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Siuslaw NewsWednesday, November 19, 2025 Florence, Oregon

Number 47 • 134 years

Siuslaw cross country capture state title Berkner WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

“It doesn’t get old,” Head Coach Chris Johnson said. For the eighth time in program history, Siuslaw’s boys cross country team hustled its way to the top of the podium as state champions. The seven-person squad of Henry Stone, Bentley Nelson, Ezra King, Camden Linton, Kale Jensen, Sailor Jensen, and Yair Brito Xilot earned a state title, scoring 88 points, the first time atop the state since 2022. The 3A OSAA State XC Championships were held at Lane Community College in Eugene on Nov. 8, and for the Vikings, competing at the highest level is nothing new. “These guys have been there before; it’s not a novelty for us to get over there,” Johnson said. “It’s a little bit different to go over there when you’re supposed to win. It’s a whole different mindset, and a little different level of stress when you’re the favorite. But also, it’s pretty comforting, because you’d never trade an inferior team for a better team.” Johnson said the team See STATE, Page A5

Trial postponed again SIUSLAW NEWS STAFF

Though scheduled for trial Nov. 13, Keith W. Berkner, of Florence, will likely stand trial in Lane County Circuit Court on charges of sodomy and sexual abuse of children sometime in 2026. 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

The 2025 state champion Siuslaw Vikings. Courtesy photo from Becky Holbrook

The cross country team received a police escort. Tony Reed photo.

See TRIAL, Page A4

Charter School begins renovating future home

Prospective drawings show the current plan for the main entrance, playground and interior classrooms. By TONY REED The Siuslaw News

Siuslaw Valley Charter School Directors and volunteers have already begun working to rebuild the former Rite-Aid building at 35th Street and Highway 101 into Whitmore Classical Academy with the goal of opening next fall.

INSIDE

Obituaries — A2 Sports & Lifestyle — B1

Inside the building on November 11, Director Chuck Trent showed the layout as currently planned, with a central area for assemblies, surrounded by classrooms. The central area already has a raised ceiling with a lot of space below. SVCS Chief Operating Officer Jennifer Waggoner said the area

will have many uses. “We will use that for our morning assembly, and then we will use it for any kind of indoor play, when our classes are full we might do art in there and have a rotating schedule with music, PE and Spanish, so we haven’t fully defined how See SCHOOL, Page A6

Opinion — A3 Classifieds — B6-7

Annual Veterans Day Parade Brings out Scores of Florentines SUBMITTED by Cal Applebee

Literally hundreds of locals and visitors alike thronged the streets throughout historic Old Town Florence and beyond on Tuesday, November 11th as the 20th annual Veterans Day

Parade proceeded with floats, bands, service organizations, community non-profits, car clubs and more, all paying tribute to the Veterans residing in the Florence area. The turnout for this small town reflects the fact that the Florence area enjoys a Veteran population of

roughly two-and-a-half times the State average. Grand Marshals Charlie Pennington and Terri Pennington of Florence, both US Army Veterans who served in both Vietnam and Korea as well as stateside, rode See PARADE, Page A7

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SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

BEHIND THE HEADLINES

Medicare Annual Wellness Visit Wrap-up By BOB HORNEY

Success! This brings back memories of watching the crime fighting “A Team” on TV. When they wrapped up their weekly case, we could always depend “Colonel Hannibal Smith”, one of the main characters to exclaim, “I love it when a plan comes together!” I feel exactly the same way with finally clarifying what we patients should expect when going to our healthcare provider for the Medicare Annual (FREE) Wellness Visit…in PeaceHealth’s own words. Actually, it is basically the same as I suggested in my last article about it…only respond to your provider to answer their questions which will be coming from the Medicare Wellness document. That

will keep your Wellness Visit (FREE). When your provider is finished with those questions, you may proceed with asking questions/concerns YOU may have regarding YOU. My suggestion is to keep this article from the Siuslaw News for future reference in answering questions about how the Medicare Annual Wellness Visit (AWV) is handled by PeaceHealth in Florence. Now I will add several qualifying statements: This is the status as of November 11, 2025, as I write this. Also, expect slight personal variations in administering it. Our healthcare providers are not robots and we are not trying to make robots out of them. With that introduction, here is what to expect. First, for the patients who

POLICE LOG

Florence Police Department responded to the following calls from November 5 to November 11 WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 5 At 2:32 p.m., a caller reported that a large bird had its neck stuck in a hole in the Siuslaw River bridge. Officers responded to the described area but found the bird had freed itself. At 6:04 p.m., a caller reported that a purse and other items had been stolen from a residence in the 1600 block of Rhododendron Drive. Case remains under investigation.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 6 At 8:11 a.m., officers responded to the 2000 block of Highway 101 for a reported dispute between subjects. Officers arrived to find a dispute had occurred in the parking lot, which started as a verbal argument and ended with damage being done to cars. Officers arrested one subject for disorderly conduct and criminal mischief II. At 11:06 a.m. a second charge of criminal

have experienced a previous AWV, you will be waiting a full year before becoming eligible for your next one. That will be me, since I had my first AWV this past January. For those who have not had their initial AWV you may be invited to enroll in it two ways: One would be a phone call from PeaceHealth and the 2nd would be upon walking into your provider’s examining room for something else that brought you to see him/her. Either way you should get the same information. Now, using myself as the patient and using a script that PeaceHealth provided to staff involved in conducting the AWV, I walk into my doctor’s examining room with a complaint for him to diagnose/treat. He greets

me and continues: “I see you are here today for hip problems, and I also noticed you’re due for your Medicare Annual Wellness Visit. We can take care of both concerns today if that works for you. The Wellness visit is a yearly check-in where we focus on prevention, screenings, and your longterm health goals. Then, we’ll shift to talk about the specific concern (hip problems) that brought you in today. Just to clarify, Medicare fully covers the AWV. However, since we’re also addressing your medical concern today, that part will be billed separately, depending on your health insurance coverage. We want to make sure both your preventive care and current needs are addressed properly.”

These words spoken by my doctor shows he knows how to handle each visit in one appointment – preventive care (Wellness) and current needs. I would tell my doctor to get all the information he can and to proceed with both. Now, here is a real live up-todate AWV. I went with Marianne today, Nov. 11, 2025 for her initial AWV. The doctor’s assistant of course came in first. Marianne had some concerns of her own, so the assistant clarified that she wanted to do both visits today. After doing her regular visit preliminaries, he proceeded to ask questions from the AWV. This only took about 5-6 minutes and included questions like weight, hours of sleep, exercise, hearing, vision, servings

of vegetables per day, etc. With that, he left to get the doctor for the current issues Marianne needed to talk about. That was the gist of the AWV. When her doctor came into the room, he went straight to her concerns and never mentioned the AWV. Good job – one appointment – two sessions – one FREE for Medicare – one for personal concerns. Additional scripting for staff reminds them to educate patients on the benefits of AWV. “Explain the benefits of AWVs to patients, emphasizing comprehensive care and preventive measures. Make sure they understand that addressing both wellness and problem-based issues in one visit can be beneficial.”

mischief was added to the previous arrest when the subject reportedly flooded his jail cell at Florence police Department. At 7:37 p.m., a caller reported vehicles racing up and down Oak Street. Officers responded but vehicles were gone upon arrival.

subject causing a disturbance in the hospital. Officers made contact with the subject and arrested her for a warrant out of Eugene Municipal Court. At 8 a.m., officers responded to the 1100 block of Yew St. for a reported theft. Officers found an ongoing family situation and took statements. No arrests were made and no further action was taken. At 4:25 p.m., officers responded to the 4000 block of Spruce Street for a report that a subject had been driving through the area making threats out the window of his vehicle. Officers investigated but found no criminal action had occurred. At 4:34 p.m., a caller reported a vehicle unsafely passing cars on Highway 101 south of

Florence. At 8:40 p.m., officers responded to the 1200 block of 7th Street for a report of an ongoing dispute over vehicles parking near a mailbox. At 11:48 p.m., officers responded to the 200 block of Juniper Street for a report that a subject had lost his girlfriend. Subject told officers that they had been in the bar drinking and that she disappeared. Officers later located the girlfriend who said she left because he was drunk.

indicating it had a dead battery and that the owner was returning soon. No further action was taken. At 8:31 a.m., a call reported a possible DUII driver in the 400 block of 9th Street. Officers investigated and found the driver in question was not intoxicated and there was no probable cause for arrest. At 9:06 a.m., officers responded to a business in the 2200 block of Highway 101 for a report of possible theft. Officers made contact with a subject but could not determine if he had stolen anything. The business asked that the subject be told not to return. At 11:39 a.m., officers responded to the 600 block of Ibolt Ct. for a death investigation. Officers determined the cause to have been natural, no foul play was suspected. At 1:22 p.m., officers responded to the area of 36th St. and Highway 101 for a reported traffic hazard. Officers arrive to find a trailer had come disconnected from a vehicle and was in the roadway. Officers helped the motorist reconnect the trailer and remove it from the lane. At 3:27 p.m., officers responded to the 2400 block of Oak Street for a reported theft of a phone and cash. Case remains under investigation. At 4:01 p.m., officers responded to the 1800 block of Oak Street for a report of three young juveniles vaping. Officers contacted the juveniles who admitted to taking “one hit” from the vape pen. Juveniles were counseled about the law and health impacts of vaping. At 4:02 p.m., officers responded to the 900 block of 7th Street for a report of loud music coming from a vehicle. Officers contacted involved parties and no further action was taken. At 5:43 p.m., officers arrested a subject in the 2400 block of Oak Street based on an investigation from an earlier case. No further information was available. At 6:10 p.m., a caller reported that a subject had arrived in the 400 block of 9th Street who may have been driving intoxicated. Officers arrived and conducted a field sobriety test. Officers arrested

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 7. At 12:36 a.m., officers made a traffic stop on a vehicle and found the driver had a warrant from Linn County. Driver was taken into custody. At 1:08 a.m., officers responded to the 400 block of 9th St. for a

Rudolph Kramer March 2, 1943 - October 21, 2025

Rudolph Kramer of Florence passed away on October 21 five months after a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. He was born in Independence, MO 82 years ago.

up and down the Oregon coast. He was a member of the Florence Airport Volunteer Group, and he was very enthused about how much he learned from the diverse people he met on duty.

After serving in the Navy as a machinist during the Vietnam war, he worked the remainder of his career as a tool designer at Honeywell in Kansas City. Upon retiring he achieved his long-held dream of building a house in Florence near the sea which he so loved. He jogged on the beach almost daily until only a year ago, and the tide clocks which he made in his garage shop can be found

It’s a testament to his strength and love for Marjorie, his wife of 57 years, that he was her primary caregiver through her development of dementia while simultaneously struggling with his own cancer and its sequelae. He is survived by Marjorie, two sisters, two sons and one grandchild.

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 8 At 7:53 a.m., officers responded to the 2800 block of Rhododendron Drive for a report of an abandoned vehicle. Officers located the vehicle which was parked on private property. A note was left on the vehicle

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Dianna Laurie Plaep 1956 - 2025

Dianna Laurie Plaep, affectionately known as Dee Dee, passed away peacefully on October 18, 2025, at the age of 69, in her home in Westlake, Oregon. She was the beloved daughter of the late Edwina Siestreem Clarkson and Carl Clarkson. Dee Dee graduated from Marshfield High School in Coos Bay where she was born and raised. In Coos Bay, she met and married her first husband Thomas Warrick. They later moved to Florence, Oregon for work and to raise a family. Throughout her life, she was dedicated to her community and worked in varies roles that reflected her commitment and versatility. Her career journey included positions at Western Bank, where she served as a teller and personal banker, and at the Siuslaw Middle School as a teachers assistant. She also worked at the Sportsman sporting goods store, handling sales and bookkeeping. Dee Dee retired from her role as a receptionist at the Florence Outreach Office and helped with the Elders Activities and Fitness Program with the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, where she made significant contributions to her community.

Russell Ruzich 11/23/1946 - 8/10/2025

Beyond her professional life, Dee Dee was deeply passionate about the outdoors and animals. She especially enjoyed horses which she owned most of her life. She raised several donkeys and always had a dog or two. She also had a passion for quad riding, a walk on the beach, gardening, knitting, sodoku puzzles and everyone’s favorite, baking desserts. Dee Dee’s life was characterized by her humorous, kind, loving and creative personality. She was a family-oriented individual who cherished moments spent teasing and tormenting her coworkers and loved ones all in good spirits. Above all, her greatest joy was her two sons, Walker and Logan Warrick, and granddaughter Kinsley. She is survived by her husband Bruce Plaep; children, Logan and Walker Warrick; siblings, Mary Byer, Sharon Arnold and Richard Clarkson; and granddaughter Kinsley Warrick. She had numerous nephews and nieces and families that she so cherished. Celebration of Life will be held at 2:00pm on December 7, 2025, at Three Rivers Casino in Florence, Oregon.

Russ is survived by his wife Linda, daughter Lara, and son Kurt. Russ was a great husband and a wonderful father. He and his wife were married for 55 years. He spent over 30 years practicing as a cardiologist at the Mayo clinic in Scottsdale. He won an award for Best Educator of the year. He enjoyed horseback riding – especially roping. He was an avid Fly fisherman and tied his own flies. He was a very good jitterbug dancer! Russ was always willing to help when needed. Russ served in the Navy at Great Lakes for 2 years. He retired in Florence. He loved being by the ocean.

See POLICE, Page A5

SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

SN Siuslaw News 4969 HWY. 101, North, #4 PO Box. 10 Florence OR, 97439

541.997.3441 The newspaper is published every WEDNESDAY. A member of the National Newspaper Association and Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association. Periodicals postage paid at Florence, Ore. Postmaster, send address changes to: Country Media, P.O. Box 35, Salem, OR 97301.

LETTERS DEAR EDITOR, I support our school district’s children and parents having the option of attending the Whitmore Classical Academy. Its founders are interested in offering a classical and rigorous education to our children, and I welcome the opportunity of our community having a choice. Peggy Meyer Florence DEAR EDITOR, Undiscovered Christmas Treasure in Florence My friend has a magnet on the side of her car that says, “Florence Nativity Festival”. She told me that she is always quite surprised at how many people stop and

ask her, “What is that?” For a small town, it is amazing how many fun, giving, or spiritual things go on in Florence - especially during the holidays. But, instead of a large service club or non profit project, this one started with just a few women sharing their prized nativity collections over a weekend. Now there are almost 400 nativities that can be seen for free by the public. If you haven’t discovered it yet, it is a good thing to share with your family and friends and maybe start a yearly tradition - it’s always the first weekend of December 1-5pm. If you see ladies driving around with blue and white nativity scene magnets on their car and want to know where - it’s at the church on the corner of Munsel Lake Road and North Fork. This year the Friday showing falls on December 5th. Sherry Harvey Florence

Honoring Veterans at Siuslaw High School SUBMITTED by ROBERT ORR

Hundreds of Siuslaw High School students gathered respectfully and attentively in the school gymnasium on the morning of November 7 to honor local veterans. About 40 veterans joined the students in the gym. Planning for the event began early in the school year, according to leadership teacher Sara Mann. Many of the students in the leadership class were involved in the planning, with senior Danin Lacouture assuming primary responsibility. Junior Stella Duman worked closely with Lacouture with the expectation that she will be the lead coordinator next year. The ceremony began with the presentation of the colors by the U.S. Coast Guard. KCST broadcaster and military veteran Wayne Sharpe then asked all veterans in attendance to stand and be recognized based on the branch of the military in which they served. Among those recognized were several Siuslaw High School staff members. Coast Guard Veteran Jay Nilles lit the candle on a special ‘Fallen Comrade’ table that had

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Joe Warren | Director of Publication jwarren@countrymedia.net Alyson Davis | Office Manager snofficemanager@countrymedia.net Gary Winterholler | Multi-Media Sales Consultant 541.902.3529 | gwinterholler@countrymedia.net Tony Reed | Editor 541.902.3526 | treed@countrymedia.net LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Siuslaw News welcomes Letters to the Editor and Guest Viewpoints as part of a community discussion of issues on the local, state and national level. Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and clarity. Publication of any letter is not guaranteed and depends on space available and the volume of letters received.

Siuslaw High School Junior Stella questions Army veteran Devin White during a school assembly on November 7. Photo by SHS Freshman Afton Linton been placed next to the podium. The table and chair offered multiple reminders of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country. The table was small and round, representing the frailty of one person alone against their oppressors and the fact that concern for them is never ending. The white tablecloth showed the purity of the men and women who answered their country’s call to duty, while the empty chair representing all who could not be there. There was also a red rose as a reminder of the families left behind, a yellow ribbon for the everlasting hope of a joyous reunion, a slice of

lemon for the bitter fate of those lost, and salt for the tears of their families. An upside-down glass served as a reminder of all who were not there to join in a toast. Devin White, U.S. Army Veteran and Assistant football and wrestling Coach at Siuslaw High School, spoke passionately about the many benefits of military service: the power of purpose, education and career opportunities, leadership, belonging, and the development of values such as integrity and courage. He emphasized that, while we may not be designated as leaders, we are always in a position to lead.

Lori Straley followed White to the podium. Straley served in the U.S. Navy and then as an operating room nurse for 45 years after leaving military service. She advised the students to be open to opportunities given to them, just as she was given the opportunity to enter the field of nursing. Recognizing that a chosen path is not always easy, she cautioned the students, “If you’re worried about doing something because it’s going to be hard, you should think about your expectations.” Following the assembly, many of the visiting veterans joined students in the school library for lunch and conversation.

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Email letters to treed@countrymedia.net TO BE CONSIDERED FOR PUBLICATION: Letters must address pertinent or timely issues of interest to our readers at-large. In addition: • Letters reflect the opinion of the writer. The Siuslaw News cannot verify the accuracy of all statements made in letters. Authors should ensure any information is accurate, fair and not from second-hand knowledge or hearsay, and include sources where possible. • Letters have a suggested 300-word limit and may be edited for grammar and clarity. Occasionally letters will be longer. • Authors must sign their full name and include their street address (only city will be printed), as well as a daytime phone number and/ or email address for verification. The person who signs the letter must be the actual author. Siuslaw News does not accept anonymous Letters to the Editor. • Siuslaw News will not print form letters, libelous letters, business promotions or personal disputes, poetry, open letters, letters espousing religious views without reference to a current issue, or letters considered in poor taste. Letters also may not be part of letter-writing campaigns. • Writers are limited to one published letter every two weeks. TO SUBMIT TO THE SIUSLAW NEWS: Emailed submissions are preferred. All letters need to include full name, address and phone number; only name and city will be printed. Handwritten or typed letters must be signed. The newspaper, at the sole discretion of the publisher and editor, reserves the right to reject any letter that doesn’t follow the above criteria.

WHERE TO WRITE President Donald Trump The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW Washington, D.C. 20500 Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 TTY/TDD: 202-456-6213 www.whitehouse.gov Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek 900 Court St., Suite 254 Salem, Ore. 97301-4047 503-378-4582 www.oregon.gov/gov U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden 202-224-5244 | 541-431-0229 www.wyden.senate.gov U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley 202-224-3753 | 541-465-6750 www.merkley.senate.gov

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U.S. Rep. Val Hoyle (4th Dist.) 202-225-6416 www.hoyle.house.gov State Sen. Dick Anderson (Dist. 5) 503-986-1705 Email: Sen.DickAnderson@ oregonlegislature.gov

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State Rep. Boomer Wright (Dist. 9) PO Box 39000 Florence, OR 97439 503-986-1409 | 541-361-6042 Email: Rep.BoomerWright@ oregonlegislature.gov Lane County Dist. 1 Commissioner Ryan Ceniga 125 E. Eighth St. Eugene, OR 97401 541-682-4203 Email: Ryan.Ceniga@co.lane.or.us Florence City Council Mayor Rob Ward & Councilors Bill Meyer, Sally Wantz, Robert Carp & Jo Beaudreaux Florence City Hall, 250 Highway 101, Florence, 97439 541-997-3437 ci.florence.or.us Dunes City Council Mayor Ed McGuire & Councilors Rory Hammond, Tom Mallen, Susan Snow, Melissa Stinson, Robert Orr & Melissa Stinson Dunes City Hall, 82877 Spruce St., Westlake, OR 97493 541-997-3338 dunescityhall.com

SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

A Homestead Piano SUBMITTED by Siuslaw Pioneer Museum

There are times when the task at hand can seem impossible to accomplish, but not so with a bit of help. It was many years ago when news of a ship from San Francisco had arrived in Acme (later named Cushman) with a piano for the E. B, Miller family. Though long awaited, the logistics of transporting the piano to the Miller’s Clear Lake homestead required a great deal of planning. Help was needed. A scow was used to float the piano from Acme to the South Slough, which proved easy enough. From there it was loaded onto a wagon to be pulled by horses to the lake. As lookouts and helpers, men followed the wagon on foot, singing and whistling while guiding the cargo on the narrow, bumpy road. At the lake, a second scow awaited. With incredible effort, balance and careful

steps, the men transferred the piano from the wagon to the second scow. After a short trip on the lake the scow was docked at the homestead’s wharf. A make-shift sled was hitched to a team of horses prepared for the final walk to the homestead. However, it became immediately clear the wharf and hilly path were too narrow for the team of horses. Once again, the men hoisted the piano and managed to carry it step by step onto the sled. Finally reaching the homestead, the piano was safely carried into the house. A celebration of triumph with food, music, friends and neighbors went on for hours. And that is how with neighbors helping neighbors, the pioneers overcame what first appeared to be an almost impossible task. As we approach the upcoming Holiday, we are reminded to be thankful for family, friends and neighbors who make up the best part of our lives.

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First Stamp gives back SUBMITTED by ROBERT ORR Siuslaw High School

“Experiencing other countries in person gave us a new level of knowledge and appreciation.” That was the sentiment unanimously expressed by seven Siuslaw High School students who have each participated in a twoweek, all expenses paid trip to Europe. These trips took place in the summers of 2024 and 2025. The trips are sponsored by the organization First Stamp, which was founded just three years ago by Jenna Fagnan (a native of Reedsport) and Sarah Williams. Both women attended Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, and decided to give back to small communities by sponsoring trips for tenth grade girls who live in rural areas. Participants are selected from 17 high schools: 6 in Oregon, 6 in Texas and 5 in

Pennsylvania. The local organizer is Faiza Serang, a thirdgrade teacher at Siuslaw Elementary School. She attended school in Reedsport with Ms. Fagnan and is now involved in recruiting local girls as well as helping to plan and lead some of the trips. In Oregon, the schools included in the program are in Florence, Reedsport, Mapleton, Powers, North Powder and Baker City. The Siuslaw High School girls are Lilyana Clemons, Charley Johnson, Ezra Haberly, Emma Meier, Kortni Todd, Abby Jones and Danin Lacouture. The process, as they described it, was to attend an informational meeting at Siuslaw High School and then apply for the program. Once selected, they began preparing by getting passports, learning about the countries they would be visiting, and acquiring

the necessary travel items (many of which were supplied by First Stamp). Students from all three states met in Texas where they met, formed friendships, and prepared to travel overseas. They were joined there by mentors and trip leaders from Trinity University. The girls then traveled to Paris, and one other location: London, Dublin or Rome. Their itineraries were filled, but there was also time for unexpected adventures. Highlights of the trip for the Siuslaw girls included meeting new people (fellow travelers, mentors, and residents of the countries they visited); forming new friendships and long-term bonds; trying new foods and experiencing different cultures; learning how others view America and sharing their own experiences as Americans with others. The girls also learned to coexist with people they

didn’t know well, and to solve unexpected problems as they arose. In the previous years, most of the girls who applied were selected. This year could be different. The number of interested girls has grown, and the organizers may have to make difficult decisions among qualified applicants. The introductory meeting for Siuslaw students was held on the evening of November 4 in the school library to a full crowd of parents and students. The application period opened on November 15 and closes on January 15. Each girl will complete an application form and make a video of herself. Those fortunate to be selected will be fully funded for the trip, including airfare, lodging, meals, activities, and even spending money, making this a truly unique opportunity. More information may be found at https:// firststamp.org/

Three Rivers Casino Resort hosts annual food and toy drive to support families in need Three Rivers Casino Resort is holding its annual Food and Toy Drive from Nov. 3 to Dec. 14. The drive benefits local families in need as it strengthens partnerships between the casino, the Florence Police Department, and community organizations. Guests can bring in a new, unwrapped toy or three nonperishable food items to Player Services. They will receive $5 in free play once a week. Donors who bring both a toy and food can receive up to $10 total each week.

“We really appreciate working with Three Rivers for the toy and food drive program that we have here in Florence,” said Florence Police Department School Resource Officer Hailey Coons. “They’re a big part of the service we’re able to offer our community during the holiday season. Community organizations nominate families who’ve been struggling or just having a rough year, and it’s such a rewarding experience to make sure every child has a happy holiday.”

“I think it’s fabulous when businesses give back to the community they serve,” said Food Drive recipient Beth Bolles. “My wife and I live on Social Security, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to decide what bills to pay. Discovering we were eligible for the food share helped us immensely. Foodshare has given me so much more than food; it’s a wonderful community of caring humans.” Coons said Legos, sports equipment, and books are among the

most popular gifted items. When it comes to food donations, coffee, cereal, peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, and macaroni and cheese are especially needed for families. Over the last five years, Three Rivers Casino Resort has helped to give out more than 2,500 toys and cans of food. “We’d love for everyone to help donate so we can make every family have a fantastic holiday season,” added Coons. For more information, visit threeriverscasino.com.

Trial

offenses are 70 months (25 years) and 75 months (10 years) in prison. Since his arrest, he has remained in custody at Lane County jail. According to court records, Berkner entered

a not guilty plea to the indictment on Jan. 29. At the time of arrest, Berkner was listed online as the owner of Keith Berkner Home Daycare, a license-exempt childcare provider in Florence. At a Feb. 27 pretrial conference, Berkner waived his 60-day trial right and that a new pretrial conference date was

set for April 7, alongside a trial date of June 24. A postponement motion was filed on June 18 and the trial was set to begin at 9:30 a.m., Sept. 9 in Lane County Circuit Court, but was postponed again on Nov. 13. Court Calendar staff say the trial date has not been set officially but will most likely be held over until next year.

From Page A1

Degree, both felonies. If convicted, the maximum sentences for the two

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SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Police

From Page A2

Brandye Boggioni for DUII. At 8:50 p.m., officers responded to the 1400 block of 9th Street for a report of an unconscious subject. Officers contacted a male and female who were sleeping. Upon waking them, officers found they were intoxicated. Subjects were told that if they could not find someone to take responsibility for them they would have to go to detox. The male subject reportedly resisted while heavily intoxicated and tried to fight with officers. Subject was arrested for disorderly conduct and taken to detox at the jail. At 10:58 p.m., officers

State

From Page A1

handled themselves with composure and lived up to the expectations put upon them. Throughout the season, Johnson said the team was led by three “sophomore superstars” and then a “whole bunch of other guys” who were key pieces to success. At state, the script played out similarly. “Maybe what stands out to me is that that’s kind of what happened. Our sophomore superstars kind of carried the day for us. Henry Stone, getting fourth place, that’s incredible. Second time being first team all-state in just his second trip there. Bentley Nelson and Ezra King had fantastic years for us. All seven of these guys are playing soccer; that’s the leap.” All seven of Siuslaw’s runners were also members of the Vikings’ playoff soccer team. Johnson equated the seven athletes’ burden of competing in two separate sports to Shohei Ohtani’s pitching and hitting for the Dodgers. At least Ohtani is playing the same sport in his two roles. “The kids are doing different things: two sets of coaches, two sets of teammates, two different schedules, two totally different concepts. There are some physiological crossovers, but it’s not the same being a cross-country runner as a soccer athlete,” Johnson said. “For those guys to do what they did, and get through that week, they played in a playoff game on Wednesday, and had to come right back, three days later, and get on the bus.” All seven Vikings’

responded to the 88,000 block of 1st Avenue for a report that a subject had found a bottle of nitrous oxide. Officers took possession of the bottle for destruction. At 11:37 p.m., officers responded to the 88,200 block of Rhododendron Drive for a report of a heavily intoxicated subject in a bus stop. Officers made contact with the subject and also contacted relatives to take responsibility for them. No further action was taken. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 9 At 11:42 a.m., officers responded to the area of 7th St., and Highway 101 for a report that subjects were yelling at a man and his dog. Subjects were gone when officers arrived. At 5:29 p.m., a caller reported

runners showed their determination; even after losing the playoff game on Nov. 5, they came back with enough juice in their legs to snatch the top honours in 3A cross country. Johnson credited Siuslaw’s soccer coaches, Londi Tomaro and Amy Tregoning, for helping their student-athletes balance their responsibilities across sports and academics to maximize performance on all fronts. Johnson said that Tomaro and he had each other’s backs, and the team would not have attained champion status without her. While sophomores Stone, Nelson, and King were exceptional, two of the athletes Johnson was most excited about were the program’s seniors, Kale Jensen and Camden Linton. “Kale Jensen is on his way to becoming the most decorated, successful athlete in Siuslaw history. This is the fourth time he’s won a team state title, he’s won an individual state title, he’s got a relay state title, he’s an All-American decathlete, and now he’s a scorer on the cross country team,” Johnson said. “Camden, Camden had been hurt in soccer, but he saw that we were going to need his depth, and the second half of the season, he really started to come along. He was really focused. It was really neat to have those two

that a vehicle had hit his vehicle and that he was able to get a portion of the license plate number before it took off. Officers investigated and were able to locate the other vehicle. The driver of that vehicle said she was shaken by the collision but that it was the other drivers fault. Officers stood by while subjects exchanged insurance information. At 6:40 p.m., an officer on patrol in the 4300 block of Highway 101 observed an oddly parked vehicle near a business. Upon investigating, officer found a vehicle had two flat tires and that the owner was waiting until morning to get them fixed. At 11:33 p.m., a caller reported a leaf blower disturbing the peace in the 100 block of

guys come through and score for us on the biggest stage.” The final finishes for Siuslaw’s runners out of the 92 runners at the 3A State Championships were: • Henry Stone - 4th place - 15:52.3 • Bentley Nelson - 12th place - 16:37.8 • Ezra King - 15th place - 16:48.5 • Camden Linton - 31st place - 17:32.3 • Kale Jensen - 37th place - 17:53.6 • Sailor Jensen - 43rd place - 18:02.1 • Yair Brito Xilot - 58th place - 18:40.2 Johnson was pleased to see Kale and Camden play significant roles in the Vikings’ championship run. While they were also a part of the team in 2022, Johnson was proud to see them score for Siuslaw in their senior season. The Vikings also claimed the Special District 4 championship crown this season, ensuring that there was no shortage of hardware for the Siuslaw trophy cabinet. When the Siuslaw teams returned from Eugene on the team bus, they were welcomed back to Florence with a police escort and cheers through downtown. The feeling of a hero’s welcome is like nothing else. “If that’s not an ad for why you should live in a

Highway 101. Officers found the noise was being caused by a private company cleaning a parking lot.

the glass for destruction.

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 10 At 5:48 a.m., a caller reported finding a friendly husky in the 1600 block of 2nd Street. Officers responded and took the dog to the Humane Society. The owners of the dog were found shortly afterward. At 3:40 p.m., a caller reported a vehicle driving very slowly on Highway 101 near the fire department. Officers responded to the area but were unable to locate the described vehicle. At 3:59 p.m., a subject came into the department lobby with a piece of glass they claimed had been used for ingesting narcotics. Officers took possession of

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 At 4:11 p.m., a caller reported finding a golden retriever in the area of Heceta Beach Drive without a collar. Dog was taken to Humane Society. At 4:47 p.m., a caller reported they had drank too much alcohol and felt like they were dying. Officers arrived to assist medical personnel. At 9:29 p.m., officers responded to the 700 block of Highway 101 for a report that subject had stolen alcohol from a business. Staff gave officers the license plate of the subjects vehicle and asked that the driver be charged with theft and told not to return to the business. Case remains under investigation.

this year will make this cross-country program a force for years to come. Sailor Jensen and Brito Xilot were both pretty “banged up” for the state meet, and as sophomores, they will be back for another two years. The top three finishers, King, Nelson, and Stone, also

small town, I don’t know what could be a better one. It’s crazy that it happened, it’s crazy how fun it is, it’s crazy the city and the police department and the fire department, after all these years, are letting us experience that,” Johnson said. “Everybody gets swept up into that emotion. When you drive into Florence, I wish there were a sign that says ‘Welcome to Siuslaw High School country,’ or something like that. Because it’s what our community is. It’s our fabric. It’s special, there’s no question.” Siuslaw’s season was not quite finished with the state championship; however, the very next weekend, Siuslaw sent runners to the Regional Championships in Spokane, Nov. 14-15. The results from those races are not known at the time of press. Looking to the future, Johnson expects the youthful core that was at the center of Siuslaw’s success

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have more to give. “I have those five boys coming back next year. That’s a good start on any team in the state, at any level,” Johnson said. “The future looks bright for Siuslaw cross-country. I don’t see us slowing down here for the next four or five years.”

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SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

The interior has a surprising amount of space and a raised central ceiling. Tony Reed photo.

School

From Page A1

we are going to have that flow,” she said. Trent said the bathrooms would be placed according to the current plumbing in the north west corner of the building, rather than cutting and installing pipe across the concrete floor.

Waggoner said it was initially thought that kindergarten classrooms would be best by the front door, but said it was instead decided to have them at the rear of the building closer to the bathrooms and a proposed back door drop off area. While discussing the lack of other adequately-sized commercial buildings in the Florence area,

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Waggoner said the former Rite-Aid location wasn’t on the radar at first. “Initially we said, ‘probably not,’ but then we came over and looked at the number of ingress and egress points and how the building could be laid out for a school and thought, this really does make sense,” she said. Trent remarked that the new activity in and around the building has generated a stream of visitors, curious about what was happening there. Still inside the building are a variety of shelves and display cases, which Trent said will be for sale. If interested, contact Kay King at 541-999-0067. MORE, SOONER While it was recently announced that the school would open hosting kindergarten through third, Trent explained that it may be better to build fourth

With the entrance on the top right, this drawing shows the planned layout of the new school. and fifth grade classrooms at the same time. “Our original thought was that we would only build these classrooms out because we were going to do K through 2nd,” Waggoner said. “Then we added in 3rd... and the more we looked at savings, and the cost of doing everything at once, we think we are going to build out 4th and 5th, not anticipating having 4th and 5th on the first year.” She said that plan will give extra flexibility, as well as a year to fine-tune operations and extracurricular activities like music and art classes. SVCS’s long-term plan is to teach classical education up to 8th grade, but no plans have been disclosed to expand to high school education. At full buildout, the new building is expected to only hold K-5 classrooms. “We’ll get K through fifth grade in here, and then we can either add on,

which I think is way too expensive, [or] I think we would really look at lease space for sixth seventh and eighth [grades],” Trent said, “because that would be smaller, I think we’d have better opportunities to find a commercial space.” Trent said several parents pushed for the school to open with K through 3rd grade classes, rather than the originally-planned K-2. After looking at timing and buildout costs, it was decided that would work best, he said. At another meeting last month, it was noted that K through 3rd would also be better for parents who may have more than one child around that age, rather than dividing them up. “It also works well for next year when we bring in fourth grade, because we have all these students together, moving up a grade,” Trent said. “When we stopped and thought about it, it was ‘that makes

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the most sense,’ so I think it’s going to work out well.” PLAYGROUND The outdoor playground is expected to be built on the south side of the building in the wider parking area. Waggoner said that on the map, the playground area will seem small, but in person, it seems more than adequate. “Half of it will be covered and the other half will have the equipment,” Waggoner said. “This will probably be phase 2 or part of a separate capital campaign. For now, it will be a fenced-in safe area.” “That’s about $1.8 million to do all the exterior, signage, plus the playground and the covered structure,” Trent added. “We’ve put lots of thought into this, but it’s getting revised every week,” Waggoner said, showing prospective drawings of the exterior and layout. Trent said they have been regularly meeting with builders to fine-tune plans regarding class sizes, amenities and interior flow. TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT Trent said a traffic study is being done and information is being sent to the City of Florence, but until the scope is agreed upon, it won’t be known. It’s expected that traffic may file in on 34th Street, as well as Pine Street. A drive-through window on the west side will be removed and could serve as an entry for some kindergarten students and Special Education students. Trent and Waggoner said the building has more than enough parking to allow parents to park in the lot and walk their kids into the building. According to the approved contract between SVCS and Siuslaw School District, a student may obtain transportation on district buses, only if those buses directly pass Whitmore Academy. Waggoner said that in talking to other charter schools, many are not able to provide transportation. “They haven’t found that they really needed it, for the most part,” Trent added, noting that the dynamic may change when more grades are added. However, for kindergarten through third grade, most parents typically drop their children off in person, he noted. When asked, Trent said a traffic guard will be posted at the location during pick-up and drop-off times. “That’s where we would really like to use volunteers from the community to help us out,” Trent said, noting that the expected traffic volumes will be far below those experienced at Siuslaw Elementary School. Trent remarked that Waggoner should don the DayGlo vest and stop sign on the first day. “I literally cannot wait for the day where I can go out there and open car doors and welcome kids,” Waggoner said. “I can’t wait.”

SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Parade

From Page A1

in an open vintage Jeep, greeting the crowds, as military-eras as well as patriotic music played on KCST Coast Radio throughout the parade route. Both parade and spectators were adorned with red, white and blue. Veterans Parade of Florence, Inc. is the local non-profit that produces the parade each year with around two dozen volunteers who manage the multiple tasks including planning, logistics, staging and traffic control. The multiple financial sponsors who supported the parade for 2025 include American Legion Post 59, Disabled American

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SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

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Tide Table Siuslaw River Entrance saltwatertides.com

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19 Low ......... 5:05 a.m. ........3.3 High........10:56 a.m.........7.7 Low ......... 5:59 p.m. .......-0.2 THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20 High........12:37 a.m.........6.3 Low ......... 5:43 a.m. ........3.6 High........11:27 a.m.........7.7 Low ......... 6:34 p.m. .......-0.3 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21 High.........1:17 a.m. .........6.4 Low ......... 6:19 a.m. ........3.8 High........11:59 a.m.........7.7 Low ......... 7:10 p.m. .......-0.3 SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 22 High.........1:57 a.m. .........6.4 Low ......... 6:54 a.m. ........3.9 High....... 12:33 p.m.........7.6 Low ......... 7:46 p.m. .......-0.2 SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 23 High.........2:38 a.m. .........6.3 Low ......... 7:31 a.m. ........4.0 High........ 1:09 p.m..........7.5 Low ......... 8:24 p.m. ........0.0 MONDAY, NOVEMBER 24 High.........3:19 a.m. .........6.2 Low ......... 8:10 a.m. ........4.0 High........ 1:48 p.m..........7.3 Low ......... 9:04 p.m. ........0.1 TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25 High.........4:02 a.m. .........6.2 Low ......... 8:56 a.m. ........4.0 High........ 2:32 p.m..........7.0 Low ......... 9:46 p.m. ........0.3

WEDNESDAY, November 19, 2025

SECTION B

Siuslaw girls XC finish sixth Will LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

At the beginning of the cross country season, it almost seemed the Vikings might not field a girls’ team. It looked like theweight of taking on both soccer and cross country might make it impossible to field a team. “This year, most of the girls coming up were all cross country runners and soccer players who just weren’t sure they wanted to do both. So we were really worried about having a complete team,” Head Coach Chris Johnson said. “To think we wouldn’t have a team competing was really scary, and then we had a couple girls decide they could do both, and they just got better, and better, and better.” The Vikings overcame the early questions over participation to put together a great season,

including a district championship at the District 4 Championships, and finishing sixth at the OSAA State XC Championships at Lane Community College in Eugene on Nov. 8. The top of the 3A/2A/1A division was stacked this year, and a

podium finish was always going to be difficult, but the Vikings fought until the end and were competitive the whole way. The Vikings finished with 203 points, just seven points behind Heppner-IoneCondon, who finished fifth. “We had a shot to

maybe get on the podium, which is top four. They battled, man, the girls got into 5th place at one point. We were two places from the podium. I think they probably ran better versus expectations than maybe even the boys ran, and I was really proud of them,” Johnson said.

Submitted By Lindy BORREVIK

The community gathers on Friday nights in the fall together At Hans Peterson Field To watch Siuslaw Vikings football The young men of Florence wear the blue and gold proudly

Taking the field, flags waving The crowd cheering loudly They put to use months of prepping For the next 48 minutes of play Their hard work, skill & determination For all to see put on display

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 27 High.........5:30 a.m. .........6.3 Low .........11:00 a.m.........3.7 High........ 4:27 p.m..........6.2 Low ........ 11:18 p.m.........0.9 FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 28 High.........6:14 a.m. .........6.6 Low ........ 12:14 p.m.........3.1 High........ 5:43 p.m..........5.8

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 30 Low ......... 1:04 a.m. ........1.8 High.........7:41 a.m. .........7.4 Low ......... 2:26 p.m. ........1.3 High........ 8:30 p.m..........5.7 MONDAY, DECEMBER 1 Low ......... 2:00 a.m. ........2.4 High.........8:24 a.m. .........8.0 Low ......... 3:22 p.m. ........0.3 High........ 9:43 p.m..........6.1 TUESDAY, DECEMBER 2 Low ......... 2:56 a.m. ........2.8 High.........9:09 a.m. .........8.5 Low ......... 4:16 p.m. .......-0.6 High....... 10:48 p.m.........6.4 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3 Low ......... 3:52 a.m. ........3.2 High.........9:54 a.m. .........8.9 Low ......... 5:07 p.m. .......-1.3 High....... 11:47 p.m........ 6.8 THURSDAY, DECEMBER 4 Low ......... 4:47 a.m. ........3.5 High........10:42 a.m.........9.2 Low ......... 5:57 p.m. .......-1.8 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 5 High........12:42 a.m.........7.0 Low ......... 5:40 a.m. ........3.6 High........11:30 a.m.........9.3 Low ......... 6:46 p.m. .......-1.9

See XC, Page B2

Brotherhood Nation- A poem for the Vikings

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 26 High.........4:46 a.m. .........6.2 Low ......... 9:52 a.m. ........3.9 High........ 3:24 p.m..........6.7 Low ........ 10:30 p.m.........0.6

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 29 Low .........12:10 a.m.........1.3 High.........6:57 a.m. .........7.0 Low ......... 1:23 p.m. ........2.3 High........ 7:07 p.m..........5.6

The results for the Vikings at the State Championships were as follows: • Adylin Holbrook 32nd place - 20:31.1 • Pearl Jensen - 48th place - 21:10.3 • Mia Goss - 51st place

The 2025 Siusaw starting offensive line with their coach. Pictured, from left: Owen Burtt, Collin Barnett, Jacob Rose, Lineman Coach Devin White, Skyler Wiley, and Jacob Mann. Photo by Zac Burtt/Mapleton Media

Battling opponents on the gridiron They must conquer one by one Never giving up Till the victory is won The goal is to defeat the opposing team that night, although not always victorious they give it their best fight Winning is awesome But at Siuslaw it’s not what counts Brotherhood over outcome Is what the program is about The unity between the players The bonds formed by players & coach The lessons learned & memories made are what they treasure most The love for one another, the culture of respect, embraced by all The program growing hard-working, young men It’s not just a game of football Long after the last whistle blows And the stands are empty once again The brotherhood nation remains solid The unity among its family never ends Hail the mighty Siuslaw We hope for victory But the one thing that is constant Is the brotherhood and unity! Go Viks!

Siuslaw playoff dreams ended in round 1 Will LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

For the second season in a row, Siuslaw has seen its playoff hopes on the gridiron ended in an upset defeat. This year, the Vikings fell on home turf to Gervais in the first round in front of the home crowd by a score of 48-28 on Nov. 7. For Head Coach Sam Johnson, the loss was a “bummer,” but there was nothing he could take away from Gervais’ performance. “I thought they played a perfect game. Credit to them. They were ready to roll, and they were able to execute a

game plan against us. Their running back was really good, their line was big and physical, and it’s a tough one to accept because it’s not really where I saw our team getting knocked out if we were going to get knocked out at all,” Johnson said. Johnson said he’s looked over the film, gone through everything they did, and he felt the team did everything they could to try and win that game, but ultimately they just came out on the wrong side of a hardfought match. Despite the disappointment, the season was far from a failure.

HORIZON VIEW

3563 JAKE MANN LANE

“The lessons they learned throughout the year were far more significant than winning or losing playoff games,

OCEAN VIEW

21 TWIN TREE CT.

or winning and losing a state championship,” Johnson said. “They gave so much, and they were such an incredible

group of young men that they can look themselves in the mirror at the end See FOOTBALL, Page B3

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SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

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are Wednesday, Nov. 19 from 10 am – 2 pm, and 5 – 7 pm; Thursday through Saturday, Nov 20 - 22, from 10 am - 2 pm; Sunday, Nov. 23 from 1 – 4 pm; Monday, Nov. 24th from 8 – 10 am. Donations to help cover costs are gladly accepted. Each shoebox costs $10 for postage, worker training and a child’s workbook. For questions about dropping off shoeboxes, call the church (541) 997-2523.

Operation Christmas Child Gift Collection Once again, Anchor of Hope Church is the local collection point for Operation Christmas Child, the world’s largest Christmas project of its kind. Area residents, families, churches and groups can help spread joy to millions of children around the world, by filling shoeboxes as Christmas gifts for them. Boxes can include school supplies, clothing, toothbrushes, and toys for boys or girls aged two to 14. Please, no liquids, lotions, toothpaste, soap, candy, gum, or war related toys. Collection sites send the boxes to central distribution sites where they are then flown to countries around the world and delivered to communities by trucks, donkeys, camels or canoes. This year’s National Collection Week is Nov. 17 to Nov. 24. Florence project coordinators hope to collect at least 500 shoebox gifts this year. Anchor Of Hope Church is at 1318 Rhododendron Drive. Collection hours

Library Board meeting A regular meeting of the Siuslaw Public Library District Board of Directors will be held at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the Siuslaw Public Library at 1460 9th St. This meeting will include an Executive Session pursuant to ORS 192.660(2) (i) to review and evaluate the employment-related performance of Library Director Megan Spencer. To the extent reasonably possible, the Siuslaw Public Library makes all meetings accessible remotely through technological means and

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www.ustooflorence.org BOTH MEETINGS ARE CURRENTLY ON HOLD. WATCH SIUSLAW NEWS FOR RESUMPTION • Tuesday Evening Group (2nd Tuesday) 5-7 p.m. - Ichiban Chinese/Japanese Restaurant • Urologist Dr. Bryan Mehlhaff attends. • Tuesday Lunch Group (3rd Tuesday) 12 noon – 1:00 p.m. – Ichiban Chinese/Japanese Restaurant • Urologist Dr. Roger McKimmy attends. Contact Bob for more information: (H) 541-997-6626 • (C) 541-999-4239 47maribob38@gmail.com

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provides opportunities for members of general public to remotely submit oral and written testimony. Members of the public are invited to attend this meeting in person, or to email ref@siuslawlibrary. org or call 541-997-3132 by noon on Nov. 19 for attendance instructions if they would like to attend the meeting remotely via videoconferencing or telephonic means. Members of the public are also invited to send written public comments via email to ref@siuslawlibrary.org or via mail to ATTN: SPLD Board, Siuslaw Public Library District, 1460 9th Street, Florence, OR 97439. Written comments regarding agenda items must be received no later than 9:00 AM on Wednesday, November 19, 2025, to be considered at the meeting.

Simplify the Holidays back again Starting Nov. 27, Lane County residents are encouraged to join the County’s annual “Simplify the Holidays” campaign. The campaign encourages residents and businesses to reimagine how

From Page B1

- 21:17.5 • Abigail Jones - 53rd place - 21:21.2 • Claire McNeill - 58th place - 21:42.4 • Clover Holbrook - 59th place - 21:46.7 • Afton Linton - 78th place - 23:07.0 Johnson credited Adylin Holbrook for setting the tone for the Vikings. Also, he shouted out all the

Friendship - Fellowship – Fun

FAITH DIRECTORY

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

FLORENCE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH 2nd & Kingwood • (541) 997-6025 Sunday worship is at 10:30 a.m. Sunday School for adults is at 9:00 a.m. Online services at www.florenceunitedmethodist.org or find us on Facebook.

“What is Baha’i, and Why?” 2nd Monday 7:00 pm FOURSQUARE CHURCH Interfaith Devotions 4th Monday 7:00 pm 1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337 Info and meeting location: 541-590-0779 Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family. Zoom link on Facebook: Florence Baha’i Community Sunday Service 10:00 am All ARE WELCOME! Wednesday Bible Study returns this Fall. Website: florence4square.com

they view and participate in the holiday season to inspire joy while curbing waste. It also includes a holiday leftovers recipe contest. Recipes can be submitted at wastewiselane.org/ holiday. Those who share recipes will be automatically entered into a drawing for some great prizes, with contest winners announced in early January. Follow us on Facebook at Instagram @WasteWiseLaneCounty.

more than 5,000 songs. Miller is a masterful entertainer who never fails to get his audience singing along. Throughout his long career, Miller has documented and kept alive the thousands of songs and stories he has collected in his travels. Some of these forgotten are so obscure that no one else sings them anymore. Miller’s website is Folksinging.org

Youth Climate Art contest

Miller to play at library Folksinger, storyteller, and autoharp virtuoso Adam Miller returns to the Siuslaw Public Library in Florence, Oregon, to present a free sing-along program of Traditional Folksongs of the Winter Holidays at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 6, 2025. An artist whose kind has dwindled to an endangered species, Adam Miller is a renowned old-school American troubadour and a natural-born storyteller. One of the premier autoharpists in the world, he is an accomplished folklorist, song-collector, and raconteur, who has amassed a remarkable repertoire of

Join the effort to protect and preserve Oregon’s environment and natural wonder by sharing your experience with the changing climate. Showcase your artistic talent. Help us illustrate DEQ’s Climate Action Plans with art from Oregon’s youth. Enter a raffle to have lunch with DEQ’s Director, Leah Feldon. The first 100 submissions get $30 electronic gift cards. Competition opens Oct. 20, 2025; last day for submissions is Earth Day, April 22, 2026. Email the program at CPRG@deq. oregon.gov Share your passion for art and climate

dual-sport athletes for figuring out how to balance the bumps and bruises of soccer with performance on the cross country circuit. Johnson credited Amy Tregoning (the girls’ soccer Head Coach) for helping create a schedule and working across the two programs to maximize both teams’ success. Down the stretch, as the cross country postseason arrived, the Vikings sharpened their skills to hit the ground running in the biggest races. “It was fun to watch. There came a point where you could start to see that this was a team. The last couple of weeks of workouts, especially once soccer got over, I saw ‘em every day. You could see they were starting to figure it out and getting stronger, more competitive, and more confident,” Johnson

said. At the District Championships, Siuslaw eeked out the first-place finish by five points, beating Glide to nab District honors. While the program will certainly miss its seniors next year, Johnson is excited to see what the future holds for the young up-and-comers the team has. “We lose a lot in Adylin and Abigail. They’ve been studs their whole careers, really hard-working kids, the types that fight, and they’re gritty, and we’re going to miss them,” Johnson said. “But we have some people in our school right now, and some kids coming up, and some returners, and the girls’ program is going to be on the move up over the next couple of years. I feel really strongly about that.”

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NEW LIFE LUTHERAN E.L.C.A. 4590 Hwy. 101 N, across from Fred MeyerNEW LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH, E.L.C.A. 541 997-7418 “Serving Christ by serving others.” SUNDAY SERVICES - Adult Bible Study 21st & Spruce Streets—(541) 997-8113 9:30 AM; Worship 10:45 AM; Sunday worship is at 10:30 a.m. High School Youth 7- 9 PM Online services available on our FaceBook, YouTube, MID-WEEK- Women’s Bible Study-Tuesday and website: www.florencenewlifelutheran.org 10:00-Noon and Thursday 7:00-8:00PM; Men’s Bible Study Thursday PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH 8:00-9:30 AM; Middle 3996 N Hwy 101 541-997-7136 School Youth Wed. 7-9 PM. Sunday Worship streams live at Community Baptist Internet and in person Sunday Services at 10:30am, Adult Sunday School is at 9:30am. Church Facebook Page Call the church for details. Reverend Greg Wood CROSS ROAD ASSEMBLY OF GOD All Welcome. Come as you are. Corner of 10th & Maple- 541-997-3533 Sunday Services 9am RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS 1st Service in person (QUAKERS) Sunday Services 11am A Faith Community committed to peace since 1652. 2nd Service in person & livestreamed Silent Worship Sundays 11am, fellowship at Noon. Wednesday kids/youth night is at 6:30 Call for locations 541-515-8191. NOT livestreamed.

https://www.florencecrossroadag.org/church-online Other platforms update after the service. florencecrossroadag.org office@florencecrossroadag.org

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Worship Services 10 am • Bible Study 9:00 am Pastor Steve Waterman 85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038 FLORENCE CHRISTIAN CHURCH Facebook.com/ResurrectionLutheranChurchFlorence 2nd & Ivy - 541-997-2961 - Non-Denominational www.puppro.wixite.com/rlcflorence Service is on Sunday at 10:00 am Sunday Service also streaming live at 10am ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL at florencechurch.com Church Welcomes You Worship Sun. 10am Wed 11am 2135 19th St. FLORENCE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST 541-997-6600 standrewssecretary19@gmail.com FELLOWSHIP Labyrinth & Garden daily 8am-5pm 87738 Hwy 101 at Heceta Beach Road “Be the change.” RUAUU? Come explore the answer with us. Sunday Worship Services ~ 10:00am SAINT MARY, OUR LADY OF THE DUNES www.florenceuuf.com CATHOLIC CHURCH

4 lines, approx 15 words, $15 a week • 4 week Minimum • Deadline: Tuesday end of day one week prior

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1.5 miles south of river on Hwy 101 – 997-2312 Mass Times: Daily: Tue, Wed, Fri 9:00 AM Adoration & Confession Fri 9:30-10:30 AM Saturday 5:30 PM and Sunday 11:00 AM Fr. Amir Welcomes All to Attend

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SIUSLAW NEWS • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Football

From Page B1

of the day and say I gave everything I had to this football team and I’m proud of that, no matter what happened at the end of the year. The teams traded oneyard touchdowns in the first quarter, each punching in the two-point conversions to make it 8-8 through the first stanza. Jaxon Chiang punched in the Vikings’ score, matching Gervais’ Johnny Mariano. But there wouldn’t be much matching Mariano for long. The senior running back for Gervais proved to be a wrecking ball out of the backfield, punching through the Viking defense time after time, and he racked up six touchdowns on the day. For their part, the Vikings never gave up. Will Johnson scored a

90-yard kick return in the second quarter to tie the game up at 14s before Mariano answered to put the Cougars up 22-14 going into half. In the second half, Will Johnson and Micah Blankenship both caught touchdowns from Jericho Lake, but it was ultimately Gervais’ day, and they advanced to take on Douglas in the quarterfinals. The game was a battle in the trenches, with both teams fighting to out-physical the other. For Johnson, it was impressive to see another team put in the dirty work like the Vikings usually do. “There aren’t many teams that are willing to play the brand of football that they were willing to play on a Friday night,” Johnson said. “It’s unsexy football, where in today’s day and age people don’t really want to dink and dime you for five yards here, five yards there.” Over Johnson’s

seven-year tenure at the helm, he has prided his team on playing hardnosed, blue-collar football. Johnson said his team is happy to chip away at teams and wear them down, willing to take three-yard chunks one at a time until they earn a first down. In this particular game, though, Gervais was content to go right back at Siuslaw with that same style. “They were able to do that to us. Our kids kept battling and battling, and it’s weird because it was a fun game to be a part of, because you’re watching two really hard-nosed teams go at it,” Johnson said. “Not many teams and coaching staffs are willing to do that. So, it’s a huge kudos to their coaching staff for getting 40 young men to buy into the same message that we try to give our kids every year.” Gervais won with a gritty, “unsexy” approach, and Johnson credited the

Cougars for controlling the line of scrimmage throughout the game. Johnson said that when the final whistle sounded, it was emotional to think about the season ending. Part of what this conclusion tough was the goodbye to the program’s seniors that the loss signified. “I have had incredible groups of seniors come through Siuslaw for the last six years. This senior class was a little different. They were really good football players, really talented, and there’s a huge group that is getting college offers,” Johnson said. “The thing that I’m going to miss that sunk in really quick, Friday night, was the type of people they are and the culture we’ve been trying to build since I got the job here.” Johnson said this group was integral not only in getting the team back into the playoffs each season and instilling a winning

culture on the field, but also in creating a framework for the team off the field for life beyond football. “We’ve tried to take it one step further inside our program to make sure we’re graduating really good kids, that we’re academic all-state every single year, that we’re teaching kids the right way to operate in life,” Johnson said. “That’s what sunk in, was what a great job they did for the last 10, 11 months of doing that, and cultivating a culture within our locker room that will far outlast them.” The team’s motto this season was “brotherhood over outcome,” and Johnson said the team lived up to that refrain. Though the team was in tears after the loss, it wasn’t just the chance at a championship they were mourning; it was also the loss of time to practice or play together. For Johnson, one thing

he’ll remember from this group is the way they took advantage of every chance they got together. Johnson had the privilege of coaching his little brother, Will Johnson, with this group, and he’ll cherish that experience. “It was my little brother’s senior year, and so it was really easy for me to be in the moment because you show up every day and you’re hanging out with a group of kids that grew up at your house when I was in high school,” Johnson said. “And that, going forward, is just making sure we’re not looking at next week, we’re not looking at the end of the year, we’re not looking at the playoffs or a rivalry game three weeks away. We’re living on a Monday in the mud together, and embracing that. And I think that’s the biggest takeaway I’ll take away from this team: they taught me to live in the moment better than I ever dreamed I could.”

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JU ST RE DU CE D

Commercial building features parking and Three bedroom, 2 bath, 1152 paved sq. ft. home with a 4,156 sq. 1-car ft. building a .21 acreforlot. an attached garageon with room RVTwo and story withparking. main commercial belowliving and additional Warm andspace welcoming bathroom, & storage $560,000 List space with lounge woodstove & sun above. room. Fenced yard & #1171/23549465 tool shed. $399,900 List #1338/268644224 In-town 3 bedroom, 2 bath Remodeled 3 bdrm, 2 bath home with 1282 sq. ft. of home with 909 sq. ft. of living space on a deep lot with stylish, modern living space. a double car garage and bonus Functional layout with concrete parking pad for RV. convenient water and dryer Open living, dining, kitchen room. Expansive yard & area has slider to one of the parking for toys. $319,000 two back decks. $379,000 List #1321/283380262 List #1243/24195738

Updated & move-in ready home in the heart of Build 3your custom home or place Florence. bdrms, 2 bathrooms, 1282 your sq. ft. of manufactured on this .15 acre lot. Located living space,home attached 2-car garage. Extra pavedon aparking. cul-de-sac in the Siuslaw Village Come check out this one neighborhood before it’s gone!of Florence. $68,500 List #1174/23622889 $489,000 List #1334/253361792

Delightful 1995 kit travel trailer with a covered Build your or place a MFD ramada andcustom coveredhome decking on a .15 acre home lot in on this great lot across from the Munsel boat the gated neighborhood of Coast Village.Lake Enclosed landing. Septicgreat approval on file. Great location bonus room for office or hobby space. ready $128,500 to go! $139,000 List #1185/23145536 List #1327/410188883

1749 Highway 101 • 541-997-1200

Two bedroom, two bath Two bedroom, 1 bath home located on a 1+ acre home located in the gated lot south of Florence. 1654 community of Greentrees. sq. ft. of living space with a 929 sq. ft. of living space double attached carport space with updated flooring. and detached 24x36 RV Low-maintenance yard & garage. Unique construction covered carport. $250,000 details. $469,900 List List #1323/592575119 #1241/24060312

JU ST RE DU CE D

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Two bedroom, 2 bath, Six acres on Siltcoos Lake with 1440 sq. ft. home in the two home sites, 8 tax lots and 55+ gated community room for improvements. Lower of Greentrees. Spacious home is 3 bdrm, 1 bath with living room with laminate 1190 sq. ft. of living space. flooring. Additional 744 sq. Private dock & a detached ft. hobby room & attached garage. $1,599,000 List 1-car garage. $339,000 List #1255/24398447 #1311/763366323

1870 Hwy 126, Suite A PO Box 3040 Florence, OR VISIT US ONLINE AT WWW.WCRESI.COM

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