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The City of Florence will be installing an estuary trail through the treeline running from Highway 126 to Quince Street. Photo provided by Florence Police Department

tell where the funding from measure 110 went.

“From what we can see, it never went to anyone,” he said. “ there was nowhere to send it.”

“Ballot measure 110, the way it came out was that officers will give a citation and if they call the rehabilitation center, they be enrolled in a program,” he said.

Pitcher said that after receiving a citation, people were supposed to call the Sheriff’s Office, Then later, calling was no longer a requirement, and requirements became even more lax.

See HB4002, page A9

ABy TONY REED Siuslaw News

fter continuing from Feb. 27, the Florence Planning Commission approved a conditional use permit for the City to construct an estuary trail to connect Highway 126 to Quince Street, across from the Florence Events Center. At both meetings, commissioners heard lengthy public comment and had discussions regarding lighting, hours, and the potential for the trail to attract transient and homeless campers.

A Conditional Use Permit application was submitted by Public Works Director Mike Miller on behalf of the City of Florence to develop a trail constructed of compressed gravel with associated parking area and trail head. The trail will essentially follow the tree line from just south of Highway 126 near Munsel Creek to Quince Street about a half block south of the Florence Event Center.

Community Development Director Wendy Farley-Campbell said further review showed that the proposed parking lot would need a variance.

By TONY REED Siuslaw News

The floor of the Siuslaw High School gym was full of students and area business representatives March 15 for the 2nd District Career Fair.

Students visited 35 tables to ask questions about jobs, hear from people who work in the industry and even file applications for summer and other employment.

Organizer Pam Hickson said the event was inspired when she used to arrange job fairs for the Three Rivers Casino and had a conversation with District Superintendent Andy Grzeskowiak and decided to bring it to the school.

“Last year, we had about 30 vendors show up and this year we had 36 scheduled and 35

“That is an oversight that we did not identify earlier in the process,” she said. “We did notice for a Conditional Use Permit, so we thought we were at CUP and got it down to design review but now, we’re back at a variance.” She said the correct noticing was done but the applicable criteria were not met.

Farley Campbell recommended that the commission approve the resolution for the trail portion of the project and come back later for the variance discussion. Asked by Commissioner Laurie Green asked if

See TRAIL, page A4

showed up,” she said. “We have a good cross section of vendors. It’s just an amazing opportunity for students to get engaged with what’s out there, find summer employment and see what’s out there.”

She said teachers have been working with students recently to prepare them for the employment world, coaching them on everything from resume writing to presentation.

Grzeskowiak had the first table next to the door at the career fair and spoke to students about education careers and offered some career counseling. He said he spoke to them about what they want to do and how to get there before directing some to tables at the event.

See CAREER, page A6

Donna Lee

Wilson McClure

Donna Lee Wilson

McClure, of Florence passed away 03-13-2024. She was born in Roseburg, Or. which had the closest hospital to her then hometown of Myrtle Creek, Or. Her father, John P. Wilson, was a dentist and a descendant of pioneers that settled in the Riddle valley in 1854 Her mother, Mamie Deane Wilson, was a high school teacher from Toledo, WA. An older sister Marilyn preceded her in death. Two step sisters lived with the family for a time, Lenore Newton and longer Ruth Newton Lien, a much loved part of her life.

elementary school in the Springfield School District for 30 years.

She appreciated the parents and children that allowed her to be a part of their education. Thanks to the administrators that trusted her to practice what she had learned.

Donna graduated from Myrtle Creek High School and attended the U of O. She received her degree and taught

She was always thankful for the many people that touched her life. She had life long friends from childhood

and high school. When she and her husband, George and daughter Michele, moved to Eugene, Bob and Rachel Rand included them as friends. Later John and Mary Schaufler welcomed their friendship each wonderful. The move to Florence was another opportunity to meet new people. Bless you all that included her and enriched her life.

Her greatest love was family. She adored her children; Michele, Brett and Curt, their wonderful spouses Mark, Susan and Cindy. She had six amazing grandchildren; Jason, Lindsey, Trevin, Ross, Marisa and McKenzie. And now four, soon to be 5 wonderful great grandchildren.

Donna is survived by her husband George. He was her high school sweetheart, best

friend and challenger. They grew up together. At her request no services are planned.

Burns’s Riverside Chapel Florence Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Where Oregon Senate races stand ahead of the primary

JULIA SHUMWAY

Oregon Captial Chronicle

Half the seats in the Oregon Senate are up for election this year, and voters will send at least six new senators to Salem because of retirements and a law that barred most Republicans from running for reelection after they participated in a six-week walkout.

Control of the 30-member Senate isn’t on the line this election: Senators serve fouryear terms with staggered elections, and most competitive races take place in midterm years. Democrats hope to add one or two new senators to their 17-member caucus, while Republicans hope they can pick off at least one Democrat. Four Republicans and 11 Democrats represent districts that aren’t up for election until 2026.

The 2024 election is just a formality for Sens. Fred Girod, R-Silverton, and Kathleen Taylor, D-Portland, as well as Rep. Khanh Pham, D-Portland. They have no opponents in their races.

Most Senate districts up for election this year are strongly Democratic or Republican and aren’t likely to change hands. However, Democrats have their eyes on the coastal 5th District and the Bend-based 27th District, while Republicans are optimistic about flipping the 25th District in east Multnomah County.

“We’re feeling really optimistic about this cycle,” said Oliver Muggli, executive director of the Senate Democratic Leadership Fund.

“We have great candidates filed who represent their communities extraordinarily well, are ready to put in the work necessary to win and we know that Oregonians fundamentally share certain progressive values about what they want their state to look like.”

None of the targeted races have primaries. Sen. Dick Anderson, R-Lincoln City, will face Democratic Florence City Councilor Jo

Beaudreau in the 5th District, and Sen. Chris Gorsek, D-Troutsdale, will square off with Republican insurance agent and Army Reserves Col. Raymond Love of Gresham in the 25th District.

The 27th District is open because Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, R-Bend, was barred from running for reelection after leading the 2023 walkout. Bend City Councilor Anthony Broadman, a Democrat, will face Redmond School Board Chair Michael Summers, a Republican, in November in that race.

“We’re going to fight like hell to keep Knopp’s seat,” said Bryan Iverson, executive director of the Senate Republicans’ Leadership Fund. “We still think that seat is a viable option for us, just like we think Gorsek’s seat is a viable option for us.”

Republicans face primary fights

No Democratic candidates have primary races, but several Republicans in safe districts do.

• Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford, faces a fourway primary fight in the 1st Senate District, which includes Curry and parts of Coos and Douglas counties. Brock Smith served six years in the House before he was appointed to the Senate in 2023 to finish the term of former Sen. Dallas Heard. His opponents are former Roseburg City Councilor Ashley Hicks, frequent candidate Paul Romero and logger Todd Vaughn.

• The neighboring 2nd District, which includes Josephine and parts of Douglas and Jackson counties, will feature a primary between Rep. Christine Goodwin, R-Canyonville, and Noah Robinson, son of disqualified Sen. Art Robinson, R-Cave Junction.

• A group of Josephine county voters sued late last week to keep Goodwin off the ballot, claiming she doesn’t

live in the district. Goodwin denied those allegations, and a hearing wasn’t scheduled in time to affect the primary.

• The 28th district based in Klamath County is a fight between Diane Linthicum, wife of current Sen. Dennis Linthicum, and Klamath County Commissioner Dave Henslee. Dennis Linthicum is disqualified because of his participation in the 2023 walkout and is now running for secretary of state.

• Sen. Bill Hansell’s retirement announcement early last year launched a crowded primary field in the 29th Senate District, which covers most of northeast Oregon.

Former Morrow County Commissioner Jim Doherty, Hermiston Mayor Dave Drotzmann, Eastern Oregon University student Andy Huwe and Wallowa County Commissioner Todd Nash are running in the Republican primary.

• Mike McLane, a former House Republican leader and circuit court judge, is seeking a return to the Capitol in the 30th Senate District, which spans most of eastern Oregon. He’ll face Crook County rancher Douglas T. Muck Jr. and Baker County resident

Robert Neuman, who briefly considered a run for attorney general, in the primary.

General Election Races

Former Republican lawmaker Bruce Starr, who served four years in the House and 12 in the Senate, is eying a comeback in the 12th Senate District now represented by Sen. Brian Boquist, R-Dallas, who is disqualified for reelection because of the walkout. Starr will face Scott Hooper, a Democratic farmer from Monmouth, in November.

• Most Democratic incumbents face token opposition from Republicans in safely Democratic districts.

• Senate Majority Leader Kate Lieber, D-Beaverton, will face Republican airport ramp servicer Shane Bolton in the 14th Senate District in Washington County.

• Sen. Wlnsvey Campos, D-Aloha, has a general election challenge in the 18th Senate District from Brian Pierson, who garnered 30% of the vote as an Independent Party of Oregon candidate in 2018.

• Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland, will face Army and Marine veteran Michael

Saperstein in the general election in the 22nd District.

• The primary election is May 21, and only registered Republicans or Democrats can vote in party primaries. Voters must register by April 30 to receive a ballot. April 8 is the first day that county clerks can provide ballots to Oregon voters who will be out of state during the primary.

Summer hours begin April 1st Wednesday - Sunday, 11 am - 5 pm

Transparent Watercolor & More Class with ELee Hadley This class will consist of exercises in watercolor plus some fun with printing and use of resist. 4-class series: Monday, April 8, 22 and May 6, 20, 12:30-3:30 pm. Cost $140 for FRAA members, $160 for non-FRAA members.

Creativity Class w/Terry Way 3rd Tuesday of each month 3:30 - 5:30 pm, next one April 16th.

FRAA ART CENTER

120 Maple Street Phone: 541-997-4435 Hours Open: Wed-Fri 11am-4pm, Sat 11 am-4pm, Sun. 11am-4pm

AMANDA LOMAN/OREGON CAPITAL CHRONICLE

A welcome sign in the Senate at the Oregon State Capitol in Salem on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023.

“I

Holy cow! I goldarned near guffawed and slapped my knee! Tuesday a friend and I were commenting on the fact that the SNEWS editorials have been rather passive and few and far between. I mentioned that I thought maybe the editor didn’t want to create chaos. After all, The Register Guard and other newspapers have eliminated editorials. (That’s a subject for discussion, somewhere.) My friend also said that when it breaks the new editor might well be wondering if he took on more than he knew. Lo and behold, Wednesday’s editorial did not disappoint. Florence folks love to state their minds and did they ever. Ha! Here is something else for you to ponder. Reading a historical fiction book written in 2007, I came across this. A father talking to his son says, “You’d just get yourself in trouble. Think about things, and decide what you think is right, but keep it to yourself, or the family at least. These are dangerous times we’re living in, and a lot of people are frightened of people who don’t think like they do. And

JEFF MERKLEY

Oregon’s ports are not only vital for our state—they’re critical to America. Just think back to the pandemic, when dozens of container ships had to wait to dock off the West Coast and Americans across the country felt the effects.

Fertilizer, furniture, electronics, clothing, cars, crops, and timber are just a few of the many goods that move through Oregon’s 23 small and coastal public ports every day to businesses and store shelves around the world.

Our ports also are home to commercial fishermen, crabbers, and recreational

businesses, seafood processors and marina operators, not to mention thousands of workers in local communities. And our ports provide critical infrastructure for disaster response and recovery, so that first responders and emergency supplies can get where they’re needed fast.

That’s why I’ve worked hard to bring home federal dollars to maintain and upgrade our ports for the next generation—especially our small ports that have too often been overlooked in the past, like the $20 million I secured for workforce development at small shipyards. These investments will help our ports be safer, more efficient, and support more good-paying, local jobs.

Here are three examples of recent investments by the federal government in Oregon’s ports. In Clatsop County, the Port of Astoria received over $26 million from the

federal government for critical repairs to Pier 2 West, which is a major hub for seafood processing and commerce. In Coos County, the Coquille Indian Tribe received $7.7 million to repair and extend docks and install a shore power outlet box to the wharf so folks won’t need to rely on idling diesel engines. And, in Lincoln County, the Port of Newport received $3.8 million to build more laydown and storage space, increase security, and make repairs to docks and pilings at the Newport International Terminal.

The Port of Garibaldi, in Tillamook County, was awarded $62 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to perform critical repairs on the struggling south jetty, but more is needed to ensure safe passage in and out of the Port. And I just secured an additional $748,000 community-initiated project to allow the U.S. Army Corps of

frightened people tend to lash out.” The son replies, “But if you know something’s wrong, isn’t it cowardly to just keep quiet?”Where is the scene taking place? Germany. What time period? 1938. Think of it what you will.

Dana Rodet Westlake

Engineers to continue dredging the federal navigation channel and will keep push for funding to finish repairs on the jetty to ensure its safety and economic security. I also secured $720,000 for another one of these critical projects to continue essential maintenance dredging for the Port of Coos Bay for safer navigation.

To be sure, there is still more to do for our ports. I’ll keep fighting for Coos Bay’s transformative container port project, which would be a game changer for the region and the nation. These kinds of targeted investments in Oregon’s small ports and large shipyards have a huge return on investment for so many parts of our state’s economy.

Thriving ports are essential for good-paying jobs and strong coastal communities, and I’ll continue to fight to keep Oregon’s ports and economy growing strong.

SEN.

Trail

Estuary trail approved for Florence

From Page A1

Miller said plans are being adjusted to

and that

is looking forward to

ting started on the project.

Commissioner Debbie Ubnoske asked if any shade would be built in the parking lot for vehicles. Miller said no, adding that the lot area is currently bare, with only grass.

“We can easily accommodate with some additional trees,” he said, “but we want to stay with the theme of the area.”

Asked if any part of the trail could be inundated during King Tides, Miller said the parking lot would be certainly be safe and the rest of the trail should also be far enough upland to avoid inundation.

The project will clear no native vegetation, FarleyCampbell said, noting that a previous owner cleared a vast amount of invasive blackberry bushes from the area.

Lights out

Returning to a theme from the previous meeting, Miller

was asked if the trail would be lighted to discourage people from camping illegally in the area. Miller said the nature of the Estuary Trail is that it needs to be harmonious with the environment and putting in lights and light on the trail could would not be consistent with that goal.

“None of our trails are currently lit throughout the community,” he said. “It would be something new, and very costly.”

He said tree coverage in the area would make solar lighting nearly impossible, and

even the cheapest options for wired lighting could cost in the $30,000 range. Miller estimated that to light the entire trail could likely cost as much as a $250,000. When asked, he said the grant for the project is about a half million dollars and the match is about half of that.

Asked if the yet-to-be-built hotel across from the Florence Event Center would have lighting that could reach the trail, Miller said some ambient

See CONTINUE, page A5

light may filter down, but the hotel developer would have to contain light within its property lines.

Trail police?

Police Chief John Pitcher said that while the city cannot afford to have officers patrol the trail around the clock, officers will respond to the area if someone calls to report a problem. Pitcher said there has been discussion regarding a camping ordinance, which could give officers more tools to use in limiting camping by transients and those experiencing homelessness.

Pitcher later said officers regularly respond to the Gallagher Park area and are aware of transient camps in the proposed Estuary Trail area. He explained that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that people sleeping in publicly owned areas cannot be disturbed, but if a subject is littering or causing a disturbance, officers can cite and remove them for that.

Asked about police ability to respond to camping issues, Chief Pitcher said officers can currently only enforce camping complaints on private property. Pitcher again said officers have to follow the 9th

Circuit ruling, which was later fortified by Oregon law.

He said a future city ordinance would need to dictate the time, place, and manner of allowed camping, which would give officers the ability to enforce it. He said he is unaware of how long it will take for the city to develop and approve such an ordinance.

Commissioner Renee LoPilato said the timing could be important if the proposed trail is finished in September, a city camping ordinance may reach approval around the same time. Pitcher said it’s a priority for the city manager and council, who have received a lot of complaints.

However, it was his understanding that camping would be prohibited in the entire proposed trail area, allowing officers to enforce it immediately.

Asked if the parking lot will be gated and closed at night, Miller said that has not been discussed, but could happen. He said that while the parking lot would be day use only, a gate could be incorporated into the plans.

Public comment

Jim Hoberg returned to say that he again walked local trails and found the same camping and pollution that he had spoke about before. He said he was surprised that in over two years of complaining

about such offenses, camps and trash remain.

“We’re going to create another area that’s beautiful, that we cannot use because there is nothing in our current status that allows enforcement. I’ve not heard anybody say anything about it and I want to make sure you guys are aware of that. That is very scary to me. I have to go to work every Monday morning, knowing that I have to walk around the building, clean up after people, and all that I can do is call to remove them and they are back the next day.”

Hoberg said he has been in Florence since 1975, and “this is the worst I’ve ever seen it.”

Asked how he felt the trail would increase such activity, Hoberg brought up other city trails.

“When you create an open space for people to walk, it’s easier for them to navigate. There’s one great big homeless camp behind my office, but if you walk Munsel Creek or Gallagher Park, there’s six or seven,” he said. “The only thing I can think of, is that it’s easier access for them to branch off a nice walking path because as far as I know,

there’s only one big camp where the trail is proposed, but there are six or seven in current walking paths.”

Terry Duman returned to say his property would be more affected by the project than any other neighboring property. He said no one from the city has come to him to discuss putting sidewalks around his property. Duman said cultural areas came up several times during early discussions about the trail, suggesting to him that it’s not a good fit for the area. He said that if a private developer had brought this project to the city, it would not have reached the conditional use phase because of negating issues. He said the only way to approve the project would be to bend the rules that apply to everyone.

Miller responded, saying public agencies have been granted recreational immunity temporarily and a full fix will come through legislation next year.

He added that Public Works can work with Duman to accommodate his needs.

Duman said that anything the city does there will condemn his property to becoming a transient camp location.

He asked commission staff to look at information he provided about setbacks for riparian areas around the proposed parking lot. Farley-Campbell said that as it relates to the parking lot, his information came from a 2014 application regarding vegetation clearing. There wasn’t any development proposed, just vegetation clearing and the image that was provided and is in the record shows the mean high water line as it applies to the east side of the creek, rather than both sides. However, she said it did not apply to Duman’s property.

“I can’t express enough how difficult it is to interpret the various setback requirements and measuring points for this zone. I am very frustrated, I’ll just mention that, nowhere does it mention mean high water. It’s not mentioned except as it regards to lakes, and there’s no lake here. The mean high tide for the estuary is out in the estuary, it’s not along the parking lot property. The riparian area reach is north of 126, so how is this property to be regulated?

I think the code writing … could have been better back

when this was created to make it easier to interpret.”

Farley-Campbell said since those definitions are not clear, she was recommending the commission go with the most stringent standards because the city should hold itself to a higher standard. She said the trail components could be approved and the parking lot continued for variance considerations.

When asked, Miller said he felt the project could be completed within the grant timelines, and construction could be phased to include the parking lot later. After some discussion about postponing the public hearing further to wait for a city ordinance regulating transient and homeless camping, parking lot variance/grant funding issues, and tide line determinations, the commission voted 5 to 1 to approve the conditional use permit for trail with conditions and findings outlined by Farley-Campbell.

A City Council work session was held after press time March 21 to discuss potential camping ordinances and review a draft camping exclusion map. A full report will appear in the next issue.

Career

Students meet local employers

From Page A1

Grzeskowiak said the event was originally designed to help local students find local work, but to also give the professional skills of having conversations, meeting people, preparing resumes, self-marketing and

“What they do in their Future Success class is how to write a resume and present yourself publicly and talking

to someone who could potentially be an employee,” he said. So, it’s a good piece for our kids to go out and meet a bunch of potential employers, even at 14 or 15 where they may not be old enough to get one of those jobs but just to get out and be known and meet people from ODOT or the Casino or the hospital and ask, ‘what does it take for me to do that job’ and think about where they’re going to go through high school and into college or a trade school to get to some sort of career goal.

Grzeskowiak predicted the career fair may be bigger next year, saying the more experience kids have in meeting and talking to people about careers the better.

“What we’re doing isn’t a secret when it comes to getting them prepared for engaging with the world of work,” he said. “It’s a positive for them.”

Grzeskowiak said the kids enjoyed the career fair, and some were able to see the realities being getting certain jobs.

“Most of the kids have an idea of what it takes to do

certain jobs,” he said, “and then they realize that there are different ways to get there or they say, ‘I thought I was going to get there but go a different way.’” Then they realize they could do it by going through the military or through a training program or through a hospital training program and they realize these pathways are parallel and there are different ways to do it.”

Who was there

The event featured staff and representatives from

Siuslaw School District, Workforce Lane, Goodwill Job Connections, the US Coast Guard, the US Marines, the Army National Guard, The US Army, the US Air Force, the US Navy, KCST/ Coast Radio, Oregon Pacific Bank, Fred Meyer, Abby’s Pizza, Nosh Eatery, Mo’s Restaurant, Oregon Student Access and Completion, Siuslaw Public Library, Shorewood, Peace Harbor Hospital, Safeway, Sea Lion Caves, Hyak, Riptide

Sports, Central Lincoln PUD, the City of Florence, Florence Police Department, Western Lane Fire and EMS Authority, Dunes City County of Lane, Angela Job Corps, Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon State Parks, Lane Community College, Connected Lane County Oregon Department of Transportation and Three Rivers Casino.

40 miles of Oregon’s 362 miles of shoreline.

Seasonal recreation restrictions have helped protect these small birds that nest on

open sand. Nests, and especially chicks, are well-camouflaged. During the nesting season, human disturbances can flush adult plovers away from their nests as they attempt to defend their young. Left alone too long, or too often, eggs or chicks can die from exposure, predators or people.

Reminders for recreation on designated plover beaches March 15-Sept. 15: The following are not permitted: dogs (even on a leash), driving a vehicle, riding a bicycle, camping, burning wood, flying kites or operating drones.

Foot and equestrian traffic is permitted below the high-tide line on wet, packed sand.

Respect signs and barriers to protect nesting habitat.

“We’re making great strides in reversing the decline of this species,” said Cindy Burns, Siuslaw National Forest wildlife biologist. “But it takes

all of us, so we urge people to do their part to understand nesting season rules and to share the beach this spring and summer.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service listed western snowy plovers as a threatened species in 1993, when officials counted only 45 breeding adults. The numbers of breeding adults have steadily increased since then due to ongoing efforts. Officials counted 433 during the breeding season survey in 2023.

“We appreciate visitors’ support in keeping these shorebirds safe in the combined 40 miles of protected area along the coast. We invite visitors to enjoy permitted recreation in those areas or to recreate without seasonal restrictions on the hundreds of miles of beaches not designated as plover nesting areas,” said Laurel Hillmann, ocean shore specialist for Oregon Parks and Recreation Department.

Because of the natural camouflage that screens them from predators, snowy plover chicks and eggs are also very hard for walkers and atv operators to see.

More information on the snowy plover, including detailed maps of nesting sites, can be found on the Oregon State Parks the Siuslaw National Forest websites.

The increase in plover numbers may result in nesting occurring in new or historical nesting sites. For example, visitors to Sand Lake Recreation Area may see

777 Maple Street (across from

small roped off areas near the lake’s inlet to protect active nests, and may encounter plovers on the beach. Beachgoers are encouraged to protect these birds by restricting recreation activities to wet sand areas, avoiding roped off nesting areas, packing all trash out and keeping dogs on leash.

Several land managers oversee beach activity for plover protection, primarily the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD).

Habitat loss from invasive plants — as well as human disturbances, including litter and discarded food scraps that attract predators — have contributed to the birds’ decline. The Oregon Dunes Restoration Collaborative is working with land managers on a restoration strategy and to raise public awareness about the need to restore the dunes ecosystem for western snowy plovers, rare plants and animals and the unique recreation opportunities offered here.

Breaking News… Rotary Auction Sets the Stage for Student Success!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND TALENTS

Auction Chair: Dana Rodet Committee Chairs:

DeAnn Hawkins • Daryl Edwards • John Robertson • Steve Skidmore •

Tammy Butler • John Moore • Jill Thomas • Jenna Bartlett • Jane

Hanawalt • Sadie Clark • Meg Spencer • Karen Skulley • Bob Teter

• Erin Linton • Sally Wantz • Tyler Kramer • Ted Stevens • Doug Wisman • Colin Morgan • Rick Yecny • Jody Driver • Connie

Bradley • Vanessa Buss • Janet Huston • Colin Morgan

WE ARE TRULY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HELP:

2024 Rotary President: Sally Wantz

Vicki Philben • Deb Lamb • Dale Edwards • Kellie Daugherty • Lis & Jeff

Farm • Janet Huston • Dawn Reynolds • Craig Sanders • Gayle Vinchesi •

Laurel Ferguson • Crystal & Larry Farnsworth • Bill Meyer • Lara Owens •

Guy Veach • Jennifer French • Marianne Brisbane • Debbie Rodet • Kim

Erickson • Dan Green • Bettina Hannigan • John Egar • Mina Dickson •

Dan Lofy • Tim Salisbury • Gary Cargill • Ron Skulley • Jeanni Sanders

SPONSORS:

Wine Sponsor: Three Rivers Casino Resort

Packaging: Stitch & Sole

Music by DJ Al Rojas: Rotarian Steve Skidmore

Hors d’oeuvres: Hyak

Corkage Fee: Florence Events Center

Credit Card Processing: Oregon Pacific Bank

Emcee: Ron Green

Palm Springs Raffle: Deb and Larry Lamb

Linen Sponsor: Alsco

CASHIERS

Tia Leonard-Durrant • Megan

Catalfamo • Michelle Kramer • Levi Halverson • Heather Youngs

to the success of our auction.

In appreciation of their contribution to our event, the Rotary Club of Florence is awarding $1500 to the Blair and Geralean Sneddon Scholarship for the class of 2024.

2024 AUCTION SPONSOR TABLES

Cross Road Assembly • Ted & Marilyn Stevens • Best Western Pier Point Inn Banner Bank • City of Florence • Bill & Peggy Meyer • St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church • Florence Arts, Culture & Entertainment • President Sally Wantz & Friends

• Aero Legends • Scott Ryland Plumbing • KCST & KCFM • Florence Dental Clinic

• Hoagland Properties • Irrigation Consulting, Inc • Rain Gardens Design • Peace Health Peace Harbor Med. Center • Becky Goehring • Holloway Landscaping • McMullen Properties • Deb & Larry Lamb • Oregon Pacific Bank • Heceta Self Storage • Tim & Melissa Moffett • Coldwell Banker Coast Real Estate • Florence

Eye Clinic • Mike & Desiree Clifton • Kitchen Klutter • Siuslaw News • Berkshire / Hathaway • Siuslaw School District • Lofy Construction • John Egar • Bridgewater Hanawalt / Ferguson • Three Rivers Casino Resort • Rodger & Carol Bennett

2024 ROTARY AUCTION CASH DONORS: Keith and Brenda Hull • Lee Haroun • `Vanessa Buss

Dale Edwards • Ron Green • Janet Huston • Jill Thomas

• Dana Rodet • Michael Cocciolo • Jane Hanawalt

Jennifer French • Maureen Hewlett • Vicki Philben

John Robertson • Steve Skidmore • Wayne Sharpe

Laurel Ferguson • DeAnn Hawkins • Kevin McMullen

• J Johnson Tree Service • Rhonda Butler • Florence Motorsports • Gather in Florence

THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY...

Bodega Wine Bar • Heceta Self Storage • Pro Lumber

• KCST & KCFM Coast Radio • Florence Events Center Staff and Volunteers • Last Resort Players • Oregon Coast Limousine • Oregon Pacific Bank • Patrick Looney • The Florence Sign Shop • Shippin’ Shack • Siuslaw NewsJeanna Peterson

Auction Chair Dana Rodet offers sincere thanks and special recognition to Karen Skulley and to past auction co-chairs Kevin McMullen & Kim Erickson.

Community BRIEFS

Siuslaw Playshop at FEC

Do you love the outdoors and want to find more ways to enjoy the beauty of our Central Oregon Coast?

Florence Oregon Area

Kayakers in partnership with Siuslaw Vision have a suggestion: Come to the “Siuslaw PlayShop – Let’s Paddle and Go Hiking” event on April 27 at the Florence Events Center, 715 Quince Street. This day of information and inspiration is geared for those who love to play in the outdoors and features two tracks of

3:30 p.m. There is no preregistration, admission at the door is $2 (cash only) per person. This is a family-friendly event and activ-

check the webpage: https://www. siuslawplayshop.com

Siuslaw

Honor roll

Siuslaw HighSchool principal Mike Harklerode presented the first semester honor roll and grade point

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Hypoxia is widespread and increasing in the ocean off the Pacific Northwest coast

By OREGON SATE UNIVERSITY

Low oxygen conditions that pose a significant threat to marine life are widespread and increasing in coastal Pacific Northwest ocean waters as the climate warms, a new study shows.

Researchers found that in 2021, more than half the continental shelf off the Pacific Northwest coast experienced the low-oxygen condition known as hypoxia, said the study’s lead author, Jack Barth of Oregon State University.

“We’ve known that low oxygen conditions are increasing based on single points of study in the past, but this confirms that these conditions are occurring across Pacific Northwest coastal waters,” said Barth, an oceanography professor in the College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences. “The 2021 season was unusually strong compared to past years but with climate change, we are headed in a direction where this may be the norm.”

The new study, published recently in Mature Scientific Reports is based on data collected by an unprecedented number of research vessels and autonomous underwater gliders that were collecting measurements in the ocean during summer 2021.

The vast amount of data gave researchers a more complete and nuanced understanding of hypoxia’s severity and spatial distribution in the coastal waters of the northern California Current, said Barth, who also serves as special advisor to OSU’s Marine and Coastal Opportunities program.

“This picture has been needed for a long time by

policymakers and fisheries managers who make decisions about ocean uses,” he said.

On average, nearly half of the continental shelf, an area the same size as Oregon’s Willamette Valley and slightly smaller than the state of Connecticut, experienced hypoxia during the summer upwelling period in 2021.

Wind-driven upwelling brings deeper, colder, nutrient rich water to the surface of the ocean, fueling a productive upper-ocean food web. However, that same upwelling pushes deep, low-oxygen water near the ocean’s bottom toward the coast. Dissolved oxygen levels are driven even lower near the seafloor by decay of naturally occurring phytoplankton raining down from above. When oxygen levels drop significantly, many marine organisms, including economically and culturally important Dungeness crabs, cannot relocate quickly enough and die of oxygen starvation.

Some areas of the coastal ocean saw higher rates of

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hypoxia than others, the data showed. Areas of the southern Oregon coast experiencing less hypoxia, for example.

Heceta Bank, a region about 35 miles off Florence that is known for its abundant and diverse marine life, also is more resilient to hypoxic conditions. However, the region inshore of Heceta Bank toward Cape Perpetua, where coastal waters are not as well flushed, is subject to hypoxia.

Mapping the varied rates of hypoxia along the coast also confirmed for scientists the interplay between the geography of the sea floor and ocean dynamics, Barth noted. “I was amazed when I saw the maps,” he said. “It really corroborates our understanding of how underwater geography affects hypoxia.”

A comparison of maps from past years shows a consistent trend of hypoxia increasing over time. Hypoxia was basically nonexistent, at 2%, from 1950 to 1980, about 24% from 2009 to 2018, and 56% in 2021. That trend persists even when researchers account for

year-to-year variability, Barth noted. Researchers are now developing maps for 2022 and 2023 using the 2021 maps as a guide.

The findings provide policymakers and fisheries managers additional decision-making tools as ocean conditions continue to change, Barth said.

“On land, we know where the grassland is, where the forests are, where the rivers run so we can sustainably use those resources. If we don’t have that kind of understanding of the ocean, how do we make plans for sustainable use of the ocean?” he said. “When we think about all the different uses of the ocean, from fisheries to marine reserves, and impacts such as heat waves and renewable energy development, we can manage all of those things better if we understand the environmental situation.”

The study also highlights the need for regular monitoring and mapping of hypoxia along the Pacific Northwest

coast as conditions continue to change, Barth said.

“This effort is a demonstration of what we’re capable of doing if we coordinate our efforts,” he said. “Now that we have done this once and understand some of the key geographic features, we can target our sampling to best monitor these areas over time.”

Co-authors of the paper are Stephen Pierce and Anatoli Erofeev of OSU’s College of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric Sciences; Francis Chan and Cheryl Morgan of OSU’s Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies; Brendan Carter and Richard Feely of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory; Jennifer Fisher, Kym Jacobson, Aimee Keller and Victor Simon of NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center; and Leif Rasmuson of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife.

PHOTO BY OSU

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HB4002

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From Page A1

“Then, we found out later, that if we gave a citation and they didn’t call, the courts couldn’t do anything for them not showing up,” he said. “Obviously, if they’re struggling with drugs and not making great decisions, nothing was happening. We couldn’t do anything with people who were possessing drugs, so then, all of a sudden you have a lot more issues like open drug use, and a lot of really concerned people. we had families who were asking us for help.”

He said some families were left frustrated feeling like they couldn’t do anything.

Pitcher spoke of a recent case where a subject told him wanted to quit, and also knew she needed to quit in order to avoid legal circumstances. However, when asked, she admitted she still uses every single day.

“She was not going to be able to force herself to do it,” he said, adding that police and the District Attorney’s office didn’t have the option to send her to treatment.

“The Lane County District Attorney’s office had a drug court. I’ve seen people get better from the drug court and it doesn’t work every time, just like alcohol addiction. Sometimes it’ll work and they will relapse and they have to go again. it’s not a cure-all, but I saw it work and it was an option for people. then it was no longer an option with ballot measure 110. they did away with drug courts..”

Pitcher said several agencies came together to communicate issues to legislators regarding 110, while working

with a group that was trying to abolish it.

A new bill

Pitcher said that when the governor signs HB4002, it will give his department a tool to help people that need or want help, as well as a way to deal with people who will continue to use and sell drugs.

“Those people are honestly creating a lot of problems in our community and just like there was years ago, is the same way it is now.”

Pitcher said drug use is at the core of most small crimes, particularly thefts, break-ins and burglaries.

”I realize there are a lot of reasons people use drugs, but on the street we’re trying to fix the problem,” he said. “And we couldn’t fix the problem, so now this gives us an opportunity. Another part of this, with House Bill 4002, it brings back (the charge of) attempted delivery (intent to manufacture or sell drugs). Before, you had to have a lot of drugs on you, packaged actual drugs, for us to do a delivery charge. Years ago, if you had a lot of baggies, scales, obvious paraphernalia for delivery, we could do attempted delivery [charges]. That was taken away from us. We knew they were delivering, and we couldn’t charge them. House Bill 4002 will get that back.”

“We really want to get the guys that are delivering,” he said. “We want to get the guys that are using so we can try to get them some help. Now, if the governor signs the bill, the enforcement part of it becomes effective in September. It gives us the opportunity to send someone directly to a deflection unit.”

He said those units still need to be put in place.

Pitcher Said the DA’s office and other agencies in Lane County have agreed to use the deflection units as much as possible and get people help.

he said the district Attorney’s office will be heavily involved and how the deflection unit will work.

He predicted that for the people who really want help, the program will be successful.

However, the referral to the deflection unit cannot happen based on non-criminal contact with officers over the last few years, but will require a new criminal contact to be triggered.

“We also have the option of arresting them,” he said. “That can be with a citation or by booking them. All of these offenses will now have to go through the Circuit Court. None of them will go through the Municipal Court.”

“Possession will be an unclassified misdemeanor In the books, when it’s an unclassified misdemeanor, it’s treated as an A misdemeanor. and A misdemeanor is up to a year in jail and has some fines, but because it’s unclassified, they can do some adjusting to what is done,” he explained. “It’s almost treated like a B misdemeanor, with a maximum of 180 days in jail. It also has a probation issue attached to it, which is great, because normally with misdemeanors you’re not going to get supervised probation. A lot of times these people need that extra help to guide them into rehab and to force them into rehab if that’s what it takes. Some people are going to fight it and not going to want it, but that’s okay because we’re trying to help as many people as we can.”

Pitcher said If a subject successfully completes the diversion program stay clean, House Bill 4002 will allow them to request that convictions be expunged from their record.

“[That way] It doesn’t hurt you in the future if you’re trying to get a job or college assistance or something,” he

said. “There are a lot of good things in there that happen afterwards, that I don’t deal with, and our officers don’t deal with, and I think it’s a good thing, but the best thing for us is if on the street, it gives us options. Before we had to say, ‘I know, they got some meth, or heroin or fentanyl, and I can’t do anything about it and I know they are going to cause problems, but I can’t do anything about it.’ Well, now, we can.”

Pitcher said the new bill will serve as a middle ground between Measure 110 and the laws that preceded it.

“But it is trying to get people to rehab and it is trying to get people help, but it also has that understanding of some people just aren’t going to take it so you have to get that possible jail time and the probation violations,” he said. “If you don’t follow through it has to have that so that’s what helps the community, when it comes to those people who just won’t do it.”

Room for optimism

Lane County Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Perosa said, “There’s room for optimism,” regarding Bill 4002 , adding that Measure 110 took away law enforcement’s ability to deal with addiction at different stages and intervene for people who are slowly losing control of their lives.

He said law enforcement could not become involved until more serious crimes were committed, which also negatively affects communities.

“We’re hopeful that through defecting folks directly to treatment programs, they won’t have to come into the criminal justice system but instead, will be offered a non-judaical mechanism and connection with treatment,”

Perosa said. “We’re hopeful it will generate some ernest efforts to get clean by people but we are aware of the fact that drug addiction is a very challenging thing to overcome and there will be individuals who will simply continue to use.” He said at that point, those people would go to the next level where they will enter the criminal justice system and a diversion program may be created for low-level offenders to enter mandatory treatment programs or face jail time.

“If that doesn’t work, then we have ordinary prosecution that we can use, wherein the person is going t be potentially convicted, get an incarceration sentence and be put on probation,” he said, “If they fail to comply with probation, which will largely be an effort to get them into treatment, they would be subject to additional jail time.”

Perosa said with the Governor’s expected signature soon, discussions relate to how agencies will make it all work in Lane County.

“What we see with 4002 is that it reestablishes some role for the criminal justice system in effort to be able to mandate treatment for people that are in the earliest stages of drug use,” he said. “It’s going to come with, of course, a bunch of caveats. As law enforcement in Lane County, we have dedicated ourselves to give a genuine effort to try and implement a deflection program, which os sort of the initial step to people being caught with user-quantity amounts of methamphetamine, fentanyl or cocaine, heroin, etc.”

He said the deflection program will allow officers to make the initial contact with people who have the drug, and defer them into some sort of treatment program to establish care, rather than into the criminal justice system.

“We have a really good working relationship with Lane County Behavioral Health, our local law enforcement agencies, the District Attorney’s Office,” he said. “We are all working together to come up how we’re going to make these programs go.”

HB 4002 has been opposed by some, including the American Civil Liberties Union, which has said it will negatively impact people of color, black, indigenous immigrants and rural communities and increases challenges to those struggling with addiction.

In January, Gov. Kotek declared a state of emergency in response to fentanyl use and overdose deaths. In February, the Oregon Senate passed HB4002 by a 21 to 8 vote. Sen. Floyd Prozanski, of Lane County, was one of the 8 opposing votes. He’s gone on record to say he felt the law was not ready and is similar to Measure 110 regarding implementation.

Governor Kotek has said she plans to sign the bill, but had not as of March 18.

Chief, Deputy D.A optimistic about HB4002.

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Siuslaw graduate named to college hall of fame

By MATT PARAS Assistant Director Of

University Of Louisville

University of Louisville women’s basketball associate head coach Stephanie Osburn

Norman has been named to the A STEP UP Assistant Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2024. The Class of 2024 will be inducted into the A STEP UP Assistant Coaches Hall of Fame on Tuesday, May 21, in Charlotte, N.C., during the Symposium’s Hall of Fame Induction Breakfast at the Hilton University Place Hotel.

In 2019, A STEP UP, Inc. became the first to exclusively recognize NCAA men and women ‘assistant’ basketball college coaches with the distinction of the Hall of

Fame honor at the inaugural induction ceremony hosted in Atlanta, Ga.

This year’s six-member A STEP UP Assistant Coaches Hall of Fame Class of 2024 includes coaches from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac 12 Conferences.

Norman has spent the last 17 seasons with the Cardinals under head coach Jeff Walz.

She has helped the Cardinals reach unprecedented success during her time at Louisville.

Prior to her arrival, the Cardinals were 4-11 all-time in the NCAA Tournament and never advanced farther than the second round. In the 17 seasons with Norman on staff, the Cardinals have made 14 NCAA appearances, have an overall record of 40-14 and advanced to 12 Sweet 16’s,

eight Elite Eights and four Final Fours.

The Cardinals have advanced to the last five Elite Eights, the only team in the country to do so. The Cardinals have made six-straight Sweet 16’s, the third-longest active streak in the country.

The Cardinals have had 14-straight 20-win seasons, the fifth-longest active streak in the country. Norman helped the Cardinals capture a gold medal this past summer at the 2023 GLOBL JAM Tournament in Toronto and was named WBCA Assistant Coach of the Year during the 2020-21 season. During Louisville’s 10-seasons in the ACC, the Cardinals have won the most conference games of any

school and they are the only team to finish in the top-five of the league in each of those seasons.

Prior to her time at Louisville, Norman made stops at Vanderbilt, Oregon State, Oregon, Hawaii and British Columbia. Norman was a four-year letterwinner at Arizona State, serving as the Sun Devils’ captain during junior and senior seasons.

Louisville is a No. 6 seed is the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, with a firstround game Friday against Middle Tennessee, a No. 11 seed, at Baton Rouge, La.

Note: Siuslaw graduate Stephanie Osburn Norman (Class of 1984) was inducted into the Siuslaw Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.

Siuslaw grad to coach basketball in Sweet Home

EXPLODING WHALE SPORTS

Siuslaw graduate and multisport athlete Evan Teter (Class of 2018) has found his field of dreams in Sweet Home.

Teter is the first-year head coach of the Huskies’ varsity baseball team, which opened its season this past week.

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The Huskies are members of the 4A Oregon West Conference, along with Newport, North Marion, Stayton, Cascade and Philomath.

Teter was a first-year assistant coach at Sweet Home last spring, when the Huskies finished 1-20.

Siuslaw and Sweet Home are competing in the Newport Tournament March 27-28 but are not scheduled to face each other.

Teter studied at George Fox University and currently is a physical education teacher at Foster Elementary in Sweet Home.

Proud parents are Stacey and Bob Teter of Florence.

Viking Boys finish first in District golf match

Exploding Whale Sports

The Siuslaw Vikings boys golf team captured an 11-school 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 match Monday at Salishan Golf Course in Gleneden.

Vikings’ junior Ryan Klampe was second individually with an 83. Sophomore Will Johnson and senior Braxton Hulet shared eighth with 89s, junior Camden Linton tied for 13th with a 93 and sophomore Micah Blankenship tied for 25th with a 105.

schools, Western Christian with 358 and Blanchet Catholic 399.

Only seven of the 11 schools had full teams of four to five golfers.

The boys’ next action is Monday, April 1, a district match at Diamond Woods Golf Course in Monroe.

Boys schedule

• Monday, April 1 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 match, Diamond Woods Golf Course, Monroe, TBD.

Siuslaw scored 354, followed by a pair of Salem-area

Vikings Baseball moves to No. 9 in State

EXPLODING WHALE SPORTS

The Siuslaw Vikings baseball team has opened the season on a serious roll, currently ranked No. 9 by the OSAA in 3A.

Tuesday, the Vikings improved to 3-0 with a 14-4, five-inning victory over Creswell at Jiggs Dodson Field in their Mountain Valley Conference opener.

Siuslaw erupted for 11 runs on nine hits in the bottom of the fifth inning to secure the win, while right-hander Andrew Jensen-Norman tossed his second complete game in two starts.

The Vikings, playing their first away games, have a twin bill Friday at Creswell. First pitch is 2 p.m.

Elsewhere Tuesday, La Pine won 10-5 at Elmira and Pleasant Hill beat visiting Harrisburg 8-1.

Of note

Jensen-Norman threw 93 pitches against Creswell and 88 in a no-hit, season-opening win over Sutherllin. … Siuslaw outscored Sutherlin, Coquille and Creswell a combined 48-5. … After Creswell, the Vikings will play three nonleague games at the Newport Tournament, facing Taft, BrookingsHarbor and Seaside. …

Andrew Jensen

Norman is Coast Radio Athlete of the Week

Boys roster

• Monday, April 22 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 match, McNary Golf Course, Keizer, 11 a.m.

• Thursday, April 25 — State Preview, Emerald Valley

• Monday, April 29 —

Special District

• Monday-Tuesday, May

• Monday, April 8 — 3A/2A/1A Special District 2 match, Florence Golf Links, 10 a.m.

Freshman

William McCord

Sophomores

Jaxon Chiang Logan Harris Micah Blankenship

Will Johnson

Juniors

Camden Linton Jackson Hickman Ryan Klampe

Seniors Braxton Hulet Jamie Hunt

Siuslaw senior right-hander Andrew Jensen-Norman has been named the Coast Radio athlete of the week after tossing a no-hitter in the Vikings’ 11-0 victory over Sutherlin to open the baseball season.

Vikings sophomore Micah Blankenship was honorable mention, going 3-for-3 at the plate against Sutherlin and tossing four hitless innings against Coquille.

The athlete of the week award is co-sponsored by Coast Radio, the Siuslaw News and the Sports Club.

first time on Tuesday and is tasked with giving Kotek’s office guidelines for the use of AI by September. The recommendations are to include ways for the state to use the technology in an equi-

AI is a powerful tool that can quickly do tasks like transcribing audio or analyzing and scanning documents, saving hours of labor. But AI relies upon manmade

algorithms, and human error and biases can creep in without safeguards. For example, AI relies upon facial recognition technology to scan and locate criminals, but the technology is imperfect and raises privacy concerns. Kotek talked to the group via a video connection, and then picked up the phone to call in after her audio failed, telling the group, “Let’s go old school.”

She called AI a “new frontier.”

That includes elections.

Legislative bills

“I hold a little bit of healthy skepticism about all new technologies,” Kotek said. “And I think we all know that AI can bring potential benefits to our society, to how we do business. We just need to be cognizant of what those goals are and what risks we should be aware of and prepare for.”

For example, Kotek said, AI can potentially help the state streamline its work and free up government staffers to work directly with the public and enhance customer service.

This session, Oregon lawmakers passedSenate Bill 1571, which would require political campaigns to disclose when their campaign materials use AI or digital technology to manipulate an image, video or audio to sway voters. Kotek hasn’t signed it yet.

Washington state has a similar law, and other states have considered AI laws for campaigns this year.

forward. Ultimately, it’s beginning to kind of feel like the only way to meaningfully combat the growing number of AI attacks or potential AI attacks is with a more robust AI defense.”

Terrence Woods, the state chief information officer and council’s chair, said that recruitment for cybersecurity positions is a challenge and the state continues to look for ways to boost its recruiting efforts.

AI also has risks, Kotek said, stressing the need to avoid systemic inequities or racism with faulty algorithms. The American Civil Liberties Union and others have raised concerns that the automated systems in AI can lead to racism, making it more difficult for people to obtain housing or jobs with systems that screen for specific word choices in applications and even voice tones in video interviews.

“I think anytime you’re moving into unknown territory with new technology, we just have to be thinking across the system,” Kotek said.

In 2023, at least 25 states introduced bills about AI, and 18 states and Puerto Rico passed proposals, according to a National Conference of State Legislatures report.

And AI is on the radar of local governments too. Charles Henderson, a senior cybersecurity analyst with Washington County, told the group that local government agencies face a shortage of personnel needed to safeguard against potential AI hacks.

“There has been a staggering increase in the quality of AI hacking, deep fakes and image creation,” he said.

“I think many of us in this field fear that society as a whole is going to be caught kind of flat-footed on how to effectively respond to going

AI specialists are relatively rare in Oregon state government. Kotek, for example, does not have an AI czar and Woods’ job is broader than solely AI.

The 15-member council anticipates meeting at least once every six weeks, possibly more often, to accomplish its work.

The March 19 introductory meeting didn’t include a lengthy discussion of AI policies. Rather, the 15-member group received information about the public records and open meetings laws. Members include Sen. Daniel Bonham, R-The Dalles, Rep. Daniel Nguyen, D-Lake Oswego, staff in government agencies and members of the business community.

Gov. Tina Kotek’s new artificial intelligence council started its work on Tuesday. The council will make recommendations about AI’s use in state government.

storage tank that melts away to provide water for drinking, irrigation and other purposes during dry months.

But exactly how much water is held in snowpacks, and for how long?

That information, critical to water managers around the globe, has taken on new clarity thanks to a new, more holistic calculation technique developed by researchers in the Oregon State University College of Engineering.

“Water managers tend to consider a portfolio of infrastructure options – surface water reservoirs, groundwater recharge programs, etc. – to match supply to demand,” OSU’s David Hill said.

“Increased understanding of how much water is in snow should allow them to make long-term planning decisions for how to adjust that portfolio.”

The study by Hill, a professor of civil engineering, and doctoral student Christina Aragon looked at nearly four decades of snowpack data.

Through their new metric, which they call snow water storage, they identified a 22% drop in how much water is held annually in the mountain

snowpacks of the lower 48 states.

“Unlike other widely used metrics that capture snow variables at a single point in time, like maximum snow water equivalent, or describe snow characteristics in terms of time, such as length of snow season, snow water storage is applicable at numerous time and space scales,” Hill said. “It’s really just a cumulative sum, not a maximum value; it’s like adding up the number of miles you drive in a given year, rather than just thinking about the 500 you did on one day for your road trip.”

In addition to introducing a better tool for gauging how much water is in snowpacks over periods of time, the findings are important because of what the new metric revealed about mountain snowpacks, which play an outsized role in the nation’s water storage.

Hill and Aragon note that of all the water stored in the form of snow in the lower 48, 72% of it is in the mountains, though mountains cover just 16% of the total area.

“There are many ways to describe or quantify our snow resources, but some of the traditional measures, such as the April 1st snowpack, increasingly do not tell the full story,” Hill said. “We present a new way of describing snow’s water storage ability

that adds deeper understanding and has more applicability in cases where our snowfall is increasingly intermittent or, regrettably, turning to rain.”

The researchers’ work, presented in a paper published in Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, builds on a commonly used measurement known as snow water equivalent; as its name implies, it’s how much water is left in a container after the snow that was placed in it melts.

“By considering the amount of water held in the snowpack and the amount of time the water is stored as snow, we are able to quantify water storage in different types of snowpacks,” Aragon said. “This includes persistent snowpacks, like we typically have at high elevations in the mountains; transient snowpacks, which are typically found at lower elevations; and snowpacks that are transitioning from persistent to transient due to climate warming.”

Aragon adds that because the snow water storage metric can be applied to multiple types of snowpacks, it may become increasingly valuable for monitoring and predicting water resources “amidst a future of increased climate variability.”

Hill points out that the past several years in the lower 48 have seen a “feast or famine cycle of extremes when it has

come to the where and the when of our snow and rain.” And in general snowpacks have considerably declined over the past 10 to 20 years.

“That particularly matters in places like Oregon, where 15% of the state’s total annual precipitation falls as snow, and our snowpack functions like a reservoir,” he said. “It holds back winter precipitation and slowly releases it in spring and early summer. This is useful because, at those times, our rainfall has tapered off for the year, but demand for water is on the rise.”

As the climate warms and snowpacks become more and more variable – the winter of 2023-24 is a good example, Hill said – a metric like the new one developed at OSU helps to more objectively quantify the reservoir storage aspect of the globe’s snowpacks.

From local to regional scales, he notes, municipal and agricultural users of water need to balance demand with supply, and snow storage dramatically influences the timing of the supply side.

“As we move forward, and as we have moved from the past to the present, the relatively good news is that annual precipitation amounts tend to not change that dramatically,” he said. “However, changing temperatures greatly influence snow storage and therefore the timing of water availability.”

Funding for the work came from the OSU Graduate School Oregon Lottery Award for Academic Excellence and from the Oregon State Water Resources Graduate Program Alumni Award.

PHOTO BY KENDRA SHARP OSU engineering professor David Hill, shown here in New Zealand’s Craigieburn Range, is co-leader of the Community Observations + YOU project, one of six citizen science projects funded by NASA to improve understanding of our physical environment.

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W. CARNEY, DECEASED. Case No. 24PB02234. 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 first 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 March 20, 2024. /s/ Deborah L. Heberling, Personal Representative. Publication dates: March 20, 27 & April 3, 2024.

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GEMINI

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice of Budget Committee Meeting A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the City of Dunes City, Lane County, State of Oregon, on the budget for the fiscal year July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025, will be held at 82877

Spruce St., Dunes City, OR. The meeting will take place on April 3, 2024 at 6:00 p.m.. The purpose of the meeting is to receive the budget message and to receive comment from the public on the budget. This is a public meeting where deliberation of the Budget Committee will take place. Any person may appear at the meeting and discuss the proposed programs with the Budget Committee.. A copy of the budget document may be inspected or obtained on or after March 20, 2024 at 82877 Spruce St. between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Publication Date: March 27, 2024.

PUBLIC NOTICE CLAIMS against the estate of LOREN KENNETH HILDEBRAND of Florence, Oregon, Lane County Circuit Court Case No. 24PB01185, are required to be presented, with proper vouchers, to the Personal Representative, DONALD W. HILDEBRAND at 3980 Marshall Avenue, Eugene, OR 97402 within four (4) months from March ?, 2024, the date of first publication, or such claims may be barred. Any person whose rights may be affected by the proceeding may obtain additional information from the court records, the Personal Representative or the attorney for the Personal Representative, Daniel T. Garner, 625 Highway 101, PMB 350, Florence, OR 97439. Publication dates: March 20, 27 & April 3, 2024.

CANCER

Jun 22/Jul 22

Cancer, many elements of your life are starting to level out this week. That can be a comfort to you because you seemingly have been running around for some time and could use a break.

LEO

Jul 23/Aug 23

Leo, others have nothing but good things to say to you this week. Bask in their kind words and adoration, and use this as motivation for future endeavors.

VIRGO

Aug 24/Sept 22

May 22/Jun 21

Gemini, others may not understand who you are and could make assumptions that are inaccurate. They may just need some more information to get a clearer picture.

With no big events on the horizon, you may want to manufacture one to have a reason to party, Virgo. Start planning your guest list and come up with a fun theme to get behind.

LIBRA

Sept 23/Oct 23

CAPRICORN Dec

Libra, while you should be mindful of your goals, you also can support those around you as they pursue their own. Serve as inspiration to people in your life right now.

SCORPIO

Oct 24/Nov 22

Scorpio, this is a good time to start tackling some projects around the house that have been put off for some time. Redecorating and remodeling can be an inspiration right now.

SAGITTARIUS

Nov 23/Dec 21

Take a step back and reevaluate your approach to a situation because the way you have been doing it just hasn’t yielded the results you expected, Sagittarius. Take suggestions and tips.

AQUARIUS

PISCES

1. GEOGRAPHY: Where are the Seychelles islands located?

2. TELEVISION: In which sitcom is the catchphrase "Hello, Newman" used often?

3. FOOD & DRINK: What is a cornichon?

4. HISTORY: According to a WWII government slogan, what should citizens do after they "Keep calm ..."?

5. MOVIES: What is the name of John Wayne's character in "True Grit"?

6. LANGUAGE: The Latin word "genu" refers to which part of the human body?

7. U.S. STATES: How many states begin with the letter "R"?

8. MEDICAL: The first vaccine was created to protect against which disease?

9. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the name of Helen Keller's teacher, who taught the blind and deaf girl how to communicate?

10. ANATONY: What is the smallest organ in the human body?

7.

6.

5.

4. “... and carry on.”

3. A small pickle.

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