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North Bend man killed in road-rage incident

Police are looking for Coquille man, driver of red Honda Prelude By David Rupkalvis The World

A 28-year-old North Bend man was killed Sunday in what police are calling a road-rage incident. Officials reported Michael David Moore was killed after he was run over by a Chevy Tahoe pickup at around 11:27 a.m. on Union Avenue. In a press release, District Attorney R. Paul Frasier said it is clear Moore was intentionally struck. The Coos County Major Crime Team and Coos County Crash Team joined North Bend police in investigating the incident. The investigation revealed the incident began near Liberty Theater in downtown North

Bend. Moore was a passenger in a black Ford Ranger pickup and after the initial altercation, the Ranger was followed by the Chevy Tahoe and a red Honda Prelude with a light-colored hood. The vehicles traveled south on Sherman Avenue and turned west on either Oregon or Maryland avenues. During the chase, the Ford Ranger crashed into a curb and could no longer be driven. At that point, Moore exited the vehicle and confronted the driver of the Tahoe. The argument continued onto Union Avenue when police say the Tahoe ran over Moore before crashing into a home in the 2700 block of Union Avenue. The Tahoe then drove away Please see Rage, Page A8

Courtesy photo

A Chevy Tahoe believed to be used to run over a North Bend man was abandoned a few blocks from the scene.

Bay Area COVID controvery top story of 2020 Hospital reports plenty of ICU beds 2020 - The year in review Editor’s note: Every year, we at The World take a look back at the top stories of the previous year. This year, we are using analytics on our website to help decide the top 10 stories. The following stories were the top 10 based on page views at theworldlink.com. 1 - COVID-19 and the controversy surrounding it COVID-19 changed the lives of all in Coos County in 2020. Many lost their jobs, all had to wear masks, many businesses had to close, hundreds got sick and six have died while infected with the disease. Several COVID-related stories were among the most viewed in 2020. The overall No. 1 story, with more than 57,000 views, was about a false-positive COVID test at Bay Area Hospital. In that case, a person at the hospital tested positive for COVID using the hospital’s rapid test system. Doctors were surprised by the positive test because the woman had no contact with other COVID patients and had few symptoms. So, they ordered a second test, which came back negative. While COVID certainly impacted everyone, the steps taken by the state were far from universally supported. The vast majority of people in our region complied with the orders by wearing masks, maintaining distance from others, staying home when possible and altering or closing businesses. But the orders were not without controversy. Just a few weeks ago, a group of about a dozen people from Bandon went to Coos County Commissioners asking commissioners to fight back against Gov. Kate Brown’s orders. Rob Taylor summed up the thoughts of many in the community when he spoke at the meeting. “This is an issue of freedom. This is an issue of people being told to do things by bureaucrats that are taking statistics that are not accurate. We know they are not accurate,” he said. “We know that the numbers are incorrect, and we know that we can open up this county. We can’t run away from this illness and we have to ask ourselves what are we going to do. Are we going to destroy our economy and come out of our economy completely broke, and we’ll still die anyway because it’s not going anywhere.” 2 - North Bank Lane fire In September, an unusual weather event — high east

Hospital prepared to add more beds if needed By Jillian Ward For The World

The World file photos

In September, heavy winds, high heat and low humidity created a tinderbox and the outskirts of Bandon was hit hard when the North Bank Lane fire started, The fire burned for several days and forced evacuations of homes before it was controlled. Below, rumors of rioters coming to Coquille led to a large turnout of people planning to stop them. winds, extreme heat and low humidity – put much of Oregon in danger for fire. In Bandon, a fire broke out near North Bank Lane. It burned for several days, forced evacuations of homes in the area and eventually burned 350 acres before it was controlled. The fire was first reported Sept. 8 and quickly got out of control. By Wednesday, dozens of homes were evacuated with the fire coming very close to several. One shed was burned in a yard and one roof even caught on fire. Heroic work by firefighters limited the worst damage to just a handful of structure, with a woodworking and art studio destroyed. No other buildings were destroyed and no one was injured. By the end of the week, all residents were allowed to return to their homes. 3 - Hundreds turn out to stop rumored riot In June, much of the country was on edge as police brutality against black men sparked protests and, in some cases, riots

Please see 2020, Page A8

COOS COUNTY ─ As hospitals around the nation report intensive care unit beds nearing capacity during COVID-19’s second wave, Bay Area Hospital states that it is not facing the same situation. “…(We) are in normal staffing and occupancy rates,” said Liesl Peterson, Bay Area Hospital’s director of critical care and nurse administration. The New York Times’ December story looked at the alarming rate that hospitals are reporting I.C.U. bed capacity and included an interactive tracker for readers to check how hospitals near them are coping. Though the data is fluid as numbers are being reported, it shows Bay Area Hospital at 89 percent capacity. Peterson said that is not the case as of last week. “We have a 12-bed I.C.U.,” she said, adding that at the time there were five patients in that unit. When asked where those five patients were from, she said that it is normal for Curry County residents to travel to Coos County for medical care. However, at the time, all patients were local. “We have never gotten up to 12 patients,” Peterson said. “And we have a comprehensive plan developed depending on the level of care patients need.” If more than the 12 available I.C.U. beds are necessary, Peterson said additional beds have been identified in two other units that could be converted into I.C.U. beds with I.C.U. staffing. “Those units are right next to the I.C.U.,” she said. “In Please see ICU, Page A8

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