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Siuslaw News Wednesday, January 14, 2026 Florence, Oregon

Number 2 • 136 years

Council continues Flock discussions

Police Chief John Pitcher and City staff, at the special meeting. By TONY REED The Siuslaw News

Part 1 of 2 The Florence City Council heard almost four hours of testimony from the police chief, a representative from Flock Safety, and the public before opting to continue the meeting The City Council listened to testimony from many speakers and officials regarding the City’s use of Flock cameras. Tony Reed photos

See FLOCK, Page A5

Winter Music Festival returns to Florence WLFEA awarded

The last weekend in January sees a return of the Winter Music Festival to the Florence Events Center. Over two days, seven outstanding groups will bring bluegrass, new and traditional folk, and Americana. The festival starts on January 22nd with the open mic “Take the Stage!” hootenanny. There will also be open jam sessions, performance and songwriting workshops, and great food and drink throughout the event. The line-up includes Friday night’s headliners, Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road, with the amazing Thunder and Rain returning to kick off our festival performers. Saturday afternoon will be fantastic with three bands: Tuesday String Band, Midnight45 featuring Dale, Suzanne, and Josh

grant to replace fire SCBA FROM WESTERN LANE FIRE and EMS AUTHORITY

Adkins with Jared Widman, and returning from last year’s show, Tony Furtado and Friends. Saturday night will

open with the Burnette Sisters Band, and we will close out the festival with a 90-minute performance from Authentic

THE STATEMENT The first draft of the statement reminded that the council’s work plan adopted foundational values emphasizing compassionate public service and leading by example, and the primary goal of the City is to sustain and improve the livability and quality of life for all residents and visitors. It read that the city prides itself on a welcoming approach and small town openness, and the current direction and operation of the ice agency has

January 8, 2026. Western Lane Fire and EMS Authority has been awarded a $500,000 grant through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program to purchase new SelfContained Breathing Apparatus (SCBAs), strengthening firefighter safety and emergency response capabilities. The AFG Program, administered by FEMA and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, provides funding to help fire departments meet critical safety and operational needs. This award will allow WLFEA to replace aging SCBA equipment and ensure firefighters are equipped with modern, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) - compliant respiratory protection when operating in hazardous environments. “SCBAs are one of the most critical pieces of life-safety equipment our firefighters rely on,” said Fire and EMS Chief Michael Schick. “This AFG award directly supports our mission to protect our personnel and the public by ensuring we have reliable, standards-compliant equipment without placing additional financial strain on our community.”

See ICE, Page A7

See GRANT, Page A6

Unlimited. Buy tickets at https://aftontickets.com/fec or stop into the FEC office.

Florence City Council mulls ICE declaration By TONY REED The Siuslaw News

City Attorney Ross Williamson explains Oregon’s Sanctuary law to the council. Tony Reed photo

INSIDE

Obituaries — A2 Sports & Lifestyle — B1

JIM HOBERG Broker/Owner

Opinion — A3 Classifieds — B6-7

The Florence City Council spent two hours Jan, 8 rewording a proposed declaration statement during a work session at City Hall. Originally worded to express concern and opposition to the establishment of an ICE facility and ICE activity in Florence, the declaration was revised to inform community members of the law and police department policy related to immigration enforcement.

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