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Siuslaw NewsWednesday, April 10, 2024 Florence, Oregon

Number 14 • 133 years

Heceta Lighthouse celebrates 130 years

PHOTOS BY TONY REED

SIUSLAW NEWS STAFF

Trails from the Beach to the Lightkeeper’s house to the Heceta Head Lighthouse hosted a steady stream of visitors for the Lighthouses’s 130th anniversary March 30. “The weather was absolutely our friend today,” said volunteer docent Sandy Coleman, who noted that turnout for the birthday celebration was higher than normal and steady all day long. Oregon State Parks information officer Stefanie Knowlton said 577 people came into the lighthouse and an estimated 277 just walked to the outside. Knowlton said it would be hard to gauge whether visitors came

for the lighthouse birthday or the fact that it was a sunny Saturday during spring break. Docents were on hand to answer questions, and give short tours through the bottom go the lighthouse. Visitors enjoyed tours, stories, hot dogs and live music. The day started with a Easter egg hunt at the Lightkeeper’s house yard while others packed the beach below. The lighthouse is named after Don Bruno de Heceta who set off on a secret west coast voyage for the Queen of Spain in 1775. “Due to the onslaught of scurvy, Heceta and his crew turned back

just before the Columbia River, but not before he noted the shallow waters and rocky headland that now bear his name,”according to historic reports. “A century later, mariners frequenting the dark waters between Coos Bay and Newport asked for a lighthouse to guide their journeys up and down the coast. Heceta Head proved an ideal location, but the construction project in this isolated place was no small feat.” The lights was erected in 1892 and cast its first beams over the ocean March 30, 1894. The full history can be found online at https:// www.hecetalighthouse.com/history

Conservation group threatens to sue Forest Service One arresting “This could include fencing to keep off-road vehicles in designated The Center for Biological riding areas, enforcing existing deciDiversity has warned the U.S. bel limits and limiting the number Forest Service that it intends to sue of off-road vehicles allowed in the the agency for “failing to protect National Recreation Area at a given coastal martens from destructive off- time,” it said. “Thousands of offroad vehicles in the Oregon Dunes road vehicles are roaring through the National Recreation Area.” dunes, driving coastal martens to the A release authored by the Center brink, but the Forest Service is doing for Biological Diversity said that in next to nothing to save them,” said a single weekend, thousands of offTala DiBenedetto, a carnivore conroad vehicles can drive through and servation staff attorney at the Center. damage marten habitat in the Oregon “The agency needs to act fast to proDunes National Recreation Area. tect these cute little carnivores in one “Off-road vehicles create noise of the last places they call home.” disturbances, destroy habitat and “If the Forest Service doesn’t could run over or strike coastal mar- take immediate action to protect tens,” it said.”These risks increase these vulnerable martens, they could during special riding events permitdisappear from the Oregon Dunes ted by the Forest Service — like forever,” said DiBenedetto. “The Coos Bay’s “UTV Takeover,” held agency has a duty to these martens annually in June.” and to the many Oregon Dunes visPHOTO BY MARK STEVENS The notice said the Forest Service itors and community members who A group is threatening to sue the Forest Service for almust analyze and mitigate the risks care about them.” legedly failing to protect coastal martens from threats to martens. posed by off-highway vehicles. See FOREST, page A6 SIUSLAW NEWS STAFF

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for kidnapping and more From FLORENCE POLICE DEPARTMENT

On March 30th, at about 10:50 p.m., Florence Police Department received a report of possible child abuse. It was discovered that a minor child was outside a residence and had possibly been assaulted. Medics were called for the child, who was transported to Peace Harbor Hospital. Officers learned that the child was last seen sleeping in a bedroom and the family was unaware the child was no longer in the house. From statements and injuries seen on the child, it was believed that the victim was removed from the home and assaulted. Officers arranged to have the child examined and a See KIDNAP, page A6

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