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NELSON MANDELA DIES
Blazers dismantle Jazz, B1
South African leader was 95, A6
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2013
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Keiser outlines next venture BY JOHN GUNTHER The World
BANDON — Now that the Oregon Parks Commission has approved the concept of a land swap that could clear the way for the Bandon Links golf complex, Mike Keiser’s vision for the gorse-choked area is closer to reality. Keiser owns the renowned Bandon Dunes Golf Resort, but has proposed the land swap through a separate company he started in Coos County, Bandon Biota LLC. The process took longer than Keiser hoped and will cost more than he initially expected, but, in an interview with The World this week, he said he’s delighted it appears headed toward final approval.
“Frankly, I give a lot of credit to Tim Wood, who was really tough,” Keiser said of the State Parks director. Under state rules, a transfer like this one requires overwhelming public benefit. “My initial offer, I thought, was extremely generous, and he made me double my offer, to go from beneficial to the public to overwhelming public benefit,” Keiser said. “I was gratified the board agreed with Tim Wood and supported the idea.” In the land exchange, Bandon Biota would transfer 208 acres in the Bandon area into the state parks system, provide $450,000 in matching funds to help the state purchase property at Whale Cove near Depoe Bay and $2.5 million to buy a portion of a ranch in
Grant County, and give the state $300,000 for gorse control in Coos and Curry counties. Bandon Biota would receive 280 acres in the Bandon State Natural Area south of town. While giving conditional approval for the swap last month, the Commission asked parks staff for additional documentation on the various aspects of the exchange. A public comment period ended Friday. If the Commission approves the swap at its February meeting, the project still needs to go through the local permitting process. But Keiser hopes to be able to start working on specifics of the project. First, he hopes the state will allow Gil SEE BANDON | A8
Assistant principal to guide NB schools BY CHELSEA DAVIS The World
NORTH BEND — Bill Yester’s first decision as acting superintendent was to cancel school. In open session Thursday afternoon, the North Bend school board voted unanimously to appoint Yester as acting superintendent, effective immediately. Yester has served as North Bend High’s assistant principal for the last eight years. Just a few hours after his appointment, he made the call to cancel school on Friday due to inclement weather. BJ Hollensteiner announced her retirement Tuesday morning after seven and a half years as superintendent of the North Bend school district. Her retirement takes effect Dec. 31. School board chair Megan Jacquot said Hollensteiner will be on medical leave until that point. “I apologize for any inconvenience and anxiety this may have caused to staff,” Jacquot said. “Health and family issues sometimes change.” Yester said this week has been “a whirlwind.” “Dr. Hollensteiner was a great leader and taught us a lot of things,” he said. “She gave us a great I love this base to work off of. district and it’s We have a lot of still, but a great place to challenges we have people in work. We have this district who will be able to handle a great faculty, those challenges.” One of those great staff and challenges — and Yester’s top priority I’m very proud — is settling the to be part of it. teacher contract that is heading into Bill Yester mediation on Jan. 9. Acting NB superintendent The school board and North Bend E d u c a t i o n Association have been unable to reach an agreement after months of negotiations. Jacquot said Hollensteiner will help Yester as needed as he takes on the role of leading the school district. As of Jan. 1, Yester’s title will change to “interim superintendent.” Jacquot said the board was looking for someone local and familiar with the district’s issues, as well as someone with the “qualifications, integrity and solid relationships with stakeholders in the community and staff.” “Bill Yester is the one person who fits those criteria,” she said. She said Hollensteiner’s severance agreement is a confidential document that will not
By Alysha Beck, The World
Captain Jonny Rush sells organic fish out of his bus. Rush plans to sell fish off South Front Street in Coos Bay through Christmas and donate part of his proceeds to the Holy Name Catholic Church in Coquille.
Ride, captain, ride
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COOS BAY — The captain’s back in town, and this time he’s sticking around. “Captain” Jonny Rush and his nautically decorated schoolbus are taking up residence at 1150 S. Front St. in Coos Bay, just west of the Coal Bank Slough bridge. The bus — which Rush calls “Red Dog” — turned heads when he rolled into town over the summer. “I left here in July and had such a great time,” he said. Now, he’s secured a long-term lease for the property to sell fish alongside U.S.
This mystery ship, parked in south Coos Bay, sells fish Highway 101. Rush, who constantly wears a white sea captain’s hat, said he’s been selling fish out of the bus for almost 20 years. Large chest freezers inside the bus store hundreds of pounds of seafood, which Rush sells up and down the West Coast. “I just came from Centralia (Wash.),” he said.
Rush regularly stocks sea bass, lingcod and halibut, which he purchases from processors in the form of large “chowder” chunks and sells at lower cost than filets. Like many fishmongers, he stresses that all his product is chemical-free. This year, he said, he’s branching out a bit with an offering not commonly found in Oregon fish markets: snow crab. One of his go-to processors recently procured 2,000 pounds of the deepwater crustacean, which is found in the northern Pacific. Rush said he plans to sell the snow crab SEE FISH | A8
‘Pearl’ survivor thrives meeting visitors BY AUDREY MCAVOY The Associated Press
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii — Herb Weatherwax cruises the open-air grounds of the visitors center at Pearl Harbor on a motorized scooter dubbed “Herb’s Hot Rod.” When a woman notices his blue and white cap embroidered with the words “Pearl Harbor Survivor,” he coaxes her over.
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Michael Graham, Coos Bay Marvin Wright, Reedsport Betty Kroush, Coos Bay Stephanie Teese, Coos Bay Lenora Pillion, Bandon Mary Evans, North Bend
“Come get a picture,” Weatherwax says. Her family surrounds his scooter to pose for a snapshot and shake his hand. The 96-year-old charms visitors in a similar fashion each of the three days a week he volunteers at a memorial for the USS Arizona, a battleship that sank in the 1941 Japanese attack. The retired electrician is one of four former servicemen who lived through the aerial bombing and now greet people at the historic site.
Richard Myers Jr., Myrtle Point Nadine Burnette, Coos Bay John Whittmore, North Bend
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BY THOMAS MORIARTY
People like hearing stories directly from the survivors, Weatherwax says. And he enjoys meeting people from around the globe — just the other day he met visitors from New Zealand, China and Texas. He joked he wants his photograph “in every home in the world.” “This is my reason to continue to keep going,” he says. “Otherwise, it’s time for SEE PEARL | A8
Sunny 36/19 Weather | A8