CONSIDERING AUTONOMY
3A STATE TOURNAMENT
Ukraine PM says it’s possible for Crimea, A7
Twins led Creswell to 1969 state title, Sports
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2014
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Army Corps dock gets a needed facelift BY TIM NOVOTNY The World
By Alysha Beck, The World
Workers with West Coast Contractors in Coos Bay are finishing work on the Army Corps of Engineers dock off U.S. Highway 101 after replacing some of the pile caps holding up the dock and mooring dolphins used to anchor dredging vessels.
Robson to spend 10 years in prison
COOS BAY — Built in 1963, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dock in Coos Bay, located at 1460 N Bayshore Drive, was due to start showing some signs of its age. Kate Groth, Coastal Project Manager for the Army Corps in Coos Bay, says that is exactly what happened when some old wood pilings broke apart last year. She says the small dock, across the street from the Red Lion Inn, is used to support
dredging operations in the summertime. The pilings, grouped together alongside the dock, are called “mooring dolphins.” Those pilings allow the Army Corps vessels, which are much larger than the dock, to tie up securely. Along with the needed repairs, the Army Corps of Engineers was able to get other general maintenance work done on the dock for the first time since the 1980s. So they reached agreement with W. W. SEE DOCK | A8
Reflecting on a midday meal
BY THOMAS MORIARTY The World
COQUILLE — A Lane County man will spend at least 10 years in prison for killing his half brother in Myrtle Point last fall, a Coos County judge ruled Tuesday. Judge Martin Stone sentenced Ladd Robson to 120 months in first-degree for prison manslaughter, under the terms of a plea agreement with Coos County District Attorney Paul Frasier. Judge Stone also ordered him to pay $2,125 in restitution and spend 36 months under post-prison supervision. Under Measure 11 sentencing guidelines, Robson won’t be eligible for sentence alternatives or reductions for good behavior. Stone had originally scheduled a status conference for March 17 for Robson to make his final decision on Frasier’s offer. Robson was charged with murder in the Nov. 20 death of his half brother, Lance Lucero, at a Myrtle Point home owned by Robson's parents. Police and firefighters found Lucero lying on the floor with severe head and facial injuries when they responded to a 911 call of an injured man in the house. He was pronounced dead shortly after arrival at Coquille Valley Hospital. Neighbors told police they had heard the brothers fighting inside the house that morning. “The autopsy showed (Lucero) died of head trauma as a result of this altercation,” Frasier said. Wounds on Lucero's face were a close match to the footpad of a camp chair found in the home. Taking the stand to give comSEE ROBSON | A8
By Lou Sennick, The World
An egret slowly walks around a marsh area on high tide Tuesday afternoon searching for food in the Kentuck area of the bay. Dozens of the birds with their white plumage were foraging in the bay.
Spraying around Lakeside this month BY EMILY THORNTON The World
LAKESIDE — Residents needn’t worry about the aerial spraying of herbicides in an area near Eel Lake within the next few weeks. The spraying is to control certain plant growth on two 25-acre parcels of recently harvested land belonging to Douglas County Land Department, said Delos Devine, stewardship forester from the Oregon Department of Forestry. “It’s no different than spraying your vegetable garden,” Devine said.
“It’s usually done Some commuduring the first Meeting nity concern had year or two durLakeside Water District will been expressed ing plantation.” have a meeting to discuss the because of the Devine and spraying at 7 p.m. March 11, at proximity of the Groth, the district’s office. Oregon spraying Gary of Douglas County Department of Forestry and Atrizine and L a n d Douglas to County Land Transline D e p a r t m e n t Department representatives L a k e s i d e ’ s Director, said the are slated to be present to Municipal Water area was sprayed answer questions. supply, Eel Lake. last fall and was a “ S o m e common pracforesters have tice. advised the “We’ve never had any kind of a water won’t be safe to drink,” said problem or complaint,” Groth said. Tamara Estabrook, office manager
for the Lakeside Water District. However, in an email to the county, Devine suggested using Glysophate instead of Atrizine. He also suggested widening the buffer of Eel Lake to guard against Transline runoff. “There have been some reports of Atrizine causing issues,” Groth said. “Maybe because it’s gotten negative publicity recently.” Devine said he’d be present during the spraying because it was a “sensitive area.” He also said the SEE SPRAYING | A8
Oregon Legislature approves two Cover Oregon bills
Police reports . . . . A2 What’s Up. . . . . . . . A3 South Coast. . . . . . A3 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . A4
Comics . . . . . . . . . . A6 Puzzles . . . . . . . . . . A6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Classifieds . . . . . . . B4
Cover Oregon’s online enrollment system was not ready to launch on schedule in October, creating headaches for people trying to sign up for insurance under the new federal health care law. The state said this week it would pay $44 million of the $70 million it’s withheld from the main technology
Colleen Fitzpatrick, Coos Bay Earl Liesener, Myrtle Point Paul Dickens, North Bend Glenda Moy, North Bend Joy Dow, North Bend
contractor, Oracle Corp. The bill approved in the Senate would require technology projects costing more than $5 million to have an independent contractor evaluate the plans and report its findings to the Department of Administrative Services. Cover Oregon had such a con-
Tree vandals Drug addiction and lack of jobs are given as excuses by poachers who are hacking up redwoods for their burls.
Page A5
Obituaries | A5
CCOMPETITION OMPETITION CCRUSHER RUSHER
FORECAST
INSIDE
SALEM — Two bills aimed at rectifying the problems at Cover Oregon and avoiding repeats in the future advanced in the Oregon Legislature on Tuesday, garnering overwhelming support despite
warnings from critics that they will have little effect. The Senate voted to require that large information technology projects have an outside quality assurance contractor, and the House backed a measure requiring Cover Oregon to seek more flexibility from the federal government.
NATION
The Associated Press
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