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Pet food fundraiser a success Marshfield Key Club project has big year, A3

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State updates distribution plan Those 70-and-older were eligible for COVID vaccine Monday, 65-and-older March 1 ZACK DEMARS The World

Oregon is faring better than other states during the COVID-19 pandemic — but not by every measure.

During a press conference Feb.

19, state health officials discussed plans to address racial and ethnic disparities in who’s getting the COVID-19 vaccine, as well as other news about the status of the pandemic across the state.

“At a minimum, we need to make sure our vaccinations proportionately reflect the faces of our communities,” said Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen. “But we want to do more. Our COVID-19 efforts should be a model for how we’re eliminating health disparities in Oregon.”

Allen pointed to a few statistics which show the inequities in Oregon’s vaccine distribution. He said the state’s Latino population has the most pronounced disparities: While Latinos make up 13% of the population and 26% of the state’s COVID-19 cases, Allen said it only accounts for about 5% of the vaccines administered to date.

On the other hand, white people make up 75% of the population and about half of the state’s virus cases, but 74% of the vaccines distributed, Allen said.

Allen went on to say that the effects of the pandemic have hit communities of color the hardest, particularly because those communities tend to see higher rates of underlying conditions due to uneven access to care and a history of unfair treatment.

“I want to be perfectly clear, health inequities are the product of systemic racism, toxic stress, the targeted marketing of harmful products like tobacco and sugary beverages, and other factors. This is not about personal choice,” Allen

said. “This is about the weight of larger social inequities that cut short lives and opportunity more often for people in communities of color.”

In response, Allen said the state would promote a more equitable distribution of COVID-19 doses across the state by prioritizing pharmacies and federally qualified health centers which serve communities disproportionately impacted by the virus.

Please see Vaccines, Page A16

SWOCC

Students on lookout for space debris

Two new science projects have begun at community college JILLIAN WARD For The World

Photo courtesy of Commercial Development Company, Inc.

Commercial Development Company, Inc., announced its purchase of the former Georgia Pacific mill site in the Bunker Hill area.

Developer purchases former GP mill site ZACK DEMARS The World

COOS BAY — When Georgia-Pacific announced its plans to close its Coos Bay mill in 2019, over 100 employees braced to lose their jobs.

At the same time, the South Coast Development Council got to work, moving from trying to retain the mill to trying to find a new user for the unique property.

“When we do lose something like that, we kind of immediately transition into a redevelopment focus,” said Shaun Gibbs, the non-profit

corporation’s executive director.

Now, an industrial development company has purchased the property and plans to redevelop it for a new, yet-to-be-defined user.

Commercial Development Company, Inc., announced Wednesday it had acquired the 162-acre retired lumber mill, as well as the machinery, equipment and environmental liabilities associated with it.

“We are excited to continue our acquisition efforts in the Pacific Northwest” Adam Kovacs, the company’s vice president, wrote in the announcement. “Our acquisition of the Coos Bay lumber mill is the first

step to repurposing the property and moving it back into productive use — the site has outstanding port development attributes and we are looking forward to the environmental and economic benefits that this transaction brings to the region.”

According to Gibbs, the company will be a benefit to the property, which is located in the Bunker Hill area and has two private rail spurs, a 1,200-foot dock, a 200-foot dock and tax benefits through foreign trade and enterprise zoning.

After years of industrial use, it also likely comes with unknown environmental issues which have to be

abated before certain construction and other activities can take place.

But CDC is prepared for that, since it’s directly affiliated with another development company, Environmental Liability Transfer, Inc. “That’s one thing about the Environmental Liability Transfer company, is that’s what they do,” Gibbs said.

ELT took on the environmental liability of the site, which faced a significant EPA settlement for alleged Clean Water Act violations in 2019.

COOS COUNTY ─ Students at Southwestern Oregon Community College are on the lookout for both asteroids and micrometeorites.

Dr. Aaron Coyner, associate professor of physics at SWOCC, has students participating in two new projects. The first is Project Stardust, which is searching for micrometeorites in Coos County.

“Meteorites are fragments of space debris that reach the ground and micrometeorites are much smaller,” Coyner explained.

“They are essentially microscopic, similar to sand grands but slightly bigger, spherical and made largely of iron, nickel and other (metals)….”

Project Stardust got started when one of Coyner’s students, Ethyn Killinger, entered a program through the local Oregon NASA Space Grant Consortium. The program, SCOAR, is conducting research into micrometeorites in the area to find and classify them.

Coyner, volunteer researcher Krystal Hopper, and three to four students have formed a team to help with the project. One of these students also attends North Bend High School.

“We are creating collectors using designs given to me by a colleague at Oregon Coast Community College … to collect these micrometeorites from storm drains, downspouts and flat rooftops,” Coyner said. “…The experts in the field have said there is one micrometeorite per square meter that hits the planet every year.”

Please see Mill site, Page A16

Please see SWOCC, Page A16

American Legion asks for more time before moving Southwest Oregon Regional Airport said it will work with the Legion JILLIAN WARD For The World

NORTH BEND ─ The American Legion Post 34 asked Southwest Oregon Regional Airport for more time before it must leave its current location.

“I’m asking for you to grant us as much time as you can to make arrangements to get everything out of there,” said Joshua St. Ives, Legion member, during the airport’s regular

board meeting on Thursday. “We’re attempting to get a new venue….”

The airport’s executive director, Theresa Cook, said that the airport is willing to work with the Legion and will offer any help it can for the organization’s relocation.

“I think at least a year will not be a problem,” said Joe Benetti, airport commissioner.

Initially, Cook said that the Legion had been notified that it had until the end of 2021 to relocate, calling the building “unsafe.”

“We will give (the Legion) time, especially if COVID is still occurring,” she said, but added that the airport does not want any capital improvements done on the building because it

needs to come down. Cook said in a previous interview about the building that it was constructed in 1942 and “has outlived its useful structural life.”

The Legion site was constructed by the U.S. Army during WWII with the intention to last only five years.

The structure is crumbling around the members now with pieces of the ceiling falling, water damage, mold, roof damage, and asbestos. Cook said in a previous interview that the airport has been in discussion with the Legion since 2007 to relocate because the airport’s master plan calls for removing buildings with asbestos.

Please see Legion, Page A16

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Jillian Ward, For The World

American Legion Post 34 Commander Tyler Nickel stands outside the building in North Bend recently.

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A2 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021

Coos Bay Police seek suspect in shooting Coos Bay Police were searching Sunday night for a man suspected in a shooting at the Englewood Market Sunday afternoon.

At 4:55 p.m. Sunday, police received a 911 call of a man shot at the market, Deputy Chief Chris Chapanar said. Officers arrived on the scene and found a male subject with a gunshot wound to his upper left thigh. Officers identified the victim and rendered first aid until medics arrived.

Officers also obtained a brief statement from the victim and witnesses and were able to determine a suspect vehicle and persons of interest in the case. Officers

also learned the victim was familiar with some of the involved persons in the vehicle and it wasn’t a random act of violence.

Officers were able to obtain video footage of the incident and collected evidence left at the scene. As of Sunday night, the vehicle and shooter had not been located, Chapanar said.

The Coos Bay Police Department is asking anyone who may have information about the incident, or who may recognize the person in the pictures, to contact the police department at 541269-8911 or call Coos Stop Crime at 541-267-6666.

CoosBayPolicewere lookingSundaynight for the man in this picturetakenfrom video, left, and the car,right,suspected to carry the man awayfromthescene ofashootingatthe EnglewoodMarket.

Contributed Photos

Melanoma patients respond to immunotherapy STEVE LUNDEBERG

Oregon State University

Statistical modeling developed by Oregon State University researchers has confirmed that changes to melanoma patients’ gut

microbiome led them to respond to a type of treatment capable of providing longterm benefit.

Findings were published in Science.

The modeling technique invented by Andrey Morgun

of the OSU College of Pharmacy and Natalia Shulzenko of Oregon State’s Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine is known as transkingdom network analysis.

The human gut microbiome is a community of more than 10 trillion microbial cells from about 1,000 different bacterial species, and transkingdom network analysis integrates multiple types of “omics” data – metagenomic, metabolomic, lipidomic, proteomic, etc. – in determining how interactions among specific types of gut microbes help or hinder biological functions in the host.

In this case, the microbial interactions involved how well the body responds to a type of cancer treatment known as anti-programmed cell death protein therapy, abbreviated to anti-PD-1 therapy. It allows immune cells to react more strongly to cancer.

“It was pretty dramatic,” said Morgan, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences. “We found altering the gut microbiome can take a patient with advanced melanoma who has never responded to immunotherapy, which fails about 60% of the time with this kind of cancer,

and convert the patient into one who responds to it.”

Morgun and former OSU postdoctoral researcher Richard Rodrigues, now at the National Cancer Institute, were part of a collaboration led by immunologists Giorgio Trinchieri and Amiran Dzutsev from NCI and medical oncologists Hassane Zarour and Diwakar Davar of the University of Pittsburgh that tested fecal microbiota transplants’ ability to help melanoma patients benefit from anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

The scientists collected fecal samples from patients who responded particularly well to the therapy and in a clinical trial gave the samples, via colonoscopy, to advanced melanoma patients who had never before responded to immunotherapy.

The patients then received the anti-PD-1 drug pembrolizumab, and this time it had the desired effect, turning non-responders into responders. Transkingdom network analyses confirmed the microbiome’s role.

“Putting everything together, we showed that the fecal microbiota transplants and anti-PD-1 drug can change the gut microbiome and effectively reprogram a tumor’s microenvironment so anti-PD-1 resistance is

overcome,” Morgun said.

Of 15 patients with advanced melanoma – an aggressive form of skin cancer – who received the combined treatment, six of them showed either tumor reduction or disease stabilization that lasted for more than a year.

“The promising findings clearly warrant more investigation in bigger clinical trials,” Morgun said. “That way we can better identify microbial, bloodstream and intratumor biomarkers to select melanoma patients most likely to benefit from microbiome-based therapy. We really expect that eventually we’ll identify a collection of bacteria with a high success percentage for converting immunotherapy non-responders into responders.”

Merck and the National Institute of Health supported this research.

The World

Famed State Capitol trees damaged in big storm SALEM (AP) — The regionally famous cherry trees on Oregon’s Capitol Mall were damaged in last weekend’s ice storm.

At least two of the 150 Akebono flowering cherry trees that line the park leading up to the statehouse will need to be removed and the rest will be thinned out significantly after sustaining significant damage, the Statesman Journal reported Friday.

The cherry trees, planted in 1992, attract visitors from around the region when they bloom in March and April and inspired the Capitol’s annual Cherry Blossom Day. The two rows of trees lining the mall, with their gorgeous pink-andwhite blooms, are regarded as a visual representation of the coming of spring and the city’s connection to the cherry industry and Japanese culture.

The ice storm last weekend cut power to at least 350,000 customers and more than 50,000 are still without electricity. A layer of ice an inch thick coated power lines and trees.

Right now, it’s unknown how the lost limbs will impact the cherry trees’ survival or affect the aesthetics of the mall, said Kevin Strandberg, park manager with the Oregon Department of Parks and Recreation.

“We’ll be further assessing the trees in the future once the initial cleanup is done,” he said.

Strandberg said removal might be good for the health of other cherry trees. The two so far identified as needing removal were already growing quite close to neighboring trees, despite frequent pruning, crowding the canopies.

Meetings TUESDAY, FEB. 23

Reedsport Planning Commission — 6 p.m., regular meeting, city hall council chambers.

Bay Area Heal District Finance Audit Committee — 5:15 p.m., regular meeting held virtually. To attend, con tact Nicki Clubb at 541-2698067 or by email at nicki. clubb@bayareahospital.org.

WEDNESDAY, FEB. 24

Coos County Airport District Board of Commissioners — 5:30 p.m., workshop meeting held virtually. For call-in information, contact Airport Administration at 541-756-8531.

Bay Area Health District Quality and Patient Safety Committee — 4 p.m., regular meeting to discuss business related to quality and safety of patient care, held virtually. To attend the meeting, contact Charlene Mortimer by phone at 541269-8238 or email at charlene.mortimer@bayareahospital.org.

THURSDAY, FEB. 25

Coos Soil & Water Conservation District — 7 p.m., regular meeting, held

by Zoom. For information contact Caley Sowers at 541396-6879.

Southern Coos Health District — 6:30 p.m., regular meeting including consideration of the Community Health Needs Assessment and board education provided

by The Governance Institute.

The public meeting is accessible via live stream, with the video link available on the Southern Coos Hospital website and Facebook page.

The World

Coos County reports 18th virus death ZACK DEMARS The World

Another individual in Coos County has died with COVID-19, local health officials announced Thursday.

A 72-year-old man died Feb. 11 after testing positive for the virus Jan. 16, according to the Oregon Health Authority. He had some kind of underlying conditions and was admitted at Oregon Health & Science University.

His death wasn’t connected to any known outbreaks of the virus, according to Kelsey Orr, a Coos Health & Wellness spokesperson.

Meanwhile, as of Thursday, CHW was still waiting to receive its weekly allotment of COVID-19 vaccine doses. The agency was expecting 500 first doses and 100 booster doses of the vaccine, which have been stalled by severe winter weather across the country, according to Dr. Eric Gleason, CHW’s assistant director.

“The weather has been so severe that it’s delayed out ship-

ments,” Gleason said. “It may not be until early next week. The odds of it showing up by (Friday) are fairly slim with the severe weather we’re seeing in the south.”

That forced the agency to push off its internal plans for vaccinations this week, though Gleason said the delay didn’t require the cancellation of any appointments, as they had yet to be scheduled.

Virus outbreaks are continuing to hit the community.

Officials in the North Bend School District are continuing to deal with a handful of virus exposures of students and staff across the district.

On Wednesday, the district announced the quarantine of a group of students at North Bay Elementary School after a presumptive exposure to the virus.

“We are working closely with CH&W to respond to this news and protect the health of our community by temporarily having the students and staff associated with the affected student quarantine,” Superintendent Kevin Bogatin wrote in an announcement to the district.

“Due to a longer than 15 minute bus ride, the quarantine will also affect a bus cohort.”

In addition, a cohort of sixthgrade students at North Bend Middle School will continue in quarantine until Feb. 24.

The district is tentatively planning to bring seventh- and eighth-grade students back to North Bend Middle School’s campus March 1, and North Bend High School Students back to campus March 8 — though district officials said those returns would be contingent upon decreases in the county’s COVID-19 case rate.

The exposures in the North Bend School District aren’t related to each other, CHW officials said.

“Those cases aren’t connected,” Orr said. “It’s just unfortunate, our case counts are going up in the county, so it is in the community. More people are getting sick.”

State announces infant death Also on Thursday, OHA announced the state’s first death of an infant from COVID-19. The

Umatilla County infant had some kind of underlying conditions, tested positive for the virus Jan. 17 and died the same day.

“Every death from COVID-19 is a tragedy, even more so the death of a child. The death of an infant is extremely rare,” said Dr. Dean Sidelinger, OHA’s health officer and state epidemiologist, in an OHA announcement about the death. “This news represents a tremendous loss to the mother and family.

My thoughts are with them during this difficult time.”

Young children are less likely to develop serious disease when infected with COVID-19, Sidelinger said. Sidelinger noted the virus case and hospitalization rates for children are low compared to adults, and that infant deaths are very rare.

Still, he noted some COVID-19 symptoms in children require urgent medical attention, including trouble breathing, pain or pressure in the chest that doesn’t go away, new confusion, being unable to wake up or stay awake when not tired and bluish lips or face.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | A3

Oregoncounty-by-countytotals County Cases Total deaths Baker 629 7 Benton 2252 16 Clackamas 13198 170 Clatsop 766 6 Columbia 1217 21 Coos 1356 18 Crook 765 18 Curry 397 6 Deschutes 5849 58 Douglas 2333 51 Gilliam 53 1 Grant 221 1 Harney 266 6 Hood River 1057 29 Jackson 8117 108 Jefferson 1921 27 Josephine 2267 48 Klamath 2753 54 Lake 374 6 Lane 10046 121 Lincoln 1121 19 Linn 3534 55 Malheur 3331 58 Marion 18183 280 Morrow 1031 13 Multnomah 31534 514 Polk 2981 42 Sherman 52 0 Tillamook 403 2 Umatilla 7581 80 Union 1264 19 Wallowa 142 4 Wasco 1218 25 Washington 20867 209 Wheeler 22 1 Yamhill 3717 62 Statewide 152,818 2,155 This includes cases confirmed by diagnostic testing and presumptive cases.

Marshfield Key Club collects donations for animal shelter More donations were made this year than ever before JILLIAN WARD For The World

COOS BAY ─ For the fifth year in a row, the Marshfield Key Club helped collect donations for the Coos County Animal Shelter.

Stacy Gulseth, advisor for the student-run club that organizes projects within and outside of Marshfield High School, said there was some hesitation for the fundraiser due to pandemic restrictions but decided to give it a try anyway. Like previous years, the club put out the “doghouse” on campus where people could deposit pet food or other items. “…During COVID, we didn’t know if we would be able to raise anything but thought ‘let’s give it a try,’”

Gulseth said. “Not only did staff members donate, but I’m sure we had tons of people drive by because (the doghouse) was filling up daily.”

The doghouse was built five years ago by the high school’s advanced carpentry department and then painted and decorated by students. It has been used for the annual four-week fundraiser ever since. The top comes off, Gulseth said, allowing people to place donations inside. “…I called (the shelter) at first to ask what they needed and told them I wasn’t sure we’d get much since there wasn’t school happening (on campus),” Gulseth said, but saw that the doghouse was filling up every day.

In fact, she said the fundraiser saw more donations this year than ever before.

“People donated dog and cat food, cat collars, laundry detergent,” she listed.

“People donated flea medication, which had to be unopened and couldn’t be expired. Same with the dog

food, which could be opened but couldn’t be expired or moldy.”

Other donated items included blankets and towels as well.

“We had a variety of things in bulk,” she said.

“Some were in boxes and bags. It was very generous …

That box was running over.

We’ve never had it running over so much, even during school time.”

Gulseth said the Key Club students enjoyed the fundraiser and would have normally taken the items to

safety and economic development in the city were areas they hoped to see improved.

“I think it’s pretty obvious, our public safety departments are lacking in manpower,” Allred told councilors.

“Besides public safety, I’d say economic development would be something we need to work on.”

Allred suggested the city should look to expand its recreational offerings to help attract visitors to town.

“I think if we can bring the people, we can bring business. Somehow we’ve got to figure out how to get people up here,” he said.

North pointed to the city’s businesses, saying the downtown area could represent an opportunity for revitalization.

“There’s a lot that can happen here,” North said.

Councilors pointed to North’s experience in business as an asset to the council. She spent several years managing a radio station and other businesses, according to the resume she filed with her application for the council.

She also told councilors her grant-writing experience would be an asset.

For Allred, councilors noted his Navy and Forest Service experience which could be assets to the city.

Both new councilors will attend their first meeting in March and serve the city as it continues to search for a new police chief, fix longterm issues with its wastewater system and consider the construction of a new civic building, among other projects.

Powers appoints two to council

ZACK DEMARS The World

POWERS — The Powers City Council appointed two new members to fill open seats during a special meeting Wednesday.

Councilors reviewed three applications for the positions and appointed Jeff Allred and Debbie North to the council.

The unexpired terms of Laural Dudley and Donna Freeman opened when the two stepped down just weeks apart earlier this year. Their terms are set to run through 2022.

During the meeting, councilors interviewed applicants for the positions from a list of questions about key city issues.

Both newly appointed individuals noted that public

the shelter but “it’s actually closed to appointments only,” not to mention an over-abundance in donations. “…(The shelter) offered to get (the donations) in the animal control pickup, which helped us a lot,” she said.

Though the fundraiser has ended, Gulseth said if people still wish to donate to the animal shelter then items can be brought to Marshfield High School, located at 972 Ingersoll Avenue in Coos Bay.

Contributed Photos

Thedoghouse-shapeddonationboxoutsidethemainentrancetoMarshfield High School received more donations, left, than ever before.

A4 | TUESDAY,FEBRUARY 23, 2021

The World

Opinion A Country Media Newspaper 350 Commercial Ave., Coos Bay, OR 97420 news@theworldlink.com | theworldlink.com/news/opinion

GUEST OPINION

A word, please: Understanding ‘bi’

By June Casagrande Not long ago I would hear people talk about getting paid bimonthly.

Others, workers who got paid on a very similar schedule, talked about getting paid biweekly. Sometimes in February, they all got paid on the same days. The rest of the time they got paid at nearly identical intervals, about 14 or 15 days between paychecks.

We can reasonably assume that some of them subscribed to magazines that arrived every 60 days or so. Chances are they referred to these publications as “bimonthly.”

Fascinatingly, it seems no one got confused by these two different meanings of the prefix “bi-.” When a worker who got paid every 15 days said he was paid bimonthly, everyone knew what he meant. And when the same worker said his magazine that arrived six times a year was “bimonthly,” everyone knew what he meant.

So what does “bi-” mean? Does it mean two times per, as in two times per month, or does it mean every two, as in every two weeks?

The answer: both.

Here’s one definition for the prefix “bi-” from Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary: “occurring every two: bicentennial.” Here’s another definition in the same dictionary: “coming or occurring two times: biannual.”

So even though biweekly is universally understood to mean every two weeks, bimonthly can mean every two months or twice a month. Context counts, as is noted

by Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary of English Usage (which unlike Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate is not a dictionary but a usage guide).

“In the publishing world,” reports the usage guide, “everyone assumes you know ‘bimonthly’ means every two months. … On the other hand, we have evidence that in the world of education, ‘bimonthly’ usually means ‘twice a month.’”

Merriam’s usage guide cites a number of sources, like a magazine called Scouting that in 1970 informed readers ”There will now be 6 issues a year. Each bimonthly issue will have 48 pages.”

Another example offered in the usage guide is from the 1971 novel “The Paper Chase”: “None of us

have time to meet twice a week. …

I propose we shift to bi-monthly meetings.”

In all, Merriam’s includes five examples in its discussion of the prefix “bi-” and they all have something in common. They’re all from the 1960s or 1970s.

This reinforces the idea I hinted at when I started this column talking about at time “not long ago.” Confusing uses of “bi-” seem to be on the decline.

I checked Google Ngram Viewer — a searchable database of books going back centuries. Lo and behold: Ngram Viewer’s chart shows a precipitous decline in the use of the word “bimonthly” starting in the late 1980s. Occurrences of “biweekly” have also dropped significantly since the ’80s, but not nearly as much as “bimonthly.”

Ngram Viewer doesn’t tell us everything we might want to know about “biweekly” and “bimonthly.”

But it’s interesting.

People who worry too much about the degradation of the English language can take heart in this tale of “bi-.” It’s astounding how little confusion this prefix has caused. Meanwhile Americans are abandoning its more confusing uses. It shows that the English language is pretty good at policing itself.

Of course, the prefix “bi-” still carries some danger you’ll confuse your reader. But with a little vigilance you can sidestep the pitfalls.

In Associate Press editing style, for example, editors are instructed: “Biweekly means every other week.

Semiweekly means twice a week.”

Good advice easily applied to “bimonthly.”

The Chicago Manual of Style has good tips, too. “Generally, bimeans two (biweekly means every two weeks), while semi- means half (semiweekly means twice a week).

Because these prefixes are often confused with each other, writers should be explicit about the meaning.”

With a little care, you can use “bi” with no risk of creating confusion.

In fact, you probably already do.

June Casagrande is the author of “The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You Know You Should Know.” She can be reached at JuneTCN@aol.com.

GUEST OPINION

‘Gun Nut’ has a warning about new culture

BY BRIAN SEXTON

When I was a young man growing up in rural Oregon, there was a term for people like me: “gun nut.”

By my 20s, I had a sizable collection of rifles, pistols and shotguns. Some people I knew had a “pre-64” Winchester, a rifle renowned for its quality. Or they had a Browning Auto 5, a beautiful shotgun. A friend had 10 of those in various gauges.

But gun nuts today are a different breed entirely. When they talk about guns, they don’t get into describing graceful lines, tight grain wood or immaculate bluing.

At gun stores today what I hear praised is firepower that comes out of black plastic and steel. And these weapons are not for hunting, they’re assault rifles sometimes called “modern sporting guns.” The kind of sport they’re good for is not spelled out.

One of the gun stores I visited recently boasted a back wall lined with assault-style rifles, pistols and defensive shotguns, all black except for a choice few in hot pink “for the ladies.” The staff mostly wore black as well.

Their T-shirts for sale featured some amalgam of the American Flag and warnings such as “Don’t tread on me” and “ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ”, an ancient Greek phrase roughly meaning “Come and take them.” Everybody - and I mean staff and other customers - was packing holstered pistols. I felt out of place and time.

In my sleepy Oregon town, sentiments like this don’t stop at a gun store. A trip to the supermarket is not complete without several sightings of men or women packing a pistol on their hip.

It is as if we are living in a fetishized version of the Wild West. Some of these folks probably envision themselves as the whitehat cowboy, a character prepared to defend against marauders.

My town boasts one of the oldest independent newspapers in Oregon, but the readership is a quarter that of the Facebook page for the local police scanner. Every crime committed is conveniently pinged to each follower’s cell, providing a steady feed of this world’s ills.

But when we see the world through a lens of fear, it is no wonder that we look at our neighbors with suspicion. Maybe that explains the amazing statistic last year from Axios.com that “an estimated 5 million Americans bought their first gun.”

Dana Loesch, the former spokeswoman for the bankrupt National Rifle Association, talked about this free-floating fear: “The government has proven it cannot keep us safe, yet some people want to disarm all of us.”

This new group of men and women who wear guns as political statements apparently no longer experience weapons as tools for hunting or for sport. Even claims of defense are suspect. What type of threat necessitates military firepower? Somehow, guns have become identified as symbolizing freedom, individuality or just plain cantankerousness. It makes me miss the old days when a gun was just a tool - albeit sometimes a beautifully crafted one.

The irony of the modern gun movement is that a take-no-prisoner stance on gun rights might just turn into a groundswell of support for tighter regulations of guns. But when the patriots start to lose gun nuts like me, they teeter on the

brink of irrelevance.

Meanwhile, as the FBI cracks down on extremists who like to brag about their weapons on social media, we could be looking at more outbreaks of violence. LaVoy Finicum, who was killed by the FBI during the Malheur Refuge occupation in Oregon, seems to have become a martyr. Kyle Rittenhouse, the young man charged in the slaying of two civil rights protesters, has even developed a cult-like following.

The so-called patriots of today risk the very rights they’ve pledged to uphold with their lives. I know it’s a far less exciting thing to promote, but what makes America great is getting things done by talking and compromising.

I do not own an AR-15, and depending on my mood I can make an argument both for and against further regulations. After all, is my favorite deer rifle any less deadly than the scariest-looking assault weapon?

But on Jan. 6 at the Capitol, as I witnessed some of my countrymen threaten to use their weapons against our government, I found regulations more appealing.

It may be tedious to take part in politics on the level of reading about issues and engaging with people, but so far, that’s what makes America the best place to live. If I had to come up with a T-shirt slogan about a weapon, it wouldn’t be a threat, a warning or a brag. How about: A gun is just a gun.

Brian Sexton is a contributor to Writers on the Range, writersontherange.org, a nonprofit opinion service dedicated to spurring lively conversation about the West. He hunts, fishes and writes in rural Oregon.

Letters to the Editor Better conservative columnists needed When The World features conservative editorials, more often than not the writers use inflammatory or even violent rhetoric to rail about social issues. I wish conservatives could understand how little this helps their causes. Whether it’s columnist John Stossel sneering at universities and the people who attend them, or a recent writer claiming that Joe Biden figuratively, “dance(s) in the blood of dead

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To make a submission to the editor, fill out a submission form at www.theworldlink.com, email worldeditor@countrymedia.net or call 541-269-1222 ext. 235.

children to score cheap political points,” these screeds present few coherent arguments but many statements designed to promote cynicism and anger.

Unfortunately, American conservatism has taken a turn in this direction generally. Since conservatives no longer champion values like fiscal responsibility and trans-Atlantic alliances, they cling to social issues to find their identity. Rather than taking a nuanced look at subjects like the value and cost of college, or what we should

do about firearm deaths, the writers featured in The World inflate the usual bugaboos of elitism, they’re coming for your guns, etc.

There are more reasonable conservatives out there, and readers of The World deserve to hear from them, and from independents, progressives, libertarians, and so on. Let’s leave the fringe off the fabric of printed public discourse, OK? People can get plenty of that on Facebook.

Martha Gregor, Jr. North Bend

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | A5

The World

OBITUARIES Jeanette Sharon Blade Stonebraker October 3, 1937 – February 9, 2021

Jeanette Sharon Blade Stonebraker passed away in Springfield February 9, 2021.

She was born October 3, 1937 in International Falls, Minnesota. She graduated from Springfield High School and attended the University of Oregon. She married Jerome Stonebraker

in December 1955.

She was an Administrative Assistant at the Coos Bay Methodist Church and at Faith Lutheran Church in North Bend for many years.

She was an active member of Faith Lutheran Church.

She enjoyed supporting their many programs and community work including quilting, the Seaman’s Center, community dinners and the Cartwheels preschool.

She actively supported the Ecumenical Food Cupboard in Coos Bay. She loved to bake and celebrate holidays and birthdays. She enjoyed going to the ocean, celebrating all things Scandinavian and she adored her grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Jerry in

2018; her brother, Dan in 1992 and her oldest daughter, Sharon in 2012. She is survived by her children, Nancii and Bill; her son-in-law, Michael Woodhead; grandchildren, Andrew and Jillian Woodhead, Abbey and Daniel Frank; great-grandson, Theo Woodhead; her sister, Fay Traynham; brothers, Jerry Blade and Bill Blade; many brother and sister-in-laws; many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of her life will be held later this year.

Please make any donations in her name to Faith Lutheran Church, North Bend Oregon.

Arrangements entrusted to Springfield Memorial Funeral Home. Please access the obituary and you are invited to sign the guestbook at musgroves.com

Leonard Scott Gammon July 11, 1957 – November 28, 2020

Leonard Scott Gammon was born July 11, 1957 at Keizer Hospital in North Bend and died November 28, 2020 at Sacred Heart Medical Center in Springfield of severe heart problems.

Leonard was the youngest member of a family that consisted of four brothers and one sister. He lived his whole life in Oregon mainly

in North Bend graduating from North Bend High School in 1975. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army.

He had many jobs finally managing a small apartment complex for the last years of his life. He was a great house sitter for his brother Paul and several of his friends whenever needed. He loved frisbee golf, fishing

and being outdoors.

Leonard was preceded in death by his father and mother, Harold and Jackie Gammon; sister, Mary Hall; and brother, Dan Gammon. He is survived by brothers, Byron and partner, Teresa, Paul and wife, Janet, Jerry and wife, Lynne; also many nieces and nephews.

Harry gives up his honorary military titles in split from royal family

married the queen’s grandson Harry at Windsor Castle in May 2018. Their son, Archie, was born a year later.

In early 2020, Meghan and Harry announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media toward the duchess, who identifies as biracial.

The couple agreed to no longer use the title “royal highness” or receive public funds for their work, although it was unclear at the time if those decisions would stand.

They retain their titles of duke and duchess, and Harry is still sixth in line to the British throne. Harry and Meghan now live in Santa Barbara, California and are expecting their second child. The couple recently announced they would speak to Oprah Winfrey for a TV special to be broadcast next month.

Angela Levin, who has written a biography of Prince Harry, said the queen’s anxiety about what the Winfrey interview might disclose may have prompted the royal family to announce the split with Harry and Meghan sooner than planned.

“They’re out on their own,” she said. “They’ve got the freedom that they longed for.”

They continue to have a tense relationship with sections of the British media.

Earlier this month, Meghan won a legal victory in a lawsuit against the publisher of the Mail on Sunday, when a British judge ruled the newspaper invaded her privacy by publishing part of a letter she wrote to her estranged father.

News of their break with the palace comes as Harry’s grandfather, 99-year-old Prince Philip, is in a London hospital, where he was admitted on Tuesday after feeling unwell.

A spokesperson for the couple hit back at suggestions that Meghan and Harry were not devoted to duty.

“As evidenced by their work over the past year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex remain committed to their duty and service to the U.K. and around the world, and have offered their continued support to the organizations they have represented regardless of official role,” the spokesperson said in a statement.

“We can all live a life of service. Service is universal.”

Harry and Meghan won’t return as working royals LONDON (AP) — Buckingham Palace confirmed Friday that Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, will not be returning to royal duties, and Harry will give up his honorary military titles — a decision that makes formal, and final, the couple’s split from the royal family.

When Harry and Meghan stepped away from full-time royal life in March 2020, unhappy at media scrutiny and the strictures of their roles, it was agreed the situation would be reviewed after a year.

Now it has, and the palace said in a statement that the couple, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have verified “they will not be returning as working members of the Royal Family. “ It said Queen Elizabeth II had spoken to 36-year-old Harry and confirmed “that in stepping away from the work of the Royal Family, it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service.”

The palace said Harry’s appointment as captain general of the Royal Marines and titles with other military groups would revert to the queen before being distributed to other members of the family.

Harry served in the British army for a decade, including on the front line in Afghanistan, and retains a close bond with the military. He founded the Invictus Games competition for wounded troops, which first was held in 2014 at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The Invictus Games Foundation said Harry would remain its patron. But he is relinquishing positions as patron of the Rugby Football Union, the Rugby Football League and the London Marathon Charitable Trust.

Meghan, 39, will be stripped of her role as patron of Britain’s National Theatre and the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

“While all are saddened by their decision, the Duke and Duchess remain much loved members of the family,” the palace statement said.

American actress Meghan Markle, a former star of the TV legal drama “Suits,”

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Boy Scouts celebrate the first group of female Eagle Scouts Associated Press Growing up in Minneapolis, Isabella Tunney followed the progress of her older brother with admiration and occasional envy as he worked toward earning the Boy Scouts’ prestigious rank of Eagle Scout.

This weekend, at age 16, Tunney will be one of nearly 1,000 girls and young women honored by the Boy Scouts in a virtual celebration of the inaugural class of female Eagle Scouts. It’s a major milestone, given the hallowed stature of a rank that has been attained over more than a century by astronauts, admirals, U.S. senators and other luminaries.

Only in 2018 did the Boy Scouts start accepting girls as Cub Scouts; older girls were admitted into the flagship scouting program in 2019.

Overall, more than 140,000 girls have joined.

Tunney, like many of the girls attaining Eagle rank, worked intensively to amass the needed merit badges within two years. A minimum of 21 badges are required to attain Eagle; Tunney earned all 137, in subjects ranging from welding to white-water rafting to coin collection.

“The quarantine helped a lot,” she said, referring to the lockdown ordered due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “I had a lot of time to spare.”

For her Eagle Scout public service project, she organized a drive to collect essentials for families being assisted by a homeless shelter.

Tunney is a junior at St. Paul Academy and Summit School in St. Paul, Minnesota, and she is interested in a

career related to the STEM disciplines — science, technology, engineering and math.

As a child, she loved tagging along with her older brother, Eugene, but was sad when he and their father would go off on weekend camping trips with the Scouts.

“I was very envious of all those,” she said. “When the Boy Scouts opened up to girls, I was so excited to get the opportunity to participate myself.”

Like Tunney, new Eagle Scout Sydney Ireland also was drawn to the Boy Scouts due to participation of an older brother. She became an unofficial member of his New York City unit at age 4 and over the ensuing years was outspoken in urging the Boy Scouts to officially admit girls.

Ireland, 19, is now a sophomore at Amherst College, taking classes remotely from the Massachusetts island of Nantucket. She’s majoring in political science and psychology; law school and a career in politics could be on the horizon.

“Scouting has influenced my life in nearly every facet,” she said via email, crediting the leadership skills she learned in the Scouts for giving her the confidence to run for Amherst’s student Senate.

The Boy Scouts say about 6% of all scouts attain Eagle rank – roughly 2.5 million since the award’s creation in 1911, a year after the Boy Scouts of America was founded.

“This is a powerful moment for these young women, for all Eagle Scouts, and for our nation,” said Jenn Hancock, the BSA’s national

chair for programs. “People recognize Eagle Scouts as individuals of the highest caliber, and for the first time, that title isn’t limited by gender.”

The celebration of the new Eagle Scouts comes at a challenging time for the Boy Scouts. Facing a wave of lawsuits, it filed for bankruptcy protection a year ago in a step toward creating a huge compensation fund for tens of thousands of men who were molested as youngsters decades ago by scoutmasters or other leaders.

The case has advanced slowly since then in a federal bankruptcy court in Delaware. The BSA is expected to unveil a plan soon explaining how the compensation fund will be financed in a way that enables the organization and its local councils to maintain their programs.

Many in the scouting community have retained their admiration for the BSA’s mission – among them is Megan Wright of Omaha. Starting about 10 years ago, she helped run a Boy Scout troop to which her son belonged, and more recently she has been scoutmaster for her daughter’s troop.

The daughter, 18-year-old Rebecca Wright, is among the new Eagle Scouts, having earned 102 merit badges.

She now attends the University of Wisconsin-Madison and wants to be a genetics researcher.

“It’s been fantastic to see girls be able to participate in this program,” said Rebecca’s mom. “Just seeing the pride, the sense of accomplishment, knowing that they have achieved what so few others have.”

DEATH NOTICES Beverly Ann Hempstead, 72, of Bandon, passed away February 16, 2021 in Bandon. Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131 www.coosbayareafunerals.com

of Coos Bay, passed away February 11, 2021 in Coos Bay. Cremation Rites under the direction of Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary, 405 Elrod Ave., Coos Bay, Oregon 541/267-4216

Robert D.L. “Bob” Anthony, 74, of Coquille, died February 17, 2021 in Coquille. Arrangements are pending with Amling/Schroeder Funeral Service - Coquille Chapel, 541-396-3846

William Adams, 80, of Coos Bay, passed away February 11, 2021 in Coos Bay. Cremation Rites under the direction of Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary, 405 Elrod Ave., Coos Bay, Oregon 541/267-4216

Patricia “Pat” Johnson, 78, of Coos Bay, passed away February 5, 2021 in Coos Bay. Cremation Rites under the direction of Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary, 405 Elrod Ave., Coos Bay, Oregon 541/267-4216 Alvin “Sonny” Moss, 84,

Geraldine Train, 84, of Broadbent, of Coos Bay, passed away February 12, 2021 in Broadbent. Cremation Rites under the direction of Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary, 405 Elrod Ave., Coos Bay, Oregon 541/267-4216

DEAR ABBY

Rocky Hollingsworth, 61, of Coos Bay, passed away February 14, 2021 in Coos Bay. Cremation Rites under the direction of Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary, 405 Elrod Ave., Coos Bay, Oregon 541/267-4216 David Misseres, 66, of Bandon, passed away February 16, 2021 in Coos Bay. Cremation Rites under the direction of Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary, 405 Elrod Ave., Coos Bay, Oregon 541/267-4216 David Westlake, 79, of North Bend, passed away February 14, 2021 in Portland. Cremation Rites under the direction of Nelson’s Bay Area Mortuary, 405 Elrod Ave., Coos Bay, Oregon 541/267-4216

By Abigail Van Buren

SUNNY PERSONALITY TURNS DARK IN THE WAKE OF A MISCARRIAGE DEAR ABBY: My husband and I suffered a miscarriage five months ago, in the 12th week. I’m still not doing well. I have put on a facade to get by, but I’m just starting to realize how deeply this is affecting my life.

I used to be a happy, friendly person. Always a smile on my face and laughter to be shared and hugs for my loved ones. Since the miscarriage, I put on a fake smile and try to be who I once was, but I can’t keep doing it. Every day there is a moment from that day or the aftermath that floods my mind. I’m angry, bitter, mad at the unfairness, and I no longer have compassion or sympathy for others.

This isn’t me. I don’t want to be this way. My happiness has been replaced with tears and sadness. The hopefulness is replaced by emptiness. I’m very lost, and I don’t know how to get out of this funk.

I no longer want to try to get pregnant again because the fear of the physical and emotional pain of another miscarriage has me paralyzed. Any advice you might give would be greatly appreciated. -- BROKEN IN MISSOURI DEAR BROKEN: Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your child. Your depression and the fear you have about another pregnancy are not unusual after a tragedy like the one you have experienced.

You are grieving, and the emotions you are feeling are to be expected.

Please schedule an appointment with your OB/GYN and tell your doctor about all of these feelings, because the doctor can refer you to someone who can help you work through this. It will take time, but I assure you it is doable.

DEAR ABBY: My boyfriend and I have been together for close to a year now. In the beginning, we were crazy about each other and everything was great.

Our hometowns are two hours apart so, to make it work, he bought us a house right in between. It was an hour each way to our parents’ houses. I thought it was the perfect compromise. But now he’s telling me he isn’t happy here in our new town, and he needs to sell the house and move back home.

He says he still wants to be with me and that we are going to make it work, but I can’t help but be scared that this is gonna be the end of our relationship. Should I tough it out and see if we can actually make it work? Or do I call it quits and let go because maybe it is just not meant to be? -- MIXED UP IN MASSACHUSETTS DEAR MIXED UP: You left out one important fact in your letter to me. WHY does your boyfriend need to sell the house you share and move back home? Is he so closely tied to his parents that being an hour away is too far? Is it work-related? Is he dissatisfied with your relationship? Ask him these questions because the answers will tell you what you can expect. My advice is to let things play out a bit more before making any decision other than to put the house on the market.

------------------------------Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

A6 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021

The World

This week in Coos County history: February 21-23 100 YEARS — 1921 Chamber responds to action by press Resents attitude taken on Roosevelt Highway Advises dealing with California until better road to Portland is afforded The chamber of commerce at Gold Beach, the county seat of Curry county, took action in response to Portland press fighting the Roosevelt Highway bill. Resolutions passed went so far as to advise dealing with points to the south until better road facilities were afforded to Portland.

The resolutions passed by the Chamber of Commerce was as follows: “Whereas, certain newspapers of Portland, in particular the Oregonian, have seen fit in an eleventh hour burst of pseudo indignation, to attack by innuendo and specious argument, the proposed Roosevelt highway bill and have questioned the motive of legislators in supporting the bill, and “Whereas, this section of the state, and the coast country generally, has been quite consistently neglected by the state and the Highway Commission in the matter of good roads, and “Whereas, the building of the coast highway is in our opinion vital to the welfare of the coast counties, and of the entire state in respect to development consistent with that of our neighbor states to the north and to the south, and “Whereas, we of this section are still, at this late date, virtually isolated from the rest of the state of Oregon, (our neighbor, California, furnishing us with better highway facilities than does our own commonwealth) now therefore “Be it resolved that we censure members of the Portland press, and the Oregonian in particular, for the unwarranted, sectional and perverse attacks which they have launched against the building of a coast highway; we resent the arrogant tone of their comment; we regard as a near insult the illogical, untenable grounds upon the gross departure from honest reasoning with which they seek to bolster their politics.

Schools to have a half holiday Washington’s birthday will be observed tomorrow Exercises will be held in various schools and pupils will be dismissed in afternoon The schools of Marshfield will be closed tomorrow afternoon on account of Washington’s birthday. The classes will be held in the forenoon and in the afternoon the pupils will be given a holiday.

Appropriate exercises will be held in the different rooms at all of the school buildings during the afternoon.

Two games at the river school Big crowd goes from North Bend Saturday North Bend boys defeat Coos River boys and North Bend girls are defeated A big crowd went from North Bend Saturday night to attend the basket ball game at the Coos river high school. There were two games, one between the girls’ team and the other played by the boys.

The North Bend High school boys defeated the Coos river boys with a score of 33 to 19.

The Coos river girls defeated the North Bend girls with a score of 10 to 8.

Both games were enjoyed by the spectators and the visitors had a pleasant evening.

Motorcycle hit auto at crossing Cars smash at Broadway and Anderson today Rider of North Bend machine badly scratched — both machines are damaged A motorcycle, said to be ridden by Guy Frye of North Bend, crashed into an auto driven by parker B. Holland at Broadway and Anderson today. The rider of the motorcycle

was tossed over the car like he had been shot from a catapult. He was not injured much except his face was badly scratched and bruised.

Holland was going east on Anderson and the motorcycle was going south on Broadway. Holland, according to Marshal Carter, had the right of way.

The running board of Holland’s auto was smashed. The front wheel and forks of the motorcycle were also damaged.

The motorcycle rider disappeared in search of a doctor before Marshal Carter got his name and address.

Chicken yards to be regulated Old subject up again before city council Must be fifty feet away from any house Keeping chickens within the city limits was a subject which came up before the city council again last night. Dr. E.E. Straw, the health officer, was before the council. He said there had been a complaint about a chicken yard next to E.K. Jones’ residence. Marshal Carter was instructed to tell the owner that something must be done about cleaning it up.

Dr. Straw said that there should be some ordinance governing the keeping of chickens and that they should not be allowed within a given distance from a residence. He explained that the chicken yards bred files and made it dangerous for the occupants. The doctor was asked how far away they should be from a house and he said some cities made the distance fifty feet, and some required that the yards be 100 feet distant. It was finally decided that the chicken yards in Marshfield must not be nearer than 50 feet from any residence and an ordinance that ordered drawn up to that effect.

50 YEARS — 1971 Two from SWOCC faculty appointed by governor to arts commission Two Southwestern Oregon Community College faculty members have been appointed by Gov. Tom McCall to serve on the Advisory Committee for the Oregon Arts Commission.

They are Howard Hall, chairman for the Arts Division, and Frank Leuck, assistant professor of music.

Hall and Leuck attended a day long meeting in Salem recently centered around the governor’s review of the arts in Oregon.

In making the appointment McCall said, “The arts in Oregon are thriving because there are many people in the state who are actively concerned about the quality of life here and are directly involved in enhancing it.

“The Oregon Arts Commission, established by the legislature in 1967, is serving as the catalyst for this continuing statewide effort.

“To make the commission’s work more effective, the commission seeks your assistance specifically in the form of helping to evolve worthwhile projects; to facilitate and publicize programs undertaken; to contact various resources in your community, and to articulate your interest and informed opinion to legislators, city and county officials and other administrators, so that the needs of the state and the arts are more certainly met.”

Pants suits on Bay Area women Some do … some won’t Some women do … some don’t.

Some can … but wont …

Wear pants suits to work, that is.

Pants suits are playing an increasingly important role in the fashion world of women, and Bay Area employers find them invading the business world as well.

For the most part, the new suits are meeting with ready acceptance as employers bend with the wind of changing styles, but some say flatly, “no pants,” while other qualify their stand by saying pants are not suitable or not feminine.

“I’m all for it,” said David Grigsby, Fredricks Village Lassie, expressing the sentiment of firms who deal in women’s attire.

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“We definitely allow it,” said another merchant. He called the practice “a new found freedom for women” and said wearing pants suits should be up to the individual “as long as they’re in good taste.”

The qualifying definition, “in good taste,” cropped up in most answers during a telephone survey made by The World.

The Emporium, Monique Boutique and The Hub go along with the others, while J.C. Penney still prefers dresses or skirt suits, except in the shoe department and on the fashion mezzanine during pants suits promotions.

SW Oregon has role in Oregon’s ‘Inevitable’ future SALEM — Oregon which until now has found wealth in its timber and agricultural production, faces an “inevitable” future as a major source of minerals.

A report submitted last week by the Governors Advisory Committee on Environmental Science and Technology warned that precautions must be taken to prevent Oregon from suffering the damage that coal mining caused in West Virginia and copper mining did in Arizona.

“The discovery and exploration of major mineral deposits in the state would significantly benefit the economy but would also pose serious ecological problems,” the report said.

While it has not be generally recognized by its citizens, Oregon has a tremendous potential as a source of coal, metals and oil. Exploitation of these resources has been slight so far mainly because the minerals have been more readily and more economically available elsewhere.

However, as new mining and drilling methods are developed and as alternate sources run low, increasing attention will be focused on Oregon, the report said.

Coos Bay NDP plan reviewed A $2 million package for continued redevelopment of downtown Coos Bay was wrapped up Tuesday night during discussion

by Neighborhood Development Program (NDP) Local Public Agency comprised of the mayor and councilmen.

Continued improvement of Fourth Street north and south of its present improved portion with complete undergrounding, extension of parking facilities and acquisition of a few parcels of property will be included in the proposal.

Also included are erecting sidewalk canopies on the west side of Broadway and on Second Street, planting more trees where openings were left in work done this year and putting in brick work around all the tree buildings.

Details remain to be worked out, based on preliminary talks with officials at Department of Housing and Urban Development, which allocates NDP funding to local agencies.

Bunker Hill petitioners oppose merger Signatures to be sent to Coos Bay Council Residents of Bunker Hill and Bay Park are up in arms over the suggested consolidation of Eastside and Coos Bay that would also take in the unincorporated strip between the two cities.

“We don’t want to go into the city … we like it like it is,” emphasized Harold Armstrong, who is spearheading a drive to oppose consolidation. “They’ve walked in on us too much.”

Armstrong and other residents in the area are circulating petitions against the consolidation move and have obtained 108 signatures, with other petitions still out.

The petition says that Bay Park and Bunker Hill people, “being voters residing within and/or the owners of property situated within the unincorporated area known as Bunker Hill or Bay Park do hereby state that we do not desire that the Bunker Hill and/or Bay Park area be annexed” to either Coos Bay or Eastside.

Armstrong said a committee is being formed, with a meeting to be held later this week at which the battle lines will be drawn.

He claimed that Coos Bay Mayor Wendell Pynch was unable to give him one name of a Bunker Hill resident who had asked for consolidation with Coos Bay. “I talked with him for 45 minutes and he couldn’t name one person.”

The city just wants the added tax revenue, Armstrong contended, pointing to upwards of 20 small businesses in the strip as well as Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Coos Head Timber Company and the docks.

Copies of the petition are being sent to the Coos Bay City Council and to the Coos County Board of Commissioners, Armstrong said.

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Crowd, defense spur Pirates to Civil War win Basketball: Marshfield grabs early lead and cruises to easy victory Sparked by their best crowd of the season and an outstanding defensive effort, the Marshfield boys basketball team evened the score with North Bend Tuesday night, winning the Civil War on their home floor 56-39.

The Pirates jumped out to a big first-half lead and coasted to the win to send four seniors out as winners.

“It’s a nice way to end it,” said Pirate Jon Vinyard, who had a game-high 16 points.

“It’s a pretty important win for us emotionally because we didn’t have the season we wanted to have.”

The Pirates finished 5-11 in league play, while North Bend is 6-9 with a home game

Friday against Springfield remaining on the schedule.

Tuesday night, Marshfield was in control almost from the start.

Vinyard gave the Pirates an early 2-0 lead with a rebound bucket, but North Bend rebounded with two hoops from Matt Johnson and a steal and layin by Adam Schraeder that put the Bulldogs up 6-4.

That was North Bend’s last field goal until less than two minutes remained in the first half and the lead was short-lived.

Vinyard canned a 3-pointer on Marshfield’s next possession to start a 17-0 run that bridged the first and second quarters and put the Pirates up 21-6.

Each basket in the stretch thrilled a vocal student section that had grown in size and volume through freshman and junior varsity wins by the Pirates.

“I just want to thank our crowd,” said Marshfield senior Matt Lehman. “Our crowd drowned (the North Bend student section) out. It’s amazing how loud they were.”

Port to research how to attract more ships Something must be done to revive Coos Bay’s maritime industry if the area is going to stay in the business of attracting shipping traffic. Commissioners with the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay hope they have part of the answer.

The commission voted unanimously Wednesday to hire Seattle-based Maritime consultant Paul Sorensen of BST Associates to do $50,000 in market research on what the port can do to attract new bulk shipping commerce.

There wasn’t the usual debate from commissioners that follows a request to do another study nor was there any complaint from an unusually large audience. About 20 longshoremen and shipping-related business people crowded into the meeting room to show support.

“I really appreciate all you good people who showed up tonight,” Commissioner Ingvar Doessing told the group.

Doessing, who works for Jones Stevedoring, then pulled out a statement he had written and read it to the crowd.

“When I came here in 1988, this was still a busy port,” he started.

Even then, the signs were on the horizon that the timber industry was losing ground.

In 2000, only 85 ships called on Coos Bay, compared to 300 in port 10 years ago. The community has seen exports of other commodities decrease by as much as 98 percent and paper products are gone, he said. The less cargo that’s available to load here means the more expensive it is to call on Coos Bay. “It has impacted our schools. It has impacted our communities as a whole. It has impacted every business in our area,” he said.

The region has two options: relax or do something.

“Nobody knows Coos Bay. Nobody knows Coos Bay — best kept secret in the USA,” Doessing said.

Museum gives voice to community’s past REEDSPORT — Perched on the edge of town on a riverfront boardwalk, the 7-year-old Umpqua Discover Center has true pioneer spirit.

The facility, which in the past had few permanent displays, has become a significant cultural and educational resource for the Oregon Coast with completion of “Tidewaters & Time,” a major $700,000 exhibit that opens to the public Friday.

The interactive exhibit is a walk through time in the Lower Umpqua and chronicles the region’s cultural history, both native and immigrant, said Director Portia Harris.

“It has been a challenge, but an exciting one,” Harris said, adding that she had a lot of partners in the museum’s success.

“The community has really embraced this project,” she said. “After all, this is their history.

“Many of the display artifacts have been donated by local residents, and several of them posed for the murals,” she continued, “so it has been interactive in the true sense of the world.”

“Tidewaters & Time” — which was designed and installed in three phases by WOW arts & exhibits, a North Bend visual communication design firm owned by husband-andwife team Peggy O’Neal and Larry Watson — showcases early explorers, coastal lifestyles, the region’s maritime connection, tidewater towns and the significance of boat life for those along the Umpqua and Smith Rivers.

New OSAA proposal favors MP Reclassification: The latest possible option would raise 2A limit for enrollment to 325 Myrtle Point’s request to drop to Class 2A is bolstered in the newest proposal by the Classification and Districting Committee of the Oregon School Activities Association.

The proposal, released Thursday, lefts the upper enrollment for Class 2A schools to 325 students, a figure Myrtle Point has been below all year.

The committee still is considering a number of factors and could lower the limits back to their current level of 301 students before making a final proposal for changes in classifications and districts to the OSAA Executive Board in December. Changes will go into effect in the fall of 2002.

The new proposal, which came about after the committee’s meeting on Feb. 9, switches several schools between classifications and changes the leagues for some other schools.

These stories were found in the Marshfield Sun Printing Museum newspaper repository stored in Marshfield High School courtesy of Coos Bay Schools.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | A7

The World

Lawmakers aim to close background check loophole SALEM, Ore. (AP) — So many people are buying guns in Oregon these days that the state police are often unable to complete background checks in time, allowing the sales to proceed if the deadline isn’t met.

A handful of Democratic lawmakers have now put forward a bill in the Oregon Legislature that would close this loophole. It’s often called the Charleston loophole because Dylann Roof was able to buy a gun that way, and then murder nine Black people at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 2015.

“You have the power to prevent a similar act of violence here in Oregon,” Sharon Risher, whose mother

and two cousins were killed in the church, said in virtual testimony Thursday before the Oregon House Judiciary Committee.

In Oregon, it’s up to the state police to do a background check.

And they are warning that they are overwhelmed.

In 2019, the Oregon State Police completed 276,912 background checks, said Maj. Tom Worthy of the state troopers. In 2020, that total rose by 51% to 418,061.

“We saw exponential growth that we’ve never seen before,” Worthy told a committee of the Oregon Legislature on Thursday. “I can tell you that the unit is not staffed for that volume, and it would be impossible for us to stay current based on our current employees that

we have.”

Nationwide, gun sales hit a historic high in January as violent riots hit the U.S. Capitol and a new president took over, continuing a record-setting surge that began as the coronavirus pandemic took hold in early 2020.

Under Oregon law, if state police fail to provide a gun dealer with an approval number or notify that the purchaser is disqualified from obtaining a firearm before the close of the gun dealer’s next business day, the dealer may deliver the firearm to the purchaser.

This bill amends that, saying plainly that the dealer may not transfer a firearm unless the dealer receives a unique approval number from the state police.

The bill generated almost 300 pieces of written testimony either praising or denouncing the measure.

Michael Smith, chairman of the Gun Owners Caucus of the Democratic Party of Oregon, said it “opens the door to a de facto ban on firearms purchases.”

Witnesses also lined up to testify by video link.

Talia Wexler, a sophomore at Grant High School in Portland, named several schools, including several in Oregon, that have been bloodied in mass shootings.

“The last thing that people should be afraid of at school is a bullet,” Wexler said. “We do know that there are common-sense measure that the Oregon Legislature can take to prevent gun violence.

Closing the Charleston loophole is one of them.”

On the national level, Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Illinois, in December introduced legislation to close the loophole that allows some gun sales to be completed without the results of an FBI background check. Under current law, federal firearm licensees may automatically go forward with the sale of a firearm if an FBI background check is not completed after three business days.

In South Carolina, a bill in the statehouse would close the Charleston loophole by prohibiting a gun transfer until a background check has cleared. Similar bills have been filed ever since the 2015 church shooting, but have not advanced far in the GOP-leaning state.

States vary on their rules for guns in capitol buildings HELENA, Mont. (AP) — In the past year, insurrectionists have breached the U.S. Capitol and armed protesters have forced their way into statehouses around the country. But the question of whether guns should be allowed in capitol buildings remains political, and states are going in opposite directions.

In Montana, a law signed Thursday allows anyone with a permit to bring a concealed firearm into the Statehouse, reversing a decadeslong ban and fulfilling a longtime hope of Republicans who took control of the governor’s mansion and the Legislature this year. GOP-dominated Utah passed a law this month allowing people to carry concealed weapons in its Capitol and elsewhere in the state without a permit.

Guns are allowed in statehouses in some form in 21

states, according to a review

by The Associated Press.

Eight states allow only concealed firearms inside their capitols, while two states allow only open carry.

Montana and Utah are two of at least 13 states that do not have metal detectors at the entrance to their capitols.

The statehouses are open to the public even as many have closed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Several other states, though, are moving to restrict guns inside their capitols. In Michigan, where armed protesters forced their way inside the Statehouse last year and the FBI said it uncovered a plot to kidnap the governor, a state panel banned the open carry of guns after the Jan. 6 riot in Washington, D.C. Democratic state Sen. Dayna Polehanki said that “tensions are high” in Michigan following the assaults,

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and she’s disappointed that concealed weapons are still allowed in the Statehouse.

“What they said is that weapons, guns, bullets are still welcome in our state Capitol as long as we can’t see them. It doesn’t make anyone safer,” she said.

Vermont lawmakers, meanwhile, are considering expanding their Statehouse ban on guns to other government buildings. In Washington state, a measure that would ban open carry of guns in the Capitol and near permitted demonstrations has cleared a committee and is awaiting a vote by the full Senate.

“The purpose of openly carrying a weapon is to chill other people’s voices. And it works,” said its sponsor, Democratic state Sen. Patty Kuderer.

In nearby Oregon, crowds opposed to the Statehouse being closed to the public

during a pandemic-related session stormed the building, including at least one person armed with an AR-15. And in Idaho, self-styled “patriots,” anti-vaccination groups and others forced their way past police at the Capitol in August, shattering a window as they pushed and shoved into a gallery.

In Montana, though, Republican Rep. Seth Berglee said the U.S. Capitol riot didn’t affect his thinking about the law he sponsored.

“People that have a permit are extremely law-abiding, and they are the type of people I would want to have around. I see them as being a deterrent to bad things happening,” he said.

There’s a similar proposal this year in Oklahoma, where gun rights advocates are again pushing to allow people with a license to carry firearms inside the Capitol. It

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“A person needs to be able to protect themselves, no matter where they are,” said Don Spencer, president of the Oklahoma Second Amendment Association.

Not everyone in Montana feels safer with the new law, however. Democratic House

Minority Leader Kim Abbott said more guns could add a chilling new dimension to debates in polarized times.

“If you have more guns in the building when you’re talking about things that are so personal and intense ... you do worry about things escalating,” she said.

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SPORTS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | theworldlink.com

OSAA: No state championships for ‘fall’ season JERRY ULMER OSAAtoday

The Oregon School Activities Association has opted to forgo conducting state championships for Season 2, returning control of the sixth week of the season — or culminating week — to the schools.

The OSAA Executive Board, which reviewed the issue in a work session Wednesday, reached a consensus to return the week to the schools “to coordinate and execute local/regional culminating events at their discretion.”

Season 2, which includes traditional fall sports football, soccer, volleyball and cross country, begins with contests March 1 and ends with the culminating week April 5-11. Contingency groups from those sports provided input to the board.

“The board has spent a lot of

time on this over the last couple months,” OSAA executive director Peter Weber said. “The realities of trying to conduct large events, given where things stand right now, didn’t seem advisable in their minds. A lot of different issues come into play.”

Organizing state championship events during the COVID-19 crisis is riddled with complications.

In a release, the board cited issues such as establishing equitable qualifying procedures, district-adopted travel restrictions, county gathering-size restrictions, and impacts from schools forming regional pods as key factors.

The board also noted that some schools will not be able to start their seasons on time, and others may have their seasons fragmented or shifted due to outbreaks.

The board said that it did not want to “put any undue pressure”

on schools to compete in a state championship event that could have health risks for their students and community.

It cited recommendations from the Oregon Health Authority that advise against unnecessary travel between counties, especially those at different risk levels. The potential for overnight stays also was a concern.

“Criss-crossing the state at this point, or bringing a large group of people to one venue, just wasn’t something that they were supportive of at this point,” Weber said.

Weber said the board considered the different dynamic of a championship event for cross country, an individual sport, and the other team sports, which require more time for playoff rounds. But overriding factors remained.

“Part of it goes back to where things are in the state right now,”

Weber said. “The idea of schools staying local and regional for their regular season, then to turn around in the sixth week and say, ‘OK, now we’re going to put that aside and bring kids from all over the state to one location,’ if we could even find a location to do that, just didn’t make sense to the board at this point.”

Considering the season already has been shortened, the board views returning the sixth week to the schools as an opportunity for additional participation.

“That would include subvarsity, etc. They would be able to participate that week,” Weber said.

The football contingency group has considered creating a “bowl week” of sorts since its early discussions. For example, the sixth week could include crossover “bowl” games between nearby leagues.

Whatever the schools decide, the OSAA has pledged its support.

“Our staff is going to support schools as much as we can as they try to organize those things,” Weber said. “We certainly want to help promote. But ultimately, that will be the local decision as to what they do.”

The decision on Season 2 has no bearing on championship plans for Seasons 3, which includes the traditional spring sports, and 4, which has the winter sports. The OSAA will review options for those seasons in the coming months.

The board reaffirmed its support for conducting virtual events for cheerleading, dance/drill, solo music, band, orchestra, choir and speech. Those events will take place as scheduled on the OSAA calendar.

Jerry Ulmer writes about high school sports on the Oregon School Activities Association’s OSAAtoday page. Read more stories at www. osaa.org.

Djokovic wins ninth Australian Open men’s crown MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Maybe, just maybe, the thinking went, Novak Djokovic would be just a tad more susceptible to trouble this time around at the Australian Open.

After all, he tore an abdominal muscle in the third round and wasn’t sure he could continue to compete. Entering Sunday, Djokovic ceded five sets in the tournament, the most he ever dropped en route to a major final. And to top it all off, he was facing Daniil Medvedev, owner of a 20-match winning streak.

Yeah, right. We’re talking about Djokovic at Melbourne Park, where his dominance is most certainly intact — nine finals, nine championships. Plus, he’s still gaining on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Grand Slam standings, now up to 18 overall, two shy of the men’s record those rivals share.

Djokovic used improved serving, along with his usual relentless returning and baseline excellence to grab 11 of 13 games in one stretch and beat Medvedev 7-5, 6-2, 6-2 for a third consecutive Australian Open trophy.

“Definitely, emotionally, the most challenging Grand Slam that I ever had, with everything that was happening — injury, off-the-court stuff, quarantines,” Djokovic said.

“A roller-coaster ride.”

When the match ended after less than two hours, Djokovic went to the sideline, lifted his white shirt and peeled pieces of beige athletic tape from his stomach.

“I was quite worried,” Djokovic said about the injury. “I did not (think) realistically that I could actually play. I didn’t know until two hours before the fourth-round match.”

Dealing with what he called “bearable” pain, Djokovic improved to a combined 18-0 in semifinals and finals on Melbourne’s hard courts.

“Probably, it’s not your last one,” Medvedev said. “I have no words to say.”

Djokovic, a 33-year-old from Serbia, has won six of the last 10 majors and will stay at No. 1 in the rankings at least through March 8.

That will give him 311 weeks there,

Osaka stays perfect in Grands Slam finals MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — As Naomi Osaka strode through the Champion’s Walk leading to the court for the Australian Open final — headphones on her ears, racket bag strapped to her back — she reached out her left hand to tap a panel marked with her name and the year of her previous title there.

Not a big deal, she explained.

Just a bit of superstition. Less than 10 minutes later, she began the match against Jennifer Brady. And less than 1 1/2 hours later, Osaka won the last point, because that’s what she does when the stakes are the greatest on her sport’s biggest stages.

Osaka improved to 4-0 in Grand Slam finals by grabbing six consecutive games to pull away in what initially was a tight contest, beating Brady 6-4, 6-3 at Melbourne Park on Saturday.

“You don’t go into a final wanting to be the runner-up. For me, I feel like every opportunity that I play a Slam is an opportunity to win a Slam,” said the 23-yearold Osaka, who will move up to No. 2 in the WTA rankings. “So I think maybe I put that pressure on myself too much, but honestly, it’s working out in my favor right now.”

Sure is.

With serves that reached 122 mph (197 kph) and produced six aces, and returns that helped crebreaking another mark held by Federer.

His goals now are squarely on Grand Slams, even more than before.

Put Djokovic’s nine triumphs in Australia alongside five at Wimbledon, three at the U.S. Open and one at the French Open. The math looks good for him: He is about a year younger than Nadal and 6 1/2 younger than Federer.

“I do enjoy the success every single time even more,” Djokovic said, “because I know that the longer the time passes, the more difficult it’s

ate six breaks, Osaka became the first woman to win her first four major finals since Monica Seles did it 30 years ago.

That is part of Osaka’s 12-0 record in quarterfinals, semifinals and finals at the majors.

“She plays so aggressive that she puts so much pressure on you to perform well,” said Brady, a 25-year-old from Pennsylvania who played college tennis at UCLA and was participating in a Slam final for the first time. “And that’s something that not every tennis player has that ability to do.”

Osaka, the 2020 AP Female Athlete of the Year, is also on a 21-match winning streak that dates to last season and includes her championship at last year’s U.S. Open. She also won the U.S. Open in 2018, and the Australian Open in 2019.

“What I have learned on and off the court is it’s OK to not be sure about yourself. For me, I feel like I’ve always forced myself to, like, be ‘strong’ or whatever. I think if you’re not feeling OK, it’s OK to not feel OK,” Osaka said.

“But you have to sort of go within yourself and figure things out in a way.”

Osaka was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and Haitian father, and moved to the United States with her family when she was 3. She has been a vocal going to become.”

The No. 4-seeded Medvedev was appearing in his second Slam final; he was the runner-up to Nadal at the 2019 U.S. Open.

The 25-year-old from Russia had won 12 in a row against Top 10 opponents, but trying to solve Djokovic in Australia is a unique challenge.

“He’s really good (at) reading an opponent’s game,” Medvedev said, “knowing what you will do next, how to beat you.”

As things slipped away, Medvedev bounced his white racket

advocate for Black victims of racism and police violence, saying she would refuse to play a match at one tournament last year to spotlight the issue.

“She’s such an inspiration to us all, and what she’s doing for the game is amazing in getting the sport out there,” said Brady, who was seeded 22nd. “I hope young girls at home are watching and inspired by what she’s doing.”

Brady had to go through a hard quarantine for 15 days when she arrived in Australia in January because someone on her flight tested positive for COVID-19 when they arrived.

Playing Osaka represented a big step up in competition during this tournament for Brady, who had not faced anyone ranked in the Top 25 nor anyone who previously appeared in so much as one Grand Slam semifinal.

Brady’s only previous final four appearance at a major came at the U.S. Open in September, when she lost to Osaka in three sets.

She wasn’t able to push the champ as much this time on an evening that was breezy and cooler than it’s been lately, with the temperature below 70 degrees Fahrenheit (20 degrees Celsius).

The attendance was announced at 7,381; spectators were allowed back after being barred earlier in the tournament during a COVID-19 lockdown. off the blue court, then absolutely destroyed it with a full-on spike. He kept looking up at his coach with palms up as if to ask, “What can I possibly do here?”

It is a familiar sentiment in this stadium: Federer, Nadal, Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Dominic Thiem — all Grand Slam champions, all defeated by Djokovic in semifinals or finals in Melbourne.

On a cool, cloudy evening, an event delayed three weeks because of the coronavirus pandemic closed with an announced attendance of 7,426 in Rod Laver Arena. Spec-

Bell earns first Cup Series win, racing past Logano DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Give him good cars and Christopher Bell will win races. But in his second race? With a new team? That seemed unlikely.

Bell defied the odds Sunday and earned his first career Cup series victory — in just his second race since Joe Gibbs Racing pulled him back into its inner circle — to close out an unpredictable week of racing at Daytona International Speedway.

Michael McDowell was the surprise Daytona 500 winner and then Bell earned an earlier-than-expected first trip to victory lane. It’s just the third time in NASCAR history the first two races of the season were won by first-time winners. It was previously done in 1949 and 1950 — NASCAR’s first two seasons.

More important, Bell and McDowell have snagged coveted berths in the 16-driver playoff field, a troubling

trend for mid-pack teams that need all 26 regular-season races to point their way into the championship picture.

Race winners earn automatic berths and the remaining spots are decided by the points standings.

“The dynamic has changed dramatically,” Brad Keselowski said. “We’re very early in the season and it’s now turned into a points race for those last few spots. If you don’t win, you’re in a lot of trouble because it’s not looking like you’re going to be able to get in the playoffs.”

Bell chased down Joey Logano on the winding Daytona road course to grab his first victory. Logano had a commanding lead but Bell, on fresher tires than Logano, reeled him in and passed him with just over one lap remaining.

“This is one of the highlights of my life,” Bell said.

“I’ve prepared my whole life

for this moment to race in the Cup Series.”

The 26-year-old Oklahoman is a longtime Toyota development driver who won 16 Xfinity Series races driving for Gibbs. But there’s only four Cup seats in the organization and they were full last season when it was time to move Bell to the big leagues.

He was instead loaned to Leavine Family Racing, and although it was also a Toyota team, the one-car operation wasn’t nearly as strong as the Gibbs group. Team owner Joe Gibbs last summer decided not to renew Erik Jones, who said he was blindsided by the move, and instead bring Bell back into the fold.

It put the pressure on Bell to deliver and he did after a rocky opening a week ago. Bell was running at the front of the Daytona 500 pack when he gave Aric Almirola too big of a

shove and triggered a 16-car crash on just the 14th lap of NASCAR’s first race of the season.

Bell’s win bookended a statement weekend for JGR’s young drivers. Ty Gibbs, the 18-year-old grandson of team owner Joe Gibbs, won the Xfinity Series race Saturday night in his first career national series start.

McDowell, meanwhile, backed up his Daytona 500 win with a career-best road course finish of eighth.

Logano for the second week came up empty but without the dramatics of his last-lap crash with teammate Keselowski as they raced for the Daytona 500 win. Logano finished second.

“I hate being that close,” Logano said.

Denny Hamlin was third to give Gibbs two cars in the top three. Kurt Busch finished fourth and Keselowski wound up fifth for a decent Team Penske rebound.

tators were barred for five days earlier in the tournament because of a COVID-19 lockdown, but they eventually were let back in at 50% capacity.

“There are a lot of mixed feelings about what has happened in the last month or so with tennis players coming to Australia,” Djokovic said. “But I think when we draw a line at the end, it was a successful tournament for the organizers.”

And for him.

Medvedev’s flat, wrap-the-racket-around-his-neck forehand was iffy at first, missing wide, long and into the net in the initial 10 minutes.

Djokovic grabbed 13 of the match’s initial 16 points and a quick 3-0 lead. Soon enough, though, it was 3-all, then 5-all.

But that’s when Djokovic stepped up, and Medvedev stepped back. Djokovic held at love, then broke to claim the set when Medvedev slapped a forehand into the net just after someone in the crowd called out during the point.

Djokovic began the second set with a fault into the net, then shook his left arm and flexed his shoulders. That point ended with him missing a backhand into the net, and he glared at his guest box.

Another netted backhand gifted Medvedev a break.

But the extreme experience gap showed there. Medvedev immediately relinquished his next two service games. In all, Djokovic broke seven times and made merely 17 unforced errors to Medvedev’s 30.

“Masterpiece,” said Goran Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion who is one of Djokovic’s coaches.

Medvedev appeared to have a tiny opening at 4-2 in the third, getting to 15-30 on Djokovic’s serve with a forehand winner and waving to the crowd to make noise. As if viewing that as a personal affront, Djokovic took the next three points and the game, then pointed his right index finger to his temple and gritted his teeth.

Soon it was over.

“Coming to Australia, it always brings that extra dose of confidence to me,” Djokovic said, “because of my record here and because of how I play.”

National Sports TV Schedule Today

NBA Basketball — Boston at Dallas, 4:30 p.m., TNT; Portland at Denver, 7 p.m., TNT. Men’s College Basketball — Illinois at Michigan State, 4 p.m., Fox Sports 1; West Virginia at TCU, 4 p.m., ESPN2; St. John’s at Villanova, 5 p.m., CBS Sports Network; UConn at Georgetown, 6 p.m., Fox Sports 1.

Hockey — Pittsburgh at Washington, 4 p.m., NBC Sports Network.

Wednesday, Feb. 24

NBA Basketball — Toronto at Miami, 4:45 p.m., ESPN; Los Angeles Lakers at Utah, 7:05 p.m., ESPN. Men’s College Basketball — North Carolina A&T at North Carolina Central, 2 p.m., ESPNU; Saint Louis at VCU, 3 p.m., CBS Sports Network; Seton Hall at Butler, 4 p.m., CBS Sports Network; Temple at South Florida, 4 p.m., ESPNU; Marquette at North Carolina, 4 p.m., ESPN2; Illinois at Michigan State, 4 p.m., Fox Sports 1; Florida at Auburn, 4 p.m., ESPN; St. John’s at Villanova, 5 p.m., CBS Sports Network; Alabama at Arkansas, 6 p.m., ESPN2; DePaul at Creighton, 6 p.m., CBS Sports Network; Washington at Arizona State, 6 p.m., Pac-12 Network; Xavier at Providence, 6 p.m., Fox Sports 1; Cincinnati at Tulsa, 6 p.m., ESPNU; Fresno State at UNLV, 8 p.m., Fox Sports 1.

Hockey — New York Rangers at Philadelphia, 4 p.m., NBC Sports Network; Los Angeles at St. Louis, 6:30 p.m., NBC Sports Network.

Women’s Soccer — SheBelieves Cup: Canada vs. Brazil, 1 p.m., Fox Sports 1; United States vs. Argentina, 4 p.m., Fox Sports 1.

Thursday, Feb. 25

NBA Basketball — Dallas at Philadelphia, 4 p.m., ESPN; New Orleans at Milwaukee, 6:30 p.m., TNT. Men’s College Basketball — Santa Clara at Gonzaga, 4 p.m., CBS Sports Network; Iowa at Michigan, 4 p.m., ESPN; UCLA at Utah, 5 p.m., Pac-12 Network; Boise State at San Diego State, 6 p.m., Fox Sports 1; San Francisco at BYU, 6 p.m., CBS Sports Network; Oregon State at California, 7 p.m., Pac-12 Network; Washington State at Arizona, 8 p.m., Fox Sports 1.

Golf — PGA Tour Puerto Rico Open, 7 a.m., Golf Channel; World Golf Championship, 10 a.m., Golf Channel; LPGA Tour Gainbridge Championship, 4 p.m., Golf Channel.

Friday, Feb. 26

NBA Basketball — Indiana at Boston, 4:45 p.m., ESPN; Portland at Los Angeles Lakers, 7:05 p.m., ESPN. Men’s College Basketball — Richmond at Saint Louis, 4 p.m., ESPN2; North Texas at Marshall, 4 p.m., ESPNU; Purdue at Penn State, 4 p.m., Fox Sports 1; Northern Iowa at Illinois State, 6 p.m., ESPNU; Nevada at Utah State, 6 p.m., Fox Sports 1; Southern Illinois at Loyola Chicago, 6 p.m., CBS Sports Network; UC Santa Barbara at UC Riverside, 8 p.m., ESPN2.

Golf — PGA Tour Puerto Rico Open, 7 a.m., Golf Channel; World Golf Championship, 10 a.m., Golf Channel; LPGA Tour Gainbridge Championship, 3:30 p.m., Golf Channel; PGA Tour Champions Cologuard Classic, 5:30 p.m., Golf Channel.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | A9

The World

SWOCC runners compete again in Roseburg area The World The Southwestern Oregon Community College cross country team had its second meet of the season on Saturday in Roseburg.

The men competed in an 8-kilometer race for the first time in the Umpqua Community College Invitational.

“Today’s course at Stewart Park in Roseburg was a little wet and

muddy, but I thought our teams raced well,” SWOCC coach Trevor Hoppe said.

William Hennum led the way, finishing fourth overall with a time of 28 minutes and 38 seconds and was followed by Gustavo Villalvazo (30:00), Jacob Dalrymple (30:04) and Bradley Beaver (30:55).

Umpqua’s Konrad Raum won the race in 27:24

“It was nice to see Will battling with the top runners from Umpqua,” Hoppe said. “Bradley Beaver showed a lot of toughness and grit fighting through an ankle injury.

“I thought all in all our guys did great in their first 8K.” Umpqua edged the Lakers in the dual 26 points to 30.

SWOCC’s Miles Stanford was 12th (33:25), with Grayson Goodale

13th (34:04) and Lawrence Winowiecki 14th (37:16).

SWOCC’s women were led by Daniel Vimbela, who finished the 5-kilometer course fourth overall in 23:56.

“Danielle, who has been dealing with a hip flexor, gutted out an awesome race,” Hoppe said. “Both her and Hannah Blackhard improved from last week.”

Blackard was ninth in 27:29.

Umpqua’s Samantha Eichman won the race in 22:10.

Umpqua had the only complete team.

Chemeketa had one runner.

After two weeks in Roseburg, SWOCC competes this weekend at Eugene.

“It was an exciting and fun day for both teams and we’re excited we get to run again next week at Lane,” Hoppe said.

OSU women bolster tourney hopes with big win Associated Press LOS ANGELES — Oregon State coach Scott Rueck has known he has a good team, but that it needed time and experience to develop. After having two long stretches of their season paused due to COVID-19, it appears as if the Beavers are starting to hit their stride at the right time.

Aleah Goodman scored 20 points and Taylor Jones posted her fifth double-double of the season in a 71-64 upset of eighth-ranked UCLA on Sunday. Most had Oregon State as one of the first four teams out of the NCAA Tournament, but this win provides a huge boost to their resume.

“Everybody in this program is used to going to the tournament, That’s the expectation, but the way this season has played out it has been in doubt,” Rueck said. “The confidence and belief with this team is growing. We can be a good team and this weekend was all that we hoped.”

Oregon State led for most of the final three quarters.

The game was tied at 57 with 5:57 remaining but the Beavers (8-6, 6-6 Pac-12) outscored the Bruins 14-7 the rest of the way. Talia von Oelhoffen’s jumper from beyond the arc put Oregon State on top for good.

UCLA (13-4, 11-4) was within two late in the fourth quarter, but Goodman hit a 3-pointer with 1:32 remaining to extend Oregon State’s lead to 66-61.

“We executed down the stretch and played defense.

To see everything come together I was extremely proud of them,” Goodman said.

Jones had 16 points and 11 rebounds as the Beavers controlled the inside with a 38-24 advantage in points in the paint and 45-39 edge in rebounding.

Michaela Onyenwere led UCLA with 21 points and Lauryn Miller added 13.

The Bruins, who posted a 27-point win over No. 13 Oregon on Friday, shot a season-low 27.6% from the field (21 of 76) but made all 17 of their free-throw attempts “There was a lack of focus and we have to learn from this game,” Onyenwere said.

UCLA trailed 49-42 late in the third quarter before going on a 10-2 run over the final

2:32 to take a 52-51 lead going into the final 10 minutes.

Onyenwere and Natalie Chou each had four points during the rally and Charisma Osbourne hit a jumper in the lane with a second remaining to put the Bruins on top for the first time since early in the second quarter.

Oregon State trailed 18-13 at the end of the first quarter, but took control in the second outscoring the Bruins by 10 to grab a 36-31 advantage at halftime. The Beavers started the second quarter with an 11-2 run and led by eight at various points in the period.

“Oregon State is an NCAA Tournament-level team,” UCLA coach Cori Close said. “I am disappointed we couldn’t focus on the things under our control. We were not nearly as focused and tough as we have been.”

The Beavers started the season 3-5, but have won five of their last six. This is their 11th win over a top 10-team since the start of the 2014-15 season.

Both teams wrap up the regular season next Sunday with games against their rivals. Oregon State travels to Oregon while UCLA hosts Southern California.

OREGON 72, USC 48: Sydney Parrish hit four 3-pointers and scored 17 points off the bench and No. 13 Oregon ended a threegame losing streak with a win over USC on Sunday.

The Ducks, who lost to three-straight Top 10 teams, matched their season high with 12 3-pointers on 28 attempts and shot 48% overall (27-56), their best shooting performance after seven games of shooting between 32 and 43%.

Erin Boley added 13 points and eight rebounds for Oregon (13-7, 10-6 Pac-12 Conference), which has won 10 straight in the series.

Nyara Sabally and Sedona Prince both scored 11.

Alissa Pili scored 14 points for the Trojans (10-10, 8-9), who shot just 33% (18 of 55).

Taylor Chavez and Boley opened the game with 3-pointers and the Ducks never trailed. USC tied the game at 14 but Oregon scored the next six. A 10-0 run in the middle of the second quarter, featuring backto-back Sabally and Parrish 3’s, made it 34-20 and the lead was in double figures the

rest of the way.

Men OREGON 67, UTAH 64: Chris Duarte and LJ Figueroa scored 15 points apiece and Oregon beat Utah on Saturday night for the Ducks’ fifth straight win.

Eugene Omoruyi added 13 points for Oregon (14-4, 9-3 Pac-12) before fouling out with 3:29 to play.

Duarte, who had 11 points in the second half, and Figueroa hit 3-pointers 21 seconds apart to give the Ducks a 64-61 lead with 1:55 to play.

Alfonso Plummer answered with a 3-pointer before Duarte made 1 of 2 free throws to give Oregon the lead for good with 1:20 remaining. Utah went 0 for 2 from the field with two turnovers from there, and Duarte made two free throws with three seconds left to cap the scoring.

Plummer hit four 3s and finished with 17 points, and Timmy Allen scored 15 for Utah (9-10, 6-9).

Neither team led by more than five points, and there were nine ties and 19 lead changes.

COLORADO 61, OREGON STATE 57: McKinley Wright IV scored 21 points and moved to No. 7 on Colorado’s career scoring list as the Buffaloes beat Oregon State on Saturday night.

Colorado won its fifth conference road game of the season, its most since the 1961-62 season.

Wright scored the Buffaloes’ first 11 points of the second half and finished with 15 after halftime.

Evan Battey added 10 points for the Buffaloes (177, 11-6 Pac-12), who never trailed in the second half.

The Beavers (11-11, 7-9) tied it at 35 early in the second half and closed the deficit back to 44-43 before Colorado pulled away with an 11-2 run to lead by 10 with 4:19 left. Oregon State got no closer than the final score.

Ethan Thompson had 18 points and seven assists for the Beavers, moving past Deaundra Tanner (457 assists, 1998-01) and Darryl Flowers (457, 1983-86) to No. 3 on Oregon State’s career assists list at 462. Warith Alatishe added 12 points and 10 rebounds for the Beavers, who who had their five-game home winning streak snapped.

NCAA bracket will be trickier this year STEVE MEGARGEE Associated Press

There’s no need to worry about geography in this year’s NCAA Tournament.

Get ready for plenty of talk about the so-called “S curve” instead. And don’t worry — it’s not that complicated.

With the entire tournament taking place in or near Indianapolis, there is no reason for the four geographic regions that have been a part of past NCAA brackets.

The NCAA doesn’t have to ensure the best teams play closer to home.

The NCAA instead is trying to use the “S curve” in which a team’s placement is more dependent on its strength than its location. The No. 1 overall seed ideally would have the No. 8 overall seed as the second-best team in its region, the top No. 2 seed in the same section with the No. 7 overall seed and the same approach for 3 vs. 6 and 4 vs. 5.

Whether that happens isn’t a sure thing: Rules prevent conference rivals from facing off early in the tournament and the S curve — the NCAA helpfully put out a specific explanation of this term — often gets broken up.

“The likelihood of being able to be a perfect S curve is probably unlikely,” said Kentucky athletic director Mitch Barnhart, who chairs the NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee.

“There’s going to have to be modifications.”

It is creating plenty of uncertainty for teams competing for bids — as well as the people filling out the bracket.

“This is just an unprecedented tournament, an unprecedented time,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. “Hopefully it’s only a one-off and we’re only going to have to do this and navigate this one time this way.”

THOSE CONFERENCE MATCHUPS Teams from the same conference can’t meet before the regional final if they’ve already played each other at

least three times in a season.

If they’ve faced off twice, league foes can’t meet until the regional semifinals.

Some of this is already being played out. For instance, when the committee revealed last week which schools would earn the top 16 seeds if the bracket were being announced that day, No. 4 overall seed Ohio State was included in a region with No. 14 seed Texas Tech, rather than No. 13 seed Iowa. Ohio State and Iowa already met once, are scheduled to face off again Feb. 28 and could battle each other a third time in the Big Ten Tournament.

No. 8 overall seed Houston was in a region with No. 3 overall seed Michigan rather than No. 1 overall seed Gonzaga. Plenty of other pairings also didn’t quite match what a true S curve would have reflected.

LACK OF NONLEAGUE GAMES Division I teams played fewer than half as many nonconference games as usual this year. That makes it tougher than ever to compare the credentials of teams from various leagues.

It also could make it particularly challenging for teams from outside the major conferences to land at-large bids. Typically, contenders from those leagues build their resumes by beating schools from bigger leagues. Those schools didn’t get nearly enough of those opportunities this year.

Barnhart said the biggest challenge is the fact that pandemic-related pauses have caused some teams to play fewer games than others through no fault of their own. There’s also the dilemma of how to rate a team that might lose a game or two due to the rust factor after a long layoff.

“There is no hard-andfast rule,” Barnhart said. “I think the thing we’ve got to understand is, we’re going to play the ball as it lies. The resumes are the resumes.”

HOW LOW IS TOO LOW? Up to now, no team has

ever earned an at-large bid with a worse record than the 16-14 mark that Villanova had in 1991 and Georgia had in 2001.

That could change this season, because the pandemic limited the number of so-called guarantee games that allow major conference teams to boost their records.

Jerry Palm, who forecasts the NCAA brackets for CBS Sports, said a team could make it this year while being only one or two games above .500 as a possibility. Joe Lunardi, who predicts the bracket for ESPN, believes even a team with a losing record could get an at-large bid.

Finding a team that fits that profile is tricky.

Maryland (13-10) was an obvious candidate before the Terrapins won three straight games to pull above .500.

The highest-rated team with a losing record in the NET rankings is Penn State (7-10). The Nittany Lions dealt their NCAA hopes a severe blow by falling to Michigan State and Nebraska in their last two games. They lost to Ohio State 92-83 on Thursday night, but an upcoming matchup with Iowa ranked 11th in the AP Top 25 - give them a chance to raise their stock.

MEASURING ROAD WINS One dilemma facing the committee is how to determine the value of a road win during a pandemic, when teams are playing in front of no fans or much smaller crowds than usual.

“It diminishes the effect of the home-court advantage, so to speak,” Barnhart said. “But I never want to lose sight of the fact the team has to test to get on the bus or play, they’ve got to travel, they’ve got to stay in a hotel, they’re out of their element, they’re playing in an area they aren’t used to, all those things.”

Through Sunday, home teams had won 65.9% of Division I games, not far off last season’s pace of 68.4%.

Boys & Girls Club plans Shiffrin medals in all four events at skiing worlds volleyball skills camps The Boys & Girls Club of Southwestern Oregon is planning a pair of volleyball skills camps that will start in March.

Each session is four days over a two-week period and costs $50. Participants also must have a current Boys & Girls Club membership.

The first two-week session is March 1-13 and the second is March 22-April 3.

In each session, students in third and fourth grade meet Monday and Wednesday and those in fifth and sixth grade meet Tuesday and Thursday. The times are 4:45 to 5:45 p.m. each day and all sessions will be held at the club’s Peirce Gym.

Participants should bring athletic clothes and shoes, a water bottle and a face covering or mask. They also must fill out a COVID-19 waiver.

The entrance will be through the upper parking lot, in the door leading directly into the gym.

No parents will be allowed in the gym.

Each session is limited to six participants as long as Coos County remains in the extreme-risk category.

Preregistration is required at www.great-futures.org.

For information, contact Garrett Stout by phone at 541-267-6573 or email at gstout@great-futures.org.

Timberwolves fire coach Saunders MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minnesota Timberwolves fired coach Ryan Saunders on Sunday night, hours after the team with the NBA’s worst record this season lost for the eighth time in the last nine games.

A person with knowledge of the situation said that the Timberwolves were finalizing

plans to introduce Toronto assistant Chris Finch as the new coach Monday.

Saunders, the 34-year-old son of longtime Minnesota coach Flip Saunders, was with the Timberwolves parts of three seasons, going 43-94. Minnesota has the league’s worst record this season at 7-24.

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy (AP) — An ear-to-ear smile. No regrets. And another medal wrapped around her neck.

What a refreshing sight it was to see Mikaela Shiffrin basking in the afternoon sunlight after another successful day in the Italian Dolomites.

Make that a successful world championships.

After collecting her fourth medal in as many races Saturday by taking bronze in the concluding slalom, the American skier was asked if she was content with how everything went over these two weeks.

“Yes. That’s a huge, resounding yes,” Shiffrin

replied. “I mean that’s incredible. I had planned for four races and I thought, ‘OK, that’s four chances for a medal. Hopefully somewhere in these two weeks I can do some good skiing.’

And I’m really proud of so much of the skiing I did.”

It wasn’t just the skiing, though.

Seemingly weighed down by her own expectations and outside pressure at past worlds and Olympics, Shiffrin never seemed the least bit disturbed in Cortina.

“Every day had something really special, and it’s something to smile about,” she said.

One good moment was this: Having just seen her

record streak of four straight slalom world titles ended by Austrian upstart Katharina Liensberger in emphatic fashion, Shiffrin was the first racer to run over and congratulate the new champion.

“If this was last year, I would be maybe disappointed but not as grateful for the good moments in the day,” Shiffrin said, referring to her nearly two-second deficit behind Liensberger.

This season, though, is a different one for Shiffrin.

She took a 10-month break from racing last year after the death of her father, Jeff Shiffrin, then had her comeback slowed by the coronavirus pandemic and a back injury.

No wonder she wasn’t

about to commit to taking the same, more relaxed approach to next year’s Beijing Olympics.

“I would like to,” she said. “It just totally depends on how next season is going leading up to that. Because I can feel amazing now, with a good mentality and then that totally changes. I feel like this past year lasted like 20 years. So I don’t know what’s in store for the next year. But I imagine it’s going to be eventful.”

Having never before entered so many races at a worlds or Olympics, Shiffrin leaves Cortina with gold in combined, silver in giant slalom and bronze in super-G and slalom.

United States women beat Brazil 2-0 in SheBelieves Cup ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Christen Press scored in the 11th minute, Megan Rapinoe added a late goal and the U.S. women beat Brazil 2-0 in the SheBelieves Cup on Sunday.

The United States sits atop the SheBelieves Cup standings with two wins.

Canada beat Argentina 1-0 in the late match Sunday.

The round-robin tournament

concludes Wednesday when the U.S. plays Argentina (0-2) and Canada (1-1) faces Brazil (1-1).

The U.S., winner of the last two World Cups, is now unbeaten in 36 straight games overall and 52 straight at home.

“One thing that I’ve learned playing on the U.S. women’s national team is that you have to prepare for every

single game as if it’s the most important game of your life,” Press said. “So that’s kind of the approach I take.”

The Americans have won five straight over Brazil and are unbeaten in the last seven matches. The team is 20-0-2 against Brazil on American soil.

“I am disappointed in the start of the game, of course.

We conceded a goal. But

not only a goal, the way we played our attack in the first 20 minutes,” Brazil coach Pia Sundhage said. “That’s room for improvement, for sure. But then the second half, and the fact that we created fairly many chances, I’m happy with that.”

Alex Morgan made her first start for the national team since giving birth to daughter Charlie last year.

A10 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021

The World

Country nears another grim COVID-19 milestone Associated Press The U.S. stood Sunday at the brink of a once-unthinkable tally: 500,000 people lost to the coronavirus.

A year into the pandemic, the running total of lives lost was about 498,000 — roughly the population of Kansas City, Missouri, and just shy of the size of Atlanta. The figure compiled by Johns Hopkins University surpasses the number of people who died in 2019 of chronic lower respiratory diseases, stroke, Alzheimer’s, flu and pneumonia combined.

“It’s nothing like we have ever been through in the last 102 years,

since the 1918 influenza pandemic,” the nation’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

The U.S. virus death toll reached 400,000 on Jan. 19 in the waning hours in office for President Donald Trump, whose handling of the crisis was judged by public health experts to be a singular failure.

The first known deaths from the virus in the U.S. happened in early February 2020, both of them in Santa Clara County, California. It took four months to reach the first 100,000 dead. The toll hit 200,000 deaths in September and 300,000 in December. Then it took just over a month to go from 300,000 to 400,000 and

about two months to climb from 400,000 to the brink of 500,000.

Joyce Willis of Las Vegas is among the countless Americans who lost family members during the pandemic. Her husband, Anthony Willis, died Dec. 28, followed by her mother-in-law in early January.

There were anxious calls from the ICU when her husband was hospitalized. She was unable to see him before he died because she, too, had the virus and could not visit.

“They are gone. Your loved one is gone, but you are still alive,” Willis said. “It’s like you still have to get up every morning. You have to take care of your kids and make a living. There is no way around it.

You just have to move on.”

Then came a nightmare scenario of caring for her father-in-law while dealing with grief, arranging funerals, paying bills, helping her children navigate online school and figuring out how to go back to work as an occupational therapist.

Her father-in-law, a Vietnam vet, also contracted the virus. He also suffered from respiratory issues and died on Feb. 8. The family isn’t sure if COVID-19 contributed to his death.

“Some days I feel OK and other days I feel like I’m strong and I can do this,” she said. “And then other days it just hits me. My whole world is turned upside-down.”

The global death toll was approaching 2.5 million, according to Johns Hopkins.

While the count is based on figures supplied by government agencies around the world, the real death toll is believed to be significantly higher, in part because of inadequate testing and cases inaccurately attributed to other causes early on.

Despite efforts to administer coronavirus vaccines, a widely cited model by the University of Washington projects the U.S. death toll will surpass 589,000 by June 1.

“People will be talking about this decades and decades and decades from now,” Fauci said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.”

Trump continues election theft claims Rover has successful NEW YORK (AP) — In the first television interviews of his post-presidency, Donald Trump repeated his false claims that the election was stolen from him 10 times — each instance unprompted and unchallenged.

Trump emerged this week for interviews with Fox News Channel, Newsmax and One America News Network tied to the death of Rush Limbaugh.

Each network actively appeals to Trump’s base conservative audience.

And the way the interviews were conducted illustrates how difficult it may be to change the minds of supporters who believe the former president’s unfounded narrative.

Nearly a month after he left office, Trump drove his point home on each network: — “The election was stolen,” he told OANN’s White House correspondent Jenn Pellegrino. “We were robbed. It was a rigged election.”

— “We did win the election, as far as I’m concerned. It was disgraceful what happened,” he said to Greg Kelly on Newsmax.

— “You would have had riots going all over the place if that happened to a Democrat,” he said when interviewed

by Harris Faulkner and Bill Hemmer on Fox News Channel.

At no point did an interviewer interrupt Trump to correct or challenge the claims. He brought up the election grievances six times with Kelly, twice with Pellegrino and twice with the Fox team. The subject didn’t come up in a later interview with Fox’s Sean Hannity.

No interviewer introduced the topic.

Except for Kelly, each questioner stuck strictly to the subject of Trump’s relationship with Limbaugh.

“We probably have 100 questions for you, but so many of these are not appropriate for this venue, so we’ll keep it on this topic for now,” Hemmer said.

Hemmer arguably teased the subject, though, when he asked Trump if he had spoken to Limbaugh post-election.

“Rush thought we won, and so do I,” Trump said.

So, in fact, do many of his supporters. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research poll taken between Jan. 28 and Feb. 1 found that 65% of Republicans say that Joe Biden was not legitimately elected president last November.

When Trump supporter Mike Lindell, CEO of My Pillow, started making election fraud claims in a Newsmax interview on Feb. 2, anchor Bob Sellers interrupted him to read a statement saying that “election results in every state were certified and Newsmax accepts the results as legitimate and final. The courts have also accepted that view.”

When Lindell pressed his claims, Sellers walked off the set.

But a day later, Sellers apologized, saying “there is no question I could have handled the end of the interview differently.” Kelly read no statement about certified election results after Trump’s claims.

Asked about the exchange, Newsmax spokesman Brian Peterson said, “while we believe the former president is entitled to his own opinion on the matter, Newsmax has accepted the election result as final and legal.”

Only on Fox News was Trump even called a “former president” on air during his appearances. Kelly referred to “President Trump” and “Joe Biden.”

“A lot of people are in awe of you,

and I am one of those people,” Kelly told Trump.

Television ratings from last week’s impeachment trial starkly indicate the extent to which Trump supporters resist news that shakes their world view.

Trump fans weren’t much interested in the trial, anyway, but during coverage of the second day of the impeachment managers’ argument to convict Trump, Fox News Channel’s audience was only 815,000, the Nielsen company said.

The next day, when Trump’s lawyers offered their defense, Fox’s audience more than doubled to 2.21 million, Nielsen said.

CNN and MSNBC, which appeal to more liberal audiences, had differences, too, but not to that extent. MSNBC had 3 million viewers for the second day of prosecution, and 2.67 million for Trump’s defense. CNN’s audience went from 2.87 million to 2.54 million.

Utah Republican Sen. Mitt Romney, in a statement this week explaining his vote in favor of Trump’s conviction, spoke about the need for Americans to accept the truth.

“There is one untruth that divides that nation today like none other,” he said. “It is that the election was stolen, that there was a massive conspiracy, more secret and widespread than any in human history, so brilliant in execution that no evidence can be found of it and no observer among the tens of thousands in our intelligence agencies will speak of it.”

Now, post-impeachment, it falls on everyone to affirm Biden’s election, he said.

“The division in America will only begin to heal in the light of this truth,” Romney said.

Boeing: Ground 777s with engine that blew apart Associated Press Boeing has recommended that airlines ground all 777s with the type of engine that blew apart after takeoff from Denver this weekend, and most carriers with the planes in their fleets said they would temporarily pull them from service.

The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration ordered United Airlines to step up inspections of the aircraft after one of its flights made an emergency landing at Denver International Airport Saturday as pieces of the casing of the engine, a Pratt & Whitney PW4000, rained down on suburban neighborhoods. None of the 231 passengers or 10 crew were hurt, and the flight landed safely, authorities said.

United is among the carriers that has grounded the planes.

FAA Administrator Steve Dickson said in a statement Sunday that based on an initial review of safety data, inspectors “concluded that the inspection interval should be stepped up for the hollow fan blades that are unique to this model of engine, used solely on Boeing 777 airplanes.”

Dickson said that would likely mean some planes would be grounded — and Boeing said they should be until the FAA sets up an inspection regime. Japan ordered the planes out of service, according to the financial newspaper Nikkei, while noting that an engine in the same family suf-

fered trouble in December.

Boeing said there were 69 777s with the Pratt & Whitney 4000-112 engines in service and another 59 in storage.

United had 24 of the planes in service; it is the only U.S. airline with the engine in its fleet, according to the FAA. Two Japanese airlines have another 32 that are being pulled while Asiana Airlines grounded nine, seven of which were in service, until Boeing establishes a plan to fix the problems. Korean Air said it was discussing whether to ground 16 aircraft, six of which are in service.

“We are working with these regulators as they take actions while these planes are on the ground and further inspections are conducted by Pratt & Whitney,” Boeing said in a statement issued

Sunday, referring to American and Japanese regulators.

The engine maker said it was sending a team to work with investigators.

The emergency landing this past weekend is the latest trouble for Boeing, which saw its 737 Max planes grounded for more than a year after two deadly crashes in 2019 and is suffering amid the huge reduction in air travel due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Max planes began returning to the skies late last year — a huge boost for the aircraft maker, which lost billions during the grounding because it has been unable to deliver new planes to customers.

Video posted on Twitter from Saturday’s emergency showed the engine fully engulfed in flames as the plane flew through the air. Freeze

frames from different video taken by a passenger sitting slightly in front of the engine and also posted on Twitter appeared to show a broken fan blade in the engine.

Passengers, who were headed to Honolulu, said they feared the plane would crash after an explosion and flash of light, while people on the ground saw huge chunks of the aircraft pour down, just missing one home and crushing a truck. The explosion, visible from the ground, left a trail of black smoke in the sky.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said that two of the engine’s fan blades were fractured and the remainder of the fan blades “exhibited damage.” But it cautioned that it was too early to draw conclusions about what happened.

landing on Mars CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The world got its first close-up look at a Mars landing on Friday, as NASA released a stunning picture of its newest rover being lowered onto the dusty red surface.

The photo was released less than 24 hours after the Perseverance rover successfully touched down near an ancient river delta, where it will search for signs of ancient life and set aside the most promising rock samples for return to Earth in a decade.

NASA equipped the spacecraft with a record 25 cameras and two microphones, many of which were turned on during Thursday’s descent.

The rover is shown in extraordinary detail just 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) off the ground, being lowered by cables attached to an overhead sky crane, the red dust kicked up by rocket engines. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, promises more photos in the next few days and possibly also an audio recording of the descent.

“This is something that we’ve never seen before,” flight system engineer Aaron Stehura noted at a news conference. “It was stunning, and the team was awestruck. There’s just a feeling of victory that we were able to capture these and share it with the world.”

Chief engineer Adam Steltzner called the picture “iconic,” putting it right up there with photos of Apollo 11’s Buzz Aldrin on the moon, Saturn as seen by Voyager 1, and the Hubble Space Telescope’s “pillars of creation” shot.

A number of thumbnail images have been beamed down so far, too many to count, said Pauline Hwang, strategic mission manager for surface operations. “The team went wild” at seeing these first pictures, she said.

The picture is so clear and detailed that deputy

project scientist Katie Stack Morgan at first thought she was looking at a photo from an animation.

“Then I did a double take and said: `That’s the actual rover!’ ” The vehicle is healthy, according to officials, after landing on a flat, safe surface in Jezero Crater with just 1 degree of tilt and relatively small rocks nearby.

For now, the systems still are being checked. It will be at least a week before the rover starts driving.

The river delta — awash 3 billion to 4 billion years ago — is just over 1 mile (2 kilometers) away. Scientists consider it the most likely place to find rocks with evidence of past microscopic life.

Another photo of Perseverance’s front right wheel, near rocks full of holes, already has scientists salivating. They’re eager to learn whether these rocks are volcanic or sedimentary.

It’s the ninth time that NASA has successfully landed on Mars __ and the fifth rover.

As it did with 2012’s Curiosity rover — still roaming 2,300 miles (3,750 kilometers) away — NASA’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter photographed Perseverance descending beneath its massive parachute. In each case, the spacecraft and chute resembled specks.

Curiosity’s cameras caught a stop-motion movie of the last two minutes its descent, but the images were small and fuzzy.

NASA loaded up the heftier Perseverance and its descent stage with more and better cameras, and made sure they were turned on for the entire seven-minute plunge through the Martian atmosphere.

China will attempt to land its own much smaller rover in late spring. It’s been orbiting Mars for 1 1/2 weeks. The United Arab Emirates also put a spacecraft into Martian orbit last week.

Bone cancer survivor to join billionaire Isaacman on SpaceX flight CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — After beating bone cancer, Hayley Arceneaux figures rocketing into orbit on SpaceX’s first private flight should be a piece of cosmic cake.

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital announced Monday that the 29-year-old physician assistant — a former patient hired last spring — will launch later this year alongside a billionaire who’s using his purchased spaceflight as a charitable fundraiser.

Arceneaux will become the youngest American in space — beating NASA record-holder Sally Ride by over two years — when she blasts off this fall with entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and two yetto-be-chosen contest winners.

She’ll also be the first to launch with a prosthesis.

When she was 10, she had surgery at St. Jude to replace her knee and get a titanium rod in her left thigh bone.

She still limps and suffers occasional leg pain, but has

been cleared for flight by SpaceX. She’ll serve as the crew’s medical officer.

“My battle with cancer really prepared me for space travel,” Arceneaux said in an interview with The Associated Press. “It made me tough, and then also I think it really taught me to expect the unexpected and go along for the ride.”

She wants to show her young patients and other cancer survivors that “the sky is not even the limit anymore.”

“It’s going to mean so

much to these kids to see a survivor in space,” she said.

Isaacman announced his space mission Feb. 1, pledging to raise $200 million for St. Jude, half of that his own contribution. As the flight’s self-appointed commander, he offered one of the four SpaceX Dragon capsule seats to St. Jude.

Without alerting the staff, St. Jude chose Arceneaux from among the “scores” of hospital and fundraising employees who had once been patients and could represent the next generation, said Rick Shadyac, president

of St. Jude’s fundraising organization.

Arceneaux was at home in Memphis, Tennessee, when she got the “out of the blue” call in January asking if she’d represent St. Jude in space.

Her immediate response: “Yes! Yes! Please!” But first she wanted to run it past her mother in St. Francisville, Louisiana. (Her father died of kidney cancer in 2018.)

Next she reached out to her brother and sister-in-law, both of them aerospace engineers in Huntsville, Alabama, who “reassured me how safe space travel is.”

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | A11

The World

TUESDAY

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FRANK AND ERNEST

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A12 | TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | A13

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The WorldThe World

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Personals Western WA guy seeks gal 55-75, slim/average build, to share quiet times. I like trips, walks, nature, moonlight, cuddling. Write Greg, PO Box 3013, Arlington WA 98223.

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Announcements The cheesecake of the week at The Fleet Deli is SKOR TOFFEE! Crab cakes - only available for a limited time! 1/$8, 2/$15.50. They go fast - so get yours before their gone! We will be open Wed - Sat, 11 - 5. Located next to the cheese factory in Bandon. 541-290-7030.

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Help Wanted Looking for someone to clean my kitchen. One time. $50. 541-297-7393.

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Employment Opps Legal Assistant/Paralegal.

Experience preferred, but will train right person. Candidate must be organized, detailoriented and trustworthy.

Requires strong work ethic, multitasking ability, and proven computer skills.

Competitive compensation.

E-mail resumes to: muenchrathlawresume@ gmail.com -------------------------------------Immediate openings for part-time housekeepers.

Wage DOE. Apply in person, Sunset Lodging, 1865 Beach Loop Drive.

-------------------------------------Part-time head housekeeper wanted. Apply at the Bandon Beach Motel.

References required. 541347-9451.

-------------------------------------Cook wanted... Learn to make jam like grandma makes. Hours Tues - Thurs 8:30 - 3:30. More hours if desired. Apply at Misty Meadows.

-------------------------------------Sales Manager needed at NBC16 TV in Coos Bay. If you’re organized, you’re selfmotivated, you are – or want to become – a community leader, and you’re a person of integrity, this could be your perfect job! Email Larry.Roberts@kmtrtv.com for more information. EOE.

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Call for more info 541-267-3704

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Legal Notices Storage Auction For Coos Bay Stor-N-Lok 1330 Newmark Avenue Coos Bay, OR 97420 Auction Online At : www.storagetreasures.com March 10, 2021 Wednesday @ 10:00am G268 Gerald or Glenda Malone, G305 Jonathan Barklow, G334 Carol Hansen, G340 Malayla Harris, G347 Briana Davis, G352 Emily Hinch, G362 Ryan Johnson $100 Deposit Published : February 23 and March 2, 2021.

The World & ONPA (307578)

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Legal Notices

ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS CITY OF BANDON BANDON ROAD IMPROVEMENTS Sealed bids for the construction of the Bandon Road Improvements for the City of Bandon (Owner) will be submitted by electronic means only and must be received by 2:00 p.m. PDT March 11, 2021. The City of Bandon will receive and accept bids ONLY through QuestCDN. com via their electronic VirtuBid™ online bid service. A virtual bid opening will be held at the day and time of the bid closing utilizing GoToMeeting™. Bids received after this time will not be accepted. All interested parties are invited to attend. The project must be substantially complete 180 days after issuance of Notice to Proceed.

Estimated construction costs for Schedule A is between $71,000 and $104,000; Schedule B is between $384,000 and $565,000; Schedule C is between $36,000 and $53,000; Schedule D is between $24,000 and $35,000; Schedule E is between $26,000 and $39,000; and Schedule F is between $102,000 and $150,000. The project consists of construction of new roadway improvements for the following schedules: 1. Schedule A – Beach Loop Dr. 2. Schedule B – 3rd St. & June Ave. 3. Schedule C –9th St. & Beach Loop Dr. 4. Schedule D – Oregon Ave. 5. Schedule E – Riverside Dr. 6. Schedule F – Rosa Rd. Bids shall be on a unit price basis, for each schedule, as indicated in the Bid Form. No Bid will be considered unless fully completed in the manner provided in the Instructions to Bidders, and accompanied by a Bid Security executed in favor of the Owner in the amount of not less than 10% of the total amount of the Bid. Per ORS 279C.385 (2), Bid Security is to be forfeited as fixed and liquidated damages should the Bidder neglect or refuse to enter into a Contract and provide suitable insurance certificates, bonds, and other required documents for the faithful performance of the work in the event the Bidder is awarded the Contract.

The Issuing Office for the Bidding Documents is: The Dyer Partnership, 1330 Teakwood Avenue, Coos Bay, OR 97420, (541) 269-0732. Prospective Bidders may examine the Bidding Documents at the Issuing Office or online at www.questcdn.com.

Complete digital project Bidding Documents are available at www. questcdn.com. To be considered a Planholder for bids, you may download the digital documents for $30.00 by selecting Requests at the top of the QuestCDN search page and inputting the QuestCDN Project No. 7572032.

A Contractor must register with QuestCDN.com and download the request documents in digital form. Registering as a Planholder is recommended as Planholder’s will receive automatic notice of addenda and other updates via QuestCDN. Contact QuestCDN Customer Support at 952-2331632 or info@questcdn.com for assistance in membership registration, downloading digital request information and vBid online bid submittal questions. To access the electronic bid form, download the request documents and click on the online bid button at the top of the bid advertisement page. For this project, prospective bidders must be on the Planholder list through QuestCDN for bids to be accepted. Bids will ONLY be received and accepted via the online electronic bid service through QuestCDN.com.

A virtual Pre-Bid Conference will be held 2:00 pm local time on March 2, 2021 via GoToMeeting™. Instructions for attending the Pre-Bid Conference will be posted on questcdn. com. Attendance at the Pre-Bid Conference is highly encouraged but is not mandatory. All Bidders must be “equal opportunity employers” and comply with the appropriate provisions of state and federal law. In addition, all Bidders are required to comply with ORS 656.017 regarding Workers’ Compensation. Bidder, Contractor, and subcontractors are required to be registered with Construction Contractors Board.

Pursuant to ORS 279C.505(2), all Bidders must certify with their Bids that they have an employee drug testing program in place.

If awarded a Contract, Bidder must provide proof of such drug testing program when executed Agreements are returned to Owner. Bidders must prequalify with Owner as specified in the Instructions to Bidders, five (5)

days prior to Bid opening. Each Bidder must submit a First-Tier Subcontractor Disclosure Form to the Owner within two working hours of the time for receipt of Bids in accordance with ORS 279C.370. Each Bidder must also submit Evidence of Authority to Sign Bid and Evidence to do Business in the State within two working hours of the time for receipt of the Bid. The Contractor and every subcontractor on the project shall pay at least the state prevailing rate of wage, if Bid is over $50,000, as determined under ORS 279C.815. ORS 279C.800 to 279C.870 will be administered and enforced in a manner that is consistent with state law and regulations adopted or guidelines issued in accordance with related acts. No Bid will be received or considered by the Owner unless the Bid contains: 1) a statement that Bidder will comply with the provisions of 40 USC 276a and ORS 279C.840 and 2) a statement as to whether the Bidder is a resident Bidder as defined in ORS 279A.120.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any or all Bids, to waive all informalities, and to accept such Bids that in the opinion of the Owner are in the best interest of the Owner. No Bidder may withdraw or modify this Bid after the hour set for the receipt of Bids, and thereafter until the lapse of 70 days from the Bid opening.

Dated this 10th day of February 2021. Owner: City of Bandon By: Dan Chandler Title: City Manager Published: February 16 and February 23, 2021 The World & ONPA(ID:308882) ---------------------------------------------IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COOS

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COOS

NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS ESTATE OF ROBIN MICHELLE PRUITT COOS COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT CASE NO. 20 PB 02165 NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Daniel Senn has been appointed personal representative upon the resignation of the previous personal representative Juanita Batson on July 12, 2020.

All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with written evidence thereof attached, to the personal representative, c/o Mark M. Williams, Attorney at Law, 66 Club Road, Suite 200, Eugene, OR 97401. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them within four months after the date of first publication of this notice to the Personal Representative at the address stated above for the presentation of claims or such claims may be barred.

All persons whose rights may be affected by these proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court or the Personal Representative, named above.

Dated and first published February 9, 2021.

PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Daniel Senn, P.O. Box 1003 Bandon, OR 97411 (541) 404-1889 ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Mark M. Williams, OSB#821404 66 Club Road, Suite 200 Eugene, OR 97401 (541) 393-6720 mark@williams-pc.com

In the Matter of the Estate of: MARIAN CLAIRE FRANCIS, Deceased.

Case No. 08PB0043 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Michelle K. Gallino has been appointed Personal Representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the Personal Representative at 165 S. 5th Street, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420, within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred.All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative, Karen L. Costello.Dated and first published on February 9, 2021. /s/ Karen L. Costello Karen L. Costello, OSB #085391 Attorney for Personal Representative PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Michelle K. Gallino 165 S. 5th Street, Suite A Coos Bay, OR 97420 (541) 267-7086 ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Karen L. Costello, OSB #085391 Costello Law Office, PC 125 W. Central Avenue, Suite 400 P.O. Box 600Coos Bay, OR 97420 Telephone: (541) 808-0284 Email: kcostello@kcostellolaw. com Published : Feb 9, Feb 16 and February 23, 2021 The World & ONPA (ID:308603) ---------------------------------------------NOTICE OF SHERIFF’S SALE On March 22nd, 2021, at the hour of 10:00am at the front door of the Coos County Sheriff’s Office, 250 N. Baxter St; Coquille, the defendant’s interest will be sold, subject to redemption, in the real property commonly known as: 241 N. Wall Street, Coos Bay, OR 97420. The court case number is 18CV12652, where CITY OF COOS BAY, OREGON is plaintiff, and MICHAEL NEWTON, EDWARD G. RAE, and WESTERN MERCANTILE AGENCY, INC., is defendant.

The sale is a public auction to the highest bidder for cash or cashier’s check, in hand, made out to Coos County Sheriff’s Office. For more information on this sale go to: http://oregonsheriffssales.org/ Published: Feb 23, March 2, March 9 and March 16, 2021 The World & ONPA (ID:309295)

In the Matter of the Estate of: STEVEN DALE JACKSON, Deceased.

Case No. 21PB00641 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Michelle K. Gallino has been appointed Personal Representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the Personal Representative at 165 S. 5th Street, Suite A ,Coos Bay, Oregon 97420, within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred.All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative, Karen L. Costello.Dated and first published on February 9, 2021. /s/ Karen L. Costello Karen L. Costello, OSB #085391 Attorney for Personal Representative PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Michelle K. Gallino 165 S. 5th Street, Suite A Coos Bay, OR 97420 (541) 267-7086 ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE: Karen L. Costello, OSB #085391 Costello Law Office, PC 125 W. Central Avenue, Suite 400 P.O. Box 600 Coos Bay, OR 97420 Telephone: (541) 808-0284 Email: kcostello@kcostellolaw. com Published: Feb 9, Feb 16 and February 23, 2021 The World & ONPA (ID:308604) ---------------------------------------------IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COOS In the Matter of the Estate of GEORGE EDMOND CLARK , Deceased.

Case No. 21PB01163 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Phyllis C. Crabb has been appointed as Personal Representative of the above estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the personal representative, c/o Daniel M. Hinrichs, Attorney at Law, 590 Commercial, Coos Bay, OR 97420, within four months after the date of the first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the court- Probate Department, 250 N. Baxter, Coquille, OR 97423, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative, Daniel M. Hinrichs, Attorney at Law, 590 Commercial, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420.

Dated and first published: February 23, 2021 Published Feb 23, March 2 and March 9, 2021 The World & ONPA(ID:309198) ---------------------------------------------NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Jeanne Neumann has been appointed Personal Representative of the Estate of Gene Curtis Neumann, deceased, Coos County Circuit Court Case No. 21PB01224.

All persons having claims against the estate are required to present the same within four months from the first date of publication of this notice to the Personal Representative, Jeanne Neumann c/o Harrington Legal LLC, 142 W. 8th Ave., Eugene, OR 97401.Any person whose rights may be affected by these proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the above-titled Court or from the Personal Representative or from the Personal Representative’s attorney, Connor J. Harrington, of Harrington Legal LLC, 142 W. 8th Ave., Eugene, Oregon 97401.

DATED and first published: February 23, 2021. /S/ Connor J. Harrington Attorney for the Personal Representative Published: Feb 23, March 2, and March 9, 2021 The World & ONPA( ID:309206)

The World Link

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Your online source for employment & more! www.TheWorldLink.com

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Published: Feb 9, Feb 16 and February 23, 2021 The World & ONPA (ID:308608) ---------------------------------------------IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COOS In the Matter of the Estate of GLEN ANDREW ROBERTSON Deceased. No. 20PB08884.

NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the undersigned personal representative at Hernandez and Associates, LLC, P.O. Box 979, Bandon, OR 97411, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the court, the personal representative, or the lawyers for the personal representative, Hernandez and Associates, LLC. Dated and first published on February 16, 2021.

Aric Michael Robertson Personal Representative c/o Manuel C. Hernandez Hernandez and Associates, LLC 1212 Alabama Ave SE, Suite 14 P.O. Box 979 Bandon, OR 97411.

Published: February 16, February 23 and March 2, 2021 The World & ONPA (ID:308856) ----------------------------------------------

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Legal Notices IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COOS PROBATE DEPARTMENT In the Matter of the Estate of: ROBIN R. JENKINS, Decedent Case No.: 21PB00845 NOTICE TO INTERESTED PERSONS NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed personal representative. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the undersigned personal representative at P.O. Box 1006, North Bend, Oregon 97459, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred.

All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the court, the personal representative, or the attorneys for the personal representative, Stebbins & Coffey, P.O. Box 1006, North Bend, Oregon 97459. Dated and first published February 23, 2021.

Robin A. McCreery. Personal Representative Published: Feb 23, March 2 and March 9, 2021 The World & ONPA (ID:309301)

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TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2021 | A16

The World

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Last week’s opening and closing quotes Stock Open Close Intel 61.84 63.00 Kroger 33.96 34.01 Microsoft 245.10 241.12 Nike 142.17 142.01 NW Natural 46.38 48.89 Skywest 45.43 53.76 Starbucks 105.34 103.36 Umpqua Hldgs 16.16 16.87 Weyerhaeuser 35.04 34.99

Xerox 23.72 23.66 Levi Straus 20.92 23.04 Dow Jones opened at 31,459.79 Dow Jones closed at 31,495.70 NASDAQ opened at 14,095.85 NASDAQ closed at 13,873.20 S&P 500 opened at 3,934.99 S&P 500 closed at 3,906.89

Mill site

to Georgia-Pacific in the 18 months since it announced the closure of the mill site.

Now, the development council is working to connect potential tenants for the redeveloped property to the property’s new owner.

So far, Gibbs said three or four different projects are considering the area and might be a fit for the property.

Nothing is concrete yet, but Photo courtesy of Commercial Development Company, Inc. he noted that shipping or con- The property purchased by Commercial Development Company, Inc., used to tainer operations could make house the Georgia Pacific mill. sense for the property, given equipment left on the prophas purchased and developed its proximity to the deep-waerty, including rolling stock on over 300 sites across ter port and rail lines. vehicles and the entire line of North America, according “We anticipate that lumber production machinto the company. In October, property will be some kind ery, according to its website it purchased another site in of maritime user or marine about the property.

Oregon, a 220-acre former user,” Gibbs said.

Gibbs hopes the property’s mill site in Newberg.

But before that can hapnew users will be in place Parties interested in the pen, CDC has work to do on this time next year — and is site can contact Executive the property. optimistic it won’t sit idle too Vice President Stephen Its environmental transfer long.

Collins at 314-835-2835 or affiliate will handle the pos“We have a lot of idled scollins@cdcco.com. Parties sible environmental issues industrial property (in the interested in the equipment on the property. Another area),” Gibbs said. “It’s got can contact Stuart Millner of CDC-affiliated company, a lot of very desirable assets IARG at 314-835-2812 or the Industrial Asset Recovfor industrial development.” smillner@industrial-recover Group LLC, will handle CDC, based in St. Louis, ery.com. the sale of the remaining

From A1

The company’s next steps include demolition, the liquidation of surplus equipment and the remediation of environmental issues in preparation for redevelopment, according to the company.

The property has been used for industrial purposes for decades. The mill used the property since it was built in 1994, and generated half a million board feet a day at its peak.

In April, 2019, Georgia-Pacific announced it would be closing the mill and laying off its 111 employees after the EPA settlement, trouble with the rail line which shipped about 70% of its product and the rise of challenging market conditions.

Gibbs said SCDC had been connecting potential buyers — at least seven, he estimated — for the property

Legion From A1

“…The members of our post are kinda old,” St. Ives said. “I’m old. Most of them are older than me. The fact that we’ve been here so long and you’ve graciously allowed us to be here so long, we want to thank you…

I know full well what the airport does and you do an outstanding job.”

St. Ives went on to ask that, in addition to having more time to relocate, that the airport help preserve historical items housed inside the Legion building.

“We have insignias, photos, and don’t have a place to put that yet,” he said. “With our membership being as old as they are, old people can do things but it’s harder to move things around. With COVID, we’re having a difficult time making decisions because we can’t get together and don’t want to lose things in the building, like the emblem on the floor… (That’s) a piece of history.”

Cook told St. Ives that the airport will not “come in and bulldoze … without taking (items) out.”

“We will do whatever we can to facilitate this,” Benetti said. “If you need more time (and) we have manpower to help you.”

The airport’s attorney, James Martin, added that the State Historic Preservation Office may also have some say about the Legion building to make sure some of it is preserved.

“I don’t think the building has architectural significance, but the site,” Martin clarified.

Streamlining communication The Legion attended the airport’s regular meeting to not only ask for more time before needing to vacate its

Provided by Coos Bay Edward Jones

building, but also to create stronger lines of communication.

“It came to my attention that you’ve had previous conversations with the Legion about leaving that building and most of us were not aware of that,” St. Ives said and explained that until The World’s article came out, most of the members were unaware that they had to move out of the building located at 1421 E. Airport Way in North Bend.

“It was a shock,” St. Ives said.

Legion volunteer, Krystal Hopper, also spoke during the public comment portion of the meeting, stating that she would like to see better communication between the Legion and the airport.

“The article written was based on communication with you guys and facts that there have been several years of communication,” Hopper said of the upcoming demolition of the Legion building.

“I’m curious what happened and moving forward (how) we can have better communication for issues like this.”

She added that if the Legion had known the building was going to be demolished since 2007, “I wouldn’t have spent a lot of resources and people’s money and hours doing improvements to that roof.”

Benetti traced the first conversation back 20 years ago regarding the Legion’s need to move. “…We replaced the roof at that time (and) made an indication for the Legion to look for another facility because that building would not be able to exist in that place,” he said. “I remember that. We apologize for the misunderstanding, but our director wanted to make it crystal clear and sent a letter. I don’t think there is a rush, but want to make sure you have plenty of time.”

Cook said that a letter was sent to the Legion, but it was returned undelivered. The

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letter was then posted to the facility’s front door.

Hopper commented that the Legion’s internal communication needs improvement.

“It is an important building and we will work with you,” Benetti said.

After the meeting, Cook expressed that she thought it went well, stating the Legion’s response was what she was looking and hoping for.

“When you put a formal notice out, that’s when you get a formal response,” she said. “People not knowing or wondering if they will be in their facility is not what we’re looking for. We want them to make a plan. That building is dangerous. I won’t go in it.”

She explained that the airport has had asbestos buildings burn down in the past before they had a chance to remove them.

SWOCC From A1

Coyner hopes the team can find these micrometeorites on flat rooftops or those that have been washed into downspouts and then extract them using a specialized magnet. From there, students will analyze them in a lab where the micrometeorites are cleaned up and analyzed under a microscope. They will be compared to ones that have been previously discovered. “…We’re building this out so it’s a research project for one of my students but is a team effort and may evolve into a citizen science project as we move forward,” Coyner said.

Coyner said that Killinger has done research into the subject and helped identify local sites where the team will begin collecting samples. They plan on starting next week.

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Vaccines From A1

OHA officials also expect those rates to become more equitable as vaccine eligibility expands: Most of the groups already eligible for vaccines skew whiter than the rest of the population yet to be eligible, Allen said.

“Just by simple virtue of who’s eligible, we’ll begin to be able to start addressing that,” Allen said.

Doses up, cases down

State officials on Friday shared a number of positive data points which suggest Oregon is trending in a better direction in the pandemic than many other states across the country.

Governor Kate Brown pointed to the number of schools which have reopened in Oregon as a positive. Over 130,000 students are back in classrooms, more than double the number than eight weeks earlier when Brown directed officials to prioritize school reopenings, the governor “If that building burned said. down, it would affect the “Our kids will benefit FedEx cargo facility so we greatly from these efforts,” have to limit our liabilities and Brown said. “It’s my exmake sure our other tenants pectation that more schools can work in their buildings that will bring students back for are functional… We’ve offered in-person learning in the today and in the past to help coming weeks.” (the Legion) to get everything Those classroom returns out of there that they need.” have largely been driven Benetti said he hopes there by significant decreases in was clarification from the the state’s rate of new virus meeting. cases, hospitalizations and “Obviously, they weren’t in deaths in the past several the loop with some things,” he weeks. said. “But I think we have a According to State good understanding and they Epidemiologist Dr. Dean understand we will help facil- Sidelinger, the seven-day itate them as much as we can. rolling average of daily cases We understand the veterans is down by two-thirds since are important and the buildthe beginning of the year, and ing is sacred to them, so it’s virus hospitalizations have something that is emotional… dropped by more than half in “We will help them with the same time. whatever they need to make The state’s test positivity the transitions as smooth as rate is down to its lowest possible,” he said. point since the state changed

“We expect that our initial findings will be completed by the end of April or the first part of May because (Killinger) has to write a report by the middle of May,” Coyner said.

Looking for asteroids The second project that Coyner’s students have started working on is the Coastal Oregon Asteroid Search Team. It is an international collaboration known as the International Asteroid Search Campaign run out of a university in Texas.

“We have special software that (the International Asteroid Search Campaign) gave us that allows us to look at images taken by Panstar’s telescope in Hawaii and look through successive frames … for asteroids and other small bodies…,” Coyner said.

The goal is to identify near-earth asteroids that may not have been seen before.

There is a total of 94 teams across the world

participating in the project. Coyner said many are in India, with a few from the Middle East and South America. There are only six to seven teams in the United States and “we are one of those teams,” he said. “(Hopper) and I heard about (the project) when we had gone to a space grant meeting a couple years ago and I had a student interested in doing astronomy data analysis,” he remembered.

“I thought it would be a good project to get started but the original idea morphed.”

He turned it into a team project as a way to get students to get experience working with telescope observations and get used to the computer image processing used with the data.

“It struck me as a good learning experience and a good research project to start without having to worry about buying tons of new science equipment,”

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how it calculates the figure in mid-November, too, Sidelinger said.

“The downward data trends in cases, hospitalizations and percent positivity reflect the shared sacrifice of Oregonians, and the collaborative efforts of Oregonians to protect their families and their communities by wearing masks, limiting indoor gatherings and keeping physical distance,” Sidelinger said.

One number is steadily increasing, through: The state’s expected allocation of COVID-19 vaccine doses.

Despite delays in doses of the Moderna vaccine due to winter storms across the country, OHA officials said the state remains on track with its vaccination timetables.

That means people over 70 will be eligible for the vaccine starting Feb. 22, and those over 65 will be eligible March 1, according to Allen.

“I want to ask people who are newly eligible the same thing I’ve asked everyone who’s come before them: Please be patient,” Allen said.

“Vaccines remain limited.

We’re getting more doses, but we still don’t have enough to vaccinate everyone on demand.”

Allen said the state expects to receive about 107,000 total doses per week starting next week, up from around 83,000 the week before (not accounting for weather-delayed shipments).

As always, the state officials said there’s still risk of the virus spreading faster across the state with new variants or reduced precautionary measures.

Individuals should continue wearing masks, social distancing and staying home when sick, and anyone who escaped power outages or winter storms by sheltering in someone else’s home should be vigilant for virus symptoms and get tested if they appear, Brown said. he said. “It’s something we can do with the computers at SWOCC and that students have themselves.”

In addition, the project fit in well with the current COVID restrictions that have kept students away from in-person classes.

“It’s not something that has to be done physically in a lab,” he said. “You can do this wherever you are.”

So far, he said students have been enjoying it.

Though some students are “slightly overwhelmed” as they juggle online school, Coyner said “this is a fun educational break from some of the chaos that has been Zoom classes.”

He asks that if anyone in the area is interested in having the Project Stardust team do micrometeorite collection at their businesses, email him at aaron.coyner@socc.edu or Hopper at physics-engineering@socc.edu.

“We’re always grateful for community support,” he said.

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