W060623

City Council Weighs in on Shopping Cart Ordinance

By RyAN HOOVER Country Media,

Inc.

Coos Bay City Council weighed in on a possible shopping cart ordinance at their work session on Tuesday, May 23, with most councilors leaning toward not adopting an ordinance in favor of an electric braking system for shopping carts.

Tom Lindahl, Administrative Captain with the Coos Bay Police Department, provided a staff report discussing a possible shopping card ordinance at Tuesday’s night’s meeting. Lindahl said that in addition to reducing abandoned shopping carts being a 20232025 City Council Goal, city staff also frequently get

asked about the issue.

“We frequently get questions from the public about this,” Captain Lindahl said. “I believe at a town hall meeting last June we got a lot of questions about this. I think it comes up pretty frequently from members of the public.”

Currently, there is no statewide statute that requires municipalities to have ordinances address abandoned shopping carts. That said, there are Oregon Revised Statutes (ORS) 98.515 and 98.520. Under ORS 98.515, local governments are permitted to enact ordinances regulating the unauthorized appropriation of shopping carts if

Main Street grant will bring in fresh tortillas

By DAVID RUPKALVIS For The World

A dilapidated building in downtown North Bend will get a new life thanks to a $200,000 grant from Oregon Main Street.

On Tuesday, the North Bend Main Street program announced it had received the maximum grant allowed and would renovate the building to allow Angelina’s Mexican Restaurant to expand and open a tortilla business.

The announcement was part of the one-year celebration of the Main Street pro-

gram and marks the second consecutive year North Bend received the maximum grant from the state.

Steve Nye, who serves as president of the Main Street program, said receiving the grant is a perfect way to cap off what was an amazing first year.

“It’s been a year full of a lot of firsts, from boring stuff

like bylaws, to exciting stuff like really cool events,” Nye said. “For the most part we got a ton accomplished.”

Nye then listed some of the accomplishments of the Main Street program.

• The board of directors was formed.

• The program hosted

Please see TORTILLAS Page A4

NB Council adopts camping regulations

By RyAN HOOVER Country Media, Inc.

The North Bend City Council unanimously adopted Resolution 3334 at the May 23 meeting, which designates approved camping locations within the City of North Bend.

The resolution will allow homeless camping primarily in the downtown area, with the vast majority of the city listed as no-camping zones. Resolution 3334 came to fruition after the enactment of Oregon House Bill 3115 during the 2021 legislative session. The house bill requires that any laws regulating the acts of sitting, lying, sleeping or keeping warm and dry on public property be objectively reasonable to everyone involved, including those experiencing homelessness.

Council adopts housing production strategy

By RyAN HOOVER Country Media, Inc.

North Bend City Council adopted two ordinances at their May 23 meeting, including an ordinance adopting the Housing Production Strategy.

Ordinance 2067

The first ordinance adopted was Ordinance 2067. Ordinance 2067 officially updates the Housing and Economy chapters of North Bend’s Comprehensive Plan to implement the Economic Opportunity Analysis, Housing Production Strategies, and Housing Needs Analysis. Each plan is

required by the state for cities of over 10,000 people.

Key recommendations from the Economic Opportunity Analysis included maintaining North Bend’s current supply of land, taking inventory of key properties and publicly owned land, streamlining the permit and review processes, engaging regional partners, and supporting connections between local industries, among many others.

The Housing Needs Analysis was used to inform the Housing Production Strategy. Key strategies from the Housing Production Strategy included rezoning land,

“The bill retains cities’ ability to enact reasonable time, place and manner regulations, aiming to preserve the ability of cities to manage public spaces effectively for the benefit of an entire community,” the City of North Bend states on their website. “HB 3115 includes a delayed implementation date of July 1, 2023, to allow local governments time to review and update ordinances and support intentional community conversations.”

Under Resolution 3334 there are a number of locations around North Bend that will allow overnight camping as of July 1. Approved camping locations include on Harbor Avenue between Virginia Avenue and Washington Avenue; on Union Avenue between California Avenue and Connecticut Avenue; on California Avenue between Meade Street and McPherson Street;

Please see CAMPING Page 5

tortilla business will look like with Consuela Perez, left.

Please see CART Page A2

they chose so. ORS 98.515 also requires that enacted ordinances conform to ORS 98.520. Under ORS 98.520, signs must be posted informing the public that theft of shopping carts is a crime, a toll-free number must be posted where the public can report stolen shopping carts, and shopping carts must be marked with the businesses name and the toll-free number. In addition, businesses are required to retrieve shopping carts within 72 hours of being notified the shopping cart has been abandoned, otherwise they are fined $50. Businesses may also contract services for retrieving abandoned shopping carts and governments may dispose of shopping carts in their custody after 30

for $20 per week.

days.

Serval municipalities around Oregon have shopping cart ordinances in place, including Newport, Tillamook, Lincoln City, Portland Metro Area, Roseburg, and a vast majority of cities west of the Cascades.

Currently, when City staff find abandoned shopping carts, they are taken back to the business, or the businesses loss prevention team will retrieve them from the city, Officer Lindahl said. Officer Lindahl stated that the City of Coos Bay has collected about 30 shopping carts per month over the last 5 months, with spikes in cart collection in the summer months.

“On average they’ve collected about 30 carts per month,” Lindahl said. “That’s for the last five months. Over the summer months, it was substantially higher. It

was probably about 100 carts per month.”

According to Public Works and Community Development Director Jim Hossley, that comes out to about $5,000 for the cost of cart collection during that period of time. Mayor Joe Benetti said that he didn’t think $5,000 was enough money to require an ordinance, and that he was more interested in pursuing an electric braking system for shopping carts instead.

“$5,000 doesn’t seem like it’s enough, but that’s just me,” Mayor Benetti said. “I’m not so interested in the ordinance. I’m interested in something they use up in the Salem area. A manager of the store up there uses an electric fence situation with brakes on the carts, so they can’t leave the property. I think that’s where we should go.

I think the ordinance will be something that’s hard to do, and again, will take more manpower.”

Councilor Stephanie Kilmer agreed that the problem needed to be addressed, but that fining businesses $50 for a stolen cart may not be the right solution.

“This is definitely a growing problem,” Kilmer said. “This is more today than I think we we’re talking about a year ago. I’m not so sure that even a $50 [fine] is going to make a business want to go pick up a cart. Because they have a problem with getting people to do that as well. I think we need to work with the businesses that have shopping carts and find something that’s really going to stick and work for everyone.”

Councilor Drew Farmer was leaning away from an ordinance that

fined businesses for stolen carts as well, noting, “A lot of times [people] rip off the identifiers so you got a cart with nobody to find.”

Councilor Farmer also suggested the city require businesses to contract with other companies to retrieve the carts for them.

“We could also require businesses to contract with somebody to pick up carts,” Councilor Farmer said. “I can think of a couple agencies in town that would pursue a contract of that type. I didn’t imagine staff to do it. I ran the numbers on what it would cost based on what we have already paid this year and it came up just shy of $20,000 per year.”

Mayor Benetti responded by saying he didn’t think a fine or contracting system would solve the root of the issue, abandoned carts, as much as operate as a band aid solution.

“I think that an ordinance where we just fine a business $50 or contract out with someone, I don’t think

that’s going to solve this issue,” Mayor Benetti said. “There’s another expense for taking the cart back. If we can set up a braking system, I know it works up in Salem. These are even solar I understand.”

Councilor Stephanie Kilmer noted that she wanted to look at the effectiveness or ordinances in other communities before taking further action.

“I think that Newport, Lincoln City, and a lot of our coastal communities already have this ordinance in place, which will make it easier,” Councilor Kilmer said. “I would like us to go back to those cities and get some more information from the ordinances that they have in place.”

The council agreed to research the topic more before making any further decisions on whether to adopt a shopping cart ordinance.

Look for more updates on a possible shopping cart ordinance and other City Council News at https://theworldlink.com/news/.

Six tips to keep campfires safe and enjoyable this season

Gathering around the campfire is a highlight for many visitors at Oregon State Parks. If you follow some basic guidelines, you can enjoy this tradition safely and reduce the risk of injury and wildfires. Wildfire is a real danger in Oregon despite the wet and snowy spring. That’s why the No. 1 precaution you can take is to follow posted fire restrictions. At times, campfires and other open flames may be banned in campgrounds or on the beach.

Restrictions can happen at any time and

with little warning, depending on conditions. Be sure to research conditions for the area near where you’re camping just before you head out. Fire restrictions may be in place at the park, county or state level. The Oregon State Parks website will post the latest information about campfires in state parks.

Restrictions may be in place even though the park is far from any wildfires. When wildfires rage, emergency responders and firefighters need to be on the front lines. We ask campers to do

their part to make sure an emergency at the campground doesn’t pull resources from the statewide firefighting effort.

“If you’re camping with children or others who are new to outdoor recreation, it’s particularly important to review campfire safety practices,” said Chris Havel, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) associate director. “If you have a question or a concern, talk with a park ranger or camp host.”

OPRD offers these six tips for a safe and enjoyable campfire:

1. Maintain campfire flames at knee height (no more than 2 feet high). A smaller flame helps prevent embers from rising into the trees or dry vegetation. If you see the wind stirring up embers, play it safe and put the fire out.

2. In a state park campground, only build campfires in the existing fire ring in your campsite. Fire rings are placed in areas with buffer zones and away from vegetation.

3. Always keep plenty of water on hand to safely put out the campfire. Douse the flames with water and stir the embers to make sure everything is wet. The stirring step is important: ash and wood debris often maintain heat. Repeat these steps until the fire no longer emits heat.

4. Beach campfires should be on open

sand and away from driftwood or vegetation and use only natural wood, rather than pallets or anything else that might have hidden nails or screws. Slowly pour water on your beach fire to put it out. Pouring water too quickly can cause hot sand to fly up. Don’t use sand to put out a beach fire. Covering the fire with sand will insulate the coals, keeping them hot enough to burn someone hours or days later.

5. For propane fire rings, follow the same safety precautions you would with a log-based campfire. The use of propane fire rings may be restricted depending on local conditions.

6. Make sure everyone in your campsite is familiar with campfire safety, including children. Always

keep an eye on your campfire; many accidental fires are started because campers left their fire unattended for “just a minute.”

In addition to keeping your campfire safe, it’s also important to make sure your wood is free from invasive insects to keep our forests safe from the deadly emerald ash borer and other pests. Please do not bring firewood from outside the local area. Buy local firewood within 10 miles of your destination or buy certified heat-treated firewood.

During May, the Oregon Department of Forestry, the Oregon Office of State Fire Marshal, the Office of Emergency Management, Keep Oregon Green, the U.S. Forest Service, OPRD and other federal, state and local emergency and response agencies are encouraging the public to work together in their local communities to prevent the risk of wildfire.

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Daring robbery at the Marshfield museum! Priceless diamond stolen! A villain, wanted in five states, and unwanted in all the others, is hiding out in Coquelle City on his way back to his lair in Powers. An innocent and beautiful orphan, taken in by her wise aunt, are on their way from Broadbent to the big city of Marshfield and are staying the night in Coquelle City. A confounded confusion of two travel trunks sets events in motion and hilarity ensues. Will the villain make o with the diamond and the girl or will our brave young hero save the day?

multiple events, including two sip and strolls, a candy crawl on Halloween, Mother’s Day on Main Street and a Main Street mixer.

• The Main Street program also reached out to all the businesses in North Bend, Nye said.

“Yes, it’s about Main Street, but it’s also about North Bend,” Nye said. The first year, I relay think it was about infrastructure and getting things done, But it was also fun.:”

Main Street Manager

Stephanie Wilison then announced the new grant, which was a surprise to Consuela Perez, who owns Angelina’s Mexican Restaurant.

“Earlier this year, the city of North Bend in cooperation with the Main Street program and the Urban Renewal Agency, proposed to purchase the dilapidated Bay

Cleaners building behind us to transform it into a thriving tortilla business, employing approximately 10 people and providing corn and flour tortillas, fresh/” Wilson said.

Tuesday morning, Oregon Heritage formally announced North Bend was receiving the grant, which will allow the purchase and renovation to move forward. Once the work is done, the Urban Renewal Agency will own the building and Angelina’s will rent it.

Barbara Dunham, who serves as vice chair of the Main Street Board, said there were many people and businesses to thank for the exciting news.

But at the top of the list was Angelina’s.

“Most of all, thank you Angelina’s for having a vision to bring a new business to downtown,” Dunham said.

Perez was extremely emotional after hearing the news.

“I’ve lived here for 24 years,” she said. “Thank you very much for making my dream come true.”

Oregon State study provides foundation for protecting rare fox in Cascades, Sierra Nevada

By STEVE LUNDEBERG

Guest Article

Conservation efforts for the rare Sierra Nevada red fox can be strengthened through new computer modeling based on a 12-year data gathering partnership led by scientists at Oregon State University’s Institute for Natural Resources, says a researcher who helped direct the project.

The endangered fox lives at high elevation in California’s Sierra Nevada and Oregon’s Cascade Range. Its numbers have been falling for two centuries largely because of human activity including trapping and poisoning, and a warming climate may be making the problem worse, OSU wildlife ecologist Sean Matthews said.

“Low genetic diversity from inbreeding, hybridization with nonnative red foxes, and influences of climate change threaten the persistence of the subspecies across its range,” said Matthews, who co-led the study published in the Journal of Mammalogy.

“Our results provide a demonstration for studying elusive species with limited survey data, a guide for future survey efforts and a baseline to

Oregon Heritage, a division of Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, awarded 27 matching grants worth $5,000,000 to Oregon Main Street Network organizations across the state for building projects that encourage economic revitalization.

The department funded applications that best conveyed the ability to stimulate private investment and local economic development, best fit within the community’s

inform conservation and management action.”

Researchers including scientists at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the University of California, Davis, and Yosemite National Park modeled the potential distribution and abundance of the Sierra Nevada red fox throughout its historical and contemporary ranges.

Sierra Nevada red foxes, known scientifically as Vulpes vulpes necator, live in a mix of habitats above and below timberline, Matthews said, including meadows, mature forests, talus slopes and fell fields –rock-strewn open areas higher than the tree line.

“The Sierra Nevada red fox experienced large population declines over the last 100 years,” he said.

“There are historical records of red foxes around Mount Shasta and in the Klamath Mountains, areas now devoid of red foxes. Our limited understanding of the fox’s ecology has hindered the development of informed conservation actions.”

The study team, which also included scientists at the U.S. Forest Service,

long-range plan for downtown vitality, and community need.

The Reedsport Main Street Program will receive $200,000 in matching funds for roofs, awnings, electrical and plumbing improvements to seven commercial buildings in downtown Reedsport.

Funded projects include:

• 301 Fir Avenue –Property is currently being occupied by the U.S. Post Office. The grant will assist with replacing its

California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and the Cascades Carnivore Project, was able to estimate the distribution and population sizes of Sierra Nevada red foxes by using data collected via remotely triggered cameras and other survey tools.

The survey period was 2009 through 2020. The modeling approach predicted fox density based on the relationship between detection frequencies and environmental characteristics, allowing for the model to project those densities onto unsampled areas with similar land and vegetation features.

heating system.

• 302 Rainbow Plaza – This property is rumored to have occupied the first Ice House in Reedsport. The grant will assist with a roof replacement.

• 339 Fir Avenue

– The historic Welcome Hotel has been restored to include 10 renovated upstairs apartments and two street level commercial spaces. This property will be replacing the metal

“That’s important because it’s not really possible to sample every individual remote area the Sierra Nevada red fox might be living,” Matthews said. Generally, he said, foxes were detected in areas with high amounts of snow and low minimum temperatures; the Sierra Nevada red fox has several adaptations for living in snowy areas, including a thick winter coat and small toe pads covered in dense fur. Foxes were most likely to be detected by a camera in open areas and on gentle slopes.

“We identified areas occupied by Sierra Nevada red fox at very

awning with the grant assistance.

• 417 Fir Avenue & 242 4th Street –Mindpower Gallery will be expanding its retail space and adding new services with the renovation within these two adjoining properties. With the grant assistance, they are adding a new awning to the 4th Street property, as well as updating electrical and plumbing in the interior

FULL SERVICE ELECTRICIANS

low densities – just over one fox per 100 square kilometers – in the Oregon Cascades, the central Sierra Nevada and around Lassen Peak,” Matthews said. “They naturally occur at low densities, but now that they occupy smaller portions of their historical range, there are very few foxes in these areas, which can lead to negative genetic consequences.”

A conservation objective, he said, would be increasing connectivity between fox population areas. That could come in the form of land use decisions that limit habitat fragmentation when

renovation of the two properties.

• 485 Greenwood Avenue – Formerly the Three Rivers Rebekah Lodge #240, this property was constructed in 1942. The grant will assist with their roof repair project.

• 489 – 495 Fir Avenue – Longtime known as the Old Bank Building, this property has housed a variety of businesses. The grant will assist with the roof replacement.

• 776 E Railroad Avenue – The Umpqua Industrial Supply Co. sits on the far west side of Reedsport’s Historic District. A roof replacement is being assisted with the grant funding. The grant program was created during the 2015 legislative session, and placed with the Oregon State Historic Preservation Office. The

projects like highway expansion, recreational development and housing subdivisions are planned.

Other actions that could benefit the Sierra Nevada red fox include lowering vehicle speed limits, building wildlife crossing infrastructure and reintroducing foxes in some areas to increase populations and genetic diversity, Matthews said.

David Green, formerly of OSU’s Institute for Natural Resources, also co-led the study, which was funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Yosemite Conservancy and Yosemite National Park.

legislation established a permanent fund for the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant, and provided an initial infusion of funds from the sale of lottery bonds. The legislature included the Oregon Main Street Revitalization Grant in the lottery bond package approved in 2021. If funded by the 2023 state legislature, there will be future grant rounds in the 24 -25 biennium. The funds must be used to award grants to participating Oregon Main Street Network organizations to acquire, rehabilitate or construct buildings to facilitate community revitalization. The program also requires that at least 50 percent of the funds go to rural communities as defined in the bill. To learn more about the Reedsport Main Street Program visit www. reedsportmainstreet. com.

Contributed photo

A group enjoys free tacos from Angelina’s Mexican Restaurant during a celebration honoring one year of the North Bend Main Street program.

Reedsport Main Street Program was awarded $200,000 Grant

Contributed photo

The rare Sierra Nevada red fox has a stronger likelihood of survival after researchers at Oregon State helped prepare a computer modeling formula that will help conservation efforts.

Bonita “Bonnie” C. Boyd

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Barbara “Bobbi” Joy Miller, age 64, from Reedsport, Oregon. She left us on February 27, 2023, surrounded by her immediate family lovingly by her side. Bobbi was born in Seattle, Washington on August 5th, 1958 to Gehart and Gladys Reitan. She was a 1976 graduate of Evergreen High School in Seattle, Washington. After graduating, Bobbi married David Miller and raised two daughters together while living in Reedsport, Oregon. Though they separated later in life, Bobbi and David remained as close family, adoring their daughters and grandchildren.

Bobbi was employed by Price n’ Pride/McKay’s market for many years before finding her passion as a Respiratory Therapist at Lower Umpqua Hospital. Bobbi lived life to the fullest by enjoying walks on the beach, spending time with her dogs, hiking, camping, playing cribbage with her friends, an “occasional” trip the casino, and a few adventures in her motorhome. She sought for a simple life and could always be counted on for laughter, hugs, and her amazing “it is what it is” mentality in life.

Bobbi is survived by her two daughters, Jamie (James) Atwood and Jodie (Erik) Hoberg; five grandchildren, Sahalie, Lexie, Levi, Sophia and Reese; her three siblings, Cindi (Merv) Winkle, Patricia Proo and Sally Ford; devoted and longtime friend, Ned Russell; and some very special nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her

parents, Gehart and Gladys Reitan; brothers-in-law, Dave Ford and Richard Proo; and niece, Christina Weaver.

“Big Grama” will be missed by many…

Family, friends and loved ones are all invited to join us for a Celebration of Life at the Blue Box in Winchester Bay, Oregon on Saturday, July 22, 2023 from 2-4 pm.

A celebration of life for Bonita “Bonnie” C. Boyd, of Coos Bay, will be held on June 10, 2023, at 2 pm at Bethel Baptist Church, 645 Cleveland St, Aumsville, OR 97325

Bonnie passed away on March 19, 2023, in Salem, Oregon surrounded by her loving family. She was born on February 8, 1939.

Jack F. Noblitt

A chapel funeral service for Jack C. Noblitt, 81, of Coos Bay who died May 26, 2023 in Coos Bay will be held Tuesday, June 13, 2023 at 1:00 PM at Coos Bay Chapel 685 Anderson Ave. Viewing will precede the service from 10

AM-12 PM. A graveside service with military honors will follow at Sunset Memorial Park 63060 Millington Frontage Road Coos Bay under the direction of Coos Bay Chapel. 541-2673131. www.coosbayareafunerals.com

Virginia R. Marler

A memorial service for Virginia R. Marler, 91, of Coos Bay who died May 29, 2023 in Coos Bay will be held Tuesday, June 6, 2023 at 1:00 PM at The Salvation Army Service

Wanda L. Williford

A memorial service in honor of Tribal Elder, Wanda L. Williford, 87, of North Bend, will be held on Sunday, June 11, 2023 beginning at 1:00 p.m. at the

and Worship Center 1155 Flanagan Ave. Coos Bay. Arrangements are under the direction of Coos Bay Chapel. 541-267-3131. www. coosbayareafunerals.com

CTCLUSI Tribal Hall, 338 Wallace Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon 97420. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440.

Rolando Toribio, 64, of North Bend, passed away on May 23, 2023 in Coos Bay. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440 www.coosbayareafunerals. com.

Christopher S. Varga, 61, of North Bend, passed away on May 29, 2023 in Coos Bay. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440 www.coosbayareafunerals.com.

regulatory incentives for affordable and workplace housing, expanding the range of housing types that can be built in city limits, tax exemptions for certain types of housing, among many others.

Key findings from the Housing Needs Analysis included that North Bend has a need for 260 new housing units over the next 20 years, with a majority of those units as single-family homes.

and on McPherson Street between California Avenue and Virginia Avenue.

Resolution 3334 is intended to work in conjunction with Ordinance 2069, which

Randy Lee Baer, 65, of Coos Bay, passed away May 25, 2023 in Coos Bay. Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131 www.coosbayarefunerals.com

Sharon L. Stuhlmiller, 78, of North Bend, passed away on May 28, 2023 in Portland. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440. www.coosbayarefunerals.com

The analysis also projected that North Bend will have 128 acres of available land accommodating 1,016 units over the next 20 years. The analysis stressed a continued need for a range of housing types.

City staff noted that they were happy with the way each plan turned out, despite some issues with the growth projections in the Housing Needs Analysis.

“The only thing we had issues with was the growth projections,” city staff noted. “But it

was passed by North Bend City Council on May 9. Ordinance 2069 enacts regulations for the manner in which temporary campsites are allowed and the manner in which they can be removed. Key policies include temporary camping being allowed on

Lynn Hodges, 79, of Reedsport died May 29, 2023 in Reedsport. Cremation rites are under the direction of Myrtle Grove Funeral Service-Bay Area. 541-269-2851. www.coosbayareafunerals. com.

James “Bill” William Will 69, of Reedsport, passed away on May 25, 2023. Arrangements are under the care of Unger Funeral Chapel-Silverton.

follows what the state requirements project. They did add some addendum to this document because the growth rate was projected extremely low, in our opinion. So, some historical context has been added [to the document].”

According to the consultant group that helped prepare the Housing Needs Analysis, Oregon state law requires that cities use growth estimates from Portland State University’s research center. So, while historical context

private property if the property owner provides written consent, the private property owner’s ability to revoke permission at any time, penalty for violating these laws, and much more.

During the public comments section of the City Council meeting, one North Bend Resident, Gary Wallace, presented a written statement from local residents and business owners who were against Resolution 3334.

“Our community firmly believes that a council’s adherence to a camping ordinance against our wishes puts our neighbors, businesses and the entire vicinity of the proposed public locations at significant risk,” Wallace read.

“The prevailing sentiment is that our concerns have been disregarded and the council is prioritizing adherence to unsuitable ordinance over the well-being

Lloyd Joseph Levezow, 98, of North Bend, passed away May 29, 2023 in Coos Bay. Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131 www.coosbayareafunerals. com.

Steven Mark Keller, 64, of Coos Bay, passed away May 29, 2023 in Coos Bay. Arrangements are under the care of Coos Bay Chapel, 541-267-3131 www. coosbayareafunerals.com.

Ordinance 2068

was added to the plan, the growth estimates in the plan stayed as projected by the university.

Councilor Jenny Jones added that the City Council all agreed the growth projections were too low.

“Just to reiterate, and I think all of us agree with this, the projections for the housing needs were much lower than any of us experienced either as individuals or through any of the organizations we talked to,” Councilor Jones said.

and safety of our community members. The ordinance in question is ill-suited for our rural community, which lacks the necessary resources to address the multifaceted problems that are likely to arise from the implementation of such camps. We implore the counsel to consider the consequences of this proposal.”

Later in the meeting, Mayor Jessica Engelke encouraged the public to visit the city of North Bend’s website to learn more about what is required and how both Resolution 3334 and Ordinance 2069 will impact the city.

“I think that there is a lot of education and information that we need to make sure the residents of North Bend are aware of in terms of this resolution,” Mayor Engelke said. “It’s clear to me in public comment tonight and just through other things you see out in the community that it’s

Robert L. Ivancovich Jr., 64, of Lakeside, passed away on May 31, 2023 in Eugene. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440 www.coosbayareafunerals. com.

Joseph Gleich, 80, of North Bend, passed away on May 31, 2023 in Coos Bay. Arrangements are under the care of North Bend Chapel, 541-756-0440 www. coosbayareafunerals.com.

The second ordinance adopted was Ordinance 2068. Ordinance 2068 amended Title 18 of the North Bend City Code so that the Housing Production Strategy can be safely implemented.

Changes to the city code include amendments allowing for middle housing types in all residential zones; reducing the allowed minimum lot sizes for triplexes, quadplexes, townhomes, and cottage clusters in all residential zones, increasing the allowed

still very confusing for some to understand what the state is requiring us to do. I would encourage anybody that has questions about this to go to the city of North Bend website and look at the homeless resources page, which has lots of information about what we have to do as a city and as a state.”

Mayor Engelke stressed the fact that by North Bend “adopting this resolution, we are not creating a homeless camp.”

Those seeking more information on Resolution 3334, Ordinance 2069,

density of multi-family housing; increasing the maximum allowed lot coverage in R-5, R-6, R-7, and R-10 zones; and allowing for a second accessory dwelling unit if the unit is internal or attached to the primary unit.

To sum it all up, city staff said that this ordinance simply allows more housing to be placed on individual lots.

“What this ordinance does is allow for a little more denser housing to be placed on these lots,” city staff said.

and Oregon HB 3115 should visit the Homelessness Resources section on the City of North Bend’s website.

Those seeking to learn more about North Bend’s Economic Opportunity Analysis, Housing Needs Analysis, and Housing Production Strategies can view a video recording of the April 10 City Council meeting, where the plans were discussed at the City of North Bend’s website. Follow updates on the other North Bend City Council news at https://theworldlink. com/news/.

“Bobbi” Joy

SWOCC captures first NWAC softball crown

The World

For the first time, the Southwestern Oregon Community College softball team is NWAC champions.

The Lakers beat South Region rival Clackamas in the 6-1 in the recent championship game in Portland to complete an amazing season in which SWOCC went 27-1 overall.

In the championship game, SWOCC’s Deztiny Vaughan pitched a three-hitter with 12 strikeouts. The run was the only one she allowed during the championship tournament. Sam Mansfield had a pair of doubles and drove in two runs for the Lakers in the title game. Alapese Matautia had three hits and two runs and also drove in a run.

The Lakers beat Clackamas 2-0 a day earlier to reach the championship game. In that contest, Vaughan pitched a four-hitter with 12 strikeouts and Matautia had a tworun triple in the fifth-inning, bringing in Taylor Brewer and Carissa Andrews with the only

two runs. Earlier in the championship, the Lakers beat North Idaho 4-0 with Vaughan pitching a three-hitter with eight strikeouts. Andrews had two hits and two runs and Mansfield and Ryliegh Blaire drove in runs.

The first day of the tournament, SWOCC beat Centralia 8-0 and Columbia Basin 4-0.

Vaughan pitched a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts against Centralia and the Lakers had 14 hits, including three by Katy Evans, who drove in two runs and scored one, and by Natalie Gardea, who had three RBIs and a run. Andrews, Mautautia and Julianna Saint-Hilaire had two hits each and Saint-Hilaire and Noelani Barawis scored twice each.

In the win over Columbia Basin, Vaughan pitched a three-hitter with an amazing 19 strikeouts. She was named most outstanding player of the tournament. Blaire hit a home run for the Lakers and Evans had three hits and Andrews two.

Following the tournament,

SWOCC’s coaching staff including head coach Megan Corriea and assistants Bri Benoit and McKenzie Davis, was named national coaching staff of the year by ATEC/ NFCA.

In the South Region, Matautia was named most valuable player and Vaughan pitcher of the year. Corriea was coach of the year.

Vaughan and Taylor Brewer were named to the first team at pitcher, Matautia was first team in the infield and Evans in the outfield.

Mansfield and Noelanie Barawis were named to the second team infield and Andrews and Kiara Kamimae in the outfield. Blaire was the second-team designated player.

BASEBALL

SWOCC set a school record for wins and finished with a winning record for the first time in program history, though the Lakers were eliminated short of reaching the NWAC tournament.

The Lakers finished fourth in the NWAC South Region with a 20-16 league mark and

finished 27-20 overall. They lost to Clark 5-3 in the super regionals when a ninth-inning rally came up two runs short.

SWOCC scored all three runs against the Penguins in the final inning. Noah Sumbicay had three hits and scored one of the runs and Rui Yamashita and Jafari Williams also scored. Cannon Morgan and Elijah Henning had RBIs and Koy Watanabe had two hits.

SWOCC set several other program records, including a new NWAC record with 194 stolen bases. The team also set highs with 68 doubles and having players hit by pitches 90 times.

Relief pitcher Zach Elsos and infielders Kody Watanabe and Elijah Henning were named to the South Region first team, while infielder Rui Yamashita and outfielders Cannon Morgan, Raine Yoshida and Jafari Williams all were on the second team.

Mahiro Tomita was a gold clover winner at pitcher and Derek Ridgway was named South Region assistant coach of the year.

GOLF SWOCC’s men placed fourth in the NWAC tournament with a two-day total of 38-over par.

North Idaho won the tournament by finishing 13-over par.

Jacob Gould finished fourth overall to lead the Lakers, shooting a two-day total of 3-over. Tyler Garner tied for seventh at 7-over. Gaige Pilot and Alexander Schulz tied for 19th at 14-over, Lucas Clapp tied for 27th at 20-over and Sam Cox was 30th at 23-over.

North Idaho’s Josh McCartain finished 4-under to win medalist honors.

SWOCC’s women finished fourth at 152-over. Bellevue edged North Idaho by a single stroke for the title, finishing at 67-over.

Sarah Gray finished fifth for SWOCC at 23-over, Madison McClannahan tied for eighth at 32-over and Jaylyn Rayevich was 25th at 97-over.

Bellevue’s Sarah Lawrence took medalist honors by 16 strokes by finishing 5-over for the two-day event.

SWOCC women tie for third in NWAC track championships

The World

The Southwestern Oregon Community College women’s track team tied for third at the recent NWAC championships, led by sophomore multi-event specialist Skotlyn Hill.

SWOCC and Clark College each scored 111 points, just two behind runner-up Spokane. Lane was the runaway winner with 227.

The men placed sixth overall with 55 points. Lane won with 242.

Hill was the champion in the heptathlon, amassing 3,992 points over the two-day event.

Teammate Lulu Stewart was fourth with 3,460.

Hill won the 800 in the heptathlon (2:26.36) and the 100 hurdles (15.36) and finished second behind Stewart in the 200 (26.78) and high jump (4-9 ½) and was third in the long jump (15-2 ¼), her only relatively weak events the two throws where she was seventh in the shot put (26-6 ¼) and

javelin (64-11).

Stewart had winning marks of 26.37 in the 200 and 4-10 ½ in the high jump and was second in the long jump (15-6 ¼), fourth in the hurdles (16.48), sixth in the javelin (66-2) and eighth in the 800 (3:09.37) and shot put (24-6 ½).

During the regular portion of the meet, Hill won the 400 hurdles with a time of 1:04.30.

Stewart was third (26.24) and Aneyai Smith eighth (26.27) in the 200.

The Lakers also had two placers in the 100 hurdles — Skotlyn Hill was second (14.92) and Stewart fourth (15.30).

The Lakers finished fourth in the 4x100 relay with the team of Cloee McLeod, Hill, Stewart and Smith finishing in 49.94.

The 4x400 relay team of Nina Garland, Smith, Feather Miller and Hill was sixth in 4:16.66.

In the field events, Hill won the triple jump by leaping 34-9 ¾. Ka-

dence James was fifth (31-5 ¾). In the long jump, Stewart was third (16-9 ¼) and Hill sixth (15-10 ½).

The Lakers had three of the top finishers in the long jump, with Stewart second and Kadence James third, both clearing 4-10 ½, and Hill fourth (4-8 ¾). Lupita Trujillo was sixth in the pole vault (8-10 1/4).

In the throwing events, Aurora Parsons was fifth in the shot put (38-6) and fourth in the discus (128-1). Skylar Willey was fifth in the javelin (121-4).

Marshfield graduate

Mira Matthews placed third in the discus (1282), fourth in the hammer (136-2), sixth in the shot put (36-9 ½) and sixth in the javelin (119-5).

For the men, Raekwon Weatherspoon finished second in the 100 meters with a time of 10.77.

Kaleb Scott was sixth in the 400 (50.48). Landon Theisen placed fourth in the 800 (2:00.31) after posting

the fastest qualifying time in the prelims (1:58.08).

The Lakers were third in the 4x100 relay with the team of Scott, Cole Garland, Weatherspoon and Jaydon Davis (42.97).

The 4x400 team of Garland, Theisen, Weatherspoon and Scott was sixth (3:28.84).

In the field events, Weatherspoon won the long jump (23-11) and was third in the triple jump (45-0 ¼).

Onwaja Thomas was seventh in the high jump (6-1 ¼).

Linkin Harrison was fourth in the shot put (45-8). Justin Ohman was seventh in the hammer (134-2) and J’Mie Lawrence was seventh in the javelin (150-11).

In the decathlon, Taylor Sittser placed seventh (4,360) and Ricky Mitchell eighth (4,075).

Sittser was fourth in the 100 (11.80), eighth in the 400 (56.04), 10th in the 1,500 (5:45.71),

eighth in the 110 hurdles (19.28), seventh in the high jump (5-3 ¼), seventh in the pole vault (8-2 ½), sixth in the long jump (18-2 ¼), seventh in the shot put (26-3 ½), seventh in the shot put (26-3 ½), eighth in the discus (79-10) and fourth in the javelin (133-8).

Mitchell was eighth in the 100 (12.03), ninth in the 400 (56.05), sixth in the 1,500 (5:08.50), seventh in the 110 hurdles (18.41), seventh in the high jump (5-3 ¼), eighth in the pole vault (7-6 ½), fifth in the shot put (29-6 ½), third in the discus (90-8), ninth in the javelin (112-5) and did not have a legal attempt in the long jump.

Prior to the NWAC championships, SWOCC hosted the South Region finals. Both the men and women finished third in the team races, with Lane winning.

For the women, the Titans had 242 points, Clark 128 and SWOCC 114. In the men’s team

race, Lane had 308.5, Clackamas had 85 and SWOCC 76.

For the women, Hill won the 400 hurdles (1:05.76) and triple jump (34-1 ¼).

Stewart won the long jump (17-0). Hill also was second in the 100 hurdles (14.90). Stewart also was second in the 200 (26.37), third in the 100 hurdles (15.25),

The Lakers were second in the 4x100 relay (49.69) and third in the 4x400 relay (4:29.66).

James was second in the high jump (4-10 ½).

Parsons was second in the shot put (39-3 ¼). Willey was runner-up in the javelin (122-0).

For the men, Scott won the 400 (50.11). Thomas was champion in the high jump (6-5). Weatherspoon was second in the 200 (22.28) and third in the 100 (10.89).

The Lakers finished third in the 4x100 relay (43.11).

Harrison took third in the shot put (46-1 ¼).

South Coast teams knocked out of baseball, softball playoffs

The World Reedsport and Bandon both won their first games at home in the Class 2A-1A playoffs, but each came up short on the road in the quarterfinals.

The Brave, seeded fifth for the playoffs, edged Culver 7-6 on Wednesday. But on Friday, Blanchet Catholic rolled past Reedsport 21-1 in Salem.

Bandon, meanwhile, opened the playoffs with a pitching gem in a 2-0 win over Regis, another private school

from the Salem area. The No. 7 Tigers’ run ended, though, when No. 2 seed Umpqua Valley Christian beat Bandon 11-5 in Roseburg to advance to the semifinals.

Gold Beach won its first game in the playoffs, 9-4, before losing to St. Pauln16-0 in the second round.

Myrtle Point, the fourth South Coast team in the playoffs, suffered a tough 2-0 loss in the first round at home to Lost River.

Ultimately, top-ranked Kennedy blanked Blan-

chet Catholic 10-0 in the final after Blanchet Catholic beat UVC 9-1.

In Class 3A, Cascade Christian was denied the triple crown of winning the football, basketball and baseball titles when Banks topped the Challengers 3-0 in the championship game. South Umpqua and Brookings-Harbor of the Far West League also reached the semifinals, with Cascade Christian beating the Bruins 11-1 and Banks topped South Umpqua 5-1.

In Class 4A, Scappoose pounded Pend-

Half marathon and Jennifer’s Catching Slough Classic scheduled for June 10

Jennifer’s Catching Slough Classic and the South Coast Half Marathon will be held on Saturday, June 10, with varied starting times. The half marathon begins at 7 a.m. for walkers and 8 a.m. for runners. The 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer runs of the Jennifer’s Catching Slough Classic start at

9 a.m. All the runs start on Catching Slough Road near the Coos River Highway and are on flat courses. Aid stations will be provided for the longer runs.

The entry fees for all the races are $15 for members of the South Coast Running Club and $20 for non-members

who sign up in advance and increase by $10 for people who wait until race day to sign up. Students run for $5.

For more information on the event or other upcoming South Coast Running Club races or to sign up to be a member of the club, visit www.southcoastrunningclub.org.

leton 12-2 in the final, scoring four runs in the fifth inning and seven in the sixth to erase an earlier 2-0 deficit.

In Class 5A, Thurston beat West Albany 2-1 on a walk-off, insidethe-park home run by Grady Saunders in the eighth inning.

In Class 6A, West Linn blanked Jesuit 2-0 for its second straight championship.

SOFTBALL

Marshfield’s run in the Class 4A playoffs ended when the Pirates fell to Astoria 14-4 at home in a first-round game.

The Pirates had won the Sky-Em League title, but came up short

against the Fishermen, who then lost to The Dalles 18-2 in the second round Friday.

The Dalles went on to blank Henley 16-0 for the state title.

In the Class 2A-1A playoffs, both Reedsport and Myrtle Point lost on the road in the first round.

The combined Union/ Cove squad edged the Brave 13-12 and Myrtle Point was blanked by Glendale 10-0. Both those schools lost in the second round.

Grant Union blanked Weston-McEwen 10-0 in the championship game.

In Class 3A, Burns edged Scio 1-0 in a

12-inning marathon in the championship game to complete an unbeaten season. The only run came home on a throwing error.

In Class 5A, Dallas edged Lebanon 6-5 in eight innings for the title.

And in Class 6A, Oregon City was arguably the toughest-luck loser of the bunch, falling 1-0 to Sheldon, which had zero hits in the game. Oregon City’s Lily Riley took a perfect game into the seventh inning, but hit Brooke Peterson with one out. She scored on an error and an interference call after a sacrifice bunt by Meara Sain.

Labels

An email came to my attention recently and I have some real concerns with some of the statements regarding the Coos Curry Electric CO-OP Board election. The email was basing support of candidates on the labels “hard” Republican and “hard” Democrat. I submit to you that it’s far more complicated than labels.

Are you OK with the current Board’s lack of transparency by allowing only members to attend the public comment? Interactive discussion with board directors about the member’s expressed concern is not allowed. In my opinion, there is a lack of trust in the board because they are not willing to listen to or respond to members’ concerns.

Are you OK with the current Board spending tens of millions of dollars on a project (Beacon Broadband) that does not seem fiscally responsible? CCEC annual audit meshes CCEC with Beacon so it is impossible to know Beacon’s actual costs.

Are you OK with current Board member, Georgia Cockerham, being banned from all Beacon Broadband meetings and all executive sessions of the CCEC meetings even though she was re-elected by 2/3 voting members? The bylaws state that board members are elected to represent US!

Are you OK with a board that is unwilling to listen to opposing viewpoints from members or other board members? A healthy board should not always agree with each other. Being a “rubber stamp” should NOT be an option.

Are you OK with CCEC/ Beacon providing internet services to individuals in a remote area outside of the CCEC footprint? A $14M was awarded to cover about one quarter of the projected cost of construction because individuals in these remote areas do not have access to fast internet. CCEC is responsible for the balance of the construction costs. Those living outside of the CCEC footprint will have no financial obligation. CCEC members are obligated for the costs, even though we had no choice in the decision.

This election for the CCEC Board should not be about labels but rather about electing the people that will best represent all the CCEC members.

It’s time for a change!

Suzanne Gold Brookings

Thank you so much

The Langlois Lions Club wishes to thank all the wonderful contributors to our recent Mary Hildebrand Plant Sale. The donations included many plants from community members as well as other donations from local businesses. A new feature included the presence of members of the newly formed South Coast chapter of the Oregon Native Plant Society. The members answered many questions about both native plants and the organization. A master gardener and a trainee were also on board. Business support/ donations include: Valley Flora, Dragonfly Farm & Nursery, B & B Farm supply, Raincoast Arts, Old Souls Studios of Langlois, Stillwater Natives Nursery, 101 Plants & Garden Center, Nicki’s Knick Knacks of Port Orford. Copper Goose Nursery, Langlois Market, Candy’s Flowers of Bandon, Westside

Growers, Ray’s of Port Orford, Sea Breeze Florist, and Shinglehouse Nursery.

The thank you list list is long because so many community members have given in one way or another. The Club wishes to acknowledge and extend our profound appreciation to all those who helped make the sale such a success. Plant experts: Olivia Dethlefsen, Charmane Mitchell, Andrea Burke and Kate Henderson, plant donations and /or help in general: Lori Kent, Laurie Johnson, Pete Schuler, Ann Redding, Jo Rieber, Thomas Medlin, Roxy Long, Willow Song, Zach McDermott, Catherine Kadluboski, Dawna Harness, Shelly Vogel, Jim Donaldson, Craig Will, Pam Bird, Diane Gorman, Norma Eikamp, Cynthia Hovind, Issac Donaldson, Elizabeth Kroker and Meridith Vai.

Finally, a plant quote that is tailor- made for some thought and that might make one smile. “Weeds are flowers, too once you get to know them”. (A.A.

Milne)

Deanna McDermott Secretary/Treasurer Langlois Lion

Republican Walkout

Both Democrat and Republican elected officials have a responsibility to the whole of today’s society and future generations’ quality of life. All of the reasons for the Republican walkout are not apparent. Still, it’s pretty clear that the walkout jeopardizes a fleeting opportunity to revitalize Oregon’s coastal and rural economies in districts that Republicans mostly hold. Two years ago, Oregon passed landmark legislation (HB 2021) that requires our major electric utilities to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2040. Historic levels of federal funding (IRA and IIJA) are now available on a competitive basis to provide billions for wind and solar projects. But only states that have programs in place to administer the funds have a good chance of being selected, and bills to do just that are currently stalled in the Senate due to the walkout.

It’s difficult to exaggerate the magnitude of the opportunity at risk. Oregon currently imports a substantial amount of fossil-generated electricity from other states. However, abundant solar and wind resources are available in rural and coastal parts of the state to replace that imported energy. Developing solar, offshore, and landbased wind resources will provide good family-wage jobs to areas where timber and commercial fishing industries have declined. Studies indicate that the amount of renewable energy available is substantially more than the state will need, which could make Oregon an exporter of clean energy, further boosting this new industry well into the future. For example, a recent study at Princeton’s Net-Zero America project stated, “The best wind potential in the country, if not the world, is off the Northern California and Southern Oregon coast.”

It’s time for elected Democrats and Republicans to put their differences aside, find common ground, and develop renewable energy projects that provide economic growth for rural communities and generate hope for future generations.

David M. Petrie, Tribal Elder Coos Bay

To

make a submission to the

Guest Column

By MATT WITT

If you think that race is only an issue in the country’s biggest cities, consider a murder trial that recently concluded in the small town where I live, in the Rogue Valley of southern Oregon.

The defendant in this criminal case was Robert Paul Keegan, a 50-year-old white man. In November 2020, Keegan was staying at a motel in Ashland, a few miles from my home, because his house had burned down two months earlier in a wildfire.

Keegan, who had complained before about noise at the motel, testified that one night at around 4 a.m. he heard loud music and believed it was coming from the motel parking lot where a Black teenager, Aidan Ellison, was sitting in a parked car.

Ellison, 19, was staying at the motel because he’d also lost his home in the fire. A roommate told police that Ellison had trouble sleeping and had gone outside to sit in her car to avoid keeping her awake.

Keegan admitted that he used profane language in shouting at Ellison, and claimed that Ellison responded in kind.

The motel clerk testified that after Keegan complained, he checked the parking lot, heard no music, and found Ellison to be “very chill” in his car.

Then, while Ellison and the clerk were talking, Keegan entered the parking lot with a gun and confronted Ellison. The clerk, the only eyewitness to these events, testified that he tried to break up their heated argument. The argument only lasted a few minutes because suddenly, Keegan fired, killing Ellison with a single gunshot to the chest.

Keegan at first claimed that Ellison hit him in the face, causing him to fear for his life and to fire in self-defense. But photos taken that night by police showed no evidence of Keegan’s face having been hit, and a medical examiner testified that an autopsy showed no evidence that Ellison had struck anyone.

Killing Ellison was “not a reasonable use of force in this situation,” the prosecutor told the jury.

Faced with overwhelming evidence that a white man had killed a young and unarmed Black man, Keegan’s lawyers crafted their case to appeal to the jury, which was composed only of white people.

Keegan claimed he was frightened by this tall Black person, and his lawyers told the jury that Keegan was being unfairly charged by authorities who felt pressure

to be “hyper-vigilant” in a “post-George Floyd world.” The reference was to nationwide protests that followed the police killing of a Black man in Minneapolis in 2020.

After hearing the arguments, the jury found Keegan not guilty of murder — a crime that would have resulted in a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years. Instead, the jury found him guilty of manslaughter — a killing that is “committed recklessly under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to the value of human life.” That crime carries a minimum sentence of 10 years.

The judge in the case applied the minimum sentence plus one additional year each for convictions of unlawful possession of a firearm and reckless endangerment of the motel clerk.

At a community meeting in Ashland last year, Black speakers put the killing of Aidan Ellison in a context they know well. They said that unlike most white people, many people of color live with the constant fear of harassment, discrimination, or even death.

“This is a story we’ve heard again and again, in community after community,” said Nkenge Harmon Johnson, head of the Urban League of Portland.

“Something that should have been nothing at all turns into a deadly situation, and often it’s for a Black or brown person. They are killed at the hand of someone who thinks they have the right to do it, perhaps very much because of the color of the skin of their

victim.”

After Keegan was acquitted of murder, speakers at a protest said that regardless of the trial’s outcome, justice had never been possible for Aidan Ellison, a Black young man who many local residents believe would still be alive today if he’d been white.

“Aidan’s mom will never see her son again,” said Ashland City Councilor Gina DuQuenne. “Aidan will never be a dad. Aidan will never be able to be a grandfather.

“Aidan will never be able to experience life because he is gone, and he’s never coming back.”

Letters to the Editor (Continued)

Way off base Commissioner Taylor has advocated abolishing mail in voting in Coos County on multiple occasions, most recently at the Bandon Town Hall on May 25. Setting aside whether or not county commissioners actually have the legal authority to change election processes, I question the wisdom of such an action.

A nonpartisan review from the Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office released in October of 2020 showed that between 2000 and 2019 Oregonians cast approximately 60.9 million ballots and the Oregon Department of Justice obtained 38 criminal

convictions for voter fraud.

The conservative think tank, The Heritage Foundation has been tracking voter fraud issues since 1979. Their database lists 21 cases in Oregon. Using the higher Oregon office numbers that is a voter fraud rate of .00006%

Research by the Bipartisan Policy Center, the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University, the nonprofit Electronic Registration Information Center and others have concluded there is no evidence that mail balloting increases electoral fraud.

In the 2020 presidential election, Oregon taxpayers

spent $2.48 in administration costs for each ballot cast.

75.5% of eligible voters voted - the 6th highest participation rate in the nation. In contrast in that same election, North Dakota had 50% of their total ballots cast by mail and spent $5.74 per ballot in administration and had only a 64.5% participation rate38th overall.

Given these facts it is hard to fathom an elected official advocating for a more expensive, less effective process to resolve a virtually non-existent problem.

Colleen Welch Bandon

Matt Witt

A teenager who was killed should still be with us

Photo by Matt Witt

Aidan Ellison’s mother, Andrea Woffard.

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Announcements 311

Butterfingers is the cheesecake this week at The Fleet Deli! Come try our best selling fish tacos. We will be open Wed - Sat, 11 - 5. Located next to the cheese factory in Bandon. 541-290-7030.

Need Cage/Kennel Liner?

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The World has bundles of newspaper for $1 ea.

172 Anderson Avenue, Coos Bay

Employment Opps 515

The World is looking for a Graphic Artist and Office Personnel!

Part or Full-time. Flexible hours. Send resume to: worldcirculation@ countrymedia.net

For more than 80 years, Sause Bros. has been setting an unparalleled standard of excellence in the towing industry. We are committed to employee safety, integrity and growth. In support of these commitments, we seek an Electrician Journeyman at our location in Coos Bay, OR.

Required Experience:

*Valid Journeyman Electrician License

*Valid Driver’s License

We offer an outstanding compensation and benefits package (including medical, dental, life, disability, 401k and paid vacation). Sause Bros. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer and Drug Free Workplace. Send your resume to cbemployment@ sause.com.

HELP WANTED! Poker dealers & Blackjack dealers for new social gaming club opening in Coos Bay. Call/text Don Adams for appointment 541-206-3009

SUVs 613

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JOE WARD, BROKER

JOE WARD PROPERTIES

38 years licensed in Oregon 541-912-0934 983 Central Ave., Coos Bay

Legal Notices 999

A public meeting of the Budget Committee of the Gardiner Rural Fire Protection District, Douglas County, Oregon, to discuss the budget for the fiscal year July 15, 2023 through July 14, 2024, will be held on Wednesday, June 7 @ 6pm in the Gardiner Fire Hall. The meeting is to present the proposed budget and to receive comment from the public on the budget. The tentative budget will be posted at the Gardiner Fire Hall prior to the meeting, copies of the tentative budget will be available by contacting the GRFPD at 541-271-3515 or gardinerrfpd@live.com

Published on May 30, June

6, 2023

The World and ONPA (ID:364463)

American Towers LLC is proposing to expand the compound by 10’ by 22’ and includes an assessment area of 30 feet in all directions from the proposed expansion area and the perimeter of the existing equipment compound at 62078 Olive Barber Road, Coos Bay, Coos County, OR 97420, 43.31676, -124.19762, TID 525407.

American Towers LLC seeks comments from all interested persons on any potential significant impact the proposed action could have on the quality of the human environment pursuant to 47 C.F.R. Section 1.1307, including potential impacts to historic or cultural resources that are listed or eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places.

Interested persons may comment or raise concerns about the proposed action by submitting an e-mail to enviro.services@americantower.com. Paper comments can be sent to: American Towers LLC, Attn: Environmental Compliance, 10 Presidential Way, Woburn, MA 01801. Requests or comments should be limited to environmental and historic/cultural resource impact concerns and must be received on or before 7/2/2023. This invitation to comment is separate from any local planning/zoning process that may apply to this project.

Published on June 2 and 6, 2023

The World and ONPA (ID: 364781)

AUCTION NOTICE

The following storage units located at Circle H Storage Facility at 1190 Newmark Ave Coos Bay, OR 97420, will be auctioned off on Friday June 16, 2023 at 10:00 am.

Terms: Cash Only

TENANT: UNIT:

Dolores Thouvenel #119

Michelle Swope #249

Kai Johnson #27

Russell Tupac #30

Douglas McMahan #107

Margaret Fyfe #114

Jesse Spencer #133

Advanced Property Management LLC

Tammy Tice, Property Manager

342 Anderson Avenue Coos Bay, OR 97420

541-269-7210

Published on May 30 and

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COOS

In the Matter of the Estate of:

DONNA LOUISE PERKINS, Deceased.

Case No. 23PB03251

NOTICE TO INTERESTED

PERSONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that Michael Perkins has been appointed personal representative.

All persons having claims against the estate are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the personal representative at P.O. Box 600, Coos Bay, OR 97420, within four (4) months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the attorney for the personal representative, Drew Scott Betts.

/s/ Drew Scott Betts

Drew Scott Betts, OSB #205521

Attorney for Personal Representative

PERSONAL REPRESEN-

TATIVE: Michael J. Perkins

2104 Harrison Avenue North Bend, OR 97459

Telephone: (541) 756-4852

ATTORNEY FOR PERSONAL REPRESENTA-

TIVE:

Drew Scott Betts, OSB

#205521

Costello Law Office, PC

895 Commercial Avenue P.O. Box 600 Coos Bay, OR 97420

Telephone: (541) 808-0284

Email: dbetts@kcostellolaw. com

Published on May 30, June 6 and 13, 2023

The World and ONPA

(ID:364461)

AUCTION NOTICE

The following storage units located at Hauser Dunes Storage Facility at 68512 Hwy 101 North Bend, OR 97459, will be auctioned off on Friday June 16, 2023 at 11:30 am.

Terms: Cash Only TENANT: UNIT: David Rice I Shatrina Bascom S Advanced Property Management LLC Tammy Tice, Property Manager 342 Anderson Avenue Coos Bay, OR 97420 541-269-7210

Published on May 30 and June 6, 2023

The World and ONPA (ID:364167)

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF THE STATE OF OREGON FOR THE COUNTY OF COOS

In the Matter of the Estate of: JOHN VITO QUINCI, Deceased. Case No. 23PB04167

INFORMATION TO INTERESTED PERSONS

NOTICE IS HEREBY

GIVEN that SCOTT QUINCI has been appointed personal representative. All persons having claims against the estate of JOHN VITO QUINCI are required to present them, with vouchers attached, to the personal representative at 15595 Hwy 412 East, Lexington, TN 38351, or through their attorney, Nathan B. McClintock, at PO Box 1178, Coos Bay, OR 97420, or in person at 936 Central Avenue, Coos Bay, Oregon, within four months after the date of first publication of this notice, or the claims may be barred. All persons whose rights may be affected by the

proceedings may obtain additional information from the records of the Court, the personal representative, or the lawyer for the personal representative, Nathan B. McClintock.

Dated and first published on May 23rd, 2023. Nathan B. McClintock, OSB #841520

Attorney for Personal Rep-

resentative

Personal Representative: Scott Quinci 15595 Hwy 412, East Lexington, TN 38351

Telephone: (828) 712-9927

Email: scott@hycorporate.

com

Lawyer for Personal Rep-

resentative: Nathan B. McClintock, OSB #841520 Corrigall & McClintock

P.O. Box 1178 Coos Bay, OR 97420

Telephone:

Fax:

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC AUCTION

Notice is hereby given that the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay will conduct a public auction at 4:00 p.m. on June 22, 2023. Sealed bids for the auction items will be received until 4:00 p.m. at the Charleston Marina office, at which time the sealed bids will be opened and publicly awarded to the highest bidder in order to satisfy moorage and/or storage charges for which the Port has possessory chattel lien under the provisions of ORS 87.152 through 87.212.

All reasonable bids will be considered. The description of the items, the name of the owners or reputed owners of such items, and amounts due on the liens are as fol-

lows: Dave Hardisty Contents of Storage Unit #21 $2,227.33 Mean Jean Tuna LLC SY Items: Net Reels $139.76 Sealed bids will be stamped in date order and must have the bid numbers clearly marked on the envelope. All items can be viewed by appointment only on June 21,

Cole Rivers Hatchery fish loss investigated

ODFW recently concluded an investigation into a fish kill at Cole Rivers Hatchery.

The incident led to the loss of steelhead that contribute to fisheries in the Rogue and Coos River. The loss was caused by human error at ODFW and compounded by infrastructure issues making it difficult to isolate risk.

The 2024 “half-pounder” fishery and the 2025 adult

fishery will be affected because all sac fry for Rogue summer steelhead were lost.

Some of the lost fishing opportunities in the Rogue will be abated because

82,000 summer steelhead smolts were held back in 2022 and will be released in April 2024. A portion of these fish will return after a short time in the ocean as “half-pounders” and will contribute to the 2024

fishery.

Catch-and-release for wild summer steelhead half-pounders and adults will continue. Hatchery adults returning from other release years will also provide some opportunities in 2025.

A significant portion of the Coos winter steelhead fry on hand were lost and the 2025-2026 fisheries will be affected. We expect to release about half of produc-

tion goal (62,500 smolts) in April 2024.

Most of these hatchery steelhead will return in the winter of 2025-2026, depending on ocean survival. A small number of hatchery steelhead from the previous brood year could contribute to that fishery. Anglers can continue to catch and release wild adult steelhead.

ODFW is reviewing protocols to prevent future

operational errors. ODFW and federal partners are also working closely to address infrastructure issues stressing production capabilities.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers directed additional resources towards the hatchery and Oregon’s congressional delegation, led by Senators Merkley and Wyden have secured funding to fix the power supply and begin work on the water supply.

Southwestern Oregon Community College is pleased to announce Dr. Eric Gleason of Winston is the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus. Gleason is a 2012 Southwestern graduate and professionally serves as Deputy Director of Coos Health & Wellness.

The Distinguished Alumni award recognizes individuals who demonstrate significant contributions to their professions, communities, or academia.

“We are excited to recognize a former student who served his country as well as his communities,” said college President Patty Scott.

“Eric Gleason demonstrates Southwestern’s mission and validates our hope that students and graduates will contribute positively to our global society.”

Gleason grew up in North Bend. He joined the U.S. Navy, serving his country for eight years. He returned to the south Oregon coast in 2006 and soon found he wanted to be involved in improving the community.

“Trying to give back to the community in a way to saves lives is a big deal. I never thought I’d be doing that. And, I never thought I’d graduate from college either,” Gleason said while discussing the Distinguished Alumni award.

After becoming injured

during a welding career, Gleason set out in a new direction in life. Enrolling at Southwestern, he used GI BILL® benefits to study and earn an Associate of Arts degree in 2012.

“Without SWOCC, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he said. “If it wasn’t for people believing in me and the faculty being so supportive, I don’t know that I would have continued.”

Gleason did keep learning. After Southwestern, he went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in human development and family science in 2013 from Oregon State University.

While he continued pursuing his education, Gleason worked from 2011-13 as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier. From 2013-15, he served as the Coos County veterans service officer.

“I knew education was a way forward. I kept pursuing it, always trying to give back to community, always trying to improve my community,”

Gleason said.

In 2015, he earned a master’s degree from Arizona State University, and a doctoral degree in behavioral health management from ASU in 2018.

Since becoming a member of Coos Health & Wellness in 2015, Gleason has continued his work to support others in improving their lives. He

guided the department’s public communication efforts throughout the pandemic and has maintained connections with veterans’ efforts. He also served previously in elected local government positions, including North Bend City Council and North

Bend School Board. He remains involved in local theater and activities involving his children.

Since 1992, Southwestern has celebrated former students who have distinguished themselves in professions and innovative

efforts to build friendships around the globe. Past recipients have included leaders in education, the arts, Native American tribes, business and finance, research, medicine, and the military. To learn more about Southwestern visit www.socc.edu.

TwinStar Credit Union and Northwest Community Credit Union Announce Merger Approvals

TwinStar Credit Union and Northwest Community Credit Union (NWCU) are excited to announce their merger has received regulatory approval along with member approval by a vast majority vote of the Northwest Community Credit Union membership. The legal date of the merger for the two organizations is planned for June 12, 2023.

The newly merged organization will serve more than 245,000 members with a branch network of 36 locations across the states of Oregon and Washington. Combined, the organization will have assets of over $4 billion.

The biggest change at the time of the legal merger is that Northwest Community Credit Union will become “Northwest Community Credit Union, a division of TwinStar Credit Union”, as the organization works to determine a unified name for the combined organization. From a member perspective, it will be business as usual as the organization ramps up

efforts to fully integrate their systems in 2024.

NWCU Chief Executive Officer John D. Iglesias expressed his optimism for the future of the combined organization.

“We are excited that our members see the additional benefits of forming this partnership and bringing our two credit unions together for the benefit of members, employees, and communities,” said Iglesias.

“Although our combined organization will be double in size, the true theme of this merger has been and will continue to be about being ‘Better Together.’

Thank you to NWCU members and employees for their active participation in this voting process and for their commitment and loyalty to help ensure we continue to grow and thrive.”

According to both chief executives, this merger is another great example of the impact credit unions can have when they pursue a cooperative partnership with another like-minded

organization.

“We are now eager to begin the process of pooling and combining our resources and our talent to provide further efficiencies and economies of scale to all those we serve,” said Chief Executive Officer of TwinStar Credit Union Jeff Kennedy.

“The boards and leadership teams of both credit unions have worked side by side over the past several months to ensure the original intent of this partnership remained, and that intent was to work collaboratively to make decisions for the future organization and stay focused on our passion for serving members. We know members have many choices when it comes to a financial institution, and we take that very seriously. We’ve been lucky to form this great partnership and are excited about the future. The end goal is to build a greater experience for employees and members, and then everyone wins!”

TwinStar’s Jeff Kennedy will be the chief executive officer

of the new organization and NWCU’s John Iglesias will be the president. More information,

including FAQs regarding the merger can be found on both the TwinStar and NWCU websites.

Everyone, Anywhere, Anytime Newspapers keep us connected, no matter what.

Contributed photo

Dr. Eric Gleason, who graduated from SWOCC in 2012, was recently named the 2023 Distinguished Alumnus by the college.

PUZZLE

Sudoku Puzzle 6/5

HOW TO PLAY: Each row, column, and set of 3-by-3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 through 9 without repetition.

Sudoku Puzzle 6/6

HOW TO PLAY: Each row, column, and set of 3-by-3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 through 9 without repetition.

Sudoku Puzzle 6/7

HOW TO PLAY: Each row, column, and set of 3-by-3 boxes must contain the numbers 1 through 9 without repetition.

PUZZLE ANSWERS

PUZZLE ANSWERS

PUZZLE ANSWERS

Mental health is an essential part of our overall well-being and has a significant impact on our relationships, productivity, and ability to adapt to change and cope with adversity.

Unfortunately, mental illness affects many Oregonians and often becomes life-threatening, increasing the risk of suicidal thoughts and attempts. Early identification and treatment can make a profound difference in the successful management of mental illness and recovery. At Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Jessica Engelke presented a Mental Health Awareness Month proclamation.

CITY OF NORTH BEND, OREGON PROCLAMATION

Whereas, there is a proven connection between good mental health and overall personal health; and

Whereas, mental illnesses affect almost

By DAVID RUPKALVIS

For The World

North Bend City

Councilor Susanna

Noordhoff will represent the city on the Coos Bay-North Water Board Budget Committee after all.

Two weeks after Mayor Jessica Engelke declined a request from Noordhoff to return her to the board, things changed. Engelke explained the city’s finance director had some personal issues come up and asked to be replaced as the city representative on the board. “I know Councilor Noordhoff expressed interest in being on the water board,” Engelke said. “I know

every family in America; and

Whereas, people with mental illnesses recover if given the necessary services and support in their communities; and

Whereas, people with mental illnesses make important contributions to our families and our communities; and

Whereas, millions of adults and children are disabled by mental illnesses every year; and

Whereas, only one out of two people with a serious form of mental illness seeks treatment for his or her mental illness; and

Whereas, stigma and fear of discrimination keep many who would benefit from mental health services from seeking help; and

Whereas, research shows that the most effective way to reduce stigma is through personal contact with someone with a mental illness; and

Whereas, good mental health is critical to the well-being of our

the finance director had something come up and can’t be on the board. Councilor Noordhoff, would you consider being on the board?”

“I’d love that,” Noordhoff responded.

During the regular council meeting, Noordhoff asked that an agenda item placing her on the water board committee be removed from the consent agenda. The item was then passed unanimously by the council.

The move brought to a close a tumultuous time on the council that started when Noordhoff was removed from her committee and board assignments by a vote of the council. Noord-

families, communities, schools, businesses; and

Whereas, greater public awareness about mental illnesses

hoff filed a lawsuit, saying the move violated council rules because the vote was done during “Other Business” with no public notice.

Judge Martin Stone agreed with Noordhoff and told the council to reinstate her to all boards and committees she was removed from.

Since that time, the council has changed its rules and now allows decisions that are not controversial and are unanimous to be considered during “Other Business.”

Noordhoff told The World she would serve the committee with “decorum” and would bring a report back to the council.

can change negative attitudes and behaviors toward people with mental illnesses; NOW THEREFORE, I, Jessica Engelke, Mayor

of the City of North Bend, do hereby proclaim the month of May 2023 as Mental Health Awareness Month IN WITNESS THERE-

OF, I have hereunto set my hand and have caused the Seal of the City of North Bend, OR to be affixed this 23rd day of May 2023.

WORLD STAFF

The city of Reedsport recently announced they hired of a new chief of police.

Chief John Carter will bring more than 20 years of law enforcement experience to Reedsport. For the past nine years he was a chief of police in Monticello, Illinois.

Chief Carter has experience in corrections, communication (dispatch), as well as fire and medical services. He also served as an interim director for Piatt County Illinois Emergency Management.

City officials describe Chief Carter as a “dedicated and proactive professional” who completed a master’s degree in criminal justice from Columbia College.

“He is a transformational leader focused on the future of the department and the accomplishment of goals,” stated Courteney Davis, Reedsport’s deputy city recorder and executive assistant, in a press release.

Chief Carter reported he is grateful for the opportunities previously afforded to him in Illinois and he is ready to embark on a new career path with the Reedsport Police Department. Chief Carter reports he is committed to providing exceptional service with integrity to all city employees and citizens.

A major name brand hearing aid provider wishes to field test a remarkable new digital hearing instrument in the area. This offer is free of charge and you are under no obligation. These revolutionary 100% Digital instruments use the latest technology to comfortably and almost invisibly help you hear more clearly. This technology solves the “stopped up ears” and “head in a barrel” sensation some people experience. If you wish to participate, you will be required to have your hearing tested in our office FREE OF CHARGE to determine candidacy and review your results with the hearing instruments with our hearing care specialist. At the end of this evaluation, you may keep your instrument, if you so desire, at a tremendous savings for participating in this field test. Special testing will be done to determine the increased benefits of this technology. Benefits of hearing aids vary by type and degree of hearing, loss noise environment, accuracy of hearing test, and proper fit.

testing will be done to determine the increased benefits of this technology. Benefits of hearing aids vary by type and degree of hearing, loss noise environment, accuracy of hearing test, and proper fit.

The Miracle Ear Foundation

The Miracle Ear Foundation

Special Notice State Employees

Since 1990 the Miracle-Ear Foundation™ has been providing hearing aids, follow-up care, and educational resources to people with hearing loss who demonstrate personal inability to financially provide for their hearing health needs. We do this because we believe everyone in our community deserves quality hearing instruments.

Since 1990 Miracle-Ear Foundation™ has been providing hearing aids, follow-up and educational resources to people with hearing loss who demonstrate personal inability to financially provide for their hearing health needs. do this because we believe everyone in our community deserves quality hearing instruments.

You may qualify for a hearing aid benefit up to $4,000 every 4 years. Call for eligibility status.

Pictured left to right: North Bend Council President Larry Garboden, Councilor Jenny Jones, Mayor Jessica Engelke, Devereux Center Development Director Barbara F. Milliron, Councilor Susanna

Noordhoff, Councilor Barbara Schultz, and Councilor Pat Goll.