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STRIKE AVERTED
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MONDAY, AUGUST 5, 2013
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Lighthouse ownership turns over to tribes Coast Guard hands over 24-acre property ■
BY GEORGE ARTSITAS The World
CHARLESTON — Another part of Coos Bay history made its way back to the American Indian tribes around the area on Saturday. The Coast Guard handed over ownership of the Cape Arago lighthouse to the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw 150 years after it was first built. The entire Gregory’s Point Chief’s island and the surrounding 24 acres which encompasses the lighthouse were handed over to the confederated tribes at Saturday’s ceremony. When the papers were finally signed over, the attending crowd let out a cheer. It was a moment that Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class David Mosley won’t soon forget. “I’ve been to a lot of ceremonies being with the Coast Guard. This is a singular event where I’ve never (before) gotten to return property back to the locals,” said Mosley. “It was pretty much an emotional time for them and very much an honor for the Coast Guard members who were at the event.” Built in 1866, the lighthouse had eroded, then was restored in 1934. Over the last 150 years, it has become part of Coos Bay history. Now it is part of lands finally being returned to the tribes. A bill signed in 2008 provided for the tribes to reclaim their 24 SEE LIGHTHOUSE | A8
By Alysha Beck, The World
Robert Silvani embraces Cindy Baley, resident manager at Abundant Living Senior Care Home in Coos Bay. Silvani is on hospice and needs morphine and other pain medicines for his bladder cancer. Silvani has been living at the home for a few days and says he loves Baley who has taken such good care of him.
Big gaps in health care Getting hospice care has become more difficult under the Affordable Care Act. ■
BY EMILY THORNTON The World
COOS BAY – Anyone looking at Robert Silvani wouldn’t imagine that he has less than six months to live. The spry 72-year-old rides a bike, lifts weights and seems to get around just fine. But Silvani is on hospice care and takes handfulls of medication to manage his pain, anxiety and other conditions. He also has
disease, congestive heart failure, Parkinson’s disease, Alzeimer’s disease or senility. It is all part of the Affordable Care Act. Baley said she’s cared for eight hospice recipients in the last three years. She said many of them should have received the care earlier than they did. And others should be allowed on it because of their debilitating condition. It took one patient, Florence Giles, five months to become eligible for hospice care, Baley said. “Normally I can assess them and can get them on in a couple of days,” Baley said. “It was hard. She was suffering so much.”
bladder cancer. Silvani is the only one receiving hospice care at Abundant Living, a foster home for elderly people who have difficulty taking care of themselves. The severity of Silvani’s condition allowed him to get hospice faster than others, said Cindy Baley, resident manager. Her other patients do not qualify for hospice, some because of new guidelines from Centers for Medicare & Medicaid. CMS ruled last year that those patients with only a diagnosis of debility and adult failure to thrive are no longer allowed hospice care. The only diagnosis Medicaid and Medicare will accept for hospice coverage now are cancer, liver failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary
SEE GAPS | A8
Climber dies on Mt. Hood
Sandblasting
BY NIGEL DUARA The Associated Press PORTLAND — A man was buried by an avalanche while climbing Mount Hood on Saturday afternoon, while the six other members of his party escaped without injury. Hood River Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Pete Hughes said the other climbers called in the incident at about 4 p.m. A fixed-wing aircraft was dispatched to survey the area, along with crews from the sheriff’s offices in Hood River and Clackamas counties. “It’s going to take some doing to get folks out there,” Hughes said in a phone interview. Warm conditions will make the ascent to reach the climber more difficult, Hughes said, and difficult terrain will add to the challenge. The climber was buried on the White River Glacier, which begins about 6,000 feet up the south side of the mountain. It’s one of 12 on the mountain and is in Hood River County. Hughes says it’s unclear at what elevation the avalanche buried the climber. Conditions at 5,250 feet up the mountain on Saturday were warm and clear .
By Alysha Beck, The World
Patsy Cornelison, Coos Bay
Obituaries | A5
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An ATV rider speeds down the sand drag strip in a race at the 2013 DuneFest in Winchester Bay on Saturday. The five-day event brought thousands of ATV enthusiasts to Winchester Bay.
Partly sunny 66/52 Weather | A8
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