BACK TO CLASS
CRUSHING DEFEAT
All-nighter leads to Portland teacher agreement, A5
Olympic host’s hockey team beaten, B5
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2014
Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878
theworldlink.com
A reason to dance for joy The World
Police reports . . . . A2 What’s Up. . . . . . . . A3 South Coast. . . . . . A3 Opinion. . . . . . . . . . A4
The World
SOUTH COAST — Several Jordan Cove Energy Project applications are now in limbo, fueling “what if” conversations throughout the South Coast. Representatives from Coos Curry Douglas Business Development Corporation and other supporters launched town hall presentations at school board and city council meetings last week on the heels of a media campaign aimed at spurring renewed community support for the liquefied natural gas export plant to be built on the North Spit. The current campaign seeks to explain the impact of a proposed Community Enhancement Plan, a plan to deal with the expected economic windfall should plans to build the Jordan Cove plant get U.S. Department of Energy approval — and if it receives long-term rural enterprise zone tax exemption. That’s too many ifs — too many unknowns, said Coos County Commissioner Bob Main at the Coquille school board meeting’s town hall last week. The DOE gave conditional approval to the Cameron LNG terminal in Cameron Parish, La., on Feb. 11. Next on the fed’s list is Jordan Cove. DOE representatives did not respond to requests for comment on Jordan Cove as of Wednesday morning. Jordan Cove submitted its enterprise zone application to CCD on Tuesday morning, said Margaret By Lou Sennick, The World
Work on replacing some cylindrical bearings on the Isthmus Slough Bridge has been postponed till next week due to the weather. Where the green steel spans sit on top of the concrete piers, there are steal cylinder bearings that need to be replaced starting next week. Each connection has five cylinders and Oregon Department of Transportation crews will have to raise the bridge a few inches to replace them and traffic will be delayed on the bridge while the work is done.
SEE QUESTIONS | A8
Dispensary bans might go up in smoke
Getting its bearings back Stormy weather pushes Isthmus bridge work back to next week ■
BY TIM NOVOTNY The World
COOS BAY — The old Isthmus Slough Bridge, which connects downtown Coos Bay and Eastside, was supposed to have some work done this week. The wild winter weather, however, is forcing a minor adjustment to that schedule. The bridge that had more than $3 million in repairs to the east side approach in 2011 is in need of a little more work, according to the Oregon Department of Transportation. ODOT spokesman Dan Latham says motorists can expect intermittent daytime delays of up to 20 minutes when work begins next week. Bridge work is scheduled between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday, Feb. 24-27. Latham says the project will replace “bearings” that work beneath the green steel truss support that motorists can see and the concrete columns underneath. “All bridges experience natural move-
Comics . . . . . . . . . . A6 Puzzles . . . . . . . . . . A6 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . B1 Classifieds . . . . . . . B7
BY CHAD GARLAND The Associated Press
SALEM — Oregon communities and counties would not be permitted to prohibit medical marijuana dispensaries under a bill unanimously passed Tuesday by the state Senate, even though nearly a dozen communities already have done so or are considering it. Moves to keep communities from banning the pot shops are getting an angry response from local leaders. “I’m really disappointed that apparently there are legislators who would thumb their noses at local control,” Fairview Mayor Mike Weatherby said. Oregon voters approved medical marijuana in 1998. The Legislature last year approved legislation allowing medical pot stores, but a number of communities don’t want them and want the right to keep them from opening. Cities and counties had asked legislators to confirm their authority to regulate and prohibit the marijuana retailers with the bill, SB 1531. The Senate Judiciary Committee last week rewrote it to let local governments regulate certain aspects of the facilities but not prohibit them completely. Sen. Floyd Prozanski, D-Eugene, said the bill is necessary to clarify state law and allow communities to enact “reasonable” restrictions on when, where and how medical pot facilities operate. A 2013 bill prohibiting local regulation of seeds and seed products seemed to take away local control of the pot facilities, too, which was an “unintended consequence,” he said. Prozanski has said he wanted local governments to have some say in how the pot businesses operate, but he and other lawmakers also have said
ment related to wind, temperatures, etc. The bearings allow the steel truss to flex, or move, over the concrete columns.” There are two kinds of bearings on the Isthmus Slough Bridge and both are being replaced. Resembling rolling pins that are placed side-by-side, and attached at the “handle” on both ends, they are the original steel cylinders from when the bridge was first constructed in 1931. They have a lifespan of about 70 years, meaning they were past their due date for being replaced. “It is my understanding the old bearings, the ‘rolling pins,’ are rusted and corroded and are no long functioning properly,” Latham added. In their place, a new rubber mat will serve the same function. “When we replace the bearings, we have to jack up the bridge a couple of inches” Latham said. “When we do this, we need less weight on the bridge, so that is why we’ll have lane closures on the deck.” A flagger will provide traffic control during the work next week, and message boards will be in place. For more information on road closures and travel conditions, visit www.tripcheck.com.
SEE POT | A8
David Pettengill, Laguna Woods, Calif. Nina Tiemeyer, Myrtle Point Ronald Taylor, North Bend
Obituaries | A5
No mail today
Need to sell something?
In Kiev, Ukranian protesters siezed the main post office.
Page A7
FORECAST
INSIDE
PORTLAND (AP) — A man who says he broke two teeth when he bit into some mashed potatoes is suing at Outback Steakhouse restaurant in Portland. Roger Branstetter says there were bits of broken porcelain in the food in February 2012 when he cracked two molars, and he says a manager admitted that bits of a broken plate had fallen into the potatoes. Branstetter is suing the restaurant for $48,000 in Multnomah County Circuit Court. A managing partner of the Evergreen Restaurant Group that owns the franchise, Jason Bender, told The Oregonian he couldn’t speak in detail about the case, but hadn’t heard of any other customers with a similar complaint. He says safety is very important to the restaurant.
BY CHELSEA DAVIS
NATION
Man sues restaurant over mashed potatoes
Some support, others remain skeptical at town halls detailing proposed Jordan Cove plan ■
DEATHS
SEE BALLET | A8
75¢
Questions remain on community service fee
BY TIM NOVOTNY COOS BAY — When the young dancers take the stage at the Hales Center for the Performing Arts this Saturday, audience members just may be able to catch a glimpse of a rising star in the world of ballet. Dance Umbrella for South Coast Oregon is holding its Gala 2014, featuring their own pre-professional performing company. Ballet Pacific helps young dancers in the area reach their potential and, if they desire, to take the next step towards a professional career. Five of their 14 members recently helped themselves in that direction by winning scholarships to prestigious summer intensive training schools. Connor Hammond, Emily Porter, Abigail Tomlinson, Edie Clarke and Natasha Rader proved they have what it takes talent-wise at various auditions in the Northwest. Now, they just have to find a way to raise the rest of the funds needed to attend these topflight programs. Some financial help will come through Dance Umbrella, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, that sponsors scholarships, among other things. Falling under Dance Umbrella is the Pacific School of Dance — an off-campus program of the Boys & Girls Club of Southwestern Oregon. Those who would like to get pre-professional training have the option of auditioning to become members of Ballet Pacific. Without all of those pieces fitting together as they do, school officials say, the summer intensive programs would likely be out of reach for many talented young dancers in our area. Pamela Chaney, Administrative Director for Pacific School of Dance, says just going through the audition process for schools, like Boston Ballet, Ballet Arizona, and
■
Rain 54/45 Weather | A8
WE CAN DELIVER YOUR MESSAGE OVER 100,000 TIMES!
Call Valerie Today! 541-267-6278