C M C M Y K Y K DOUBLE MASTECTOMY BOBCATS SWEEP Beauty queen gives up body, A6 Myrtle Point bests Reedsport, B1 Serving Oregon’s South Coast Since 1878 SATURDAY,JANUARY 12, 2013 theworldlink.com I $1.50 Media Grace and Grit drives flu shot frenzy BY TIM NOVOTNY The World NORTH BEND — More vaccine is on the way after a rush of people seek- ing flu shots drained the supply at Coos County’s Public Health Depart- ment. “We’re out Inside of vaccine, but Contributed Photo Read how the rest of we’ve ordered By Alysha Beck, The World Joanne Verger speaks on the Oregon State more,” said the rest of the nation Joanne Verger shares stories about her experiences in Oregon politics for the past 22 years. She moved to Coos Senate floor during a Senate session. Verger Administrator is grappling with an served as an Oregon state senator from 2005 uncommonly strong Bay in 1968, and has served as Coos Bay mayor, Oregon state representative and Oregon state senator. In 2011, Frances Smith. Verger announced she would not run again for her Senate seat. to 2012. Smith attrib- flu strain. Page A6 uted the rush to a combination of holiday travel, which sometimes helps spread the disease, Belle of the bay and the national media focus on flu outbreaks around the country. reflects on politics SEE FLU | A10 COOS BAY — When Joanne community like a research Lakeside Verger looks back on her 22 paper,”she said. “I moved from years on the front lines of local such a different culture, I had to and Oregon politics, she can do do that. We were in business. so with her head held high and Lawton and I both needed to mayor her values and principles intact. totally understand who Oregon When I sat down to talk with people were, her this week, in the Coos Bay so we studied the history of PEOPLE OF City Council chambers where it THE resigns all began, we discussed how she Oregon and Contributed Photo was able to do that. It boils traveled all WORLD After 22 years in local and state politics,Joanne Verger announced she would not down to this: For all of her over the I Declares City Council run for re-election to the Senate. Southern-style graciousness, state.” she could be tough and stub- Her prepa- incapable of managing born when the time came to ration and fight for something she believed intensity grew when she BY DANIEL SIMMONS-RITCHIE in. entered poli- The World “I think that my city coun- cils, my county commissioners, tics, first as a LAKESIDE — After winning re- will all vouch for the fact that city coun- cilor, then as TIM election by 17 votes, mayor-elect Ed I’ve been able to do whatever NOVOTNY Gowan has refused to accept the job. they needed doing,”she said. “I Coos Bay’s The surprise announcement came don’t want that to ever be con- mayor. She at a swearing-in ceremony Thursday fused with having a lack of sub- became a pen night. Gowan was absent, but sent a stance. I never want anybody to pal of John Kitzhaber, then in letter to the council outlining his frus- feel that in the clutches I’m not his first stint as governor. She tration. tough.” wrote him at least a letter a “As Mayor, I have NO CONFI- Verger backed up her tough- month, explaining Coos Bay’s DENCE in this Council to work ness with preparation — a qual- situation and needs. together toward any goals set for the ity she displayed when she first When she joined the Legisla- positive progression of the City of arrived in Coos Bay in 1968. The ture, she commonly worked Lakeside,”he wrote. Louisiana-bred Verger moved from 7 a.m. and until 7 at night. Gowan added that the city was to the Northwest with her hus- With hard times afflicting her district, the people back home conducting business in an “obstruc- Contributed Photo band, Lawton, who had just Former Oregon State Senator Joanne Verger and Senate President Peter bought a car dealership. SEE GOWAN | A10 Courtney count votes during a Senate session. “I had literally studied the SEE VERGER | A10 Drier times ahead for soggy residents BY DANIEL SIMMONS-RITCHIE the county stopped cleaning out Mill Creek, which The World lies adjacent. The county has tried to combat the flooding, COOS BAY – One of Coos County’s most water- placing gravel along stretches of the road in 2008 to logged roads will be fixed after this winter,following raise its height. But the water has chipped away at years of vehicle damage, access problems and soggy the county’s work. feet for residents. At best, the flooding is a nuisance for the street’s Anderson Lane, near Blossom Gulch Elementary 13 to 16 households, says Long. At worst, it ruins School, has been on the road department’s radar for vehicle parts and hinders walking and driving. years but state regulations have stalled its repair. “There’s one girl, she puts garbage bags on her During a good week of rain, like the week past, an feet to get down the road,”Long said. 80-foot puddle stretches along the street. After It’s a problem with serious consequences for heavy storms, like those that hit last year, that pud- some residents. Liz McGraw, a former paralegal, dle can stretch 150 feet and reach over a foot in suffers an illness that requires her to use an electric depth. wheelchair. That makes access impossible on some “I have seen salmon swimming up the road,”said days. By Alysha Beck, The World resident Ron Long. “I can’t even get to my mailbox if I wanted,”she Ron Long explains how Anderson Lane in Coos Bay floods over after heavy rains, strand- Long, a 47-year-old contractor, has lived on said. ing some residents. Some residents have complained to the county about the need to Anderson Lane since he was a child. He says that manage the flooding. flooding became a problem several years ago after SEE FLOODING | A10 John Hansen, Coos Bay Patsy Highland, Coos Bay What’s Up . Go! Sports . B1 Debra Culp, Salem Bruce Evans, Lakeside T S S E Yvonne Buckles, North Bend A H Dolores Phillips, Coos Bay D Police reports . A2 Comics . C5 I C T Frank ‘Tine’ Strain, Gold Beach E A Ramon Jasso, Coos Bay S South Coast. A3 Classifieds . C6 Mostly cloudy E Vera Heer, Coos Bay R N Louise Harlan, Myrtle Point 45/34 I D Opinion. A4 Puzzles . C7 Glen Thommen, Coquille O F Weather | A10 Lonnie Denler, Coos Bay Obituaries | A5, A6 C M C M Y K Y K C M C M Y K A2 •The World • Saturday, January12,2013 Y K South Coast City Editor Ryan Haas • 541-269-1222, ext. 239 theworldlink.com/news/local Port VP resigns Play THE WORLD prosperity in the region.” A port news release said date COOS BAY — The South McKeown has regularly advo- Coast’s newest state legisla- cated for maritime com- tor, Caddy McKeown, has merce, the local economy and resigned from her other pub- the region’s transportation lic role as a Coos Bay port system. When the boats are away, the pinnipeds commissioner. McKeown was part of the will play.While B-Dock in the Charleston McKeown, D-Coos Bay, port’s effort to buy the Marina is cleared of boats while the new will begin her duties as a state embargoed Coos Bay rail line, representative next week. On resulting in restored freight docks are installed, several sea lions Friday, Oregon International rail service between Eugene decided to get out of the water and rest Port of Coos Bay announced and the coast. on the empty spaces.The blubbery her resignation from the port “Caddy McKeown has put bunch had just come out of the water board. McKeown has been tremendous energy into and were boisterous to another who vice president of the port advocating for port develop- joined them. commission since January ments and transportation 2004. projects to reverse decades of “The Coos Bay harbor is a economic hardship,” said By Lou Sennick, The World valuable asset that should be Port Commission President fully utilized to benefit David Kronsteiner. “She set a southwest Oregon and the high standard for objective state, and the cargo opportu- deliberation and helped nities the port is pursuing solidify the port’s role as a Coquille principal steps down have the potential to do catalyst for economic exactly that for the long improvement... We wish her term,”McKeown said.“I look the best in continuing these THE WORLD Nortness, who had been principal of the same building as the district offices. forward to expanding my role efforts in the Oregon State Coquille Valley School since 2000, “It’s not easy, but it will work well as an advocate for greater Legislature.” COQUILLE — A longtime public stepped down this week. for the schools,”Sweeney said. school principal resigned suddenly this Geoff Wetherell will become princi- week. pal in his place. Sweeney will perform Sweeney declined to discuss the cir- Coquille Superintendent Tim double duty as principal of Lincoln cumstances behind Nortness’ resigna- Sweeney confirmed that Mark Elementary School, which is located in tion. Pets of the Week Meetings TODAY Coos Bay Public School Board — 9 a.m., Milner Crest Education Center, 1255 Hemlock Ave.; Lighthouse Pro- ject. MONDAY North Bend City Council — noon, Dolly Grover Ernie and Eckley Gypsie council chambers, city hall, 835 Cal- ifornia St.; special meeting to dis- Coos County Animal Shelter Pacific Cove Humane Society cuss pay request No.