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Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878
IMMIGRATION STEPS
Obama to announce executive action, A6
Thursday, November 20, 2014
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Confederated Tribes welcomes new dentist CARLY MAYBERRY The World
COOS BAY — Five months after coming to Coos Bay for his new role running The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians’ Health Services Dental Clinic, Dr. Brian C. Cross finally feels settled in. Not that the dentist and avid hiker/outdoorsman had any reservations about moving to Oregon. Originally from Springfield, Ill., Cross always loved the beauty and recreational offerings of the Oregon coast and jumped at the chance to relocate permanently. He’s taking every moment he can to explore his new home. “The south slough estuary and
Bandon Dunes are my favorite hikes,” Cross said. “Just getting out there and hearing nature ... you’ll be on trails not even knowing it’s a golf course hearing the birds letting the other birds know that someone is there. It’s pretty cool.” With a diverse dental background – one that includes reconstructive dentistry – Cross leads the dental facility, which is recognized as an Indian Health Services Dental Clinic. That’s an important distinction to note during November, which is Native American Heritage month honoring Indian culture and contributions because the clinic serves more than just Confederated Tribe members. The Coquille Indian Tribe members and members from any tribe in the
United States come to take advantage of the dental clinic’s services. Those range from teeth cleanings and fillings to extractions and denture installation. “I’m not a specialist but I do specialize in comprehensive dentistry,” Cross said. As a dentist who also worked for a while for the Salish-Kootenai Tribe in Polson, Mont., Cross came to the job with a long family history in dentistry and a familiarity of Indian Health Services. His dad and brother were both dentists and his grandfather held an IHS position. For his part, Tribal Council Chairman Bob Garcia is glad the Confederated Tribes landed such a qualified physician in such a vital role.
“Dr. Cross is a great addition to our staff,” Garcia said. “We are fortunate to have a dentist of his exemplary skills serving both the tribe and the larger community.” Cross said that within the tribal system not all clinics are created equal, citing larger tribes like the Sioux and Navajo as often more focused on critical services like extractions rather than offering the range of dental services that this clinic offers. That’s the reason, Cross said that many tribal members use the clinic. “Tribal insurance will allow them to go anywhere but we get more coming to the clinic because here they get most things taken care of,” Cross said. See Dentist, A8
Amanda Loman, The World
Dr. Brian Cross began practicing dentistry at the dental clinic of the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua, and Siuslaw Indians in June after moving to the area from Springfield, Illinois.
Obama revamps child care program
Helping the snowy plover
NEDRA PICKLER Associated Press
Amanda Loman, The World
Tom Hathaway, of Five Oaks Excavation in Myrtle Point, loads up the boat at a take-out on the New River at the New River Nature Center after a day of removing European beach grass from area nesting grounds of the western snowy plover. The company is in its fifth year of removing the grass for the Bureau of Land Management. Grass removal lessens predation from animals that would eat snowy plover eggs.
WASHINGTON — Federally subsidized child care providers will have to conduct criminal background checks on their workers and undergo a yearly inspection under legislation signed into law by President Barack Obama on Wednesday. Obama said the first revamping of the government’s chief child care program in nearly two decades will improve safety and the quality of child care, plus give working parents more peace of mind. Lawmakers gave final approval to the legislation Monday in a rare bipartisan agreement for a Congress that’s been dominated by partisan strife. “It shows that Democrats and Republicans, when it comes to making sure our kids are getting the best possible education, are united,” Obama said, surrounded in the Oval Office by lawmakers from both parties who worked to get the legislation passed. As he signed the document using a tray of 10 pens, Obama said, “I love signing bills. I’d like to do it more often. What do you say, guys?” See Obama, A8
STORM DAMAGE
Damages tallied for boat ramp, crab dock
INSIDE
COOS BAY — City officials have a better idea about the impact of last month’s big storm following the completion of a damage assessment for the Empire boat ramp and crab dock. Contractors have determined the collapse of Empire crab dock’s westerly end in addition to damage to the wave boom will require an amount just below $25,000 for repair. Because the dock sits in the flood plain, the city’s insurance deductible is $100,000, meaning insurance will not cover any of the costs unless the damage exceeded $100,000, public works director Jim Hossley said. With adverse weather conditions expected, the city does not expect to have the repairs
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completed for a few months. Because the boom reduces the impact of waves, Hossley placed a great importance on fixing it as soon as possible. “We do need to get the wave boom fixed because it minimizes the damage to the boat ramp,” Hossley said. “We have high tides, so it’s easy for waves to batter that. So we’ll have a contractor go out as soon as the weather permits.” While the city had hopes of securing some relief from the Federal Emergency Management Agency after submitting a request to the county, there has not been a disaster declaration after the request was forwarded to state and national officials, Hossley said. “Chances of it happening are slim because the threshold won’t be reached,” Hossley said.
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See Ramp, A8
JEFF HORWITZ Associated Press
Lou Sennick, The World
Gulls and other birds are the only creatures using the Empire crab dock since the big storm a few weeks ago. The damage to the Empire boat ramp and crab dock has been assessed at just under $25,000. With damages not high enough to meet the emergency threshold, no relief is expected to be granted from FEMA. The cost to repair the wave boom will be mostly covered by funds from the Oregon State Marine Board. With adverse weather and high tides expected, the repairs are not expected to be completed for a few months.
Fern Reynolds Reedsport James Palmer, Coos Bay Juanita Cain, Reedsport William Honer III, Coos Bay
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DEATHS
DEVAN PATEL
Agency acts slow on insurance WASHINGTON — The Federal Housing Finance Agency has yet to deliver on changes to a controversial type of homeowner’s insurance even as its director told the Senate Banking Committee on Wednesday that it’s making progress. So-called force-placed insurance, which banks buy to protect the properties of homeowners behind on their loan payments, costs far more than regular homeowners’ insurance. See Agency, A8
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