Oregon Coast News - May 19, 2010
Daily news and sports coverage for the Oregon coast plus a variety of guides and directories useful to Oregon residents and visitors.
Election
According to the final unofficial election results from Tuesday, May 18th, the registered voter turnout in Coos County was 50.66%. Out of the 34,812 registered voters, 17,637 cast ballots. Democrats - U.S. Senate, Ron Wyden with 82.41% (statewide Wyden 90%); U.S. Congress District 4, Peter DeFazio 96.91%; Governor, John Kitzhaber 50.85% (statewide Kitzhaber 67% to Bill Bradbury 29%); State Treasurer, Ted Wheeler 51.91%; State Representative, District 1, Lynn Kindred 64.80%; State Representative, District 9, Arnie Roblan 96.89%. Republicans – U.S. Senate, Jim Huffman 31.43% (statewide Huffman 42%); U.S. Congress District 4, Art Robinson 78.31% (District wide: Robinson 79.6% to Jaynee Germond 20.0%); Governor, Allen Alley 36.35% (statewide, former pro basketball player Chris Dudley 40% to Alley’s 32%); State Treasurer, Chris Telfer 98.69% (statewide Telfer 65% to Rick Metsger’s 35%); State Representative, District 1, Wayne Krieger 98.88%; Supt. Of Public Instruction, Susan Castillo 54.31% (statewide Castillo 51% to Ron Maurer’s 49%).
Coos Co. Commissioner
Unofficial final results from Tuesday’s election: Coos Co. Commissioner Pos. 2: Nikki Whitty 42.11%; Larry Van Elsberg 27.51%; Mary T. Loiselle 13.65%; Don Van Dyke 9.63%; Steve Pickering 6.73%. Pos. 3: Andy Jackson 39.03%; Kevin Stufflebean 26.15%; Gordon Ross 21.76% Dale A. Pennie 4.37% Rachel C. Houston-Duncan 3.36%; Geno Landrum 3.12%.
Special elections
Bandon City Police Operating Levy: No 56.18%; Yes 43.82%. Formation of Cammann Road District: Yes 50.79%; No 49.21%.
Structure fire
At 2:21 AM Tuesday, May 18 the Coos Bay Fire Department responded to a reported fire at 726 South Second Street, Coos Bay. Occupants of the apartment complex had discovered a fire at that location. Fire units were on the scene within 4 minutes and reported a fire on the exterior of the building with fire extending to apartment on the corner. The building has five apartments in it with four of them occupied. All of the residents had fled the building before fire units arrived on the scene. The owner of the building is Glenn Olson of Roseburg. The building was occupied by Cathy Spencer, Toni Nichols, Denis Forester and Valene Spencer with two minors ages 6 & 8. The local Red Cross Disaster Assistance Team was called to help the victims. Firefighters took 35 minutes to bring the fire under control. The damage estimate is placed at $120,000.00 to the building and $30,000.00 to the contents. The investigation into the cause of the fire is continuing. 26 firefighters, 3 engines, an aerial and two support units responded to the fire. Crews were on the scene until 5:30 AM conducting the investigation and salvage operations. There were no injuries reported.
GP man arrested on sex crimes
Oregon State Police (OSP) Criminal Investigations Division detectives arrested a 53-year old Grants Pass-area man May 17 on numerous sex offenses following a six month investigation. Detective Tom Harrison (OSP Central Point) and Detective John Riddle (OSP Coos Bay) completed the investigation which was presented by the Josephine County District Attorney's Office before a Grand Jury and resulted in the indictment against CRAIG ALAN SWINNEY, age 53, on the following charges: * Rape in the First Degree; * Sodomy in the First Degree; * Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the First Degree; * Sex Abuse in the First Degree; * Sodomy in the Second Degree; * Unlawful Sexual Penetration in the Second Degree. The charges are related to alleged sex crimes over a six year period toward a juvenile female. Following the indictment, arrest warrants were obtained and on May 17, 2010 at 2:15 p.m. OSP detectives arrested SWINNEY at a Grants Pass-area residence without incident. SWINNEY was lodged in the Josephine County Jail. Bail is listed at $400,000.
Hiker Identified
The 20-year old hiker who fell to his death off of the 3,300-foot high Saddle Mountain on the North Oregon Coast Sunday has been identified as Shawn DeCew of Centralia, WA. According to officials, DeCew ignored a fence that keeps people away from a 200-foot deep ravine and went over it to get a better picture of the sweeping view from the Clatsop County mountain. He lost his footing and fell. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter from Air Station Astoria recovered his body.
VA Clinic
Another Veteran’s Administration Clinic has opened on the Oregon Coast. On Monday, the Newport Clinic opened on the Central Oregon Coast to service the area’s nearly 6,000 veterans. The North Bend Clinic opened last year to save South Coast veterans the long commute to the VA Hospital in Roseburg. The Newport Clinic will save veterans the long trip to Portland. The VA is providing a doctor and mental health care specialist, while Lincoln Co. provides the support staff and clinic space at the Newport Community Health Center.
Teens charged
Four teenage students from Astoria High School on the North Oregon Coast have been charged with killing four elk out of season and leaving them to waste. The four, ages 15 & 16, killed the elk during a camping trip in Clatsop County in April.
Anglers can keep wild spring chinook below Gold Ray Dam on Rogue River
This Saturday, the Rogue River from the mouth upstream to Gold Ray Dam opens to harvest of wild spring chinook salmon. With high numbers of returning wild spring chinook this year, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is opening the season about 10 days early. According to biologists, several signs point to an improved spring chinook run this year. Fishing on the lower river has been very good for most of this season, there are good returns to Cole Rivers Hatchery, and the count of wild springers over Gold Ray Dam is up. “It’s a great year to fish the Rogue for spring chinook,” says Rogue District Fish Biologist Dan Van Dyke. “There are plenty of hatchery fish and numbers of wild fish are up. Just a reminder, the bag limit is still two adult salmon a day, whether wild or hatchery.” The bag limit for jack salmon is five per day, whether hatchery or wild. Anglers cannot continue to fish for jack salmon after reach the two bag limit on adult salmon. Van Dyke attributes this year’s good numbers of returning spring chinook to greatly improved ocean conditions. Harvest restrictions on wild chinook have also helped.
OR 126 North Fork Siuslaw Bridge is complete
A $14.5-million project to build a new bridge on OR 126, west of Mapleton, is now complete. The new North Fork Siuslaw Bridge is wider than the old bridge, and meets all current standards for shoulder width, vehicle crash protection barrier and earthquake sustainability. The new bridge replaces a narrower bridge built in 1960 that was deteriorating and did not meet current standards. The bridge replacement project also enhanced safety by improving sight distance at North Fork Road. The new bridge was placed on an alignment just south of the previous bridge. Traffic was diverted onto the new bridge in October, 2009, nearly a year ahead of schedule. Mowat Construction Company, the contractor, was able to take advantage of favorable weather conditions and environmental timetables to complete construction early. The contractor then demolished the old bridge and disassembled the work bridge. The project successfully protected estuarine and forested wetlands, clam beds and eel grass beds. It also successfully avoided a nearby archeological site and cemetery. The public may see workers on or near the bridge in the immediate future as they continue to make last minute adjustments or changes to minor elements of the project.
NB Planning vacancy
The City of North Bend is accepting applications to fill a vacancy on the North Bend Planning Commission. Interested individuals may obtain a committee application at the North Bend City Hall reception area, the City’s web site http://www.northbendcity.org, or by calling 541-756-8529. Completed applications should be sent to: Joann Thompson, City Recorder, City of North Bend, P.O. Box B, North Bend, Oregon by June 3, 2010. The North Bend City Council will review the applications and fill the vacancy during their regularly scheduled meeting on June 8, 2010.
No school
Students at North Bend High School will have a day off from school today. Seniors; however, will complete their “Transition Panels.”
Marine Reserve Recommendation Committee
Agenda: Wednesday, May 19, 2010, 5:30 p.m. - Housing Authority Conference Room, North Bend. 5:30 Open Meeting: Chairman Jim Pex: Opening remarks & updates; Approve Minutes of April 28, 2010 meetings; Governor’s Executive Order and
communications regarding Marine Reserves. Facilitated Discussion: Crystal Shoji, Facilitator: Proposing consensus, amending a vote, etc.; Presentation of a proposed approach to facilitate further discussion: Jim Pex & Jan Hodder. Presentation of maps & data layers: Andy Lanier, Coastal Resources Specialist, DLCD. Participant questions, comments & suggestions for further configuring map data for use by this group. Confirm next steps: Who, What, When, Where? Posting methodology for participants to propose topics for consensus & to amend votes will avoid confusion. 8:30 close the meeting: Chair Jim Pex. Confirm schedule for future meetings; Around the Table; Closing remarks; Adjourn
IBO
Bay Area Chamber of Commerce IBO Luncheon Forum Presents: MIKE LEHMAN, CARDINAL SERVICES, Labor Law Updates: Avoiding Pitfalls & Achieving Best Practices. Wednesday May 19th at the Mill Casino-Hotel—Salmon Room, 11:3- a.m. Give us a call at the Chamber office (541-266-0868), a return email or a note from your folks, and we can have your seat ready!
Joint lender’s training to be offered in Coos Bay
“Joint Lender’s Training - Financing Made Easy” will be offered May 19 in two separate sessions. The first session, from 8 to11 a.m., is for lenders only. A second session, held from 1 – 3 p.m., is open to the public. This free cosponsored event is an opportunity for local financial institutions to learn more about the client funding opportunities provided by USDA Rural Development, US Small Business Administration, Business Oregon, Farm Service Agency, and Southwestern Oregon Community College Business Development Center. These agencies have joined forces to help local lenders learn more about this year’s many changes to the government programs helping small businesses. Lenders will be able to speak directly with agency representatives about this year’s product changes and how to best utilize them. The second half of the day is dedicated to a panel of local business lenders who will discuss what their individual institutions have to offer area businesses. Both sessions will be located in Lakeview Rooms E/F on the second floor of Empire Hall on the Coos Campus of Southwestern Oregon Community College. For registration or further information please contact the Southwestern Oregon Community College Business Development Center at 541-756-6866.
Welding program offers free rigging workshop
The Southwestern Oregon Community College Welding and Fabrication Program is offering a free Basic Rigging Fundamentals workshop on May 19. This 4-hour training is designed for the person that needs to transport heavy loads in slings or other riggings. The course will be taught by Paul West of Safety Directions LLC. A special certification will be awarded upon completion of the course. The course will discuss risk management; loads on rigging and the rigging triangle; application of hardware; proper application of slings; inspection of slings and hardware; and, rigging principles and load control. The class begins at 6 p.m. in the Welding Lab of Fairview Hall on the Coos Campus. This training is 100% federally funded from a $1,998,815 Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration grant. Class size for this free training is limited. To reserve a seat or for more details, call Southwestern Community Based Job Training coordinator Tony LaPlante at 541-888-7239.
Five meetings focus on groundfish management
Meetings in five Oregon ports will discuss sport and commercial groundfish issues for 2011 and 2012. The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) is currently setting harvest levels and management measures for the next two years of recreational and commercial groundfish fishing. Eight West Coast groundfish species are declared overfished with six of those species affecting fisheries off Oregon. In April the PFMC adopted preferred harvest levels for both depleted and healthy stocks, as well as a range of management measures for all groundfish fisheries. At the next PFMC meeting on June 12-17 in Foster City, Calif., the council will take final action and adopt management measures that will be recommended to the National Marine Fisheries Service for implementation. “It is important that fishers attend the ODFW meetings so they can tell Oregon’s representatives to the PFMC what messages to give the council,” said Gway Kirchner, Assistant Program Manager for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine Resources Program. Meetings will be held: May 19 at the North Bend Library, 1800 Sherman Ave., 6 to 8 p.m.; Brookings, 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. May 20 at the Best Western Beachfront Inn, 16008 Boat Basin Road, Harbor; Port Orford, 6 to 8 p.m. May 20 at the Port Orford Library, 1421 Oregon St. The meetings will start with a general session to discuss harvest levels, then commercial and sport fishing breakout sessions to discuss specific management measures. If individuals are unable to attend the meetings, input can be submitted by e-mail at gway.r.kirchner@state.or.us or by calling Gway Kirchner at 541-867-0300 ext. 267. Input may be received up until June 10.
SOCC Art Exhibit
The Annual Student Art Exhibit will be on display May 19 through June 4 at the Eden Hall Fine Art Gallery. This year’s retrospective brings together the best art work from many of the studio art classes offered at Southwestern. Drawing, Painting, Ceramics, Sculpture, and Design projects will fill the gallery and lobby area of Eden Hall. A closing reception, featuring refreshments and a pottery sale, will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on June 3. The reception will be held in conjunction with that evening’s concert featuring the jazz ensemble Evolution. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and by appointment. For more information regarding the gallery, contact James Fritz at 541-888-7322.
Criminal Trespass
An attempt to locate a Criminal Trespass suspect at Walmart, 2051 Newmark Ave., early Tuesday morning, led to an arrest. According to an entry on the Coos Bay Police log for 1:31 a.m., 20-year old James B. Fightmaster was charged with two-counts of Criminal Trespass II, and cited for MIP (BAC .11%). He was transported to the Coos Co. Jail at Coquille. A second entry involving Fightmaster showed an address on Student Way at Southwestern Oregon Community College and a third entry involved “casual contact” at Newmark and SOCC.
Transient
According to an entry on the Coos Bay Police log for Monday, 7:58 p.m., 800 block So. 4th St., 48-year old female reported, “transient urinated on sidewalk, now laying on sidewalk.”
Restraining order
According to an entry on the Coos Bay Police log for Monday, 12:52 p.m., 1100 block Oregon Ave., 19-year old female “advised that Busch at location with their child, and is refusing to return to him to her, violation of the restraining which says that he is to have no contact with the child.” Twenty-two year old Braxton J. Busch charged with three-counts of Violation of Restraining Order, transported and lodged in the Coos Co. Jail at Coquille.
Warrant
According to an entry on the Coquille Police log for Monday, 10:15 a.m., 21-year old Aaron Pfannenstiel arrested on a warrant for Failure to Appear on charges of Assault III, Reckless Endanger Another, and Resisting Arrest.
Vehicles
According to entries on the Coos Bay Police log for Monday. 9:51 a.m., 700 block No. 9th St., 17-year old female reported “theft from vehicle.” 10:43 a.m., 1300 block No. 8th St., 41-year old female reported “theft from vehicle.”
Disorderly
A report of a patron “who hit another patron out of his wheelchair,” led to an arrest early Tuesday morning at Tiny’s Tavern on the 1900 block of Union Ave. in North Bend. According to an entry on the police log at 1:57 a.m., 30-year old Gavin Lee Siscel, Coos Bay, was arrested on a charge of Disorderly Conduct and transported to the Coos Co. Jail at Coquille.
Warrant
According to an entry on the Coos Co. Sheriff’s log for Monday, 7:29 p.m., Green Valley Road, California Department of Corrections warrant served on 30-year old Andrew Poore. Transported to the Coos Co. Jail at Coquille. Additional charge of PCS.
Sexual abuse
According to an entry on the Coos Co. Sheriff’s log for Monday, 6:32 p.m., a 38-year old female alleged a neighbor trespassed at a residence on Newport Lane in the Bunker Hill area of Coos Bay, “pushed his way into the apartment, sexually abused her.” However, when interviewed by deputy, she hung up and refused further contact.
WX
Rain along the Oregon Coast today with highs in the mid 50s to lower 60s and windy with winds out of the southeast at 10-15 mph, but increasing to 15-25 late this morning and then 25-35 by afternoon. Rain showers tonight with lows in the lower to mid 40s and winds from the southwest at 25-35 mph, but decreasing to 10-20 mph late in the evening. Mostly cloudy with rain Thursday.
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OREGON COAST SPORTS
NB Boosters
The North Bend Booster Club will meet on Wednesday, noon, at North Bend Lanes. Athletes and coaches will be in attendance to talk about their sports.
NB gf
North Bend finished 10th at the 4A Boy’s State Golf Championships Tuesday at the Emerald Valley Golf Club at Creswell with a 691. Marist of Eugene won the team title with a 641. Brookings-Harbor was third with a 664 behind La Salle Prep’s 649. Gladstone’s Austin Landis was the overall champion with a 150. North Bend’s James Kirkpatrick tied for 13th with a 161. Other Bulldogs: Logan Lucero 170; Tyler McKinley 175; Jordan Tiller 185; Jantzen Moeller 216.
MWL
The 5A Midwestern League Track & Field Championships get underway today at Silke Field in Springfield. The second day will be held on Friday.
OSU bb
Oregon State (27-19) beat visiting Seattle (9-37) 12-2 in a non-conference baseball game at Goss Stadium in Corvallis Tuesday. The two teams will play again today at 2 p.m.
UO bb
Oregon avenged an earlier loss to the University of Portland (31-17) in a non-conference baseball game Tuesday in Portland, 4-2. It was the Ducks first win against the Pilots (1-4) since baseball was reinstated at Oregon last year. The Ducks (35-18) return to Pac-10 play at Washington in Seattle, WA Friday.
Pac-10 honor
Oregon catcher Eddie Rodriguez has been named the Pac-10 Conference Baseball Player of the Week. The senior batted .667 with two home runs to help the 22nd ranked Ducks to a win over San Diego and weekend sweep of East Tennessee State. Rodriguez is batting .370 for the season and has a team-high six home runs.
Coach Kelly
Oregon football coach Chip Kelly will leave Eugene Friday for an 11-day tour that will take him to military bases in Kansas, Germany, Iraq and Afghanistan. Kelly will be part of a group of college football coaches that also includes Army’s Rich Ellerson, Harvard’s Tim Murphy, Texas Tech’s Tommy Tuberville, and Illinois’ Ron Zook. The tour is organized by the non-profit organization “Morale Entertainment.”
Duck fb – tr
The backfield duo of LaMichael James and Kenjon Barner added to what already has the makings of quite a legacy at Oregon this past weekend, helping the men’s track and field team to a Pac-10 championship. As a result, they became the first student-athletes in 74 years – and second and third ever - to win conference titles in both football and track in the same academic year, joining former Duck football captain and javelin thrower Bob Parke, who achieved the double in 1933-34. James, the Pac-10 Offensive Freshman of the Year, and fellow frosh Barner, who ranked ninth in the conference in all-purpose yards in the fall, made up half of UO’s 4x100 meter relay team that ran a season-best 40.36 to place fourth and earn five team points at the championships. For Barner, it marked the only second time he had ever competed in track and field in his life, the first coming a week earlier at the Oregon Twilight Meet. James also claimed four points in the 100 meter dash, taking fifth place in the finals with a time of 10.72. In Saturday’s prelims, he ran the sixth fastest time out of 27 entrants and second fastest mark among freshmen with a 10.52.
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