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Umpqua Post
Weekly news from the Heart of the Dunes AN EDITION OF
WEST
Wednesday, January 29 2014 | Serving the Reedsport area since 1996 | theworldlink.com/reedsport | $1.00
DeFazio speaks about timber proposal
Photos by Lou Sennick, The Umpqua Post
Reedsport Mayor Keith Tymchuk, right, reads a proclaimation sent by the City of Hemet, Calif. to Reedsport congratulating Duane Wisehart's new job as the Chief of Police for Reedsport. Wisehart, left, was sworn in and took over duties during a ceremony Friday morning held at the Umpqua Discovery Center.
New chief sworn in 27-year-veteran Duane Wisehart is Reedsport’s new police boss BY STEVE LINDSLEY Umpqua Post editor
It was a packed house, Friday, as the new Reedsport police of chief was sworn in. A ceremony was held at the Umpqua Discovery Center. Duane Wisehart comes to Reedsport after spending 27 years in the Hemet Police Department in California. City manager Jonathan Wright hired the 27-year veteran and directed the short ceremony. Pastor Allen Chaney, Reedsport Church of God, gave the invocation. “We thank you for the men and women who choose to serve,”
Chaney prayed, “to sacrifice for the betterment of our communities and for the safety of our children and our loved ones.” He also asked for a blessing for the entire Wisehart family, who made the trip to Reedsport. “I would pray that you bless them, that you would watch over them,” Chaney asked. Wisehart’s family; wife Tara; daughters Ariel and Savannah and sons Hayden and Jacob will return to California until after the school year. Wright also had a short tribute to Chief Mark Fandrey, who died of a heart attack in July of 2013. “I want to take us back to a
day,” Wright continued, “to the day of July 6, 2013 … a date that marked a tragic event in the city of Reedsport. While I’m still deeply saddened by the loss of Chief Mark Fandrey, his passing provided us with an opportunity to welcome new people into our community, and give way to new leaders. I believe, in my heart, that Chief Fandrey has been a guiding force in the events that have transpired over the past few months.” Fandrey’s wife also attended the ceremony for Wisehart. “I’d like to give special thanks to Beth Fandrey,” Wright said, “for being here today and showing her support.”
Wright also paid tribute to Mary Beck, the wife of interim chief, Sgt. Tom Beck. “I would like to give you a token of my appreciation,” Wright said, “for letting me torture your husband for the past seven months, and all the support you’ve shown in trying to push him along in his career.” Wright had more kind words for Beck. “Watching Sgt. Beck breach the surface of upper management, has been inspiring,” Wright said. “He found innovating solutions to tough financial issues. He
SEE WISEHART, PAGE A5
Wisehart says he’s ready to get started Reedsport’s new police chief, Duane Wisehart, was brief in his remarks following his swearing in by Mayor Keith Tymchuk. Wisehart’s wife, Tara, pinned his Reedsport police badge on him. “I do want to thank everybody for coming out,” Wisehart told the packed room at the Umpqua Discovery Center. “I did not take this task on lightly. I’m very excited, very happy to be the chief of Reedsport. I’m excited to get to know the men and women of the department and all the people in the community.” He wanted the community to know that he plans to listen too. “I want everybody to know that I’m a very approachable person,” he said. “As a chief, I want anybody, if they ever have any questions, to come to me. You’re going to see me out in the community
often. I’m going to get involved is a much as I can and get to know as many people as I can as quickly as I can.” He said his family will also be part of the community. “My boys love baseball, so we’re going to be involved in sports out here,” the new chief said. He also thanked City Manager Jonathan Wright. “He has been tremendous throughout this process, very thorough” Wisehart said. “I’ve worked for a lot of city managers … I’ve never worked for one that’s as dedicated an diligent as he is in this whole process.” Wisehart said he was ready to get to work. “I’m very happy to be here,” he repeated, “and I’m very happy and New Reedsport Police Chief Duane Wisehart has his new chief's badge excited to get started and meet pinned to his shirt by his wife Tara Friday morning. everybody.”
Committee takes over plans for Memorial Day A committee to plan for Memorial Day festivities in Reedsport met Wednesday, Jan. 22, in the Reedsport city council chambers. The committee is hoping to pick up momentum after a 2013 event that featured no organized parade. There was an informal parade and ceremony at the war memorial at the city’s Hahn Park. The Lions Club’s Jim Wells facilitated the meeting. “We’re going to be in charge of the memorial service,” Wells told the committee. This year’s events will include a dinner Sunday, May 25, at the Presbyterian church and a patriotic concert with vocal and band music.
Monday, May 26, will feature a service at the cemetery, a parade and a memorial service at Hahn Park at 1 p.m. There will be discussion about the parade route with the Oregon Department of Transportation. “We’ve tentatively set the parade route, for those of us who have been around here a long time, the old OceanFest parade route,” Reedsport Police Sgt. Tom Beck told the group, “starting at 22nd Street ... that will be our staging area ... they will come out on the Highway 101 and go down ... to 10th Street.” By Steve Lindsley, The Umpqua Post At 10th Street the parade will The Memorial Day planning committee met to continue to plan for this year’s head to Winchester Avenue, to
event. The committee began work this year, after the formal event was cancelled last year.
SEE MEMORIAL, PAGE A2
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Oregon Congressman Peter DeFazio continued a series of forums in western Oregon last week, including a stop in Coos Bay on Thursday. After his forum, the Democrat stopped by The World offices for an editorial board meeting. Among the topics discussed were timber bills that are now being considered in Congress. “(Sen.) Wyden’s holding a hearing the first week of February,” DeFazio told the editorial board. “He’ll hold a hearing on his version. We’ve been in early, intensive talks between myself and the senator and our staffs are now talking about what changes we might be able to make to come to an agreement.” DeFazio, along with Oregon Reps. Greg Walden and Kurt Schrader have managed to pass a bill that would more than double timber harvests across the country and calls for placing about 1.6 million acres in a state-managed trust focused on timber production. Wyden has proposed a bill that would allow less harvest and provide less money to Oregon and California railroad lands. “This new foundation will more than double our timber harvest across 18 timber counties and ensure that harvest continues for years to come,” Wyden said in a news release in advance of his announcement. DeFazio says they know it will take some hard bargaining to get the house and senate bills conjoined and get the legislation passed and signed. He says, when it’s all said and done, he hopes something significant is passed. “The objective hasn’t changed,” he said, “which is certainty; higher levels of revenues, which depends on a higher level of harvest.” He also said the bills would need to meet certain environmental protections. “We’re still in agreement on those,” The Fourth District Congressman said. “He says he can’t pass a trust. We’re willing to work within his framework without a trust, if we can meet the objectives ... and that’s going to require some changes.” Wyden will hold the hearing next week in his Energy and Natural Resources Committee and then is expected to take over as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. It’s not clear where Wyden would stand with the energy committee. “I hope (the energy committee) would move the bill out,” DeFazio said. “Then, that puts us in a position to begin negotiating. This bill isn’t going to pass the senate as an individual, free-standing bill. It’s a one-state bill. The senate’s pretty dysfunctional.” He said the bill could be part of a larger “land package” later in the year. “But, if he moves the bill out of committee, then we can begin to discuss what changes could be made to be put into a larger land package,” DeFazio said. That package could include federal land protections, creating more national monuments, creating more wilderness areas, more active management on federal forest lands and creating more “wild and scenic” rivers. DeFazio said there hasn’t been new designations for those in more than three years. The Democrat said, if it goes well, it all could be done before the summer Congressional break.