Oregon Coast News - January 28, 2010
Daily news and sports coverage for the Oregon coast plus a variety of guides and directories useful to Oregon residents and visitors.
Rape
Coos Bay Police are investigating a reported rape of a female at an RV park on South Empire Blvd. early Wednesday morning. According to a news release, an unknown male intruded into the women’s shower room about 12:30 a.m. and raped the victim while she showered. The suspect is described as an older white male adult in his 60s around 6-0 to 6-2 tall, medium build, grey collar length hair and a long scruffy grey beard. He was wearing a dark blue flannel shirt and old worn blue jeans. His face was described as being pock marked with open sores. Police arrived within minutes and quickly secured an area perimeter around Kelley’s RV Park at 555 So. Empire Blvd. A canine unit was deployed, but unable to locate the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact CBPD (541) 269-8911.
Gunshots
According to an entry on the Coos Co. Sheriff’s log for Tuesday, 10:41 a.m., Maple & 3rd streets in Myrtle Point. “Assist Myrtle Point PD. Result of traffic stop. Vehicle fled. Driver shooting handgun, possible self-inflicted gunshot wound.”
OPRD meeting
The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission will meet Jan. 28 at the Oxford Suites, 75 82nd Drive, in Gladstone. The meeting will begin at 10:45 a.m. after a commission planning workshop. A complete meeting agenda is posted at: www.oregon.gov/OPRD/documents/2010JanAgenda.pdf. The agenda includes: Adopt Marine Reserve and Marine Protected Area Rules; OAR Chapter 736, Division 29
* The Commission will not be accepting further comment prior to their action.
H1N1 Vaccine Clinics Scheduled January 28 at Lakeside
Coos County Public Health has scheduled a public H1N1 flu clinics on a drop-in basis. The public clinic will be held in Lakeside, Thursday, January 28, from 4 – 6 p.m. at the Lakeside Lion’s Club, 890 Bowron Road. Additionally, the H1N1 vaccine is available on a drop-in basis at the Health Department office in the North Bend Annex on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, 8 -11 a.m. and 1 to 4 p.m. The vaccine is also available at medical clinics and some pharmacies in the county. The H1N1 vaccine is free, and no one can pay out of pocket at the public health clinics, although insurance may be billed for persons whose insurance pays for the administration of the H1N1 vaccine. Most of the vaccine provided will be in the form of shots, although nose spray will be available. Lena Hawtin, Coos County Immunization Coordinator, reports that “Plenty of vaccine is available, and wait times are short.” For more information about H1N1, call Coos County Public Health at 756-2020, ext. 580, the Oregon Hotline, 1-800-978-3040, and go to the websites www.flu.oregon.gov and www.co.coos.or.us.
Coquille Tribal Community Fund
The Coquille Tribal Community Fund will provide $294,000 in grants this year to projects at 46 area non-profit organizations and public agencies. At its annual meeting, the Fund's Board of Trustees placed added emphasis on programs directed toward individuals and families who were adversely affected by the regional and national economic downturn. "Our trustees are acutely aware of the need for basic services throughout the region," said Julia Willis, Fund administrator. "Programs providing food, emergency housing and health services were given a high priority in this year's funding decisions." In its continuing emphasis on feeding the hungry, the Fund provided $82,475 to 14 organizations operating food pantries, senior meals programs, community gardens and children's nutrition. Board members provided an additional $27,000 for housing and health care programs. In addition, the Fund continued its support for the Coos County Historical Society's Waterfront Museum with a grant for $70,000. Grants totaling more than $30,000 were provided for the arts and art education programs. The Coquille Indian Tribe established the community fund in 2001 as a way to share profits from The Mill Casino with community organizations. Since its inception, the fund has distributed close to $3.5 million to support charitable efforts throughout the region. The Coquille Tribal Community Fund supports non-profit and governmental organizations with projects in the areas of education, health, public safety, problem gaming, environmental issues, arts and culture and historic preservation. Funds, derived from a percentage of revenues from The Mill Casino, are managed and distributed by a board of trustees comprised of community leaders, a gubernatorial appointee and representatives of the Coquille Indian Tribe and the Coquille Economic Development Corporation. The fund reflects the commitment of the Coquille Indian Tribe to take a proactive, positive role in the well-being of the community. The Tribe is among the largest employers in Coos County, and, through the Coquille Economic Development Corporation, manages The Mill Casino * Hotel & RV Park along with business ventures in assisted living, organic cranberry farming and high-speed telecommunications. For organizations wishing to be considered for the next round of funding, the deadline for applications is Aug. 31. For more information, visit the Fund Web site at www.coquilletribalfund.org. The following organizations received funds this year: * Bandon Community Youth Center - $2,500 for job skills development program. * Bay Area Senior Activity Center - $5,000 for senior lunch program. * CASA of Lane County - $5,000 for volunteer screening, training and supervision. * Christian Help Food Bank - $5,000 for snack pack program and food purchases. * Community Emergency Resources & Vital Services - $5,000 for food bank and children's school supplies. * Community Sharing Program - $2,500 for holiday meal boxes. * Coos Art Museum - $2,000 for 2010 Biennial Student Art Exhibit. * Coos Bay Police Dept. - $2,500 for crime prevention program. * Coos Bay Seventh Day Adventist Food Pantry - $6,000 for food purchases. * Coos County Friends of Public Health - $2,500 for women's health service vouchers. * Coos County Historical Society - $70,000 for waterfront museum and plaza. * Coos County Public Health - $2,500 for exam vouchers for teens. * Coos County RSVP - $3,500 for mileage reimbursement for volunteers. * Coquille Valley Art Association - $3,000 for replacement kiln and improvements. * Ecumenical Emergency Food Cupboard - $5,000 for food purchases. * Egyptian Theatre Preservation Assoc. - $6,500 for stage lighting. * Ellensburg Theater Company - $3,600 for ADA compliance for new theater. * Florence Food Share - $2,500 for food purchases. * Friends of South Slough Reserve - $11,100 for the Aquaria project. * Lower Umpqua Community Center - $5,000 for new kitchen flooring. * Mental Health Assoc. of SW Oregon - $6,000 for Living Well with Chronic Conditions program. * Music on the Bay - $10,000 for stage roof and handicap access. * Myrtle Point Senior Center - $1,000 for window replacement. * ORCCA-CASA - $5,000 for training and support of volunteers. * ORCCA-Emergency Housing - $3,000 for emergency housing program. * ORCCA-Share Bear Snack Pack program - $5,000 for supplemental weekend food. * ORCCA-South Coast Food Share - $5,000 for transportation costs. * Over the Rainbow, Inc. - $2,000 for horse feed. * Parent Partnership, Ltd. - $5,500 for McKinney Homeless Youth program. * Planned Parenthood of SW Oregon - $5,000 for educational programs. * Powers Action Team - $3,750 for projector and screen for Saturday Nite Movies in the Park. * Powers Food Pantry - $6,000 for food purchases. * Powers School District - $2,500 for equipment for Native Species Center. * Rogue Gallery & Art Center - $2,000 for Drop in & Draw program. * Rogue Valley Habitat for Humanity - $2,500 for drywall and insulation for new home. * Shelter Care - $5,000 for prescription drug program for the homeless. * SMART - $5,000 to provide program to 34 children. * South Coast Business Employment Corp. - $12,000 for senior meals. * South Coast Community Garden Assoc. - $3,475 for a shed. * Southern Oregon Adolescent Study & Treatment Center - $6,000 for pre-vocational work-study program. * Star of Hope Activity Center - $3,000 for new equipment for Oregon Connection. * Triangle Food Box - $5,000 for food purchases. * University of Oregon Museum of Natural History - $6,575 for a compact storage system. * Walter Graham Food Pantry - $10,000 for food purchases. * Women's Safety and Resource Center - $18,000 for a sexual assault advocate. * Zonta (Coos Bay area) - $5,000 for the Little Red Schoolhouse Project.
On the road again
The staff at the Coos Bay – North Bend – Charleston Visitor’s Convention Bureau will be on the road in February promoting the Bay Area to potential visitors. According to Director Katherine Hoppe, they’ll attend Sportsmen Shows in Roseburg, Eugene, and
Medford during the month. “We’re looking for businesses to help man the booth, promote the area, and also have the opportunity to promote their tourist related business. Here’s your chance to help yourself and our area at the same time!” Contact Hoppe at (541) 269-0215, or kat@oregonsadventurecoast.com. The VCB will also have available as of Feb. 5th, new “window clings” a circular design sticker that promotes “Oregon’s Adventure Coast, You’ll Love It Here!” The giveaways are good for business or even vehicle windows. They’ll be available at the Visitor’s Center downtown Coos Bay.
Snowpack
One of the warmest Januarys on record could spell trouble for Oregon’s farmers and others who depend on summer stream flows this year. The strongest El Nino since 1998 is behind the warm weather. According to officials at the Oregon Climate Change Research Institute at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Eugene (45.9) and Salem (46.4) are within a degree of their warmest January, both set in 1953 – and roughly seven-degrees higher than normal. Portland is 5.4-degrees warmer than normal, although its average January temperature of 44.9 is well below its 1953 record of 47.31-degrees. The impact of the warm temperatures, along with a cold, dry December, has created snowpack levels that are about 50 to 70 percent of normal, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service. The easternmost part of Oregon is in the best shape, closer to 80 percent. The current El Niño is classified as “strong,” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Sea surface temperatures in the El Niño region of the tropical Pacific Ocean were more than 1.8 degrees (celsius) above normal, the highest since early 1998, OCCRI Director Phillip Mote said. OSU oceanographer Kipp Shearman said local sea surface temperatures this January at the Stonewall Bank buoy 20 miles offshore have ranged from 10.3 to 11.2 degrees celsisus – slightly above the long-term average for January of 10.2 degrees, though far short of the powerful El Niño of the late 1990s. A snow survey will be conducted today, Jan. 28.
Forest fires
A recent study at Oregon State University in Corvallis indicates that some past approaches to calculating the impacts of forest fires have grossly overestimated the number of live trees that burn up and the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere as a result. Back in 2002 when the Biscuit Fire in Southwest Oregon was considered the nation’s largest forest fire, researchers estimate that all fires in the state that year only emitted about 22-percent of industrial and fossil fuel emissions in Oregon, and that number is much lower for most years, about a 3-percent average for the 10-years from 1992-2001. Fire suppression has resulted in a short-term reduction of greenhouse gases, the researchers said, but on a long-term basis fire will still be an inevitable part of forest ecosystems. Timber harvest also has much more impact on carbon dynamics than fire. Because of this, forest fires will be a relatively minor player in greenhouse gas mitigation strategies compared to other factors, such as human consumption of fossil fuels, they said.
Rail trial
A trial between Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad and the State of Oregon over the Oregon Department of Transportation’s decision to not go through with a $7.7 million grant for a rail switching yard at Winchester, north of Roseburg, could be moved to Lane County or even Marion County. The state has asked a Douglas County court for a change of venue saying residents in Eugene or Salem have been exposed to far less media coverage of the conflict than those in the Umpqua Valley. CORP is arguing the state took away the grant in retaliation for closing the Coquille to Eugene rail line in September of 2007. State officials argue that the sudden embargo of the 111-mile long line was a violation of the grant agreement. A hearing on the change of venue request is set for Feb. 2 in Roseburg. The jury trial has been scheduled to begin Feb. 23.
DEQ penalty
The Oregon Department of Environmental Quality has fined Anthony M. Simon, owner of the King Silver RV Park & Marina, a total of $108,324 for discharging sewage onto the ground and operating an unpermitted sewage treatment system along the Alsea River near Waldport on the Central Oregon Coast. Simon has until Feb. 5 to appeal the penalty.
Boat Building Center
The City of Coos Bay Boat Building Center Board of Directors will hold a meeting Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010, 1:15 p.m., Conference Room at North Point, Inc., 100 Central Avenue, Coos Bay OR.
Mardi Gras Swamp Fest
Good food, plenty of fun and some toe-tapping "swamp rock" are planned for the Mardi Gras Swamp Fest, to be held on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Harbortown Events Center, 325 Second St., in Bandon. The Coos Historical and Maritime Museum and Kirk and Betty Day and the Harbortown Events Center are sponsoring the fund-raising dinner and dancing from 7 to 11 p.m. McFarlin's Pub in Bandon is catering the event and those attending will dine on McFarlin's famous barbecued pork sandwiches and other dishes featuring a Mardi Gras flavor. Guest will dance to the swamp rock offerings of Kelly Thibodeaux and the Etouffee Band. The evening will also feature a no-host bar, face painting, and a fortune-teller to chart your stars. Photographs will also be available. Guests will be eligible to win the door prize: "Huey," a 6-foot-long plush alligator. Huey currently can be seen in the window of Benetti's Italian Restaurant, 260 S. Broadway, in downtown Coos Bay. Tickets for the evening's dinner and entertainment are $25 in advance ($30 at the door) and are available from museum board members and at outlets throughout the county, including, in North Bend, the Coos Historical and Maritime Museum, 1220 Sherman Ave. and Books by the Bay, 1875 Sherman Ave.; in Coos Bay at Farr's True Value Hardware, 880 S. First St. and The Shop in the Hub Building on Broadway; in Coquille at Farr's, 220 N. Central Blvd.; in Myrtle Point at the Myrtle Point Herald, 711 Spruce St.; and in Bandon at Winter River Books, 170 Second St. SE and Gibson Graphics, 610 Second St. SE.
CB Parks Commission
The City of Coos Bay Parks Commission will meet on Thursday, January 28, 2010, 4:00 PM, Public Works Conference Room. Agenda: I. Call to Order and Approval of October 8, 2009 and December 10, 2009 Minutes; II. Eastside Park Improvements – John Ambrosini; III. Consideration of Eastside Park Signage; IV. Eastside Park Name Change; V. Ford Leadership Project in John Topits and Eastside Parks; VI. Status of Scout Cabin Refurbishing Project; VII. Empire Boat Ramp Project Status; VIII. John Topits Bridge Project; IX. Prioritization of Parks Commission Project List for Budget Consideration. Meeting will adjourn at 5:00 p.m. Public comments limited to 10 minutes.
DWS
According to an entry on the North Bend Police log for Tuesday, 9:28 p.m., Newmark & Ash streets, 18-year old Katelynn Martin cited for Driving While Suspended.
Egged
A house and two vehicles were reported egged by a juvenile on the 2000 block of Virginia Court in North Bend Tuesday night. According to an entry on the police log for 6:39 p.m., “officer contacted RP. Logged for info and RP will speak to Housing Authority.”
Cell phone
An individual reported to North Bend Police Tuesday afternoon, 4:37 p.m., “almost being struck by a vehicle while on foot in front of Sterling Bank, RP stated the driver was on a cell phone.” According to an entry on the police log for the 1600 block of Virginia Ave., “officer located vehicle parked at Pony Village Mall / subject was warned.”
DWS
According to an entry on the North Bend Police log for Tuesday, 8:51 a.m., Sherman Ave. at Wood Shed, 49-year old Paul Topping, Westport, cited for DWS – Violation, Driving without Insurance and Driving Outside Restrictions.
Theft
According to an entry on the Coos Bay Police log for Tuesday, 6:22 p.m., Empire Lakes, a 52-year old female reported “theft from a vehicle.”
Dispute
According to an entry on the Coos Bay Police log for Tuesday, 5:41 p.m., 100 block Hull St., “dispute.” Thirty-three year old Steven Orren Leeper arrested for Assault IV, Disorderly Conduct and Interfering with Police.
Pursuit
According to entries on the Coos Bay Police log for Tuesday, 3:55 p.m., No. Bayshore, “in pursuit of subject on a bicycle.” At 4:13 p.m., Hemlock near Probuild, “mailman advises the subject on the orange bike is on Hemlock going towards Probuild.”
Shoplifter
According to an entry on the Coquille Police log for Tuesday, 1:37 p.m., 400 No. Central Blvd., McKay’s Market reported “shoplifter in custody.” Twenty-seven year old Brandy West was charged with Theft III and Burglary II.
Cow
According to an entry on the Coos Co. Sheriff’s log for Tuesday, 6:04 p.m., Cape Arago Hwy., a male caller reported “vehicle struck cow.” Call transferred to Oregon State Police.
Urinating
According to an entry on the Coos Co. Sheriff’s log for Tuesday, 2:43 p.m., 1611 Virginia Ave., “subject urinating on dumpster.” Subject was warned of possible Disorderly Conduct charge.
WX
Mostly cloudy along the Oregon Coast today with rain by Friday. Highs in the lower to mid 50s and south winds 5-10 mph. Chance of rain tonight with lows in the lower to mid 40s and south winds 10-20 mph.
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OREGON COAST SPORTS
MHS Boosters
The Marshfield Booster Club will meet Thursday, 11:30 a.m., Abby’s Pizza. Pirate coaches and athletes will be in attendance to talk about their current sport seasons.
NB wr
North Bend’s wrestling team is scheduled to host South Umpqua, Creswell and Reedsport tonight at home.
NB sw
North Bend’s coed swimming team will host Phoenix from Southern Oregon today at the Municipal Pool beginning at 4 p.m.
MHS Athletes of the Week
Senior basketball player Kyle Tedder and sophomore swimmer Kirby Neale have been chosen as the Athletes of the Week by the Marshfield Booster Club Board following nominations by their coaches. The two will be honored with framed certificates that include an action photo. Boy’s basketball Coach Jesse Ainsworth – “Kyle Tedder, averaged 23 ppg, 5apg, 4rpg, 2bpg. Was KEZI-TV Player of the Week and nominated as a McDonalds All-American.” Girl's swimming Coach Kathe Stufflebean – “Kirby Neale is my girls nomination. Kirby won the 200&500 freestyles against Springfield. Kirby is a versatile swimmer and competes in a lot of different events for us. Kirby has a great attitude about swimming and will help out the team in whatever we need. Both swims were lifetime bests.”
Pac-10 bxb
Oregon and Oregon State host USC and UCLA in Pac-10 men’s basketball tonight in the Willamette Valley while the women’s teams travel to Southern California to play the Bruins and Trojans. The Beavers get USC tonight, and the Ducks play UCLA. They’ll swap opponents on Saturday.
Prep XC
The team state championship qualifying component for the prep sports of Cross Country and Golf will remain the same as before by the Oregon Schools Activities Association. The OSAA Championship Committee was considering eliminating team qualifying saying both Cross County and Golf are considered individual sports and more in line with Track & Field, Wrestling and Tennis. However, once high school coaches got wind of the proposed elimination, a flurry of emails, letters and a petition, with over 2,000 signatures protesting the move, flooded the OSAA offices in Wilsonville. According to a news release, the OSAA still plans to explore “alternative ideas to meet its mandated charges.” Those charges include reducing “the financial pressures on member schools and the Association to strengthen the competitive level of the teams/individuals in the championship events.”
Blazers
Deron Williams scored 24-points as the Utah Jazz beat the Portland Trailblazers 106-95 in an NBA game at the Rose Garden Wednesday night. The Blazers (27-20) were down by 26-points in the second period to the Jazz (27-18), but cut the deficit to five in the fourth. Portland plays at Houston Friday.
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