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SATURDAY, AUGUST 17, 2013
Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878
Coos County ranks fourth in suicide rate BY EMILY THORNTON The World
COOS BAY — Coos County has one of the highest suicide rates in Oregon. There were 149 reported suicides between 2003 and 2010, according to the Oregon Health Authority’s findings. That placed the county fourth with a rate of 29.4 suicide deaths for every 100,000 people. It is 70 percent higher than the state average. Only Curry, Grant and Harney counties had higher numbers for all ages.
Oregon’s average is 16.1 per 100,000, or 4,772 total suicide deaths. The state average is 35 percent higher than the national one at 10.5 per 100,000. The Coos County Public Health Department is addressing the issue in its Community Health Improvement Plan. At a recent meeting, officials discussed how they want to reach out to patients through increased depression screenings. They plan to implement their plan, once finalized this fall, over the next couple of years. David Geels, director of the
Getting help If you or anyone you know is thinking about committing suicide, call 911 or the county crisis hotline at 541-751-2550 or the national hotline at 800-273-8255. For more information, visit http://public.health.oregon.gov/PreventionWellness/ SafeLiving/SuicidePrevention/Pages/cntym ap.aspx#coos.
county’s mental health department, said one of the plan’s goals should be to increase access to care. He also described a time when five
middle-aged men committed suicide in a couple months’ time. He said they’d all recently seen their primary health physician within the last month and had a “clean bill of health.” The Western Oregon Advanced Health, the county’s Coordinated Care Organization, already requires screening of Oregon Health Plan patients. In fact, OHP patients have adequate care, according to the county’s findings. “We want to expand it to all patients,” said Nikki Zogg, Coos County Health Administrator.
Veterans Stand Down
“After the Medicaid patients receive help, then the dual eligible (Medicaid and Medicare) will, and then private insurance holders.” The CHIP report said “uninsured individuals may only be able to access urgent/emergent mental health care, neglecting the kind of routing services that may prevent the higher cost and disruptive types of care. Individuals with commercial insurance may need to go outside the county to gain the needed mental health services.” SEE SUICIDE | A8
One bust turns into six arrests BY THOMAS MORIARTY The World
Community rallies to help BY EMILY THORNTON
Want to help To make a monetary or other donation to the Coos Community Foundation, send it attention: Stand Down Fund, 1499 N. Collier St., Coquille, OR 97423. For more information on the annual Veterans Stand Down, call 541-751-8518 or visit www.coosbaystanddown.org.
The World
COOS BAY — Raymond Cardy was deployed five times to Iraq during his 20year service with the Army National Guard and U.S. Army. He and his service dog, a wiener named Frankie, were attending Friday’s Veterans Stand Down for the first time. He was looking forward to the event’s offerings. “Sounds like a good thing,” Cardy said.
He said his unit, the 270th Military Police in Eureka, Calif., received 10 Purple Hearts and were under constant enemy fire. Cardy said he got Frankie to help him deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. He taught him basic obedience and enrolled him in a program using his veterans benefits, although they didn’t cover the cost of the dog. “He reminds me I’m not in Iraq anymore,” Cardy said. He said the furry pup helps calm
Pesky mosquitoes taking a bite out of Bandon The World
INSIDE
BANDON — It could be the storyline for the latest horror film, but the invasion of the blood suckers is all too real for some Bandon residents, who have been mobbed by swarms of mosquitoes this summer. It’s so bad in some areas, especially in the past few weeks, that people are severely limiting their outside time, not tending their gardens and taking their dogs elsewhere for walks. The mosquitoes — when the swarms are
Police reports . . . . A2 What’s Up . . . . . . . Go! South Coast. . . . . . A3 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . A4
at their thickest — are biting through clothing, entering homes through open doors and following people inside their cars. The problem could affect the area economically. Golfers at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort have complained about the swarms, according to General Manager Hank Hickox. “We have taken certain precautionary measures advising our customers to wear long-sleeve shirts and use repellent, but no one’s left because of the mosquitoes,” he said.
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Governor vetoes bill on mascots PORTLAND (AP) — Gov. John Kitzhaber on Friday vetoed a bill that would have allowed some Oregon schools to keep their mascots, nicknames and logos that depict Native Americans. The bill would have reversed part of a ban on Native American mascots
SEE MOSQUITO | A8
DEATHS
BY AMY MOSS STRONG
SEE VETERANS | A8
Dennis Hansen, Sheridan, Wyo. Phyllis Moore, Coos Bay Laura Paull, Coos Bay Trellis Sylvester, Coos Bay Wesley Pierce, Coos Bay Kay Sturman, Powers
SEE MASCOTS | A8
Bette Schneemayer, Apache Junction, Ariz. Margaret Betterton, Quebec, Canada
Obituaries | A5
FORECAST
By Lou Sennick, The World
Air Force veteran Robert Pierman gets a free haircut from Karen Juneau on Friday afternoon at the annual Veterans Stand Down. Veterans looking for help or information were able to head out to the Oregon National Guard armory in Coos Bay for help and services, such as the free haircut, surplus military gear and information on lots of topics from volunteers on site. Pierman retired from the Air Force in 1989 and lives in Port Orford.
COOS BAY — What began as the chance sighting of a wanted man by a police officer in the Empire area Wednesday afternoon ended up netting six arrests on charges ranging from probation violation to aggravated theft. Capt. Chris Chapanar of the Coos Bay Police Department said an officer driving by 1163 Crocker Ave. saw a man he knew to be wanted talking to another person on the lawn. Ramon Rodriguez When the officer attempted to talk with him, the man fled into the brush. “That obviously caused us to call in a K-9 and set up a perimeter,” Chapanar said. Nearby lawns quickly filled with curious bystanders as law enforcement vehicles lined the block. Neighbors said the house — its Susan Miller yard filled with broken-down cars and rusted children’s play equipment — has been a trouble spot for years. Police wandered through the yard peering through the windows of the cars with flashlights as they searched. As they canvassed the property, officers quickly found and arrested several other wanted people. Ramon Rodriguez and Susan Miller are both being held without bail on Steven Robeson parole violations. Rodriguez is also charged with two counts of carrying a concealed weapon under a warrant stemming from a North Bend warrant. Steven Robeson faces two counts of unlawful possession of methamphetamine. Police arrested Amanda Lyons and Skyler Waldrop for probation violaAmanda Lyons tion. The sixth arrest was as much by chance as the first five. Chapanar said Nicholas Braafladt had been passing by on the street when he saw the commotion and wandered over to see what was happening. “He actually initiated contact with us,” he said. An officer at the scene recognized Skylar Waldrop Braafladt as a wanted person and placed him under arrest. Braafladt is charged with aggravated first-degree theft and two counts of first-degree theft. Coos Bay police were helped by the Coquille Tribal Police, Confederated Tribal Police, North Bend Police Department and detectives from the South Coast Interagency Narcotics N. Braafladt Team.
Mostly cloudy 67/54 Weather | A8
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