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Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878

Bandon girls advance Win to reach Class 2A final eight, A12

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Accused killer could face kidnapping charges By DAVID RUPKALVIS The World

A man accused of murdering three people last Friday morning in North Bend could be facing additional charges related to the kidnapping of a Springfield woman. After Oen Evan Nicholson, 30, turned himself in to police in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Sunday morning, it was revealed Nicholson forced Laura Johnson at gunpoint to drive him from Springfield. The two crossed almost half of the country in a day and a half before Nicholson decided to stop running and turned himself in. According to Springfield police, Johnson left her job for a lunch break at around 12:30 p.m. Friday. A video from the scene shows Johnson leaving, apparently with no problems. When Johnson failed to return to work, police were notified she was missing, and authorities released photos of her and videos of her

SUV, hoping to get help from the public. But for 40 hours there was no sign of Johnson or her vehicle until she and Nicholson drove up to Milwaukee police headquarters. Springfield police have revealed Johnson returned to work after getting lunch. When she pulled into her parking place, Nicholson approached her with a gun and demanded she drive. She then drove more than 2,100 miles, covering 33 hours on the road, before reaching Milwaukee. Some reports say Johnson was able to talk Nicholson into turning himself in. Springfield authorities say Johnson was not harmed during the ordeal, and she flew home Sunday and was reunited with her family. In a post on Facebook, Johnson's dad said learning she was OK was the best Father's Day present ever. Nicholson became a wanted man after a furious spree of violence last Please see Killer, Page A2

Photo by David Rupkalvis/The World

A makeshift memorial has cropped up at the Herbal Choice marijuana dispensary in North Bend. Jennifer L. Davidson was shot and killed at the location during a violent spree that left three people dead and one injured. A sign on the door of the dispensary says it will be closed for a few days.

Miss Oregon Outstanding Teen 2021 Reopening goal still a ways off AURORA BIGGERS Country Media

Photo by David Rupkalvis/The World

Moira O'Bryan waves to supporters as she makes her way down Viriginia Avenue in North Bend during an impromptu parade celebrating O'Bryan's victory in the Miss Oregon Outstanding Teen pageant over the weekend. O'Bryan, who recently graduated from North Bend High School, is the second Coos County resident to ever win the title. For more on O'Bryan's journey to Miss Oregon Outstanding Teen, see the Tuesday edition of The World.

Oregon has not met its goal of reaching 70% vaccinated by Monday, June 21. In early June, Gov. Brown told Oregonians that achievement of a 70% vaccination rate would lift nearly all COVID-19 restrictions across the state, just in time for her COVID-19 emergency order to expire June 28. Despite the fact that many counties are still significantly under the 70% mark — Coos County for instance is sitting at approximately 55.8% — the governor told Oregonians that pandemic restrictions would almost completely lift in every county, should the state over all reach the vaccination benchmark for residents 18 and over. But then daily vaccination numbers across the state plummeted. Now, the state will not reach 70% on June 21, and may not even make the goal by the next week, when the emergency order expires. Most recently update data from Friday, June 18, 68.5% of OrePlease see Goal, Page A3

Will easing restrictions lead to another COVID surge? By DAVID RUPKALVIS The World

As Oregon moves closer to lifting most COVID restrictions, experts at Oregon State University admit the thought of easing government regulations could lead to a surge in new cases. Oregon Gov. Kate Brown has promised to reopen the economy and lift most COVID restrictions when the state reaches 70 percent of adults who have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. As of Tuesday, the state needed just more than 40,000 people to get the first dose to reach the number. Brett Tyler, the director of the Center for Genome Research at Oregon State University, said he was concerned about the impact of lifting restrictions. "In Britain, they have 80 percent vaccinated, and they're having a surge right now," Tyler said. "I'm very concerned if all the regulations are dropped it will send the wrong message to people. They will get

the message, oh, it's over, I can go back to business and normal. So, I'm very concerned there will be a surge." Chi Chunhuei, a professor of global health at OSU, said a mass surge was not likely, but he was concerned more people need to get vaccinated. "With the level of vaccinations we have now, I don't expect to see a big surge," Chunhuei said. "I'm still concerned about the people who are not vaccinated, given the potential of the Delta variant to become the dominant one." Chunhuei said he was concerned younger children, who are not eligible for the vaccine, could be the source of new cases unless vaccines are approved for younger children. While the Delta variant is causing concern worldwide, Oregon has not seen a major outbreak. "We track the frequency of the different variants," said Courtney Campbell, a professor of medical Please see COVID, Page A3

Photo by David Rupkalvis/The World

Montgomery Allen, left, receives a Moderna vaccine during a clinic in March at the Mill Casino. Experts say to be fully safe from COVID, more people need to get vaccinated.

Photo gallery: Bandon honors those who gave their all Photo gallery: Finding perspective in the forest

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