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Siuslaw NewsWednesday, April 03, 2024 Florence, Oregon

Number 14 • 133 years

Council mulls homeless camping codes By TONY REED Siuslaw News

At an informal work session March 21, the Florence City Council looked into potential locations inside city limits where people experiencing homlessness could erect temporary shelters. City Manager Erin Reynolds said the informal work session was scheduled for Council and staff to discuss policies regarding emergency sheltering and emergency shelter codes. Reynolds said a regular public meeting will take place April 29th to allow community input. The issue was last discussed in January and councilors were given a refresher by Community Development Director Wendy Farley Campbell. Police Chief John Pitcher said discussions started with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling which mandated that law enforcement cannot disturb or remove someone sleeping in public areas if no other places are available. Mayor Rob Ward added that City officials cannot ask someone to leave a public area until reasonable accommodations are made available to them. “We are kind of caught between a rock and a hard spot,” Ward said. “I have the feeling that the majority of the city would probably choose not to have anybody camping anywhere

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K9 finds large amount of drug during traffic stop LANE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

PHOTO BY TONY REED

An elaborate temporary shelter has been set up on the south side of the Siuslaw River. in the city. In a way, that’s the way it used to be.” Farley-Campbell said the project proposes to write new code regarding emergency shelters, adding that the current code regulations need to

Allan & Nedra

be moved to a new chapter where they would be more appropriate. Event-based emergency shelter code already exists, she said, noting it’s a land use code that says the city does not regulate emergency based and warming shelters, but gives

Ramona & Dean

authority to the council to place them as needed. Farley-Campbell said other code is being added to capture the need for shelters to help firefighters,

Lane County Sheriff’s Office K9 located a large amount of illegal drugs in a vehicle. K9 Bear assisted with a traffic stop in the search for illegal drugs. K9 Bear was able to assist in locating a kilo of pure fentanyl and approximately 50,000 fentanyl pills that were located in a hidden compartment of the vehicle. The occupants of the vehicle have been referred for prosecution. This investigation is ongoing and additional details are not available at this time. On March 26th, 2024, Lane County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop near the 1800 block of Franklin Blvd. in Eugene. During the stop, K9 Bear was deployed and

See CODE, page A2

See K9, page A5

Willie & Joyce

Celebrating three enduring marriages On March 22, Willie and Joyce celebrated 71 years together. Asked how they met, Joyce said she was a student at Mapleton School and was assigned to help orient new students. “It was the first day of school and they handed out paperwork to each student so they’d know where they were to go,” she explained. “This person (Willy) came in and I handed him the paper. He grabbed the paper and said (with some attitude), ‘Well, what do I do with this?’ I said, ‘Just take the paper and go through that door, find a chair and sit down and there will be a teacher to tell you what to do.’”

“And I’ve paid attention ever since,” Willie added. Joyce said she immediately noticed Willie’s attire, saying he wore white, with shined dress shoes, making him stand out from the usual Mapleton boys. “I listen,” Willie said, when asked for the secret of staying together 71 years. Joyce smiled, adding that they have never had much to disagree about over the years. “We’ve been together so long that it doesn’t do any good to argue,” she said. “He’s going to do it his way and I’m going to do it my way.”

Asked if she would marry him again, Ramona simply said yes. Ramona is 93 and Dean is 94. Along with 11 staff and resident “And a half,” he added. birthdays, Shorewood Senior Living celebrated two anniversaries, both of He said they met at a tiny new which marked over 70 years together college in Portland that became part for the couples. of the community college there. She At the table of honor were Dean was a farm girl from Dayton Oregon and Ramona Spencer on March 16, and spent much of their marriage as celebrating 73 years of marriage and a housewife. The two have been in Willie and Joyce Wornstaff who’ve Florence 44 years and say they have been together for 71 years. seen a lot of changes, namely the Dean said the two met in college rate at which the town has grown. and after inviting Ramona on a Asked for the secret of staying hayride. together 73 years, Dean said, “When “That worked out well,” he summarized, “and we lived happily ever you have disagreements, talk them after.” out.” By TONY REED Siuslaw News

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Obituaries — A2 Sports & Lifestyle — B1

Opinion — A3 Classifieds — B5-B6

DOGGIE SELF WASH

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A Florence man stopped into the Siuslaw News office to announce that he and his wife are celebrating 75 years together. Allan Arthur said he and his wife Nedra were married April 3, 1949 in Tijuana, Mexico. They’ve had two sons, both deceased, but have four surviving grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. They live nine miles from Florence on Highway 126. “We’ve had an incredible life together,” Allan said, noting that he and Nedra are both 93 years young and grateful to still be around. “We love the area and the many friends we have here.”

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