January 27, 2012

Donors and Friends of the New Curry Campus Honored
One hundred friends and donors of the Curry Campus celebrated Thursday night, Jan. 26, in the newly constructed campus that opened recently for winter term. The evening dinner, held in the spacious two-story student commons, was hosted by the Southwestern Oregon Community College Foundation.  Dr. Patty Scott, President of the college, told supporters that the largest classroom space will be named the Krieger Community Room to honor Wayne Krieger’s dedication to the development of the new Curry Campus.  Krieger secured $2.3 million from the State of Oregon many years ago and more recently, in the late days of the legislative session of 2011, Wayne promoted a $400,000 appropriation for Curry Campus. This was a critical match which secured a donation made by the Ford Family Foundation of $300,000.  A gift arrived Thursday just in time to announce $250,000 from the Mildred E. and Harvey S. Mudd Foundation at the request of Elizabeth and Kirk Day.  In gratitude for this gift the Lobby/Student Commons Area where the celebration took place will carry the name of this Foundation.  Just two weeks ago the Meyer Memorial Trust donated $200,000 to the Curry Campus. This foundation was created by the late Fred G. Meyer, who built the chain of retail stores bearing his name. While this Foundation no longer has any connection to the store, they support projects that reflect the values held by Fred Meyer. The Trust looks for opportunities to invest in people, ideas and efforts that deliver significant social benefits to Oregon.  Dr. Patty Scott thanked Rio Tinto (US Borax) for the beautiful building site, and she thanked Mike Crow of Crow/Clay and Associates Inc. for the building’s Northwest Lodge design. Special tribute was made to Janet Pretti, Dean of Curry Campus for her influence on the form and function of the building.  The  Curry Coastal Pilot newspaper was thanked for a major gift that came through their parent company’s foundation. The parent company is Western Communications and their foundation is the Robert W. Chandler II Fund of Oregon Community Foundation. This gift will be remembered with the naming of the Curry Coastal Pilot Resource Room.  Other rooms which will bear the name of donors or those who they chose to honor include:  The Curry County Realtors Association Upper Commons; Ed Freeman and Bob Sutton Classroom (Freeman Marine); Bill Cronberger Student Study Room, dedicated by Carolyn Cronberger; The Dyer Partnership Meeting Room (an engineering firm in Coos Bay).  Jack and Margaret Dean Tutoring Center.  The celebration will continue on Friday with a dedication ceremony at 2 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Forest Roads Damaged, Closed After Storm
Two Bureau of Land Management (BLM) roads are closed and several more damaged after last week’s storm dumped more than nine inches of rain on some forests in the area.  Wells Creek Road (# 22-9-7.0), off of Highway 38 east of Reedsport, is closed indefinitely at milepost 2.5 due to a slide. Burnt Mountain Tie Road (# 26-10-36.2), east of Coquille, will be inaccessible for one to two weeks due to a slump.  BLM road crews continue to assess roads for damage and updates on forest road conditions will be provided as information becomes available. Those travelling to the woods should use caution, and expect to encounter down trees and rocks on forest roads in the area.

Suit targets U.S. Navy use of sonar off the West Coast
They claim in their lawsuit filed against the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Thursday, Jan. 26, that the use of sonar by the U.S. Navy off the Oregon, Washington and California coasts has harassed and even killed whales and other marine life.  The environmental law firm Earthjustice, the Natural Resources Defense Council along with other groups and Native American tribes jointly filed the suit saying regulators should have not approved the Navy's plan for expanded training.  The fisheries service approved the Navy's five-year plan for operations in the Northwest Training Range Complex.  The area, from Cape Mendocino in Northern California to the Canadian border, has been used by the military for 60 years, but the increased weapons testing and submarine training was approved in 2010.  The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in San Francisco.  It asks that the permit be invalidated and order NMFS to study the long-term effects of sonar on marine mammals.  

Quake
A magnitude 2.4 earthquake shook Northern California Thursday night, Jan. 26.  According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the horizontal quake occurred at 11:04 p.m. and was located on land, 14-miles north to northeast of Eureka, CA.

CB Parks Commission
Coos Bay Public Works & Development Department, Parks Master Plan, Agenda:  January 27, 2012, Location:  Visitor Information Center, Time:  12pm – 1:30pm; Park Master Plan  • Discuss, location, dates and time public meetings are to be held during the process of plan development.  • Establish Task Force Committee (An advisory body which represents a wide range of community interests; Schools, Associations, etc.).  • Establish Technical Advisory Committee (Advisory body that represents a wide range of agencies with specific areas of oversight; ODFW, US Core, etc).  • Contacts for feed back with public agencies.  Adjourn.

Waiting for the Next Big One
The geology lecture series continues on Friday, January 27, 2012 at 7:00 pm with Dr. Ray Weldon (University of Oregon) giving the seventh annual Cascadia Anniversary talk.  Dr. Weldon will be presenting "Waiting for the Next Big One: Japan's Recent Earthquake and Tsunami-the Implications for Cascadia".  This annual lecture takes place around the anniversary of the last great earthquake along the Oregon coast, which took place at 9:00 pm on January 26, 1700.  Dr. Weldon earned a BA in Geology from Pomona College and completed a PhD at California Institute of Technology.  He has worked at JPL in Pasadena, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in Menlo Park, and is currently Department Head of Geological Sciences at UO.  Dr. Weldon serves on the executive committee of the Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities. His talk will summarize what has been learned from the recent Japanese earthquake and its implications for the next giant quake off the Oregon Coast.  Additional talks in the 2011-2012 geology lecture series include: Dr. David Montgomery (University of Washington) on Saturday, February 25th to discuss “King of Fish: The Thousand Year Run of Salmon”.  Copies of his book will be available for purchase and signing by the author as a lecture series fundraiser.  Dr. Peter Ruggiero (Oregon State University) will discuss "The Role of Sea Level Rise and Increased Storminess in Pacific Northwest Coastal Change and Flood Hazards" on Friday, April 20th.  The final talk in the series this year will be Dr. Julienne Stroeve a research scientist with the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colorado on Saturday, May 19th when she will discuss “The Rapidly Changing Arctic And What It Means For The Rest Of Us”.  All of the talks are free and start at 7:00 pm in the Hales Center for the Performing Arts on the SWOCC Campus.   Continuing sponsors of the lecture series include Oregon Resources Corporation, the SWOCC Foundation and the College.  For additional information contact Ron Metzger at 541-888-7216.

ODFW Salmon and Trout Advisory Committee to meet in Salem on Jan. 27
The committee will meet from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Commission Room at the ODFW Salem Headquarters located at 3406 Cherry Avenue NE in Salem. The agenda includes the introduction of new members, reports on STEP activities, review of mini-grant applications, and program updates.  The meeting is open to the public, as is a tour of Salem-area fishing sites on Saturday. Members of the public must provide their own transportation and can call ODFW at (503) 947-6211 for driving directions.  The Oregon Legislature created STEP in 1981 to provide a way for volunteers to participate in the restoration of native stocks of salmon, steelhead and trout. Since then, thousands of volunteers have donated money, materials, equipment and countless hours of labor to improving Oregon fisheries.  The STEP Advisory Committee makes recommendations to ODFW and the Fish and Wildlife Commission on issues regarding its programs. The committee’s 13 members are appointed by the Governor and represent all areas of Oregon.  Reasonable accommodations will be provided as needed for individuals requesting assistive hearing devices, sign language interpreters or large-print materials. Individuals needing these types of accommodations may call the Information and Education Division at (800) 720-6339 or (503) 947-6002 at least 24 hours in advance of the meeting.  For more information on the Salmon Trout Enhancement Program, or to view the meeting agenda, visit the ODFW Web site at http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/STEP/ or call program staff at (503) 947-6211.

Fire Service Appreciation Day
State Fire Marshal Mark Wallace is encouraging communities across the state to honor the work of those in the fire service by organizing events or ceremonies for Fire Service Appreciation Day in Oregon, Friday, January 27.  "Communities have many opportunities to get involved and recognize the work and sacrifice of members of the Oregon fire service," says State Fire Marshal Mark Wallace. "From community groups hosting a breakfast, lunch, or dinner, to schools holding essay contests, this day is an opportunity for everyone to say thanks."  In 2007, the Oregon legislature passed House Joint Resolution 25, establishing January 27 each year, as Fire Service Appreciation Day in Oregon. The Legislative Assembly encourages all Oregonians to recognize and honor fire service members for their efforts to keep our citizens safe from the ravages of fire.  Local recognition in past years included city mayors presenting fire chiefs with a certificate of thanks, fire district boards presenting commemorative coins and certificates to volunteers, newspapers publishing articles and ads thanking members of the fire service, and citizens taking a local firefighter to lunch.

BACC Banquet
The Bay Area Chamber of Commerce will recognize a Citizen of the Year and a Business of the Year during its annual banquet Saturday night at the Mill Casino/Hotel in North Bend.

Egyptian Theatre Fundraiser
The Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association will be showing the movie Endless Summer on Saturday, January 28th at 7 p.m.  The movie is considered by many to be one of the best surfing movies ever made.  Tickets are $4 for members and $5 general admission.  The movie will be shown at Broadway Hall located next to Shark Bites on South Broadway.  Information on membership, fundraising, volunteering, donations, and upcoming events may be found online at www.egyptian-theatre.com or the theatre page on the city’s website www.coosbay.org/EgyptianTheatre, or by contacting  the Egyptian Theatre Preservation Association’s office located at 255 North Broadway / 541-269-8650.

Fourth annual Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations Powwow in Salem
A powwow originally organized to remind Oregonians that Native peoples inhabited the Pacific Northwest long before statehood will be held for the fourth time in late January.  The fourth annual Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations Powwow is scheduled for noon to 9 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Oregon State Fair & Expo Center’s Salem Pavilion, 2330 17th St. N.E., Salem. Admission is free.  Grand entry will be held at 1 p.m.  The 2009 Gathering of Oregon’s First Nations Powwow, organized cooperatively by the five federally-recognized Tribes in western Oregon, sought to remind Oregonians that Native peoples have lived in what became the state of Oregon on Feb. 14, 1859, since time immemorial.  The late January event date was picked to symbolically occur before Oregon’s official 150th birthday in 2009, commemorating the history that occurred before admittance to the Union.  Based on the success of the previous powwows, organizers representing the five western Tribes – the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, Coquille Indian Tribe, Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and Confederated Tribes of Siletz – decided to hold a fourth event.  Master of ceremonies at the fourth annual powwow is Nick Sixkiller, arena director is Tony Whitehead and vendor coordinator is Kristen Ravia, who can be reached at 503-879-1418 or at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .  The powwow will echo previous events with Tribal educational booths, Native craft demonstrations, cultural drumming, dancing and Tribal vendors.  In addition, “Standing Strong,” a video story of the five western Tribes, will be shown in a side room at the pavilion.  Parking costs $3.

Beer theft
According to an entry on the North Bend Police log for Wednesday, Jan. 25, 11:16 p.m., 1900 block Virginia Ave., "RP reports theft of an 18 pack of beer at approximately 2230 hours.  Will contact us in the AM after they have reviewed the video tape."

Counterfeit bill
According to an entry on the North Bend Police log for Wednesday, Jan. 25, 10 a.m., 1500 block Virginia Ave., "fake $50 bill located at location.  Under investigation."

Warrant
According to an entry on the Coquille Police log for early Thursday, Jan. 26, 3:05 a.m., Lebanon.  "Request confirmation on a warrant, officer out with subject now."  Fifty-five year old James Clayburn arrested by Lebanon PD and transported to Linn Co. Jail on Coquille PD warrant charging Interfering with Peace Officer."

Warrant
According to an entry on the Coos Bay Police log for Wednesday, Jan. 25, 10:36 p.m., 40-year old Steven Woehlert arrested by Deschutes Co. Sheriff's Office on CBPD warrant for Failure to Appear on original charges of DUII and Recklessly Endangering Another.

Theft
According to an entry on the Coos Bay Police log for Wednesday, Jan. 25, 7:11 p.m., 2051 Newmark Ave., Walmart, 21-year old  Lyndsey Johnson arrested on charge of Theft III and transported to the Coos Co. Jail at Coquille.  Kelsey Johnson referred to Juvenile Dept. for Theft III and released.

Theft
According to an entry on the Coos Bay Police log for Wednesday, Jan. 25, 7:03 p.m., 1020 So. 1st St., Fred Meyer, 41-year old Carl Brooks arrested on charges of Theft III and PCS Meth.  Also arrested on Jackson Co. Sheriff's Office warrant for Failure to Appear on original charge of DUII.  Transported to the Coos Co. Jail at Coquille.

WX
Partly cloudy this morning along the Oregon Coast with highs today forecast in the mid 40s to mid 50s and northeast winds 10-15 mph.  Mostly clear tonight then becoming partly cloudy with lows in the lower to mid 30s and northeast winds 10-15 mph.  Mostly to partly cloudy on Saturday.