w121020

eEdition

SHOWERS 48 • 38 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2020 | theworldlink.com

Follow us online:

facebook.com/theworldnewspaper

twitter.com/TheWorldLink

instagram.com/theworldlink

Elliott State Forest inches toward research future State Land Board endorses state university (research plan) ZACK DEMARS The World

A state forest in Coos and Douglas counties is on track to become a laboratory for Oregon State University forestry researchers.

On Tuesday, the State Land Board directed the Department of State Lands to finalize a proposal that would transfer management of the Elliott State

Forest over to the university’s College of Forestry for use as a research forest.

“It is truly an example of the Oregon way, and I am truly, truly grateful,” said Oregon Governor Kate Brown.

The plan means the 82,000 acres of forest will likely become one of the largest research forests in the world.

It also means the forest will become a laboratory of sorts, when it’s split up into several sections so researchers can study the impact of a mix of types of logging to maximize timber production while keeping a forest healthy, College of Forestry Dean Tom DeLuca told the Land Board on Tuesday.

“We cannot continue to consume products and expect to not produce those regionally or locally,” DeLuca told the board as he presented the university’s proposal. “We have to take into account climate change, we have to take into account biodiversity, and we have to integrate these efforts when we’re managing, rather than managing strictly from a revenue perspective.”

OSU officials pointed to some of the plan’s outcomes, aside from the research that could be conducted by OSU scientists, including the creation of a 34,000acre forest reserve, increasing by half the amount of forest over 100 years old by 2070 and

producing about 17 million board feet of timber a year.

During the meeting, members of the State Land Board — Governor Kate Brown, State Treasurer Tobias Read and Secretary of State Bev Clarno — peppered DeLuca with questions about the proposal.

Of interest to Brown, as well some who submitted public comments, was the plan for expanding recreation opportunities on the forest.

The plan keeps the forest public, and DeLuca said the university would limit public access only in cases of sensitive scientific experiments or during timber harvest activity.

“We are absolutely planning to

Marshfield Junior High progress

John Gunther, The World

The ceiling has been nearly completed for the second floor of the new Marshfield Junior High School and workers have started putting up the steel frame for the third floor. The building, on the site of the former Harding School, is scheduled to be completed in time for classes next fall.

Jobless claims jump to 853,000 as virus surges WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of people applying for unemployment aid jumped last week to 853,000, the most since September, evidence that companies are cutting more jobs as new virus cases spiral higher.

The Labor Department said Thursday that the number of applications increased from 716,000 the previous week.

Before the coronavirus paralyzed the economy in March, weekly jobless claims typically numbered only about 225,000.

The latest figures coincide with a surging viral outbreak that appears to be weakening the job market and the economy and threatening to derail any recovery.

Consumers thus far haven’t spent

as much this holiday shopping season as they have in previous years, according to credit and debit card data. And in November, employers added jobs at the slowest pace since April. Restaurants, bars and retailers all cut jobs last month.

The increase reflected sharp increases across the country, with new applications for jobless aid jumping more than 47,000 in California, 31,000 in Illinois, 17,000 in New York and 13,000 in Georgia. Many states, particularly California, have adopted sweeping new restrictions on business activity. But even some states that generally haven’t imposed stricter rules on businesses reported sharp increases in jobless claims last week. In

Texas, for example, they jumped by nearly 20,000 to 45,000.

The worsening figures may partly reflect a rebound after applications for unemployment benefits had fallen during the Thanksgiving holiday week. Still, the increase was much larger than most economists had expected.

“It’s evident the labor market is still in crisis,” said AnnElizabeth Konkel, an economist at the Indeed job search website.

“The gap between now and when a vaccine is widely distributed looms large. There’s a lot of uncertainty ahead for the labor market going into the new year.”

The total number of people who are receiving state-provided unemployment aid rose for the

first time in three months to 5.8 million, the government said, from 5.5 million. That suggests that some companies have sharply pulled back on hiring.

All told, more than 19 million people are still dependent on some type of unemployment benefit.

And unless Congress acts soon, nearly half of them will lose that aid in just over two weeks. That’s when two jobless aid programs that the federal government created in the spring are set to expire.

The first program provides unemployment benefits to the self-employed and contract workers, who weren’t eligible in the past.

The World

of the building and a new ADA access ramp.

Because of the current pandemic, access is limited to less than 10 at one time and all visitors must remain masked while in the building. Also, the museum reserves the right to limit access at any time to preserve social distancing guidelines. Due to current and changing conditions it is advised for visitors to call ahead.

Coos Art Museum has been a cultural focal point of the South Coast since 1966. It offers a wide range of art activities including exhibitions, art classes and lectures. Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and

1 to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5 ($2 or students, veterans and senior citizens and free for museum members).

The museum will be presenting “Works from the Permanent Collection,” an exhibition featuring painting and sculptures, including many of the larger works in the collection.

A highlight of the exhibit is the 17-foot-long Mary Wilson Triptych by Oregon artist Mitch Geisert. The painting in three panels is a tribute to talents of jazz singer Mary Wilson and was donated to the museum in 1993 by the family of the artist and others.

The museum’s permanent collection now consists of 620 artworks and is growing through donations and occasional purchases. The collection contains many original works by Pacific Northwest artists, including many notable ones from Oregon.

Also on exhibition will be larger-than-life charcoal drawings “Big Girls” by M.V. Moran, works from the Coos Art Museum Studio Group “Alone Together,” and a sampling of paintings from the long career of Coos Bay artist Betty Bangs, who celebrated her 96th birthday on Labor Day, titled “Life with a Bang.”

Please see Jobless, Page 2

Coos Art Museum reopens to public Friday COOS BAY — Starting Friday, Dec. 11, Coos Art Museum will again be open to the public.

The museum opens with an exhibition of selected works from its permanent collection on display in its main floor galleries and the Prefontaine Memorial Gallery also is available for public viewing.

Following a long closure due to pandemic restrictions and construction activities near the museum’s façade, Coos Art Museum is once again able to welcome viewers on a strictly limited basis. There is a newly constructed sidewalk in front

expand the recreational opportunities on the forest. There are very few hiking trails in the forest as it currently stands, and that would be an objective that we would take on,” DeLuca said.

“We intend to have the forest fully accessible for public use.”

In the public comment period of the meeting, a handful of individuals addressed the Land Board on some of the key outstanding concerns about the plan, including calling for a focus on carbon research, plans to cut some older trees and unclear mechanisms to hold OSU accountable for its environmental commitments.

Please see Elliott, Page 2

Biden picks Rice to be policy adviser

WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden is naming Susan Rice as director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, giving her broad sway over his administration’s approach to immigration, health care and racial inequality and elevating the prominence of the position in the West Wing.

The move marks a surprising shift for Rice, a longtime Democratic foreign policy expert who served as President Barack Obama’s national security adviser and U.N. ambassador.

She worked closely with thenVice President Biden in those roles and was on his short list to become his running mate during the 2020 campaign.

Biden is also nominating Denis McDonough, who was Obama’s White House chief of staff, as secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, a sprawling agency that has presented organizational challenges for both parties over the years.

But he never served in the armed forces, a fact noted by a leading veterans organization.

In selecting Rice and McDonough, Biden is continuing to stockpile his administration with prominent members of the Obama administration. He will make the formal announcements Friday, along with his nominations of Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge to run the Department of Housing and Urban Development, Katherine Tai as U.S. trade representative and Tom Vilsack as agriculture secretary. Vilsack filled that same role during Obama’s two terms.

“The roles they will take on are where the rubber meets the road — where competent and crisis-tested governance can make a meaningful difference in people’s lives, enhancing the dignity, equity, security, and prosperity of the day-to-day lives of Americans,” Biden said in a statement.

In choosing Rice to oversee the White House council, advisers said Biden is signaling the importance of domestic policy in his early agenda. Though the council was created with the intention of being on par with the White House National Security Council, it traditionally has had a lower public profile, including for its directors.

Rice is expected to be more of a force, both inside and outside the White House, and her appointment creates a new power center in the West Wing.

She’s discussed replicating some elements of the National Security Council in her new role, including a principals committee of Cabinet secretaries and others that could bring more structure to domestic policymaking, but also pull more power into the West Wing.

Please see Rice, Page 2

eEdition

Oregon reports 30 more deaths from COVID-19 The Oregon Health Authority reported another 30 deaths due to COVID-19 on Wednesday, bringing the state’s death toll over 1,100 since the start of the pandemic.

In addition, 1,243 new confirmed and presumptive cases were reported.

As of 12:01 a.m.

Wednesday, the state’s death toll was 1,110 and Oregon had a total of 88,287 cases.

In addition, 580 Oregonians were hos-

pitalized with the virus, an increase by 27 from Tuesday, and 132 were in ICU beds, five more than Tuesday.

The total number of patients in hospital beds may fluctuate between report times. The numbers do not reflect admissions per day, nor the length of hospital stay. Staffing limitations are not captured in this data and may further limit bed capacity.

More information about hospital capacity can be found here.

The new case reported

Wednesday are in the following counties: Baker (3), Benton (11), Clackamas (109), Clatsop (6), Columbia (7), Coos (18), Crook (5), Curry (1), Deschutes (51), Douglas (27), Grant (4), Hood River (16), Jackson (54), Jefferson (22), Josephine (16), Klamath (36), Lake (3), Lane (85), Lincoln (14), Linn (33), Malheur (22), Marion (192), Morrow (3), Multnomah (208), Polk (26), Tillamook (5), Umatilla (30), Union (7), Wasco (9), Washington (163), Yamhill (57).

GATES (AP) — Members of law enforcement killed a 27-year-old Bend man after he allegedly robbed two businesses at gunpoint, stole a car and fled, authorities said.

Linn County Sheriff Jim Yon said the shooting happened before midnight Tuesday on Highway 22 northwest of Bend.

KTVZ-TV reports law enforcement responded a man robbed a Dutch Bros Coffee shop and a Domino’s Pizza at gunpoint, according to Deschutes County sheriff’s Sgt. Jayson Janes.

The man, identified by

the Salem Police Department as Brad Masters, allegedly robbed the coffee shop on foot and at Domino’s also stole an employee’s car, Janes said.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s deputies pursued the vehicle west on Highway 22 but stopped near Santiam Pass and alerted other law enforcement.

The vehicle eventually was stopped with spike strips near Gates, police said. Masters allegedly exited the vehicle, “a confrontation ensued,” and three Oregon State Police troopers and a Linn

County deputy fired shots, according to the Salem Police Department, which is leading an investigation into the incident.

Masters was declared deceased at the scene, according to Salem police.

No further information was released about the confrontation.

Oregon State Police troopers Caleb Yoder, Michael Iacob, and Joseph Sousa, and Linn County deputy Brandon Rathelegurche fired their weapons.

They are on administrative leave pending investigation results, police said.

Rice

Rice’s role overseeing the council does not require Senate confirmation.

Although Biden has insisted his administration will not simply be a retread of Obama’s presidency, he is bringing back numerous familiar faces. His team has defended the moves as a nod toward experience and the need to hit the ground running in tackling the pressing issues facing the nation across multiple fronts.

Shirley Anne Warshaw, a professor at Gettysburg College who has studied the presidency and Cabinets, said following Obama as he builds out his team gives Biden an advantage.

“This is a much better bench than Obama had because these people have the experience of serving in the Obama administration,” Warshaw said. “In that way, Joe Biden is the luckiest man in the world.”

McDonough, the VA nominee, is an experienced manager who was chief of staff throughout Obama’s second term. McDonough was previously Obama’s deputy national security adviser, including during the

Navy SEAL raid in 2011 that killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden, and was a longtime congressional staffer.

McDonough was credited with helping Obama try to bridge divides on Capitol Hill, including around one of his most substantial second-term legislative achievements: the Veterans Choice Act. The legislation, for which President Donald Trump tries to take credit, gave former service members more options to seek care and the VA secretary more authority to fire underperforming staffers.

The bill came about following exposes during the Obama administration into mismanagement at some VA hospitals and mounting complaints by advocacy groups. As chief of staff, McDonough was also deeply involved in an overhaul of VA leadership after the scandals, which led to the ouster of the department’s secretary.

“We are surprised by this pick. No way to deny that,” said Joe Chenelly, national executive director of AMVETS, or American Veterans.

The World

Police kill Bend man after alleged robberies, pursuit

From Page 1

She’s expected to play an active role in the Biden administration’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Health care, immigration and tackling racial inequality are also expected to be among the top issues for the domestic policy shop next year.

The 56-year-old Rice will be among the most prominent Black women in Biden’s administration.

Rice was also in the running to become Biden’s running mate before he picked California Sen. Kamala Harris.

Since then, Rice has been discussing other roles with the Biden team and was initially seen as a contender for secretary of state. But as a longtime target of Republicans, her prospects for a Cabinet position faded after the election, given the close makeup of the Senate. A pair of runoffs in Georgia next month will determine which party has control, but either configuration will be exceedingly close.

541-266-6060 Coastal Window Coverings Quality Products at Competitive Prices FREE ESTIMATES FREE INSTALATION Blind Repair Availilble

Knox and Ginny Story 541-271-5058

Advertise Your Business for $20 per week.

2 Days in The World, and 5 Days in The World Online!

Call today to get your custom ad started!

Coos County Family Owned

Crushed Rock Topsoil Sand Serving Coos Bay, North Bend, Reedsport, Coquille, Myrtle Point & Bandon Kentuck

541-756-2623 Coquille

541-396-1700 CCB# 129529

541-266-6060 www.theworldlink.com

THU

FRI

SAT

SUN

MON

Showers

Rain

Rain likely, cloudy

Rain

Chance of rain, mostly cloudy

48°

49°

56°

56°

54°

38°

41°

49°

43°

43°

Jobless From Page 1

The second program is the one that extends jobless aid for 13 weeks.

Members of Congress and the Trump administration are fighting over a roughly $900 billion relief package that could extend the two programs into the spring, sparing about 9 million unemployed Americans from what would otherwise be deeper financial distress.

A bipartisan group of senators has proposed to extend the supplemental aid for four months and add $300-a-week in federal jobless aid. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Tuesday proposed a one-time round of $600 relief checks — half the $1,200 that was provided in the spring.

But Mnuchin’s proposal includes no funding for supplemental unemployment aid payments, drawing sharp objections from Democrats in Congress.

With a coronavirus vaccine nearing approval, many economists are optimistic that the economy will rebound strongly next year. But most favor another federal financial relief package to support

Elliott From Page 1

Others suggested that future versions of the plan should include the involvement of other OSU academic areas, like climate science and fisheries and wildlife sciences.

“We support continuing with OSU, but also believe this potential can be better achieved by OSU as a whole than by the OSU College of Forestry alone,” said Teresa Bird, representing Coast Range Forest Watch, a forest advocacy group based in Coos Bay. The Land Board also heard from the plan’s advisory committee, a group of 16 representatives of conservation groups, local counties, tribes, school districts and timber operators which met to provide feedback on drafts of the plan.

Keith Tymchuck, a former Reedsport mayor, spoke on behalf of the group, saying they were in unanimous support of the proposal after a number of compromises between competing interests.

“No stakeholder group got everything they wanted in this proposal,” Tymchuck said. “However, we believe the interests of all stakeholders will be substantially advanced by this proposal.”

Paul Beck, a representative of Douglas Timber Operators on the advisory committee, told the land board about the need to balance the future of the

unemployed workers, small businesses, and state and local governments until then.

New confirmed virus cases are now topping 200,000 a day, up from only about 30,000 in the spring. And the average number of deaths each day in the past seven days has surpassed 2,000, roughly matching its peak in April.

The virus’ acceleration has led many governors to impose stricter curbs on restaurants, gyms and other business activity in states from North Carolina to California and Washington state.

The pandemic appears to have also sharply restricted holiday spending, in part because of stayat-home orders and other restrictions and in part because many consumers are reluctant to go out shopping. A jump in online spending hasn’t fully offset a steep decline, compared with last year, in spending at physical stores.

According to data from Opportunity Insights, a research center affiliated with Harvard and Brown universities, spending on debit and credit cards sank nearly 12% in the week that ended Nov. 29 compared with a year earlier.

That marked a sharp drop

from the previous week, when such spending was down just 2.3% from 12 months earlier.

The steady stream of layoffs across the country has intensified the financial hardships for many Americans.

One of the jobless, Montrell McGraw, says he just had to cancel his car insurance and now can’t drive because his unemployment benefit of just $225 a week isn’t enough to keep up with the payments. He was able to cover all his bills when the federal government provided an extra $600 in jobless aid. But that ended in July.

McGraw, 26, lost his job as a cook at a Hilton Hotel in New Orleans, where he lives, back in March just after the virus erupted in the United States. He says he’s applied for 35 jobs without any luck. His primary work experience is in restaurants, few of which are hiring.

Most of the available jobs he sees involve trucking or work on offshore oil rigs, which require certifications he can’t afford to obtain. McGraw has also worked with an advocacy group, Stand Up Louisiana, in support of extending jobless benefits.

forest between natural reserve and planned activity, and that the research produced by OSU scientists could benefit Southern Oregon communities.

“The forest-dependent communities that I was asked to represent in this effort are dying. The forest policies that control these decimated parts of rural Oregon are all too often based on unproven hypothesis at best and pure mythology at worst,” Beck told the board, holding back tears as he discussed the wildfires which ravaged parts of Douglas County this summer. “We have an opportunity to create a process where we create real science that can inform public opinion and drive policy.”

Still, many pieces of the puzzle have to be finalized before OSU has full control over the forest.

“This is not a done deal by any means,” Brown said.

Remaining elements could take university and state officials through 2022 to figure out, Department of State Lands Director Vicki Walker told the members of the Land Board.

Key to those issues will be the “decoupling” of the Elliott from the Common School Fund. That fund pays for some public school activities and has historically been supported by now-dwindling revenues from the forest.

The state’s constitution dictates that the Land Board manage lands like

the Elliott in ways that benefit the school fund and Oregon’s students. In her comments at the meeting, Clarno noted that conservation lawsuits have made it nearly impossible for the Elliott’s timber revenue to be great enough to fund schools in recent decades.

“Many Oregonians live in areas of this state where they will never get to set foot on the Elliott,” Clarno said. “But their children are suffering from the lack of school funding and the ability to benefit from the internet.”

The school fund will need about $121 million to be “made whole” after it loses the Elliott as a source of revenue — an amount still unaccounted for in public state plans.

Among other areas on the list to complete before the transfer is finalized by the board: A plan for riparian protections in the forest, the hiring of research forest leaders, a habitat conservation plan and state legislation to finalize the transfer of the forest’s management.

“No one on this team can probably say that this is exactly the proposal they would’ve presented if the job had been theirs alone,” Read said. “That might be a model that has resonance to a lot of other issues that we’re going to confront over time.”

More information about the proposal and its future steps is available on the Department of State Lands website at oregon.gov/dsl/ Land/Pages/Elliott.aspx.

NORTHWEST NORTHWESTSTOCKS STOCKS Closing and 8:30 a.m. quotes Stock Close 8:30 Intel 50.10 50.63 Kroger 31.24 31.11 Microsoft 211.69 211.99 Nike 138.89 138.13

NW Natural 47.92 46.98 Skywest 43.87 44.09 Starbucks 100.38 104.52 Umpqua Hldgs 14.79 14.64 Weyerhaeuser 31.72 31.42 Xerox 22.86 22.73

Levi Straus 20.25 20.99 Dow Jones closed at 30,046.70 NASDAQ closed at 12,337.10 S&P 500 closed at 3,671.72 Provided by Coos Bay Edward Jones

NORTHWEST STOCKS LOTTERY MegaMillions Dec.8 15-19-33-39-68 Megaball: 25 Multiplier: x3 Jackpot: $276 million

Powerball Dec. 9 11-14-31-47-48 Powerball: 4 Multiplier: x3 Jackpot: $277 million

Megabucks Dec. 9 4-33-36-37-38-45 Jackpot: $5.6 Million

Win For Life Dec. 9 25-48-60-75

eEdition

Tensions over masks keep rising MISSION, Kan. (AP) — Arguments over mask requirements and other restrictions have turned ugly in recent days as the deadly coronavirus surge across the U.S. engulfs small and medium-size cities that once seemed safely removed from the outbreak.

In Boise, Idaho, public health officials about to vote on a four-county mask mandate abruptly ended a meeting Tuesday evening because of fears for their safety amid anti-mask protests outside the building and at some of their homes.

One health board member tearfully announced she had to rush home to be with her child because of the protesters, who were seen on video banging on buckets, blaring air horns and sirens, and blasting a sound clip of gunfire from the violence-drenched movie “Scarface” outside her front door.

“I am sad. I am tired. I fear that, in my choosing to hold public office, my family has too often paid the price,” said the board member, Ada County Commissioner Diana Lachiondo. “I increasingly don’t recognize this place. There is an ugliness and cruelty in our national rhetoric that is reaching a fevered pitch here at home, and that should worry us all.”

Boise police said three

arrest warrants were issued in connection with the demonstrations at board members’ homes.

In South Dakota, the mayor of Rapid City said City Council members were harassed and threatened over a proposed citywide mask mandate that failed this week even as intensive care units across the state filled with COVID-19 patients.

The tensions are flaring amid an epic surge in U.S. deaths, hospitalizations and infections over the past several weeks.

The U.S. topped 3,000 deaths Wednesday in what is a single-day record, according to the COVID Tracking Project. That’s surpassed the level seen during last spring’s peak in and around New York City. New cases per day have rocketed to more than 200,000 on average, and the number of patients in the hospital with COVID-19 stood at almost 105,000 on Tuesday, another all-time high.

The grim figures led the usually stoic health director of the nation’s most populated county to become emotional. Barbara Ferrer described “a devastating increase in deaths” in Los Angeles County, with the total hitting 8,075 on Wednesday.

“Over 8,000 people who were beloved members of their families are not

coming back,” Ferrer said, fighting back tears.

Meanwhile, protesters in Montana’s Gallatin County have gathered for two consecutive weeks outside the Bozeman home of county health officer Matt Kelley to decry regulations, including a statewide mask mandate. They have carried signs reading, “We refuse to be your experiment” and “Oxygen is essential.”

Last week, around 80 people lined Bozeman’s Main Street to support Kelley and other health officials.

In Montana’s Flathead County, where officials recorded 17 coronavirus-related deaths over 18 days and resistance to masks runs strong, the interim public health officer is resigning when her contract is up at year’s end, citing a lack of support from local authorities for measures to control the scourge.

In Helena, Republicans who control both chambers of the Montana Legislature denied a request by Democratic lawmakers to require masks be worn inside the Capitol during the legislative session next month.

In Missouri, Greene County officials recorded 51 COVID-19 deaths in the first eight days of December as hospitals overflow and hundreds of health care workers are quarantined. The area’s two major

hospitals asked the city of Springfield, the county seat, to renew the city’s mask mandate before it expires in January. The county itself does not have a mask mandate, nor does the state.

As the deaths pile up, Springfield Mortuary Services owner Brian Simmons is overseeing the embalming and cremation of COVID-19 victims as his own 48-yearold daughter battles the virus. She spent the past week hospitalized on a ventilator in one of the city’s overwhelmed hospitals.

“You are just helpless,” he said. “There is nothing you can do about it. We haven’t seen her since she’s gone in.”

South Dakota has suffered through the country’s worst rate of COVID-19 deaths per capita over the last week, but Gov. Kristi Noem has been ardent in her opposition to mask mandates or other aggressive efforts to slow infections.

That hands-off approach drew vocal support at Rapid City Council meetings, even as doctors warned that the only large hospital in the western half of the state is facing a crisis and patients are being flown out of the state. The meetings drew hours of testimony from people who said the dangers of the virus are overblown and that mask requirements violate their liberties.

SpaceX test launch of Starship termed success by Musk despite fireball landing CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — SpaceX launched its shiny, bullet-shaped, straight-outof-science fiction Starship several miles into the air from a remote corner of Texas on Wednesday, but the 6 1/2-minute test flight ended in an explosive fireball at touchdown.

It was the highest and most elaborate flight yet for the rocketship that Elon Musk says could carry people to Mars in as little as six years. Despite the catastrophic finale, he was thrilled.

“Mars, here we come!!” he tweeted.

This latest prototype — the first one equipped with a nose cone, body flaps and three engines — was shooting for an altitude of up to eight miles (12.5 kilometers). That’s almost 100 times higher than previous hops and skimming the stratosphere.

Starship seemed to hit the mark or at least come close. There was no immediate word from SpaceX on how high it went.

The full-scale, stainless steel model — 160 feet (50 meters) tall and 30 feet (9 meters) in diameter — soared out over the Gulf of Mexico. After about five minutes, it flipped sideways as planned and descended in a free-fall back to the southeastern tip of Texas near the Mexican border. The Raptor engines reignited for braking and the rocket tilted back upright. When it touched down, however, the rocketship became engulfed in flames and ruptured, parts scattering.

The entire flight — as dramatic and flashy as it gets, even by SpaceX standards — lasted six minutes and 42 seconds. SpaceX broadcast the sunset demo live on its website; repeated delays over the past week and a last-second engine abort Tuesday heightened the excitement among space fans.

Musk called it a “successful ascent” and said the body flaps precisely guided the rocket to the landing point. The fuel tank

pressure was low, however, when the engines reignited for touchdown, which caused Starship to come down too fast.

“But we got all the data we needed!” he tweeted.

Musk had kept expectations low, cautioning earlier this week there was “probably” 1-in-3 chance of complete success.

Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, who founded the Blue Origin rocket company, offered swift congratulations.

“Anybody who knows how hard this stuff is is impressed by today’s Starship test.”

Two lower, shorter SpaceX test flights earlier this year from Boca Chica, Texas — a quiet coastal village before SpaceX moved in — used more rudimentary versions of Starship. Essentially cylindrical cans and single Raptor engines, these early vehicles reached altitudes of 490 feet (150 meters).

An even earlier model, the short and squat Starhopper, made a tiny tethered hop in 2019, followed by two

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — NASA has named the 18 astronauts — half of them women — who will train for its Artemis moon-landing program.

The first woman and next man on the moon will come from this elite group.

Vice President Mike Pence introduced the astronauts Wednesday at the close of his final meeting as chairman of the National Space Council.

The announcement was made at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, beneath one of only three remaining Saturn V moon rockets from the 1960s and 1970s Apollo program.

Pence noted that the last of the 12 men to walk on the moon, the late Apollo 17 commander Gene Cernan, wanted nothing more than to remove “last” from his title. Cernan’s final lunar footsteps were on Dec. 14, 1972.

“He spent the rest of his natural life advocating for America to go back to the

moon, and we are going to honor Gene Cernan’s memory,” Pence told the small crowd, seated several feet apart from one another.

Five of the astronauts — the only ones in attendance — walked onto the stage, waving and wearing masks.

NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine stressed there would be more astronauts joining the group. NASA has 47 active astronauts.

The space agency is aiming for a moon landing by 2024, although the chances of that happening are growing increasingly dim. The upcoming change in administration also adds uncertainty.

Half of the NASA astronauts have spaceflight experience. Two are at the International Space Station right now: Kate Rubins and Victor Glover.

The two astronauts who performed the world’s first all-female spacewalk last year made the cut: Christi-

na Koch and Jessica Meir.

It’s a fairly young group, with most in their 30s or 40s. The oldest is 55, the youngest 32. Only two — Joe Acaba and Stephanie Wilson — flew on NASA’s old space shuttles.

“The history is awesome, but we’re here to look toward the future,” Acaba told reporters after the announcement.

The other experienced members on the list include Kjell Lindgren, Anne McClain and Scott Tingle, all former space station residents.

“We are dreamers, but even more so, we’re doers,” McClain said.

She wants children from all backgrounds to take note of the diverse lunar team: “The doors are open, come on after us.”

Among those yet to rocket into space: Kayla Barron, Raja Chari, Matthew Dominick, Woody Hoburg, Jonny Kim, Nicole Mann, Jasmin Moghbeli, Frank Rubio and Jessica Watkins.

NASA names 18 astronauts for new moon-landing program

increasingly higher climbs.

Wednesday’s test followed SpaceX’s latest space station supply run for NASA by three days, and the private company’s second astronaut flight by less than a month from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.

Starship is actually the upper stage of Musk’s envisioned moon- and Mars-ships. It will launch atop a mega booster still in development known as the Super Heavy. The entire vehicle will tower 394 feet (120 meters) — 31 feet (9.4 meters) taller than NASA’s Saturn V rocket that hurled men to the moon a half-century ago.

Coos Art Museum plans online painting classes First of three courses is Saturday The World Coos Art Museum is planning a series of online art classes, including one on illustrating tide pool scenes scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 12.

The others are Jan. 9 and Jan. 31.

The Dec. 12 class is titled “Scientific Illustrations: Tide pools in Watercolor,” taught by Marly Beyer.

The class will create accurate illustrations of nature, mainly focused on shells and other creatures found in tide pools.

Students will learn basic scientific illustration techniques in traditional media (graphite, pen and ink and watercolor) and methods for precise representation.

While primarily focused on accuracy around capturing natural specimens, these techniques also will provide further foundational framework in drawing and painting.

The online class runs from 1 to 4 p.m. and is for teens and adults, preferably with some drawing skills. The cost is $55.

Mushrooms in Watercolor The Jan. 9 class, with instructor Nora Sherwood, will focus on watercolor, the perfect medium for mushrooms.

The ability to layer using transparent paints is absolutely magical, organizers said. Mushrooms often have round elements (the cap) and tubular elements (the stipe) and thus are excellent subjects for gaining confidence with shading to indicate form. That skill can be applied to lots of other subjects.

The class is from 1 to 4 p.m. and recommended for people with some experience with watercolor.

The cost is $55.

Students will need ba-

sic tools including watercolor paint, brushes and painter’s tape. The class will include a package of two pieces of 300-pound Fabriano Artistico hot press paper and transfer paper for those who register before Dec. 30.

Powerful pastels The Jan. 31 class is titled “Paint the Winter Colors,” with instructor Susan Kuznitsky.

In includes either a full class from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., for $75, or a demo class from 10 a.m. to noon, for $40.

“How do you make a stunning scene when everything is white or grey?” the class introduction asks. “In this online class, Susan Kuznitsky will show you how to create winter landscapes by finding hidden colors to bring out daring contrasts. Whether you’re brand new to pastels or a seasoned artist looking to broaden your skill level, this class has something for everyone.”

In the demo class, Kuznitsky will go over everything new artists need to know to get started in pastels. Students can watch and learn or jump in and paint along.

The lass also includes a live question-and-answer time with Kuznitsky.

The full-day class, includes the demo class.

Following a 30-minute lunch break, Kuznitsky will create a winter scene along with students, who can ask questions and share their progress during the class. She also will give real-time suggestions and critiques on the work of the students.

The full-day class includes emailed image reference to paint along, a digital copy of the power point presentation, supply list and a link to the demo class.

For more information on the classes, call 541267-3901.

To register for the classes, visit Coos Art Museum’s website, www.coosart.org.

DEAR ABBYBy Abigail Van Buren MAN WONDERS IF LARGER HOUSE COULD SIGNAL BIGGER PROBLEM DEAR ABBY: My fiancee, “Diane,” and her two sons live in a nice home.

I also have a nice home, newly constructed. It’s located 1,200 miles away, near my parents, my son and my job. Diane currently has no job nor family within 500 miles of her town. Her boys’ father (whom she shares custody with) lives within 50 miles of me. My job and the custody arrangement for my son preclude me from living where Diane does.

Together, she and I would have three sons. The spacious five-bedroom house I own is more than adequate. Diane has made clear that if I sell my home and buy my neighbor’s, which is a larger seven-bedroom manor, she will be on the next flight. If not, she won’t leave.

We could buy the manor with cash if I sell my home and she sold hers and put her savings into the purchase, but she doesn’t want to use her savings.

Diane is my everything, but it feels like I may just be chasing a dream. I worry that if I’m not enough, will I be enough when I own a manor? -- IT’S COMPLICATED DEAR IT’S COMPLICATED: I’m proud of you. You are seeing things clearly, which is unusual when emotions are involved. It appears your dream girl, the fair Diane, is attempting to blackmail you. If she can’t be the “lady of the manor,” she’s not interested in uprooting her life. If you give in to her now, do not do it without an ironclad prenuptial agreement. Please stay strong, because if you don’t, you may regret it for a long time.

DEAR ABBY: My sisters and I are beside ourselves trying to deal with our 90-year-old mother. She doesn’t live in the same state as any relatives. She needs help paying bills, managing money,

personal hygiene, taking medication and understanding things she reads. She refuses to give anyone power of attorney over her finances or to create a health care directive. She claims she’s not going to die.

At the very least, she likely has some form of dementia. We want nothing more than to protect her interests, but our hands are tied. We have all spoken to her about the situation, but she insists that no one is going to tell her what to do. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. -JUST TRYING TO HELP HER DEAR JUST TRYING: Believe me, you have my sympathy. Instead of telling your mother what to do, perhaps it’s time to reframe the conversation.

Ask her what she would like done in the event of an emergency. Does she want “extraordinary measures” taken, such as CPR, and exactly what that means -- a defibrillator, dialysis, treatment in an intensive care unit.

Explain what all of them entail in detail.

You should also ask, in a separate conversation, if she wants “the state” to take a chunk of her assets and decide FOR her to whom they should be distributed, or whether she would prefer to make her wishes clear while she’s still able. Point out that NO ONE lives forever.

If your mother is really as demented as you fear she is, you may need the help of a social worker to ensure that she’s getting proper care. Failure to do that could be considered elder abuse.

------------------------------Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.

DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

e

SHOWERS 48 • 38 | THURSDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2020 | theworldlink.com

Follow us online:

facebook.com/theworldnewspaper

twitter.com/TheWorldLink

instagram.com/theworldlink

MLS celebrates 25 years with 25 greatest list Portland’s Valeri is included in group ANNE M. PETERSON Associated Press

There were times Cobi Jones didn’t think Major League Soccer would survive its first few years, let alone a quarter-century.

When MLS contracted by two teams in 2002, Jones and his fellow players wondered if the fledgling domestic league was in trouble.

They shouldn’t have worried.

MLS is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, commemorating it Wednesday with the release of the MLS 25 Greatest.

Among the former players on the list are Jones, Landon Donovan, David Beckham, Clint Dempsey and Robbie Keane.

“There were ups and downs within the league over the time, but to see where it is now as compared to where it was 25 years ago, it’s drastic changes, and I don’t think I could have even dreamed that it would have been this momentous, this spe-

cial, and this much growth over that 25 years,” said Jones, who was one of the league’s original players, spending his entire 11year career with the LA Galaxy.

A panel of nearly 200 people tied to the league was surveyed to select the players who “achieved the most on the field, drove the narrative off the field, and helped lay the foundation and set the course for MLS’s next 25 years.”

Jones was a natural fit.

He played in the Premier League with Coventry City and in Brazil before returning to the United States to help launch MLS in 1996. He also made a record 164 appearances for the U.S. national team and played in three World Cups.

His favorite MLS moment is winning that first league title in 2002. The Galaxy would go on to win a league-record five championships.

“It was a struggle for us at the Galaxy to go into the final a few times before and losing, but to finally have that monkey off the back and win the championship against the New England Revo-

lution, at New England in front of their home crowd, that was something special,” Jones said.

“To get that first championship, to start that run, that first-of-five run that everyone was talking about over the past few years. I think that championship -- the Galaxy had been known as a quality club and one of the leaders -- but that first championship really solidified it.”

Jones said the difference between now and when he started is the league’s depth, with quality players from abroad and the academies streaming into MLS. “In the early days, (teams had) like 11 quality players and then all of a sudden there was a significant drop off. I think now you see that there’s 11 quality players and then you go beyond and there’s other quality players as well,” he said. “So that’s the big difference that I see over the years. And it’s something that you need to grow as a league where the league gets better and better because everybody gets pushed from those that are behind.”

The league’s anniversary came at a chaotic time. MLS suspended the season because of the coronavirus in March after teams had played just two games. The league returned with the MLS is Back tournament in a bubble in Florida this summer before a return to local markets for an abbreviated season.

The season will culminate Saturday night with the MLS Cup final between the Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders.

“Now for 25 seasons, MLS has been a story about resilience and innovation and a commitment and our players, our owners, our staffs and our fans. And these attributes were demonstrated more than ever this year,” Commissioner Don Garber said in his State of the League address. “And I want to remind everybody, and reflect how far we’ve come since our founding 25 years ago to become a top flight professional soccer league in the world.”

Among the current players honored on the list are San Jose’s Chris Wondowloski, the league’s all-time leading scorer with 166

goals, Portland’s Diego Valeri, Atlanta’s Josef Martinez and LAFC’s Bradley Wright-Phillips.

“It’s a huge achievement because there are so many amazing players, that are not on the list, but there are so many amazing players in all these 25 years, and the recent part of the league, too,” said Valeri, who came to the Timbers in 2013 from his native Argentina and was named league MVP in 2017. “It’s evolving a lot, the league, and many players from many different parts of the world are being part of the league, so this is just a huge, huge honor for me.”

The 25 Greatest, in alphabetical order, are: Jeff Agoos, Kyle Beckerman, David Beckham, Carlos Bocanegra, Dwayne De Rosario, Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan, Marco Etcheverry, Robin Fraser, Sebastian Giovinco, Kevin Hartman, Cobi Jones, Robbie Keane, Chad Marshall, Josef Martinez, Tony Meola, Jaime Moreno, Eddie Pope, Preki, Steve Ralston, Nick Rimando, Carlos Valderrama, Diego Valeri, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips.

U.S. Women’s Open will use two courses this week HOUSTON (AP) — Inbee Park tries to stick to a routine at the U.S. Women’s Open to make sure she’s not worn out before the tournament begins. A two-time champion, she prefers to play no more than nine holes each of the three practice rounds.

This year didn’t allow for that.

The USGA for the first time is using two courses for the first 36 holes, the only way it could keep a full field at Champions Golf Club in a pandemic year that already has eliminated qualifying stages.

For the players, that means getting to know the Jackrabbit and Cypress Creek courses, cramming in as much as they can before Texas native Angela Stanford hits the opening tee shot Thursday.

“U.S. Women’s Open golf courses are tough to learn one, but trying to learn two tough courses is definitely a big task for everyone this week,” Park said Wednesday. “It’s just a busy three days that we have to spend before the tournament starts.

“I rarely play 18-hole practice rounds before the tournament starts because we play 18 holes Thursday through Sunday, and I usually do nine. But I had to play 18 yesterday. I was going to play 18 twice, but my body was just too tired,” she said.

“I decided nine, 18, nine. That will be enough.”

These are not complaints. The 156 players at Champions are happy to be playing, no matter how different everything feels, from the two golf courses to the time of the year. Park returned to South Korea for seven weeks and said it felt like the offseason, and now the women have the $5.5 million U.S. Women’s Open and the $5

Tucker on bag for Thompson at Open HOUSTON (AP) — Lexi Thompson has some U.S. Open experience on her bag this week at Champions Golf Club, along with an entirely new set of metrics and vocabulary.

Air density. Ground force.

That comes from Tim Tucker, the caddie for U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau. Tucker lives in Coos Bay and was a longtime caddie at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort before becoming DeChambeau’s caddie.

Thompson is between caddies at the moment. Her brother, Curtis, worked her last event and will work next week at the LPGA Tour’s season finale. She and DeChambeau have the same manager, and it worked out for Tucker to join her at the U.S. Women’s Open.

DeChambeau brings a scientific approach to the game, and Tucker’s job is to help calculate wind vector, air density and dew point, to name a few. Thompson doesn’t carry a yardage book. She just wants the number.

“It’s unbelievable what he calculates,” Thompson said. “I’m like million CME Group Tour Championship in consecutive weeks.

The Women’s Open was supposed to be the first week in June until the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the LPGA Tour for more than five months. The best option was two weeks before Christmas, making this the final major of the year.

The USGA came up with an all-exempt

truly amazed. I’m like, ‘Just keep it to yourself; just tell me what you think the shot will play.’ But like I said, very talented and just happy to have him out there helping me.”

Key to any new caddie is the relationship, and Thompson said they have hit it off. She says Tucker keeps a positive attitude and makes her laugh and provides the yardages. Still, nothing made her laugh — at least to herself — like that first day.

“The first day that we went out, he has all the green density, the air density, and has that all factored in,” she said. “The first two holes, he said, ‘It’s going to play this number.’ And I trusted it and I hit it close, so it was a perfect number. But I’m like, ‘Maybe I should just have the actual pin number in my head just for my sanity.’ I’m truly amazed.”

And no, she doesn’t plan on drinking protein shakes that helped DeChambeau add so much mass to his muscle.

“Oh, no,” Thompson said. “Gosh, I wouldn’t fit in my skirts.” field to mirror what it typically would get with qualifying, just as it did for the men’s U.S. Open at Winged Foot in September.

Given the limited daylight hours, it was fortunate to be at prestigious Champions Golf Club, which was established by Jack Burke Jr. and Jimmy Demaret and previously hosted a Ryder Cup, U.S. Open and the Tour Championship.

Cypress Creek, which will be used for the weekend, is notable for its big greens, the largest Park has seen since St. Andrews. It plays at 6,731 yards for a par 71, a strong test. Jackrabbit is at 6,558 yards with a pair of par 5s longer than 520 yards. It’s not exactly a pitch-and-putt.

The timing is big for women’s golf, which has rolled out a social media campaign called, “Women Worth Watching.”

It’s the biggest event on the American golf calendar this week, with network TV coverage on the weekend.

There’s a fight for No. 1 between Jin Young Ko and Sei Young Kim, who won the Women’s PGA Championship in October at Aronimink while Ko was still home in South Korea riding out the pandemic.

“Since I was young, I dreamt of being No. 1 in the world one day,” Kim said.

“I’m glad that I have a chance to do that.”

Ko has dreamed of winning the U.S. Women’s Open. She won two majors last year during her rise to No. 1 and a sweep of all the big LPGA Tour awards. But this is the major she wants.

Like so many other South Koreans, she has memories of Se Ri Pak winning the Women’s Open at Blackwolf Run, the start of South Korean dominance in women’s golf. Jeongeun Lee6 won last year at Country Club of Charleston, the eighth time in the last 12 years a South Korean has won what long has been considered the biggest event in women’s golf.

“When I was 3 years old, I watched the TV on my father’s knee about Se Ri’s win in this tournament,” Ko said. “And when I saw that, I wanted to play golf. So I started. So yeah, I want to get the U.S. Open trophy.”

Big Ten lifts rule, Buckeyes in title game Oregon men crush Rattlers COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — The Big Ten Conference dropped its six-game minimum requirement for the league championship game Wednesday, clearing the way for No. 3 Ohio State to take on No. 15 Northwestern in another chance for the Buckeyes to burnish their playoff credentials.

The Buckeyes (5-0) will try for their fifth straight conference title when they face the Wildcats (5-1) on Dec. 19 in Indianapolis.

Ohio State finished the regular season with only five games after Michigan had to pull out of Saturday’s showdown because of COVID-19 issues.

The rule change had to be approved by the Big Ten Conference Administrators Council, which includes athletic directors, senior women’s administrators and presidents from all 14 schools.

“The decision was based on a competitive analysis which determined that Ohio State would have advanced to the Big Ten football championship game based on its undefeated record and head-to-head victory over Indiana, regardless of a win or loss against Michigan,” the Big Ten said in a statement.

The conference determined before the season that teams would have to play six of their eight scheduled games to qualify for the championship game. Ohio State — No. 4 in the College Football Playoff rankings and the conference’s only undefeated team — has missed three games because of issues with the pandemic.

The latest was the annual grudge match against Michigan, which canceled its trip to Columbus because of rising COVID-19 cases and players in quarantine.

Falling a game short of the threshold set by the league, the Buckeyes would have been outside looking in.

Ohio State Coach Ryan Day said he was “appreciative” that other conference schools voted for the revision.

“A lot of changes have happened since that (six-game) recommendation was put in place,” Day said in a statement. “I know making this decision was not easy, and I am thankful for the opportunity our players will now have to play in Indianapolis as an undefeated East Division champion.”

Though Ohio State is already in the top four of the CFP rankings,

a win against Northwestern could be important in seeding. The CFP selection committee said it ranks teams based on on-field performace, “using conference championships won, strength of schedule, head-to-head results and comparison of results against common opponents to decide among teams that are comparable.”

The ACC made a similar decision recently, guaranteeing a league title game between Clemson and Notre Dame with both teams also hoping for a CFP berth along with a conference champinoship.

The Big Ten change was made at the expense of surprising Indiana (6-1), which would have gone to the title game if the sixgame rule had remained intact.

The No. 9 Hoosiers, who lost 42-35 at Ohio State this season, had Saturday’s game against rival Purdue called off because of COVID-19 issues.

Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson said the Hoosiers were looking forward to completing one of the best seasons in program history.

“Although we understand the conference’s decision, we are disappointed,” Dolson said.

EUGENE (AP) — N’Faly Dante scored a career-high 22 points on 10-for-10 shooting — setting the Matthew Knight Arena record for field-goal percentage — and Oregon romped past Florida A&M 87-66 in a hastily scheduled game Wednesday night.

Chris Duarte added 23 points as he and Dante combined to make 20 of 24 field goals. The Ducks (3-1) shot 60% percent (38-for-63) and had 20 assists.

The Oregon program record is 11 of 11 by Bryce Taylor against USC in the 2007 Pac-

10 Tournament championship game. The win is the 24th consecutive at home, second longest streak in program history but still well short of the record 46 in a row (2015-17).

Evins Desir led the Rattlers (0-3) with 12 points and six rebounds, Johnny Brown added 11 points.

The Ducks dominated the paint, outscoring FAMU 62-32 inside with six shot blocks to zero. Oregon also had 10 steals and scored 26 points off 19 Rattlers turnovers.

USA Swimming to hold single meet at three sites in January COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The first TYR Pro Swim Series event next year will be held in three cities and include about 600 swimmers, with results from each site combined to determine winners.

The meet from Jan. 14-17 will be in San Antonio, Texas, Richmond, Virginia, and pending local approval, Irvine, California.

The main site in Texas will fea-

ture an invitation-only field of the top-ranked U.S. swimmers. The sites in Virginia and California will host up to 100 women and 100 men based on current U.S. Olympic Trials time standards.

“We’re treading lightly but remaining optimistic and excited to map out a strong domestic competition schedule in 2021,” said Lindsay Mintenko, national team managing director.