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THEY’RE BACK
SLEIGHT OF HAND
Tornadoes hit Oklahoma City again, A6
Oregon State, Oregon escape with wins, B1
SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2013
Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878
theworldlink.com
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Empire Lakes ‘mascot’ shot Goose ‘greeter’ found dead on trail from gunshot wound ■
BY GEORGE ARTSITAS The World
COOS BAY — For the last four years, whenever Chris Cameron pulled up to Empire Lakes Park, a husky white goose named Stanley would waddle over to his Toyota Highlander to greet him. But from now on, Cameron will be without his big, white feathery welcome. Stanley was found dead from a gunshot Thursday morning on one of the park’s walking trails. Cameron saw Stanley — who he calls the “park mascot” — every day by 9 a.m. and developed a close relationship with the bird. Cameron said he would’ve fished out the bullet for evidence, but he was too torn up by his loss to follow through. Cameron’s friend buried Stanley for him. “He was more than a pet,” Cameron said. “I was probably closer to him than anybody else.” Around the park, Stanley was beloved by many visitors, Cameron said. Now, he hopes folks who knew the goose can help find his killer. “I hope enough people are aware so we can catch the bastard that killed him,” Cameron said. He reported the death to the police, but he’s pessimistic about the culprit being caught. Sgt. Michael Shaffer of Coos Bay Police doesn’t get
Stanley animal assaults like this very often, but says a crime like this is definitely something his office would investigate. “If there’s a crime involving animals, we’d look into it. “(This type of crime) is not necessarily typical. Generally, people are real good about wildlife around here,” Shaffer said. Cameron is a former zoologist who liked to spoil Stanley occasionally. He’d give the goose white bread instead of chicken feed from time to time, even though it’s more fattening. And it’s those things he said he’ll miss most — feeding, petting and visiting his friend at the park. “What was nice about going there to walk was that Stanley was there too,” Cameron said. “We had an understanding; we were comfortable with each other.” Reporter George Artsitas can be reached at 541-2691222, ext. 236, at george.artsitas@theworldlink.com, or on Twitter at @COPSTheWorld.
By Alysha Beck, The World
Registered Nurse Dawn MacDonald cleans and bandages the foot of Charley Jones Jr. at the wound clinic in Bay Area Hospital on Friday. Jones shattered his heel bone after jumping over a fence last October. After having surgery, the wound got infected with gangrene and Jones’ foot was almost amputated. Jones says he feels grateful that he still has two feet because he was able to receive care from doctors in Coos County’s Coordinated Care Organization, which serves people who receive Medicaid.
New health care system shows signs of life BY EMILY THORNTON The World
COOS BAY — Charley Jones Jr. doesn’t mind that Coos County’s coordinated care organization’s first report card was lacking. CCOs are the new health care organization structure adopted about two years ago in Oregon as part of the Affordable Care Act. Jones, a homeless patient, was able to receive help from the Waterfall Clinic, Bay Area Hospital and South Coast Gospel Mission as a result of the South Coast’s CCO, Western Oregon Advanced Health. “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have two feet right now,” Jones said.
The goal of the CCOs was to revamp the health care system into a more preventative and flexible one, according to Karynn Fish, communication officer for the Oregon Health Authority. The state’s Medicaid budget was also in the hole $2 billion. So, the state made a deal with the federal government to work with CCOs in exchange for $1.9 billion, Fish said. She added that state legislators hope to save $11 billion over the next decade. The state-issued report cards that came out recently list a few deficiencies in WOAH, including a 77 percent mark for patient satisfaction with care, short of the goal of 84 percent. Overall, however, progress is being made.
‘Change is scary’ Jones said he hurled himself over a fence and landed wrong, shattering his heel. It became severely infected since he couldn’t get proper care. One doctor wanted to amputate his foot, but he got a second opinion and now has a metal plate and nine screws. Eventually, Jones was referred to the South Coast Gospel mission through WOAH. Now his doctors and case manager are making sure he receives medicine, doctor visits, a clean bed and healthy food. “Right now our main goal is proper health,” said Yvette Grabow, a nurse and case manager at the Gospel MisSEE HEALTH | A8
The leader of the band North Bend music teacher leads team to second place finish in state ■
BY TIM NOVOTNY
Contributed by Jan Eddings
The World
An overturned SUV burns off state Highway 241 near Allegany on Thursday evening. Oregon State Police are still searching for the driver, who left the scene before fire and police personnel arrived.
NORTH BEND — It was possibly the best long-distance phone call the North Bend High School administration ever made. The call almost eight By Alysha Beck, The World years ago was an interview for a new band instructor. Amber Yester, band director at North Bend High School, led the band Amber Yester, still Amber to a second place finish, a first for the program, at the OSAA State Mareski at that time, had Music Championships in May at Oregon State University. just graduated from Bowling Green State University inconvenient to try and fly Dennis Lindahl had just in Ohio and was looking for from Ohio to do these retired and the school was her first job. interviews” Yester said looking for someone to North Bend became the after a recent band rehears- keep the program going first to show serious inter- al. “I liked what I heard and strong. est and, importantly, ended up taking the job They got what they were agreed to conduct the sight unseen.” looking for, and then some. Principal Bill Lucero was This year, the band went to interview over the phone. “Which was perfect for also on the call that day. the state competition and me because it was terribly Longtime band instructor came home with a second
Police are searching for driver from fiery crash
INSIDE
COOS BAY — Oregon State Police say they’re still searching for the driver of an SUV that crashed and caught fire off Highway 241 on Thursday night. The vehicle, a 2003 Chevrolet Blazer, was traveling northbound when it traveled off the highway, struck a tree and overturned
Police reports . . . . A2 What’s Up . . . . . . . Go! South Coast. . . . . . A3 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . A4
at approximately 8:29 p.m. The SUV caught fire on impact, which had to be extinguished by responding firefighters. The Blazer’s driver left the scene before police and fire personnel arrived. Police say they have identified the driver, but are refusing to release his name due to the ongoing search and investigation.
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DEATHS
THE WORLD
Albert Strain, Roseburg Eva Moore, Coos Bay Sibyll Johnson, Bend Eva Gardner, Coos Bay Mary Johnson, North Bend Marianne Cawood, Myrtle Point
Alice Isaak, Coos Bay Peter Brophy Jr., Cresent Lake Philis Ross, North Bend Marlene Bowen, Coquille Joyce Porter, Newberg Margaret Hoyt, Myrtle Point
place trophy, the best finish ever in the school’s 100plus year history. “She took an already great program and took it to new heights,” Lucero said. This year’s finish followed a fourth place trophy in 2011, which had also been a record high. Yester credits the success to teamwork — starting with the kids themselves, several of whom started learning from her in sixth grade when she first came to the school. “I knew this was a pretty special group,” she said. “I remember having some really outstanding musicians that year and just thinking, ‘Wow, can’t wait until these kids get to high school.’” Some of those talented musicians also developed great leadership skills over the last seven years. SEE MUSIC | A8
Jesse Glenn, North Bend Ronald Gallant, North Bend
Obituaries | A5
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