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Council hears more Flock testimony

The

By TONY REED The Siuslaw News

topic, saying the purpose of the special meeting was to gather community input regarding the City’s use of the Flock Safety Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) camera system.

The council heard 20 speakers from the public, only one of

See FLOCK, Page A5

Protest held for Good

2025 Siuslaw

WILL LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

At the 2025 3A OSAA Track and Field Championships, Siuslaw’s boys clinched another state title, but they also cemented their spot in history as one of the deepest track programs in Oregon 3A history.

That distinction was recognized by Who’s Who in Oregon High School Track & Field and Cross Country, a publication that has been published since 1965 and offers “championship results, maintenance of state record lists, data, analysis and historical perspective.”

For Siuslaw Head Coach Chris Johnson recocognition by Who’s Who, and competing against history, are something he’s always had his sights on.

“Every mark, all the best 60 or 70 marks from every classification, is documented in these books,” Johnson said.

Whitmore Academy curriculum up for review

FROM SVCS

Siuslaw Valley Charter School has released its proposed Whitmore Classical Academy 2026/27 curriculum for public review. The 30-Day Public Review Period of Instructional Resources and Materials is January 12 to February 13, 2026

On the weekend following the shooting death of Renee Good in Minneapolis by an ICE officer, a smaller than usual crowd took to the streets Jan. 10 in protest. The demonstration took place at the 126/101 intersection and no demonstrators were seen at City Hall. While the demonstration incited honks from passing cars, the mood was noticeably more somber than previous ones in 2025. Gary Winterholler photo.

track team is one of the best in history

In addition to physical books, the publication can also be found on the Phoenix High School website. Who’s Who is now in its 60th year, and its specialty is documenting and comparing the best track teams across Oregon high school track and field history. But the style is particular to ensure comparisons can hold up over time.

“They do what’s called a dual

meet ranking. So, 50 years ago, 45 years ago, dual meets were kind of the thing. Two teams would come together, and they would compete: there’s three people in every event, and it’s scored 5-3-1, and that’s how teams competed, you’d usually go against one other school,” Johnson said. “As teams got bigger and bigger, and people gravitated towards different

events, it was harder and harder to get competitive meets between two schools, so the dual meet kind of went the way of the dinosaur.”

Johnson said some of the bigger schools will still compete in dual meets, but it’s hard for smaller programs to field enough athletes across all events. Johnson said that the way to measure a “complete, deep track team” is how they would perform against another team in a dual meet.

“If you’re a really good team in a dual meet, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re a really good team in a state meet, because in a state meet you need people who can score at the state meet,” Johnson said.

In the modern context, Johnson said that a team is judged on its performance at the state championships, but that

See TRACK, Page A4

In accordance with its charter agreement with Siuslaw School District, the sponsor of Siuslaw Valley Charter School as Whitmore Classical Academy, the charter school will conduct a 30-day public curriculum review. This process reflects a local contractual requirement and is not part of a uniform curriculum adoption process prescribed by the Oregon Department of Education for public charter schools. Public Curriculum Review and Comment Process During the public review period, curriculum crosswalk documents are available for in-person review at Whitmore Classical Academy, located at 524 Laurel Street, Florence, Oregon, on Tuesday-Thursday from 12 to 3 p.m. or by appointment by calling 541-999-4258. Curriculum crosswalk documents are also available for review at the Siuslaw School District office. Visitors at each location will be asked to sign in prior to reviewing materials for the purpose of documenting public access during the review period. 2

In addition, a representative selection of curriculum teacher guides and student materials is available for review at the Whitmore Classical Academy office on Tuesday-Thursday from 12 to 3 p.m. or by appointment by calling 541- 999-4258 Members of the public are invited to submit written comments regarding the proposed curriculum during the designated public comment period. To ensure comments can be appropriately reviewed and documented, all comments must be submitted directly to the charter school through the designated submission process. Comments can be submitted in writing by email to info@siuslawvalleycharterschool.com, by mail to 625 HWY 101 #1035, or in person at 524 Laurel Street, Florence, Oregon. Only comments submitted through these designated methods during the public comment period will be included in the official public comment record. All comments received through the established process will be reviewed by the

See REVIEW, Page A4

CAL APPLEBEE, CONTRIBUTOR

Welcome to the new monthly feature within the pages of the Siuslaw News. Editor Tony Reed has graciously offered space for monthly coverage of news, events and profiles on our area’s numerous community Veterans. Tony commented “I’d love to highlight the service of our many Vets!”

The greater Florence area enjoys a Veteran population of more than double the state average,

Welcome to Veteran’s Viewpoint

and that means more news and events for our Veterans. We also enjoy the existence of three separate and vibrant Veteran service organizations in Florence, the American Legion Post 59, Disabled American Veterans Chapter 23 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3232. Listed below are the contacts for each of those organizations. In addition, the Florence Band of Brothers regularly meets each Monday at 11:30 a.m. at Florence Elks

Lodge 1858, where members of those three organizations and others gather to socialize and exchange information about their events and activities. All community Veterans are invited to attend.

American Legion Post 59 https://americanlegionpost59.com/ PH# 541-991-3240

Disabled American

Jason Wilson

11/1/1935 - 12/23/2025

It is with both sorrow in our parting and gratitude for the life he lived that we share the passing of Jason A. Wilson, Lieutenant Commander USN (Retired), on December 23, 2025. Jason made an impact on innumerable lives over his 90 years with us. Jason was born November 1, 1935, in Watsonville, CA. He was the son of the late Willie and Eva Wilson and is survived by his sister Roberta. He was preceded in death by his siblings Norma, Kay, Bill, and Georgie. Jason was married an incredible 71 years to his wife Corrine. He is also survived by an often rowdy and passionate family, including children Cathy (Drew), Steven (Carole), and Greg (Dawn). Grandchildren include Kyle (LeeAnn), Cameron (Allie), Casey (Krystan), Amy (Mat), Corrie (Tony), and Chase. He has 10 Great Grandchildren, including Jane, Ethan, Kaitlyn, AnnMarie, Beau, Lazarus, Zeke, Dax, Eliza, and Christopher.

Jason served his country for 23 years as a member of the United States Navy, including two year-long tours of duty with the Medical Service Corp in Vietnam and later administrative roles in Washington, D.C, Hawaii, and the Pentagon. Initially an enlisted member of the Navy, Jason was chosen for transition to officer ranking and

Tom Cherones, Emmy, Golden Globe and DGA Award-winning director of Seinfeld among a diverse array of television programs, passed away at his home in Florence, Oregon, on January 5th from Alzheimer’s disease with his loving wife Carol by his side. Born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 1939, Cherones began his career in public broadcasting and eventually became a key player behind one of the most beloved series in television history, directing and producing 81 of the first 86 episodes, or nearly five years’ worth of Seinfeld.

Cherones completed his undergrad studies with a degree in Journalism at the University of New Mexico in 1961, then served a stint as an officer in the U.S. Navy until 1965. After his discharge from the service, he returned to Alabama and earned a Master’s Degree in Broadcast and Film Communications in 1967. Following this, he produced and directed numerous programs and series episodes at various PBS affiliates, eventually landing at station WQED in Pittsburgh, where he worked on productions such as Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood. By 1975 he was ready to take on Hollywood.

Cherones’ first job in L.A. was as Production Manager for General Hospital. He served in the same capacity for Welcome Back Kotter and continued his career as an independent producer, working for Warner Brothers, ABC, CBS, Paramount, Lorimar and Mary Tyler Moore Productions. In 1980 he wrote and produced the feature length film Two of Hearts for cable and public television. Among the numerous shows he produced or directed are Caroline In the City, NewsRadio, Ellen, Boston Common, Growing Pains, Ladies Man, The Pitts and Desperate Housewives.

But it was Seinfeld for which Cherones is best known and remembered. He was quick to point out that “They left us alone” in the show’s infancy because the network “literally didn’t know what to do with us.” That gave the creators the chance to develop the show into something that helped define a brand of humor that would make an indelible mark on American Television. Cherones provided the visual language for the “show about nothing,” shooting multicamera in a dynamic way to achieve

earned a master’s degree at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. After retirement from the Navy, he worked in hospital administration until retiring with Corrine to Florence, Oregon. The past 8 years have been spent near family in Jackson, CA. Jason lived a life of service, commitment, and joy. He loved music and had a song for every circumstance. He was a member of a vocal quartet in college and loved his time later singing tight barbershop harmonies in local groups. He loved Western movies and shows, and as a result many of us grew up with a keen understanding of Western folklore and the storied career of John Wayne. Jason believed in serving and respecting others, including his country, his family, and virtually every person he met. He sought to live with humor and positivity every day of his life. His laugh and his songs will be greatly missed by his immediate and extended family, as well as so many others who were encouraged by him over the decades. He did not want people to be sad at his passing, but as one of his favorite songs says, he would hope that we all seek to “live, laugh, love and be happy”.

Graveside Service Friday 2/13/26 11:00

a.m. Sunset View Cemetery

Tom Cherones

9-11-1939 – 1-5-2026

a cinematic, rather than a standard sitcom look. Known for wearing loud Hawaiian shirts on set “So people can find me easily,” he directed many of the show’s most experimental and iconic episodes, including “The Chinese Restaurant,” “The Parking Garage,” and the Emmy-winning “The Contest.” His ability to manage the show’s multi-plot structure helped transform it from a cult hit into a national phenomenon.

Because he started literally from the ground floor – which he was responsible for sweeping as a young man – Cherones knew production from its basic elements to the most nuanced contributions he would one day make as a member of a groundbreaking creative team. If he had to, he could operate a camera. His reputation for maintaining a genial, relaxed atmosphere on set amid the chaos of production made him a valued presence, but cast members throughout his career will also say that he would “bark if he had to,” and knew how to wrangle casts and keep things moving. His humor and boisterous laugh were tempered by a low-key confidence that assured everyone they were in good hands, and the job would get done.

Cherones is known widely as a mentor who was happy to provide people with a chance to make their mark. Tom took that spirit of generosity back to the University of Alabama, where he taught a class in Television Production for twelve years, pro bono. Hundreds of students, many of whom now work in the industry, got a chance to learn from a master how film and TV production works, and then go on to benefit from the connections that Cherones made for them in Hollywood. The act of teaching and then helping his students

Veterans Chapter 23

https://davwebsites.dav. org/or/23/SystemPages/ Home.aspx PH# 541-604-5919

Veterans of Foreign Wars post 3232 https://vfw3232.org/ PH# 530-872-0771

MILITARY MUSEUM REVIVES HERITAGE PROGRAM

The Oregon Coast Military Heritage Museum is reviving its Quarterly Military Heritage Program with a PowerPoint presentation to be held at the Siuslaw Public Library on Sunday, January 26. The roughly one-hour program titled “Oregon’s Rich Military Heritage” will be presented by local history buff Cal Applebee who is also a former and founding board member of the Museum in 2008

The program will cover Oregon’s rich military

history beginning with the Indian Wars in the mid and late 1800’s during Oregon’s settlement as a Territory and State, and progress through the years up to the 9/11 attack, including the multiple wars, in particular how Oregon was impacted by WWII.

The Oregon Coast Military Heritage Museum which is located on Kingwood Street, opened in 2015 with a mission “To honor our Veterans by educating our Public”. This program starts at 2:00 p.m., is free to the public and requires no RSVP.

OUR GREATEST GENERATION VETERANS

While our greater Florence area enjoys a larger than average population of military Veterans, there are very few remaining Veterans from WWII still with us. According

Brenda Mays

Brenda Louise Mays, 61, passed away peacefully on January 3, 2026, in Florence, Oregon. Brenda was born into a life rooted in love, family, and resilience, growing up in Stockton and moving to Escalon, and later making Florence, Oregon her home.

06/12/1964 - 01/03/2026

Brenda was the kind of woman who made everyone feel safe, welcome, and deeply cared for. She had a gift for nurturing others— whether through a warm meal, an open door, or a moment of understanding. Her home was always filled with the comforting smells of cooking and the laughter of loved ones gathered around her table. Brenda believed that no one should ever feel alone, and she lived that belief every day.

secure employment was every bit as gratifying to Tom as his own success in Hollywood.

Despite his enormous achievements helming the show that remained a ratings powerhouse until the end of its tenure, Cherones remained humble, collaborative, and deeply respected by actors and crew alike. In addition to the Emmy, Golden Globe and DGA Awards, he won a Peabody, People’s Choice, Monitor, Christopher and TV Critics Awards. He received a total of six Emmy and three DGA Award nominations.

Tom appeared on camera just once during his run on Seinfeld as “the director” in “The Pilot,” an episode in which he declared that he was “Gonna rip that little guy (George Costanza) a new one.”

During a busy career in TV Cherones also managed to earn his pilot’s license, and flew his own planes for many years. His passions also included golf, woodworking, and cooking, which resulted in a cookbook composed of recipes he’d gathered over more than three decades. Once he’d established roots in Florence, Tom began to spend more and more time there, and eventually moved to Oregon permanently. After decades in Los Angeles, he enjoyed the tranquility of small-town life, the close proximity of untouched natural surroundings, and the chance to pursue his enthusiasm for gardening. The latter endeavor led to years of nurturing prize-winning Rhododendrons.

Tom was married to Bobby Cherones, with whom he had two children, and later to Joyce Keener until her death in 2006. He is survived by his wife, Carol E. Richards, his daughter, Susan Cherones Lee and her husband Daniel; son, Scott Cherones and his wife, Linda; and grandchildren Jessa and Thomas Cherones, as well as several brothers and sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations in Tom’s memory be made to the Tom Cherones and Joyce Keener Fund at the Western Lane Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1589, Florence, OR 97439 (wlcfonline.org) or, Hilarity For Charity (HFC), which provides support for caregivers at DONATE. HFC or by mailing a check to 7656 W. Sunset Blvd, L.A., CA 90046.

to the US Department of Veterans Affairs there are only around 66,000 WWII Veterans still alive in the United States. The National WWII Museum 2024 Projection in New Orleans reported only 2 769 World War II veterans remained in Oregon, and as of 2026, that number dropped to 980

Although we don’t have an exact number, locally we have a handful of the Greatest Generation Veterans still with us, but unfortunately, we lost two right around the holidays, Steve Olienyk and Russ Connelley.

Steve served in the United States Army with occupation forces in Japan following the end of the war where he worked at Sugamo Prison in Japan - the Nuremberg of the

See VETERAN’S, Page A3

Both tough and tender, she was fiercely loyal, protective and endlessly trustworthy. To many, she was not only a mother and grandmother, but a best friend, a confidante, and a steady source of love. Her greatest passion in life was her family, and she gave them her whole heart.

Brenda was preceded in death by her father, Ernest William Provost. She is survived by her loving husband, Roy Mays; her sons, Nicholas Mays and family, and Patrick Mays and family; her mother, Zelma Provost; her sisters, Jenean Provost and Tina Alto; and many cherished family members and friends who will forever hold her in their hearts. Memorial was held at home with family and friends.

Michael Brian Henderson

March 18, 1960 - January 3, 2026

Michael Brian Henderson, born March 18, 1960, in Florence, Oregon, passed away on January 3, 2026, after a short illness. He lived in Ravensdale, Washington. He graduated from Siuslaw High School in 1979.

He is survived by his wife, Darci Henderson; his daughters, Carrie Rodriguez and Melissa Henderson, both of Kansas; his sister, Teresa Brejska of Florence, OR, nieces, nephews, and grandkids. He was preceded in death by his parents, Lloyd and Charlotte Henderson.

Michael served in the United States Marine Corps for nine years before moving to Washington. He worked in the automotive industry for many years and later owned and operated Mike’s Superior Automotive in Enumclaw, WA until retiring.

Michael will be remembered for his dedication to his work, his service, and his family. He will be missed by many.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

As Dean at the LCC Florence Center, I hope to correct misconceptions shared in a January 7 letter by Florence resident Ivy Medow. Ms. Medow suggested our campus is now “largely abandoned at this point for unknown reasons.” This comes as quite a surprise to me, our staff, our faculty, and the many students who continue to attend LCC classes and events on a regular basis.

While fewer credit students utilize the Center’s classrooms post-COVID, that is true across the college system, as more students are choosing online and remote options. Local students continue to have excellent access to LCC course offerings, including virtually, such as our winter term Zoom Math class featuring an onsite Florence instructor. We also offer 16 on-site noncredit classes this term, some free of charge in partnership with respected community organizations. OSU Extension has also been a tenant in our North Building for well over a year, a happy collaboration with a four-year State university.

We continue to offer in-person testing services, assistance with registration, admissions, access to computers/WiFi, GED instruction, and all things LCC, and we’re committed to growing in-person classes for both credit and non-credit. (If

TONY REED, EDITOR

Well, this week has been rough, to say the least. Sometime over the weekend, I contracted either the flu or Covid, I’m still not sure which. However, when I told people I was ill, the most common response has been “Yeah, there’s a bug going around.”

I spent most of Tuesday wrapped in every blanket I own, shivering and unable to feel warm. Meanwhile, my actual body temperature hovered around 99 to 101 degrees, accompanied by a splitting headache.

Veteran’s

From Page A2

Orient, as it was known - guarding top-level war criminals as they awaited trial in the Far East Military Crimes Tribunal. When he returned to civilian life stateside, those experiences would lead him into a life-long pattern of community service, serving with multiple non-profits, including founding the local Ameican Flag program with the Florence Kiwanis Club. We still see those flags today on major holidays, and until just the last couple of years, you could also see Steve out on his flag-route. In 2011 he was named Oregon State Volunteer of the year. Steve was 98 when we lost him. Russ served in the United States Navy as an Aviation Ordinanceman in Guam, joining the Navy at age 17. His duties included installing JATO units (jet assisted take off) on some aircraft. Discharged in early 1947 as a Petty Officer, he returned to civilian life, including building a family of nine with his wife, eventually settling in Florence. Son John would follow in his Dad’s footsteps with a career in the military, retiring as a Major from the United States Marine Corps. Eventually, Russ acquired a vintage military vehicle – a 1944 Willys MB. Although his restored jeep sports OD green paint rather than Navy grey, it was important to Russ that it be a 1944 jeep, to match

LETTERS

readers have an idea for a new class or collaboration, we invite you to share it!) Thanks to the passage of the 2020 LCC Bond, our community benefitted by significant renovations to the Florence Center. Even during COVID and the long renovation, we remained in service to our students, adjusting as necessary.

I have been Dean of the Florence Center for over a decade, with staff who have been at LCC for longer still. We love our work and our students, and very much count ourselves an integral part of Florence, greater Western Lane County, and the K-16 education system in our region. While our facilities are not available for use as a new or interim Siuslaw High School, we are working in close collaboration with the Siuslaw District on their endeavor to improve District buildings. Like so many in this community, I understand LCC’s future depends upon the success—not only of our local college students—but also the health and vibrancy of the District, its students, and infrastructure.

Ms. Medow has participated in several LCC activities over the years, so I am saddened she falsely believes we’ve pulled up stakes. I invite her—and any interested resident—to stop by during business hours to ask about our continuing offerings.

Lane Community College is committed to our city and our region, and we are here to stay.

Dr. Russ Pierson, DLd, MBA Lane Community College Florence Center

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

It was interesting to read The Siuslaw News’ response to the person concerned with climate change (January 7th edition). I wonder what response one might receive who is concerned about people sleeping in tents or their cars in this weather ever since First Step Florence closed due to mismanagement. One does not hear about any new plans on the way to open another shelter, maybe one concerned with people and their needs, not politics.

We pride ourselves to be such a caring town and we are regarding food – love the free lunches and food share – but at night? People crawl back into their tents and we are o.k. with that? Sure, maybe they should have worked more or had a career, but many come from broken homes or abusive backgrounds. Don’t judge a person unless you’ve walked in their shoes for a mile.

I am hoping for another shelter to open soon.

Lioba Multer, Ph.D. Florence

You don’t want this

One reason I suspect Covid is that my usual bitterly-strong coffee seemed much weaker than usual. Prior to that, I had the usual sore throat and coughing, aching, pouring eyes, runny everything, sneezing, sinus pressure, headache etc. Luckily, it’s easy to quarantine myself in my home office and keep a reasonable distance from others. I can tell you with utmost certainty that you do not want to catch this “bug.” If you do, you can expect to take a few days off work and be miserable the entire time.

the year he enlisted. He could always be counted on to support the Oregon Coast Military Heritage Museum, even at the age of 90, doing convoy duty for spectators during the annual Wings & Wheels event. In 2023 Russ was named Grand Marshal of our annual Veterans Day Parade. Russ was 99 years old when we lost him.

VETERAN PROFILE –SAM SPAYD

When I first moved to Florence in 2005, I ran into a character at a Chamber After Hours that was charming, entertaining and intriguing. Over the next few months and then extending on to the present day, I got to know Sam Spayd in alot more detail from working with him on community projects such as the annual Wings & Wheels event and the Oregon Coast Military Heritage Museum. I’ve learned that he was not only a United States Air Force Veteran who served in both Vietnam and Desert Storm with distinction, but also a great asset to our community in current times.

Graduating from Mississippi State University in 1966 following an ROTC start for his military career, Sam entered the United States Air Force commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant and would end up flying in southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He flew multiple combat and transport aircraft while there, including AC-47 and EC-47, the military versions of the legendary DC-3 civilian aircraft.

However, my concern is that this bug could be much more severe for many of our community members than it was for me. We all know hand-washing and hygiene offer some protection and Googling “how to avoid the flu” will result in a unanimous recommendation to get a yearly flu vaccine. Other recommendations will simply include staying away from people who are sick. I would add staying away from elderly relatives if you feel the least bit unwell.

For me, the onset was an

Prior to Vietnam he also flew the legendary C-124 Globemaster transport affectionately called ‘Old Shakey’, and eventually after returning state-side, flew the giant C5A & B transports. During his combat service, he flew 203 combat missions logging 1 056 combat hours in the air, being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and fourteen Air Medals.

Military service ran in his family. Sam’s father served in the United States Army during both WWII and Korea. He landed on Omaha Beach on D-Day+20 and would go on to provide support for the Bastogne rescue of the 101 Airborne Division.

Sam’s restored vintage WWII jeep, a 1944 Ford GPW, carries the unit markings of his father’s unit. Although retiring from the Air Force in 1996, Sam entered into the civilian air service with United Air Lines in 1979 flying 737 through 777 jumbo jets. Around 2017 he received the “Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award” for 50 years of accident-free flying, the highest award for a pilot from the Federal Aviation Administration.

In 1995 Sam purchased his 1944 Stearman PT-13D, an open cockpit biplane, and after retiring from the Air Force, began yet another career in aviation starting the Aero Legends sightseeing tours on the Oregon Coast, selling that fourteen years later.

As my friendship with Sam grew over the years, I followed his activities within the community

irritation in the area behind my tonsils, where my nose meets my throat. About 24 hours later, I was down for the count.

According to the CDC, the most contagious period is the first three days of being sick, so if you get that irritation that makes it painful to swallow, maybe postpone that visit with your grandparents, just to be safe.

Whether it’s the flu or Covid, I can confirm this “bug” isn’t just a rumor. Take whatever precautions you feel you should to keep from getting or spreading it this year.

which included as a founding member of our local military vehicle club which morphed into the effort to start the Oregon Coast Military Heritage Museum where Sam served as our first Board President. Over the years he has volunteered his time, talent and energy in multiple community non-profit efforts including Seacoast Entertainment, started the Florence Air Academy to support the Boys & Girls Club, Deeds of Valor, and started the original 2009 Wings & Wheels event at the airport. He has also served on numerous boards and committees including Florence Area Chamber of Commerce, the City’s Airport Advisory Committee, Western Lane Fire and EMS Authority, and the Western Lane Community Foundation. While his community support is broad-based, he has continued to champion the support of multiple Veterans organizations and entities, demonstrating his continued commitment to military service. In addition to the military vehicle club and Military Museum involvement he is also a member of the Air Force Assn., Order of Daedalians as well as both Disabled American Veterans and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Sam also participates each Veterans Day with our local parade, driving his 1944 jeep. Throughout the year you can often spot Sam cruising Bay Street in Old Town in his OD green jeep, with trusty companion Ginger riding shot gun, manning the .30 machine gun on the side. He’ll wave and she’ll give you a paws up.

NEWSPAPER

OUR STAFF

Joe Warren | Director of Publication jwarren@countrymedia.net

Davis | Office Manager snofficemanager@countrymedia.net

school’s planning team and considered as part of the curriculum adoption process. Note: Curriculum crosswalk documents are provided for kindergarten through third grade, as Whitmore Classical Academy is scheduled to open serving grades K–3 in Fall 2026 Links and more information can be found at https://www.whitmoreacademy.com/

SOCIAL STUDIES

The Social Studies curriculum selected for public review is primarily drawn from Core Knowledge Foundation History and Geography, integrated with Core Knowledge Foundation English Language Arts

to meet Oregon Social Sciences Standards and widely used in public schools in Oregon and nationwide. Supplemental materials—where relevant and documented within the curriculum crosswalk—include WRAP Lessons from the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians, resources from the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, and additional classroom activities, field trips, and guest speakers. Primary curriculum: Core Knowledge; History and Geography Core Knowledge; Language Arts Core Knowledge Foundation Supplements: WRAP Lessons - Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians Curriculum | Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde

SCIENCE

The Science curriculum selected for public review is Core Knowledge Foundation Science (CKSci). The curriculum is informed by the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), which Oregon has adopted as its K–12 science standards. Alignment to Oregon science standards is documented within the curriculum crosswalk with supplemental activities identified where relevant. Core Knowledge; Science Core Knowledge Foundation

MATH

The mathematics curriculum selected for public review is drawn from Singapore Math and is used in other public charter schools in the state of Oregon. The curriculum was crosswalked to the Oregon Mathematics Standards on 3 a standard-by-standard basis. Supplemental lessons and classroom activities are identified where relevant to address specific standards and instructional needs. Dimensions Math – Singapore Math, Inc.

From Page A1

final score doesn’t “get into the weeds” of the program’s full depth. That’s where Who’s

Dimensions Math® PK–5 for Schools

ELA

The English Language Arts curriculum selected for public review is drawn from Core Knowledge Foundation Language Arts and is used in other public charter schools in Oregon. The curriculum was crosswalked to the Oregon English Language Arts Standards on a standard-by-standard basis, with alignment documented within the curriculum crosswalk. Literacy Essentials from Access Literacy is used to supplement instruction to support a literature-based approach to English Language Arts, with supplemental lessons and classroom activities identified where relevant to

address specific standards and instructional needs.

Primary Curriculum: Core Knowledge; Language Arts Core Knowledge Foundation Supplement: Literacy Essential – Access Literacy Home | Access Literacy

HEALTH

The health curriculum selected for public review is The Great Body Shop by Children’s Health Market Inc. The program is listed on the Oregon Department of Education adopted instructional materials list as an exemplary curriculum, meets Oregon Health Education Standards, and is used in public school districts and public charter schools across Oregon. Because the curriculum has been reviewed and

approved through the Oregon Department of Education’s adopted materials process, a separate curriculum crosswalk was not required for this subject area. The Great Body Shop; Children’s Health Market, Inc. K-6 Curriculum - The Great Body Shop

TSEL The Transformative Social Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum selected for public review is Friendzy, a curriculum developed by a local education provider. Friendzy includes a standards crosswalk document prepared specifically for public review, which documents alignment to applicable Social Emotional Learning expectations.

Websites for reference: www.singaporemath.com/pages/dimensions-math-pk-5-for-schools friendzy.co/character-education/elementary-school www.coreknowledge.org https://www.coreknowledge.org/download-free-curriculum/ https://ctclusi.org/wrap-lessons/ https://www.grandronde.org/government/education-department/curriculum/ https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/teachingcontent/instructional-materials/pages/adoptedinstructional-materials.aspx https://www.oregon.gov/ode/educator-resources/standards/pages/default.aspx

Who comes in.

“They want to harken back to those days where people were building complete track teams: where you had to have three of everything, which nobody has that anymore,” Johnson said. “They’ve used the same ranking system for all these years.”

In 2023, Siuslaw

finished as the number one-ranked team in 3A for Who’s Who. In 2024, the Vikings had to share the crown. Not satisfied with sharing the crown, Johnson said Siuslaw came back with the intention of “putting this thing so far out of reach that no one could ever touch it again.”

“So, that’s what

happened. Our team, on paper, is good enough to beat any other team on paper, this year, and every other year in the history of 3A,” Johnson said.

Based on the marks they achieved last season, Johnson said, Who’s Who also informed him that the 2025 team would have also topped the “two best 4A teams of all time.”

“So, what that says is that track team last year is the best dual meet track team in the history of the state of Oregon in the 3A classification and below,” Johnson said. “So, it’s a pretty big deal!”

With a stable of versatile, high-performing athletes, Siuslaw had all the tools to beat any team in the state of Oregon event for event. The leaders for the Vikings last year were Wesley Nicholls, Clayton Wilson, Kale Jensen, and Will Johnson. They led the line for the Vikings en route to the 2025 title, and the recognition by Who’s Who is a testament to their hard work and on-track performance.

After a disappointing 2024 season, Johnson said getting back on top of the dual meet rankings and the state championship were huge motivators for the group.

When you get a team this good, Johnson said it is fun to think about how they could compete with other great teams in history.

I know how important your team’s success is to you, so I wanted you to know the results of the dual meet rankings for the 3A boys (haven’t got the 3A girls done yet).

Your boys won the yearly dual rankings and are the new #1 best team all-time. You guys were impressive. Congrats on a great year last year. Here’s the write-up that’s going in this year’s Who’s Who.

“I think back to some of the teams I coached before, and man, we had some good teams. To see this team against those guys in that historical perspective, it makes you appreciate what you have,” Johnson said. “You have kids like Will Johnson, Clayton Wilson, and Wes Nicholls, and Kale, and you win. They’re winners. So, it’s been fun.” Johnson is already looking forward to seeing how his 2026 team stacks up with teams around the state and in history.

whom supported the use of the cameras.

After a break, speaker Keith Pangborn said he has little faith in the internet because he has friends in the industry who have told him horror stories about how easy it is to hack information. He suggested it would be better to have a system contained in-house that is not connected to the internet.

He suggested that he suggested that if an actual criminal were to swap license plates with an uninvolved citizen’s vehicle, it could create unintended circumstances.

Sally Ott said that while she has the highest regard for everything police and staff do, she has no confidence in the current national administration.

She called it a little door that could lead to a complete loss of control. She said the City cannot know whether or not to trust Flock until something goes awry.

Adam Cook said he also opposes the use of the cameras, saying they are a threat to every Oregonian’s privacy.

“The concern is heightened by extreme levels of federal aggression being currently directed at immigrants, transgender people, black and brown people, people exercising their First Amendment rights, and women seeking reproductive health services,” he said.

Cook said automatic license plate readers have the potential to create databases that would threaten citizens’ ability to lead private lives.

IN RESPONSE

Police Chief John Pitcher addressed some of the previous points, starting with the shutdown and restarting of cameras in Eugene and Springfield.

Pitcher said he had been in communication with the chiefs of Eugene and Springfield Police Departments, as well as Sheriff’s Office personnel, after they discontinued contracts with Flock Safety. Responding to a previous comment that cameras were remotely turned back on after being shut off, Pitcher said Eugene and Springfield each had one camera turned on when they thought they were off.

“Eugene had to turn theirs off; Springfield had never turned theirs on,” he said. “Flock has an internal health date on their cameras. If a camera comes up and it’s sick, a dispatch goes out and fixes the camera. That’s what happened in this case. They fixed the camera, turned the camera on and left. Yes, Flock did turn on the camera and, the chief showed me there’s no conspiracy theories or inappropriate use [and] no misuse.”

He said that in talking to the Lane County Sheriff, he was told that since larger agencies were discontinuing use of the camera, it was questionable whether LCSO needed it. He said some of those agencies wanted to wait and see what the state legislature planned to do before using Flock or possibly another ALPR system. He noted that Lincoln City also discontinued its cameras, saying they simply could not afford the $2 500 subscription contract. He said the same outcome may be possible for Florence if it chooses to continue using the cameras.

IN-HOUSE?

Regarding the development of an in-house system, Pitcher said the most difficult issue would be storing the data. He said the department attempted to store the data from its in-car cameras, but found its system did not have enough storage capability, and the data was not searchable.

“We got to a point where we couldn’t store it, and when we could store it, we couldn’t find it,” he said. “It would take forever to find the right video recording for a case. If we had unlimited funds, that would be nice, but we don’t.”

He also noted that with a maximum of only three officers on duty at any time, those resources are also limited.

“To have a system that can tell us if a murder suspect, a stolen car or an Amber Alert or Silver Alert... If one of those vehicles went through, our chances of locating them are greatly improved,” he said.

Assistant City Manager Megan Messmer later noted that such a project would not be financially feasible with current staff, budget and financial resources.

Pitcher repeated that photos are only of the back of vehicles, and are no different than what could be taken by a pedestrian in public.

“There is no other identifying data on it,” he said. “We have to use our other law enforcement data systems to get that information.” Pitcher said officers can search the system using particular search terms, such as the time range, color of the car and maybe a partial license plate number.

“It gives us just one piece of the evidence,” he said, “then we have to do our jobs. Flock doesn’t do our jobs for us; we follow that evidence.” He also noted a previous speaker’s comment that plates can be switched from cars, saying that it would become part of the information to determine where and when the plate was stolen and what vehicle it was reattached to.

“It’s just part of an investigation that would be the same with or without Flock,” he said.

Pitcher noted that every American carries a device with them that can track them to their exact location at any moment.

“It’s like your phone. Everyone carries their phone everywhere. Some people will say that’s

a choice, but it’s not a choice. People are addicted to their phones. They can’t function without their phones. They can’t do their jobs. Every phone can track you to your location if they choose to, and they have your name with your address and everything. Any company could violate its own policies or violate the law.”

Pitcher said that in Florence, the cameras have only been used to solve cases.

“Flock has not been used to violate anyone’s rights here in the city,” he said.

FROM FLOCK

A noticeable murmur went through the room when a Flock representative was introduced on the digital screen.

Trevor Chandler, Director of Public Affairs for Flock Safety, opened by saying, “Everyone in this conversation wants safety.”

“Flock has not and will not ever sell your data,” he said. “It is in our contract with the City that we will not sell your data. It is your data, and you own it 100 percent.”

Regarding instances that were brought up about Flock data sharing, Chandler said, “Flock has never been hacked. Flock has never shared information for an agency. What has happened is that some agencies in communities have a very wide share radius, and because of Flock’s transparency and accountability features, they noticed that their data was being used in ways that didn’t align with their community values. They made a decision that they didn’t want to share that anymore because they didn’t want to risk going against their community values. So there’s a big difference between what some said, ‘Flock shared data,’ that’s simply not the case.”

Saying Flock is the most transparent public safety tool on the market, Chandler said no other agency has the auditing capabilities and the public transparency portal. He said the reason people knew about instances of data sharing came from the publicly accessible transparency portal. He added that the instance where the camera turned back on in Springfield was also noticed by people viewing the transparency portal.

“This was not a conspiracy to put key cameras back on; it was a mistake that we took responsibility for,” he said, adding that some cities that had turned

Do you part and volunteer today to help support these organizations in our community. Peace Harbor Volunteers DOING GOOD . GIVING BACK

their cameras off have worked with Flock officials and are now turning them back on.

Saying Flock currently works with over 6,000 communities and has signed on 2 000 more in the last year, Chandler said it can adapt to work with each community individually.

He said the system allows officers to do more with less and focus on community policing.

“This is about precision policing, not mass surveillance,” he said.

Referring to the court case in Washington, Chandler said there are now competing judicial decisions on the subject in that state.

“I will say that the 4th Amendment case law across the country is nearly unanimous in stating that license plate readers are fully constitutional under the 4th Amendment. They cannot track you everywhere you go, especially in a case like the City of Florence, where you have so few cameras that it would be physically impossible. What this provides is objective evidence that your officers can use to find missing persons, which is one of the reasons why we’re endorsed by the National Center for Exploited Children. This is the organization that runs our country’s Amber Alert program. We helped find over 100 missing children. It’s one of the reasons we’re endorsed by Mothers Against Drunk Driving, because less than 50 percent of the hit-and-runs in this country are solved. Less than 50 percent of the murders in this country are solved, so this is a really pivotal tool.”

He said credit should go

See FLOCK, Page A6

to local law enforcement agencies that gather further evidence. Saying that Flock is not a judge and jury, Chandler added that an image on a camera is not all the evidence a law enforcement agency would need to put someone in jail. He said the Flock imagery is a key piece of evidence that officers can use to solve crimes more quickly, especially in cases where time is of the essence, such as a missing child, an adult with dementia behind the wheel or a crime in progress.

QUESTIONING FLOCK

Noting that Flock has said it will never share information, Council Sally Wantz asked, “But could you?”

CORRECTION:

In the Jan. 14 story on the council discussion of Flock cameras, some speakers names were sounded out pending verification of their correct spellings, which was inadvertently missed. The correct spellings of all speakers’ names are listed herein, and we apologize for the mistakes.

Andrew Simrin, Justin Ludwig (technical difficulties), Amy Martin, Donna Mathews, Phung Van, Rainbow, Rob Sheldon, Pip Cole, Randal Thomas, Nan Harvey, Judy Plumery, Bill Meyer, Rob Welles, Haley Millard, Andrew Prater, Evelyn Lovelace, Keith Pangborn, Sally Ott, Nora Kent and Adam Cook.

“...to break the law?

That will go against our contract, and we would not do that,” Chandler replied before the Mayor quelled a murmur in the audience.

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Wantz said the question was asked just to make a point. “What is the liability for the City of Florence if data collected by the Flock

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system is misused or negligently released?” Wantz asked. “What are we willing to be liable for, should this happen?”

Mayor Ward said the question would be best asked of the City Attorney.

Chief Pitcher said he reached out to Flock with the same question and was told Flock would accept liability.

Wantz recalled when the city first chose Flock for its ALPR cameras and asked if other companies were considered.

Pitcher said that in 2023, an armed robbery occurred at a business in Florence. He said the suspects also committed another armed robbery just over the Washington border, and also killed someone in the process. He said Flock data from California led authorities to determine the car had been stolen in California, and later, to find them sleeping in the car.

“That’s how we learned about Flock, and then we started to learn how many law enforcement agencies were using Flock,” he said, noting that less used systems aren’t as valuable because they don’t have the same sharing capabilities between law enforcement agencies.

Pitcher spoke of a recent case where a murder suspect in Multnomah County was mistakenly released from jail, but was later located in the Florence area because of data sharing between the Florence Police Department and Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office.

Councilor Mike Webb asked what would happen if the city limited its sharing options to just Florence. Pitcher referred to the previous case, saying that the subject would not have been caught because doing so would limit the department’s options.

Webb asked how the camera knows went to

photograph a vehicle. Chandler said the cameras are motion-activated, and while they may catch photos of pedestrians, the system cannot be searched for human characteristics.

A LONG LIST

Councilor Jo Beuadreau brought a long list of questions, but started by asking Chandler to respond to the previously asked liability question.

“So if there is ever any kind of breach of data, which is also within the contract, Flock would absolutely be liable for that,” he said.

Beaudreau asked how Florence police were able to obtain Flock information from Texas, as previously mentioned. Pitcher replied that the data came from an automatic nationwide alert by the National Crime Information Center. Chandler noted that the NCIC is run by the government, not Flock, but it can share alerts from NCIC.

“If you only want to receive an alert about stolen cars but not immigration, you can uncheck immigration so you’re not receiving any alerts related to that,” he said. “You can customize them, or you can turn them all off.”

“My next question is, have there been any independent audits of your technology and source code? Beaudreau asked. Chandler replied that Flock has undergone industry-standard audits to ensure internal security and compliance.

“We also have some of the highest levels of encryption, but as far as an individual audit of the source code, I can’t speak specifically to that, but I do know that we are SOC 2, Type 2, SOC 2 Type 3, as well as certified on many other certifications.”

Asked if Flock does its own audits, Chandler said no, adding that they’re done by an external auditor. Asked who that is, Chandler said it’s a law firm and that the

BUD’S UPHOLSTERY

certifications are provided through them.

Pressed by Beaudreau about whether the firm is affiliated with Flock, Chander replied, “We are a customer of theirs because they perform our audits. That is the extent of our association.”

Chandler said audits are done at various times, with the main ones done annually and are numbers are publicly available.

Asked about “network audits,” Chandler explained that there are two types.

“You have your agency audit, which will show you all the usage that your agency has performed using your system. As was stated, Flock is one of the most transparent systems out there, and even though the data is deleted after 30 days, the audit trail is permanent, so the agency trail is the audit trail of all agencies’ use of the Flock system. The network audit is the audit of the other agencies that you share with and how they have used your system for their searches.”

Asked if “bad actors” at shared departments could be identified for attempting to access information, Chandler said yes.

“Not only the individual, but the time, the reason, all of that is kept,” he said.

Chandler said officers must follow the law when using the system, and that giving false information about a search is a crime and is criminally punishable. He said case numbers and other documentation have to be included in every search to ensure legal use, and will be flagged for investigation if found to be inconsistent.

After some discussion about who can share admin preferences and camera tech contractors, Beaudreau asked how data is stored and destroyed.

Using a stream of technical acronyms, Chandler said that while the Amazon Web Services (AWS) (.gov) cloud is not owned by the government, but is a certified cloud used by many municipalities.

Destruction, aka Data Sanitization, renders it “irrecoverable when those devices are

decommissioned or repurposed,” he said.

“It’s also very important to note that Flock ALPR does not store personally-identifiable information. These are not social security numbers; Flock is not connected to the DMV. The data that is being stored is public images of a government document, which is a license plate on a public road.” He said that while the information is not personal data like social security numbers, his company protects the data as if it were.

He said deletions are also subject to strict government-level compliance regulations.

ONLINE CLAIMS

Regarding an inquiry about online reports that Flock cameras were found to have over 900 vulnerabilities, Chandler said the report is based on an erroneous TikTok and YouTube video.

“Basically what was discovered in that video was similar to a thing you could do if you took an iPhone out of the box without turning it on or connecting it to a system and said ‘look at all these fun things I can do with an iPhone, look how weak this security system is,’ and those would actually be vulnerabilities that wouldn’t exist once the iPhone connected to the system,” he said. “It’s the exact same way with the Flock cameras. This individual claimed he hacked a camera, which didn’t happen, and what he did was open up an unconnected camera, which was not connected to the system, to point out vulnerabilities that would no longer exist if the phone were connected to the system and the patches were made.” He said many of the claimed vulnerabilities were self-identified and corrected before the video was made.

Chandler said Flock has also been very open about discovered vulnerabilities and also has a program that pays users for finding vulnerabilities so they can be corrected. He said in many instances, people have reported potential vulnerabilities that have

already been self-identified and corrected. Asked if vulnerabilities could occur when another agency opens Florence data, Chandler said, “No, that can’t happen.” He said many updates were added to the system in response to citizens who made it clear that they did not want local data being used for federal purposes. He said federal agencies will never have access to nationwide or state “lookup” data, and will only be able to share information with agencies that allow and confirm it.

Using the National Parks Service as a hypothetical example, Chandler said if Florence shared its cameras with NPS, Parks employees would only have access to Florence’s cameras, but not those of other agencies on Florence’s share list.

Mayor Rob Ward asked what fine-tuning has occurred in Flock in the last year to stay ahead of potential hackers and misuse. Chandler said additional safeguards have gone into the tech, but also into hiring expert company staff, proactive auditing, misuse identification protocols and firewalls.

He said protocols are being developed that will ensure compliance with state laws by default, to eliminate any possibility of misuse.

“Especially in the era of TikTok and YouTube, it’s really easy to lean into conspiracy theories about all of these different things, but in reality, what we’re seeing are just well-meaning public servants who may have clicked the wrong button and wanted to make it right,” he said. “What we’re doing at Flock is making our agencies that use us have very easy compliance with state and local laws and make it incredibly easy to ensure their community safety never has to come at the expense of community values.”

Asked whether Flock planned to release a statement regarding “the Cambridge Analytical scandal,” Chandler said he was unaware of it.

FURTHER DISCUSSION

After some discussion about sending further questions to the City Attorney, Councilor Robert Carp read a letter from a Florence Police dispatcher, who said that Flock cameras are a tool to help protect lives. The letter said that while the department has received many inquiries about privacy, the cameras cannot see into vehicles, hair color, clothing or into one’s personal life.

“We are not watching for people, we are watching for danger, the letter read. What we can see are the moments when someone needs us the most.”

The letter said the camera is allowed to see what direction a vehicle is traveling when time is of the essence. We do not misuse

this tool.” The letter said the cameras are not about surveillance, but about safety. Carp said that in listening to the commentators that evening, as well as the community at large, he can see a lot of division from the community to the national level.

“By and large, we are divided because of so much misinformation by our politicians, by the media and activists. People and politicians can grandstand all they want, the bottom line here is community safety.” Carp said Flock has been vetted by the city and the cameras are a tool used to keep the community safe.

“The media and others will have you think otherwise,” he said. “The cameras only capture license plates on cars, not people, not pedestrians, not bicyclists, they do not identify a person.”

Carp, a retired police officer, said there is always negative pushback when law enforcement uses a new tool. Using the Rodney King incident, Carp said his department, located hundreds of miles away from the incident, stopped using batons afterward. He said bean bag rounds and tasers also caused public outcry.

“All these tools give options to law enforcement over the use of firearms,” he said. “They save lives instead of ending a life.” He said that in the time Florence has had cameras, there has been no evidence of misuse or violations of anyone’s rights. Noting that virtually every business in Florence has security cameras, Carp noted that Flock cameras are on public roads and not private property.

“There is no expectation of privacy on a public road,” he said. “That’s why it’s called a public road. Those who call out the 4th Amendment are misinformed. The 4th Amendment is about private property, inside your car, your person, and not about public roadways. I truly hope people are here to listen and to understand versus listening to react. Let’s keep Florence a safe town.”

TO BE CONTINUED

After some discussion about reader boards, potential for abuse, and community trust, Beaudreau suggested turning the cameras off until the council makes a firm decision, but was voted down 3/2, with Wantz also supporting the idea.

Ward said community safety is important and that he supports the cameras as long as they are not abused.

The council opted to move the topic forward to its Jan. 22 work session to get additional answers, discuss it further, and potentially make a decision. The story will appear in the Jan. 28 issue

SPORTS & LIFESTYLE

Vikings heading into league play

Will LOHRE

C ountry Media, Inc.

Siuslaw lept into league play against Sutherlin on Jan. 15 and though the results are not available at the time of press, let’s look at how the Vikings were shaping up heading into league play and what the schedule might have in store for the Florence favorites.

The boys closed out preseason with a three-win streak ahead of their matchup with the Bulldogs, a streak that brought them three games above .500 With a 9 - 6 record heading into league play, Siuslaw sat at #22 in OSAA’s 3 A rankings and was positioned to be one of the top teams in the Far West League this season.

Amid the six Far West teams, Siuslaw ranked second in preseason record, first in total points scored, and fourth in total points allowed. Douglas sits atop the conference with a 10 - 4 record and was ranked # 11 by OSAA.

After grabbing wins against Bandon and Toledo on Jan. 3

Siuslaw girls grab results in 52-team meet

Will LOHRE Country Media, Inc.

The largest girls high school wrestling tournament of the year was held at Dallas High School on Jan. 10, and the Vikings showed plenty of grit and competitive energy, refusing to be awed by the 52-team field.

The Lady Dragon Invite 2026 featured a packed field, with wrestlers turning up from all over Oregon, and despite sending just five wrestlers, the Vikings placed 26th with 54 points. North Salem ended up taking the team crown with 185 5 points. Two of Siuslaw’s five wrestlers placed in their weight classes, and senior Danin Lacouture wrestled her way to another first-place finish, this time in the biggest event of the year.

Siuslaw Head Coach Neil Wartnik said placing in a tournament of this size is a “huge

accomplishment,” and noted that Lacouture is showing the ability to wrestle well in highstakes matches.

Lacouture finished her run in Dallas with a 5-0 record, adding another impressive display to a season that has already seen her grab multiple tournament titles. Lacouture started the meet out with a pin against Ridgeview’s Josslyn Denny, the first of four wins by fall she would achieve. The second round was against Estacada’s Esther Hughes, and Lacouture had the match over in lightning fashion.

Lacouture pinned Hughes just 19 seconds in, capitalizing on an early takedown for a precision pin.

Leading into the final match, Lacouture registered two more wins by fall, allowing just two points to be scored on her in the first four

and Jan. 6 , Siuslaw closed out its non-league schedule with a win against Harrisburg at home on Jan. 9 . It was an impressive 55 - 39 win for the Vikings over a hot Harrisburg squad that entered the game on a threegame winning streak.

“Great team win last night against a tough Harrisburg team,” Head Coach Dylan Perry said after the win. “Our best game of the season so far and a great way to finish out preseason play. Boys are looking strong heading into the league opener at Sutherlin next week.”

Asher Borgnino led the way for the Vikings, scoring 14 points for the Vikings, including a 12 -point first half to power Siuslaw’s offense. Micah Blankenship was the only other Viking in double-digit scoring with 10 points, but Siuslaw showcased its depth with six players scoring at least a bucket. It was an excellent way to cap a winning preseason for a Vikings team that will be

Planning Commission approves use permit for Lotus building

At its regular Jan. 13 meeting, the City Planning Commission unanimously approved plans to allow a multiunit residential use permit to create six condos inside the former Lotus building on Bay Street.

The application was submitted in Aug. of 2025 by Chris Leturno on behalf of A&D Bay Street LLC for approval of a conditional use permit (PC 25 16 CUP 04 and design review (PC 25 07 DR 05) as required by Florence City Code. The request proposes the conversion of existing building formerly used as a restaurant into six residential condominium units, together. With related site, architectural landscaping, lighting, parking and circulation improvements.

The commission first listened to staff recommendations prior to hearing from the developer and asking questions.

Staff Recommendations

• This (request) meets applicable CUP+ Design Review criteria or can meet them through targeted, permit-stage conditions of approval.

• Protects neighbors and the public through focused conditions (headlight screening, pedestrian connections, mechanical screening

and lighting limits).

• Ensures floodplain/ environmental compliance before any building permits through required SIR and floodplain documentation.

Why reviewable now

The application was related to three recent actions adopted by the Florence City Council that collectively affect the zoning, allowable uses, and regulatory treatment of the subject building.

On February 24, 2025, the Florence City Council adopted Ordinance No. 1, Series 2025, amending the Florence Realization 2020 Comprehensive Plan and the associated zoning map. These amendments adjusted the division line between the Development Estuary (DE) District and the Old Town Area A District to the Mean Higher HighWater line at approximately 7 2 feet. As a result, all land north of the existing bulkhead that is not subject to inundation during a mean higher high-tide event was rezoned to Old Town Area A. This action shifted the majority of the buildings into the Old Town Area A District while leaving a portion of the structure within the DE District.

On April 7 2025, the

Florence City Council adopted Ordinance No. 4, Series 2025, amending Florence City Code (FCC) Title 10, Chapter 17A, Section 2(B) and (C). This amendment added multi-unit residential development, including single-unit attached and detached dwellings, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes, as conditional uses without a requirement for collocated commercial uses. These residential uses are limited to buildings that existed as of April 7 2025, and that are located within the Shoreland Residential Overlay District. This ordinance established a regulatory pathway for the residential reuse of existing shoreline buildings that had been constrained by zoning limitations. On July 21, 2025, the Florence City Council adopted Ordinance No. 8, Series 2025, which amended FCC Title 10 Chapter 19, Section 10-19-4-F.10, and Policy 18.C.10 of Chapter 16 of the Florence Realization 2020 Comprehensive Plan. This ordinance allows lawful nonconforming structures with nonconforming uses in the Development Estuary

hoping to snag a playoff spot after narrowly missing out on the tournament last year. The Vikings will be back on the court against Coquille on Jan. 23

For the girls, the preseason has already seen them match or exceed the win totals they posted in each of the previous seven seasons. Heading into the league opener with Sutherlin on Jan.

From Page B1

(DE) District to continue those uses indefinitely, until such time as the structure is converted to a conforming use. The amendment applies only to structures that existed as of July 7 2009, does not allow expansion or intensification of nonconforming structures, and does not authorize dredge or fill activity. The purpose of the ordinance

G irls

From Page B1

Keck

15 , Siuslaw had a 5 - 10 record. Before league play began, the Vikings were in the middle of the pack in the Far West League with South Umpqua ( 1 - 10 ) and Douglas ( 1 - 11 ) trailing them. At # 36 in OSAA’s 3 A rankings, the Vikings will hope they can climb up a few spots as league play gets underway.

For a team that’s 4 - 49 dating back to the 20202021 season, the Vikings will be contending with the history books this season, and grabbing just two wins would level

is to provide a clear and lawful mechanism for the continued use and reuse of existing structures in the DE District where redevelopment or upland relocation is not feasible, while maintaining consistency with Statewide Planning Goal 16 and estuarine resource protections.

Taken together, these three ordinances revised the subject building’s zoning configuration, expanded allowable residential uses for existing shoreline structures, and

was the closest match of her slate, and the only one she didn’t win with a pin. But it wasn’t ever a match she looked like losing. Lacouture bested Keck with an authoritative 10-4

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them with their best league season in more than a half-decade. Unfortunately, the Vikings will need to rediscover their mojo in the Far West, as the two games leading into the regular season were losses to Toledo and Harrisburg. The loss against Harrisburg was a 23 - 53 defeat, but not a bad result considering Harrisburg is one of the top teams in the state with a 13 - 3 record.

The girls will play their next game against Coquille on Jan. 23

clarified the continued legal status of nonconforming structures located partially within the Development Estuary District.

Collectively, these legislative actions establish the regulatory framework for evaluating the proposed conditional use permit and design review applications.

Commissioner Phillip Tarvin had some concerns with the developer’s request for upgrading the windows and asking for a type of window

advantage on the score card and was crowned champion of the 150pound weight class by decision.

Molly Mills was the second Viking to place for Siuslaw at the tournament, and it was a continuation of what has been a successful season so far. Mills started the morning in the preliminary round and had to win her way into the bracket with an impressive 15-3 major decision domination of Kassidy Guy.

Once in the bracket, Mills notched impressive upset wins in the first two rounds of the Lady Dragon Invite, knocking out the 8-seed Jackelynn Lopez and the 24-seed Hailie Engstrom. Mills bested Lopez by fall in

FOURSQUARE CHURCH

1624 Highway 101 (next to A&W) –- 997-6337

Pastor George Pagel – Something for the entire family. Sunday Service 10:00 am Wednesday Bible Study returns this Fall. Website: florence4square.com

NEW LIFE LUTHERAN E.L.C.A. NEW LIFE LUTHERAN CHURCH, E.L.C.A. “Serving Christ by serving others.” 21st & Spruce Streets—(541) 997-8113 Sunday worship is at 10:30 a.m.

Online services available on our FaceBook, YouTube, and website: www.florencenewlifelutheran.org

PRESBYTERIAN COMMUNITY CHURCH 3996 N Hwy 101 541-997-7136

Internet and in person Sunday Services at 10:30am, Adult Sunday School is at 9:30am. Call the church for details. Reverend Greg Wood All Welcome. Come as you are.

RELIGIOUS SOCIETY OF FRIENDS (QUAKERS)

A Faith Community committed to peace since 1652.

Silent Worship Sundays 11am, fellowship at Noon. Call for locations 541-515-8191.

RESURRECTION LUTHERAN CHURCH, L.C.M.S. Worship Services 10 am • Bible Study 9:00 am Pastor Steve Waterman 85294 Hwy. 101 S. – 997-8038 Facebook.com/ResurrectionLutheranChurchFlorence www.puppro.wixite.com/rlcflorence ST. ANDREW’S EPISCOPAL Church Welcomes You Worship Sun. 10am Wed 11am 2135 19th St. 541-997-6600 standrewssecretary19@gmail.com Labyrinth & Garden daily 8am-5pm

Museum Seeks Volunteer Treasurer

The Siuslaw Pioneer Museum is seeking a volunteer Treasurer to serve on its Board of Directors. The museum is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to preserving the history of the Siuslaw Valley.

This hands-on position includes attending monthly Board meetings and a time commitment of approximately 6–15 hours per month. Duties include bookkeeping, financial reporting, annual budget preparation, coordination of year-end tax filings (prepared by an outside professional), and financial guidance to the Board. There is no payroll.

Individuals with financial or bookkeeping experience and an interest in local history are encouraged to apply. For more information, please email accounting@spmmuseum.org

not allowed in that area.

Tarvin said that he was ok with all sides of the window plan except the front of the building.

City code requires the use of Mullion windows, that are a single vertical bar that separate two sides of a single window.

Another way to think of them is a that mullions are often heavier elements that divide larger window frames. Sometimes they can appear to create two windows where one window would be expected.

“I’m very strongly

just 48 seconds and beat Engstrom with a 12-2 major decision. Mills’ run for the tournament ended against #1-seeded Naudia Edmiston in her third matchup, but it wasn’t the end of her winning in Dallas. Mills rebounded quickly and won a tight 1-0 decision bout against Thurston’s Molly Cummnings to advance to the fifth-place match.

Once there, Mills left little doubt, winning the match by a 19-7 major decision, taking down her opponent five times in the bout, and nearly scoring a pin in the first round. It was another impressive performance for one of Siuslaw’s top wrestlers this season.

Other results for Siuslaw from the Lady Dragon Invite included Emma Ford going 2-2 at 105 pounds, Hannah Richard going 0-2 at 130 pounds, and Madelyn Scribner going 0-2 at 115 pounds.

A NOTE FROM HEAD COACH

NEIL WARTNIK

Wartnik provided an update on recent Vikings exploits, including the Lady Dragon Invite saying:

“A lot has happened since my last update. We sent four boys to the Sierra Nevada Classic (in Reno), 5 boys and four girls to the Rollie Lane Invitational (in Nampa, Idaho), seven boys to the Phil Smith Invitational in JC, wrestled dual meets against Creswell and Oakridge, and sent 5 girls to the Lady Dragons Invite in

opposed to reducing these requirements,” Tarvin said. “If we set a president and ignore these requirements of mullions windows to be interchanged, and give special exceptions, then we are giving special exceptions, and we’re not supposed to do that.”

Once the commission was satisfied with questions, listened to the developer, staff reports that indicated all city codes were met, the commission approved the permits unanimously.

Dallas.

That experience has deeply impacted our top students. They have a much clearer perspective of their path to excellence. Despite enduring sickness and injuries, our team members continue to improve and compete well.

The highlights have been Jacob Mann placing third at 215 pounds and Ali Ijaz placing seventh at 157 pounds at the Sierra Nevada Classic (a 95+ team event), Danin Lacouture placing 2nd at 140 pounds at the Rollie Lane (a 90+ team event), and Danin Lacouture winning the 140 pound bracket and Mollie Mills placing 5th in the 125 pound bracket at Dallas (a 52 team event). These are huge tournaments with many outstanding teams. To place so high in these tournaments is a huge accomplishment. Danin has shown the ability to wrestle well in high-stakes matches, Jacob continues to compete well against the toughest competition in the region, Ali, Gage Mills, and Molly are competing well against outstanding opponents, and Emma Ford, Bentley Nelson, Gabby Sweet, and Quentin Stidham have grown steadily since the beginning of the season.”

Check next week’s editions of the Siuslaw News for results from the 2026 Nick Lutz Memorial tournament, which was hosted by Siuslaw High School Jan. 16-17. Results from the tournament are unknown at the time of press.

City appoints August Murphy as Public Works Director

The City of Florence is pleased to announce the appointment of August Murphy as the new Public Works Director, effective January 1 2026. August succeeds former Director Mike Miller, who retired on September 26 2025 after many years of dedicated service to the City and its residents. August Murphy has been serving as Interim Public Works Director since Mr. Miller’s retirement. This appointment ensures continued leadership for one of the City’s most critical departments.

Murphy has served the City for 18 years, beginning his career in 2006 as a Utility Worker and advancing through several key roles. His experience most recently includes serving four years as Assistant Public Works Director. Prior to that, he served four years as Wastewater Treatment Plant Superintendent, six years as Utility Worker II/ Engineering Technician, and four years as Utility Worker. This progression reflects his deep institutional knowledge and commitment to public service.

He was selected after the City conducted a competitive recruitment that was open and advertised for applicants in November 2025, which attracted several strong applicants from across the country.

The Public Works Department plays a vital role in maintaining and improving Florence’s infrastructure, overseeing essential services such as water and wastewater systems, streets, parks, airport operations, and stormwater management. Strong leadership in this department

to ensuring the reliability of these systems and

“August’s experience and commitment to excellence makes him exceptionally well-qualified for this role,” said Erin Reynolds, City Manager. “We are confident in his ability to guide the Public Works Department and advance the important work that supports our community’s infrastructure.” The City Council was informed of this decision and will be formally introduced to August Murphy as the Public Works Director at the upcoming February 2, 2026, regular City Council Meeting.

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