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Siuslaw News Florence, Oregon Wednesday, September 18, 2024 Number 38 • 133 years

Don’t get scammed, just hang up By TONY REED Associate Editor

TONY REED PHOTO

No one could catch Bryce Franzoni as he ran the ball in for the first touchdown of the game

Siuslaw wins season opener, 22-14 STAN PUSIESKI

Siuslaw senior Max Reynolds and junior Will Johnson both scored on short runs in the second half Friday to lead the Vikings to a 22-14 victory over Marshfield in a non-league football game at Hans Petersen Field. The Vikings (1-0) play next Friday against North Valley in Grants Pass. Kickoff is 7 p.m. Siuslaw opened the scoringFriday with a 51-yard pass from junior quarterback Micah Blankenship to junior tight end Bryce Franzoni with 2:23 to play in the first quarter. Marshfield tied the game at 8-8 halftime with a touchdown with 5:23 to play in the second quarter, a

10-yard pass from Enoch Niblett to Jaden Tice. The Vikings took the lead for good at 9:39 of the third quarter on a Johnson 1-yard TD run and a Blankenship 2-point conversion run. Siuslaw padded the lead to 22-8 with 1:40 to play as Reynolds plunged in from the 3. The conversion run failed. Marshfield scored as time ran out in the game on another Niblett pass. The Pirates fell to 0-2 with the loss. The game turned in the Vikings’ favor early as the Pirates had backto-back turnovers, an interception

Will Johnson dives over the line with the ball.

See OPENER, Page A3

TONY REED PHOTO

School Board ratifies charter contract By TONY REED Siuslaw News

Following a short discussion, the Siuslaw School District board of directors voted 6 to 2 to ratify the contract for Siuslaw Valley Charter School to operate Whitmore Classical Academy. During a second reading of the contract September 11th, directors asked technical questions about the operation of the proposed Charter School, transportation, insurance and other issues. Regarding the hiring of a head of schools position, Superintendent Andy Grzeskowiak said SVCS is

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News — A2 Sports & Lifestyle — B1

in the second round of interviews. He said that will happen early in October but the district doesn’t have a solid timeline yet. After some procedural discussion about insurance requirements, Grzeskowiak said he modified a signature line in the agreement to allow a vice-chair to sign it, since a head of schools position has yet to be filled, in order to meet contractual requirements. SVCS Director Jodi O’Mara said the signature could be added to the agreement later. Regarding some language changes about school transportation, Grzeskowiak said the district will not create new bus stops new bus

Opinion — A3 Classifieds — B4-B5

runs or new bus routes to accommodate charter schools within the district. He said later that seats will be offered “as available” and only if they are within a regular route for the district. “It may be a little more elegant to say the district will not create new bus routes new bus stops,” he said, later adding that the district is willing to pick up WCA students at its regular stops, but a location for the school has not yet been determined. Grzeskowiak said SVCS will also be responsible for independent management of its Safe Schools and Vector safety training.

Not ready enough

Director Maureen Miltenberger was the dissenting vote on the board, saying the lack of a top administrator at the charter was one of her concerns. “The contract itself is excellent. I think that the energy that’s been put into it is admirable and wonderful and I really appreciate the contract as such,” she said “I will be voting no on it however just because … even though I appreciated your answers and your and your complete dedication, I’m very concerned about

As a beat reporter covering police, fire and emergency news for the last 25 years, I’ve written many stories on the topic of phone and internet scams and have interviewed many citizens who have unknowingly sent thousands of dollars into the ether, never to be recovered. We’ve all heard of the Canadian Lottery scams or the one where the Prince of Nigeria needs you to hold money in your account for a sizable cut. Those who laugh at the ridiculousness of such attempts should know one thing; these scams continue because they continue to work. It likely won’t seem funny when it’s your parents or grandparents who get scammed. That said, new scams are being deployed all the time. For some time now, callers have been able to mimic numbers of trusted government and law enforcement agencies. A local man came to my office last week to say he’s been receiving suspicious phone calls from a number that claims to be the Oregon Department of Justice in Salem, a government agency that investigates scams and fraud. Robert Fritson said he normally doesn’t answer calls from unrecognized numbers but did when he saw Department of Justice on his caller ID. Upon answering, a voice demanded $89 from him but didn’t give much more information. Fritson said he hung up and since, has not picked up other attempts from the same numbers. It’s likely the calls were a phishing attempt, designed to get further financial information from him. Afterward, he attempted to contact “every number possible” at the DOJ offices during business hours, but said he was told repeatedly that the department doesn’t handle such complaints. Fritson said he was disheartened by the idea that DOJ didn’t seem to care, especially since the calls appeared to be coming from a DOJ number. He came to the paper to warn people because he feels it’s only a matter of time until someone is scammed out of a lot of money.

Double-checked

The 541 number did come back to the DOJ and when called, it connected to the department office in Salem. A DOJ representative told me the department will never call someone by phone to request money or payment of any kind.

See CHARTER, Page A4 See SCAM, Page A4

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