Ww 7 25 13

Page 1

C M

C M

Y

Y

K

Bandon

AN EDITION OF

K

Thursday, July 25, 2013 Serving the Bandon community since 1912

WESTERN WORLD theworldlink.com/bandon ♦ $1.00

A deeper look:

New President:

Inside this edition:

Artist talks about style secrets Saturday. Page A5

Pounder to lead Bandon Chamber, see page A10.

Community . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A2 Bandon Police Log. . . . . . . . A3 Opinion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A4

Arts and Entertainment . . . A5 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A10

Residents voice opinion on land swap By Amy Moss Strong Bandon Western World

COOS BAY — Coos County residents are largely behind a proposed land swap that would see the creation of a new golf course on the South Coast in exchange for public park land. John Sweet, Bandon resident and chairman of the Coos County Board of Commissioners, said he was in favor of the proposal, both personally and as a board member. Sweet quoted Coos County statistics on poverty, child abuse and substance abuse. “The root cause is not a lack of park space, it’s a lack of jobs and every opportunity we have to create more jobs we need to grasp,” Sweet said. Dozens of people showed up last week for what would usually be a sedate Oregon State Parks Recreation and Commission meeting at the Red Lion Hotel. They were there to voice opinions on a proposed land

trade between Oregon State Parks and Bandon Biota, which proponents say would benefit all involved. A decision on the trade is not expected until the commission’s September meeting. Most of those testifying at the meeting agreed with that assessment. But a few warned that trading public land to Bandon Biota — a private corporation owned by Bandon Dunes Golf Resort owner Mike Keiser — sets a dangerous precedent. Sharon Waterman of Bandon, regional director of the Coos County branch of the Oregon Farm Bureau, said she personally opposes the proposal and the direction she perceives Coos County is taking regarding development. “Protect our undeveloped coastal area that belongs to all of us,” said Waterman, who was not speaking on behalf of the Farm Bureau.

Bandon Western World

Gorse fire Photo by Amy Moss Strong, Bandon Western World

Coos Forest Patrol crews hike into an area off Toyko Lane north of Bandon to fight a blaze that began in the gorse.

Fire scorches gorse off Seven Devils Road By Amy Moss Strong

BANDON — Bandon firefighters and crews from the Coos Forest Patrol responded with several trucks and tankers to a fire off Seven Devils Road and Tokyo Lane about 4 p.m. Friday afternoon. Firefighters used a cat to help create a barrier around the fire, which was located mainly in a large patch of gorse. The fire was contained about an hour

on the property that has been dubbed Bandon Links. In exchange, the company would pay at least $300,000 for gorse control on nearby state park properties, transfer two land parcels near Bandon adjacent to Bullards Beach State Park and the Coquille River totaling 208 acres into the state park system, and pay as much as $2.95 million to help purchase two other properties: Oceanfront property in Lincoln County known as Whale Cove, and 6,100 acres of forest, prairie and riparian bottomlands in Grant County in an area called Grouse Mountain for use as a future state park.

later and though initial reports indicated a barn was involved, it was later determined that no structures were damaged. Several homes and out buildings are located near where the fire started in a rural residential area just north of Bandon Dunes Golf Resort. The fire burned about one acre, according to reports. Fire Chief Lanny Boston warns the public that conditions are dry and fire precautions must be observed.

Preparedness Faire in Sept.

■ See Swap, A6

What the land swap means for Bandon Bandon State Natural Area, where the golf course would be built, is a 878-acre property about seven miles south of Bandon composed of dunes and seasonal wetlands. The property is plagued by gorse, an aggressive, noxious, invasive plant. Officials at the OPRD say they have spent $67,000 since 2011 to control gorse and restore native plants. Under the proposal, 280 acres of that property between Bradley and Laurel lakes near U.S. Highway 101 south of Bandon would be traded to the corporation. Bandon Biota intends to develop a 27-hole walking-only golf course

CB hires new top editor

Bandon Western World

BANDON — A little more than two years ago, near suppertime on May 22, 2011, a force-5 tornado dropped suddenly on Joplin, Mo., leaving at least 158 people dead. That number is more than six times the number of fatalities from the tornado that struck Moore, Okla., in May of this year. The most important difference between the former disaster and the most recent one was the effectiveness of the advance warning, according to experts. That’s why BandonPrepares’ mission is to train Bandon residents in the “culture of preparedness.” To that end, BandonPrepares is organizing the Bandon Preparedness Faire, to be held from 10 a.m. to 4

p.m. Saturday, Sept. 28, at The Barn in Bandon City Park. The Preparedness Faire will include programs and speakers from state and county governments as well as displays by local partners in emergency preparedness. The public is encouraged to attend. Local organizations that wish to participate may use the “Contact Us” of the function BandonPrepares web site at www.banprep.org. BandonPrepares also announces that Community Emergency Response Team training will soon be available in Bandon. The CERT Program educates people about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills, such as fire safety, light search and rescue,

Telegraph beached

Siren testing to resume BANDON —To ensure that the emergency warning system is operating properly and will be available in the event of a disaster or other emergency, the city will resume regular testing of the system. According to City Manager Matt Winkel, those tests are scheduled to take place at noon on the first Wednesday of each month, beginning Aug. 7. In the case of an actual emergency, the wailing siren will be used to indicate an imminent disaster and the continuous siren will be used to indicate a more distant approaching emergency, Winkel explained. A series of musical tones indicates all-clear. The loudspeaker system will be used to announce and provide instructions regarding the type of emergency such as a tsunami, large scale fire, boil water alert, etc.

■ See Testing, A6 ■ See CERT, A6

COOS BAY — A Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter and former Associated Press bureau chief is taking the editorial helm of The World newspaper, the company announced today. Larry Campbell of Alaska, Anchorage, assumed the role of executive editor at the paper, located in Coos Bay, on Tuesday. Amy Moss Strong will continue as editor of the Bandon Western World. World Publisher Jeff Precourt said Campbell immediately stood out as a person of interest during an extensive search. “Larry’s b a c k ground as a Larry Campbell journalist in Alaska was very appealing to us,” Precourt said. “Many of the topics in southwestern Oregon — like the environment, native populations and government issues — translate well.” Campbell began his journalism career in 1982 with the Anchorage Daily News after graduating from the University of Oregon. While at the Daily News, Campbell became the first reporter on the scene of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. The same year, he was part of a team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for a 10week series on alcoholism and addiction in Alaskan native communities. From 2001 to 2009, Campbell served as the assistant bureau chief and Alaska bureau chief of the Associated Press. He’s also held editor positions at The Peninsula Clarion and First Alaskans Magazine. “His career is filled with examples of blending high quality journalism with progressive strategies,” Precourt said.

■ See Editor, A6

Museum celebrates Port of Bandon’s 100th anniversary

The sternwheeler Telegraph, on left, built in 1914 by Carl Herman, who owned a boatyard at Prosper, is considered to be the last steamboat on the Coquille River.

By Jim Proehl Contributing writer

BANDON — The Bandon Historical Society will help celebrate the hundredth anniversary of the Port of Bandon with an open house and history presentation at the museum Saturday afternoon, July 27. The port district was formed in 1913. The Port of Bandon will host its own centennial celebration during Cranberry Festival weekend Sept. 13-15.

Photo courtesy of the Bandon Historical Museum

The museum event will take place from 1 to 4 p.m. with a history talk by Port Commissioners Reg Pullen and Robert Miller at 1:30 p.m. Port General Manager Gina Dearth, past and current port commissioners and port employees will all be special guests of the museum July 27. The public is invited and admission will be free. Volunteers have prepared an exhibit featuring Port of Bandon

■ See Centennial, A6

Former Bandon teacher charged with student sex abuse By Amy Moss Strong Bandon Western World

BANDON — A former longtime Bandon middle school teacher has been charged with sexual abuse involving a minor, according to the Coos County Sheriff’s Office.

According to jail records, 55-year-old Chuck McLauchlin was arrested for four counts of third-degree sexual abuse and four counts of third-degree sodomy. He was taken into custody by Bandon police on a probable cause warrant issued by the Coos County Sheriff’s Office,

according to the Bandon Police Department. Police officers and sheriff’s deputies searched McLauchlin’s residence Tuesday evening. McLauchlin was taken to the Coos County jail and held on $140,000 bail. McLauchlin was a popular

science and technology teacher at Harbor Lights Middle School for 26 years. He was the school’s computer specialist and network administrator and was a cross country and track coach for many years. He retired in February from the district but had been on leave since the

beginning of the school year in September 2012. The alleged victim is a female student and athlete. Third-degree sexual abuse occurs if a person subjects another person to sexual contact and the victim does not

■ See Teacher, A6

Chuck McLauchlin

C M Y

K

M Y

K


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.
Ww 7 25 13 by The World Newspaper - Issuu