Issuu

Saturday, November 22nd 10 am - noon Pie by the slice or whole! Coffee + apple cider + Arts & Crafts Proceeds to benefit local charities St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church 2135 19th Street Florence, Oregon Every slice supports our community!

Siuslaw NewsWednesday, November 12, 2025 Florence, Oregon

Number 46 • 134 years

Florence dresses up for Halloween

Sodomy and abuse trial to start SIUSLAW NEWS STAFF

Weather was perfect in Old Town Florence Oct. 31 as hundreds of big and little Trick-or-Treaters filled the sidewalks and businesses. Firefighters, Coast Guard Auxilliary and others handed out candy along the route and several employees of Old Town businesses were also in costume. Along the route, one saw everything from Care Bears to Sesame Street Martians to Pennywise, to Captain Jack Sparrow to No-Face to Randy Marsh to a baby-beekeeper to Devo walking dogs to a host on Ninjas and several inflatable costumes. Unlike previous years, forecasted rain did not make an appearance this year. See more photos on page A6 Tony Reed photos

After several postponements, Keith W. Berkner, of Florence, will stand trial in Lane County Circuit Court on charges of sodomy and sexual abuse of children Berkner was arrested Dec. 27, 2024, after Florence Police Department received and investigated a report of possible sexual abuse of a juvenile. “From that investigation, Keith Berkner was developed as a suspect in the case,” a Florence Police Department release stated after his arrest. “On [Jan. 22] a search warrant was executed on Berkner’s residence, where Berkner was placed into custody and later transported to Lane County Adult Corrections.” Berkner is charged with Sodomy in the First Degree and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree, both felonies. If convicted, the maximum sentences for the two offenses are 70 months (25 years) and 75 months (10 years) in prison. Since his arrest, he has remained in See TRIAL, Page A7

Charter School answers Exploding Whale celebration continues funding questions By TONY REED The Siuslaw News

By TONY REED Siuslaw News

Siuslaw Valley Charter School members have started the process of renovating the former Rite Aid building at 35th and Highway 101 to house Whitmore Classical Academy (WCA), a public charter school starting in fall 2026. In recent weeks, news of the new location has spurred questions from community members and social media users about how the new school will be funded. In a previous meeting, SVCS Director Chuck Trent said the building deal was in escrow and at “a little over $2 million for the building itself,” and another $1.5 million will be needed for classroom buildout,

INSIDE

Obituaries — A2 Sports & Lifestyle — B1

JIM HOBERG Broker/Owner

administrative areas and a covered playground. He said while the money is in hand for the down payment, about $500,000 is still needed. “We still have to buy all the furniture, and we still have curriculum to buy. We have to buy all computers that will be in the classrooms, projectors, TVs…” he said, later explaining that the school will not receive state or federal funding until July 2026. HOW IT WORKS Charter school funding is laid out in Oregon Revised Statute 338.155. “Charter school funding only begins after the institution officially opens, in the fall of the first operational year,” See SCHOOL, Page A7

Opinion — A3 Classifieds — B6-7

If Florence, Oregon has had one “15 minutes of Fame” moment, it happened because of a three-minute newscast that went on the air 55 years ago. While some would call it quirky and humorous while other balk at the idea, locals and visitors will celebrate that day in 1970 when the Oregon Highway Department used dynamite to blow up a dead sperm whale and cement Florence’s name in history. The 55th Exploding Whale Celebration and Commemoration will take place in Florence Nov. 16 from 1 to 4 p.m. at Homegrown Public House & Brewery, across from the Siuslaw Pioneer Museum. In previous years, the informal event has

At last year’s exploding Whale celebration, former KATU newsman Pail Linnman, right recalls the exploding whale with Kelly Umenhofer, whose father’s car was smashed by a huge chunk of falling whale blubber. It is not yet known if either will attend this year. Tony Reed file photo happened rain or shine, and has hosted the very newscaster who immortally marked the moment by saying, “the blast blasted blubber beyond all believable bounds.”

WITH THEIR OWN EYES Former KATU reporter Paul Linnman and camera operator Doug Brazil have been sharing the story since, and Linnman previously told the

Siuslaw News hardly a day goes by in his life that someone doesn’t mention the whale to him. He and Brazil have See WHALE, Page A7

1870 Hwy. 126, Suite A • PO Box 3040, Florence, OR