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Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878

Baseball season still up in air

Suspended drivers

Players make new proposal to owners, B1

Police see rise in offenders, A2

CLOUDY 64 • 54  FORECAST A9  |  WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10, 2020  |  theworldlink.com  | $2

North Bend budget adopted JILLIAN WARD The World

Contributed photo

The 12 members of the Pacific High School Class of 2020 pose for a photo with the Pirate mascot prior to Friday’s graduation parade and ceremony in Port Orford. From left: Esequiel “Zeke” Hernandez-McKenzie, Ryan Sibley Jr., Ezra Johnson, Benjamin Garratt, Kaiya Gourneau, Alley Guerin, Madison “Madi” Hall (salutatorian), Natalie Vincent, McKenzie Martin and Atticus Wahl; kneeling, from left: Layne Converse (valedictorian) and David Wyatt.

Pacific High School graduates AMY MOSS STRONG The World

PORT ORFORD — The Pacific High School Class of 2020 is a resilient group — all 12 of them. A tight knit class, they had to endure many challenges and changes, as all high schoolers did this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But this group took it in stride. Growing up in a small town often means ties to almost everyone in the community. That was abundantly clear Friday afternoon, when many in the town turned out to watch the seniors graduate in an unconventional, social-distanced ceremony for COVID-19 times. The seniors decorated their cars and trucks with balloons and streamers and with posters of themselves attached to the side. They were wearing their caps and gowns, with several also wearing ropes indicating National Honor Society or other honors bestowed on these involved and connected individuals. Then they each slowly drove with their families in tow down U.S. Highway 101 toward Driftwood Elementary School. There, after Pacific High School Principal Krisa Nieraeth led the Pledge of Allegiance for those gathered

Amy Moss Strong, The World

Madi Hall is all smiles after receving her diploma during the Pacific High School graduation parade and outside ceremony Friday in Port Orford. for the outdoor ceremony, the students hopped out of their vehicles one by one to receive their diplomas from Port Orford-Langlois Schools Superintendent Steve Perkins. Photos were taken, cheers and congratulations were given and the students got back into their vehicles and drove around the block to the Driftwood field. The music of “Pomp and Circumstance” played loudly on speakers set up for the occasion, until the 12 students were finished, then contemporary music

more suited to the mood was played as the students lined up in the field, socially distancing, and at the order of Nieraeth, tossed their caps into the air. These students have plans. College awaits for many of them, buoyed by the generous scholarships awarded at an earlier ceremony (see story on A3). Even earlier, the seniors were each gifted with a basket of goodies from Project Graduation, personally delivered to their homes. Each student was also featured on the PHS Facebook page and

others were also featured on a local television broadcast. The community has supported these students since they were young and continues to do so. Valedictorian Layne Converse will head to Oregon State University to study mechanical engineering. He also volunteers as a firefighter for the Bandon Fire Department, founded Pacific’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter, and was a national competitor for Future Business Leaders of America. Salutatorian Madison “Madi” Hall has been active in basketball, track and 4-H. She will attend Southern Oregon University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Emerging Media and Digital Arts. After graduating she hopes to continue her education and receive a master’s degree in education. Both Converse and Hall are members of the National Honor Society. The class motto is “The best way to predict your future is to create it,” attributed to Abraham Lincoln. The Pacific High School graduating Class of 2020 includes: Layne Ash Converse (valedictorian), Benjamin Christopher Lee Garratt, Kaiya May Please see Graduation, Page A9

Manufactured home park approved CHERYL UPSHAW The World

COOS BAY — Coos Bay could be home to more than 400 new manufactured homes following an approval by the Planning Commission Tuesday night. Commissioner Jeff Marineau called the project, “the largest and most ambitious housing project we’ve seen in Coos Bay or North Bend in 50 years.” A new manufactured home park was approved by the commission at their regular meeting. The proposed project is called Timber Cove and was proposed by Red Moon Development, a company out of Arizona. There are few steps between the decision and construction, which could begin soon and take as little as a year. The park will be located off Ocean Boulevard and Lindy Lane. The road is west of Ocean Boulevard between Bay Cities

This promotional drawing shows examples of the homes that Red Moon Development proposed to build in the Timber Cove manufactured home park. The project was approved with conditions by the Coos Bay Planning Commission May 9, 2020. Ambulance and the Gib’s RV Superstore. There will be between 400 and 447 manufactured homes there. In addition to these homes, Red Moon plans to build a dog park, a clubhouse, walking trails and a play area. The homes are meant to create additional affordable housing for Coos Bay. The homes will cost around $100,000 each. Red

Moon will retain ownership of the land and rent on each lot will cost $495 per month. The lot rent will include the cost of water and access to the clubhouse. Commissioner Amy Aguirre said she was excited to see the project progress and address the housing shortage in the area. Each planned lot will be 48 feet wide by 75 feet deep. Each home will be around 1,400

Photo gallery: Black Lives Matter demonstration Photo gallery: Sheep Ranch opening day

square feet. Many, but not all, of the homes will have carports. According to Community Development Administrator Carolyn Johnson, all lots will have parking for up to three vehicles. While the proposal approved by the commission listed 447 homes, Red Moon will have to prove the Empire wastewater plant can handle the additional flows needed to accommodate them. In earlier stages of planning the park, it was determined that the plant could handle 400 homes, and this number was approved by city officials. Red Moon plans to build an additional 47 units, plus the clubhouse. To gain approval for these units, they will have to obtain a second study from a city engineer proving that the plant can handle those flows as well. As long as Timber Cove meets the conditions set forth by the commission, the park can move forward. These include obtain-

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NORTH BEND — The City of North Bend unanimously adopted the proposed 2020-2021 budget Tuesday night. The $29,877,486 budget reflected changes from Measure 6-177, which lowered the public safety fee from $30 to $15. That reduced the overall budget by $785,000. “This budget year and process that we’ve gone through is certainly not one we ever anticipated or accept with any amount of happiness,” said City Manager Terence O’Connor during the city council’s regular meeting Tuesday night. “We understood the vote of the people. We understood the vote impact on the budget and we were loyal to the oaths that we took to abide by the citizens. Unfortunately in this time for the city, it’s not a very progressive or happy time for the employees or — I might add — the citizens.” The budget decreased after 58% of voters reduced the public safety fee during the May 19 election, approving Measure 6-177. The citizen initiative passed after years of conflict between the public and the city council as the fee increased on residents’ water bills. The fee began at $5 but soon became $30, even after a 2018 vote that said “No” to any additional increases. As a result of the new reduction to the public safety fee, the North Bend Police Department will lose seven police officer positions — two that were open and Please see Budget, Page A9

Portland lays out steps for police reform PORTLAND (AP) — Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said Tuesday he will make policing changes that include ending the use of patrol officers on public transit and redirecting $7 million from the police budget and $5 million from other city funds to communities of color. Wheeler said in a news conference he also plans to dissolve the police gun violence reduction unit, will ban choke holds and other restraints and will work to reform the use of consent searches in traffic stops. He said bold action is necessary in the wake of nationwide protests against the death of George Floyd in police custody Minneapolis. Wheeler said he recognizes specific demands have been made from the black community to Portland city leaders for the past several years to reallocate dollars and invest in re-imagining public safety. “I should have acted with greater urgency on these demands,” he said. He also expressed support for the Oregon Legislative People of Color Caucus’ call for a special session to take up reform legislation and their pursuit of legislation that would require the state’s attorney general to investigate deaths or serious injuries to peo-

Please see Reform, Page A9

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