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Vacant home destroyed in early-morning fire
Contributed photos
A fire early Halloween morning destroyed a vacant home in Empire. The home was allowed to burn down as firefighters protected nearby structures.
The World An early morning fore on Halloween destroyed a vacant home in Empire. The Coos Bay Fire Department
received a 9-1-1 call at around 1:30 a.m. reporting a fire at a home in the 400 block of South Maple Street in Empire. The first fire engine arrived shortly after the dispatch and found
a vacant house with heavy fire involvement throughout the structure. The structure was severely deteriorated prior to the fire and was already scheduled for demolition. Firefighters protected nearby
homes and allowed the structure to continue burning to the ground in order to prevent further safety concerns with a partially burned building. The cause of the fire was un-
determined, but was most likely caused by an unattended cooking or warming fire. No one was injured in the blaze and firefighters were able to protect the homes nearby.
Officials urge beachgoers to keep pets on leash Tort claim filed against North Bend over airport allegations
By BREEANA LAUGHLIN The World
Disease outbreak in sea lions has potential to be spread to dogs. Wildlife officials always encourage humans and their pets to keep their distance from sea lions and other marine mammals on the beach. A recent outbreak of disease among sea lion populations is giving people and their pets yet another reason to steer clear of marine mammals while they walk along the beach. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife reported an increase in the number of stranded sea lions along the entire Oregon Coast – from Brookings to Astoria. Many of these sick and deceased sea lions have suffered from leptospirosis – a disease that can be passed along to animals and people. The Oregon Marine Mammal Stranding Network documented over 150 sick or dead sea lions along the Oregon coast since the current outbreak began in late July 2022. Necropsies on seven sea lions confirmed all tested positive for leptospirosis. Meghan Durham, a representative for Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said leptospirosis is a naturally occurring bacteria that causes
By DAVID RUPKALVIS For The World
Contributed photo
Please see SEA LION, Page A13
An outbreak of disease among sea lions along the coast not only threatens sea mammals but other animals that get too close to them.
Mayors asking for millions to address homelessness By WILL CHAPPELL Country Media
A task force formed by the Oregon Mayor’s Association to address the homelessness crisis in the state has asked the state legislature to allocate more than $120 million in direct, annual funding for cities to address the issue. In a briefing on Monday, mayors from the task force explained that the money would be put to use most effectively by localities that to have lacked consistent funding to address the issue. They said that they would also be suggesting a one-time allocation to cities for capital improvement projects, although they did not have details on that proposal at this time. The proposed $120 million annual figure would allocate $40 per resident to every incorporated city in Oregon, with a minimum
allotment of $50,000 per municipality. From there, it would be up to local leaders to decide how to use the funds to best prevent or alleviate the homelessness crisis in their area. The mayors said that the approach would allow for flexibility to address an issue that affects all areas of the state, but in different ways. Cities have mostly been left to fend for themselves up to this point. The American Rescue Plan Act provided an infusion of funds earlier this year that has helped to build some infrastructure to address the crisis in larger communities. But other than that, cities have been forced to piece together funding through grants and from their own limited budgets. The mayors noted that this dynamic constrains cities’ ability to address a dynamic crisis. It also puts smaller municipalities with
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less visible housing issues at a disadvantage when trying to secure funding. By allocating funding annually to be spent at each city’s discretion, the proposal would allow flexibility for cities to choose appropriate solutions for their context. In larger municipalities, leaders could focus on building shelters and other large services facilities while smaller municipalities could use the money to increase affordable housing and other measures to prevent homelessness. The task force was formed in May of this year and has presented their recommendations to state representatives and senators, and all three gubernatorial candidates. When asked, the mayors said that Tina Kotek had reacted enthusiastically to the proposal, but stressed that they hoped any new governor would be open to it, as all have focused on the issue in their campaigns.
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Classifieds
An employee with the Southwest Oregon Regional Airport has filed a tort claim against the city of North Bend, Mayor Jessica Engelke and City Administrator David Milliron, claiming an email Milliron sent to the airport executive director led to the employee being placed on administrative leave. The claim is in regards to an emergency test in April when Josh Scarberry made a 9-1-1 call, claiming there was an emergency at the airport. Only after police officers responded did they learn the emergency was part of a test and not real. In a letter to Engelke and the North Bend City Council, attorney Roland Iparraguirre said he is representing Scarberry in the claims. Iparraguirre said "Milliron knowingly leveled false accusations against Mr. Scarberry and that he did so under Mayor Engelke’s direction, knowledge, or consent." Iparraguirre then lays out his claim, saying on April 14, Scarberry in his role as an STSO for the TSA, working at the airport in North Bend, initiated a law enforcement response test. The letter claims North Bend Police Chief Gary McCullough was notified in advance of the test, meeting with airport officials the same day as the test. In that test, Scarberry made the 9-11 call, reporting an emergency at the airport. Milliron agrees McCullough met with airport officials, who informed the chief there would be a test. But Milliron says the discussion did not include a fake 9-1-1 call, so when the call came in, police responded at high speed with lights and sirens, assuming the emergency was real. Responding officers only learned it was a test when they arrived at the airport. In July, Milliron sent an email to airport Executive Director, Please see TORT CLAIM, Page A13
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