CRICHTON, HUFF SELECTED Vikings get OSU star; Eagles take receiver, B1
SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2014
Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878
Gardiner recall petition approved
One for the record books
BY THOMAS MORIARTY The World
By Lou Sennick, The World
Matt Woods speeds down the track at Marshfield on the way to setting a record in the 100-meter dash for North Bend during the 106th annual Coos County Track and Field Meet. For more on the long running meet, see page B-1 and an online gallery at www.theworldlink.com/gallery.
Cover Oregon owes agents $900,000 BY GOSIA WOZNIACKA The Associated Press
DURHAM — Cover Oregon says it owes about $900,000 to the health insurance agents who were trained and certified through the exchange and have enrolled thousands of Oregonians, but who have not been paid since enrollment began. The admission came after a board meeting Thursday during which an angry agent told officials he hasn’t been paid over the past half a year. Steve Cox, a West Linn agent who said he has processed more than 150 applications, said he has been told for months by Cover Oregon staffers that his payments are coming. “It’s incompetence,” Cox said. “A lot of people aren’t getting paid; there are a lot of angry agents out there.” Certified agents are paid through commission payments, which are set by each of the insurance carriers. Cover Oregon passes through the commission payments to agents when enrollments are made. Cover Oregon interim executive director Clyde Hamstreet said the corporation just sent checks totaling more than $200,000 to the agents and plans to send out more checks next week. “We know it’s a serious problem, and it’s not right that agents didn’t get paid,” Hamstreet said, adding the agents were probably neglected because so much effort was put into enrollment when the online portal failed to work. Oregon’s exchange website was not fully operational throughout the entire open enrollment period
GARDINER — Twelve. That’s the number of signatures it took to recall the five-member board of the Gardiner Sanitary District in one of the strangest recall attempts in local history. Douglas County Clerk Patricia Hitt confirmed Thursday that the county had approved a petition to recall Dennis Conger, Catherine Kent, Charlotte Hinshaw, Jackie Deggman and Marc Fullhart. The recall effort has been spearheaded by business owner Mack Holman, who has cited turbulent negotiations with the city of Reedsport and a lack of transparency in contracts as motivating factors. The district has also been under pressure from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality over a leaking sewage pipe that runs beneath the Umpqua River to the Reedsport treatment plant. The Gardiner board had attempted to buy the former International Paper property for the construction of its own treatment facility, but eventually abandoned those plans as a condition of more than $2 million in state grants to repair the leaky sewage line. Jeff Doty, director of elections for Douglas County, explained that the low number of signatures needed was based on the number of people who voted for governor in the district during the last election in which a governor was elected. “That starts a five-day period, day one being (Friday, May 9) where the public officer can resign or file a justification — their side of SEE RECALL | A10
By Alysha Beck, The World
Inmates from Shutter Creek Correctional Institute use fusees and drip torches to light burn piles during wildland firefighting training with Coos Forest Protective Association on Menasha forest land near Green Acres on Thursday. The inmate crews help fight wildland fires around the South Coast and getting hands-on training is important as fire season approaches, said CFPA district prevention specialist John Flannigan.
Fire season nears BY EMILY THORNTON The World
SOUTH COAST — Fire season is fast approaching. May is Wildfire Awareness Month. But according to the Fire Protective Coos Association, the actual season won’t start until conditions are met, said John Flannigan, public information officer for the association. “There has to be certain criteria, that’s when fire season starts,” Flannigan said. “It could be as early as May or mid-June.
Fire prevention Fire prevention and mitigation techniques: www.firewise.org/wildfire-preparedness.aspx Suggestions for emergency supplies: www.ready.gov/basic-disaster-supplies-kit and at www.co.coos.or.us/Departments/Sheriff sOffice/EmergencyManagement.aspx.
People need to start paying close attention to the weather.” If there is a long stretch of warmer, sunnier weather, that
is an indicator fire season may begin, he said. The chance of fires is increased because of the weather this year, he said. The National Weather Service predicts drier and warmer conditions for the next three months, which increases the chance of blazes. There were 69 fires during 2013, higher than the average of 60 for the county during the past 10 years, Flannigan said. This year, Flannigan said he
Empty Bowls filled with funds Event raises more than $5,000 to benefit hungry families through South Coast Food Share ■
BY TIM NOVOTNY The World
COOS BAY — Hundreds of residents gathered last weekend for a soup buffet, silent auction, and the opportunity to take home a hand crafted soup bowl. Organizers released Friday the final tally from that fundraiser. The “Empty Bowls” event on May 3 raised more than $5,000, which translates to almost 18 tons of food that will go to help South Coast Food Share feed the hungry
SEE FIRE | A10
Ray Lyons, West Fork, Ark Kim Kirby, Reedsport Steve Jones, Coos Bay James Hunsaker, Coos Bay Elma Donaldson, Coos Bay
Obituaries | A7
Grounds Cafe reopens Oregon Coast Culinary Institute grad Kristin Ledyard reopens the cafe inside Books By the Bay in North Bend. Page C1
FORECAST
Sports . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Comics . . . . . . . . . . C5 Puzzles . . . . . . . . . . C5 Classifieds . . . . . . . C6
BUSINESS
Police reports . . . . A2 What’s Up . . . . . . . Go! South Coast. . . . . . A3 Opinion . . . . . . . . A4-5
SEE BOWLS | A10
DEATHS
INSIDE
SEE COVER | A10
Rain 56/43 Weather | A10