Motorcycle Death; Interior Secretary Visits Oregon; Supplies for School Emergencies

Accident Claims Florence Resident

The Oregon State Police reported Friday that 61 year old Florence resident Dan Barnum was killed when his 2017 Harley Davidson went off the road and slid in gravel before he lost control of the vehicle.  The crash happened Friday morning on Highway 20 at milepost 163 about 30 miles from Burns, Oregon.  The accident happened around 11:50 a.m. and Oregon State Police said Barnum’s Motorcycle was traveling about 70 miles and hour in a 65 zone.  Life saving efforts were taken but Barnum was pronounced dead at the scene.  Friends of Barnum say he was returning from a bucket list trip to Maine when the accident happened.  There is no official word on why Barnum’s motorcycle drifted off the highway but fatigue could have played a role in the crash

Zinke Visits Cascade-Siskiyou

Over the weekend, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke visited the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument, one of about two dozen whose status and borders his agency is reviewing. Zinke met with stakeholders in the region, including state Representative Pam Marsh of Ashland. Marsh says she wants him to keep three things in mind when considering the monument’s status. First, it’s the only national monument designated to protect an area’s rich biological diversity. Second, she says, it has a lot of local support. And last is the economic piece.

“We really see this as being a part of our economic future here in southern Oregon. We are a region that’s been dependent on resource extraction in the past. For many reasons, timber’s gone away, and we’re building a new, strong economy that’s based in large part on tourism.”

In a letter to Zinke last week, Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum threatened to sue the Trump administration if it attempts to shrink the monument’s size or revoke its status. President Obama expanded Cascade-Siskiyou by nearly 50-thousand acres before leaving office. The Interior Department decision is expected in late August.  Cascade-Siskiyou’s monument status gives it higher priority for management and protection from resource extraction. Jack Williams, a senior scientist with Trout Unlimited, says that’s especially important for a region recognized around the world for its unique variety of animals and plants.

“It’s kind of a biological crossroads between a number of different eco-regional units, such as the Cascades and the Siskiyous, and the Great Basin areas.”

Marsh adds this monument shouldn’t be seen as a litmus test for timber policy in Oregon, saying that’s a policy to be debated on the thousands of acres that exist outside the monument.

Supplies Gathered for Schools

On Saturday, during the Power of Florence, the Florence Community PTA sought to collect Emergency supplies for Siuslaw Schools.  Jennifer Ledbetter says their goal was to collect resources to care for up to 700 people for a 6 to 8 hour period and 200 people for up to 72 hours. She added they are well on their way to collecting supplies such as generators, blankets, sanitation supplies and food with a long shelf life for the elementary school. Once supplies for the elementary school have been gathered, they plan on moving to equipping the middle and high schools.  Cash contributions are still needed to complete purchases.  The resources are being gathered in the case of an emergency such as a Tsunami or other weather related issues.