9 March 9, 2015
From Siuslaw Bank to Banner…
A 51-year banking legacy in the Siuslaw Valley ended Friday when the doors closed for the final time on Siuslaw Bank in Florence. By Saturday morning, new signs had gone up, proclaiming it and nine other Lane County locations as being “Banner Bank”. Expanding that organization’s reach to nearly 140 locations in the Pacific Northwest; 38 of those in Oregon; ten in Lane County.
Siuslaw Bank began in 1964 as Siuslaw Valley Bank in Mapleton. Four years later a branch was opened in Florence and operations moved downstream. Over the years, Siuslaw Bank expanded into several other rural communities. Executive offices eventually moved to Eugene, but Florence was still the official headquarters.
Banner and Siuslaw announced a merger last summer. Siuslaw’s Chairman of the Board, Johan Mehlum, has been at the helm since the founding in 1964; he will retire. Siuslaw’s President, Lonnie Iholts, an approximately 40-year veteran with the bank, will remain with Banner.
Several other long term Siuslaw employees are making the transition; including Melissa Phillips: 36 years; Rhonda Tipler: 30 years; and Florence Branch Manager Dee Osborne: 28.
New Secretary of State Named
A former top aide to U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley is taking over as Oregon’s Secretary of State.
Governor Kate Brown selected Jeanne Atkins to succeed Brown in the position she left two weeks ago when former governor John Kitzhaber resigned.
Atkins, a Democrat, is the former state director for Merkely, a post she held for five years before retiring last year. She also served as Merkely’s chief of staff when he was speaker of the Oregon House and is a former director of the Office of Family Health in the state Department of Human Services.
Under state law, Brown, also a Democrat, was required to choose someone from her own party to fill the remaining two years of her term.
Still time to check your smoke detectors
Were you late to church yesterday? Running late this morning?
If so, chances are, you missed the beginning of Daylight Savings Time.
Chances are also likely you neglected to double check your smoke detector.
If you were late for something yesterday or today, that’s already past. But you can still check your detectors.
Oregon State Fire Marshal Jim Walker says many new alarms come with ten-year batteries, so your best option is to simply test your alarms to make sure they’re working properly.
If you have the older type with the rectangular nine-volt batteries, you’re better off investing five dollars in a new battery.
2015 Fire Season expected to be severe
Fire bosses in Southern Oregon are stepping up preparations for a fire season that could start early, burn hotter, and last longer.
The worry is a result of drought and a warm winter – there’s been near normal precipitation, but little snow.
That means the sun will bake the sides of mountains into tinder; ready for the spark that lightning provides. Last year, lightning hit the region 130-thousand times.
Allen Mitchell of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management told the Medford Mail Tribune that firefighter training this year is earlier than usual.
And, he added, fire managers are planning to change tactics, making larger safety zones and new attack plans.
Police Chief search back on track
The first round of applicants for the vacant Florence Police Chief’s job were reviewed late last week.
Erin Reynolds – “We did have 12 applicants and we’re looking through those. It’s been a long time since we’ve had a permanent police chief and we’re all anxious to get this process going. And it will most likely be a more expedited process than last time.”
City Manager Erin Reynolds said they’ll continue to accept applications for the opening, even as they screen the current dozen. But, she added, the current batch looks promising.
Erin Reynolds – “I’m hopeful that we’ll have someone in place by the beginning of May.”
Former Chief Ray Gutierrez retired in December 2013. Since then Lynn Lamm, who retired eight years ago, has been holding the post on an interim basis.
