr. Jon Bachmann will be retiring for medical reasons, closing the doors at Oceanside Veterinary Clinic on Dec. 31
Manager Michael John Kello says the company has been trying to find a qualified candidate to buy the business, but has been unable to find anyone. He said the loss of a veterinary clinic in a town where almost everyone has a pet will cause great difficulty for the community. It will also impact the clinic’s eight employees.
Kello noted that Florence has another veterinary clinic with a couple doctors, but said they cannot take on more pets at this time.
“You’d need to go to Eugene, Coos Bay, Newport or Veneta,” he said. “Some of them are taking clients, it’s just a matter of how many. It’s a crisis for the community.”
He said Oceanside has an overflowing client list, but will still have to close Dec. 31
Kello said the business would certainly be profitable for anyone to take over, especially if the new owner could offer some weekend and emergency service.
Kello estimated that most college graduating vets will go to work for a larger company, rather than own a clinic. He added that while Florence offers a coastal lifestyle, it’s more suited for retirement and doesn’t offer amenities that appeal to younger people.
“By the time vets want to come to Florence, they’re retired,” he said. “I think we have two or three retired vets in the area so it’s a catch 22 Unless we get someone who is already here or has an affinity to the area, it’s hard to find someone.”
Kello noted that the twofold
See VET, Page A8
SIUSLAW NEWS STAFF
As seen from the Cape Perpetua overlook, weather on the Lane County Coast has been rainy and cloudy. Using an open shutter camera, moving lights on the ground are clearly visible but nothing could be seen in the skies around 9 p.m., Dec. 14.
A roomful of teens enjoyed gifts, company and pizza at the Giving Tree party Dec. 19. Tony Reed photos
Vicki Ambrosio hands out gifts to teens at the event.
Merkley Monthly: 2024 Accomplishments for Oregonians
As 2024 draws to a close, I’m reflecting on what my team and I accomplished over the past year to give families across Oregon and around the country the foundations they need to thrive. Here are a few highlights important to Oregon’s coastal communities. As Oregon’s representative on the committee that funds the federal government, I secured critical funding for wildfire relief and 139 homegrown community-initiated projects across our state. These investments address local priorities up and down the Oregon Coast and beyond, including $1 million for Tillamook County’s project to build out broadband infrastructure and increase services to homes, and $4 million headed to the City of North Bend to construct affordable housing.
I also fought for vital infrastructure projects, including $54 million for Port of Coos Bay’s transformative container port project and many other investments to rebuild and strengthen our roads, bridges, and ports. It’s projects like these that will boost our economy, create good-paying union jobs, and keep our communities connected.
In addition, I held the first Congressional hearings on dangerous plastic pollution choking our waterways and oceans, littering our land and beaches, and harming everyone’s health. I also spearheaded the
comprehensive Break Free from Plastic Pollution Act. Not only that, I shone a light on the salmon-killing chemical called 6PPD and championed the end to importing and manufacturing asbestos, both of which the EPA took action to address.
We had a lot to celebrate in Oregon, too. After working alongside Tribes and stakeholders for 16 years, I celebrated the removal of four Klamath River dams, which was the largest dam removal project in our country’s history. A vast stretch of the Klamath River is flowing free for the first time in generations, and the salmon have returned and spawned!
In July, I successfully pushed state and federal agencies fighting wildfires in southern and western Oregon to renew their agreement on the Western Oregon Operating Plan—known as the WOOP—that boosts coordination, cooperation, and preparedness.
And the Senate unanimously adopted my bipartisan National Pollinator
Albatross Records
Week resolution. I also helped secure more funding for conservation efforts that reaffirm our commitment to protecting critical pollinators, including the Western Monarch Butterfly.
My amazing Constituent Services team continued to help hundreds of Oregonians with delayed Social Security and disability benefits, delayed visas, mail delivery snafus, and many other issues—including working tirelessly to secure transportation to Oregon for Palestinian children needing vital medical care.
And I created the Oregon Treasures Quest— encouraging folks to get out and enjoy all of the beauty and wonder that our state has to offer, with sites to visit in each of Oregon’s 36 counties, from Marion to Malheur. Keep an eye out for the 2025 Oregon Treasures Quest coming next year and prepare to hit the road!
These are just a few of 24 major accomplishments in 2024, and you can watch my video recap of all of them on my YouTube channel.
Thank you all for being partners in making Oregon—and our world—a better place.
Whether you call my office, write in, or attend one of the 36 town halls I hold in each of Oregon’s counties every year, your input guides my work in the Senate. In 2025, let’s keep working together to build a brighter future.
DONI JOYCE BROCK-WALLER
Doni, loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and partner, was born May 1st in 1947 Early on in her life she moved to Oregon and later Florence in 1975 and made herself a home here until her passing on June 29th, 2024. She was married for 16 years and had three sons, Kyle (Bob), Chris and Tod, one daughter, Tracy and later welcomed a stepson, Nathan, into her life. She worked for the State of Oregon Human Resources from April 1980 to July 2010 when she retired as a case aid in the Florence Office. She enjoyed spending her free time reading, gardening, painting, and attending school activities for her children and grandchildren before she passed. You could find her doing crossword puzzles and word related games at the dining room table after she retired. She also enjoyed following baseball, especially Ichiro and Griffey from the Seattle Mariners. She was preceded by her parents, Josie and Donald; her sisters Geneva and Wanda, and her brother (Don)ald Jr., and her two eldest sons Kyle (Bob) and Chris. She is survived by her partner Jeff, her youngest children Tod and Tracy, and her stepson Nathan
as well as her grandchildren Shyann, Hannah, Justin, Emma, Jeffrey and Spencer, and great-grandchildren Wilder, Sawyer and Everett. She passed peacefully in her sleep in her home.
SHEILA DAWN TAYLOR HUPALO
Sheila Dawn Taylor Hupalo, age 81, beloved wife, mother, and friend, passed away at home in Florence, Oregon, on December 9 2024, surrounded by her family and a few of her closest friends. She was born on September 22 1943 in Callicoon, Sullivan County, New York, to John Thomas and Margaret Barbara (Power) Taylor. Sheila spent her early years in Kenoza Lake, New York. Her brother and only sibling, Tom, was born when she was 12 years old. With the exception of a few short years, she attended Jeffersonville-Youngsville Central School, where she formed cherished, lifelong friendships and graduated high school. In 1979, Sheila embarked on a westward journey that would take her from her beloved Sullivan County, New York, to Utah and Nevada. Sheila married her devoted
husband Edward William Hupalo in 1981. Sheila and Ed’s life together was defined by their love and devotion to their adopted child McKenzie M. Hupalo. Aside from being a mother, Sheila worked in a variety of positions over the years, bringing passion and purpose to everything she did. Eventually they moved to the picturesque coastal town of Florence, Oregon. Sheila cherished her 35 years in Florence, where she found peace and beauty in the friendships, community, and surroundings she came to love deeply.
Sheila’s life was led by her profound faith and spirituality. Her loving, generous kindness and incredible sense of humor endeared her to everyone she met. She had a passion for cooking, baking and crafts especially when she could share them with family, friends, and acquaintances. She had a deep love for all her fourfooted friends and looked forward to seeing them again. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Sheila is survived by her husband of 43 years, Edward Hupalo; their son McKenzie; her brother Thomas Taylor and his wife Sheryl; her nephew Shawn Taylor; and niece Danielle (Brian) Bowe and their sons Benjamin and Theodore. According to Sheila’s wishes, she will be laid to rest near her deceased parents in her home town of Kenoza Lake, New York. A celebration of life with family and friends will be held in Florence, Oregon at a later date.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
This letter is written in order to express and detail concerns about Dunes City’s recent survey to the public. The survey was poorly designed and unscientific. It was rolled out quickly with numerous citizens reporting the website crashing or timing out before they finally gave up. It appears to have been done for a nontransparent outcome. It wasn’t sent to everyone and lacked appropriate notice for comprehensive participation. Such a survey should not be considered as representative of the majority of residents’ opinions on specific issues.
The results that have been shared with citizens appear to have been selected with bias (i.e., cherry picked to skew the complete data set). For example, citizens have repeatedly voiced concerns about short term rentals and that they do not support them, yet Dunes City claims that the results of the survey indicate that short term rentals are supported, regardless of many citizens’ public position on the topic. This unscientific survey should not be used in decision making regarding city planning and policy. To do so puts issues such as citizen’s property rights at risk,
Geneva Jackson Dunes City
WHAT IS A KAKISTOCRACY?
It is a government run by the worst, least qualified, and unscrupulous individuals. Nothing better describes the president elect and most of his cabinet nominees!
To name just a few:
• Conspiracy theorist Kash Patel, who has vowed to use the FBI to exact revenge on those Trump considers his enemies.
• For Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, with suspected ties to Russian president Vladimir Putin and former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
• Robert F. Kennedy for HHS: a man with no medical or scientific background who has made false or misleading claims about vaccines, fluoride, and raw milk.
• For Secretary of Defense: Pete Hegseth, a Fox & Friends host whose drinking concerned his coworkers. Hegseth was forced to leave previous positions with Veteran advocacy groups because of financial mismanagement and misconduct.
• For Secretary of Homeland Security: Kristi Noem, who has never worked in the department and has no law enforcement background.
It would appear the main qualification is not expertise. It is not loyalty to the constitution, but loyalty to an individual. I predict a future of voter remorse.
Terese Keller Florence
Health care, construction, helped Oregon gain 5,100 jobs in November
JEREMY C. RUARK County Media, Inc
Oregon’s seasonally adjusted nonfarm payroll employment gained 5 100 jobs, following a revised increase of 3 500 jobs in October, according to the Oregon Employment Department’s latest monthly report.
November’s gains were largest in health care and social assistance (+2 300 jobs); construction (+2,100); and professional and business services (+700).
JOB SURGE
Private health care and social assistance has been adding jobs very rapidly since June 2022 It expanded by 41,700 jobs, or 15 6%, during that 29-month period.
The fastest growing components during that time were social assistance (+17,800 jobs, or 27 0%) and nursing and residential care facilities (+9,400 jobs, or 19 3%). The other two component industries also added jobs, but grew less rapidly: hospitals (+6 800 jobs, or 11 9%) and ambulatory health care services (+10,200 jobs, or 10 7%).
Construction rebounded in November from a threemonth dip, returning the sector’s total employment to 117 500, about where it had been from July 2022 through August 2024
In the past 12 months, health care and social assistance (+17,500 jobs, or 6 0%) grew rapidly, while government (+6 900 jobs, or 2 2%) added the second most jobs.
DECLINES
In that time, only two major industries declined by 1 000 jobs or more: retail trade (-1,700 jobs, or -0 8%) and leisure and hospitality (-1,400 jobs, or -0 7%).
About half of the major industries were essentially flat over the year, with job changes of less than 1,200 in either direction.
RATE
EMPLOYMENT
Oregon’s unemployment rate was 4 1% in November and 4 0% in October and has consistently remained between 4 0% and 4 2% since October 2023
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4 2% in November and 4 1% in October.
In the Dec. 18 story about Siuslaw’s High School’s Basketball game against Reedsport, the Vikings were misnamed in a few instances. We apologize for any confusion caused by the mistake.
LETTERS POLICY
Letters to the editor should contain at most 300 words. The Siuslaw News reserves the right to edit, condense, or reject any letter to the editor. Letters published in The Siuslaw News will also be published online. Letters to the editor and guest columns must include your first and last name, city or town or residence, and phone number for verification purposes. Letters endorsing candidates or campaign issues must be received no later than
political parties. We try to restrict the printing of one submission per author per month. We do not publish anonymous
Dear Santa,
My name is Carter Jo, and I am 8 years old. I have been very nice! I can’t wait for Christmas! I hope you have the best Christmas! I want for Christmas a tablet, furby and Let’s Go Axolotl. Merry Christmas!
Love, Carter Jo
Dear Santa,
My name is Charlie, and I am 5 years old. I have been naughty & nice! I want to get something for Christmas, Jenga blocks, the big Paw Patrol fire truck. I will like a Santa Bluey. I will like a Bluey toy that is going to school with his friends every time, and Guess in the 10 game. And the Trouble game.
Love, Charlie
Dear Santa,
My name is Arlo, and I am 9 years old. I have been naughty & nice! I always kinda thoght you are not real anyway. I do have some Questions. What is your real name. How many reindeers do you have. What kind of cookies do you like. I only want four things from you because you work a lot. First a two drumsticks and a little candy and the rest you choose.
Love, Arlo
Dear Santa,
My name is McKinley and I am 8 years old. I have been very naughty & nice! Can I please have a puppy and a computer. And a cry baby puppy dog. I hope you have a great great great Christmas.
Love, McKinley
Dear Santa,
My name is Willow R. and I am 5 years old. I have been very nice. Happy Birthday Santa! Surprise! Thank you for giving my presents! For Christmas I want Pokemon, Balloons, lots of stocking stuff, I wish I had a teddy bear. Merry Christmas Jingle Bell! The clock is ticking Santa!
Love, Willow
Dear Santa,
My name is Nevaeh and I am 7 years old. I have been very naughty & nice. Can I please, pease have a Barbie Dream House. I hope you have a good ride.
Love, Nevaeh
Dear Santa,
My name is Ava L. and I am 9 years old. I have been very naughty & nice. I am very excited for Chrismas! Chrismas is my faverate holabay. For stofe I want for Chrismas: I want a kiten!!!! Candy, pastels, I also wont LOL dolls. And slime P.S. have a joly chrismas!
Love, Ava
Dear Santa,
My name is Alison Wright and I am 9 years old. I have been very naughty & nice.
Can I please please have a puppy and cat. A new bed sheet. I hope you have a good ride on your sleigh with your elves. I hope I can ride on the sleigh with you.
Love, Alison
Dear Santa,
My name is Matthew H. and I am 6 years old. I have been very naughty & nice.
Merry Christmas Santa, I want a remote control airplane, a monster truck RC that is fast, a hotwheel track with loopty-loops and I also want a drone that has a camera. Ohhh and a REAL phone that has games. I want a big boat!
Love, Matthew
Dear Santa,
My name is Hendrix T. and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. Make me an airplace please. Santa, give me a Titanic. My nick name is Henny. Please give me a crab plushy, a real one. Santa Santa Santa, please give me a Lamborghini. Santa please give me a new Sonic back pack.
Love, Hendrix
Dear Santa,
My name is Aurora H. and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. I want for Christmas is new pencils, a baby doll, water bottle, back pack, collect slime video game. I love you Santa.
Love, Aurora
Dear Santa,
My name is Julian and I am 8 years old. I have been very naughty & nice. I wish you a merry Christmas. I hope your elves don’t mess up the presents. Santa I would like for Christimas slime, an RC car. I would like mini figures, pokemon mini figures and a squishmallow stuffy.
Love, Julian
Dear Santa,
My name is Lucy A., and I am 8 years old. I have been very nice.
I really want a switch and a new ipad, new clothes. New stuffies and a teddy Bear, a new water bottle, a new bike. The clock is ticking!
Love, Lucy A.
Dear Santa,
My name is Forrest and I am 10 years old. I have been very naughty & nice. I’ve been mostly nice this year and I still very much want an alarm clock with easy instructions
Love, Forrest W.
Dear Santa,
My name is Ella T. and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. I love you Santa!
I really wish I could have a big stuffy bear, a tiny balloon, ,my mom a present, a hug from you! A ring.
RAY WELLS INC. 1770 Laurel Place • 541-997-2054 DEQ#37263 • CCB#91052
D.D.S.,P.C 1256 Bay St. • 541-997-3423
FLORENCE HEATING & SHEET METAL 1645 Kingwood St. • 541-997-2422 • CCB#64
FLORENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT 900 Greenwood St. * 541-997-3515
FLORENCE SAW SHOP 1550 Sixth St. • 541-997-2653
HUNT FAMILY DENTISTRY 950 Ninth St. • 541-997-7181 LOFY CONSTRUCTION LLC 1885 18th Street • 541-590-3691 • CCB#221760
OLD SCHOOL FURNITURE 1550 6th St. • 541-997-9424
PEST TECH EXTERMINATORS 509 Highway 101 • 541-997-3781
SIUSLAW NEWS 4969 Highway 101, #4 • 541-997-3441
SIUSLAW SCHOOL DISTRICT 2111 Oak St. • 541-997-2651
TRUE VALUE HARDWARE 1750 Highway 126 • 541-997-8024
Love, Ella
Dear Santa,
My name is Theresa S. and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. Merry Christmas. I want some balloons and some flowers please. I like you Santa. I like your clothes. I also want a tree house. I like your shoes. And I want a teddy bear.
Dear Santa,
Love, Theresa
My name is Basil C. and I am 5 years old. I have been very nice. Please give me a Taylor Swift Barbie. So I broke my headbands and need some new ones. I’m thankful for Santa, daddy and momma and my brothers.
Love, Basil C.
Dear Santa,
My name is Harlee S. and I am 5 years old. I have been very nice. I miss you! Thank you and Merry Christmas! You are the BEST! I want for Christmas a dolly, Papa Troll, Balloons – Balloon Toys, a baby kitten a tiny tiny one! I am thankful for my daddy and you santa!
Love, Harlee
Dear Santa,
My name is D’artanian E. and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. Happy Christmas to you. I will have cookies and milk waiting for you. I want a toy robot. Can I have a PS4 please.
Love, Dart
Dear Santa,
My name is Everly P. and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. For Christmas I want a iphone and ipad, a ipod, a whole size play kitchen, 10 hundred lollipops, a big stuffy, a furbie, a cat! Love you Santa!
Love, Everly
Dear Santa,
My name is Wesley E. and I am 7 years old. I have been very naughty & nice. For Christmas I want a monster truck, New Mr. Beast Toy – The tiger one, slime, squishy, a phone.
Thank you!
Wesley
Dear Santa,
My name is Ella B. and I am 8 years old. I have been very naughty & nice. I really want a train and a Rudolf the red nose reindeer toy and an invader zim toys and loud house stuffies and a teem titans go blanket and a paw patrol blanket and an alarm clock that rings real loud and tells the real time and a night light.
Love, Ella
Dear Santa,
My name is Dean W. and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. Thank you for all the presents! For Christmas I want a fish tank with fish! A phone and a shark squishmallow. Thank you,
Love, Dean
Dear Santa,
My name is Aaliyah C. and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. For Christmas I want a baby stroller, squishmallow, teddy bear, a family puzzle – because me and my family love puzzles, a barbie and a game. Thank you for giving us presents!
Love, Aaliyah
Dear
Santa,
My name is Reece K. and I am 7 years old. I have been very nice. Can I please have a vr set. Merry Christmas! How are your elfs? Maybe can you get me a stitch plushy that is wearing an elf costume.
Love, Reece
Dear Santa,
My name is Makenna and I am 8 years old. I have been very nice. Have a happy Christmas. For Christmas I want a Barbie Dream House, a phone holder and a doll.
Love, Makenna
Dear Santa,
My name is Maci H. and I am 5 years old. I have been very nice. Thank you Santa. Love you Santa. For Christmas I want a bike with no training wheels, a real computer, a stuffy cat and dog, a real dog and real cat, a star Christmas decoration for our tree, and a pet fish that lives in a tank. Love you Santa.
Love, Maci
Dear Santa,
My name is Odin and I am 6 years old. I have been very nice. I love you Santa. Thank you for the presents. Can I have a plushy and can I have another toy that will be a surprise. Thank you Santa. Can you get me a surprise plushy that is green, Can I have a white stuffy that is a baluga.
Love, Odin
Dear Santa,
My name is Kane and I am 7 years old. I have been very nice. I like when you say Ho Ho Ho, and I like you. I* like when you bring the reindeer with the red nose. For Christmas I want an RC truck. I want a night light and an Emeralds Sluggo stuffy and I want like a school house with a bus with it. I love you.
Love, Kane
Out of the mouths of babes
Christmas innocence found in the words of our children
This time of year, we are inundated with holiday-hype. This hysteria has reached such a high, that the anticipation must be far greater to our children than I remember it being in my youth. It’s grown so much that I tend to push back a bit, each year vowing not take part in any early shopping or decorating, but I am never able to accomplish that. I’m not the Grinch — I just like to do things on my schedule, how I’ve grown accustomed. And I’m not a
last-minute person either, so I guess I’ve found my holiday stride.
I love this time of year. This season, the rush to Christmas began much earlier. It seems like last week we were celebrating Halloween and handing out candy to trick-ortreaters.
When I was younger, we didn’t even think about Christmas prior to Thanksgiving. My mother would not put our tree up until around the 10th of December so we wouldn’t get too excited to early I suppose.
This year, I started seeing Christmas marketing well before Halloween. I don’t believe that trend will ever change either. One thing I do look forward to each year, is reading through the Letters to Santa that come into the office. We have published all the letters we’ve received. Children have a special in-
nocence when it comes to this time of year. Perhaps it’s through the heightened anticipation, but whatever the reason, it’s fun to see their excitement and read about that special day through their words.
Like, Kane who is seven years old. He writes, “ I have been very nice. I like when you say Ho Ho Ho, and I like you. I like when you bring the reindeer with the red nose.”
Kane, I share your love for jolly Old’ St. Nick and I’m glad you have been nice this year. I hope you find everything you want under the tree this year.
Or Julian who is eight years old and has had some ups and downs this year. Julian wrote, “I have been very naughty & nice. I wish you a merry Christmas. I hope your elves don’t mess up the presents. Santa I would like for Christmas slime, an RC
car. I would like mini figures, pokemon mini figures and a squishmallow stuffy. Julian, I bet the elves will get your order correct, because you sent your letter in time for the big day.
Finally, Ava who is nine years old. “I am very excited for Charismas! Christmas is my favorite holiday. For sure I want for Christmas: I want a kitten!!!! Candy, pastels, I also want LOL dolls. And slime P.S. have a jolly Christmas! Ava, I share your love for Christmas and this time of year.
If you have forgotten what a special time of year this really is, take a quick read through the Letters to Santa and you will quickly agree; Christmas is special, even for us older kids. Merry Christmas everyone! We hope this new year will bring us a little closer together and perhaps a little Christmas spirit will stay with us, until next year.
Joe Warren Chief Executive Country Media
“Say Cheese!”Mapleton students take on School photos
By HEIDI SUNDSTROM
For Mapleton students, school photos looked a little differently this year. For the first time in its 75-year history, school photos were done completely in house thanks to the students and staff of the Media PBL class.
For those who may be unfamiliar, Media PBL is one of six Project-Based Learning classes that were put in place at the start of last year. With an arsenal of professional camera and lighting equipment purchased last year through the Oregon GEAR UP grant, student photographers set up their own
portrait studio on two separate occasions to accommodate students and Staff from Pre-K to 12th grade (approximately 150 students in all).
“It was comforting to know that it wasn’t a stranger taking our photos but a familiar face,” Freshman Kai Betzer remarked.
For student photographers, it was a unique role being behind the camera and the ones quite literally calling the shots.
“I was nervous at first, then I realized how easy it was…and fun! As long as everyone’s happy with their photos, then I
feel good about it,” said student photographer and fellow Freshman, Kamdan Wilson.
As the photos get processed in class, parents and guardians should stay tuned for more information about ordering prints and also keep an eye out for current Yearbook order forms, yet another creative project that the Media PBL students are taking on. Other PBL classes include: Culinary, Construction, Gardening, Business and Electronics, with student-led projects at the root of each class.
To learn more about Mapleton’s PBL program, visit: https://www.mapleton.k12.or.us/?p=3832
Do you part and volunteer today to help support these organizations in our community.
Peace Harbor Volunteers
Want to make a difference in the community and make new friends? Do you have a few hours a month? If so, we would love to have you join the Volunteer Program at PEACEHEALTH
PEACE HARBOR MEDICAL CENTER. Opportunities are available both in and out of the Hospital setting. All training provided. Applications are available at the Lobby Volunteer Desk or the Gift Shop located in the Hospital at 400 9th Street, Florence, OR 97439.
Us Too Florence
Saving men one PSA test at a time. “Someone to talk to...who understands!” 541-997-6626 • 47maribob38@gmail.com www.ustooflorence.org
To include your organization in this directory, please call us @ 541-997-3441
ANCHOR OF HOPE CHURCH Live like Jesus, share His Love. 1318 Rhododendron Drive www.anchorofhopeflo.com Sunday Service 11am Livestream on Facebook @anchorofhopeflo BAHA’I FAITH OF FLORENCE Monthly Interfaith Devotions in-person & Zoom 4th Monday 7:00 pm “Ye are all leaves of one tree ...” -Baha’i Writings Join us on Facebook: Florence Baha’i Community For info and meeting location: 541-590-0779 ALL ARE WELCOME!
COMMUNITY BAPTIST CHURCH 4590 Hwy. 101 N, across from Fred Meyer541 997-7418
SUNDAY SERVICES - Adult Bible Study 9:30 AM; Worship 10:45 AM; High School Youth 7- 9 PM MID-WEEK- Women’s Bible Study-Tuesday 10:00-Noon and Thursday 7:00-8:00PM; Men’s Bible Study Thursday 8:00-9:30 AM; Middle School Youth Wed. 7-9 PM. Sunday Worship streams live at Community Baptist Church Facebook Page CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD Corner of 10th & Maple- 541-997-3533 Sunday 9am 1st Service in person Sunday 11am 2nd Service in person & Online Children’s Church (0yrs-12yrs) in person & Online Wednesdays at 7pm https://www.florencecrossroadag.org/church-online Other platforms update after the service. florencecrossroadag.org office@florencecrossroadag.org
FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH
Students in photos are Jacob Kinard and Averie Walker posing and Nox Allen behind the camera. Heidi Sundstrom photos
ALXE
BAUMHART AND JULIA SHUMWAY
Oregon Capital Chronicle
Editor’s note: The Capital Chronicle has launched a $10,000 end-of-year fundraising campaign to help us continue our first-class coverage next year. A lot is at stake, and there’s a long legislative session in 2025. We’re completely dependent on donor dollars, which are tax deductible. Please contribute to us if you can.
When wildfires popped up in central Oregon this summer, Ken Jackola, the mayor of Lebanon and vice president of Rick Franklin Corp. was quick to respond.
For months, his employees at the company’s headquarters in Lebanon near Salem provided equipment and helped build emergency roads and corridors for firefighters who faced a historic season. This year, Oregon faced more than 2,000 fires that scorched nearly 2 million acres, a new record. The season ended in October, but Jackola is still waiting for the Oregon Department of Forestry to reimburse all of his expenses.
“We’ve already paid payroll, fuel invoices for operations and all the other overhead that a business has to pay, and then we’re told by a state agency that they don’t have money to pay us back,” he said. “I don’t care what size company you are, $630,000 is still $630 000.”
His company is among many that have yet to be paid, prompting Gov. Tina Kotek to call a special legislative session Thursday to come up with $218 million to pay outstanding balances from the 2024 wildfire season.
Lawmakers voted 25-2 in the Senate and 42-2 in the House to pay that bill by sending $191 5 million to the state forestry
department and $26 6 million to the Office of the State Fire Marshal to cover payments like those owed to Rick Franklin Corp.
That money is about two-thirds of the entire cost this year, which totaled more than $350 million. While around half is expected to be reimbursed by federal agencies, the state agencies have to pay contractors for their work upfront while they wait, sometimes for a year or more, for federal reimbursement.
“For both agencies, basically, the fire season was expensive enough that we can’t float the money like we normally do,” said Joy Krawczyk, a spokesperson for the forestry department
‘ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE’
Lawmakers who voted for the funding, including Sen. Lynn Findley, R-Vale, said waiting to pay bills was “absolutely unacceptable.” Findley called for the head of the forestry department to resign before casting his vote.
“What we have done is put vendors on the hook for a lot of money,” Findley said. “They had to borrow money. They had to go into debt. And this is wrong. I did not know as a legislator, until the middle of November, about how bad this was.”
About a dozen uniformed firefighters were in the Capitol on Thursday to watch the Legislature act, watching from large screens in hearing rooms as lawmakers met in adjacent rooms. The House and Senate chambers were closed for construction, leaving lawmakers to sit shoulder-to-shoulder in hearing rooms on opposite ends of a long hall.
Sen. Fred Girod, R-Stayton, lost his home in the Santiam Canyon to
the Beachie Creek wildfire in September 2020
He told his colleagues that it was the most traumatic experience of his life, and that he misses what he lost — the flying squirrels who traveled around the home, a picture of the steelhead he caught when he was 5 years old and all the little touches he and his wife spent hundreds of hours working on to make it their perfect home.
“All that’s just gone,” he said. “And it really hurts that fire is such a low priority in this state that we can’t even afford to pay the contractors that we hired to fight fires.”
The $218 million will come from the state’s general fund — paid for by Oregon tax payments — despite state land making up less than 2% of the burned acres. More than one-third of all acres burned have been on private land — mostly in eastern Oregon grass and shrublands. About 64% was on federal land, according to the Wildland Mapping Institute. At least 42 homes and 132 other structures were burned.
Wildfire protection and costs in Oregon are generally split between private and public landowners and the state’s general fund. But the money paid by private landowners, via a pot of money they fund through fees, is capped at $10 million once costs for any wildfire season exceed $20 million. This year, Oregonians through the general fund will pay more than 14 times as much for the fire season than private landowners.
VOTE AGAINST
Rep. Paul Holvey, D-Eugene, has voted against most fire funding proposals in the past decade and voted against the funding measure Thursday. He said he disagrees with the state’s history of paying to fight
wildfires and protect communities out of the state’s general fund, which leaves less money from education, public safety and transportation.
“It is time that these large forest landowners pay for the wildfire on their own lands, like most all of us do,” Holvey said.
Along with Holvey, Republican Sens. Dennis Linthicum of Beatty and Brian Boquist of Dallas and Rep. James Hieb, R-Canby, voted against the proposal.
In September, the Legislature’s Emergency Board allocated $47 5 million to the forestry department and fire marshal’s office to cover some outstanding costs.
The Department of Forestry then asked the state Treasury for a $60 million loan in October but the Treasury turned that down, according to reporting from Willamette Week.
Paying for the increased costs of the longer and more expensive fire seasons associated with increasing drought and heat from climate change is a challenge the Legislature has sought for several years to address. It will hear in January from a wildfire cost committee that has spent the last year coming up with some ideas for sustainable wildfire funding.
So far the group — which includes politicians, state agency officials, lobbyists for the timber, ranching and agriculture industries, utility companies and county associations — has proposed a range of ideas for paying Oregon’s wildfire bills. They include new or increased taxes and fees — on insurers, campsites and timber, for example — or drawing money from the state’s “kicker” tax rebate. But none of the solutions appears to call on utility companies to contribute to the funding, despite
causing some of the costliest fires in state history in recent years, including the 2020 Labor Day Fires, which killed nine people, destroyed thousands of homes and were the most expensive in Oregon history, costing as much as $1 2 billion.
PUSH FOR MORE LOGGING
Republican lawmakers signalled that they’ll push to roll back logging restrictions, as they blame environmental regulations and reduced logging for worse fire seasons. Rep. Ed Diehl, R-Stayton, called for incoming President Donald Trump to “fix” the Endangered Species Act and Equal Access to Justice Act, which he said “created a lawsuit factory.”
“We’re not going to reduce wildfires by building electric car chargers,” Diehl said. “We’re not going to reduce wildfires by tearing out dams, and we will not reduce wildfires by building offshore wind farms. We will reduce wildfires by actively managing our lands, by selectively and sustainably harvesting, reducing our forest fuel loads and grazing our grasslands. We are stewards of these lands, not passive bystanders.”
Sen. Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles, said that the Legislature needs to allocate more money toward fighting fires so
Dance out 2024 at the Laughing Crab Gallery and Tasting Room, 1341 Bay Street, Florence. Featuring Eugene’s premier funk & soul band, SoulStruck! 7 p- 10 p with ball drop at 9 p. SoulStruck a high energy funk and soul group that makes it hard to not move. The core group has been together for over a decade and have performed a large variety of venues including clubs, festivals, wineries, & corporate events. Joanne Broh/ Vocals, Gerry Rempel/ guitar. Mike Hatgis/ Bass, Claudia Paige/ Drums, Linda Kanter/ Saxophone. Must be over 21 to attend.
lawmakers don’t find themselves in this same situation. He said lawmakers should have set aside extra money to wildland fire response when it had a high ending balance several years ago.
“We didn’t put enough money into the e-board,” he said, referring to the Legislature’s emergency board. “We didn’t have any money dedicated in the budget to address this need, and we should in the future.”
Rep. Dacia Grayber, a Tigard Democrat and the Legislature’s only firefighter, said knowing that Oregon faces hotter and drier weather and more fires keeps her up at night.
“We talk about this as a historic wildfire season,” Grayber said. “I think that we run the risk of this being our new normal.” https://oregoncapitalchronicle. com/2024/12/12/oregon-legislature-approves-218-million-in-additional-wildfire-funding-in-emergency-session/
Oregon Capital Chronicle is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Oregon Capital Chronicle maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Lynne Terry for questions: info@oregoncapitalchronicle.com.
nationwide.
The conversation begins with a Horizon Airlines pilot asking about any aircraft possibly positioned over the coast.
“Kinda some interesting lights out there, not satellites but maybe aircraft?” the pilot says, “It’s not satellites because they’re changing direction… It’s strange looking. I’ve seen
this a few times over the last month in the same area.”
Asked if he thought they could be Starlink satellites, he said no, adding that he had seen those before.
A medical pilot, flying N662LF, was asked for a more detailed description and said he saw what looked like an aircraft strobe, 22 miles away, at same altitude, that was also showing up on his TCAS (Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System) instruments.
He said it appeared to be moving north. Soon after, the pilot said he “just had another one show up, about my 1 o’clock, about 1,000 (feet) high, zipping toward us and then back out toward the ocean. It’s red… moving at extreme speeds.” he said. “I don’t even know how to describe how fast it’s moving.”
At that point, control gave the pilot permission to change course to avoid the object if necessary. Asked if he was able to film it, he said he was trying, but it kept zipping back and forth to over the ocean. Other descriptions were that the red spots were traveling
at supersonic or higher speeds, quickly changing direction and even flying “in a corkscrew pattern.”
A United Airlines pilot said he could see three or four objects at different altitudes “straight west of Eugene.”
At one point, pilots tried to reach Coast Guard stations in the area.
661LF updated the location, saying “it keeps zipping in to “just barely over Florence and then back out over the ocean.”
The pilot, Joe Buley, later spoke to several news stations and essentially repeated what he reported that night. At one point, he described the object
as “moving at extreme speeds,” saying, “I don’t even know how to describe how fast it’s moving.”
Pilots were given discretion to avoid the objects if needed.
US Coast Guard Station Siuslaw River Commanding Officer Chris Ouellette said personnel were aware of the reporting on the news but had not seen any such lights over the ocean.
AIR GUARD TRAINING
About a week later, the 142nd Wing of the Oregon Air National Guard announced it would conduct “routine F-15 night training missions” from Dec. 16-19
“Night training allows our Citizen-Airmen pilots based at the Portland Air
National Guard Base to stay current with mandatory Air Force requirements,” the notice stated.
“Night flying is conducted as an essential training requirement for nighttime maneuvers to support mission and contingency response. Training flights will be completed each evening before 10 p.m.” 142nd Wing Master Sgt. Steph Sawyer forwarded our inquiry to Air Combat Command but no reply was received by press time. It’s not known if any sightings made by Air National Guard will be made public. The Youtube video and audio can be found on the Avocado Flight channel entitled “Buzzed an Aircraft” “It’s on TCAS” | UFOs Spotted Over Oregon.”
Each teen left with a stack of presents
G iving
From Page A1
up this year,” she said, noting that many donations came in at the last minute.
presents are handed out.
Ambrosio said this year’s party hosted 49 teens, all of which received as much or more than they could carry.
She expressed prior concerns that the economy and inflation may affect donations but was pleasantly surprised.
“People really stepped
Vet
Ambrosio was grateful to the community and those who helped bring it together.
Noting that this was the 12th year of the Giving Tree, Ambrosio acknowledged the work of Kimmy Sample, who has been involved in every event.
More photos can be found on our website thesiuslawnews.com
From Page A1
problem consists of the
itself, as well
and
“Inside the building is all of the [equipment]. We have a brand new therapeutic laser which helps heal arthritis, relieve pain, heal incisions more quickly, it’s phenomenal. There are all the analyzer and of course, the client list. That would be the practice,” he said. “The real estate is the building which has an apartment upstairs, so if someone did buy… or even if we found a vet who didn’t want to buy, but would work… they could live right there.”
Noting how expensive housing can be in Florence, Kello added that the price of the property has recently been lowered to incentivize a sale.
“We just can’t find anyone which is shocking because it’s almost a turnkey operation,” he said, noting that the clinic has new computers, a new communication system, software and more.
Kello said he’s been speaking with Oregon Coast Humane Society and retired vet Steve Krome, about possible scenarios to save and staff the clinic.
Humane Society Director Elizabeth Thompson said she has been pushing for years to get at a couple more vets on the coast but it’s been extremely difficult.
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve found myself driving over to Eugene because of an emergency with one of our animals,” she said, also calling the situation a crisis. “The need is here and there’s no shortage of clients.”
To inquire about the veterinarian position or to share other related information, please email Kello at mkello@oceansidevetclinic.com
SPORTS & LIFESTYLE
A look at Siuslaw through six
Will LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
A little more than a quarter of the season is already done for Siuslaw basketball, and there’s still time for the Vikings to tune up for the all-important league segment of the season. With it being a 24-game season for both programs, let’s see how the teams did through their first six games and what it might mean for them going forward!
VIKINGS BOYS
BASKETBALL
This season, the Vikings started well in the early days of the season, starting 4-2. After starting the season 1-2 with losses to Taft and Elmira, the Vikings rebounded in fine form to go on a three-game win streak.
The offense clicked over that stretch, with the Vikings scoring more than 60 points in each of their wins against Reedsport, North Valley, and Waldport. In each of the team’s four victories, they’ve scored more than 60, while in the team’s two early season losses, they scored 38 and 43
The Vikings got a signature win against North Valley away in a tight 73-65 on Dec. 13. It was just a small bit of payback to a program whose football team knocked Siuslaw out of the state playoffs earlier this fall. One of the highlights of the three-game streak was the Vikings’ first home win of the season, which came in a drubbing of Waldport by a score of 64-34
At the time of writing, the Vikings are currently ranked #25 of 47 in OSAA’s 3A rankings. Last season, Siuslaw finished the season as the #26 ranked team with a 12-13 record and lost in the league playoff against Sisters 55-62
One of the significant staging events for the season will be the Bandon
Will LOHRE Country Media, Inc.
The Siuslaw High School wrestling season is in full swing, and Vikings Macali Lade and Jacob Mann have been on a tear this year, each winning multiple titles in their weight classes at early season tournaments.
The Vikings recently competed at the North Bend Coast Classic on Dec. 1314, a tournament that drew 38 girls wrestling programs and 41 boys teams. The Vikings sent six girls and five boys to the meet, and each team placed in the top half of programs at the tournament. The boys scored 47 5 points as a team, which was good for 19th, while the girls finished in 10th with 78 5 points.
Dunes Tournament from Jan. 1 - Jan. 4. Last season, Siuslaw finished the 2023 event with a 3-0 record.
They will hope to replicate last year’s success in Bandon this season.
This season also marks the first for Siuslaw in the Far West
Two of the big point drivers for Siuslaw were senior Macali Lade and Junior Jacob Mann, who each took home titles at the Coast Classic. Lade contributed 28 points to Siuslaw’s team, while Mann added 30 5 of the Vikings’ 47 5
LEVITATING LADE
Competing in the 120pound division, Lade went 4-0 on the weekend en route to a first-place finish. Lade bested Redmond junior Mia Pedersen in the final by a 6-3 decision. The win puts Lade at a perfect 7-0 for the year and adds another title to her mantle after she won her first going 3-0 at the Devon Dawson Memorial Tournament in Harrisburg on Dec. 6
In the lead-up to the final,
League, a transition from the Mountain Valley Conference. That means they will be playing the likes of South Umpqua, Sutherlin, Coquille, Douglas, and Glide.
Through the first six games, Siuslaw was the second-highest ranked in
Lade pinned Grants Pass senior Isabell Rees in 2:39 seconds. In the next round, Lade dispatched Crater freshman Bella McFall, pinning her in 1:22. In the semifinals, Lade won by a 13-7 decision over McNary freshman Solé Bartlemay, handing Bartlemay her first loss of the season.
The Coastal Classic was just a continuation of Lade’s impressive senior season, which has seen her start a perfect 7-0 and pin five opponents in those matches.
Other impressive performances from Siuslaw’s girls were turned in by senior Abby Riggs, who finished in second wrestling at 115 pounds, and senior Tosha Abraham, who finished fifth in the 125-pound division. The Vikings also sent Danin
the league, albeit based on non-league games. Siuslaw was also the highest-scoring team through its first six, scoring 354 points in that stretch.
VIKINGS GIRLS BASKETBALL
Though the Vikings
Lacouture, Molly Mills, and Hailey Turner to the event.
MASTERFUL MANN
On the boys side, Jacob Mann proved to be a handful for opponents in North Bend, as he took home the 215-pound division title, his second of the year. Mann put on a dominant display over the course of the competition, with two of his wins coming by pins in under a minute.
Mann’s first matchup came against Century junior Hussein Kamel, who he pinned in just 43 seconds.
Next, Mann took on Bend senior Logan Hartman in a bout that took 4:49 and was won by technical fall (15-0). After the grueling battle with Hartman, Mann once again put on a physical
earned their first win in over a year against Reedsport on Dec. 10 the following games have brought some tough sailing for Siuslaw. Siuslaw lost its two subsequent games against North Valley and
display, pinning Hidden Valley’s Mitchell Quist in 49 seconds.
In the final, Mann faced off with one of the other high seeds in the tournament. Mann came in as the 1-seed, and he faced 3-seeded Crater junior Travis Ege. In the end, the match was won by Mann by major decision, 20-7. It was yet another feather in the cap for Mann, who will look to continue his dominance as the season rolls along.
From my family to yours, I wish all of you a safe, happy and merry holiday season.
Senior Leonardo Robertson also earned a place on the podium at the tournament, finishing fifth in the 150-pound weight class. Other boys competing for the Vikings were Charles Nelson, Ali Ijaz, and Aiden Webb.
Senior Michael Felkins takes the ball to the hole and draws contact early in the game against Waldport. Vikings sophomore Aidell Cadet going for a layup at the hoop.
Community Briefs
Celebrating Yule, Saturnalia, Twelfth Night, and More!
Join friends at the Florence Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (FUUF) on December 29th for a special program to celebrate the rich history and meaning of this season.
‘Tis the season between the years, a time when all that was, is no more; when all that may be is brought to our awareness as possibility. This ancient “no time” is a moment when new potentials arise. Rev. Dr. Ruth Miller will guide us through the history, and future, of this unique season, touching on the traditions of Yule, Saturnalia, and Twelfth Night.
Location: Florence Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 87738 Hwy 101 at Heceta Beach
Road Time: Doors open at 9:30am; program begins at 10:00am with music and fellowship followed by a special message Everyone is welcome to join us.
Garden Club seeks scholarship applicants
Florence Garden Club
The Florence Garden Club invites local Siuslaw and Mapleton High School seniors to apply for the Garden Club
scholarship for the 2024/25 school year. Applicants must be planning a post High School career in horticulture or a related field such as forestry or Environmental science. Awards are typically $2,000 or more. applications are available through your High School counseling department. Deadline for applying is March 3rd 2025. Since the first scholarship was awarded in 1994, over 72,350 has been distributed to local students from the Florence Garden Club.
Renew your business license
City OF FLORENCE
City of Florence Business License
Renewals are now open! In order to maintain compliance with Florence City Code, renewals must be completed no later than January 2nd, 2025
Don’t wait and risk letting your license expire! Please make sure that all of your business information is up to date in order to have your license be approved as soon as possible.
For a list of FAQ’s, information about pricing, business classes, or for a refresher on the application process, please refer to our Business License page located on our city website, https://www.ci.florence.or.us/
administrative-services/business-licenses. A walk-through of the renewal process can be found at: https://www.ci.florence. or.us/administrative-services/ application-portalrenewal-information.
For more personalized questions about your license, please send us a message via License Registrar while viewing your license at: https://licenseregistrar.com/bizlic/bizlic.html.
Drive Merry, Bright, and Sober this Holiday Season Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
This holiday season, the Florence Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies will be participating in extra DUII Enforcement during the Christmas/New Year’s Holiday weekends between December 11 to January 1. The Florence Police Department has received additional Driving Under the Influence of Intoxicants (DUII) enforcement grant funds to help seek out impaired drivers and to deter people from driving while
they are impaired. The Florence Police Department, along with Law Enforcement agencies throughout Oregon and the rest of the United States, are continually making efforts to get impaired drivers off the road. These funds are made available to the City of Florence from Oregon Impact, who administers DUII grant funding in Oregon.
For more information or questions, contact the Florence Police Department at (541) 997-3515 or visit ci.florence.or.us/ police.
Rhododendron speaker in Florence
On Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025, MikeBones, well-known member of the Rhododendron club, will present an overview of Rhododendrons, including samples of his topic. This presentation will take place at the Presbyterian Church of the Community located at 3996 Highway 101 Florence, at 1 P.m. on January 8 2025. This event is open to the public at no cost.
The 15th Annual Peace Hike: A Commemoration of Resilience and Remembrance
On New Year’s Day, Yachats, Oregon will host the 15th Annual Peace Hike, a meaningful event that honors the legacy of the indigenous peoples who endured immense suffering under government-sponsored genocidal policies during the 19th century.
The Peace Hike commemorates the tragic history of the Alsea Subagency (1860–1875), highlighting the story of Amanda, a blind Native American (Coos) woman who was forcibly separated from her daughter and marched barefoot with other captives over 80 miles of rugged terrain to the Alsea Subagency prison camp in Yachats in 1864. This annual gathering serves as a solemn remembrance of those who lost their lives and a celebration of the resilience of their descendants, many of whom participate in the event each year.
A TIME FOR REFLECTION AND EDUCATION
The Peace Hike invites participants to reflect on the atrocities faced by the Coos, Lower Umpqua,
Siuslaw, and Alsea Peoples and to deepen their understanding of this painful history. To support learning and reflection, participants are encouraged to:
• Watch the video “The Genocide of the Alsea Subagency”, narrated by Patricia Whereat Phillips, Miluk Coos, and the late Chief Donald Slyter of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians: www. youtube.com/ watch?v=N6D-wkqXGy0
• Explore the detailed Amanda’s Trail Curriculum, created by the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians: https:// ctsi.nsn.us/sb-13-curriculum/#7th-grade.
Schedule of Events The day will be filled with ceremonies, reflections, and guided trail walks designed to honor the past and bring the community together:
• 9:30 a.m. – The Yachats Community Drum will be available at the Yachats Commons (441 Hwy 101 N), and drumming will begin.
• 10 a.m. – A fire will be lit at the Commons, marking the start of the opening ceremony, which will include storytelling by
Tribal members and the recounting of Amanda’s story.
• 10:30 a.m. – Trail walks commence. Participants may choose from several trail options indicated on a map designed by the Yachats Trails Committee and available at the Commons. Those hiking to the Amanda Gathering Area (2 2 miles south of the Commons) will have parking options available for those not wishing to hike the full distance. Volunteers at the Commons will provide instructions. A ceremonial fire will be lit both at the Amanda Gathering Area and the Commons, where participants can place cedar sprigs.
• 12 p.m. – A special ceremony, led by Tribal members, will take place at the Amanda Gathering Area.
• 1 p.m. – Both the Amanda Gathering Area and the Commons will hold closing ceremonies. Participants are invited to place their cedar sprigs in the ceremonial fires, which will then be respectfully closed.
Water, energy bars, and cookies generously prepared by the Yachats Ladies Club will be available at both the Commons and the Amanda Gathering Area.
Additional Highlights
• All participants will receive a beautifully crafted Peace Hike button designed by artist Morgan Gaines, Quuiich (Lower Umpqua), of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians.
• Committee members will be on hand at the Yachats Commons to provide guidance, maps, and answer any questions.
Oregon Department of Revenue says stress less this tax season
For
2025 and lower taxpayers’ heart rates in the process.
“Most people don’t want to think about their taxes until it’s time to fill out their returns,” said Revenue’s Megan Denison. “But doing a few simple things in the weeks before tax season can make filling out your return and filing on time less stressful.”
The following suggestions will make filing a tax year 2024 return in 2025 simpler and less stressful, she said.
VIEW ONLINE ACCOUNT INFORMATION
Taxpayers can make sure their information—like their username, password, and address—is current at Revenue Online, the state’s internet tax portal, and verify any estimated tax payments they’ve made. Those who don’t have a Revenue Online account can sign up on the agency’s website.
The first time taxpayers log in to their Revenue Online account, they will be prompted to set up twostep verification to help protect their profile. The two-step verification can be done through an authentication app, text message, or email. Taxpayers may choose to setup multiple options in case access to a specific device or account is unavailable. Taxpayers also have the option to not use two-step verification.
GATHER AND ORGANIZE TAX RECORDS
Organized tax records
make preparing a complete and accurate tax return easier and help avoid errors. Taxpayers should wait to file until they have all their tax records including:
• Form W-2s from employer(s)
• Form 1099s from banks, issuing agencies and other payers including unemployment compensation, dividends, distributions from a pension, annuity, retirement plan, or other non-employee compensation
• Form 1099-K, 1099MISC, 1099-NEC, or other income statement if they worked in the gig economy
CHECK OUT
THE IRS DIRECT FILE ELIGIBILITY SCREENER
The IRS estimates that 640,000 Oregon taxpayers will be among the 30 million US taxpayers who will be able to use the combination of IRS Direct File and Direct File Oregon in 2025 to e-file both their federal and state returns for free.
Oregon resident taxpayers who want to know if they will be eligible to use the combination next year can find out using the IRS eligibility checker.
Taxpayers who are eligible to use IRS Direct File can start the registration process now by creating an online account to access IRS services. Use a bank account to speed tax refunds with direct deposit By filing electronically and choosing direct deposit, taxpayers will get their refund faster. Information is available at this IRS website.
CHOOSE A REPUTABLE TAX RETURN PREPARER
Taxpayers should choose a tax return
preparer wisely. This is important because taxpayers are responsible for all the information on their return, no matter who prepares it for them.
The Oregon Board of Tax Practitioners offers a Licensee Lookup website. The IRS also has a website with information about choosing a tax professional.
Denison also pointed out that free help filing a return is available for those who need it.
Taxpayers can also signup for the new “Oregon Tax Tips” direct email newsletter to keep up with information about tax return filing and how to claim helpful tax credits.
To get tax forms, check
the status of your refund, or make tax payments, visit www.oregon.gov/ dor or email questions. dor@oregon.gov. You also can call 800-3564222 toll-free from an Oregon prefix (English or Spanish) or 503-378-4988 in Salem and outside Oregon. For TTY (hearing- or speech-impaired), we accept all relay calls.
BEAT THE PICKERS PANEL FOOTBALL CONTEST 2024
1. MOVIES: What is the name of the snowman in the animated movie "Frozen"?
2. GEOGRAPHY: How many U.S. states does the Mississippi River run through or along?
3. ADVERTISING: Which product uses a cartoon character whose first and middle names are Horatio Magellan?
4. MUSIC: In the song "The Twelve Days of Christmas," how many "geese a-laying" are given to the narrator's true love?
5. FOOD & DRINK: What kind of nuts are in a Snickers candy bar?
6. BIOLOGY: What is epimorphic regeneration?
7. TELEVISION: Who starred in the 1980s exercise video series "Sweatin' to the Oldies"?
8. ANATOMY: How much of the human brain is made up of fat?
9. MEASUREMENTS: How many cups are in a pint?
10. LITERATURE: Which famous author often uses Castle Rock as a setting in his novels? © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
OLIVE
By Emi Burdge
Classified
Florence Cleaning LLC - Licensed, Bonded, & Insured, Provides Consistent, High Quality Residential Cleaning. Call today at 541-9995033 or Book at www. florencecleaning.com.
Portable Oxygen Concentrator May Be Covered by Medicare! Reclaim independence and mobility with the compact design and long-lasting battery of Inogen One. Free information kit! Call 855792-9764. For Sale by Owner 60 Unit Mini Storage Business Call 541-999-1011 for details Crew Members - McDonalds is seeking enthusiastic & outgoing individuals looking for flexible schedule flexible hours. TEXT: OR192 to 38000 to apply.
Bichon-Shih Tsu Mix Ready end of December, will deliver. $500 - 541.643.0400
SLN24-3048 PUBLIC NOTICE Pursuant to the State of Oregon Self Service Storage Facility Act, Heceta Self Storage will exercise our lien and Foreclose and Auction the contents of storage unit A121, a 10x10 sized unit, rented by Jack W. Smith, on Saturday, January 4th, 2024, at 10 AM. Foreclosure is due to lack of payment of past due rents and late charges. The amount due currently is $560.00. The live auction will take place at Heceta Self Storage, 87632 North Highway 101, Florence, Oregon 97439. Cash bidders only, no reserve, $100 security cleaning deposit required. Published Wednesday, December 18th and December 25th, 2024. Inquiries to 541-997-9702
SLN24-3049 IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE STATE OF OREGON COUNTY OF DOUGLAS IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF, DAVID LEE HAUKOOS, DECEASED Case No.: 24PB10001 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached to the undersigned personal representative at P. O. Box B, Florence, Oregon, 97439, within four months after the date of
publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative, Scott T. Bailey, Attorney at Law, P.C. at P.O. Box B, Florence, Oregon 97439. Dated and first published Dec 25th, 2024. /s/ Julie K. Haukoos, Personal Representative
CAPRICORN -Dec 22/Jan 20
This week you may find that all of your efforts to build up to a pinnacle moment perhaps didn’t give you the feelings you desired. Try getting back to basics..
AQUARIUS -Jan 21/Feb 18
Aquarius, something that has been stretching on for quite some time finally gets finished, giving you the closure you need. Share the news slowly with others.
PISCES -Feb 19/Mar 20
Pisces, if what you are doing right now is giving you gratification, you might not need to make many big changes in the weeks to come.
ARIES -Mar 21/Apr 20
It’s easy for your mind to wander and get caught daydreaming, Aries. You could be feeling a little restless and in need of a change. A vacation or a night with friends may just do it.
CANCER -Jun 22/Jul 22
Exciting things are on the horizon, Cancer. This might be something you have been anticipating for some time.
LEO -Jul 23/Aug 23
Taurus, even if you are trying to save money, this week some situations will arise that will require you to open your wallet. This is why you have an emergency fund.
GEMINI -May 22/Jun 21
Gemini, sometimes people do not know which side of you they might encounter and might keep you at arms’ length as a result. Try to be more open this week.
LIBRA -Sept 23/Oct 23
Leo, this week you might need to stick up for someone or fight for a cause you believe in, even if it adversely affects your popularity. Stand your ground in these situations.
VIRGO -Aug 24/Sept 22
Virgo, you might want to swallow your pride and ask for help rather than trying to do everything on your own. Going it alone hasn’t helped you in the past, so why should it now?
Someone steps in and helps you along at work, Libra. Instead of feeling he or she took liberties, thank this person for giving you the extra boost you likely needed at the time.
SCORPIO -Oct 24/Nov 22
Scorpio, try to look at a situation from a new angle and then you might get some of the answers you desire this week. Is someone acting out of character?
SAGITTARIUS -Nov23/Dec 21
Learn how to deal with conflict in a productive way, Sagittarius. Then you won’t get bogged down by others when they are going head-to-head. Aries might play a role this week.
2
3
3
