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Zanni announces retirement as sheriff By DAVID RUPKALVIS The World
Sheriff Craig Zanni announced Tuesday that he is not going to seek re-election as Coos County sheriff. Zane, who has served three terms as sheriff and has worked with the Coos County Sheriff’s Office for 46 years, said it is time to retire from public service. “It has been my greatest honor to work and serve the citizens of Coos County these past 46 years,” Zanni said. “I am truly grateful for
the support and kindness shown to myself and the members of the Coos County Sheriff’s Office and staff during that time.” Before serving as sheriff for the last 12 years, Zanni spent decades in the sheriff’s office. Most of his career was in the Major Crimes Team. He served as a search and rescue diver for 15 years and was on the county SWAT team for 25 years. Over the last few years, Zanni has been in the news regularly due to COVID and staffing issues that forced the jail to use only a portion of the beds available.
Zanni was first elected as sheriff in 2010 and was re-elected in 2014 and 2018. Four years ago, he won with 67 percent of the vote. Two candidates have announced they are seeking the seat. Capt. Gabriel Fabrizio and Mike Kinnaird will both be on the ballot in the race to be the next sheriff. If no other candidates announce, the top vote getter in May will win. Zanni said after decades of serving the people of Coos County, he is grateful to the support he and the department have received. “Many opportunities were pro-
vided to me so that I would end up working most every position within the sheriff’s office,” Zanni said. “I am now in my 46th year here with the Coos County Sheriff’s Office and counting my time in the law enforcement in California am approaching my 51st year of law enforcement. As such, after much prayer and input from family, I will not be seeking reelection to continue as your sheriff.” Zanni will serve out his current term, which runs through the end of 2022 before beginning his retirement.
Young promoted to chief petty officer By DAVID RUPKALVIS The World
Less than two weeks after he graduated from Marshfield High School, David Young went to Alaska to begin a career of service to his country. At the time, he never would have dreamed that 15 years later he would be back home taking one of the biggest steps an enlisted man in the Coast Guard can take. But after serving the Coast Guard for 15 years, Young did just that, accepting a promotion to chief petty officer in a ceremony in front of his family and friends at the Coos Bay station. Young grew up in Coos Bay and graduated from Marshfield High School in 2007. He decided while in school that he wanted to serve his country, but where and how was the real question. “I was close to going to Marine MEPS, and she talked me out of it,” Young said while pointing to his mom. Instead, he got a close look at the Coast Guard and was sold. “I went and toured Depoe Bay and had a good time looking at the boats and decided that was a good path for me,” Young said. So within days of graduation, he begin his service by moving to Alaska. He later served tours at Depoe Bay and Eureka, Calif., before he got the opportunity to return home. Young explained when he preparing to transfer, he listed four locations he was interested in moving to. On the top of the list was Charleston. So Young returned home, and learned he was going to be promoted to chief petty officer. An engineering petty officer, Young is responsible for keeping the boats, other machinery and the building at the Coast Guard station in top working order. He admits he had little mechanical experience when he joined the Coast Guard, but the training he received on the job is more than enough to learn the skills. As he received his promotion, Young was joined by his wife, Danielle, who he met when both were in the Coast Guard.
Sheriff Craig Zanni
Speaker announces plan to help rural communities By DAVID RUPKALVIS The World
Photos by David Rupkalvis/The World
Chief Petty Officer David Young has his pins changed by his wife, Danielle, left, and his mom, Barb, during a promotion ceremony Tuesday. Below, Young accepts congratulations from other Coast Guard members.
Please see Promoted, Page A12
Merkley reaches out to Coos, Curry counties By DAVID RUPKALVIS The World
The COVID-19 pandemic has stopped a lot of public meetings, but Senator Jeff Merkley has continued to meet with communities in Oregon. On Saturday, Merkley held community town halls for Coos and Curry counties, sharing about things happening in Washington, D.C. and answering questions from residents in both counties. In his Coos County town hall, Merkley opened by shining the light on Bay Area Hospital, praising the Coos Bay hospital for
The World file photo
U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley listens to constituents during a town hall prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Merkley hosted a virtual town hall last week.
A proposal to invest $100 million in rural Oregon is moving through the Oregon Legislature, and Speaker Dan Rayfield said he expects the package to be approved. During a press conference Monday, Rayfield said announcements about several big packages were expected this week, as the Legislature rushes to get bills approved in the short session. "We will start to release a few of our packages that will hit some of those issues we've been talking about," Rayfield said. Among the packages to be announced included a climate investment package, the $100 million investment into infrastructure and economic development in rural Oregon, housing, efforts to support teachers and schools as well as a package to address community violence. Rayfield said the package for rural Oregon will benefit communities represented mostly by Republicans, and the Republicans in the Legislature led the effort to write the bill. "We allowed Republicans to lead the charge because they know their communities best," Rayfield said. "That was an exciting, fun thing." Rayfield said as speaker and leader of the Democratic Caucus he often has disagreements with his Republican colleagues, but he said looking out for all the state is the right thing for the Legislature to do. "It's value driven from the get go," he said. "It's about looking at the entire state. Rural Oregon was an area we looked at. The focus was let's get people who live in these communities, know what's on the ground an let them lead the way." While the Democrats leading the Legislature have complained about Republicans repeatedly forcing bills to be read fully before votes, Rayfield said proposing money for rural Oregon was not a way to stop the GOP protests. He said if the roles were reversed, he expects the Democrats would find ways to protest, too. "There's absolutely no strings attached," Rayfield said. "This is about making meaningful changes across the state. I think our philosophy is to allow Republicans to protest by reading bills. What I want to do is be able to respect them." Rayfield said in the 35-day Please see Speaker, Page A5
Please see Merkley, Page A2
Photo gallery: Bandon cranberries
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