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Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878

North Bend wins two Junior high district track titles, A9

CLOUDY 55 • 44 | TUESDAY, JUNE 7, 2022 | theworldlink.com |

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Hospital cuts ties with COO after criminal history found By DAVID RUPKALVIS The World

Weeks after Bay Area Hospital announced the hiring of a new chief operations officer, the hospital announced Larry Butler Jr. is no longer employed with the hospital. The quick change came after it was learned Butler was convict-

ed and sentenced to five years in prison on charges of wire fraud and false representation of a Social Security number. In that case, Butler was convicted for defrauding the Louisiana Health Cooperative Inc. and Mary Bird Perkins Cancer Center in Louisiana. In a press release announcing the sentence in 2015, federal

prosecutors said Butler used false credentials, a false Social Security number and other false documentation to conceal significant criminal history and obtain pay and benefits from the two nonprofit healthcare companies. Prosecutors also said Butler used company credit cards to pay for personal expenses, including furniture, travel and meals. Accord-

ing to the press release, Butler obtained more than $119,000 in pay and other benefits by hiding his true background. In the 2015 release, then United States Attorney Walt Green said, “This case demonstrates the damage that can be wrought by fraudsters who deceive good, hardworking people to obtain undeserved employment and

then abuse their positions to steal more. This sort of conduct not only causes financial injury to the employers, it victimizes their honest employees. In this case, the fraudulent conduct is particularly egregious, given the noble missions of these victims to provide affordable health care and to Please see HOSPITAL Page A3

LGBTQ community celebrates as Pride flag flies Metro Creative Connection

The virus is highly contagious and spreads via aerosolized secretions from infected coughing horses, direct and indirect contact with nasal secretions, and fetal fluids. Photos by David Rupkalvis/ The World

The Pride flag flies on a city flagpole for the first time. The city put the flag up Wednesday after the city council voted to fly it for the entire month of June.

Photos by David Rupkalvis/The World

Members of Southern Oregon Coast Pride celebrate at a gathering to watch the Pride flag hoisted over the Coos Bay Boardwalk.

By DAVID RUPKALVIS The World

As members of Southern Oregon Coast Pride cheered, history was made in Coos Bay on Wednesday when the city installed the Pride flag in a city flagpole for the first time. For Betsy Rodenbush, the moment was a chance to celebrate after a lifetime of struggling for equality. As she waited for the Pride flag to be hoisted, she recalled more than five decades of working to advance the LGBTQ movement. “Heartbreaking and hopeful, it’s

both,” Rodenbush said. “It’s very moving.” Rodenbush recalled a lifetime of living as a lesbian, saying she marched in one of the first ever PRIDE parades in 1970 in Provincetown, Mass. Now 72, she said growing up different than most of her peers presented unique challenges. “I think one of the biggest challenges early on was just not knowing what I was,” she said. She recalled talking to her parents as a young woman, and while they tried to be understanding, they knew no one who was gay, so they pushed her to find

a man to love. And she did … sort of. “I met, fell in love with and married a gay man who was very open about it,” she said. “We both married to get our parents to leave us alone.” That marriage lasted four years before the reality of who they were become more than they could hide. Still friendly to this day, they have lived true to themselves since. Part of that for Rodenbush has included fighting for gay rights. That’s what landed her in a march in 1970, only one year after the Stonewall Please see PRIDE, Page A3

North Bend stars on parade

North Bend celebrated its sports teams, performance stars and academic teams that competed in state tournaments during a parade of champions Thursday. The parade made its way past North Bend High School, North Bend Middle School and Pony Village Mall as big crowds celebrated the young men and women who represented North Bend on the biggest stage in Oregon during the last school year. The North Bend Fire Department planned out the parade with the North Bend School District. During the parade, students who participated in track and field, tennis, band, choir, forensics, volleyball, cheer, wrestling, swimming, boys and girls golf, bowling, and equestrian were celebrated during the parade. The state champion girls doubles tennis team of Adrianna Frank and Olivia Knutson led off the parade.

Highly contagious horse virus found in Oregon By JEREMY C. RUARK Country Media

The Oregon Department of Agriculture reports one case of Equine Herpesvirus has been confirmed in Clackamas County. The EHV-1 virus is highly contagious and spreads via aerosolized secretions from infected coughing horses, direct and indirect contact with nasal secretions, and fetal fluids. There are currently nine known EHVs, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). EHV-1, EHV-3 and EHV-4 pose the highest disease risk in the U.S. horse population. EHV-1 and EHV-4 can cause upper respiratory disease, neurological disease, abortions, and/or neonatal death. EHV-3 causes a venereal disease called coital exanthema. The ODA reports that one horse from Clackamas County tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1). After exhibiting neurologic symptoms, the owners called a private veterinarian to examine the animal and collect a sample for testing. The horse was later humanely euthanized. A California Laboratory confirmed EHV-1 on May 31. EHV-1 is a reportable disease, and veterinarians are legally responsible for immediately reporting all suspected cases to the ODA. The horse owner reports the animal recently traveled to the 2022 State Oregon High School Equestrian (OHSET) Teams Championship. OHSET was held at the First Interstate Bank Expo Center in Redmond, Oregon, from May 12-15. A second horse from the same ranch who also traveled to OHSET is doing well, recovering from initial respiratory symptoms. However, an ODA District Veterinarian placed a quarantine on the farm following state and national guidelines. ODA said its state veterinarian is working with OHSET to evaluate the potential exposure risk at the state event, and event

Photos by David Rupkalvis/The World

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